Welcome to Sott.net
Thu, 27 Jul 2017
The World for People who Think

Puppet Masters
Map

Megaphone

Moscow criticizes new US sanctions, calling them destructive and defying common sense


RT
Wed, 26 Jul 2017 16:25 UTC
© Aoc / Zumapress.com / Global Look Press
Aerial view of the US Capitol in Washington
Moscow will retaliate against the US for the expected adoption of new anti-Russian sanctions, which are viewed in Russia as senseless and destructive, Russia's deputy foreign minister said.

"It can be said now that the news is very sad from the perspective of Russian-American relations and the perspectives of their development," Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

"This is no less disheartening from the point of view of international law and international trade relations," he said.

"The attitude to this (law) will be formed on the basis of a thorough analysis, and the decision (on how to respond) will certainly be taken by the head of state, President Putin," he said.
      Read More...
Vader

The beatification of ultra war-hawk John McCain

Neil Clark
RT
Tue, 25 Jul 2017 16:32 UTC
© Brian Snyder / Reuters
The news the ultra-hawkish, pro-war US Senator John 'Bomb, Bomb, Iran' McCain has been diagnosed with a particularly aggressive form of brain cancer has led to gushing eulogies to a great 'hero' of 'freedom' in elite circles in the US and other Western countries.

Brain cancer is a terrible disease, and no humane person would wish it on anyone. But does McCain's illness mean we have to sanitize his record of relentless warmongering and portray him as a 21st Century version of Mahatma Gandhi? It's one thing not to jump on people when they are fighting for their life, but it's quite another to ludicrously distort the historical record.

Take the Washington Post. They ran a hagiographic article at the weekend entitled "What we can learn from John McCain."

"All over this world, Mr. McCain is associated with freedom and democracy. He has championed human rights with verve and tirelessness - speaking out against repression and authoritarianism," the neocon newspaper bellowed.

But McCain's champion of human rights and 'freedom and democracy' has been highly selective, to say the least, and has involved him associating with and supporting some very dubious characters.

Comment: More on McCain's dubious legacy:

      Read More...
Eye 1

Leaked docs reveal German police to gain greater 'hacking' powers by end of 2017


RT
Wed, 26 Jul 2017 12:31 UTC
© Phil Noble / Reuters
German police will be able to use surveillance software by the end of the year that can hack into people's smartphones and read encrypted messages in such services as WhatsApp, says a report that cites a leaked document.

A new version of the German police's Remote Communication Interception Software (RCIS), which is used for surveillance over electronic devices, will be ready by the end of the year, a German independent media outlet, the Netzpolitik, reports, citing a leaked Interior Ministry internal progress report it obtained.

Unlike the previous version of the program, which was limited to surveillance only over desktop computers, the new software will be able to hack into smartphones and tablets with Android, iOS and Blackberry operating systems.

Comment: Further reading:

      Read More...
Attention

Saudi Arabia set to behead 14 anti-govt protesters, including student bound for Michigan University


RT
Wed, 26 Jul 2017 13:00 UTC
© Nahda Productions / YouTube
Amnesty International has condemned a court decision which they say could see 14 men, including a student due to study in the US, beheaded for taking part in anti-government protests in Saudi Arabia.

Mujtaba al-Suweyket and 13 other men have reportedly had their death sentences upheld by the Saudi Arabian Supreme Court for their part in demonstrations that took place between 2011 and 2012.

The protests were part of the Arab Spring upheaval and according to Amnesty International the men were found guilty in July 2016 on charges of "armed rebellion against the ruler," "inciting chaos," "using Molotov cocktail bombs," and "shooting at security personnel."
      Read More...
Attention

'America first doesn't mean Europe last': EU lashes out at US sanctions against Russia


RT
Wed, 26 Jul 2017 12:54 UTC
© Reuters
Brussels has fired back at the new US sanctions against Russia, saying an "America first" approach does not mean EU interests can come last. Germany and France have also voiced their opposition to the new set of sanctions.

In a harshly-worded statement, Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, lashed out at Washington saying "America first cannot mean that Europe's interests come last."

He added the commission "concluded today that if our concerns are not taken into account sufficiently, we stand ready to act appropriately within a matter of days."

The EU's legislative body also argued the sanctions "could affect infrastructure transporting energy resources to Europe, for instance the maintenance and upgrade of pipelines in Russia that feed the Ukraine gas transit system," according to a press release.
      Read More...
Info

Trump is being pushed aside so that conflict with Russia can proceed

Paul Craig Roberts
Institute for Political Economy
Wed, 26 Jul 2017 11:52 UTC
© Joshua Roberts / Reuters
What is the Congress up to with their stupid bill that imposes more sanctions and removes the power of President Trump to rescind the sanctions that President Obama imposed?

Congress is doing two things. One is that Congress is serving their campaign contributors in the military/security complex by being tougher with Russia, thus keeping the orchestrated threat alive so that Americans denied health care don't start looking at the massive military/security budget as a place to find money for health care.

The other is to put President Trump in a box. If Trump vetos this encroachment on presidential power, Congress and the presstitute media will present the veto as absolute proof that Trump is a Russian agent and is protecting Russia with his veto. If Trump does not veto the bill, Trump will have thrown in his hand and accepted that he cannot reduce the dangerous tensions with Russia.

In other words, the bill is a lose-lose for Trump. Yet Republicans are supporting the bill, thus undermining their president.
      Read More...
Info

Making enemies? Trump falls out with more top officials after attacks on Sessions and McCabe


RT
Wed, 26 Jul 2017 11:32 UTC
© Joshua Roberts / Reuters
Donald Trump's rift with senior justice and security appointees, as well as elected Republicans, widened after he criticized Attorney General Jeff Sessions in connection with Russia and Ukraine allegations, as well as the acting FBI chief Andrew McCabe.

"Attorney General Jeff Sessions has taken a VERY weak position on Hillary Clinton crimes (where are E-mails & DNC server) & Intel leakers!" the president tweeted Tuesday morning, calling for an investigation into former Democrat rival Hillary Clinton's private email servers, and restating a frequent criticism over lack of action around state officials, who leak sensitive internal documents to the media.

"Ukrainian efforts to sabotage Trump campaign - 'quietly working to boost Clinton.' So where is the investigation A.G. [Attorney General]," Trump also wrote, in reference to purported attempts by Ukrainian politicians to collude with the Clinton team to provide compromising information on his campaign manager during the last election cycle.
      Read More...
Attention

White House press official Michael Short resigns amid mass firing threat over leaks


RT
Wed, 26 Jul 2017 11:26 UTC
© Yuri Gripas / Reuters
White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci talks to the media outside the White House in Washington, U.S., July 25, 2017.
An abrupt resignation from the White House senior assistant press secretary has followed a stark warning from incoming communications director Anthony Scaramucci to "stop leaking or you're fired." But there are conflicting reports over the details.

On Tuesday afternoon, White House press aide Michael Short told news outlets that he "resigned, effective immediately," The Hill reported.

"It was a privilege to serve the President of the United States," Short said, without offering any further explanation.

However, Short denied that he was on the verge of being fired. His boss, Scaramucci, reacted to the resignation by blaming it on leaking, despite the fact that he had told Politico hours earlier that he was "committed to taking the comms shop down to [White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders] and me, if I can't get the leaks to stop."


Comment: First Scaramucci casualty: Suspected leaker Michael Short reportedly fired

      Read More...
Megaphone

Maxine Waters panics as Tucker Carlson continues to reveal her wealthy LA lifestyle

Alex Christoforou
The Duran
Tue, 25 Jul 2017 14:40 UTC
Maxine Waters threw stones from within a $4.5 million glass house.

Tucker Carlson continues to expose Maxine Waters for the fraud that she is.

The only response that Waters' can dig up to Carlson's digging into the Congresswoman's lavish LA lifestyle is by playing the race card...a standard liberal left "go-to" tactic when the argument is lost.

Waters' called Tucker Carlson's show "racist" for daring to ask how exactly the Congresswoman amassed a $4.5 million fortune, which includes a 6,000 sq. ft. mansion in one of the wealthiest areas of LA.
      Read More...
Info

Trump to Lebanese premier: 'You're on the frontline of fighting ISIS, Al-Qaeda and Hezbollah'


RT
Tue, 25 Jul 2017 22:51 UTC
© Yuri Gripas / Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump (R) shakes hands with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri after their meeting at the White House in Washington, U.S., July 25, 2017.
President Trump agreed with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri they will continue to fight terrorism. Falling short of mentioning funding for military support, the president talked only of continued humanitarian support of Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

Trump told Hariri at a White House news conference on Tuesday the US has helped Lebanon by providing clean water, food, shelter and health care to Syrian refugees.

"Our approach, supporting the humanitarian needs of displaced Syrian citizens as close to their home country as possible, is the best way to help most people," said Trump.

"America is proud to stand with those who have the courage to stand up to terrorism and take responsibility for affairs in their own region," he added.
      Read More...
SOTT.NET
Amazon Smile
Revolt! T-shirts