Puppet MastersS


Boat

As US sanctions kick in, Iranian navy prepared to protect oil tankers from 'any threats'


RT
Mon, 12 Nov 2018 13:41 UTC
Iranian War ships
© ReutersIranian navy war ships
Following US warnings dissuading port operators from allowing Iranian tankers to dock, Iran's top brass pushed back by reiterating that its navy is ready to protect ships against any threats.

Iran's military is "prepared today as in the past" to protect against "any threats," and to ensure the safe passage of Iranian oil tankers, Rear-Admiral Mahmoud Mousavi, a deputy commander of the regular armed forces, said on Monday, Iranian news agency ISNA reports.

He stressed that any "hindrances" to Iran's right to use international waterways "would be clearly unacceptable."

The comments come a week after the United States unilaterally re-imposed sanctions on Tehran's oil, shipping and banking industries. Although it's unclear whether other nations will abide by Washington's diktats, US officials have hinted that Iranian ships will no longer be welcome in international waters.


Comment: See also: US tells the world to avoid Iranian oil tankers

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Star of David

Israel: Caught training to destroy Russian air defense systems


Sputnik
Mon, 12 Nov 2018 16:51 UTC
Israeli Defense Forces
© UnknownIsraeli Defense Forces
Osa and Kvadrat surface-to-air missile systems were supplied to Syria by the Soviet Union, and are known by the NATO codenames SA-8 and SA-6, respectively.

Photos, believed to be taken in the Negev desert and unearthed on Twitter, show inflatable dummies of Soviet-designed Osa and Kub/Kvadrat surface-to-air missile systems, which the Israeli Air Force is allegedly using during training.

The IDF hasn't commented on the claims yet, and the photos have yet to be verified.

Comment: See also:

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Newspaper

European mindset will not strike bargain with the Taliban - Russian envoy to Afghanistan


RT
Mon, 12 Nov 2018 00:00 UTC
Zamir Kabulov
© RTZamir Kabulov
The Taliban today is "very different" from a simple terrorist group and true peace in war-torn Afghanistan can't be achieved without talks with militants, Russia's special envoy to the nation, Zamir Kabulov, told RT.

No parties should approach the Afghanistan issue "using a European mindset," but should rather "think Oriental" and treat the idea of the Taliban's participation in inter-Afghan peace negotiations as political bargaining, Kabulov said.

"Only long, patient talks may bring the [Taliban's] high bargaining points to the ground of reality," he stated.
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Dominoes

'Exposed Russian mole in Austrian military': Britain's little revenge against Austria for not sanctioning Moscow over Skripal saga


RT
Mon, 12 Nov 2018 00:00 UTC
The MI6 Vauxhall Cross building
© REUTERS / Hannah McKayThe MI6 Vauxhall Cross building
An Austrian officer, who is accused of having spied for Russia for two decades, has been exposed by the British, who wanted to drive a wedge between Vienna and Moscow, an Austrian newspaper claims.

The espionage scandal in Austria erupted last Friday when the prosecution of a retired colonel for alleged espionage for Moscow was made public by the national media and later confirmed by the government. The reports said a former intelligence service tipped off the Austrians that they had a mole in their military ranks. While initially the foreign nation was believed to be Germany, there are now claims that the tip-off came from Britain and that London had ulterior political motives in providing it.
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Oil Well

Saudi energy minister denies plans to break up OPEC oil cartel, amid rumors of partnership with Russia


RT
Mon, 12 Nov 2018 08:11 UTC
OPEC
© AFP / Ryad Kramdi
Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih has denied rumors that Riyadh plans to disband the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), reports Al Arabiya. Saudi Arabia is the most influential member of the oil cartel.

Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Saudi Arabia's government had funded a think tank that is set to study the potential impact on oil markets in the event of a break-up of OPEC. The media reported that top Saudi officials called the research a high priority economic policy inquiry. However, it's not going to influence internal government debate on whether to leave OPEC in the near term.

The 60-year-old Saudi-led oil monopoly of 15 nations is currently trying to cope with short-term problems, unnamed sources told the media. Some members of the cartel have reportedly expressed deep concerns about closer ties between Saudi Arabia and non-member Russia, and have complained about being sidelined by the new duo.

Comment: It seems Saudi plans change depending on which faction has the mic: Also check out SOTT radio's: NewsReal: Saudi Arabia: A Wretched Hive of Scum And Villainy, Fully Supported by The West

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Star of David

Israel launches ANOTHER round of airstrikes against Gaza, destroys open air prison's only TV station


RT
Mon, 12 Nov 2018 19:20 UTC
Israeli airstrike on Gaza 11/12/18
© AFP / Said KhatibSmoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike on the Gaza strip on Monday morning
Israel has struck over 70 targets in the Gaza Strip, following a massive volley of 200 rockets from the Palestinian enclave. While 60 projectiles were intercepted, others hit the Israeli settlements, causing fires.

Two Palestinians have been killed, Gaza's health ministry confirmed.

An Israeli soldier was seriously injured when a military transport bus was hit by a guided anti-tank missile close to the Gaza border. The bus had carried troops to the location, who disembarked just before the hit. The vehicle was completely destroyed.


Comment: 200 Rockets launched from Gaza into Israel, bus carrying IDF soldiers destroyed


Video from the scene showed Israel's Iron Dome rocket defense system intercepting some of the incoming projectiles.


Comment: The IDF has released footage showing the airstrikes on Gaza:



The Hamas run Al-Aqsa television station has also been bombed in the series of airstrikes targeting Gaza:





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Arrow Up

Republic of Khakassia: Communist party candidate elected


RT
Sun, 11 Nov 2018 22:58 UTC
communist candidate
© Sputnik / Aleksandr KryazhevCommunists Party’s Valentin Konovalov
In classic Soviet style, a Communist party candidate was elected head of the Republic of Khakassia after running with no other candidates on the ballot. The candidate defeated the incumbent from United Russia in round one.

During runoff elections for the head of the Siberian Republic of Khakassia, voters were asked to mark if they were for or against Communist Party candidate Valentin Konovalov, the only one on the ballot. After votes were tallied on Sunday, the Central Election Commission declared Konovalov the winner with 57.5 percent of the vote. Despite being the sole candidate, Konovalov needed to receive at least 50 percent of voters' support to be named the winner. 41.1 percent of participants voted against the 30-year-old politician.

The vote went on without serious violations and there were no grounds to declare it invalid, the electoral body reported.

"We came up with a constructive program. Our whole team and our candidate did well. Valentin Konovalov has won. Now, we're going to fulfill the plan we offered the people," Communist Party leader, Gennady Zyuganov, said.
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Star of David

200 Rockets launched from Gaza into Israel, bus carrying IDF soldiers destroyed


RT
Mon, 12 Nov 2018 20:14 UTC
Israeli bus hit rocket fired from Gaza
© Jack Guez / AFPIsrael-Gaza border near the kibbutz of Kfar Aza, as smoke rises from a bus hit by a rocket fired from Gaza.
Israel has come under major attack from Gaza, with 200 rockets launched from the strip. An Israeli bus was destroyed by an anti-tank guided missile close to the Gaza border, with one soldier receiving serious injuries.

The wounded 19-year-old soldier has been reportedly evacuated to Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva, along with the driver of the bus, who is suffering from shock. The bus had carried IDF soldiers to the location, who disembarked just before the anti-tank missile hit.


Comment: The rocket launches were in response to the recent Israeli special forces raid on the Gaza Strip:

Israel launches special forces raid into Gaza, kills top Hamas commander - 7 killed in total, including one IDF occupier

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Eye 2

Criminals Brennan and Clapper should not be allowed escape prosecution

John Kiriakou
Consortium News
Sun, 11 Nov 2018 20:04 UTC
Brennan Clapper
© LBJ Library/FlickerJohn Brennan, left, and James Clapper
Recently declassified documents show that the former CIA director and former director of national intelligence approved illegal spying on Congress and then classified their crime. They need to face punishment.

Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, the longtime chairman of the Judiciary Committee, made a dramatic announcement Nov. 1 that should lead to jail time for both former CIA Director John Brennan and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.

As reported, but widely overlooked amid the media focus on the midterm elections, Brennan ordered CIA hackers to intercept the emails of all potential or possible intelligence community whistleblowers who may have been trying to contact the congressional oversight committees, specifically to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Hacking the Senate's computer system constitutes illegal use of a government computer, illegal espionage and wire fraud.

Comment: Brennan and Clapper are the swampiest of swamp creatures. In an ideal world they would be tried and imprisoned as soon as possible

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Bad Guys

US special adviser to Afghanistan plans Moscow trip to discuss peace plan as Taliban gains ground


RT
Mon, 12 Nov 2018 19:49 UTC
afghan troops
© AFP / Wakil Kohsar
After years of struggle against the Taliban in Afghanistan, US special adviser Zalmay Khalilzad is planning to visit Russia to discuss a peace settlement, his Russian counterpart Zamir Kabulov said on Monday.

"I've known Khalilzad for a long time. We'll meet again - he is planning to visit us," Kabulov told reporters, adding that the parties may discuss the launch of direct talks between the US-backed government in Kabul and the Taliban if Khalilzad is "ready to do it."

The Russian official stressed that Moscow supports the "regionalist approach" to a peace settlement in the war-torn nation and doesn't seek competition with the US in Afghanistan, but at the same time can't just stand by and "idly observe" the ongoing deterioration of the situation on the ground.

A Taliban delegation recently flew to Moscow to hold separate discussions on the ways to end the conflict in the country.

Comment: See also:

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