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Post-Mueller report approval ratings see Trump at 45% high

Justin McCarthy
Gallup
Fri, 12 Apr 2019 00:00 UTC
trump
© Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
US President Donald Trump
President Donald Trump's job approval rating increased relatively sharply over the past month to 45% in an April 1-9 Gallup poll, up from 39% in March. This marks the third time the 45th president has reached a 45% job approval rating in Gallup trends -- his highest in the series.

Chart 1
© Gallup
This is Gallup's first measurement of presidential approval since special counsel Robert Mueller completed his investigation into Russian attempts to sway the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. Attorney General William Barr's synopsis of Mueller's findings reported no Russian involvement in the Trump campaign and insufficient evidence of obstruction of justice -- which Trump claims fully vindicates him.

Congress has raised questions about the attorney general's synopsis of Mueller's findings and is demanding to see the report. While this plays out, Americans are slightly more approving of Trump than they were before the report's delivery -- though a small majority (51%) still disapprove of the president.
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Target

Seven years of lies about Julian Assange won't stop now

Jonathan Cook
Jonathan Cook Blog
Thu, 11 Apr 2019 00:00 UTC
Julian
© The Mac Observer
For seven years, from the moment Julian Assange first sought refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London, they have been telling us we were wrong, that we were paranoid conspiracy theorists. We were told there was no real threat of Assange's extradition to the United States, that it was all in our fevered imaginations.

For seven years, we have had to listen to a chorus of journalists, politicians and "experts" telling us that Assange was nothing more than a fugitive from justice, and that the British and Swedish legal systems could be relied on to handle his case in full accordance with the law. Barely a "mainstream" voice was raised in his defence in all that time.

From the moment he sought asylum, Assange was cast as an outlaw. His work as the founder of Wikileaks - a digital platform that for the first time in history gave ordinary people a glimpse into the darkest recesses of the most secure vaults in the deepest of Deep States - was erased from the record.
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Briefcase

Lawyers say Ecuadorian police mistook Swedish tech Ola Bini, linked to Assange, as a Russian


RT
Sat, 13 Apr 2019 05:57 UTC
Ola Bini
© AkitaOnRails.com
Ola Bini
The Russian scare seems to have reached the shores of Ecuador, with lawyers for Ola Bini, a Swedish software developer arrested in Quito over his links to WikiLeaks, saying police erroneously believed he was a Russian citizen.

Bini was apprehended on Thursday afternoon as he was about to board a flight from the Mariscal Sucre International Airport to Japan. Ecuadorian Interior Minister Maria Paula Romo confirmed the identity of the detainee on Friday, stating that the software developer was being held for investigative purposes.

"This person is linked to WikiLeaks, he has visited the Embassy of Ecuador in London on 12 separate occasions of which we have a record," Romo told a local radio station on Friday. She also said that Bini is believed to be an associate of former foreign minister Ricardo Patino, who was the top diplomat in Rafael Correa's government.

Previously, Romo said that a foreign national and two "Russian hackers" are being investigated for interfering with private communications and an attempt to disrupt the government.

However, as the story developed, a number of lapses and violations by the Ecuadorian authorities emerged. On Friday, Bini's defense attorneys issued an extensive communique on his arrest, accusing police of sidestepping basic procedures in a rush to detain a suspect.

Comment: 4/12/19 heavy.com provides more information about Ola Bini:
Bini has not been formally charged with any crime.


Bini is a software developer working for Centro de Autonomía Digital in Quito, Ecuador. He maintains a blog about his work and his areas of interest, which are mainly to do with privacy, security and cryptography. In his most recent blog post, dated January 6, Bini said that he was working to develop a secure chat tool so that users could exchange information safely with as much security as possible. In another blog entry also dated January 6, Bini wrote, "My mind is very much focused on privacy these days. Some days I'm heads down writing low level code, others I'm spending on specification of cryptographic protocols, or the usability of common types of security interactions. This world is full of horrible things, and we need a change."


"Fundamentally I am a believer in free software. I believe that open ecosystems are better than closed ones, and I believe that monocultures are extremely bad in the long run. I am not a huge fan of centralization, and I don't like the anglocentric focus of our industry. I am not a huge fan of having all my electronic life hosted under the auspices of US legislation, especially not in light of recent events."


Bini is a martial arts enthusiast. Since at least 2007, he has been training in a form of martial arts called Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu. According to People's Dispatch, Bini was heading to Japan for training in Bujinkan at the time of his arrest on April 11.


