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About time! G7 beginning to realize that Russia's participation is needed to solve global problems


Sputnik
Thu, 04 Jun 2015 17:51 UTC
G7 needs Russia's help
© SputnikNews
On June 4, German FM Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that the current G7 format of the world's leading economies cannot remain for long and Russia may renew its membership in the group.

Steinmeier also said the G7 needed Russia to resolve existing global conflicts, including those in Ukraine, Syria, Iraq and Libya.
"We need Russia to settle the frozen conflicts in Europe, Syria, Iraq, and Libya and also in dealing with the issue of the Iranian nuclear program," Steinmeier told the German newspaper Neue Ostanbrücker Zeitung.
In 2014, the G8 format became G7 after Russia was suspended from the group by the other seven member nations over Crimea's reunification with Russia and allegations over Moscow's involvement in the Ukraine's internal conflict, repeatedly denied by Moscow.

Comment: Has the West come to see that maybe waging political and economic war against Russia wasn't exactly the brightest idea?

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Eye 2

Scott Walker on 20 week abortion ban: "Women only concerned about rape and incest in initial months of pregnancy"

Sabrina Siddiqui
The Guardian
Wed, 03 Jun 2015 17:45 UTC
Image
© Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Wisconsin governor Scott Walker speaking in Orlando, Florida, on Tuesday
Wisconsin governor Scott Walker said he is prepared to sign into law a 20-week abortion ban without any exceptions for victims of rape or incest, arguing that women are concerned with those issues "in the initial months" of pregnancy.

Walker, a Republican who is expected to run for president in 2016, made the comments ahead of a public hearing in the Wisconsin legislature on proposed legislation that would outlaw abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Local television station WKOW aired Walker's claim that an exception for rape or incest is not necessarily needed in the bill.

"I mean, I think for most people who are concerned about that, it's in the initial months where they're most concerned about it," Walker said. "In this case, again, it's an unborn life, it's an unborn child, and that's why we feel strongly about it. I'm prepared to sign it either way that they send it to us."

When running for re-election last year, Walker would not definitively say where he stood on a 20-week abortion ban. But earlier this year, he publicly backed such legislation - including at the federal level - along with nearly every other Republican presidential hopeful.

Comment: Walker is just another politician crafted from the wallets of rich conservatives. He will do and say whatever it is his donors tell him to. That alone is why he has become a presidential candidate in 2016. He is a puppet for ultra-rich puppet masters like the Koch Brothers:

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Arrow Up

The speech every 2015 college grad needs to hear

George Will
Prager University
Thu, 04 Jun 2015 19:18 UTC
George Will
© Wikimedia Commons
George Will takes in the game as the Washington Nationals defeat the St. Louis Cardinals at RFK Stadium on Labor Day, September 4, 2006.
Course Description - There were thousands of college commencement speeches around the country this year for the Class of 2015. But there was one missing -- one very truthful, funny and witty speech that graduates should've heard, but didn't.

Well, here it is, spoken by George Will, Pulitzer Prize - winning columnist at the Washington Post.

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Newspaper

EU to counter 'Russian propaganda' with its own Russian propaganda unit


Sputnik
Thu, 04 Jun 2015 18:19 UTC
No entry sign in front of EU flags
© AP Photo/Virginia Mayo
The European Union set up a special unit to counter what it says is "propaganda" coordinated by Russia amid the Ukraine crisis, Czech media reported on Thursday.

The Brussels-based unit is tasked with monitoring Russian media and promoting activity of EU institutions, Hospodarske Noviny newspaper said.

The team was created in the framework of the European External Action Service (EEAS) and consists of five individuals, according to the daily. The Czech Foreign Ministry sources confirmed the information, the newspaper added.

Western institutions have taken several attempts to counter Russian coverage of the global events.

Comment: Americans and Europeans don't trust the mainstream media to tell the truth, so it's highly unlikely that this Russian branch is going to fare any better. Just goes to show how desperate the West has become in their war on Russia.

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Vader

U.S.-led probe of FIFA a coordinated political campaign to undermine Russia

Finian Cunningham
Strategic Culture Foundation
Wed, 03 Jun 2015 16:24 UTC
Image
FIFA boss Sepp Blatter's sudden resignation this week only days after being re-elected shows that the US campaign to bust the football federation over alleged financial corruption is probably going to intensify during the weeks and months ahead.

Blatter had been re-elected for the fifth time last Friday as the federation's president. He had earlier brushed off calls for his resignation from the American and British governments, amid a storm of media allegations over corruption at the World Cup organising body. Now only four days after being re-elected, the FIFA chief executive is quitting, saying somewhat cryptically that he does not have a sufficient mandate in the world of football to continue at the helm of the organisation.

The dramatic bust in a Zurich hotel last week of FIFA executives is "just the beginning", top US law enforcement officials have warned. British authorities have also jumped on the bandwagon with their own announced probe into financial irregularities at the World Cup organiser.

