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Putin: 'If transit of Russian gas through Ukraine stops, there will be no reverse'


RT
Sat, 27 Apr 2019 17:11 UTC
gas pipeline
© Gazprom
Ukraine still heavily relies on Russian gas, therefore it won't be able to use reverse flows if the gas transit stops completely, Vladimir Putin said. As of now, the reverse gas flows "exist only on paper."

There are no real reverse flows of gas in Ukraine, Putin said, adding that "if there's no transit, there're also no gas supplies." He was apparently referring to reports that Ukraine continues to buy reverse supplies of Russian gas at a higher price from European nations.

The Russian president said that Ukraine is buying gas at twice the price it could have paid. Meanwhile, Kiev is "fooling around" instead of coming to terms with the conditions of gas transit decided by Moscow. Eventually, it is the Ukrainian taxpayer who suffers the most, Putin argued.

Over the last few years, heating prices have increased by a whopping 1,400 percent while living standards have "dropped dramatically," he noted. Kiev maintains that reverse gas flows from the EU to Ukraine are to help the country overcome its reliance on Russian gas.

Comment: It must be tough to be Ukraine. On the one hand you hate Russia. On the other hand you need Russia. What to do in such a situation? Apparently, shoot yourself in the foot - repeatedly. See also:

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Gold Coins

India joins China and Russia in gold buying spree


RT
Sat, 27 Apr 2019 17:08 UTC
gold elephant
© Getty Images
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is expected to add 1.5 million ounces, or 46.7 tons, of gold to its growing stockpile which has reached record levels as the country appears to have joined the global anti-dollar push.

The world's tenth-largest gold holder, India, has purchased 8.2 tons of the precious metal so far this year, according to data from the International Monetary Fund. In 2018, the RBI reportedly bought 42.3 tons of gold. The regulator currently holds 608.7 tons of the yellow metal that accounts for about seven percent of the country's foreign exchange reserves.

The move reflects the current trend among global regulators. According to latest report from the World Gold Council (WGC), the central banks across the world acquired 651.5 metric tons of gold in 2018. The unseen year-over-year surge of 74 percent made the figure the highest annual total on record.

Many countries have been stockpiling bullion in an attempt to diversify their foreign reserves away from the US dollar due to multiple geopolitical conflicts, trade wars, and sanctions applied by Washington to participants of global markets under various pretexts.
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Attention

Israeli forces wound 110 Palestinian civilians on 56th Friday of Great March of Return - 37 children, 3 women, 4 paramedics, 1 journalist


PCHR Gaza
Fri, 26 Apr 2019 17:01 UTC
gaza march
On Friday, 26 April 2019, in excessive use of force against peaceful protesters on the 56th Friday of the Great March of Return and Breaking the Siege, Israeli forces wounded 110 civilians, including 37 children, 3 women, 4 paramedics, and a journalist, in the eastern Gaza Strip. Two of those wounded sustained serious wounds.

According to observations by PCHR's fieldworkers, the Israeli forces who stationed in prone positions and in military jeeps along the fence with Israel continued to use excessive force against the protesters by firing bullets and tear gas canisters at them. As a result, dozens of the protesters were hit with bullets and teargas canisters without posing any imminent threat or danger to the life of soldiers.

During this week, Israeli forces have escalated their attacks against the medical personnel in the field, wounding 4 members of them. This indicates that there is an Israeli systematic policy to target the medical personnel and obstruct their humanitarian work that is guaranteed under the rules of the international humanitarian law.

On Friday, 26 April 2019, the incidents were as follows:

At approximately 16:00, thousands of civilians, including women, children and entire families, started swarming to the five encampments established by the Supreme National Authority of Great March of Return and Breaking the Siege adjacent to the border fence with Israel in eastern Gaza Strip cities.

Comment: Imagine if this were Russia shooting at Ukrainians. Or Syria shooting at civilians in Idlib. Or Iran. Or Venezuela. But no, it's Israel. Therefore there is no widespread outcry amongst the Western politicians Israel has bought off or blackmailed into silence.

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Blue Planet

Trump appreciates supportive statements made by Russia's Putin about North Korea


RT
Sat, 27 Apr 2019 16:33 UTC
trump kim korea
US President Donald Trump said he appreciated the statements made by Russian President Vladimir Putin after the summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Vladivostok.

China's efforts on the denuclearization front were also helpful, Trump told reporters at the White House.

The two heads of state met on Thursday in the Russian city of Vladivostok, where they discussed North Korea's nuclear program, among other security issues. It was the first-ever meeting of the two leaders.

