Puppet MastersS


Star of David

Haley: Trump's peace plan will be beneficial for Palestine


Sputnik
Tue, 18 Dec 2018 23:04 UTC
Palestinian protest
© AFP/Abbas MomaniPalestinian protesters clash with Israeli security forces near the village of al-Mughayyir, near the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would experience advantages from the forthcoming Trump administration's peace plan, but Israel would risk more, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told the Security Council on Tuesday.
"Both sides would benefit greatly from a peace agreement, but the Palestinians would benefit more, and the Israelis would risk more," Haley said. "What awaits the Palestinian people with a peace agreement are the prospects of a massive improvement in the quality of their lives and far greater control over their political future."
Haley also said the Trump administration's peace plan takes advantage of modern technology, recognizes realities on the ground have changed and embraces the fact things can be accomplished that were previously unthinkable.

In her speech, Haley also encouraged Arab nations to prove that the Palestinian people are their priority by supporting US President Donald Trump's peace agreement.

Comment: Trump promises accomplishments hitherto unthinkable. What are the chances Israel is going to relinquish its illegal holdings and quell its appetite for Palestinian land?

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Rocket

Putin: Russia's advanced weapons should make those accustomed to militarist rhetoric think twice


TASS
Tue, 18 Dec 2018 15:20 UTC
Putin
© Mikhail Metzel/TASSPresident Vladimir Putin
The Russian leader noted that serial production of Avangard hypersonic missile systems has been launched.

Russia's advanced weapons, which will ensure the country' security for decades to come, will force those who got accustomed to militarist rhetoric to think, Russian President Vladimir Putin told the Defense Ministry's expanded board meeting on Tuesday.
"A serious breakthrough has been made in developing advanced and unparalleled weapons, about which I said in the address to the Federal Assembly on March 1 this year," Putin said. "I hope our newest systems will make think those who got accustomed to militarist and aggressive rhetoric."
The Russian leader noted that serial production of Avangard hypersonic missile systems has been launched, and successful tests of Russia's most advanced Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile have been carried out. The Kinzhal air-launched precision hypersonic weapon has been successfully placed on combat duty and Peresvet combat lasers have entered duty.

Putin stressed that "these weapons significantly increase the potential of the army and the fleet," thus reliably ensuring Russia's security for decades to come. These developments also strengthen the balance of power and global stability, he stressed.
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Network

Russia's London embassy website targeted in cyber-attack (by Western intelligence, obviously)


RT
Tue, 18 Dec 2018 21:21 UTC
Russian Embassy London
© Sputnik/Alexey FilippovRussian Embassy in London
The website of the Russian Embassy in the UK was targeted by hackers. The mission says there are grounds to believe that the attack originated from Britain.

The embassy apologized to internet users after the operations of its website were disrupted by a cyberattack in late afternoon on Monday. The Russian mission's page was "brutally hacked," a spokesman said.

The attack followed publications on the website that were related to the "UK's involvement in Ukrainian affairs and a critical comment on the BBC tasking its correspondent with finding a Russian trace in French protests."

The investigation into the cyberattack is underway, but there are grounds to believe that the hack was carried out from the British territory, the spokesman added.

The operations of the website have since then been restored and it's now working in a routine manner.

Comment: Such a sad indictment of Western 'leadership' that it feels it engage its spooks to slay the small informational output from the diplomatic corps of a single embassy's staff, all just to be able to 'compete' with Russia.

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Airplane

Iraqi president's upcoming visit to Damascus to be the first since the start of the Syrian war


Sputnik
Tue, 18 Dec 2018 23:56 UTC
Iraqi President Baram Salih
© APIraqi President Baram Salih
Iraqi President Barham Salih will pay an official visit to the Syrian capital in the next few days for the first time since the start of the Syrian civil war back in 2011, an Iraqi diplomatic source told Sputnik on Tuesday.

"The president of Iraq will pay an official visit to Damascus in the coming days," the source said.

Barham Salih, who served as prime minister of Iraqi Kurdistan in 2009-2012, was elected president by the country's parliament earlier in October.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim Jaafari has visited Damascus for talks with the Syrian leadership, including President Bashar Assad.

The Syrian civil war has been raging since 2011, with government troops fighting against numerous armed opposition and terrorist organizations.

