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Chechen Republic minister tells men: 'Don't hide your polygamy'


RT
Fri, 13 Jul 2018 17:26 UTC
mass marraige ceremony
© Said Tzarnaev / Sputnik
199 couples got married in a park on the 199th anniversary of the city of Grozny
The Chechen minister for ethnic policy has said Russian men should stop being hypocritical and openly live with several wives if they feel the need to be polygamous - but denied reports police were ordered to get second spouses.

"Men should not be hypocritical. If there is a necessity for one more woman in your family - apart from your lawfully-wedded wife - you should do this honestly and openly. Men will have second, third and fourth wives anyway," Djambulat Umarov told Russian Dozhd ('Rain') TV.

The minister noted that there are more women than men in the predominantly-Muslim Chechen Republic and sometimes one man marries two, three or four women - albeit without registering this with state agencies. "We do not oppose this as this is a very personal thing. There is nothing illegal in such actions and everything is done by mutual consent and by the Almighty's will," Umarov told journalists.
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Gear

Ex-FM Sigmar Gabriel: Trump wants regime change in Berlin, Germany must hit back on US soil


RT
Fri, 13 Jul 2018 18:53 UTC
Bundestag building in Berlin
© Hannibal Hanschke / Reuters
Bundestag building in Berlin
Donald Trump, who "only understands strength," wants regime change in Germany, ex-Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said, calling for tit-for-tat actions on US soil, such as influencing elites and investing in young Americans.

Germany should become more assertive in dealing with the US and show strength, as there is only one language US President Donald Trump understands - the language of force - former Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel told Spiegel magazine in a candid interview.

Sigmar Gabriel hit out at Trump, saying, "he gives the North Korean dictator [Kim Jong-un] a lasting guarantee," and then "wishes for regime change in Germany, which we cannot stand for."

Comment: With the NATO summit barely finished foreign ministers from France and Germany have spoken out against the antagonistic conduct of Donald Trump, accusing the US president of trying to destabilize European unity with his antics.
While an interview with the commander-in-chief featured in the UK's Sun newspaper on Friday, German newstands were filled by news of an attack on the president from Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. He told Der Spiegel that Trump's verbal outburst against Germany endangered the West's security.

"Europe can't accept that what's been built up over many years is intentionally damaged for the thrill of being provocative,"Maas told the German weekly.

This sentiment was picked up by his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian, who told French BFMTV on Friday that Trump had already threatened the 2015 Paris agreement on tackling climate change, the Iran nuclear deal, and undermined the UN's operating model.

"He [Trump] jeopardized the climate agreement, he jeopardized the agreement on Iran, jeopardized the UN operating model. And he does not tolerate the fact that there is a unity called the European Union," Le Drian said.

Moving on to the president's lifting of a tariff suspension on steel and aluminum imports from the EU, Canada, and Mexico, Le Drian accused Trump of taking the measures to destabilize European unity. "He is taking initiatives with respect to Europe, in particular in the field of trade, which are aimed at destabilization."

"Europe will not allow itself to be destabilized," Le Drian concluded.


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SOTT Logo

Grand Deception: The 1990s Raid on Russia

Alex Krainer
Sott.net
Fri, 13 Jul 2018 15:38 UTC
russia 90s
As the 2018 football World Cup in Russia draws to a close, many of her foreign visitors were surprised to encounter in Russia an affluent society and a friendly, welcoming host. This makes it difficult to appreciate that only a generation ago, Russia experienced a political, economic and social collapse of calamitous proportions. After the Soviet Union disintegrated in 1991, Russia embarked upon a transition from communism to capitalism. The so-called "shock therapy" program, prescribed and guided by western experts, resulted in the longest and one of the most severe economic depressions in the 20th century. Today, few people outside of the nations of former Soviet Union remember this dark episode. Fewer still understand it.

