Puppet MastersS


Attention

The Macedonian crisis isn't over: A bigger Balkan one is just beginning

Protesters in Macedonian Congress
© REUTERS/ Ognen Teofilovski
The US didn't resolve Macedonia's crisis, it made it much worse, and the fate of the Balkans is now in jeopardy because of the latest American-brokered "deal".

Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Hoyt Yee visited Skopje a few weeks ago and successfully "convinced" Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov to give pro-American SDSM opposition leader Zoran Zaev the mandate to form a new government.

On paper at least, this was supposed to end the two-and-a-half-year-long political crisis in the country, and the announcement was certainly celebrated as such by unipolar media.

In reality, however, this decision existentially endangers the Republic of Macedonia because the only thing preventing its forthcoming "federalization" and eventual partition between its Albanian and Bulgarian neighbors is the signed pledge of convicted (but pardoned) Zaev that he won't pursue the notorious "Tirana Platform".

Bad Guys

Daesh relocates headquarters from besieged Iraqi city of Mosul to Hawija

Mosul
© REUTERS/ Muhammad HamedMosul
Daesh, outlawed in Russia, has relocated its headquarters from the northern Iraqi city of Mosul to the town of Hawija in the province of Kirkuk, a source in the province's security services told Sputnik on Tuesday.

"All IS [Daesh] leaders left Mosul for the Hawija district located 55 kilometers [35 miles] west of Kirkuk. The headquarters was relocated because of the impending defeat of the group in Mosul's Old City," the source said.

Info

Dan Coats: US intelligence initiated no assessment on info Trump Revealed to Lavrov

Trump and Lavrov
© RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY
The US intelligence community has not begun an assessment to look into what information President Donald Trump may have been shared with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov or Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during their meeting at the White House, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday.

Both Trump and numerous Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, have repeatedly denied claims of alleged Moscow's collusion with the US president's campaign, as well as of the Kremlin's interference in the 2016 US election.

"We have not initiated an assessment," Coats stated when asked if the intelligence community had begun to assess the nature and impact of the information revealed by the president.

Comment: More from the hearing: Former CIA Director Brennan cannot confirm alleged Trump-Russia collusion


Info

Developing partnership: What you need to know about Russia-Philippines ties

Russian Navy and a Philippine officer salute as Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte
© AP Photo/ Aaron FavilaRussian Navy and a Philippine officer salute as Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte alights from the Russian anti-submarine Navy vessel Admiral Tributs in Manila, Philippines on Friday, Jan. 6, 2017.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday arrived on his first official visit to Russia, which will last for almost an entire week through Friday in what will become the first high-level Philippine trip to Russia in almost a decade.

Diplomatic relations between the Soviet Union and the Philippines were established on June 2, 1976. On December 28, 1991, the Philippines officially recognized Russia as the USSR's successor. The Philippines are a promising partner for Russia in the Asia-Pacific region. The two countries maintain a regular political dialogue at various levels.

Network

Buh-bye backstabbing Western imperialists! Duterte arrives in Moscow with aim of increasing ties with Russia

Duterte
© Reuters/ Kim Kyung-Hoon
On Monday, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte arrived in Russia on a five-day visit. Prior to the visit, Duterte said that security and defense issues will be on the agenda of his talks in Moscow.

Earlier, the Kremlin reported that Duterte and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled to have a meeting on May 25. A package of documents is expected to be signed as a result of the talks.

In an interview with Russian media ahead of his visit, Duterte reiterated that his country should have ties with Russia and China, as Western nations are only interested in double talk and disregard the Philippines' interests.

USA

'Not a single hint of a protester' in Saudi Arabia-Trump official praises autocratic rule

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross
© Andrew Harnik/APCommerce Secretary Wilbur Ross
Putting a fine point on the spin that President Donald Trump's trip to the Middle East has been a glowing, peace-dealing success, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross praised the fact that there were no protesters in Saudi Arabia—a nation where political dissonance is punishable by death.

Speaking to CNBC on Monday, Ross, who accompanied Trump on the weekend trip to Riyadh, said he found it "fascinating" that he did not see "a single hint of a protester anywhere there during the whole time we were there. Not one guy with a bad placard."

In turn, "Squawk Box" host Becky Quick pointed out "that might be—not necessarily because they don't have those feelings there—but because they control people and don't allow them to come and express their feelings the same way we do here."

Comment: Saudis can't protest or else: Why is Saudi Arabia bombing its own people? Because they are Shia


Info

Former CIA Director Brennan cannot confirm alleged Trump-Russia collusion

John Brennan
© AFP 2017/ Jewel Samad
A collusion between Russian officials and members of US President Donald Trump campaign cannot be confirmed, former CIA Director John Brennan stated during a testimony at the US Senate on Tuesday.

Both Trump and numerous Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, have repeatedly denied claims of alleged Moscow's collusion with the US president's campaign, as well as of the Kremlin's interference in the 2016 US election.

"I encountered and am aware of information and intelligence that revealed contacts and interactions between Russian officials and US persons involved in the Trump campaign," Brennan stated. "I don't know and cannot confirm if collusion existed."

Info

US Defense Intelligence finds no evidence Russia transfers weapons, money to Taliban

Taliban militants
© AP Photo/ Allauddin Khan
Director of the US Defense Intelligence Agency Lt. Gen. Vincent Stewart said in his testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday that there is no evidence Russia has transferred weapons or money to the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said earlier this month that Moscow is only working with the Taliban (a terrorist movement outlawed in Russia) in order to assist the implementation of a UN Security Council decision requested by the Afghan government that would allow the group to take a role in the political process.

"They're in conversation with [the] Taliban, we've seen indications that they've offered some level of support, but I have not seen real physical evidence of weapons or money being transferred," Stewart stated.

Newspaper

Washington Post reveals ISIS was 'partner' supplying Trump intelligence briefing for Russian officials

Never trust someone who is friends with your enemy
A Washington Post reporter has revealed that the Islamic State (IS) laptop plot story, which President Donald Trump mentioned to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the White House last week came from IS itself, through the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The reason for the leaking against Trump, which followed in the Post and in the Anglo-American media, has also been disclosed by the Post. The CIA and at least one senior staff official of the National Security Council, who briefed the CIA on what Trump had said, are angry at the President for revealing collaboration between IS operatives and their US Government handlers in attacks on Russian targets, including Russian airline travelers.

A report published by the Washington Post on Monday evening claimed Trump had "revealed highly classified information to the Russian foreign minister [Lavrov] and ambassador [Sergei Kislyak] in a White House meeting last week, according to current and former U.S. officials, who said Trump's disclosures jeopardized a critical source of intelligence on the Islamic State."

Info

US ground and air raid kills 7 Al-Qaeda militants in Yemen

US soldiers
© Damir Sagolj / Reuters
Seven Al-Qaeda militants have been killed during a US counterterrorism operation in Yemen, according to US Central Command. The operation used small arms fire and precision airstrikes to target one of the group's compounds.

The operation took place in the early hours of Tuesday against a compound associated with Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in Marib Governorate, according to a statement by US Central Command.

The statement says that seven AQAP militants were killed "through a combination of small arms fire and precision airstrikes."

"Raids such as this provide insight into AQAP's disposition, capabilities and intentions, which will allow us to continue to pursue, disrupt, and degrade AQAP," the statement reads.

It goes on to note that the operation was conducted with the support of the Royal Government of Yemen.

Comment: Note this happens right after Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia.