Puppet MastersS


Boat

Iranian boats buzz USS Essex in Persian Gulf, while General Votel is on board


Sputnik
Sat, 27 Oct 2018 16:29 UTC
irgc boat
© AFP 2018 / FARS NEWS/MEHDI MARIZAD
Iranian naval fast boats buzzed around the US amphibious assault ship USS Essex in the southern Persian Gulf soon after General Joseph Votel, head of US Central Command, boarded the ship, the Associated Press reported.

Even though it is unlikely that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were in the know that the US top commander in the Middle East was on board, they might have gotten a hint or two watching a pair of his V-22 Osprey helicopters landing on the Essex as a demonstration flight by one of the ship's F-35 vertical take-off and landing fighters.

The Iranian armed small boats came within about 300 yards of the Essex, apparently interested in the F-35's maneuvers.

General Votel later told reporters traveling with him to the Essex that the IRGC is trying to keep an eye on what the US is doing in the region.
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Better Earth

Putin arrives in Turkey to talk peace in Syria with Erdogan, Macron and Merkel


RT
Sat, 27 Oct 2018 11:06 UTC
erdogan merkel 2018
President Vladimir Putin landed in Istanbul, Turkey, where he is expected to discuss the Syrian peace settlement with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, France's Emmanuel Macron and Germany's Angela Merkel.

The leaders will be joined by UN Special Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura. They are expected to assess the Syrian peace process and exchange ideas in relation to the situation on the ground.

Russian and Turkish defense and foreign ministers had earlier held separate meetings on this issue.

Comment: Sputnik reports:
Germany Sees Buffer Zone in Syria's Idlib as First Step to Ceasefire - Spokesman

The German government hopes that a demilitarized zone in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib will bring a lasting peace to the region, the cabinet's spokesman said Saturday.

"It was an important first step to avert a large-scale military offensive and a humanitarian disaster. Now the question is how it can be transformed into a lasting ceasefire in Idlib," the spokesman Steffen Seibert said in a video address.

The spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel made the statement ahead of the flight to Istanbul where Merkel was to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan and France's Emmanuel Macron.

Seibert also noted that the chancellor "is convinced that every opportunity must be explored to end the seven-and-a-half-year suffering and use every communication channel with key actors."

According to the spokesperson, the four-party talks were expected to advance a UN-led political process to secure peace in Syria and the launch of a constitutional committee that will allow for a free vote in the future.

Earlier in the day, Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Istanbul on Saturday to take part in a quadrilateral summit on the Syrian settlement where he is joined by his international counterparts: French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

According to the Kremlin's press service, the four leaders will discuss Syria and "several other pressing international issues."

In July, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Turkey was planning to hold a summit on the Syrian crisis settlement with France, Germany, and Russia in early September. However, the meeting was later scheduled for October 27.
See also:

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Eye 1

Israeli satellite company reveals alleged site of first Syrian S-300 deployment


Sputnik
Sat, 27 Oct 2018 10:37 UTC
s-300
© Russian Defense Ministry
Earlier this month, Russia completed the deliveries of its S-300 air defense systems to Syria in a bid to improve the security of the nation's troops deployed in the Middle Eastern country.

The Israeli satellite imagery company iSi has unveiled what it claims is the first site for one of the S-300 long-range surface-to-air missile systems, delivered by Russia to Syria.

The company identified the location as a pre-existing air defense base in the northwest of the town of Masyaf.

Comment: A typically provocative move by the Israeli's: Also check out SOTT radio's: NewsReal: Israeli-French Deception Downs Russian Spy Plane Off Syria, US Escalates 'Regime Change' Against Iran

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Light Sabers

Laos: While China is building, the West is destroying and spreading nihilism

Andre Vltchek
New Eastern Outlook
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 14:28 UTC
China bridge in Laos
It is one of those complex stories that are so difficult to tell, and yet they should, they have to be shared.

Imagine the splendid Mekong River, as it flows not far from an ancient capital of Laos, Luang Prabang. The river is powerful, with muddy banks, surrounded by lush mountains. Imagine poor villages and old ferry crossings, as well as broken plastic sandals on the feet of local people.

Then suddenly, near the village of Phonesai, you can spot several tremendous concrete pillars. They are growing out from the water, and from both river banks, literally connecting two mountains.

Soon it will be a bridge for high-speed trains. It is being built by China, a nation with the most advanced high-speed rail technology on earth. And a bit below, there will be another bridge, for cars and pedestrians.

Both mountains are being drilled, carefully and sparingly. This is where two tunnels will be passing through.
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Marijuana

Oh, the irony! Dutch PM warns Canadians against smoking reefer


RT
Sat, 27 Oct 2018 14:46 UTC
Mark Rutte and weed
© (L) Reuters / Aris Oikonomou ; (R) Reuters / Chris WattieDutch PM Mark Rutte and some cannabis at a dispensary in Ottawa, Canada.
Canadians had barely enjoyed legal marijuana for even a fortnight when they received high-level advice against using it, from the unlikeliest of people: the prime minister of the Netherlands.