The Russian Aerospace Forces have been supporting the Syrian government forces in their fight against the terrorists since 2015 at the request of Syrian President Bashar Assad. In late 2017, a victory over the Daesh terrorist group was announced in Syria, but some areas of the country continue to be liberated from militants.
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Jet1

Not deterred by F-35 boondoggle, Congress now eyeing a $300 million fighter jet

Michael Rainey
The Fiscal Times
Fri, 14 Dec 2018 19:48 UTC
US stealth jet
Critics have long decried the staggering cost of the F-35 Lightning II stealth jet, which is projected to cost more than $1.5 trillion over the lifetime of the program. But the fifth-generation multi-role aircraft, which currently costs about $100 million per unit, may end up looking like a real bargain by the time the next generation of fighters comes along. According to a new report from the Congressional Budget Office, the next air-superiority fighter could cost about $300 million per unit.

The sky-high price tag for the new jet, dubbed the Penetrating Counter Air, or PCA, is based on two factors, CBO said. First, the PCA will likely improve upon the current generation's capabilities when it comes to range, payload and stealth. And second, given the experience with the B-2, F-22 and F-35 projects, developing those new capabilities will take more time and money than anyone currently expects.
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Laptop

Russia gives reposting a rethink, Duma OKs bill softening punishment for memes


RFE/RL
Wed, 19 Dec 2018 19:34 UTC
man money laptop
Russian legislation that will soften the punishment in some hate-crime cases has advanced amid concerns over prison terms handed down to people for "liking" or reposting memes on the Internet.

The bill, approved by the State Duma in its third and final reading on December 19, would remove the possibility of a prison sentence for first-time offenders found to have incited ethnic, religious, and other forms of hatred and discord in public, including in the media or on the Internet.

The legislation is the result of a rare climbdown by President Vladimir Putin, who proposed it amid a wave of potentially image-damaging concern over the arrests and imprisonment of Russians for publicly questioning religious dogmas or posting, reporting, or "liking" memes or comments that authorities say incited hatred.
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Russian Flag

Some Russian monarchists want Tsar Vladimir Putin

Seraphim Hanisch
The Duran
Wed, 19 Dec 2018 19:15 UTC
Vladimir Putin
A December 13 report in The Wall Street Journal shone light on a notion that has been afoot in the Russian Federation since the fall of Communism in 1991 - the restoration of the Monarchy as the form of government, complete with a new Tsar of all the Russias.
Of course, some of these monarchists have a top contender in mind for that post, none other than President Vladimir Putin himself.

This idea has long been used in a pejorative light in the West, as various shadowy and not-so-shadowy elements in the American media speculated over the years that Mr. Putin was actually aspiring to become Tsar. This was thrown around until probably the time that the Russian president spoke, lamenting the fall of Communism, and since then the prime accusation has been that President Putin wants to bring back the Soviet Union.

This is not true. It also does not appear to be the case that the Russian president wants to be Tsar. But the monarchists are not fazed in the slightest. Here is excerpted material from the WSJ piece, with emphases added:
The last time term limits forced Russian leader Vladimir Putin to step down from the presidency, he became prime minister for a few years.

This time around, a group of pro-Kremlin activists have a different idea: Proclaim him Czar Vladimir.

"We will do everything possible to make sure Putin stays in power as long as possible," Konstantin Malofeyev, a politically active businessman, said recently to thunderous applause from hundreds of Russian Orthodox priests and members of the country's top political parties gathered at a conference outside Moscow. They were united by one cause-to return the monarchy to Russia...

Even among those who want a monarchy, however, there are splits over what kind it should be. Is an absolute monarchy better than a constitutional monarchy? Should a blood line be established or should the czar be elected? For those who favor male succession, would it be a problem that Mr. Putin reportedly only has two daughters? Some have even suggested others besides Mr. Putin should accede to the throne.
There is a very keen interest indeed among some in Russia that propose various options as to who might best become Tsar in the event that the Monarchy is restored.

Comment: Putin has done amazing things for Russia, so it's understandable that the people want to keep him running the Federation as long as possible. However, as is mentioned in the article, reinstituting the monarchy would present quite a number of problems, so it's not clear that such a course is a good long term solution. There's also the question of whether Putin actually wants to continue on in politics for the rest of his life. That's no easy decision to make.

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Passport

In event of no deal Brexit, Gavin Williamson says 3,500 troops will be held 'at readiness'


BBC
Tue, 18 Dec 2018 19:04 UTC

The UK has thousands of troops - regular and reserves - ready to help the government should there be no deal made with the EU over Brexit, Gavin Williamson has told MPs.

