Puppet MastersS


Star of David

Chutzpah: Netanyahu accuses opposition of trying to 'steal the election' as vote approaches


Sputnik
Sat, 07 Sep 2019 16:57 UTC
Netanyahu
© Associated Press/Tsafrir AbayovBenjamin Netanyahu
Earlier, Benny Gantz, leader of Israel's largest opposition party, accused the prime minister of "trying to delegitimise" the democratic process by preparing his supporters not to accept the results of the upcoming election if the Likud Party loses.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused political opponents opposed to an initiative to place cameras in polling stations of trying "to steal the election."

"It is no coincidence that Benny Gantz and [Blue and White's Yair] Lapid oppose cameras, because they want the election to be stolen," Netanyahu said, speaking to reporters on Friday in London, his remarks quoted by The Times of Israel.

"Placing cameras prevents stolen elections," Netanyahu insisted, According to the prime minister, given the widespread prevalence of surveillance cameras in other areas of Israeli society, such as kindergartens, it was curious that "all of a sudden the one place where it is prevented is in the voting hall."

Comment: Bibi is desperate to be re-elected to stave off facing corruption charges.

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Airplane

Russian-Ukrainian prisoner exchange complete - 35 for 35


RT
Sat, 07 Sep 2019 16:43 UTC
prisoner exchange ukraine russia
© Ilya Pitalev / Sputnik
Planes with former detainees landed in Moscow and Kiev, concluding the long-awaited prisoner swap. The action was hailed as the first step in mending the 'dead-end' relations between the neighbors and was praised internationally.

Despite many delays and setbacks, the swap finally happened on Saturday. The government plane carrying the released Russians landed in Moscow this afternoon. The jet with the freed Ukrainians earlier touched down in Kiev.

The long-awaited prisoner exchange "has been completed," Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova confirmed. She hailed the event as "a historical mass-scale humanitarian action," confirming the swap was "35-for-35."

It followed months of painstaking behind-the-scenes negotiations at various levels. At one point, even the presidents of the two nations were involved, as Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the matter with his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky over the phone.

There were some "provocations" and other challenges throughout the talks, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova said. But in the end, "the political will and meticulous work delivers results."

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No Entry

AG William Barr demands end to nationwide injunctions - gives too much power to lone 'sympathetic' judges

Daniel Chaitin
Washington Examiner
Fri, 06 Sep 2019 16:41 UTC
William Barr
© UnknownUS Attorney General William Barr
Attorney General William Barr is calling for an end to nationwide injunctions, which have become recurrent obstacles in the way of President Trump's agenda.

With the frequency of judges' orders blocking the enforcement of federal laws and policies on the rise, Barr's op-ed in the Wall Street Journal escalates the Justice Department's fight to check this facet of the judicial branch's power.

Nationwide injunctions, he wrote, "create an unfair, one-way system in which the democratically accountable government must fend off case after case to put its policy into effect, while those challenging the policy need only find a single sympathetic judge."

Barr alluded to the framers of the Constitution, asserting they never intended the courts to "act as a 'council of revision' with sweeping authority to reach beyond concrete controversies and rule on the legality of actions taken by the political branches."

Comment: The bias sitting judges have against the Trump administration is plain to see.

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Vader

US military increases presence in Guyana to boost anti-Venezuela operations


PressTV
Sun, 01 Sep 2019 16:22 UTC
Us military forces Guyana
© FileA US military officer poses with a Guyanese counterpart in closing ceremony of the US-led New Horizons training exercise in Guyana on August 22, 2019.
Fears China, Russia inroads

A US military contingent has been deployed to the impoverished South American nation of Guyana for the first time in a decade in a bid to beef up its regional influence as it seeks to press for a military intervention in neighboring Venezuela and undermine growing Chinese and Russian presence in the region.

The four-month long program -- led by the US Air Force and dubbed New Horizons humanitarian outreach - is intended to serve as "a stepping-stone toward a prolonged relationship" with the Guyana military forces, US-based Military.com news outlet reported Saturday, adding that Air Force officials hope American ties with the Guyanese military will remain strong amid the growing influence of Russia and China in the southern hemisphere as well as the persisting crisis in Venezuela.

"Guyana is going to become a larger player in this region, both economically and politically in the future, so it's important that we are closely tied with them," said 12th Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Andrew Croft in an interview.

Comment: RT highlights the renewed US push for a world-wide presence:

And yet the Us may have a particular interest in Guyana besides it being right next to Venezuela. Guyana has been in a low-key, but centuries-long dispute with Venezuela over an area rich in mineral wealth. So rich that Juan Guaido was caught offering it as a bargaining chip to gain US support for his failed coup. Is Guyana more amenable to being looted by Western interests than Venezuela?

Venezuela prosecutors open probe into opposition leader Juan Guaido for 'high treason'
On Thursday, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez offered evidence in the form of phone records in which adviser Manuel Avendaño allegedly discussed with Venezuelan-American diplomat Vanessa Neumann relinquishing claims to the Esequibo region.

