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Duterte's latest: 'Oxford is a school for stupid people'


RT
Thu, 27 Jul 2017 15:40 UTC
Rodrigo Duterte
© Erik De Castro / ReutersPhilippine President Rodrigo Duterte.
Oxford University is just a "school for stupid people," Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said, in response to research from the institution which said that the leader had paid "keyboard trolls" to support his presidential campaign.

The heated discussion began when the University of Oxford released a report titled "Troops, Trolls and Troublemakers"earlier in July. It examines how governments across the globe allegedly use fake social media accounts for political purposes. The Philippines was among the countries mentioned in the report.

"In the Philippines, many of the so‐called 'keyboard trolls' hired to spread propaganda for presidential candidate [Rodrigo] Duterte during the election continue to spread and amplify messages in support of his policies now he's in power," the document states.

Comment: Duterte has an immense popularity in the Philippies...far greater than any Western leader. The implication that his rise in popularity during the elections was due to 'social media trolls' actually is rather stupid and ignores the rather significant issues that have been affecting The Philippines for some time. Seems Oxford is taking a page from the US propaganda handbook, which as it happens is also for stupid people.

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Question

When is the World going to impose sanctions on America?

John Wight
Sputnik
Thu, 27 Jul 2017 15:24 UTC
Statue of Liberty and US flag graphic
© CC0 / Pixabay
Only when we are living in a world in which sanctions are imposed 'on' the United States rather than 'by' the United States will we know justice reigns.

The decision taken by the US Congress to "punish Russia" for alleged meddling in the US elections with the maintenance of existing sanctions has been followed by a bill to weaken the ability of President Trump to "weaken sanctions on Russia," thus presenting a direct challenge to the President's authority. The bill was passed in the House of Representatives by an overwhelming majority and at time of writing awaits a hearing in the Senate, which along with the House makes up the US Congress. The legislation also includes new sanctions against not only Russia but also Iran and North Korea, thus maintaining the pattern of waging economic war against states which refuse to accept that Washington's writ should run wherever it decides whenever it decides.
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Arrow Down

Trump condemns Hezbollah, appears unclear about what it actually is

Jason Ditz
AntiWar.com
Thu, 27 Jul 2017 15:24 UTC
trump
President Trump continues to struggle mightily with his narrative on Lebanon, with yesterday's visit of Prime Minister Saad Hariri leading him to loudly praise anti-ISIS and anti-al-Qaeda operations along the Syria-Lebanon border, despite those operations being primarily run by Hezbollah forces.

This was followed up with Trump dodging some fairly rudimentary questions on his position vis-a-vis Hezbollah, insisting he'd ask the experts and have an answer the next day. This gave the impression Trump isn't really clear on what Hezbollah is, or what it's doing.
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Info

Interesting twist! Why Washington welcomes Moscow's role in resolving Qatar crisis


Sputnik
Thu, 27 Jul 2017 15:21 UTC
Doha, Qatar
© REUTERS/ Naseem Zeitoon/File Photo
The US State Department has openly supported Russia's efforts in settling the diplomatic conflict between Qatar and the four Arab states led by Saudi Arabia. Numerous attempts by the United States to reconcile its Middle Eastern allies have not yielded results. What could be behind such a twist?

The United States has a positive attitude towards Russia's participation in the settlement of the political conflict around Qatar. This was stated at a briefing in the State Department by the spokesperson of the US foreign policy department, Heather Nauert.

"If Russia can play a role in helping to bring the sides to the table, I think we would welcome that. We might be skeptical of whether they'd be able to do that or not, but we would certainly welcome that if anyone were to help bring those sides together," she said at a regular press briefing.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with the Kurdish Rudaw television channel on Monday that Russia was ready to assist in the settlement of the crisis around Qatar if the mediators deem it necessary.
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Question

State Department claims Secretary Tillerson is 'taking a little time off' amid rumors he wants to quit - Tillerson denies rumors

Alex Lockie
Business Insider
Tue, 25 Jul 2017 15:45 UTC
Rex Tillerson
© Thomson Reuters
Heather Nauert, a State Department spokeswoman, surprised reporters on Tuesday by saying Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was "taking a little time off."

When asked about the discrepancies between Tillerson's public schedule and his reported movements, and why the department hadn't updated the press on his whereabouts, Nauert said Tillerson "does have the ability to go away for a few days on his own."

"Just taking a little time off," Nauert said of Tillerson's unannounced absence. "He's got a lot of work. He just came back from that mega-trip overseas, as you all well know - many of you were over there with the G-20."

Comment: CNN says Tillerson wants to quit - more fake news?
Rex Tillerson is reportedly deeply unhappy with the operational style of the Trump administration and has allegedly expressed disappointment that his State Department has been neglected by the White House. Furthermore, Tillerson is rumoured to be looking to quit his job as Secretary of State and possibly he is looking to do so quite soon.

While the source of these rumours are unnamed sources who spoke with CNN, not often a fully reliable way of deriving information, in this case there have been public indications from the very beginning of the Trump administration that Rex Tillerson was not altogether happy in his new position.
Update: Tillerson has responded to the rumors by saying he's "not going anywhere" and plans to stay on as Sec. of State "as long as the president lets me."

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Sherlock

Update on the assassination of Kim Jong-nam reveals possible CIA involvement

Konstantin Asmolov
New Eastern Journal
Wed, 26 Jul 2017 15:02 UTC
Kim Jong-nam
Kim Jong-nam
Not so long ago, we looked into the high-profile story of the assassination attempt on the leader of the DPRK. Now, however, we will return our focus to the case of the attempt on the other Kim. The news surrounding the investigation is indeed interesting.

The actual investigation has been going on since May 30, 2017, with the hearings being held at the Supreme Court because the lower courts do not have the right to try homicide cases. The media has still not been given the go-ahead to publish any details. We are therefore left with no choice but use non-official sources to find out exactly what is happening.

As of now, only two of the murder suspects have been detained (a 25-year-old Indonesian citizen Siti Aisyah and a 28-year-old Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong), whose defense has chosen a very obvious and typical tactic. According to them, the girls were victims of deception and provocation, and sincerely thought they were participating in a prank. All blame has been placed on the "mysterious North Koreans", who are not present to defend themselves. North Koreans are once more assigned their all-too-familiar role of the Bogeyman

Comment: The involvement of the CIA, or elements of it, in the assassination is certainly possible considering all the data currently available, although certainly other state intelligence agencies are capable of being responsible. The "airport prank" scheme certainly smells like something that was meant to throw investigators off the scent of the real perpetrators behind the attack. Also, the attempt to snatch the dead body from the mortuary is an interesting piece of data. It reads like an action that only the people behind the attack would attempt, in order to cover up possible evidence that the deceased body contained.

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Lemon

Nobody feels bad for Killary anymore, and likely nobody will read her latest book-length whine

Philip Wegmann
The Washington Examiner
Wed, 26 Jul 2017 15:09 UTC
hillary election
Killary plotting the excuses
Hillary Clinton hopes to appeal to the better, more ignorant angels of our nature. She plans to rewrite history in a new book, blaming the Russians and former FBI Director James Comey for her failed campaign. But that's about as likely now as her winning over Michigan voters back then.

After watching six months of President Trump, who honestly feels bad for Clinton? What Democrat could still be with her after she lost to him in such an epic display of incompetence?

Apparently the Clinton camp must also be struggling with that same question. "She really believes that's why she lost," one longtime ally said of the Comey-Russia kerfuffle, and so "she wants the whole story out there from her perspective."

The book, which will be Clinton's seventh, is already being billed as a "bombshell." Ranking Democrats, however, already seem underwhelmed.

Comment: Hillary's 'blame game' about her presidential defeat has become so pathetic that even Democratic Party leaders are now turning their backs on her.

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Info

Bad news for Nikki Haley: Russia appoints new UN envoy capable of 'taking a blow'


RT
Thu, 27 Jul 2017 15:13 UTC
Vasily Nebenzya
© Grigoriy Sisoev / SputnikVasily Nebenzya
Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed Vasily Nebenzya as Russia's envoy to the UN. The appointment comes after the sudden death of former ambassador and prominent diplomat Vitaly Churkin in February.

Nebenzya, 55, is a career diplomat with almost 35 years of service in the Russian Foreign Ministry. He served in New York as a senior adviser to the Russian envoy to the UN between 1996 and 2000.

He also spent five years as Russia's deputy permanent representative in the World Trade Organization. In the early 2010s, he served as the Russian deputy envoy to the UN in Geneva before being promoted to deputy foreign minister in 2013.

Nebenzya was nominated to become Russia's next envoy to the UN in mid-April and confirmed by the Russian parliament this month. President Putin signed his appointment to the position on Thursday.
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X

Pentagon Bans 'Rebel' Group From Syrian Base After It Continues Fighting Damascus

Marko Marjanović
Russia Insider
Thu, 27 Jul 2017 15:04 UTC
American forces near Tanf, Syria
A long overdue concession by the Pentagon to the Russian-Syrian-Iranian camp in an attempt to save its illegal southern Syrian base

CNN reports that Pentagon has told US-trained Syrian rebel groups in southern Syria they must either abandon the fight against the Syrian military, or the joint US-rebel base in Syria's al-Tanf

The Tanf base hosted two rebel groups that we know of. The Maghaweir Al-Thowra (Commandos of the Revolution) and Shuhada al-Qaryatayn (Martyrs of Qaryatayn).
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X

Austrian chancellor: Washington's new Russian sanctions 'absolutely unacceptable'


RT
Thu, 27 Jul 2017 15:09 UTC
Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern
© Yves Herman / ReutersAustrian Chancellor Christian Kern
The Austrian chancellor has joined the chorus of EU officials criticizing the latest US sanctions against Russia, saying it is "absolutely unacceptable" for his country to cave in to Washington's policies at the expense of European jobs.

"I consider the Russia sanctions imposed by the US absolutely unacceptable," Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern wrote on Facebook on Wednesday. "Confusing political interests with economic interests at the expense of European jobs is a no-go."

"Energy supply of Europe is a matter for Europe!" Kern added.
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