Puppet MastersS


Clock

DOJ needs more time to provide evidence of Trump's wiretap claims

US Justice Department logo
© Carlo Allegri / Reuters
The US Justice Department isn't yet ready to comply with a House Intelligence Committee inquiry asking for evidence of President Donald Trump's wiretapping allegations against former President Barack Obama.

The House Intelligence Community originally set a Monday deadline for the DOJ. They expected the department to provide any evidence to support Trump's claims that Obama had Trump Tower surveilled during the 2016 election.

As the deadline loomed, DOJ spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores released a statement on Monday, asking the committee for "additional time."

Comment: DOJ having trouble finding the evidence?


Telephone

'Not now, not in the future': Recording of Paul Ryan's anti-Trump pledge emerges

Paul Ryan
© Joshua Roberts / Reuters
A recording of a conference call prior to last year's US presidential election has emerged with Paul Ryan heard vouching to Republicans that he would never defend Donald Trump. The call took place in the wake of the leaked 'Access Hollywood' tapes.

"I am not going to defend Donald Trump — not now, not in the future," House Speaker Ryan can be heard saying in the audio released by Breitbart, adding that he would not be campaigning with the candidate over the next 30 days, instead concentrating his effort on winning a Republican Congress.

Attention

French presidential candidate Fillon placed under formal investigation over fraud accusations

Francois Fillon
© Christian Hartmann / Reuters
Francois Fillon was placed under formal investigation on Tuesday over allegations he misappropriated government funds, Reuters reports.

The news was reported by Le Canard Enchaine and RTL, which claimed the charges were related to suspicious activity that would have benefited his wife Penelope.

Attention

Trump reportedly gave CIA power to authorize drone strikes

small drone on truck
© Rodi Said / Reuters
President Donald Trump has reportedly given the Central Intelligence Agency the power to conduct drone strikes against suspected terrorists. Under former President Barack Obama, that authority was limited to the Pentagon in the name of transparency.

Unnamed US officials claim that President Trump expanded the power to conduct drone strikes from the Pentagon exclusively to the CIA, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday. The move has not been confirmed by the Trump administration.

Under the new authority, the CIA would not require permission from the Pentagon or even the White House before launching a drone strike for a targeted killing mission.


Comment: Yet the Pentagon wants looser drone authority: Pentagon wants looser rules on using force in 'temporary areas of active hostility'


Attention

Pentagon wants looser rules on using force in 'temporary areas of active hostility'

US drone grafitee
© Khaled Abdullah / Reuters
The White House is reportedly mulling over a Pentagon proposal to designate undeclared battlefields across the world as "temporary areas of active hostility," granting military top brass the same carte blanche they enjoy in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria.

If approved, the measure would give military commanders as much scope to launch airstrikes, raids and campaigns against enemy forces for up to six months as they already possess in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria, the Guardian reported, citing a US administration official familiar with the situation.

The proposal would reportedly dismantle the existing scheme for launching lethal assaults like drone strikes, used in countries such as Pakistan, Yemen and Afghanistan.

Pistol

Libyan government ready to implement arms contracts with Russia reached under Muammar Gaddafi

Lyban soldier
© AP/Manu Brabo
Russia promised to assist the local authorities in the east of Libya in combating terrorism, he said.

"We asked the Russian government to help us in training of the armed forces, repairing of military equipment by Russian experts, as most of our officers were trained in Russia and many speak Russian, and they know how to use Russian equipment. We were promised an assistance in the fight against terrorism," Issa said.

"Commissions which will have to check and monitor the implementation of defense contracts reached with Russia during the rule of Muammar Gaddafi will be established. They will be implemented with the two sides' good will," Issa said.

Comment: Once again Russia is cleaning up the US/NATO mess.


Info

Ukrainian soldiers caught planting car bombs in Donbass: Guess who trained them?

Ukrainian soldier
The "mystery" behind the long list of assassinated rebel leaders in Donbass might now be solved.

Two Ukrainian soldiers have been captured with weapons and bomb-making materials by Lugansk authorities.

The two soldiers, both allegedly part of Ukraine's Special Forces, confessed to assassinating the rebel commander Oleg Anashchenko last month.

Guess who trained them? You already know.

Boat

Beijing wants to hear from Tokyo on sending largest warship to disputed S. China Sea

Izumo military helicopter carrier
© Toru Hanai / ReutersThe Izumo military helicopter carrier of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
China is waiting to hear official word from Japan on why it is reportedly planning to send its largest warship on a three-month tour in the South China Sea. Beijing claims most of the waterway as its own, despite competing claims from other countries.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a news briefing on Tuesday that Beijing is unsure whether the helicopter carrier 'Izumo' is merely passing through to visit Southeast Asian countries, or if there is another aim.

"We have not yet heard what Japan says officially," Hua said, as quoted by Reuters.

"If it's only a normal visit, going to several countries, and passing normally through the South China Sea, then we've got no objections, and we hope this kind of normal exchange between relevant countries can play a role promoting regional peace and stability," she added.

Георгиевская ленточка

Since Trump's US victory, the Russia-bashing industry has never had it so good or got it so wrong

Russian flag American flag
© mashabuba / Gettyimages.ru
For some years now, people have been able to write any rubbish about Russia in the Western press and suffer hardly any consequences. This irresponsible approach has led to a feeding frenzy since Donald Trump won last fall's race for the White House.

Two years ago this week, Vladimir Putin died. On Twitter, at least.

And the false reports reached the pages of various news outlets, including web giant Yahoo. What made this 'fake news' more remarkable was how it was primarily spread by the so-called 'expert community.'

Others had different takes. Perhaps he'd been ousted in a palace coup? Or had a stroke? But my favorite made up report came from The Daily Telegraph's Moscow correspondent, who insisted Putin was in Switzerland attending the birth of a new child. The idea of Putin going on secret paternity leave was deliciously preposterous.

Bullseye

US reaffirms rules of engagement in Mosul, says 'ISIS trapped & going to die' - as civilian casualties increase

ISIS/ISIL
As the fighting in Mosul rages on, the number of civilian casualties and displacements have grown significantly. While vowing to avoid civilian casualties by all means, the US is adamantly helping to maintain the siege until every single jihadist dies there.

Air strikes targeting Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) fighters in the Iraqi city of Mosul are frequently killing civilians, a number of residents who lost loved ones have been telling RT recently. While the Islamic State is known to use men, women, and children as human shields in Mosul, the city's residents have also accused the coalition of indiscriminate bombing.