Mark Rutte's warnings came on his Thursday visit to Canada, just over a week after its much-anticipated cannabis legalization. He and Canadian PM Justin Trudeau were talking pot use in front of a young audience in Ottawa.
The best policy on drugs for yourself is 'no first use.' It sounds conservative, but I would urge you: Don't try at all.
That, coming from the prime minister of a country where buying and using marijuana in designated spaces has been legal for over 40 years. Many of Amsterdam's five million annual tourists specifically flock to its "coffee shops" to spark up or eat pot edibles without fearing the long arm of the law.
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Map

China is challenging the US in Central America, and Washington can't do anything about it

Andrew Korybko
Oriental Review
Sat, 27 Oct 2018 14:20 UTC
El Salvador’s Foreign Minister Carlos Castaneda (L) shakes hands with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on August 21, 2018
El Salvador’s Foreign Minister Carlos Castaneda (L) shakes hands with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on August 21, 2018.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was in Central America late last week when he criticized China's rising influence there by questioning the intentions behind its investment activity, which prompted the country's media to angrily respond earlier this week and lambast the US for trying to "drive a wedge" into Sino-Latin American relations. Washington is worried that Central America is slipping out of its hegemonic control after tiny El Salvador broke ties with Taiwan in August and recognized Beijing as China's legitimate government in exchange for economic support, which some observers feared could catalyze a chain reaction in this part of the world where the self-proclaimed country counts a handful of its dwindling supporters.

From the US' perspective, China's rising economic influence is clearly having political consequences that might one day manifest themselves in these countries gradually turning away from Washington like a few of them have recently done with Taipei, which could lead to the US losing its unipolar control over the region that it condescendingly regards as its "backyard". Even Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez hinted at what he called the "opportunity" that China's growing diplomatic role in the region could provide despite he himself having remained in power up until now after winning a disputed election late last year that was controversially endorsed by the US.
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Blackbox

Who profits from the end of the mid-range nuclear INF Treaty?

Pepe Escobar
Asia Times
Thu, 25 Oct 2018 14:01 UTC
A large Russian missile is seen in a rehearsal for a military parade in Red Square, Moscow, on May, 5 2008.
© iStockA large Russian missile is seen in a rehearsal for a military parade in Red Square, Moscow, on May, 5 2008.
The US move to shelve the Intermediate-range Nuclear-Forces treaty could accelerate the demise of the whole post-WWII Western alliance, and herald a bad remix of the 1930s.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has moved its Doomsday Clock to only 2 minutes to midnight. It might be tempting to turn this into a mere squabble about arrows and olives if this wasn't such a terrifying scenario.

US president Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, secretary-general of the USSR, signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) in 1987.

The Arms Control Association was extremely pleased. "The treaty marked the first time the superpowers had agreed to reduce their nuclear arsenals, eliminate an entire category of nuclear weapons, and utilize extensive on-site inspections for verification."

Three decades later, the Trump administration wants to unilaterally pull out of the INF Treaty.
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Treasure Chest

Moody's projects increase in foreign investments flowing into Russia despite sanctions


RT
Sat, 27 Oct 2018 13:55 UTC
Moscow
© Global Look Press / Serguei Fomine
Good financial results shown by Russian companies may facilitate the return of foreign investment to the country, Moody's senior vice president Kristin Lindow told Sputnik news agency.

"...Recent strong corporate profits quite naturally can result in repatriation of profits by foreign investors. Also, the cleanup that the CBR (Central Bank of Russia) has done in the banking system has significantly reduced capital flight," said Lindow, Moody's leading analyst on Russia's sovereign rating.
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Radar

US delivers largest ammunition shipment to Germany since bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999


RT
Sat, 27 Oct 2018 13:39 UTC
US weapons
© US Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa
Ramstein Air Base in Germany has received around 100 containers of ammunition in the largest delivery of ordnance to the US forces in Europe since the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999.

The US Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa said that "a variety of munitions rolled into Ramstein during the month of October." The delivery is intended to support NATO's European Deterrence Initiative and pump up the resources available to US Air Force in Europe.

The Pentagon is aiming to improve the response time of the US military by pre-positioning ammunition, fuel and equipment to be able to "provide a rapid response against threats made by aggressive actors," it said.

Comment: It is very evident that the US is the one displaying and using aggressive behavior throughout the world thus Russia must be prepared: Diplomat tells UN: Yes, Russia is getting ready for war - in case US attacks

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Gold Bar

WGC says gold demand up 42% as countries abandon US dollar in expectation of geopolitical shift


RT
Sat, 27 Oct 2018 13:31 UTC
Gold bars
© Reuters/Umit Bektas
Central banks around the world are turning to gold as an alternative to the US dollar, which they see as being undermined by America's aggressive trade policy and geopolitical uncertainty.

Demand for gold was up 42 percent year on year in the first quarter of 2018 among central banks, the World Gold Council (WGC) statistics say. Russia and Turkey are the largest net buyers.

Central banks added a net total of 193.3 tons of bullion in the half of 2018, an 8 percent increase from the 178.6 tons bought in the same period last year. This marks the strongest six months for central bank gold buying since 2015, the WGC notes.

Comment: There has been an increasing amount of news coverage on the stockpiling of gold:

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