He was asked by Conservative MP Will Quince about using "our world class armed forces personnel",

Gavin Williamson said there were "3,500 service personnel held at readiness" to support any government department on any "contingencies", but so far there not been any formal requests.
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Briefcase

Trump Foundation concludes 'agreement to dissolve' under court supervision

Erica Orden
CNN
Wed, 19 Dec 2018 18:32 UTC
trump foundation charity
© Reuters / Rick Wilking
President Donald Trump's personal charitable foundation has agreed to dissolve under judicial supervision amid an ongoing lawsuit concerning its finances, according to a document filed Tuesday in Manhattan Supreme Court by the New York state Attorney General's office.

The dissolution of the Donald J. Trump Foundation resolves one element of the attorney general's civil lawsuit against the foundation, which includes claims that the President and his three eldest children -- Don Jr., Ivanka and Eric -- violated campaign-finance laws and abused its tax-exempt status. Rather than operating it as a genuine charity, the lawsuit alleges, they instead allowed it to be used "as little more than a checkbook to serve Mr. Trump's business and political interests."

The agreement to dissolve, signed by both an attorney for the foundation and Attorney General Barbara Underwood's office, also allows the attorney general's office to review the recipients of the charity's assets. The foundation's most recent tax return listed its net assets at slightly more than $1.7 million.

Comment: Trump hits back:
Donald Trump took to his social media platform of choice on Wednesday to launch a fiery tirade against a former New York Attorney General, his successor and the incoming AG, as well as the Clintons.

Trump bemoaned on Twitter that he was "getting slammed by [Governor of New York Andrew] Cuomo and the Dems" in a civil lawsuit against his personal charity, the Trump Foundation.

New York's outgoing attorney general, Barbara Underwood, announced on Tuesday that Trump was shutting down his embattled foundation amid a lawsuit that accuses him of using the charity's money to settle legal disputes for his private business.

The POTUS said that Underwood "does little else but rant, rave and politic [sic]" against him, conceding that he closed the foundation to avoid a conflict of interest.



He added that the investigation into his charity was started by Eric Schneiderman, New York's attorney general from 2011-2018, whom he referred to as a "sleazebag" and "Shady Eric". Trump went on to accuse Schneiderman, who resigned in May over allegations of physical abuse from four women, of turning a blind eye on the "corrupt Clinton Foundation".

During the 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump repeatedly accused Hillary Clinton of "pay to play" during her time as secretary of state. He also claimed in a Fox News interview in December 2016 that "the Clintons set up a business to profit from public office".

Donations to Clinton's charity reportedly plummeted following her defeat in the 2016 election, triggering concerns that this decrease could reflect 'pay to play' activity, suggesting hefty amounts of cash were donated in exchange for favours from then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.


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Eye 1

Carve-outs for tech giants: Facebook gave 150+ firms unhindered access to users' data under secretive partnerships

Gabriel J.X. Dance, Michael LaForgia and Nicholas Confessore
The New York Times
Tue, 18 Dec 2018 00:00 UTC
facebook secretive deals tech giants
Large firms, including Netflix and Spotify, were given free rein to suck up data of millions of users a month.
For years, Facebook gave some of the world's largest technology companies more intrusive access to users' personal data than it has disclosed, effectively exempting those business partners from its usual privacy rules, according to internal records and interviews.

The special arrangements are detailed in hundreds of pages of Facebook documents obtained by The New York Times. The records, generated in 2017 by the company's internal system for tracking partnerships, provide the most complete picture yet of the social network's data-sharing practices. They also underscore how personal data has become the most prized commodity of the digital age, traded on a vast scale by some of the most powerful companies in Silicon Valley and beyond.

The exchange was intended to benefit everyone. Pushing for explosive growth, Facebook got more users, lifting its advertising revenue. Partner companies acquired features to make their products more attractive. Facebook users connected with friends across different devices and websites. But Facebook also assumed extraordinary power over the personal information of its 2.2 billion users - control it has wielded with little transparency or outside oversight.

Facebook allowed Microsoft's Bing search engine to see the names of virtually all Facebook users' friends without consent, the records show, and gave Netflix and Spotify the ability to read Facebook users' private messages.

The social network permitted Amazon to obtain users' names and contact information through their friends, and it let Yahoo view streams of friends' posts as recently as this summer, despite public statements that it had stopped that type of sharing years earlier.

Comment: See also:

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