Puppet MastersS


Star of David

Puppets for Israel: White House proposes $3.1billion to support Israel's security in 2018

Whitehouse
© AFP/Paul J. Richards
The White House is proposing to allocate $3.1 billion to Israel in 2018 to support the country's security and abilities to defend itself, budget's blueprint said Thursday.

"Provides $3.1 billion to meet the security assistance commitment to Israel, currently at an all-time high; ensuring that Israel has the ability to defend itself from threats and maintain its Qualitative Military Edge," the document said.

Comment: A good place for Trump to start cutting funds would be the apartheid State of Israel.


Info

Yahoo hack: Kremlin says Russia's FSB not involved in cyberattacks, deflection from Vault 7 leaks

Russian hacker bear
© Flickr/ Sunny Ripert
Official Russian agencies, including the Federal Security Service (FSB), have nothing to do with cyberattacks, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said responding to the US Justice Department's charging of two FSB officers over a data breach at Yahoo.

"We have repeatedly stated that there can be absolutely no question of any official involvement of any Russian agency, including the FSB, in any unlawful actions in cyberspace," Peskov said on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the US Justice Department announced that two FSB officers and two Russian hackers are being charged over a mega data breach at Yahoo with criminal offenses, including computer hacking and economic espionage.

Jet3

If Japan sends Izumo warship to South China Sea China will retaliate

battleship
© REUTERS/ Kim Kyung-Hoon
China will take the necessary response measures if Japan sends its largest warship, the Izumo helicopter carrier, on a three-month tour to the South China Sea, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Thursday at a briefing.

Earlier this week, media reports emerged that Japan planned to send the Izumo on a tour with stops in Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka in order to test the ship's capabilities before joining the Malabar joint maneuvers with India and the United States.

Attention

Turkey partially blocks NATO projects including political events and military drills

Turkey and NATO flags
© BELGA / AFP
Ankara has partially blocked its participation in some NATO projects, including political events and military drills, amid a diplomatic row over the cancellation of Turkish rallies in several European countries.

A spokeswoman for Ankara's mission to the military alliance said on Thursday that Turkey's withdrawal is only aimed at Austria. Last year Vienna led calls for the European Union to end Turkey's EU accession talks over Ankara's response to a failed coup. Turkish referendum rallies have been canceled in Austria.

"There have been some tensions with Austria and a resulting blockage. It is, however, only targeted at Austria, the other partners are not targeted at all," Fatma Pasaoglu, spokeswoman for Turkey's mission to NATO in Brussels, said, as cited by Reuters.

Cards

Russia has a winning hand in the Middle East, but how should Moscow use it?

Putin
Does Russia even need good relations with Washington at this point?
Editor's Note: With hysteria about Trump's "ties" to Russia as a backdrop, Doctorow explores two interesting questions: Has Russia "given up" on Trump? (Or perhaps to rephrase it: Does Russia even "need" Trump?) Which necessitates the second question: How does Moscow intend to use its "winning hand" in the Middle East?


It would be no exaggeration to say that presently many backers of Trump's planned New Foreign Policy and détente with Russia are wringing their hands in despair over what has come to look like that policy's utter defeat in the face of the wave of media and Democratic Party attacks, abetted by maverick Republican Senators, in which "Russian contacts" and "Russian meddling" are the code words.

The signs of retreat, even rout are undeniable. Several weeks ago we heard the first of several speeches from the new U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley repeating the same tired anti-Russian rhetoric of her predecessor, Samantha Power. Then we heard Defense Secretary Mattis in Bonn, Secretary of State Tillerson in Brussels and Vice President Pence in Munich speaking of unwavering support for NATO and US allies that Donald Trump had questioned during the campaign, even called obsolete. And most recently there was the clarification that Russia has not been invited to attend the conference of the US-led coalition of 68 countries against ISIS being held in Washington, D.C. on March 22-23. Their exclusion would appear to contradict Trump's campaign promise to forge an alliance with Russia to combat and vanquish ISIS.

Info

Queen gives Royal Assent to Brexit bill allowing PM Theresa May to trigger Article 50

Queen Elizabeth
© Dylan Martinez / Reuters
Queen Elizabeth II has given Royal Assent to the government's European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill, clearing the way for Prime Minister Theresa May to start the official process to bring the UK out of the European Union.

The Queen signed the Bill into law after it was approved in the House of Commons and the House of Lords on Monday.

The Royal Assent was presented to both House by their speakers and is now an Act of Parliament.

The PM can now decide for herself when to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, initiating the two-year process of extracting the UK from the bloc.

Mail

Envelope explodes at IMF offices in Paris

police Paris, France, March 16, 2017.
© Philippe Wojazer / ReutersParis, France, March 16, 2017.
A letter bomb presumably containing handmade explosives went off after being opened at the offices of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Paris on Thursday. At least one person was injured. Police said there had been telephone threats prior to the incident.

A police operation is underway, law enforcers said in a statement, adding that one person was left injured by a suspicious package with explosives inside. The IMF employee received injuries to her arm and face, BFM TV reported.

The Paris police prefect has said that the device which exploded at the IMF office was sent by post. An IMF employee suffered facial injuries, presumably caused by a handmade explosive, police said.

At least three people were at the IMF office at the time of the explosion, police said. Security services are investigating the origins of the parcel.

Snakes in Suits

What austerity? Taxpayer-funded £369mn Buckingham Palace renovation approved

uckingham Palace in London
© Darren Staples / Reuters
Funding for the renovation of Buckingham Palace has been approved by MPs, and it will cost the taxpayer at least £369 million.

Parliament backed changes to the Sovereign Grant, which funds the monarchy's official duties, by 464 votes to 56, the BBC reports.

The grant will be increased by 66 percent to pay for the £369 million ($452 million) refurbishment.

The essential work, set to take 10 years, is needed to avoid the risk of what officials call "catastrophic building failure."

Ageing cables, lead pipes, wiring and boilers will be replaced, many for the first time in 60 years, because of fears about fire and water damage.

Newspaper

Open letter to President Trump from 9-11 Widow: Don't buy Saudi snake oil - it only fuels terrorism

DTrump
© Politiscope
Dear President Trump,

This week you are scheduled to meet with Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.

As a 9/11 widow who has fought for more than 15 years for truth, justice, accountability, and transparency with regard to the murder of my husband, Ron, I have a considerable interest in your upcoming meeting with the Deputy Crown Prince.

First, foremost, and for good reason, I fear that the Deputy Crown Prince will not be forthright with you about his Kingdom's role in the 9/11 attacks and global terrorism.

Comment: Further reading:


Eye 1

Judge Napolitano: London spied on Trump on behalf of Obama (VIDEO)

GCHQ2
© www.technologytell.comGovernment Communications Headquarters
Judge Andrew Napolitano has declared on Fox News that it was not the NSA, nor the CIA nor the US FBI that spied on Donald Trump when he was a presidential candidate and then President elect. Rather, it was the British GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters).

The GCHQ is a member of the "Five Eyes" agreement, established on 5 March 1946, as an extension of the Atlantic Charter and the allies' victory.

The links between the United Kingdom and the Obama Administration are all the more strong given that London funded the beginning of Barack Obama's presidential electoral campaign. A number of members of the first Obama administration had been chosen within the Pilgrim's Society, an organization that shies away from the spotlight and which is chaired by Queen Elizabeth II.