Even among the better informed intellectuals in the west, the failure of Russia's shock therapy transition is largely misunderstood and often attributed to some sinister flaw in Russian society - a flaw which spawned corruption and criminality of staggering proportions. In this toxic environment, the sweet fruits of western democracy and capitalism simply could not grow in spite of the generous benevolence of Russia's western friends and helpers.

In April of 2015, Washington Post's editorial board published an article informing its readers that in the 1990s, "thousands of Americans went to Russia hoping to help its people attain a better life. The American and Western effort over the last 25 years - to which the United States and Europe devoted billions of dollars - was aimed at helping Russia overcome the horrid legacy of Soviet communism, which left the country on its knees in 1991. ... The Americans," write Washington Post editors, "came for the best of reasons. ... a generous hand was extended to post-Soviet Russia, offering the best of Western values and know-how." (Hiatt 2015)

Comment: Red Pill Press has brought Krainer's banned book back into print. You can purchase Grand Deception at Red Pill Press and on Amazon.

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Brick Wall

Angela Merkel warns immigrant issue could 'make or break' the EU

Lauren Richardson
Truth Uncensored
Fri, 13 Jul 2018 15:28 UTC
Angela Merkel

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been under fire for her open border policy allowing millions of immigrants to flood Germany. Now, the government is on the brink as Merkel battles her coalition partners on immigration and asylum seekers.

The coalition between Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) and the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) has fractured over the latter's new proposed policy that would turn away more asylum seekers at the country's borders.

The policy flies in the face of the most powerful woman in the world and de factor leader of the European Union. In 2015, her 'open door' policy to migrants saw approximately 1 million refugees flood into the country. Although migrant arrivals have dropped steeply in the past two years, Germany still registered around 11,000 new asylum-seekers each month.

Comment: If the immigration issue does end up breaking the EU, then Merkel would only have herself and those that supported the destruction of the Middle East to blame.

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Megaphone

Trump interview: Europe is 'losing culture' to migrants, London mayor doing 'bad job' against terrorism


RT
Fri, 13 Jul 2018 15:07 UTC
protest for migrants london
© Stefan Wermuth / Reuters
Europeans are losing their culture and identity by allowing an uncontrolled migrant influx into the EU, Donald Trump claims. He also blamed the Mayor of London for not doing enough to prevent the terror attacks on the city.

"Allowing the immigration to take place in Europe is a shame," Trump told the Sun newspaper in Brussels, before setting off to London to begin his official visit to the UK. "I think it changed the fabric of Europe and, unless you act very quickly, it's never going to be what it was and I don't mean that in a positive way."

Comment: Some in London are apparently is not happy with Trump's bluntness. RT further reports:
A UK government minister has handed President Donald Trump an extremely British dressing down over his incendiary interview with The Sun newspaper - by scolding him about his manners.

Sam Gyimah, the junior minister for universities, science and research, took to Twitter on Friday to ask the visiting statesman: "Where are your manners, Mr President?"


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Arrow Up

Where it all began: Syrian Army liberates Daraa from western-backed terrorists

Hugo Turner
Anti-Imperialist U
Fri, 13 Jul 2018 14:47 UTC
syria daraa
Early in the Syrian war Daraa became a terrorist hotbed in part because it was extremely close to Israel and their illegally occupied Syrian territory the Golan Heights. Israel has made it abundantly clear that the Daraa terrorists are its terrorist proxies and it hoped to steal even more Syrian territory when Syria was destroyed. However with Eastern Ghouta liberated the Syrian Arab Army was finally able to turn its full attention to liberating Southern Syria. Israel has launched illegal airstrike after illegal airstrike in a desperate bid to save its terrorist proxies including ISIS. It has threatened to launch a region-wide war targeting not just Syria but Lebanon, Iraq, in addition of course to their endless ongoing war on the Palestinians, their butchery of women and children which will never cease until Palestine is liberated. However Syria refused to give in to Israeli or American threats. Syria along with its allies Iran and Hezbollah were prepared to fight a full-scale war if necessary. Russia after some foot dragging also decided to help the SAA liberate Daraa. Israel was forced to watch as their terrorist proxies were routed in a matter of months. The battle of Daraa is not over but it is clear that a decisive victory has already occurred. Syria has secured the Naseeb border crossing with Jordan liberated huge swathes of territory encircled the terrorists and cut off their supplies. Today July 12 they entered the southern part of the city of Daraa.