See also:
Swedish software developer with alleged links to Wikileaks arrested in Ecuador in flight attempt

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Che Guevara

National Revolutionaries to join Venezuela's military - citizen's militia begins preparations against potential US-backed invasion

Paul Antonopoulos
Fort Russ News
Sun, 14 Apr 2019 17:44 UTC
militia venezuela
© Federico Parra/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
Members of the Bolivarian Militia take part in a military parade to commemorate the 16th anniversary of the return of the late President Hugo Chavez to power after a failed coup d' etat, at the National Heroes Avenue in Caracas on April 13, 2018.
Venezuela will change its legislation to make the powerful Bolivarian militia, known as the 'National Revolutionary Militia' a part of the Bolivarian Armed Forces (FANB), Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said in his speech on Saturday.

Earlier this month, Maduro said the number of Venezuela's militia would be raised from 2.1 million personnel to 3 million by December 2019.

"Commander Chavez dreamed of a powerful and large militia... The militia will receive a constitutional classification as an integral part of the country's armed forces," Maduro said, adding that legislation would be changed for that measure.

Comment: The US will not dirty its hands directly, but will employ proxies of the surrounding countries. That's why Pence is making trips all around Latin America, to shore up support for an insane idea with promises of the Empire's favor. They were able to buy Assange from Ecuador with an IMF loan. What has Pence promised Paraguay?

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Bad Guys

Iraqi Shia militias rip US terrorist designation of Iran's Revolutionary Guards


RFE/RL
Sun, 14 Apr 2019 17:22 UTC
Hadi al-Amiri
© Reuters
The Iraqi Badr Organization, a militia led by Hadi al-Amiri, says it rejects U.S. designation of the IRGC.
A group of Iraq's Shi'ite militias say they strongly reject Washington's designation of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO).

The Tehran-backed groups on April 13 said from the home of Iran's consul-general in the Shi'ite holy city of Najaf that the IRGC had helped prevent four or five states from falling to Islamic State (IS) militants.

Some of the militia groups themselves have been designated as terrorist organizations by Washington.

"This is laughable coming from the No. 1 sponsor of terrorism, America," said a spokesman for the Badr Organization, which was part of the volunteer forces that helped to defeat IS along with Iraqi government troops and U.S.-backed Western coalition forces.

Badr is led by Iraqi militia commander and politician Hadi al-Amiri, whose Fateh coalition of militia groups has the second-largest number of seats in the Iraqi parliament.

"We reject this action from America and say we have honor to be in the Islamic resistance that fought and beat terrorism," a spokesman for the wider Fateh coalition said.

Comment: Silver lining: Trump continues to push Iraq into the hands of Iran. Lebanon isn't far behind. Just remember who were the ones that actually defeated the bulk of the terrorists in Iraq and Syria: Iraqi Shia militias, the Syrian Army, the IRGC, Hezbollah, and the Russians. And remember those who sat back and did nothing, or actively supported the terrorists: the U.S., Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, etc. The U.S. coalition, including the SDF, did take a lot of territory from ISIS, but only after years of letting them grow.

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Mr. Potato

Ecuador accusing Embassy Cat of being a 'spy': 'Surreally idiotic' says Wikileaks


RT
Sun, 14 Apr 2019 16:39 UTC
Embassy Cat Assange
© Agence France-Presse/Daniel Leal-Olivas
The Embassy Cat is watching you.
The "demented" stories about Julian Assange's spying cat and embassy antics are being spun by the top Ecuadorian officials to divert attention from his "disgraceful expulsion" from asylum, WikiLeaks editor Kristinn Hrafnsson said.

An exclusive story, revealing spurr-ious details about Assange's stay at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London was spun by Daily Mail on Friday. The piece has since raised quite a few eyebrows with its bold but unfounded claims, including some quite outlandish statements by the Ecuadorian ambassador.

Among other things, Ecuador's UK Ambassador Jaime Marchan brought up the pawsibility Assange's famous Embassy Cat might have been up to something dodgy, claiming the whole diplomatic mission was wary of the critter.

"It could go in every room - we were suspicious it may carry a device ... to spy on us," the diplomat said.

Comment: Facing extradition, Julian Assange sends Embassy Cat to live with family
Residing in Ecuador's London embassy since 2012, Assange's safety became precarious last year when Ecuador elected President Lenin Moreno, a more pro-US voice than that of predecessor Rafael Correa and a man who described Assange as a "stone in our shoe."

Assange has since had his internet at Ecuador's UK embassy cut, his visitation rights severely curtailed, and Moreno's government has revoked the diplomatic credentials of London ambassador Abad Ortiz, Assange's last diplomatic contact in the UK. Add the reported existence of a sealed indictment into the mix, and things aren't looking good for the WikiLeaks boss.

Making matters worse, Assange's only companion, the embassy cat, was in danger too.

According to Assange's legal team, his Ecuadorian hosts have also threatened to place his beloved cat in a pound. No doubt knowing the toll imprisonment and isolation takes on a being, Assange had his lawyers deliver the kitty to his family.


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Better Earth

Lavrov: Western liberal world order dying, new multipolar world emerging


TASS
Fri, 12 Apr 2019 16:53 UTC
Sergey Lavrov
© REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
Multipolarity is about to replace the Western liberal model of development, which is losing its attractiveness, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at his annual meeting with students and professors at the Foreign Ministry's Diplomatic Academy.

"The Western liberal model of development, which particularly stipulates a partial loss of national sovereignty - this is what our Western colleagues aimed at when they invented what they called globalization - is losing its attractiveness and is no more viewed as a perfect model for all. Moreover, many people in the very western countries are skeptical about it," Lavrov said.

According to him, global development is guided "by processes aimed at boosting multipolarity and what we call a polycentric world order." The Russian top diplomat pointed out that the foundation for such a world order was being laid and new centers of economic growth were emerging. In this regard, he mentioned Asian Pacific countries that managed to increase their share of global GDP from 15.9% to 37.7% in the past 20 years.

"Clearly, multipolarity and the emergence of new centers of power in every way requires efforts to maintain global stability and search for a balance of interests and compromises, so diplomacy should play a leading role here," Lavrov went on to say. "Particularly because there are a lot of issues that require generally acceptable solutions. These include regional conflicts, international terrorism, food security and environmental protection. This is why we believe that only diplomacy can help make agreements and reach sustainable decisions that will be accepted by all," he emphasized.
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Snakes in Suits

Ukraine style election: Cornered Poroshenko 'debates himself' as frontrunner Zelensky skips event


RT
Sun, 14 Apr 2019 16:08 UTC
Petro Poroshenko
© REUTERS / Valentyn Ogirenko
Petro Poroshenko, walks next to an empty tribune prepared for his opponent comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
With time running out before next week's presidential election in Ukraine, President Petro Poroshenko held a campaign rally on Sunday that he dubbed a "debate" against his elusive rival, who is squarely beating him in polls.

In seven days, Ukrainians are to decide at the ballot box whether they want to grant Poroshenko a second term - or replace him with comedian-turned-politician Volodymir Zelensky. A fresh opinion poll published this week gives little hope for the current head of state to keep his job. The study conducted by the Rating agency, said 61 percent of Ukrainians, who intend to show up to the polling stations next Sunday, will vote for Zelensky and only 24 percent for his opponent.
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Info

Poll shows Corbyn would be PM and Labour would overtake Tories if elections were held now


RT
Sun, 14 Apr 2019 15:54 UTC
Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, and the leader of opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn
© REUTERS / John Stillwell
Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn would become prime minister and his party would take over the House of Commons, dealing a crushing blow to the May government should a snap election be held now.

An Electoral Calculus poll commissioned by the Sunday Telegraph has revealed that the Conservatives would be upstaged by Corbyn and Co. in the event of a general election. The incumbent PM Theresa May's party is set to lose 59 seats in the legislature, which would leave it with 259 seats. The Labour Party is, on the other hand, projected to overtake the Tories by claiming 296 seats.

While that would not give Corbyn the majority needed to form a one-party government, it would be enough for him to rule in a coalition with the Scottish National Party (SNP).
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Attention

Embassy ambushed Assange with arrest to avoid mystery 'panic button' use


Sputnik
Fri, 12 Apr 2019 03:34 UTC
Assange arrest

Julian Assange is bundled out of the Ecuadorian Embassy with less than 30 minutes notice.
When Julian Assange learned of his imminent arrest at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London Thursday, he wasn't even allowed to go back to his room, because authorities feared he would hit a reported "panic button" with potentially disastrous effects, Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Jose Valencia said.

The WikiLeaks founder's arrest Thursday was sudden: immediately after being told of his arrest, British police stormed the Kensington district embassy building and grabbed him, having been warned by Ecuadorian authorities of threats Assange had reportedly made to Jaime Merchan, the Ecuadorian ambassador to the UK: that he would hit a "panic button" that would bring "devastating consequences" to the embassy if he felt threatened or feared arrest.

Comment: Speculation about Assange's various "deadman switch" files has been rife since 2016
Now that Julian Assange has been arrested in London after seven years in exile at the Ecuadorian embassy, many are wondering if anything will happen with the "dead man's switch" that Assange and WikiLeaks have talked about in the past. Read on for more details about the dead man's switch, its history, and what we know so far about the insurance files.


What's still unclear at this time is what might happen with the dead man's switch that Assange has talked about in the past. WikiLeaks has released numerous insurance files as a type of "deadman's switch." Downloaders get an encryption key, but they need a second one before they can actually unlock the file. The insurance files operate as a type of backup. If anything happens to WikiLeaks, the second key is released, giving everyone access to the file, according to comments WikiLeaks and Assange have made in the past. However, these are typically insurance files to ensure that a pending publication is actually released. It's unclear how many (if any) are actually related to Julian Assange's safety or WikiLeaks' existence in general.


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