Speaking to the press after the summit, President Putin urged international cooperation, and that the DPRK be given a security guarantee.
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Bad Guys

Remind us who the bad guys are? US forces and allies killed more Afghan civilians than the Taliban and other terrorists

Matt Agorist
The Free Thought Project
Thu, 25 Apr 2019 00:00 UTC
US killing Afghan civilian
The numbers are apparently so disturbing that UN officials are now calling for an investigation into the killings.
A rather disturbing report was released by the United Nations this week detailing how in the first part of 2019, US forces and their allies killed more civilians than the Taliban and other terrorist groups.

According to the most recent UN data, Afghan civilians were killed in greater numbers by NATO and pro-government security forces in the first three months of 2019 than by armed militants. Half of those slaughtered by allied troops were women and children.

While the number of overall civilians killed slightly decreased, according to the report, this is the first time since the invasion after 9/11 that the US and its allies have slaughtered more civilians than the terrorist groups they are ostensibly fighting.

The United Nations data breaks down as follows:
  • In the first quarter of 2019, pro-government forces were responsible for the deaths of 305 civilians, while insurgents killed 227.
  • The leading causes of civilian deaths were air strikes (145 fatalities) and ground search operations primarily carried out by US-backed Afghan forces (72).
  • Women and children comprised half of civilian casualties from aerial operations, with international forces responsible for the vast majority of these.
  • Overall, 581 civilians were killed and 1,192 wounded, representing a 23 percent decrease in overall casualties on the same quarter last year.
The numbers are apparently so disturbing that UN officials are now calling for an investigation into the killings.

Comment: Remember this the next time the Pentagon claims it uses 'precision strikes' to minimize the deaths of civilians.

A sampling of the US' 'consideration' for civilian welfare:

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Pistol

Sri Lankan police engaged in shootout during search of 'suicide vest factory' - UPDATES


RT
Fri, 26 Apr 2019 18:12 UTC
sri lanka police
© Reuters/ Dinuka LiyanawatteA Sri Lankan police officer walks into the motel where the Australian and British-educated suicide bomber had detonated his device inside, in Dehiwala on the outskirts of Colombo, Sri Lanka April 26, 2019.
Sri Lankan police searching for suspects connected to the Easter bombings have engaged in a shootout with men during a search operation in the city of Ampara Sainthamaruthu.

The shootout erupted as police attempted to raid a location believed to have been used for the manufacturing of suicide vests, Sri Lankan news outlet News First reports. A police spokesperson said the raid was being conducted by the Army and the Police Special Task Force.

Comment: Southfront adds:
Heavy clashes erupted in the coastal town of Sammanthurai on April 26, when Sri Lanka security forces raided a suspected bomb factory linked to the recent Easter Sunday bombings.

Citing a military spokesman, Sky News reported that an explosion rocked the area and when officers went to investigate they were fired upon. Later more explosions were heard. The Police believe that some of the suspects may have blown themselves up.

Earlier, a joint force of Sri Lanka army, police and Special Task Force (STF) uncovered a hideout in Sammanthurai. Explosive materials, a large amount of fuel, a small drone and an ISIS flag were found there.

Seven suspects, who are believed to be linked to the terrorist attacks, were also apprehended in two separate security operations in the towns of Dharga and Kilinochchi.

More than two hundreds pf civilians were reportedly killed in the bombings, which targeted the St. Anthony's Church in Colombo, St. Sebastian's Church in Negombo, the Zion Church in Batticaloa as well as the Shangri-La, Cinnamon Grand and Kingsbury five-star hotels.

ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks few days later and released a photo of the suicide bombers. Infamous radical scholar, Zahran Hashim, was among the attackers.

Sri Lankan authorities are currently searching for 140 suspects thought to have links with the terror group. It remains unclear how many of these suspects have been arrested so far.
UPDATE - 26/04/19 18:41: From Sputnik

Local media reports, citing police, that the suspects blew themselves up at the beginning of a major gunfight when security personnel, including the military, attempted to raid a location believed to have been used for the manufacture of suicide vests.

Security personnel seized clothing and flags linked to Daesh terror group, 150 gelignite sticks, 100,000 iron balls, drones and at least one suicide vest during a raid in the same locality.

21:05:

The Sri Lankan army reports one civilian dead, three injured in crossfire. The Army hasn't cleared the cordoned off area yet. We have observed two dead bodies suspected to be terrorists. We can confirm one explosion occurred during the shootout", Army spokesman Brigadier Sumith Athapaththu said.

UPDATE 27/04/19: Casualties in Sri Lankan shootout:
A total of 15 bodies, including six children, have been found at the site of a prolonged gun battle between military police and suspected Islamic militants believed to be linked to Sunday's church and hotel bombings in Sri Lanka.

The dead were discovered in a house in Sainthamaruthu as authorities cleared the area on Saturday morning following the overnight shootout, which police and military had earlier said killed four gunmen and a civilian. Fighting broke out on Friday night between the troops and suspected terrorists believed to be connected with the Easter Sunday attacks, which targeted several churches and luxury hotels, killing 253 and injuring hundreds more.

Nearly 10,000 soldiers are searching the country for suspects linked to the bombings, and over 70 individuals have been detained so far.


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Arrow Down

DOJ could build Assange case on Espionage Act, carries possible death sentence


RT
Sat, 27 Apr 2019 13:12 UTC
Free speech
© Reuters / Simon Dawson
Julian Assange could be charged under the Espionage Act for leaking classified material in addition to the hacking charge he already faces, a US Department of Justice document indicates.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating "possible violations of United States federal criminal law regarding the unauthorized receipt and dissemination of classified information," said a letter addressed to former WikiLeaks spokesman Daniel Domscheit-Berg, requesting an interview.

The letter suggests the DOJ is looking for evidence to charge the WikiLeaks founder with more than the computer crime detailed in the indictment against him unsealed in April.

Comment: See also:

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Newspaper

"A president who rips up vital international treaties": Corbyn turns down invitation to UK's Trump state dinner


Reuters
Fri, 26 Apr 2019 16:48 UTC
Jeremy Corbyn.
© Dan KitwoodJeremy Corbyn.
The leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, said on Friday he had turned down an invitation to a state dinner which will be one of the highlights of U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to Britain in June.

"Theresa May should not be rolling out the red carpet for a state visit to honour a president who rips up vital international treaties, backs climate change denial and uses racist and misogynist rhetoric," Corbyn said in a statement.

The left-wing Labour leader has long railed against U.S. foreign policy and said recently that Julian Assange should not be extradited to the United States where he faces a computer hacking charge.

Comment: While not all of Corbyn's views are accurate - such as 'man made' climate change - he's one of the few principled politicians left in the West:

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Snakes in Suits

Trump hints Obama knew about Spygate scandal

Jasper Fakket
The Epoch Times
Fri, 26 Apr 2019 19:40 UTC
Donald Trump
© Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
President Donald Trump on Thursday hinted that President Barack Obama was likely aware of the investigations and spying on his campaign during the 2016 elections.

"It is inconceivable when it goes to Clapper, Brennan, Comey, these people, I would imagine that some other people, maybe a little bit higher up also knew about it, and maybe a lot higher up," Trump said in an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity on April 25.

CIA Director John Brennan and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper reported directly to Obama, and FBI Director James Comey reported to Attorney General Loretta Lynch who reported to the president.

During the 2016 presidential elections, and into the beginning of his presidency, the FBI investigated the Trump campaign based on false information contained in the so-called Steele dossier.

The dossier had been paid for by the Clinton campaign and the DNC and was produced by Fusion GPS and former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele. The final report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller found no evidence for any of the main 103 claims contained in the dossier.

"This was an overthrow and it was a disgraceful thing, I think it is far bigger than Watergate, I think it's possibly the biggest scandal in political history in this country," Trump said.

"This was an attempted coup and it's like a third world country and inconceivable."
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Propaganda

Notre Dame of Gaza: Our mosques, churches are also burning and there is no international outcry

Ramzy Baroud
MondoWeiss
Thu, 25 Apr 2019 00:00 UTC
Palestinian Fallen mosque
© Ezz Zanoun/APA ImagesPalestinians walk past a mosque which witnesses said was destroyed by an Israel air strike during the offensive, on the second day of a five-day ceasefire, in Gaza City on August 15, 2014.
As the 300-foot spire of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris tragically came tumbling down on live television, my thoughts ventured to Nuseirat Refugee Camp, my childhood home in the Gaza Strip.

Then, also on television, I watched as a small bulldozer hopelessly clawed through the rubble of my neighborhood mosque. I grew up around that mosque. I spent many hours there with my grandfather, Mohammed, a refugee from historic Palestine. Before grandpa became a refugee, he was a young Imam in a small mosque in his long-destroyed village of Beit Daras.

Mohammed and many in his generation took solace in erecting their own mosque in the refugee camp as soon as they arrived to the Gaza Strip in late 1948. The new mosque was first made of hardened mud, but was eventually remade with bricks, and later concrete. He spent much of his time there, and when he died, his old, frail body was taken to the same mosque for a final prayer, before being buried in the adjacent Martyrs Graveyard. When I was still a child, he used to hold my hand as we walked together to the mosque during prayer times. When he aged, and could barely walk, I, in turn, held his hand.
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