Comment: The Syrian Army have now retaken the city of Daraa after encircling the last remaining terrorists within the southern part of the city. The "rebels" holding the area agreed to the terms of reconciliation offered by the Syrian government and Russian Reconciliation Center:
The Free Syrian Army (FSA) has allowed the Russian military police to enter the districts they control in Daraa, as they begin the process of reconciliation.

In the next 48 hours, the Free Syrian Army is expected to handover their heavy and medium weapons to the Russian military police.

The Free Syrian Army fighters that do not want to reconcile with the Syrian government and the jihadist rebels from Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham will be given safe passage to western Daraa.

As shown in the footage below, Russian military police were filmed entering the Daraa Al-Balad District that was controlled by the rebel forces for several years:

Here's a map view of the Syrians' progress (today, compared to January):
daraa map
© syria.liveuamap.com
daraa map
© syria.liveuamap.com


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Map

Tehran: Pulling Iran and Russia out of Syria will just allow terrorists to return


Sputnik
Fri, 13 Jul 2018 14:43 UTC
syria iran flags
© AP Photo / Hassan Ammar
According to Iranian ex-foreign minister and Supreme Leader's Aide Ali Akbar Velayati, Iranian and Russian troops will stay in Syria in order to guarantee that terrorists won't continue their activity in the war-torn country.

"For four years out of seven years [of the Syrian crisis] we were helping Syria, without the help of any other country... Today, 80 percent of the Syrian territory is free from terrorists... We have to say frankly and openly that [Russian President] Vladimir Putin... and the government of Russia have made a very valuable contribution to ensuring that the legitimate government in Syria could stay in power and the people of Syria could keep their territorial integrity," Velayati said on Friday at the session of Valdai discussion club in Moscow.

Addressing the Syrian conflict, the official also claimed, that Iranian troops would stay in Syria, as they have legitimate right to act in the region, adding that the US-led coalition was operating without permission from Damascus.

"Iran plans to continue its military presence in Syria. I believe, if we leave the country - Russia to leave it next and then the same terrorists will return back again," Velayati stated.

These words were a response to the position of Israel, concerned by the possibility of the Iranian military presence at its borders. Addressing the issue, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel did not have any problems with the Syrian government and would not intervene in the country if the existing agreements, preventing Iranian forces from approaching the Israeli borders, were upheld.
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Passport

Trump accuses May of wrecking Brexit, says BoJo would make great PM - soft-power attempt to provoke pro-Brexit 'coup'?

Andrew Korybko
Eurasia Future
Fri, 13 Jul 2018 14:00 UTC
trump may
© Hannah McKay / Reuters
Trump's direct intervention in the domestic political affairs of the UK is as naked, obnoxious, and unavoidable as the Trump baby balloon that Sadiq Khan allowed to fly over the city to mock him, but unlike that highly publicized stunt, the President himself isn't full of hot air at all but is as serious as it gets.

Theresa May's government is in crisis following the surprise resignations of her Brexit and Foreign Secretaries earlier in the week to protest her "soft" Brexit sell-out to the EU last Friday, mirroring the state of affairs in the City of London following the highly publicized crime wave that's swept the metropolis ever since EuroLiberal mayor Sadiq Khan entered into office. Trump derogatorily opined on both of these prior to his arrival to the UK for his first-ever official visit, but his latest interview to The Sun reads more like a direct intervention in the domestic political affairs of the a foreign country than his usual off-the-cuff commentary.

