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UN unanimously sanctions North Korea following missile tests


RT
Sun, 24 Dec 2017 04:59 UTC
rocket launch north korea
© KCNA / Reuters
Pyongyang considers the latest round of UN sanctions, which severely crippled its remaining imports and exports, to be an "act of war," the country's foreign ministry has said.

"We define this 'sanctions resolution' rigged up by the US and its followers as a grave infringement upon the sovereignty of our Republic, as an act of war violating peace and stability in the Korean peninsula and the region and categorically reject the resolution," a foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement Sunday, as cited by state news agency KCNA.

On Friday, the UN Security Council unanimously imposed a new round of sanctions on North Korea following its latest ballistic missile test launch on November 29. Pyongyang is already under an extremely harsh economic sanctions regime, but the latest round further slashed its refined petroleum product imports and banned all remaining major exports. The measure also demands the repatriation of all North Koreans working abroad within 24 months.
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2 + 2 = 4

Putin commences campaign with vow to modernize Russia


Press TV
Sun, 24 Dec 2017 01:01 UTC
Russian President Vladimir Putin has commenced his campaign for the 2018 elections with a vow to modernize the country.

Putin
© AFPRussian President Vladimir Putin gestures as he delivers a speech during the United Russia Party's 17th convention in Moscow on December 23, 2017.
"Russia is a country with a 1,000-year history, but we mustn't treat her like our grandmother, just giving her pills to relieve her pain," he said in a televised speech on Saturday. "We must make Russia young, aimed into the future," he added.

Putin further vowed to boost resources of the country's healthcare and education system, and also pledged to battle corruption. "To achieve this, we must solve the tasks we are talking about now. We should make drastic changes in healthcare, education and infrastructure."
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Chart Pie

Pure jealousy: Democratic congressman admits opposing tax cuts because rich people will get 'a better deal'

Ben Shapiro
The Daily Wire
Thu, 21 Dec 2017 00:00 UTC
karl marx statue
On Thursday, Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) let the cat out of the bag when it comes to Democratic motivation for opposing a tax cut that puts money back in the pockets of well over 80% of the American people: jealousy. Pure jealousy.

Here's his tweet:


Comment: Something, something ... Tax Cuts For The Rich
Since time immemorial greed has been seen as something not quite moral, but in the ancient world, it was understood that envy and resentment were far worse. We've lost that understanding in the modern world. We don't recoil in disgust when we see envy. Nowadays, we treat it like virtue.

Why does it matter if a rich man gets a tax cut? Among the bleeding heart liberals, the ivory tower marxist academics, and the addle brained blogosphere troglodytes, the rich man is the new Mephistopheles.
See also: Debunking 7 myths about the new GOP tax reform

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Pistol

Current gun bill in Congress could greatly increase the number of citizens banned from buying guns

Michael Snyder
michaelsnyderforidaho.com
Sat, 23 Dec 2017 00:00 UTC
Congressgun
© CNN.com
When news that a "concealed-carry reciprocity law" had been passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, gun owners all over the nation rejoiced. But what most people didn't realize is that there had been a last minute change to the bill that could substantially increase the number of Americans that are banned from buying guns. This poison pill completely ruins the bill, and it must be voted down. What we need is a clean "concealed-carry reciprocity bill" that does not include "Fix-NICS" in it.

Let's start at the beginning. [On December 6, 2017], gun owners were elated when the House passed a bill that would enable them "to legally carry concealed weapons across state lines"...
Republicans rammed a bill through the House on Wednesday that would make it easier for gun owners to legally carry concealed weapons across state lines, the first significant action on guns in Congress since mass shootings in Nevada and Texas killed more than 80 people.

The House approved the bill, 231-198, largely along party lines. Six Democrats voted yes, while 14 Republicans voted no.

The measure would allow gun owners with a state-issued concealed-carry permit to carry a handgun in any state that allows concealed weapons. It now goes to the Senate.
It would be easy to assume that since virtually every single Republican voted for this bill that it must be a good thing.

But it turns out that a change was inserted into the bill at the last moment that many lawmakers never read. According to Fox News, the bill "contained an 11th-hour change to help states and agencies enter such data as criminal and domestic-violence convictions into the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for gun purchases".
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Arrow Down

Trump administration to effect a sharp drawdown of US refugee resettlements

Gregg Re
Fox News
Fri, 22 Dec 2017 00:00 UTC
Refugees
© Gary Varvel/KJNTHE QUOTA
The Trump administration is dramatically scaling back U.S. refugee resettlement efforts, according to a Thursday Reuters report. The move comes months after the White House announced plans to significantly curb refugee admissions and to more carefully vet new entrants to the country.

In a Dec. 1 meeting, State Department officials reportedly told nine refugee agencies that resettlement offices throughout the country will not receive federal authorization to resettle nearly as many people in 2018.

Stripped of that necessary approval - and federal funding - dozens of resettlement offices will probably have to close, Reuters reported. There are approximately 300 such offices in 49 states, and they are often affiliated with or overseen by the refugee agencies. The local offices employ aid workers that help refugees transition to life in America in various ways. Resettlement officers that plan to assist fewer than 100 refugees next year will be prohibited from helping to settle new arrivals, Reuters reported, citing State Department officials.
The news came on the same day that a federal judge said he would decide before Christmas whether to stop a Trump administration ban on certain refugees after hearing arguments Thursday that the ban is separating families and putting some refugees in danger.
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Snakes in Suits

DOJ begins FBI-agent inquiries into Uranium One, Killary in the crosshairs

Tyler Durden
Zero Hedge
Thu, 21 Dec 2017 07:58 UTC
UranOne
© youtube.com
Attorney General Jeff Sessions has instructed DOJ prosecutors to begin asking FBI agents for explanations regarding evidence pertaining to a dormant criminal investigation into the controversial Uranium One deal linked to Bill and Hillary Clinton, according to NBC.

