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Snakes in Suits

Google cracks down on 'fake news' by permanently banning 200 sites

google logo
© AP Photo/ Virginia Mayo, File
The crackdown has begun.

In a blog post by Scott Spencer, director of product management for sustainable ads, posted on Wednesday, Google said it has banned 200 publishers from accessing its Adsense advertising service for posting fake news stories. Google said it had cracked down on sites which contained 1) Ads for illegal products; 2) Misleading ads; 3) Bad ads on mobile; 4) Ads trying to game the system and, 5) Promoting and profiting from bad sites. But the emphasis was on the so-called "fake news" category which has dominated media buzz for the past two months.

Comment: If Google released the websites that were banned it would help reveal whether or not their actions are legitimate. But anyone with two firing neurons can see that the majority of 'fake news' comes through CNN, the New York Times, the Washington Post, etc. How long before the 'fake news police' decide anyone who disagrees with the mainstream needs to be 'permanently banned'?

Further reading:


Propaganda

New York Times quietly publishes 'stunning correction' after attacking electoral college

New York Times building in New York City
© WikipediaNew York Times building in New York City.
The New York Times quietly issued a major correction to an editorial attacking the electoral college in December, admitting it has in fact defended the electoral college at a time when it was politically expedient for Democrats.

The paper ran the editorial calling for an end to the electoral college in December, when Democrats were harping on the fact that Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton beat President Donald Trump in the popular vote, and calling for reforms to make the system more "fair." Obviously seeking to avoid the editorial position as politically motivated, the editorial emphasized what turned out to be a false claim that the paper has opposed the electoral college system for 80 years.

The piece links back to two other editorials criticizing the electoral college as evidence the board has opposed the system ever since Democratic President Franklin Delano Roosevelt beat Republican Alf Landon in the 1936 presidential election. That position has remained constant regardless of the political outcome, the board wrote, noting an editorial on the system in 2012 that states it "needs to be abolished."

Comment: Further reading: Electoral College coup plot tied to White House/Clinton-tied PR firm


Yoda

Lavrov: Moscow has no illusions about resetting ties with Washington under Trump

lavrov speaking at duma
© Vladimir Fedorenko / Sputnik
Russia does not have any "illusions" or "naive expectations" regarding a reset in the relationship with Washington under the new US administration, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

The minister provided his views on bilateral ties while talking to Russian lawmakers on Wednesday. "We have no illusions that there will be a new 'reset' with the United States, we have no naive expectations," Lavrov said.

New US President Donald Trump recently said that he would consider certain deals with Russia, including on the limitation of nuclear weapons, in exchange for lifting parts of the sanctions on Moscow.

"They have sanctions on Russia — let's see if we can make some good deals with Russia. For one thing, I think nuclear weapons should be way down and reduced very substantially, that's part of it," Trump was quoted as saying by the Times.

Question

Trump infrastructure plan - Good for the people or good for Trump's rich friends?

trump
© Ninian Reid
DONALD TRUMP: We are transferring power from Washington, D.C. and giving it back to you, the people.

CROWD: (applause)

DONALD TRUMP: For too long a small group in our nation's capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost. Washington flourished but the people did not share in its wealth.
SHARMINI PERIES: On to discuss with me Trump's infrastructure plan is Michael Hudson. Michael has a new book out, "J is for Junk Economics: A Guide to Reality in the Age of Deception" (February 2017). Michael is a Distinguished Professor of Economics at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. Thanks for joining us, Michael.

MICHAEL HUDSON: Good to be here.

SHARMINI PERIES: So, Michael, that first, I think it's the third or fourth paragraph in, where he really talks about the establishment, how it benefitted Washington, I would think you would have objection to that.

MICHAEL HUDSON: Well, the establishment Trump talked about wasn't really Wall Street. He said, "When Washington got rich." Bernie Sanders would have said, "When Wall Street got rich, the country didn't." So I think when Donald Trump says "Washington," what he means is the government regulatory agencies. He's going to cut them back. And what he means is that the IRS, the tax collectors, he's going to cut them back by cutting taxes on all the Americans, meaning all of the 1% that are his Americans.

So, basically, you're seeing a cutback in government. I'm sure you will see a cutback in the CIA and the NSA that are parts of the Democratic National Committee and their Hillary supporters. So I think there is going to be a fight within the foreign policy and the national security establishment. But I think that what Trump is really doing is going to be supporting the same 1% that President Obama and George Bush were supporting.

Briefcase

Syrian peace talks in Astana prove one thing: Russia is now the biggest power broker in the Syrian conflict

astana talks
© REUTERS/ Mukhtar KholdorbekovTerrorists in suits.
The Syrian peace talks arranged by Russia, Turkey and Iran that opened today in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, show that President Bashar al-Assad is winning the six-year-old war, but his final victory may be a long way off. Several participants in the conference have good reasons to fight on and Isis has recently made important advances.

Representatives of some of the rebel armed groups sat on one side of a round table, while the Syrian government delegation sat on the other, but the rebels said there would be no face to face talks. The most positive likely outcome of the meeting would be a reinforcement of the shaky ceasefire that began on 29 December and has been only partly effective. The US is not taking part in the talks, in contrast to previous abortive negotiations, but has sent its ambassador to Kazakhstan indicating that it does not oppose them.

The most important feature of the conference is that it proves that Russia's military intervention in the civil war on the side of Mr Assad since 2015 has promoted it to being the most powerful foreign power engaged in the Syrian war. It signed a long-term agreement with Syria last Friday which will enable it to expand its naval base at Tartous on Syria's Mediterranean coast and to increase its use of an airbase at Latakia.

Comment: Further reading: "Rebel" infighting breaks out as Russia finally manages to separate the "moderates" from the terrorists in Syria


Snakes in Suits

In just five days, Trump has delivered on his flagship policies

Trump signing orders
When Donald Trump promised to deliver on his promises and do so quickly, many thought that he was just another politician promising something he couldn't deliver.

Five days into his term, he has proved them wrong, using executive orders to deliver on key promises. Here are some of the most important ones.

Red Flag

Syria's White Helmets exposed as Al Qaeda's 'Civil Defence'

White Helmets al-Qaeda
© Ron Paul Forums
The following video is a compilation of testimonies taken from Syrian civilians, finally liberated from almost five years of Nusra Front-led terrorist occupation of all districts of East Aleppo. The unadulterated, unedited, uncensored voices of the Syrian people, released from Nusra Front aka Al Qaeda jail in East Aleppo, finally given a platform instead of corporate media's terrorist propaganda amplification and "regime change" narrative monopoly.

I was in East Aleppo during its final liberation from Nusra Front-led extremism and during the lead up to Christmas until the 27th December. I witnessed the emaciated civilians arriving at the Jebrin registration centre to receive food, hot drinks and medical treatment. Medical treatment that the Nusra Front dominated, extremist groups, had refused them. We saw a young boy whose foot was missing, he told us that he had received no attention for his wounds prior to arriving in Jebrin. He had been injured in a terrorist mortar attack on the district he had been living in.

I was in East Aleppo between the 9th and the 14th December when the majority of the districts were liberated. Every civilian I spoke to said the White Helmets were effectively Nusra Front's civil defence. Some said they "occasionally" helped civilians but then qualified by adding that their priority was the "armed groups".


The content of this video also exposes the #FakeNews peddlers, Channel 4, who have consistently acted as "cheerleaders" for Nusra Front-led terrorism in Syria. Where were they when the civilians were free and their voices could be heard condemning the "rebels" that Channel 4 and so many other corporate media promoted as "freedom fighters".

This video is not only a further exposure of the truth about the multi-million dollar NATO & Gulf state funded fraudulent White Helmets, it is also a testament to the honour, the integrity and the fortitude of the Syrian people, who despite all they had suffered and endured during the almost five year terrorist occupation, came out resilient and determined to rebuild their shattered lives.

Comment: White Helmets is a Soros-sponsored NGO in Syria, a 'fake rescue operation' propaganda tool aligned with and intersecting al-Qaeda. It is funded by US, UK, the EU and Qatar. Check out the video.

See also:


Cardboard Box

British Royal Navy wasted £1.4 million "escorting" Russian fleet to Syria, despite being broke

warship
© Dmitry Kostyukov / Reuters
A Royal Navy operation to monitor a Russian fleet of warships as it sailed through the English Channel last year cost taxpayers £1.4 million ($1.76 million).

The 'Admiral Kuznetsov,' a Soviet-era aircraft carrier that can carry more than 50 planes, passed by the coast of southeast England along with seven other vessels last October.

A Royal Navy destroyer and frigate were scrambled in response and escorted the fleet as it sailed en route to Syria, despite the service facing a budget shortfall of £500 million.

Figures obtained by Portsmouth News through a Freedom of Information (FoI) request reveal the operation cost British taxpayers £1,394,000, including man hours and fuel.

Comment: And, they're doing it again:
Royal Air Force (RAF) jets and a Royal Navy warship have escorted the Russian aircraft carrier 'Admiral Kuznetsov' as it passed through the English Channel on its way back to northern Russia.

A squadron of RAF Typhoon aircraft joined 'HMS St Albans' for the mission, which involved watching the Soviet-era 'Kuznetsov' as it passed through Britain's 'area of interest.'



Wall Street

Goldman Sachs says Trump tax reform could 'transform' global oil market

Oil pump
© Lucy Nicholson / Reuters
The Republican Party's proposed shift to border-adjusted corporate tax (BTA) could have a significant impact on the global oil market, pushing US crude prices higher and triggering large-scale domestic production, said analysts at Goldman Sachs.

The border tax intends to boost US manufacturing by taxing imports while exempting US business export revenues from corporate taxation.

"If implemented, the impacts on the oil market would be significant," Goldman said.

The switch to BTA would lift US crude futures 25 percent over global prices and provide an incentive for local producers to boost output.

Comment: See also:


Stop

French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen refused entry to Dunkirk refugee camp

Marine Le Pen
© Wolfgang Rattay / ReutersFrance's National Front leader Marine Le Pen
French presidential hopeful and leader of the right-wing National Front Marine Le Pen has been denied entry to a refugee camp outside Dunkirk.

"Today, they refused to let us enter the Grande-Synthe migrant camp. This is democracy a la francaise!" Le Pen tweeted shortly after trying to visit the camp.

Local authorities were also quick to take to Twitter, with Grande-Synthe Mayor Damien Careme posting: "I denied access to Marine Le Pen, who dared to show up! Humanity is the value she ignores!"

Le Pen didn't stop there, though, giving interviews outside the camp and posting a series of tweets that slammed the French authorities' steps regarding the refugees.

She criticized the "crazy immigration policy of our successive governments," and then urged the authorities to "send the illegals home and maintain our national borders."

Comment: Further reading: