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Trump berates May after her call to congratulate him on midterm results


RT
Wed, 14 Nov 2018 11:40 UTC
Trump May
© AFP/Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt;Reuters/Simon Dawso
President Trump • Prime Minister May
Donald Trump's turbulent European visit started with an "acrimonious" conversation with British Prime Minister Theresa May, who called to celebrate the Republican wins in the midterm elections, a Washington Post report claims.

The conversation, which was never officially reported by either side, came on Friday as Trump was traveling to Paris aboard Air Force One, the newspaper claims citing anonymous sources. Trump, who was allegedly in a foul mood, berated May over Britain not doing enough to support his anti-Iranian agenda, questioned her handling of Brexit negotiations and recounted his grievances about what he sees as unfair trade relations between the US and European nations.

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Cut

Turkey reveals Khashoggi 'murder kit' x-ray photos


RT
Wed, 14 Nov 2018 19:28 UTC
Khashoggi flyer
© Global Look Press/Pradeep Dambarage
Electroshock devices, scalpels and scissors were among the belongings of the Saudi "hitmen," who left Turkey shortly after the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi, Sabah newspaper reported, showing x-ray pictures of their luggage.

The 15-member Saudi team, suspected of Khashoggi's murder, carried the most peculiar items in their luggage, the x-ray photos published on Monday show. Such findings suggest that the murder was actually well pre-planned and not an "accident" of sorts, despite such claims from Riyadh.

The bags belonging to the team contained surgical scissors, scalpel-like cutting instruments, several syringes and electroshock devices, which the newspaper describes as "crypto-weapons." Apart from that, one of the bags contained three large stapler guns, which were likely needed to seal plastic bags containing the remains of the journalist.

The luggage also included various electronic devices, required to maintain contact between the members of the team. The x-ray pictures revealed ten mobile phones, three portable radios with walkie-talkies and a signal jammer.


Comment: See also:
Premeditated: Khashoggi was strangled in planned attack, body dismembered says Turkish prosecutor

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Question

Why NATO is wasting money in preparation for a Russian attack on Norway

Mikhail Khodarenok
RT
Wed, 14 Nov 2018 20:27 UTC
northern lights
© Global Look Press / NATO
During its recent military exercises, NATO troops were supposed to fight a 'hypothetical adversary' that invades Norway. But is the scenario based on military and political reality, or is the threat posed by Russia exaggerated?

Trident Juncture took place in the sea off the Norwegian coast and on land from October 25 to November 7. Around 50,000 troops from 31 countries, 250 aircraft, 65 vessels, and over 10,000 vehicles were involved in the large-scale endeavor.

According to the scenario, NATO forces were defending Norway from "Murinus" (Latin for 'spider') - a "fictional near-peer adversary on the northeastern flank of the Alliance". In order to liberate the occupied territories, NATO forces had to deploy troops by sea, as well as conducting amphibious landings and airstrikes.

NATO's Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg claimed that the exercises were not directed against any specific country, but it was "important to show that we are able to support and defend any ally against any threat." However, the Russian Foreign Ministry described the drills as "reckless saber-rattling" aimed against Moscow.
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Star of David

Another resignation: Israeli Immigration Minister resigns soon after Lieberman


Sputnik
Wed, 14 Nov 2018 18:30 UTC
Sofa Landfer
© CC0
Israeli Minister of Immigration and Absorption Sofa Landver
Israeli Minister of Immigration and Absorption Sofa Landver, a member of the right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party, has announced her resignation following the decision of the party leader and Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman to resign, party press secretary Lyudmila Lagush told Sputnik.

According to Lagush, the faction of the party in Knesset supports Lieberman's decision to quit the government and thus leaves the ruling coalition headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and goes into opposition.

"Sofa Landver followed the leader of Yisrael Beiteinu in the intention to leave the ministerial post," Lagush said. In accordance with the procedure, the minister's resignation statement must come into force within 48 hours, Lagush added.

Landver headed the Ministry of Immigration and Absorption for over nine years and initiated numerous programs and bills aimed at improving the lives of repatriates.
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Briefcase

Ramaphosa's slick trick: Land seizures in South Africa won't violate constitution - once it's changed


RT
Wed, 14 Nov 2018 13:51 UTC
south africa fields
© Reuters/Mike Hutchins
South African farm
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa told the European Parliament on Wednesday that his country's land reform will faithfully adhere to the country's constitution with respect to the rights of all its citizens.

The Ramaphosa-led African National Congress (ANC) aims to change the constitution to allow the government to expropriate land from white landowners without compensation. The land is to be distributed to the country's landless black majority. Ramaphosa says the change in law is necessary in order to address racial disparities in ownership persisting more than two decades after the end of apartheid.

"This problem of land will be resolved through adherence to the rule of law and adherence to the constitution," Ramaphosa told the European Parliament.

The widely debated land reform was proposed by the ANC last December. The draft was aimed at changing Section 25 of the South African Constitution that regards property rights.

Comment: See also:

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Handcuffs

Labour MP claims Russian drove speeding car despite man being in Russia


RT
Wed, 14 Nov 2018 11:16 UTC
Fiona Onasanya
© Reuters / Darren Staples
Fiona Onasanya with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn
A Labour MP has been accused of plotting to pin the blame for a speeding offence on a Russian national, even though the man was in Russia at the time, a court has heard.

Fiona Onasanya, 35, MP for Peterborough, "persistently and deliberately" lied to the police in an attempt to escape a speeding charge, prosecutors have argued.

The incident occurred in July 2017, a week after parliament had broken up for summer recess.

The MP's car was clocked doing 41mph in a 30mph zone near a village in Cambridge - a speeding offence Onasanya claimed was not committed by herself.

Comment: From sexual harassment to fraudulent expense claims, UK MP's run the gamut of criminality: Also check out SOTT radio's:

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Star of David

Psychopath Lieberman quits as 'Jewish ISIS' defense chief - says Israel truce with Hamas is 'capitulation to terror'


RT
Wed, 14 Nov 2018 17:53 UTC
Ministar vojnih poslova Izraela, Avigdor Lieberman
© Associated Press
Former Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman
Avigdor Lieberman has resigned as Israel's defense chief, but his inflammatory utterances - ranging from calling for disloyal Arabs to be beheaded, to proposing Egypt be bombed - remain as reminders of his right-wing politics.

Lieberman, who created Israel's right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party, resigned as defense minister on Wednesday after denouncing the government's recent ceasefire with Hamas as a "capitulation to terror." If you think that sounds a wee bit immoderate, you clearly have not familiarized yourself with Avigdor Lieberman's decades of imprudent utterances. The politician's peculiar brand of secular nationalism has led to repeated accusations of extremism - even fascism.

Comment: Lieberman's departure is welcome news. However, Israeli 'society' as a whole is too far gone in its madness for it to make much of a difference. In Gaza, Palestinians celebrated the departure of an implacable enemy:
Hundreds celebrated the resignation of Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman in the streets of Gaza City on Wednesday.


"The coward, Lieberman, came threatening and he said in his election campaign that if he becomes the Defence Minister, he will kill [Ismail] Haniyeh within 24 hours. He became the Defence Minister. What did he do? He became the trash of the history... He fell and Hamas stayed" said Ayman Barood, a member of the militant group.

The tense ceasefire between Israel and Gaza had already been put under pressure when a fisherman from Gaza was shot and killed by Israeli forces on Wednesday, after the ceasefire had begun.


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Rocket

Palestinians claim victory after failed Israeli operations in Gaza

Robert Inlakesh
Al-Masdar News
Wed, 14 Nov 2018 18:16 UTC
gaza fighters
Palestinians were filmed celebrating after Israeli forces suffered significant blow during their Gaza attack.

Palestinian celebrators filled the streets of Gaza, last night, after what has been considered a tremendous win for Palestinian resistance.
gazans celebrate
After an Israeli violation of a newly brokered ceasefire, a new round of hostilities broke between Gaza and Israel. Various nations, including Russia, Turkey and Jordan, spoke out in condemnation of Israel's provocations.

Israel had attempted to kidnap a leading member of Hamas's Al-Qassam brigades, but failed. The failure of their covert mission, resulted in the killing of an Israeli commander and the retreat of the special forces team, from Eastern Khan Yunis, where they had infiltrated.