With seven FIFA officials arrested so far and seven more indicted, and the US authorities vowing to pursue others in the footballing federation over alleged financial corruption, it can be anticipated that this scandal will run and run into interminable extra-time.
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Light Sabers

U.S.-China tensions escalating via South China Sea word war

Pepe Escobar
Asia Times
Tue, 02 Jun 2015 16:10 UTC
Image

This photo taken through a window of a military plane shows China's apparent reclamation of Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, May 11, 2015.
As Cold War 2.0 between the U.S. and Russia remains far from being defused, the last thing the world needs is a reincarnation of Bushist hawk Donald "known unknowns" Rumsfeld.

Instead, the — predictable — "known known" we get is Pentagon supremo Ash Carter.

Neocon Ash threw quite a show at the Shangri-La Dialogue this past weekend in Singapore.

Beijing is engaged in reclamation work in nine artificial islands in the South China Sea; seven in the atolls of the Spratlys, and two others in the Paracel archipelago. Ash virtually ordered Beijing to put an "immediate and lasting halt" to the expansion; accused it of behaving "out of step" with international norms; and capped the show by flying over the Strait of Malacca out of Singapore in a V-22 Osprey.

Washington never ceases to remind the world that "freedom of navigation" in the Strait of Malacca - through which China imports a sea of energy - is guaranteed by the U.S. Navy.
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TV

South Front Crisis News 4 June 2015: Hard clashes in Novorossiya, ISIS advances in Syria


South Front
Thu, 04 Jun 2015 16:01 UTC
south front
The hard clashes have been going for the neutral settlement Marynka to the west of Donetsk. Kiev's Armed Forces started offensive actions there yesterday. They were actively using artillery and military rocket launcher systems banned by Minsk agreement. In turn, DPR warriors pushed Kiev's army from the positions in the settlement. According to the reports, the flag of the DPR is already hoisted over the center of Maryinka. The Ukrainian side disproves the information about the loss of Maryinka and claims that the situation there is under control. Meanwhile, the sporadic clashes are rising at the full length of the frontline in Novorossia.


Comment: Foreign Policy Diary: Turkey - Rising of the threat:



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Eye 1

Saakashvili's appointment to head Odessa related to Ukraine's oligarch wars


Russia Insider
Thu, 04 Jun 2015 13:58 UTC
Image
© Unknown
Poroshenko's interest first, Ukraine's interests second
Saakashvili's appointment to head Odessa oblast is really part of Ukraine oligarch wars. Poroshenko wanted the previous governor (Igor Palitsa) replaced because he is loyal to oligarch and Poroshenko rival Igor Kolomoisky. However, the problem for Poroshenko was that he didn't have anybody he trusted to replace him - he had already installed everyone from his clan to other key positions.

The pro-Maidan "Odessa Blogger" (Nikolai Holmov) with the analysis:

Comment: When has Poroshenko done anything for the interest of Ukraine? Also see:

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Star of David

Israeli 'reality creators': Israel allegedly confiscates 120 rings bearing an insignia associated with ISIS en route to Palestine


RT
Thu, 21 May 2015 05:35 UTC
Image

Photo by Israeli Tax Authority
Israeli customs officials have confiscated a package with at least 120 rings, claiming the inscriptions in Arabic the jewelry bears are promoting Islamic State (formerly ISIS/ISIL).

Staff at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport intercepted a "delivery of 120 rings bearing an insignia associated with the Daesh [the Arabic acronym for Islamic State] terrorist organization," the Israel Tax Authority said in a statement.

The items of jewelry, inscribed with messages in Arabic, were confiscated two weeks ago while being shipped to Ramallah.

Some of the rings appear to have only the word "Allah" written on them. Many have a sign known as the Seal of Mohammed engraved on top. Islamic State militants use the Seal of Mohammed on their group's flag and as a part of their own seal.

The silver rings were reportedly produced in Turkey and sent in response to an order placed by an importer in the West Bank. The package containing them was deemed suspicious upon its arrival in Israel.

"Everything that comes for the Palestinian Authority is put through a security check," a customs official told the Ynet news outlet.

The rings, found among several hundred other jewelry items, are considered "banned propaganda" in Israel and have therefore been scheduled for destruction.

"Although the importer declared the items as rings, it's considered to be incitement," the customs employee said, explaining the decision to ban the items.

"We're talking about a Palestinian civilian and we have no right to open an investigation, so we sent him a letter that the items would be destroyed and he has 30 days to appeal. Of course we immediately informed security forces and the Shin Bet."

According to the customs employee, "a large number of rings tell us that there are buyers for this."

"It is frightening and terrifying to know that in the territories of the Palestinian Authority, there are supporters of this murderous organization, and who knows, maybe with our help they will discover a cell or ideological organizing by IS."


Comment: No doubt, even if there is no ISIS cell, Israel will just fabricate one.


Comment: See also: Israel launches multiple airstrikes in Gaza

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Star of David

Israel launches multiple airstrikes in Gaza


RT
Thu, 04 Jun 2015 01:57 UTC
Image
© Reuters / Amir Cohen
Several massive explosions rocked the Gaza Strip on Thursday night amid multiple reports of Israeli jets buzzing the area. It follows reports that two rockets were launched from Gaza into Israel but failed to cause any damage.

At least three major blasts rocked Gaza city as Twitter got flooded with reports of residents waking up to the sounds of airstrikes and Israeli F-16 jets flying over.

Comment: So IS gives Israel the green light to attack Gaza. How much worse can this get?

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