According to his exclusive remarks to the news outlet, Trump:
  • warned May against pulling a "soft" Brexit;
  • believes that last week's deal destroys the prospects for a US-UK post-Brexit trade pact;
  • think that Boris Johnson would "make a great Prime Minister";
  • fears that the UK and the rest of Europe are "losing their culture" because of mass migration;
  • and condemned Sadiq Khan for his "very bad job on (fighting) terrorism".
There's no other way to interpret his words other than that of the unipolar hegemon's leader blowing dog whistle after dog whistle to his ideologically allied "hard" Brexit supporters to encourage them to democratically overthrow May, sideline Sadiq, and save the real spirit of Brexit that millions of Brits voted for in summer 2016. Trump wants them and their voters to know that they aren't alone and that the US will provide full support for them if they succeed in their struggle, which contradicts the weaponized Mainstream Media narrative that's been incessantly spreading fear about the country's supposedly impending "isolation" and "demise" if it goes through with a "hard" Brexit.

Comment: Here's what Trump had to say in his interview with The Sun:
May's Brexit plan "will definitely affect trade with the United States, unfortunately in a negative way," said the US president.

Trump's criticism comes over the prime minister's new Brexit plan, which was unveiled in full on Wednesday. May said earlier that Brexit was an "opportunity" to create growth in the UK and the US.

According to the US president, he has told May how to do a Brexit deal, but, "She didn't agree, she didn't listen to me."

"I told her how to do it. That will be up to her to say. But I told her how to do it. She wanted to go a different route," Trump said, adding: "If they do a deal like that, we would be dealing with the European Union instead of dealing with the UK, so it will probably kill the deal."

"We have enough difficulty with the European Union," he added. "We are cracking down right now on the European Union because they have not treated the United States fairly on trading."


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Violin

Peter Strzok faces the music in first public hearing since report of anti-Trump texts

Kelly Cohen
Washington Examiner
Thu, 12 Jul 2018 13:31 UTC
Strzok
© Leah Millis / Reuters
FBI agent Peter Strzok
FBI counterintelligence agent Peter Strzok will face hostile questions from Republicans on Thursday when he appears before the House Judiciary and Oversight committees for a public hearing.

In his first public hearing since the Department of Justice inspector general released a report outlining his anti-Trump texts to his FBI lawyer mistress, GOP lawmakers will be looking hard for signs that Strzok's bias swayed decisions he made in the FBI's investigations of Hillary Clinton and then-candidate Donald Trump.

The IG report acknowledged his bias and other biases in the FBI, but said none of them had an impact on the outcome of either the investigation into Hillary Clinton's private email server or the probe into Trump's alleged collusion with Russia to win the 2016 election. Republicans will be looking to refute that finding.

Comment: Previously:

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Chess

ISIS in Afghanistan: Historic Islamabad meeting of intel chiefs, omitting the US

Tom Winter
FRN
Thu, 12 Jul 2018 00:00 UTC
Intelligence services of Russia, Iran, China & Pakistan decide to cooperate in Afghanistan - without the USA
Sergei Ivanov

Sergei Ivanov, the chief of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service’s press bureau, has said that heads of intelligence services of Russia, Iran, China, and Pakistan held a meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday to discuss the measures against the threat of Daesh in Afghanistan.
[See FRN's earlier report and commentary here]

The heads of the foreign intelligence services of Russia, Iran, China and Pakistan met in Islamabad for talks about a peace solution and the rising threat of the Islamic State in Afghanistan. The US is taking that as a threat.

Sergei Ivanov, head of the press office of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, told TASS news agency on Tuesday that the high-ranking officials of the participating countries had stressed the need for "coordinated" measures against the Islamic State's increased focus of the Islamic State on Afghanistan. This statement could be an indication that the participating states will participate more actively in the future in efforts to bring security to Afghanistan - without the United States.

Comment: See also:

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