The order comes as part of a promise made last month by Sessions to examine whether or not a special counsel was warranted in the deal which saw 20% of American Uranium sold to a Russian state-owned energy company in a 2010 transaction allowed by the Obama administration. Prior to the deal, an individual connected with Uranium One deal had donated over $140 million to the Clinton Foundation. Moreover, Bill Clinton gave a $500,000 speech to a Russian bank which issued a favorable rating on Uranium One stock. Clinton and Putin met the same day of the speech at the Russian leader's private homestead.

Comment: The investigative net has been thrown and the process finally appears to be strengthening. It is left to be seen whether the Washington collective endorses the probe and enforces a determination bringing the Clinton machine to a grand reckoning. Question is: How many others, within those very ranks of the collective investigative platform, are also in legal jeopardy?

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Footprints

NATO triples its military presence on Russia's borders in past 5 years


RT
Fri, 22 Dec 2017 20:02 UTC
NATOtroops
© Kacper Pempel / ReutersNATO troops near Orzysz, Poland
NATO significantly bolstered its military presence on Russia's Western border over the past five years, forcing Moscow to take retaliatory steps, Russia's Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has said. Shoigu's remarks came during Friday's annual extended meeting of the Defense Ministry Board.

"Since 2012, the strength of NATO military contingents deployed at Russia's western borders has grown three times. Four tactical groups of battalion level are a US armored brigade deployed in the Baltics and Poland, the staffs of international NATO divisions in Poland and Romania," Shoigu outlined. The number of engagement-ready troops has grown even more, from 10 to 40 thousand, the minister said.

The military alliance has also drastically scaled up its aerial and naval surveillance activities, according to Russia's defense chief.

Moscow has repeatedly criticized the NATO buildup, saying it's provocative while promising to respond accordingly.

Comment: More uniforms, more equipment, more troops and more military industry benefits.

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Snakes in Suits

New UNSC resolution: Sanctions slash oil & petroleum supplies over N. Korean missile launch


RT
Fri, 22 Dec 2017 18:26 UTC
NK barb wire
© newindianexpress.com
The UN Security Council has unanimously imposed a new round of sanctions on North Korea following its latest ballistic missile test launch. The resolution seeks to ban nearly 90 percent of refined oil product into Pyongyang.

The export of refined petroleum products to North Korea will be capped at 500,000 barrels per year, according to the new UN resolution.

Crude oil exports will be limited to 4 million barrels a year. In addition to drastically cutting oil product exports to the isolated country, the measure also demands the repatriation of all North Koreans working abroad within 24 months.

Comment: Hard to say what this will achieve except to negatively impact the population of North Korea and increase its leader's defiant resolves.

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Star of David

Netanyahu: More states are 'seriously considering' relocating embassies to Jerusalem, doesn't say who


RT
Sat, 23 Dec 2017 01:59 UTC
Netrumpyahoo
© Ronen Zvulun / Reuters
Several states are "seriously considering" moving their embassies to Jerusalem, the Israeli PM has claimed, while Palestinians continue to desperately protest the US' controversial recognition of the Holy City as Israel's capital.

"We're now talking to several countries who are seriously considering saying exactly the same thing as the United States and moving their embassies to Jerusalem," Benjamin Netanyahu told CNN, refusing to disclose the specific countries. "I could tell you that, but I won't, because I want it to succeed and I think there's a good chance it will."

And while Donald Trump's December 6 recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital was widely condemned throughout the world, a few Eastern European politicians did voice support for the US stance on Jerusalem, after Israel urged other nations to follow the American example. Others, however, including Turkey and China, called on other states to recognize East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine.

On Thursday, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) overwhelmingly passed a non-binding resolution condemning Trump's decision and called on states not to move their diplomatic missions to the sacred city. "Israel rejects the UN decision and, in parallel, expresses satisfaction at the large number of states that did not vote for the resolution, countries that Prime Minister Netanyahu has visited in Europe, Africa and Latin America," a statement from Netanyahu's office said after the vote.

The UNGA vote followed the US veto of a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution Monday. All other UNSC members voted in favor of a motion to rescind Donald Trump's move.

Comment: Netanyahu wields conjecture like it is truth. While fully understanding this fallacy, he knows he can command its effect. He doesn't have to speak truth; he only has to offer a convincing possibility.

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Bullseye

Iranian Prez. Rouhani: No one above the law, not even Prophet Muhammad


Al-Monitor
Thu, 21 Dec 2017 00:01 UTC
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani
© REUTERS/Stephanie KeithIran's President Hassan Rouhani delivers remarks at a news conference during the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, Sept. 20, 2017.
One year ago, President Hassan Rouhani unveiled an Iranian bill of rights, called the Citizens' Rights Charter, that would offer Iranians more personal freedoms. On Dec. 19, Rouhani, along with his advisers and Cabinet and parliamentary officials, marked the one-year anniversary of his citizens' rights charter at a gathering called the National Conference Report on the Progress and Solutions for the Realization of Citizens' Rights.

During his speech, Rouhani called for more transparency in the country and for Iranians to hold government institutions accountable. Rouhani stressed the importance of applying the law impartially to all, saying, "No one, not even the prophet of Islam, is above the law." Rouhani recalled how the founder of the Islamic Republic, former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, used to insist on the law being applied equally, saying, "Everyone must act according to the law. This is what citizens' rights are, citizens' rights means everyone acting according to the law."

Comment: Sounds pretty progressive for an 'evil freedom-hating Muslim country'. It looks like the US could learn a thing or two from Iran's level of accountability to their people.

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