Comment: Of course, the Israelis played it up as a success: Israel launches special forces raid into Gaza, kills top Hamas commander - 7 killed in total, including one IDF occupier


Comment: The IDF apparently shot and killed a Palestinian fisherman in Gaza today, despite the ceasefire. Moon of Alabama summarizes the latest developments:
The short conflict demonstrated that:
  • Israel is deterred. It does not want to launch another war on Gaza.
  • The siege of Gaza, by Israel, Egypt and by the Palestinian authority under Mahmoud Abbas, failed. The reputational cost of the siege became too high after Israel killed some 160 Palestinians during weekly protests along the demarcation fence. It had to allow diesel fuel and money from Qatar to reach Gaza.
  • The siege failed to prevent that Islamic Jihad, Hamas and other groups acquired a larger number of missiles and other new capabilities.
  • The Palestinians in Gaza are united. The resistance against the occupation is alive and well.
For decades the Zionist entity was able to attack its neighbors as it pleased. That changed. It no longer dares to step into Lebanon for fear of Hezbullah's reprisal. Syria's western airspace is closed for Israel thanks to the new S-300PMU2 air defense Russia delivered to the Syrian army. Israeli special forces botched their incursion into Gaza and the Iron Dome missile defense proved to be to faulty to protect Zionist settlements. The resistance in Gaza has new capabilities and surprises for Israel should it again attack.


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Eagle

Ex-CIA officer Bob Baer: Washington has always turned a blind eye to Saudi atrocities like Khashoggi murder


RT
Wed, 14 Nov 2018 17:15 UTC
trump mbs
© Reuters / Jonathan Ernst
Mohammad bin Salman and Donald Trump
The White House is far more interested in ensuring Saudi Arabia's stability than punishing it for the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, former CIA officer Bob Baer said.

"We've always turned a blind eye to what's going on in Saudi Arabia - right from the very beginning," Baer told CNN's Jake Tapper on Tuesday. He stressed that the close ties between the nations make Washington reluctant to attack the kingdom not only with regards to the Khashoggi case but also on the issues of human rights abuses and the devastating Saudi-led war in Yemen.

Washington is more interested in maintaining Saudi Arabia's stability than searching for the truth and criticizing Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, known as MBS, Bob Baer argued. The kingdom remains among the prime buyers of US-made arms and Washington's strategic ally in the region.

"Saudi Arabia is a volcano right now. We don't have players there on our side [other than MBS]," Baer, who is now an author and commentator, said. "What worries the White House is that this country could pop."

Comment: Here's how it works. Having Western values - respecting human rights - is not a condition for being a Western ally (heck, they're not even a condition for the West itself). US human rights policy is simple. If you're already an enemy or competitor of the US, your human rights record will be used against you for leverage. If you're already an ally, your human rights abuses will be ignored. It's that simple.

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Russian Flag

Finnish PM blames Russia for GPS glitches during NATO war games - UPDATE


RT
Mon, 12 Nov 2018 17:02 UTC
Trident Juncture
© AFP / Jonathan Nackstrand
An officer on the USS Mount Whitney of the US Navy during the NATO-led military exercise Trident Juncture on November 2, 2018
Finland's malfunctioning GPS signal was caused by Russia, and not the 50,000 troops, 10,000 combat vehicles and 250 aircraft taking part in massive Scandinavian NATO drills - at least that's what the PM thinks probably happened.

Aside from the public pooing, prolific beer-guzzling and frigate-sinking naval mishaps, NATO's Trident Juncture drills - the largest in decades - also suffered from spotty GPS signals. Regrettably, only one of these hiccups could remotely be attributed to Russian deviancy.

Right on cue, Finnish Prime Minster Juha Sipila has stated that "it is possible" that Russia was the "disrupting party" (referring to the GPS problems, not the pooping near Norwegian kindergartens).


Comment: It's also possible Russia is responsible for literally everything that goes wrong everywhere on the planet. Possible, but not likely.


"We will investigate, and then we will respond," he added. "This is not a joke, it threatened the air security of ordinary people."

Too impatient to wait for an actual investigation, the Finnish PM went on to speculate that Russia jammed up Finland's GPS in order to "demonstrate the capabilities for such actions." Case closed?

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called Sipila's accusations "groundless," adding that Russia is regularly accused of "all mortal sins."

Comment: Norway has now joined the fray, accusing Russia (also without evidence) of jamming the nation's GPS during the war games:
Now the Norwegian Defense Ministry tells AP in an email that it "was aware that jamming has been recorded between Oct. 16 and Nov. 7 from the Russian forces," claiming that the interference came all the way from the Kola peninsula.

No accidents are known to have happened because of the patchy coverage.
The Russian Defense Ministry has not yet commented on Norway's claim, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he had no knowledge of Russia possibly having any role in GPS malfunction. , adding 'there is an obvious trend to blame Russia for all mortal sins and then some. As a rule, these accusations are baseless.'

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