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Chess

Reports suggest Macron struck deal with Saudis to relocate former Lebanese PM in Paris

French President Macron Muhammad bin Salman
It would appear that French President Macron struck a deal with de-facto Saudi ruler Muhammad bin Salman during his recent visit to Riyadh.
Saad Hariri has, according to most observers, including the President of Lebanon, been held captive in Saudi Arabia by the Riyadh regime. His shock "resignation" delivered on Saudi state-run television in a Saudi dialect, took much of the world, including most political parties in Lebanon by surprise.

Over the last few days, Hariri Tweeted to his followers that he would be back in Lebanon within two days. Since this deadline passed, he changed his story to say that in the near future he would be back in Lebanon.

Lebanon, Iran and the EU have all issued statements seeking Saad Hariri's safe and orderly return to Lebanon, but it appears he will be going to France instead.

Jet1

Russian strikes destroy ISIS positions in southeast Syria

Tupolev Tu-22M3 bomber
© Russian Defense Ministry / SputnikAir strikes by Tupolev Tu-22M3 bombers of the Russian Air Force
Six Russian long-range bombers have carried out airstrikes targeting ISIS terrorist positions in an area located close to the recently liberated Syrian city of Abu Kamal in the southeast of the country, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

The strikes destroyed Islamic State (IS, former ISIS/ISIL) hideouts and military equipment in the area, the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.The TU-22m3 bombers took off from an airfield in Russia and then flew over the territories of Iran and Iraq to carry out teh strikes, it added.

As the bombers entered Syrian airspace, they were joined by Su-30SM fighter jets based at Khmeimim Airbase in western Syria, which provided cover for the attack group, the ministry said. It added that the bombers successfully "hit all the designated targets" and returned to Russia.

Propaganda

First they came for RT: US no longer free speech haven, seeks to force China's Xinhua to register as 'foreign agent'

George Carlin American Dream

The US is no longer a safe space for free speech. Free speech in the USA has been reduced to the freedom to agree with pre-approved narratives and agendas.


Since the year 2000 the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission of the US Congress has produced reports on the nature of China-US relations, including on matters related to trade and security.

This year, the Commission has named Chinese news agency and broadcaster Xinhua as an "intelligence gathering organisation" in spite of producing no evidence to suggest that Xinhua is anything other than a news media outlet.

According to the report,
"Xinhua serves some of the functions of an intelligence agency by gathering information and producing classified reports for the Chinese leadership on both domestic and international events".
This could likely be the first step in laying down a modern-day witch trial against Xinhua in the same way that wild accusations against RT have led the US forcing RT America to register as a "foreign agent".

Comment: US Deep State's anti-RT repression reveals its war against those who dissent


Bad Guys

No legal basis for Mattis claim that US military is authorized to operate in Syria

James Mattis
© REUTERS/ Jonathan Ernst
US Defense Secretary James Mattis' claim that the United States was authorized to conduct military operations in Syria is a pretext for a long-term presence that defies several international laws, legal analysts told Sputnik.

On Monday, Mattis said that the presence of the United States in Syria had been approved by the UN as Washington was engaged in the fight against Daesh terrorist group.

The Russian Defense Ministry on Tuesday, however, said that the US military refused to launch airstrikes against Daesh forces that were fleeing Syria's Al Bukamal, citing the Geneva convention. The development seemed to contradict Mattis' entire justification for US operations in Syria.

Star of David

'The Lobby' lives: Israel's Labour allies shift tactics - unable to oust Corbyn as leader

Jeremey Corbyn
© Han Yan XinhuaGrassroots support and electoral success have bolstered Jeremy Corbyn's position as Labour Party leader. But Britain's Israel lobby is not going away quietly.
Having previously attempted to remove Jeremy Corbyn as party leader at all costs, Labour's internal Israel lobby is now changing its strategy.

The shift in the UK's political terrain since June's general election has left Corbyn firmly in charge of the main opposition party's leadership.

With another general election likely before the end of the Conservative government's five-year term, Corbyn's right-wing Labour enemies have resigned themselves to the reality of a socialist leader.

