Puppet MastersS


Chess

German FM: EU needs to revise disarmament policies with INF Treaty about to collapse


RT
Sun, 04 Nov 2018 15:33 UTC
missiles
© Getty
The German foreign minister believes Europe needs to re-think arms control and disarmament strategies to preserve peace in the union following the abrupt US decision to quit the landmark INF accord.

The crucial nuclear treaty was signed in late 1980s and was always considered a milestone in ending the arms race between the two superpowers, the US and the USSR. Issues regarding the pact were raised again by Heiko Maas in his article for Der Spiegel newspaper on Saturday. The German FM has repeatedly stressed the importance of the agreement, from which Donald Trump decided to withdraw in October this year.

Maas asserted that an end to the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty would "bring down one of the greatest achievements of disarmament policy." He recalled that the then-US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev knew about the importance of arms control and disarmament, as they took "courageous steps" to reduce their countries' arsenals during the last years of the decades-long Cold War.
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Bizarro Earth

Trump boasts 'nobody has done more for Christians & religion', cue Twitterstorm


RT
Sat, 03 Nov 2018 20:36 UTC
trump
© REUTERS / Kevin LamarqueFILE PHOTO: US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters in Washington, US, on November 2, 2018.
President Donald Trump has called himself the greatest friend of religious communities in the history of the US, but the rousing braggadocio did not appear to convince Twitter, where many users reacted with outrage and sarcasm.

"Nobody has done more for Christians or evangelicals or frankly religion than I have," Trump told the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) while aboard Air Force One. The president was in fact answering a question on whether he believed that American evangelicals would support him at the forthcoming midterms - but quickly ended up declaring himself the greatest champion of religion in US history.

He went on to clarify by referring to his desire to "totally destroy" the 1954 Johnson Amendment, which bans religious organizations from endorsing political candidates under the threat of losing their tax-exempt status. He's never actually managed to fulfill that desire as the revocation of the amendment has not been included in tax legislation until now.

Comment: There are people who have done a lot for people of faith in our time, although they would never be so proud as to make such claims: Also check out SOTT radio's: Behind the Headlines: Has Trump Gone Full Shlemiel in Planned U.S. Embassy Move to Jerusalem?

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Blue Planet

Russia, China, Norway dispute "supposed need" for Antarctic marine reserve, reject plan


AlJazeera
Sun, 04 Nov 2018 14:34 UTC
weddell sea
A proposal to create one of the world's largest marine reserves in a vast area of pristine Antarctic waters has been rejected, prompting concern among conservation groups about the ecosystem's future.

After two weeks of deliberations, Russia, China and Norway on Friday blocked the plan for a 1.8m square kilometres maritime protection zone in the Weddell Sea at a summit of the 25-member Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) in Hobart, Australia.

The proposed reserve, roughly five times the size of Germany, would have made the area in question a no-go zone for fishing and other commercial activities.

Antarctica's waters and landmass are home to penguins, seals, whales and huge numbers of krill, a staple food for many species, among other animals.

Comment: See also: And check out SOTT radio's: Behind the Headlines: Earth changes in an electric universe: Is climate change really man-made?

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Calculator

Russian finance minister rules out progressive income tax, taxing luxury goods instead


IntelliNews
Tue, 30 Oct 2018 12:00 UTC
First Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Anton Siluanov
First Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Anton Siluanov
Russia will not introduce a progressive income tax system, First Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said on October 29, but admitted Russian inequality inequality is too high.

"We are told: 'let's adopt a more progressive tax system for our citizens'. There are pros and cons to this. We know that rich people are clever, and they will find ways to circumvent this decision. They can just take the money out of the country. On the other hand, the flat rate of 13% has already been settled, and it would probably be wrong to change legislation in this regard," Siluanov said.

"One cannot not agree with the fact that income inequality creates social tensions. We are often told: 'let's raise taxes for the rich'. In fact, we have already done it - raised taxes on luxurious properties, cars, yachts, apartments and so on," Siluanov said.

Comment: Russia has its problems but it is a radically different place since Putin and his administration came to power, and their overwhelming support by the people is evident at the polls - and it's not just in Russia people admire Putin's efforts: Also check out SOTT radio's: Behind the Headlines: Trump Ditches Europe, Europe Bluffs, Russia and China Carry on With Eurasian Integration

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USA

Bonkers! Trump Administration prepares its best hackers for 'swift and severe' cyberattack against Russia - in case of election meddling

Tyler Durden
Zerohedge
Sat, 03 Nov 2018 00:00 UTC
vote
U.S. military hackers have been given the go-ahead to gain access to Russian cyber systems in case of midterm election 'meddling'.

The Pentagon and members of the US intelligence community have not-so-secretly agreed on a rough plan for an offensive cyberattack against Russia in the event the Kremlin interferes with the 2018 midterm elections on November 6, according to Yahoo! News, citing "current and former senior US officials" familiar with the plan.
In preparation for its potential use, U.S. military hackers have been given the go-ahead to gain access to Russian cyber systems that they feel is needed to let the plan unfold quickly, the officials said.

The effort constitutes one of the first major cyber battle plans organized under a new government policy enabling potential offensive operations to proceed more quickly once the parameters have been worked out in advance and agreed among key agencies. -Yahoo!
So far, national security officials have reported limited efforts by Russians to compromise political organizations and campaigns. There is concern, however, that "Moscow might unleash more aggressive interference" right before midterm voting begins, during voting, or while the votes are being counted, according to the report.


Comment: If you consider non-existent the same as limited, then sure, there have been "limited efforts by Russians to compromise political organizations and campaigns".


Comment: This development would be laughable - if it wasn't so dangerously insane. Never mind that there has never been any proof of any Russian interference in US elections, and never mind that after many months of "investigation" the Mueller cabal has come up with exactly Zero evidence of a Russia-Trump collusion of any sort that doesn't prove to be utter nonsense once one scratches just beneath the surface. Now the Trump administration is playing along with it all to boot?!? Or is this just a case of our certifiably insane intelligence agency-military-security apparatus making hay with a "tough" new policy of Trump's that it was never intended for. Take you pick.

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Brick Wall

DHS: Caravan migrants come from 20 countries, include 270 convicted criminals

Anna Giaritelli
The Washington Examiner
Sat, 03 Nov 2018 22:43 UTC
Caravan immigrants refugees US Mexico border
© VICTORIA RAZO / Contributor / Getty Images
The Department of Homeland Security claimed Thursday people from at least 20 countries make up the two caravan groups, not just citizens of Guatemala and Honduras.

In a release called "Myth vs. Fact: Caravan," the department also states more than 270 people in the caravans are either known gang members or have criminal backgrounds.

DHS did not cite its sources for the information and a department spokesperson said that information is law enforcement sensitive.

"We continue to be concerned about individuals along the caravan route. In fact, over 270 individuals along the caravan route have criminal histories, including known gang membership," the statement said. "Those include a number of violent criminals - examples include aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, armed robbery, sexual assault on a child, and assault on a female."
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Bad Guys

At least 15 civilians killed in another illegal US-led coalition strike on Deir ez-Zor


Sputnik
Sat, 03 Nov 2018 20:13 UTC
Deir ez-Zor
© Sputnik / Mikhail Alaeddin
Earlier this week, the US-led coalition jets bombed targets in the town of Al-Shafa in Deir ez-Zor, while two days prior to the airstrike, the coalition performed another attack, which reportedly killed 5 civilians, including two children.

At least 15 civilians were killed in a US-led coalition airstrike on the city of Hajin in Syria's Deir ez-Zor province, the state news agency Sana reported on Saturday citing sources.

The majority among those killed are women and children, according to the Ikhbariya TV channel.

Comment: This comes on the heels of news that the US-led coalition has repeatedly been using banned white phosphorous on civilian areas of Syria.

See also: And 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

SOTT Focus: Paper Tiger Sanctions on Iran Will Speed The End of Pax Americana

Bahar Azizi
Sott.net
Sat, 03 Nov 2018 22:28 UTC
sanctions iran
New shiny sanctions for Iran, from the US Deep State!
The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran, the P5+1 and EU was announced on July 14th, 2015. According to the US fact sheet, the EU would terminate all nuclear-related economic sanctions, and the US would terminate all of its secondary economic and financial sanctions once the International Atomic Energy Agency verified Iran's implementation of its key nuclear commitments, as laid out in the agreement.

On January 16th, 2016, UN inspectors declared that Iran had dismantled significant elements of its nuclear programme, leading to many of the international sanctions imposed over the past decade being lifted. If the lifting of sanctions continued as planned, Iran's total trade could have increased by $61 billion annually, which would add 32 percent to Iran's GDP. However, US President Trump withdrew from the deal earlier this year, and reimposed all sanctions against Iran. In addition, tomorrow, November 4th, new sanctions against Iran will be imposed.
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Brain

Europe should drop sanctions & reach out to Russia or drive it into China's embrace - France's Sarkozy


RT
Sat, 03 Nov 2018 19:50 UTC
Then French President Nicolas Sarkozy (L) meets Vladimir Putin at the Elysee Palace in Paris in 2010.
© Sputnik / Aleksey NikolskyThen French President Nicolas Sarkozy (L) meets Vladimir Putin at the Elysee Palace in Paris in 2010.
Europe should reach out to Russia and abandon "counterproductive" economic sanctions - or risk seeing it drifting further towards China, former president of France Nicolas Sarkozy has warned, in a candid interview.

Alienating Russia brings nothing but harm to European interests, Sarkozy told France's Point media outlet. "Europe and Russia must work together in an atmosphere of trust," he said, adding that "sanctions are counterproductive."

Commenting on the latest batch of American sanctions targeting Russian debt bonds, Sarkozy suggested that "the worst" is yet to come as the US Congress plans "to asphyxiate 140 million Russians by depriving Russian banks of access to international funding."
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Attention

Roscosmos chief says Soyuz rocket could have been sabotaged in Kazakhstan before launch


RT
Fri, 02 Nov 2018 11:44 UTC
soyuz
© Sputnik / Aleksey Filippov
The day before, the chairman of the emergency commission assigned to investigate the incident said that the accident involving the Soyuz-FG was caused by a faulty sensor on one of the rocket's side blocks during the disengagement from the central block.

The hole in the hull of the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft could have been drilled before the launch at the Baikonur space center, Russian Deputy Prime Minister and Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin told Sputnik.

"We deny that this could have been done at the Moscow plant. Baikonur remains as an option, or some exotic versions," Rogozin said.

On October 11, a Soyuz-FG launch vehicle with two members of the new crew for the International Space Station on board failed to reach its destination, becoming the first failure of a manned space launch in modern Russian history.

Comment: This means that Roscosmos has now hinted that both the Soyuz rocket incident and the ISS hole found in August were acts of sabotage...

Alarming: Russia says drilled hole in International Space Station was intentional

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