Welcome to Sott.net
Fri, 05 Nov 2021
The World for People who Think

Puppet Masters
Map

Newspaper

TPP: Obama pushes to fast track while the debate heats up

James Corbett
The International Forecaster
Wed, 13 May 2015 13:37 UTC
tpp
Even a broken clock is right twice a day, and every now and then even the occasional Congress critter comes down on the right side of an issue...as long as it affords them some political leverage, that is.

Such is the case in the current fight over "Trade Promotion Authority," an obscure piece of legislation that is now at the heart of the debate over Washington's ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

Trade Promotion Authority, or "fast track negotiating authority" is an authority granted by Congress that allows the President to present trade agreements to Congress for approval or rejection, and stops the treaty from being filibustered or amended. This authority is needed because Congress is in fact given all authority to regulate "commerce with foreign nations" and "lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises." The idea (supposedly) is to give the President "added leverage to negotiate trade agreements by effectively assuring U.S. trade partners that final agreements will be given timely and unamended consideration."

Comment: Senator Warren challenges Obama administration to make secretive terms of TPP trade agreement public



      Read More...
Quenelle - Golden

Russian Justice Ministry to keep tabs on the former oligarch Khodorkovsky's 'Open Russia' front


RT
Thu, 14 May 2015 12:56 UTC
Image
© Reuters / Toby Melville
Mikhail Khodorkovsky
The Russian Justice Ministry has asked prosecutors to check the Open Russia public movement for ties with former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky and foreign sponsorship, a business daily claims.

According to Vedomosti, the ministry's request was made after a letter from State Duma MP Aleksandr Sidyakin, who represents the conservative majority United Russia party. In late April this year, he asked law enforcers to check if the Open Russia public movement could be categorized as a foreign agent and, if so, to see that it duly registers as such.

He explained his enquiry by the fact that Russian mass media had reported that Open Russia had received funding from abroad and taken part in the political life of the country - these two conditions legally require any group to register as foreign agent.

Comment: For more on the criminal background of the oligarch Khodorkovsky, check out:

      Read More...
Yoda

French media: Hollande needs to learn from Putin's leadership


Sputnik News
Thu, 14 May 2015 01:08 UTC
Image
© Sputnik/ Alexei Druzhinin
One could criticize Vladimir Putin and his politics, but one thing is clear - he is a real leader and certainly knows how to be president, something that Francois Hollande must learn from him, Nouvelles de France said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has established himself as a capable head of state by defending his country's national interests and winning the hearts and minds of his fellow citizens. French President Francois Hollande, meanwhile, is a "walking contradiction" and should learn a thing or two from the Russian president on how to be the leader of his country, said French Nouvelles de France.

When Russia celebrated the 70th Anniversary of its victory over Nazi Germany on May 9, Putin, together with 500,000 of his countrymen, marched down the streets of Moscow holding a picture of his father, who fought during the Great Patriotic War. In the meantime, Paris had a demonstration in support of the legalization of marijuana.

After rejecting his invitation to the Moscow Victory Parade, Hollande instead went to shake hands with the King of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, known for its human rights abuses. Then, hoping to get approval of French voters, Hollande flew to the Antilles to attend a climate change summit and participate in the inauguration of a museum dedicated to the history of slavery.
      Read More...
Dollars

How to end boom and bust: make cash illegal

Jim Leaviss
The Telegraph
Wed, 13 May 2015 23:25 UTC
Image
© Getty Images
Gordon Brown promised to 'end boom and bust' but a cashless world would have given him far more chance to achieve it, academics suggest.
Forcing everyone to spend only by electronic means from an account held at a government-run bank would give the authorities far better tools to deal with recessions and economic booms, writes Jim Leaviss.

A proposed new law in Denmark could be the first step towards an economic revolution that sees physical currencies and normal bank accounts abolished and gives governments futuristic new tools to fight the cycle of "boom and bust".

The Danish proposal sounds innocuous enough on the surface - it would simply allow shops to refuse payments in cash and insist that customers use contactless debit cards or some other means of electronic payment.

Comment: This topic of a cashless society seems to be heating up lately. For more information check out the Truth Perspective's interview with Michael Snyder on the Economic Collapse and Global Chaos on the SOTT Radio Network.

      Read More...
Crusader

Vatican officially recognizes Palestine while Israel fumes


RT
Wed, 13 May 2015 23:11 UTC
Image
© Reuters/Riccardo De Luca
The Vatican has become the latest country to recognize the state of Palestine, after a new treaty was finalized on Wednesday. Unsurprisingly Israel has hit out at the move, saying that it damages prospects for peace in the region.

The treaty, which was agreed, though has yet to be formally signed states the Vatican has switched its diplomatic allegiance from the Palestinian Liberation Organization to the state of Palestine. It was finalized days before the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is due to visit Pope Francis.

Abbas is traveling to the Vatican to attend the canonization of four new saints by the Pope, two of which are Palestinian nuns. The move to grant them sainthood has been described as a "sign of hope" for the region by the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Fouad Twal, Vatican Insider reports.

Comment: Interesting development.

      Read More...
Network

US House approves Freedom Act to end NSA bulk data collection


RT
Wed, 13 May 2015 22:12 UTC
Image
© Reuters/Jason Reed
The House of Representatives voted to pass the USA Freedom Act on Wednesday, approving a bill that would change the way the National Security Agency gathers telephone data of American citizens. The bill now heads to the Senate.

The USA Freedom Act was passed overwhelmingly with 338 votes in favor and 88 against. Despite criticism that the legislation falls short of protecting Americans' rights, the bill was approved without any amendments.


Comment: Well, that is a good start.

      Read More...
Pistol

Divide and conquer: 6 Gunmen "loyal" to Islamic State kill 43 in Karachi, Pakistan

Syed Raza Hassan
Reuters
Wed, 13 May 2015 12:44 UTC
Pakistani ambulances
© REUTERS/AKHTAR SOOMRO
Ambulances and people gather gather outside the hospital after an attack on a bus in Karachi, Pakistan, May 13, 2015.
Gunmen on motorcycles boarded a bus and opened fire on commuters in Pakistan's volatile southern city of Karachi on Wednesday, killing at least 43, police said, in the latest attack directed against religious minorities this year.

The pink bus was pockmarked with bullet holes and blood saturated the seats and dripped out of the doors on to the concrete.

"As the gunmen climbed on to the bus, one of them shouted, 'Kill them all!' Then they started indiscriminately firing at everyone they saw," a wounded woman told a television channel by phone.

Police Superintendent Najib Khan told Reuters there were six gunmen and that all the passengers were Ismailis, a minority Shi'ite Muslim sect. Pakistan is mostly Sunni.

Militant group Jundullah, which has attacked Muslim minorities before, claimed responsibility. The group has links with the Pakistani Taliban and pledged allegiance to Islamic State in November.

"These killed people were Ismaili and we consider them kafir (non-Muslim). We had four attackers. In the coming days we will attack Ismailis, Shi'ites and Christians," spokesman Ahmed Marwat told Reuters.

Comment: Another tragedy in a long line of instances where the US or one of it's proxies terrorizes Pakistan in an attempt to further divide the region.

      Read More...
Dollars

Was one of the Kosovo Liberation Army leaders, believed to be killed in Kumanovo, friends with former US Ambassador to Macedonia?


MINA
Sun, 10 May 2015 20:12 UTC
Image
Fadilj Fejzulahi, one of the UCK leaders believed to have been killed in Kumanovo had posted photos of himself and the the former US Ambassador to Macedonia Paul Wohlers.

Some Kosovo media believe Fejzulahi was hurt, but may be still alive.

What is the US Ambassador to Macedonia doing with Fejzulahu is not known, however what is apparent is that the UCK terror leader had friends in high places.

Fejzulahi had also posted photos of Zaev press conferences which he was very interested in.

Image

Comment: Wouldn't be the first time. Remember photos of US Senator John McCain holding what appears to be a round table discussion with lSIS leaders?

      Read More...
Георгиевская ленточка

Russia and China a 'mighty shield' of global security, says Castro


Sputnik
Wed, 13 May 2015 16:34 UTC
castro
The leader of the Cuban Revolution Fidel Castro said Russia and China are a "mighty shield" of peace and global security in an article in honor of the 70th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany.

Castro wrote in his article published in Cuban newspaper Granma that the alliance between "the two great powers," Moscow and Beijing, is able to stop the dangerous trends in the world, threatening the existence of mankind.

"The deep alliance of the peoples of the Russian Federation and China based on advanced science, strong army and the brave soldiers is capable of ensuring the survival of mankind," the Cuban revolutionary leader noted.

Fidel Castro praised his brother Raul's visit to Moscow to attend the Victory Day Parade in Moscow on May 9.

"In relation to the 70th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, I want to express my deepest admiration for the heroic Soviet people, who stand in gigantic stayer to humanity. Twenty several million Soviet citizens who died in the Great Patriotic War gave their lives for the sake of all mankind," Fidel Castro wrote.

Comment: Another (ex-)world leader with a functioning brain. No wonder the U.S. demonized him for decades!

      Read More...
USA

Kerry urges Poroshenko to 'think twice' about reigniting Ukraine conflict


RT
Wed, 13 May 2015 15:16 UTC

US Secretary of State John Kerry has warned Petro Poroshenko against inciting any new hostilities after the Ukrainian president vowed to win back Donetsk Airport. Kerry was in Sochi for high level talks with President Vladimir Putin and Sergey Lavrov.

This was the first visit by a senior US official to Russia since the Ukrainian crisis broke out in 2014. Kerry has realized the need to "break down some of the mistrust on both sides."

Comment: US can't afford to have Poroshenko unleashed. It seems Kerry is in Sochi to get a pulse on Russia and on how they might respond to US aggression in the world.

      Read More...
Amazon Smile
Revolt! T-shirts