For Israel lobby groups like Labour Friends of Israel and the Jewish Labour Movement, this means ending the all-out assault on Corbyn and instead trying to "moderate" his positions on Palestine and the Israeli occupation.

Since Corbyn became Labour leader, the party has faced an almost entirely fabricated media campaign to portray it as rife with anti-Semitism.

Despite an inquiry by respected human rights lawyer Shami Chrakrabarti finding in June last year that the party was "not overrun by anti-Semitism," mainstream media have continued to promote this false narrative.

Arrow Down

Syrian Arab Army reports four soldiers killed from Israeli strikes

Israeli F-16 fighter jet
© Amir Cohen / Reuters
Yesterday Fort Russ News reported on an apparent Israeli airstrike against Syrian Army positions to the southwest of Damascus that at the time could not be verified.

However the Syrian Arab Army's 42nd Brigade of the 4th Mechanized Division accused the Israeli military of attacking their forces in the Golan Heights, the highly-reliable Al-Masdar News reported.

Four soldiers belonging to the 42nd Brigade were killed by Israeli airstrikes over their positions near the Beit Jinn pocket to the southwest of Damascus, the Al-Masdar News report explained.

The report also explained that the Israeli Defense Force usually announce such attacks, but in this particular case, there has been none.

Chess

Russian government sends letters to Radio Free Europe and Voice of America notifying them of possible registration as foreign agents

Russian Ministry of Justice
© Grigoriy Sisoev / SputnikThe Russian Ministry of Justice
The Russian Justice Ministry has sent letters to nine media outlets on their possible registration as foreign agents. Voice of America and Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty are among those that could be recognized as foreign agents, the ministry said.

The ministry also sent letters to the administration of the Kavkaz.Realii, Krym Realii and Sibir Realii websites, as well as Radio Azatliq - all of which are Radio Liberty branches based in Russia. The Current Time TV channel, a joint project of Voice of America and Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, as well as the Radio Liberty-owned factograph.info website and IdelRealii project also received letters.

On Wednesday, the Russian State Duma passed the third and final reading of the bill, which requires mass-media outlets operating in the country but funded from abroad to register as foreign agents. The bill is a mirror response to Washington's demand for RT to register as a foreign agent.

Comment: See also:


Chess

Former German Chancellor slams Kiev for waging war against Donbass

Former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder
© Stringer / Reuters
Former German Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, has in an interview with Zeit accused the Ukrainian government of waging war against the Donbass.

"Schroeder accused the government of Ukraine that it is waging war against the Donbass," the publication reads.

The ex-chancellor also noted that the view that Russia allegedly intended to "annex the Baltics" is "absurd."

Network

Imran Khan could remake Pakistan and transform the region

Imran Khan
© Faisal Mahmood / ReutersImran Khan
Imran Khan knows that Pakistan desperately needs reform. Should he win the next election, his rise might not just change Pakistan, it may shake up the whole region.

A quarter of a century ago, Imran Khan was one of the greatest and most charismatic sportsmen in the world. He had just led the Pakistan cricket team to their momentous first victory in the Cricket World Cup, converting himself into a national hero in the process.

Khan retired from cricket, and let it be known that he was set on pursuing a second career as a national politician. However, for many years Imran Khan's political career was a litany of humiliating defeats and failure.

Most observers wrote him off completely.

Yoda

RT Chief Margarita Simonyan interview: Devotes entire hour to ridiculing US harassment of RT journalists (still not enough time)

RT Margarita Simonyan
© RTRT chief Margarita Simonyan - Smarter than the competition
She also dispels accusations that she controls and manipulates the Pokemon along with a plethora of other slanders hurled at her.

Head of RT Margarita Simonyan digs into the real agenda behind recent attacks upon the network.

In the process she exposes how the West no longer represents the values that it espouses.These values are now found in Russia!

This broadcast is well worth checking out because it shows how fun, witting, and well-informed Russian political talk shows are. Simonyan shines here, as do the other guests.

Admit it CNN, you are way out of your league. Jake Tapper and crew don't hold a candle to this gang.

Transcript below.

Comment: Here is the video Ms. Simonya referenced about RT's use of humor, a quality sorely lacking in Western journalism. Could anyone imagine CNN poking this kind of fun at itself?