Puppet MastersS


Bullseye

Well said: EU encourages migration by offering large social benefits, why would the flow stop? - Putin


RT
Tue, 18 Sep 2018 18:18 UTC
migrant benefits france
© Stephane Mahe / Reuters / FileMigrants queue for a free meal in the downtown of Nantes, France on September 17, 2018.
The flow of migrants arriving in European countries is unlikely to stop until the EU itself addresses the issue and reviews its policies, which effectively "encourage" immigration, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.

The European Union should address immigration and should not expect the problem to somehow fix itself, Putin said on Tuesday, following talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Moscow.

"If one encourages migration with large social benefits and other bonuses, why should this flow ever stop?" the Russian president said. "Yet it's up to our colleagues in Europe to decide for themselves what is better for Europe and Europeans."
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Light Sabers

Beijing files complaint to WTO against latest US tariffs


RT
Tue, 18 Sep 2018 16:34 UTC
trade wars
© Alain Pitton / Getty Images
The Chinese Commerce Ministry has said it has filed a complaint to the World Trade Organization (WTO) against import tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods announced earlier by the White House.

On Monday, the US presidential administration announced a new round of tariffs, of 10 percent, on Chinese products starting from September 24. The US pledged to more than double the levies from January 1, 2019. The latest step marks an escalation in an increasingly protracted trade spat between the world's two largest economies.

The Chinese Commerce Ministry announced plans to hit US imports, worth $60 billion, with its own tariffs of up to 10 percent.
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Jet5

Gaza Health Ministry: Israeli airstrike on Gaza Strip kills 2 Palestinians


Sputnik
Tue, 18 Sep 2018 18:27 UTC
Palestinian protesters
© AP Photo / Adel HanaPalestinian protesters evacuate a wounded woman during clashes with Israeli troops along Gaza's border with Israel, Friday, April 13, 2018
An Israeli airstrike in the southern part of the Gaza Strip has claimed the lives of two Palestinians, spokesman for the Gaza Health Ministry Ashraf Kidra said on Tuesday.

"The bodies of the two slain persons were brought to the Nasser hospital in the city of Khan Yunis. The Palestinians died in an Israeli airstrike," spokesman for the Gaza Health Ministry Ashraf Kidra stated.

He did not specify whether or not the Palestinians were members of a militant group.

Comment: See also:

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Red Flag

So much for 'civil' war in Syria: Central Asian jihadis dig in for Idlib battle

Alison Tahmizian Meuse
Asia Times
Tue, 18 Sep 2018 15:58 UTC
Uyghur jihadis
© Radio AlwanUyghur jihadis: some shy, some not
As Syria's last opposition-held bastion braces for attack from Russian-backed government forces, a reclusive community of Central Asian jihadis is digging in for a protracted fight.

The Uyghur Muslims from China, facing a crackdown in their home province of Xinjiang, form one of the more cohesive fighting contingents in Idlib province: the Turkistan Islamic Party.

"All indicators say they will play an integral role in defending Idlib," said Mohanad Hage Ali, an academic and journalist focused on Islamic movements. "The party has recently moved some of its forces to play a stronger role in defending the front line against regime attacks."

Tam Hussein, a journalist focusing on jihadism, says the Turkic Uyghurs, Uzbeks and other Central Asian jihadis who have now lived in Syria for years show no signs of looking for the exits.

"I'm not sure if they're crack troops. But it's fair to say they'll be some of the toughest guys because of what motivates them," Hussein said, adding: "They're jihadi in every sense of the word."
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Oil Well

Hungary wants secure gas supplies - asks that Russia's Turkish Stream pipeline to be extended into Europe


RT
Tue, 18 Sep 2018 15:46 UTC
Turkish stream oil pipeline
© Sergey Guneev / SputnikThe work on the Turkish Stream gas pipeline project
The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has asked Russia to extend the Turkish Stream natural gas pipeline to his country and further into Europe.

Orban, who is on a visit to Moscow, broached this potential project during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday. "It's no secret that Hungary wants the pipeline that's being built near the south of the country, to go through Hungary," Orban said. The countries have also agreed a gas delivery service from Russia to Hungary for 2020.

Comment: Gazprom and Hungary sign agreement for gas delivery via Turkish Stream

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Sherlock

Strzok-Page texts calling to 'open' case in 'chargeable way' under fresh scrutiny

Catherine Herridge
Fox News
Mon, 17 Sep 2018 22:11 UTC
Lisa Page, Peter Strzok
© AP, FileFormer FBI Lawyer Lisa Page and fired FBI Special Agent Peter Strzok exchanged anti-Trump text messages during their time at the bureau.
Text messages from disgraced FBI figures Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, discussing whether to open a "case" in a "formal chargeable way" after Director James Comey was fired, are under fresh scrutiny after Page told congressional investigators there was no evidence of Russian collusion at the time, according to three congressional sources.

Two hours after Comey's termination became public on May 9, 2017, Strzok, a now-former FBI agent, texted Page, his then-colleague and lover: "We need to open the case we've been waiting on now while Andy is acting."

"Andy" is a reference to then-Deputy Director Andrew McCabe who temporarily took over the bureau until Christopher Wray was confirmed as director in August 2017.
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Sherlock

Analysts tell RT MH17 missile's serial numbers vital to investigation: 'Very important evidence'


RT
Tue, 18 Sep 2018 15:36 UTC
Russia MH17 investigation
© Maxim Shemetov / Reuters
The Russian military's conclusion that the missile that brought down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 contained Ukrainian serial numbers is important information that should be considered in the international probe, analysts told RT.

On Monday, the Russian military announced that the serial numbers found on debris of the Buk missile that downed MH17 over eastern Ukraine show it was produced in 1986 and owned by the Ukrainian military.

Former British military officer Charles Shoebridge and aviation expert Julian Bray spoke to RT, about the announcement and shared their predictions for what lies ahead in the MH17 saga.

Comment: Russian MoD provides counter-evidence to Dutch report on MH17, proving Ukraine shot down Malaysian Airlines plane

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Chess

Russian FM: Turkish drones & extra troops to patrol Idlib after making deal with Moscow


RT
Tue, 18 Sep 2018 15:26 UTC
militants Idlib
© Khalil Ashawi / Reuters / FileAhrar al-Sham militants walk on a hill in Syria's Idlib province
Ankara will boost its presence in Syria's militant-held Idlib after a breakthrough deal with Moscow on Monday. Extra lookout posts and border patrols manned by Turkey and Russia will be deployed, while drones will patrol the sky.

"Russia and Turkey will carry out joint, coordinated patrols here, around the Idlib border. We will need to make additional troop deployments here," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu announced on Tuesday.

Cavusoglu said that Turkey will send in drones and install 12 observation posts in the area. He also noted that Russian and Turkish intelligence and security officials will discuss the status of radical militant groups in Idlib.

Comment:

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Propaganda

Russian Duma gives second nod to bill criminalizing the spreading of fake news


RT
Tue, 18 Sep 2018 14:45 UTC
Moscow fake news protesters
© Alexey Kudenko / SputnikYoung people in Moscow protest against western NGOs spreading fake information
The Russian Lower House has passed, in the second and main reading, a bill criminalizing the persistent spreading of false or illegal reports in mass media with punishments varying from heavy fines to up to one year in custody.

The bill outlawing the spreading of fake news was drafted in May by several lawmakers from parliamentary majority party United Russia. The sponsors of the motion explained its necessity by the fact that the existing legal measures often prove to be ineffective against liars and slanderers - even when they get a court order to delete and refute false information they can easily ignore it and simply pay the relatively small fines (between 1000 and 5000 rubles or $14 to $74).
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Mr. Potato

Delusional: Poroshenko thinks ineffective year-old 'association agreement' with EU is 'victory over Moscow'

Paul Antonopoulos
Fort Russ News
Sun, 16 Sep 2018 14:02 UTC
Poroshenko
© Gleb Garanich / ReutersUkranian President Petro Poroshenko
The Ukrainian president, Pyort Poroshenko, described the year old agreement of association between Ukraine and the European Union as a "victory over Russia". The Ukrainian leader made such a statement during the forum of the international organization Yalta European Strategy that took place in Kiev. These remarks come as Poroshenko looks for reasons that voters should re-elect him in upcoming elections.

"I can see that we have defeated Russia, and for more than a year the association agreement between Ukraine and the European Union has entered into force. The EU's share of exports ranges from 42 to 43%, rapidly approaching 50% which considerably offsets the losses caused by Russia," Poroshenko wrote on his Twitter account.

Over the past few years Kiev has been pursuing a policy of replacing imports of Russian-made products. Meanwhile, data from the Russian Federal Customs Service previously indicated that the volume of trade between Russia and Ukraine in the period between January and May 2018 was $5.838 billion, with an increase of 28.7% over the previous year. In addition, according to the State Statistics Office of Ukraine, Russia is the largest investor in the Ukrainian economy, having contributed with 36% of all foreign investment in Ukraine.
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