"The criminal organization headed by Juan Guaidó had initiated concrete actions to illegally appropriate Venezuela's assets, financial resources, Venezuelan gold, Venezuelan debt, to enrich themselves and to serve transnational interests," Rodriguez said.
Esequibo guyana venezuela territory dispute
© WikipediaThe striped area is claimed by Venezuela
A vestige of South America's colonial history, the dispute over Esequibo is long in the making, dating back centuries to squabbling between the Spanish, Dutch, and eventually British Empires. In the 20th century Venezuela and Guyana have been trying to settle the matter through UN. More recently, however, conflict over the territory has been tied to natural resources, eyed by companies like ExxonMobile. Last year, a standoff broke out between the Venezuelan Navy and vessels of the energy firm searching for oil in the region with Guyana's permission, forcing the surveyors to turn back.


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Gold Coins

Russia purchase brings bullion & foreign currency reserves to new highs


RT
Sat, 07 Sep 2019 16:03 UTC
gold bricks compass
© Getty Images / gmutlu
Russia's gold bullion holdings have reached $109.5 billion as the nation continues to shift its growing international reserves away from the US dollar, according to the latest data released by the country's central bank.

Russia has increased its stockpile of the precious metal by more than $7.5 billion in one month, figures released by the Central Bank of Russia (CBR) on Friday show. Thus, the share of gold in the nation's reserves has set a new record, jumping to 20.7 percent from the previous 19.6 percent.

Comment: Russia and China appear to be preparing for a currency reset or even a global economic meltdown. They know the 'world's reserve currency' is worthless. Who buys the US dollar being backed the "full faith and credit of United states Government." shtick any more?

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War Whore

In response to 'rocket fire from Gaza', IDF shells Hamas targets


RT
Sat, 07 Sep 2019 13:02 UTC
Rockets
© Reuters/Amir Cohen (file photo)
At least five rockets have been fired from Gaza toward Israel, with one landing near Sderot, according to the IDF, who retaliated by attacking an observation post in northern Gaza with tanks.​

One of the rockets landed in an open area near Sderot, causing a fire to break out with minor damage. No casualties have been reported.​

The rockets were launched on Friday night, just a few hours after two Palestinian teenagers were shot dead during the ongoing Great March of Return protest at the Gaza border. Friday's protest saw approximately 66 protesters injured by Israeli soldiers in what the IDF claims were "especially violent" demonstrations.

Hamas declared Israel would "bear the consequences of this crime," according to public broadcaster Kan.

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Nuke

Iran activates 40 advanced uranium-enrichment centrifuges in latest erosion of nuclear deal


RT
Sat, 07 Sep 2019 13:01 UTC
Behrouz Kamalvandi
© Wana News Agency / ReutersBehrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman for the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran speaks during news conference in Tehran.
Iran has started up 40 advanced centrifuges at its uranium enrichment facility, an Atomic Energy Organisation spokesman said Saturday, in a third step to scale back its commitments under the threatened nuclear deal.

"We have started lifting limitations on our research and development imposed by the [nuclear] deal," Behrouz Kamalvandi told reporters, adding it would include the "development of more rapid and advanced centrifuges."

Kamalvandi said "all these steps are reversible if the other side fulfills its promises" set out in the 2015 nuclear agreement, or JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) with China, France, Germany, Russia, the UK, and EU.
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Shopping Bag

Singapore to join Russia-led Eurasian free-trade zone in October


RT
Sat, 07 Sep 2019 12:56 UTC
Singapore
© Global Look press / Valentin Wolf
One of the leading Asian economies, Singapore, is set to ink a free trade agreement with the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) next month, Russia's deputy minister of economic development has revealed to RT.

In an interview to RT during the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) Timur Maksimov said that talks with Singapore on the free trade deal had already been finished.

"A meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council is scheduled for October 1, where the document [free-trade deal] is expected to be signed," the official said.
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Bizarro Earth

Denmark to make military deployment to Northeast Syria - Pentagon


Sputnik
Fri, 06 Sep 2019 21:24 UTC
Syria
© AFP 2019
The Danish military will deploy soldiers to northeast Syria to assist the US-led coalition in the fight against Daesh, Chief Pentagon Spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said in a statement on Friday.

"The United States welcomes the announcement by the Danish Government to make a military deployment to Syria in support of Operation Inherent Resolve and to continue to share the burden and responsibilities of this important mission," Hoffman said. "Our Danish partners will work with the residual US military force in northeast Syria to support stability and security."

Earlier this year, the US admitted that forces of the coalition had killed at least 1,319 civilians during operations against terrorists in Syria and Iraq since August 2014.

Comment: If the US (and Israel) continues to supply terrorists with arms, is there any hope for 'stability and security' in the region? Islamic State Weapons in Yemen Traced Back to US Government: Serbia Files (part 1)

See also:

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House

Home invader attacks head of Russian Election Commission with stun baton on eve of election


RT
Fri, 06 Sep 2019 15:50 UTC
Pamfilova
© Sputnik / Ilya PitalevFILE PHOTO. Ella Pamfilova.
Russian Central Election Commission chief Ella Pamfilova was attacked at her home with a stun baton by an unknown assailant. The incident, believed to be a botched burglary, occurred two days before local elections.

The incident occurred early on Friday, when Pamfilova was at home in Moscow Region. Later in the day, she recounted her experience on TV.
At first, I was frightened, then pulled myself together and began hitting him with all my might. Then I grabbed a chair, began to shout at him very loudly. I did not even know that I could do it that loudly.
According to media reports, the official was roused by her cat, which wanted to go inside. As she went downstairs to let the cat in, she ran into a masked individual who attacked her with a stun baton. However, she fought back, hitting and scratching him until he fled.

Comment: See also:

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