Puppet MastersS


Jet1

US F-35 fighter jets arrive in Estonia amid NATO buildup


RT
Tue, 25 Apr 2017 15:54 UTC
US F-35 fighter jet in Estonia
© Ints Kalnins / Reuters
A detachment of F-35 Lightning II fighters from the United States has arrived at Amari airbase in Estonia to take part in training exercises aimed at "deterring" Russia.

The stealth fighter jets landed in the Baltic country on Tuesday, where they were met by both foreign and local journalists as well as Estonian Minister of Defence Margus Tsahkna. The aircraft are due to stay in the region for several weeks, the Estonian MoD confirmed to Postimees, during which time it will conduct training exercises with other US and NATO aircraft.

"F35s in Estonia! Training deployments like this build interoperability w/our partners, allies," tweeted General David L. Goldfein, Chief of Staff of the US Air Force.
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Info

'Wrath of the Euphrates': Daesh leaders fleeing Raqqa and head for Deir ez-Zor


Sputnik
Tue, 25 Apr 2017 15:23 UTC
Daesh militants
© AP Photo/ Aamaq News Agency
A string of military defeats has forced Daesh leaders to flee Raqqa in northern Syria for Deir ez-Zor in the country's east, Ewwas Eli of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) told Sputnik Turkiye.

In November 2016, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces launched the Wrath of the Euphrates military operation to liberate Raqqa and the surrounding area, with the air backing of the US-led coalition.

"The coalition air forces have recorded the movement of terrorists from the former stronghold of Raqqa towards Deir ez-Zor. Daesh leaders have fled with their families and taken light weapons, medical equipment and some other necessities from Raqqa with them."

"Since the coalition airplanes have bombed bridges, the jihadists can't take heavy weapons and military equipment from Raqqa. They are fleeing to Deir ez-Zor via the town of Tabqa, so when Tabqa is captured the terrorists' escape routes will be cut off," Eli explained.


Comment: News report that ISIS 'essentially moved' its Syria HQ from Raqqa to Deir ez-Zor province

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Jet5

Death from above: Russian aircraft deliver precision strikes on militants in Syria that sows terror

Rusvesna - by Inessa Sinchougova
Fort Russ
Mon, 24 Apr 2017 00:00 UTC
death from above
Despite all the accusations of Western media against Russian actions, our pilots are doing their job. And unlike their Western counterparts, doing it perfectly.

In an exclusive video, Rusvesna shows the work of Russian combat aircraft.

Russian fighters
"Over the past few days, as a result of a series of air strikes in areas of Halfa, Zor Abu Zayd and Taybet Al Imam, Homs province, rebels have lost more than a hundred men"- said the military source.
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Attention

Russian senator warns UK risks being 'wiped off the map with nuclear counterstrike'


RT
Tue, 25 Apr 2017 15:14 UTC
N. Korea military parade
© Alexander Vilf / Sputnik
The UK, which recently said it could launch a preemptive nuclear strike "in the most extreme circumstances," runs the risk of being "wiped off the face of the Earth," the deputy head of a Russian upper house committee said.

"The statement made by UK's Defense Minister Michael Fallon calls for a harsh response and I'm not afraid of going too far. At best this statement may be seen as an element of a psychological war, which looks especially revolting in this context," Frants Klintsevich wrote on Facebook.

"There is a quite natural question then: what country could be primitively targeted by the UK?" the deputy head of the Federation Council's Committee for Defense and Security said.
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Pistol

Chavista trade unionist kidnapped and brutally murdered in Venezuela

TeleSUR English
Venezuelanalysis
Tue, 25 Apr 2017 15:04 UTC
Esmin Ramirez
© Twitter / @EsminRamirezAvista union leader Esmin Ramirez.
Venezuelan trade union leader Esmin Ramirez was killed Sunday in the southeastern state of Bolivar after being kidnapped in an act that people close to him claim was politically motivated.

Ramirez, who was a member of the Movement 21 labor syndicate in the state-run iron ore producer Ferrominera and part of the PSUV political party in Cachamay, was killed in El Rinconcito sector in Guayana City, a city along the bank of the Orinoco River in Bolivar state.

The leader was killed by several gunshots to the head. He had been previously kidnapped on Saturday night in San Felix. His body was retrieved by officials Sunday.
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Arrow Down

Trump's budget cuts could slash USAID


RT
Tue, 25 Apr 2017 14:51 UTC
US aid photo
© Reuters
The Trump administration's budget proposal includes cuts of one to two-thirds in funding to the USAID program, the government's foreign aid agency. If passed, the cuts could threaten missions, jobs and worsen the migrant crisis.

The proposed slash in funding would eliminate 30 to 35 of United States Agency for International Development's (USAID) field missions while cutting its regional bureaus by roughly 65 percent, according to a 15-page State Department budget document on the overhaul, obtained by Foreign Policy.

USAID currently operates in about 100 countries.

President Donald Trump is seeking a cut to foreign aid under the slogan of "America First," for fiscal year 2018.

The State Department and USAID budget request for this fiscal year is around $50 billion, part of a broader $58.8 billion "international affairs budget," but a drop in the overall $3 trillion-plus federal budget.
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Life Preserver

Kiev cuts off Lugansk electricity but Russia steps in to help

RIA Novosti - translated by J. Arnoldski
Fort Russ News
Tue, 25 Apr 2017 14:47 UTC
Ukraine electric lines
Russia is providing electricity to the Lugansk People's Republics as humanitarian aid in the aftermath of Kiev cutting off power lines. The level of electricity consumption has been maintained, a source familiar with the situation has told journalists.

The Ministry of Energy and Coal of Ukraine and the Energorynok State Enterprise halted the supply of electricity and power to the republic at midnight on April 25, 2017.

"Such actions by the Ukrainian authorities could lead to humanitarian catastrophe. Hence why the decision was taken to provide electricity from the territory of the Russian Federation as part of affording humanitarian aid to the population of the LPR. The level of energy supplies to consumers in the affected areas of the Lugansk region has been maintained," the source said.


Comment: It's hard to determine what Kiev's motivation is by this action. It certainly pushes Lugansk more towards Russia. Is this a provocation to get Russia more involved in the Ukraine crises?

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Map

Iraqi commander: Mosul to be fully liberated from Daesh within one month


Sputnik
Tue, 25 Apr 2017 14:40 UTC
Iraqi special forces
© AP Photo/ Bram Janssen
On Saturday, Daesh launched another chemical attack in the al Saura district of the Iraqi city Mosul, killing six and injuring 12, a source in the internal security forces told Sputnik Arabic. Meanwhile, one of the unit commanders of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces told Sputnik Turkiye that Mosul will be fully liberated within one month.

On Saturday, Daesh launched yet another chemical attack in the al Saura district of Mosul in northern Iraq, a source in the country's internal security forces told Sputnik Arabic. Terrorists have used bombs with mustard gas, which have killed six people and injured twelve more.
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Mr. Potato

Cry baby Netanyahu to German FM: I won't see you if you meet with Breaking the Silence


Sputnik
Tue, 25 Apr 2017 13:29 UTC
AP/Bernd von Jutrczenka
© Benjamin Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened to cancel a planned meeting with German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel over his plans to meet with the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) veteran organization Breaking The Silence, as the relationship between the two nations worsens yet further.

Gabriel arrived in Israel April 24, and was set to meet with Netanyahu, along with President Reuven Rivlin in Jerusalem and Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah in Ramallah, the next day. He is also to hold talks with Israeli opposition leader Issac Herzog, head of the Zionist Union. He is expected to discuss the peace process, which has been stalled since April 2014.
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Snakes in Suits

'Status quo in N. Korea unacceptable': Trump scolds UNSC to up payments and wants more sanctions


RT
Mon, 24 Apr 2017 13:18 UTC
Donald Trump hosts a working lunch
© Reuters
President Donald Trump chastised the UN Security Council for underperforming and called on it to "impose additional and stronger sanctions" on North Korea during a meeting with UNSC ambassadors at the White House.

"The status quo in North Korea is also unacceptable, and the council must be prepared to impose additional and stronger sanctions on the North Korean nuclear and ballistic missile programs," Trump said during the luncheon.

Trump also took a jab at the UN for ignoring threats like North Korea "for far too long."

"This is a real threat to the world, whether we want to talk about it or not. North Korea is a big world problem and it's a problem that we have to finally solve," he said. "People put blindfolds on for decades and now it's time to solve the problem."

Comment: Also read: Entire US Senate to descend on White House for North Korea briefing

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