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Turkey seeks immediate Visa-free entry from EU or it will drop refugee deal


Sputnik
Sun, 31 Jul 2016 14:44 UTC
Turkey EU visas flags
© Murad Sezer/Associated Press
The Turkish Foreign Ministry demands that the European Union provide immediate Visa-free entry throughout the Eurozone or Ankara will back away from a deal to stem the flow of migrants. On Sunday, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told German daily newspaper Frankfurther Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) that "if there is no visa liberalization, we will be forced to distance ourselves from the (migrant) readmission agreement."

The Minister also required the European Union to provide a set time for visa-free entry saying that "it can be the beginning or the middle of October, but we expect a firm date." The agreement for Turkey to take in as many as 1 million additional Syrian refugees in return for substantial financial compensation and a fast-track approach to the country's accession into the European Union has long rested on the issue of Visa-Free travel for Turkish citizens.

Conditions on the ground have fundamentally changed since the agreement was first penned on March 18 at the behest of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, herself under siege by domestic opposition to her "open door" policy that has seen some 2 million war refugees flood into the country. Since the agreement, Turkey has faced a number of major security incidents including the terror attack at Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport and the failed coup attempt of July 15. Europe's mood towards cooperation with Turkey, which was already a good deal wanting, has all but collapsed in the wake of the post-coup purge that has seen over 60,000 soldiers, police officers, teachers, and judges forced to resign from their positions.

Comment: Turkey issues ultimatum to EU over visa-free travel, Greece sees increased refugee influx

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Info

Bolivian leader accuses U.S. of continued plotting against his government


Katehon
Sat, 30 Jul 2016 14:38 UTC
Evo Morales
© REUTERS
Bolivian President Evo Morales on Friday accused the United States of continuing to plot against his government via embassy personnel.

Bolivia expelled Philip Goldberg, the U.S. ambassador to La Paz, eight years ago, saying the envoy conspired to strengthen Bolivia's right-wing political opposition against Morales' progressive left-leaning government.

"Despite the expulsion...the U.S. government doesn't stop in its zeal to conspire against our democratic and cultural revolution," Morales said through his Twitter account.

The complaint comes a day after Interior Minister Carlos Romero met with U.S. Charge d'Affaires Peter Brennan, who acknowledged having met with opponents to the government.

Comment: This recent announcement probably didn't help either:
Bolivian President Evo Morales said he will raise the issue of U.S. military bases in Latin America at the United Nations Security Council after his country was recently elected to occupy one of the non-permanent seats.

Morales argued that the end of the conflict between the Colombian state and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia — the region's last remaining armed conflict — means that the United States no longer has an excuse to have bases in the region.

The Bolivian president said he would also seek to bring up the issue of colonization in Puerto Rico and the oppression of Palestinians.

Despite Morales' eagerness to tackle major topics at the Security Council, he was nonetheless realistic about his expectations at the notoriously undemocratic forum.

"With a single vote I do not know if we will stop, avoid there being interventions, invasions," said Morales.
See also : Bolivia next in line for regime change as U.S. ramps up efforts to oust Evo Morales

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Attention

Mike Pence assures voters Donald Trump would be a 'pro-life president': "We will see Roe v Wade consigned to the ash heap of history where it belongs"


RT
Sun, 31 Jul 2016 18:19 UTC
Trump and Pence
© Carlo Allegri / ReutersRepublican presidential candidate Donald Trump (R) and vice presidential candidate Mike Pence
Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence has said that Roe v Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the US, will be overturned should Donald Trump become president.

Speaking at a town hall meeting in Michigan on Thursday, the staunchly pro-life governor said: "We will see Roe v Wade consigned to the ash heap of history where it belongs."

Comment: See also: Epstein scandal connections: Trump accused of raping 13-year-old girl

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Handcuffs

Turkey arrests 8 military perpetrators of hotel attack against Erdogan


Sputnik
Mon, 01 Aug 2016 14:29 UTC
Turkish troops
© REUTERS/ KENAN GURBUZ
Turkey's security forces have arrested eight military personnel suspected of being involved in an airstrike on a hotel in Turkey's southwestern Marmaris where Turkish President Recep Tayyip stayed during mid-July's attempted coup, local media said Monday.

The arrests were carried out in Marmaris after local residents discovered a suspicious group of people in a corn field, the Anadolu news agency reported.

Earlier, seven members of the military were arrested in southwestern Turkey's Mugla province.

Comment: Update:
3 more arrested and 1 still at large

Turkey says it has arrested 11 fugitive soldiers accused of trying to seize President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a failed coup earlier this month.

Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said on August 1 that the group was captured overnight in the southwestern town of Ula near the resort of Marmaris.

Kurtulmus said one soldier was still at large.

More than 20 other members of the military squad suspected of involvement had already been remanded in custody to face trial, according to the Anadolu news agency.


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Propaganda

Escalating paranoia: British soldiers told to erase online evidence that they serve in the military to avoid being targets

David Willetts
The Sun
Sun, 24 Jul 2016 17:26 UTC
British soilders
British soldiers have been told to "scrub" their Facebook and Twitter pages of evidence they serve to avoid being targeted by nutcase jihadists, The Sun on Sunday can reveal. Worrying new guidance was issued to troops at mega-bases in Bulford, Tidworth and Larkhill, Wiltshire, where 14,000 soldiers are garrisoned.

After a spate of terror attacks in France and Germany rocked Europe, Top Brass are determined not to see another Lee Rigby-style attack on a British hero by anyone inspired by the Munich or Nice attacks. Troops are also warned to run in pairs off base after two Middle Eastern men armed with a blade tried to bundle an RAF airman into the back of a van in a feared abduction attempt this week.

A memo to staff, seen by The Sun on Sunday, said:
"Advice to the Staff. All staff and their families should remain vigilant and report anything that is suspicious immediately. Personnel when running off camp should consider running in pairs. Personnel should consider scrubbing their social media pages to avoid drawing attention to themselves."

Comment: Much like the police and military climate in the US, British soldiers are being conditioned within an atmosphere of fear and paranoia to see 'the other', even those in their communities, as the enemy. The real enemy is the Western Empire, using these soldiers as pawns in their games of destruction and chaos. There is no heroism in that.

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Gear

Saudi Arabia starts crude battle with Iran for Asian oil market


RT
Mon, 01 Aug 2016 13:53 UTC
Saudi Arabia oil
© Unknown
Riyadh has cut oil prices to Asia by $1.60 per barrel, the most in 10 months, signaling mounting competition with fellow OPEC member Iran. Saudi Arabia is ramping up exports to regain market share. State-run Saudi Aramco plans to sell Arab Light crude at $1.10 per barrel below the Asian regional benchmark, starting September. Experts had expected a $1 per barrel drop. Prices for Light and Extra Light crude for US clients was cut by 20 cents and 40 cents respectively with the Medium and Heavy grades left unchanged. The company raised prices on all grades except Extra Light to northwest Europe and the Mediterranean.

Tehran has boosted crude output 25 percent in 2016 aiming to reach daily production of four million barrels by the end of the year. According to shipping data, the Asian market makes up the largest share of Iranian sales. Since January when international sanctions restricting its exports were lifted, Iran has managed to become OPEC's third-biggest producer. Saudi Arabia has responded by increasing exports of its oil and refined products.
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Bad Guys

American 'democracy': Obama gets the message about TPP, but the people's opposition isn't going to stop him

John T. Bennett
Roll Call
Fri, 29 Jul 2016 13:32 UTC
TPP opposition
© CQ Roll Call photo Supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders hold signs expressing opposition to a massive trade deal with Asian countries during the Democratic National Convention.
Despite public admonishment of his Asian trade deal by some Democrats at the party's convention this week, President Barack Obama continues to keep pushing for its approval.

"No," Eric Schultz , principal deputy White House press secretary, responded flatly Friday when asked if the Democratic National Convention jeers had convinced Obama to drop his efforts to get floor votes on his Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) after the Nov. 8 elections.

The president still "believes it is good policy for American businesses and American workers," Schultz said, adding Obama "absolutely" still wants both chambers to sign off on the proposed pact "this year."

During the party's confab in Philadelphia , numerous speakers were interrupted as supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., yelled anti-trade sentiments and waved signs with the letters "TPP" crossed out.

And Sanders, who made his staunch opposition to the Asian pact and others like it a central part of his Democratic primary fight against eventual presidential nominee Hillary Clinton , took a swipe at it when he addressed the convention on Monday night.

"I'm happy to tell you that [within] the Democratic Platform Committee there was a significant coming together between the two campaigns and we produced by far the most progressive platform in the history of the Democratic Party," Sanders told delegates.
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Arrow Up

Interview with Jeremy Corbyn, a new kind of Western leader who seeks justice, responsibility and accountability

David Hearst and Peter Oborne
Middle East Eye
Fri, 29 Jul 2016 12:41 UTC
Corbyn refugee
© AFPCorbyn: 'If we want to live in a world of peace, then there has to be a foreign policy that reflects that'
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has demanded a root-and-branch review of Britain's alliance with Saudi Arabia in the wake of the brutal Saudi interventions in Bahrain and the Yemen. Speaking to Middle East Eye, Corbyn called for a fundamental change in Britain's relationship with the Middle East, establishing a foreign policy based on democracy rather than military interventions. The Labour leader said that Britain's relationship with the Saudi monarchy should focus on human rights - not arms sales.

"We have got to look again at the whole arms relationship with Saudi Arabia and look again at the foreign policy of Saudi Arabia, sustained by the supply of arms largely, but not exclusively, from Britain which is used... both in Bahrain and in Yemen. Bahrain has now had significant Saudi involvement for quite a long time to prop up the regime there," Corbyn said. The Labour leader claimed that the British government was responsible for the deaths of Bahraini protesters: "Well who's guilty? Who is responsible? Are we not responsible? We sold those arms knowing they were going to be used in Bahrain."

He said Britain was "incredibly selective" on human rights issues. "We sign up of course to the Universal Declaration, the European Convention and we do have the Arms Export Control Committee in Parliament, but we are actually very selective about this and we've done precious little about Saudi Arabia for a very long time."

Corbyn said that if he became prime minister he would reinstate human rights advisers in British embassies around the world, put human rights clauses in the contracts British firms make, and clamp down on arms sales: "If we want to live in a world of peace, live in a world of justice towards human rights, then there has to be a foreign policy that reflects that. That is where I'm at."
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Info

UK Defense Ministry to allocate over $1.32 billion for first stealth submarine


Sputnik
Mon, 01 Aug 2016 12:53 UTC
UK Trident submarine
© Wikipedia
The UK Defense Ministry will allocate a billion pounds ($1.32 billion) to begin the construction of the first ultra-stealth submarines out of four planned, media reported Monday.

According to Financial Times newspaper's sources, the Defense Ministry's industrial partners, UK companies BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce may receive the funding by September and begin the manufacturing.

The financing is expected to last for up to one and a half years, being the first payment of the program with an over $54 billion budget.

Comment: The UK appears to be gearing up its military: UK ready to grow defense budget even further for new $240 million naval gun but will it work? UK begs US to hurry F-35 deal through while Royal Navy's next-gen frigate 'delayed indefinitely'

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Info

Head of US Joint Chiefs of Staff Dunford arrives at Turkish Incirlik airbase


Sputnik
Mon, 01 Aug 2016 12:29 UTC
Incirlik Airbase Turkey
© AFP 2016/ STR
US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford arrived at the Turkish southern Incirlik airbase on Monday, local private broadcaster NTV reported.

According to the Turkish broadcaster, Dunford is expected to meet US troops and hold talks with Turkish high-profile military officials in Ankara.

It comes a day after media reported that the Turkish army stepped up security at Incirlik military base amid unconfirmed reports on a new coup attempt.

Incirlik military base is used by the United States and shelters combat planes of the US-led coalition launching airstrikes in Syria and Iraq against Daesh outlawed in many countries, including Russia.
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