China finance official Lai Xiaomin executed in bribery case

The former head of a Chinese state-owned asset management company has been executed on charges of taking bribes in an unusually severe penalty for a recent corruption case.

Key points:

The official was one of thousands caught in an anti-graft campaign

He asked for or collected over $340 million over a decade

He also had a second family and engaged in sexual dealings with multiple women

Lai Xiaomin of China Huarong Asset Management Co., was among thousands of officials snared in a long-running anti-graft campaign led by President Xi Jinping. Others including China's former insurance regulator have been sentenced to prison.

Lai, 58, was put to death by a court in Tianjin, east of Beijing, the Government announced.

The Second Intermediate People's Court of Tianjin ruled in January that death was justified because Lai took "especially enormous" bribes to make investments, offer construction contracts, help with promotions and provide other favours.

Lai asked for or collected 1.8 billion yuan ($340 million) over a decade, the court said. It said one bribe exceeded 600 million yuan ($120 million). He was also convicted of embezzling more than 25 million yuan ($5 million) and starting a second family while still married to his first wife.

Lai "endangered national financial security and financial stability," said a commentary on the state TV website.

The death penalty "was his own responsibility, and he deserved it," the commentary added.

Most death sentences imposed by Chinese courts are suspended for two years and usually commuted to life. Death penalties without the chance of a reprieve are rare.

Huarong is one of four entities created in the 1990s to buy non-performing loans from Government-owned banks. They expanded into banking, insurance, real estate finance and other fields.

Lai was placed under investigation by the ruling Communist Party's anti-corruption watchdog in 2018 and expelled from the party later the same year.

Lai also was accused of squandering public money, illegally organising banquets, engaging in sexual dealings with multiple women and taking bribes, the anti-corruption agency said in 2018.

Investigators seized hundreds of millions of yuan (tens of millions of dollars) in cash from Lai's properties, the Chinese business news magazine Caixin reported in 2018.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-30/china-finance-official-executed-in-bribery-case/13105132

https://twitter.com/mtgreenee/status/1355218876506591232

Marjorie Taylor Greene

Flag of United States

@mtgreenee

Rep. @CoriBush

is the leader of the St. Louis Black Lives Matter terrorist mob who trespassed into a gated neighborhood to threaten the lives of the McCloskey’s.

She is lying to you. She berated me.

Maybe Rep. Bush didn’t realize I was live on video, but I have the receipts.

The GameStop Saga Isn’t About Finance, It’s Part Of The Ongoing War Between Elites And Populists

The rules here are simple: Heads Wall Street wins, tails you lose.

For those who haven’t heard, there’s a bit of a brouhaha brewing with the video game retailer GameStop, which is publicly traded. Much of Wall Street soured on the company, believing it to be the next Blockbuster or Radio Shack: a dinosaur from a bygone era that has no hope of succeeding in the increasingly internet-run future. As a result, a major Wall Street hedge fund worth billions decided to make a bet that the company’s already low stock price would just keep going lower.

The traditional way to make money in stocks was to find a company that was worth more than what its stock price indicated, purchase the stock at a bargain, and then make your money either through the company’s distribution of its profits back to its equity owners or the appreciation of its stock price. Buy low, sell high. But you can also make money betting on a company to eventually circle the toilet. This is called shorting.

To make money off a company that’s not making any, you “short” its stock by borrowing a share from an existing owner, immediately selling it and getting the cash proceeds from the sale, and then buying back the stock when its price dips and returning the share to the original owner. It sounds simple enough, but it’s also extremely risky.

Because you’re borrowing an asset, you have to pay interest on that debt, and over time that can get increasingly expensive. Even if the stock drops like you expected, those carrying costs can destroy any profit margin you thought you’d earn. And if the stock price goes up, you could be facing financial ruin. That’s because when you short a stock, your losses are potentially unlimited.

Think about it this way: If you buy a stock for $25, the most you could possibly lose if the entire investment went belly up and the price fell to $0 is $25, the price you paid for the stock. On the flip side, your gains are potentially unlimited, because who knows how high the stock price could go.

Shorted stocks are the exact opposite. If you short a stock at $50 — you borrow the stock, and immediately sell it at the current price of $50 — the most you’ll earn is $50. When the stock approaches $0, you’ll buy it for pennies, return the share back to the investor from whom you borrowed it, and the difference is your profit.

However, if the stock price goes up, so do your losses. If it goes to $100, you have to buy it at $100 in order to return it to its rightful owner. But what if it goes to $1,000, or $10,000? Your losses could be infinite. The same goes for the various baskets of options and stock derivatives that can be used to mimic the payouts of stock shorts.

https://thefederalist.com/2021/01/29/the-gamestop-saga-isnt-about-finance-its-part-of-the-ongoing-war-between-elites-and-populists/

US Reportedly Builds New Base in Kurdish-Controlled Part of Syria

Former US President Donald Trump repeatedly promised to withdraw American troops from "endless wars", specifically the ongoing Syrian civil war, but failed to deliver on his promise. Instead, he reduced the US contingency in the Arab republic, leaving a small number of soldiers under the pretext of "keeping the oil".

US forces deployed in Syria have started building a new base in eastern province of Hasaka, currently controlled by the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), SANA reported, citing anonymous local sources. According to the source, American troops first moved 10 personnel carriers to the town of Malikiyah, in the northeast of Hasaka and later to al-Yaroubia, located near the Iraq border.

The new military base is reportedly being built near Tal Alou, northwest of al-Yaroubia, SANA reported. The US has brought materials and military equipment to the site of the new base, according to the media.

The reason for the reported base's construction remains unclear. American troops deployed in Syria without a UN mandate and against the will of Damascus are staying in Kurdish-controlled territories under the pretext of defending local oil extraction facilities from being captured by remaining terrorist forces. That position has not changed even though Washington previously proclaimed victory over local Daesh* forces.

Trump repeatedly promised to withdraw all US troops from Syria, but failed to fulfill the promise, leaving a small contingency under the pretext of "keeping the oil". It is unclear what policy the new Biden administration will exercise toward Syria.

American military convoy stops near the town of Tel Tamr, north Syria, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019

© AP Photo / Baderkhan Ahmad

US Military Equipment Transport Convoy Enters Northeastern Syria Via Iraq, Reports Say

American troops in the region are not only "keeping" the oil, but also helping the Kurdish forces to extract and sell it, according to reports. Washington claims that all proceeds from those particular oil sales land in the pockets of the Kurds. Damascus, however, considers the actions of the US a theft of national resources and strongly condemns the American military presence. The Syrian government has indicated repeatedly that the actions of Washington violate international law.

https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/202101291081923303-us-reportedly-builds-new-base-in-kurdish-controlled-part-of-syria/

Journalist claims White House is empty, ‘lights out,’ there is ‘zero activity’

"The White House is basically a ghost town… on Pennsylvania Avenue which connects the White House to the capitol all those buildings the FBI, Department of Treasury, the Labor Department, all that – those buildings are basically abandon."

A citizen journalist in the District of Columbia appeared on The Shepard Ambellas Show on Thursday where he said the White House looks like a ghost town.

Richard Potcner, also known as @DPotcner on Twitter and Telegram, said that the U.S. Capitol is heavily guarded and said that the troops appear to be in good spirits but claims the White House and other buildings may be empty.

“The White House is basically a ghost town,” he said. “On Pennsylvania Avenue which connects the White House to the capitol — all those buildings — the FBI, Department of Treasury, the Labor Department, all that — those buildings are basically abandon.”

“It reminds me of the hospitals,” he explained. “All of D.C. is basically abandoned basically.”

Richard has visited over 100 hospitals in the U.S. since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic capturing his visits on video.

The citizen journalist has managed to document that patient volume in hospitals remains low.

https://www.intellihub.com/journalist-claims-white-house-is-empty-lights-out-there-is-zero-activity/

China Is Collecting Americans' DNA To 'Control The World's Biodata': Report

China may be aiming to collect, store and exploit Americans' DNA

A Chinese company offered to build and run COVID-19 testing labs in six US states

A former counterintelligence officer warned against voluntarily giving DNA to genealogy companies

The Chinese government may be aiming to collect and exploit biometric information from Americans in an effort to "control the world’s biodata."

In 2020, BGI Group, a Chinese company considered the largest biotech firm in the world, had offered to build and run coronavirus testing labs in six states, including Washington, New York and California.

Bill Evanina, formerly the top counterintelligence officer in the United States, sounded the alarm and issued a notice to several states, warning them that China may be trying to collect American’s DNA for exploitation, CBS reported Thursday. Evanina believes China is "trying to collect Americans' DNA to win a race to control the world's biodata," CBS wrote.

"Foreign powers can collect, store and exploit biometric information from COVID tests. Knowing that BGI is a Chinese company, do we understand where that data’s going?" Evanina's notice noted.

Evanina’s warning helped prevent any of the six states from taking up BGI Group’s offer. According to the counterintelligence expert, BGI has close ties to Beijing’s military and government.

"This shows the nefarious mindset of the Communist Party of China, to take advantage of a worldwide crisis like COVID. We put out an advisory to not only every American, but to hospitals, associations, and clinics," Evanina said in an interview with CBS' "60 Minutes" set to air on Sunday, 7 p.m. ET.

Evanina warned that personal biodata in the wrong hands could pose national security and economic threats.

Security experts warn that an individual’s biodata could be used by companies to gain a monopoly over therapy or drugs needed for the treatment of conditions. They also warn individuals against voluntarily giving away DNA to genealogy companies to learn their ancestry.

"It's your past and your future as well as your children's future. It's very risky and I think the unknown is probably the riskiest part," Evanina said.

In December, then-National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe said China is the "greatest threat" to the U.S. and to the rest of the world, and warned against "economic espionage."

"The intelligence is clear: Beijing intends to dominate the U.S. and the rest of the planet economically, militarily and technologically," Ratcliffe wrote in an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal. "China robs U.S. companies of their intellectual property, replicates the technology and then replaces the U.S. firms in the global marketplace."

China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying dismissed Ratcliffe’s editorial as an effort to spread false information that could damage Beijing’s reputation and relations with the U.S.

https://www.ibtimes.com/china-collecting-americans-dna-control-worlds-biodata-report-3133031

Off to a Bad START: Putin Schools Biden with One Phone Call

According to Russian news service Ria Novosti, on Tuesday, the presidents of the Russian Federation and the United States, Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden, held a telephone conversation. During the conversation, Biden and Putin agreed to a five-year extension of START-3, until 2026, “100% on Russian terms, without additions, in the form in which it was originally signed.” As a result of the call, the authorized Duma committees were ordered to urgently take the necessary steps to extend START-3. On that same day, Putin submitted to the State Duma a bill on the ratification of START-3 through 2026; it immediately passed. Putin’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov enthused that “START-3 is being extended on Russian terms, for 5 years, without any conditions or additional requirements, without attempts to change the START verification regime, without those, in our view, absurd and unacceptable aspirations of the previous administration to make sure to draw the PRC [China] into this process without fail."

Biden ran on a platform that was endorsed by the entire American security and foreign policy establishment. The platform stand was to rebuild international multilateralism, taking no actions without coordination with our allies. Trump was routinely condemned by the establishment for insisting on the “America First” approach in foreign policy. Biden’s promise of multilateral cooperation with allies didn’t last a week. Indeed, he showed even more disregard for America’s NATO allies than Trump ever did. Biden’s phone call to Russian President Putin was his first serious test of foreign and security policy; he flunked. In the course of that one phone call, he casually agreed to a five-year extension of the New START Treaty, a treaty that originally took months to negotiate.

On Tuesday afternoon January 26, C-SPAN broadcast Biden’s press briefing on Racial Equity, held in the White House State Dining Room. Following his remarks, he ceremoniously signed four related executive orders. After signing the fourth, Biden stood up abruptly and made to leave the room. On his way out, a young reporter could be heard calling out, “Mr. President, what did you talk to Mr. Putin about?” Over his shoulder Biden tossed back the quip, “You! He sends his best.” – and hightailed it out of the room before he could be pinned down with having to explain what he and Putin said during the call.

His hapless Press Secretary Jen Psaki was more forthcoming during a press briefing on January 26 regarding the phone call. But Psaki misrepresented what actually was said regarding START, claiming only that Biden phoned President Putin “with the intention of discussing our willingness to extend New START for five years.” She added, “His intention was also to make clear that the United States will act firmly in defense of our national interests in response to malign actions by Russia.”

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2021/01/off_to_a_bad_start_putin_schools_biden_with_one_phone_call.html

“No one ever is selected by the puppet master to be the POTUS unless they agree to carry out an essential piece of the agenda. Once they sign the contract to become President of the U.S. Corporation, they work for the Federal Reserve not the American People. So, it’s the foreign owners of the FED who always choose the POTUS. However, that does not mean a POTUS, once installed in the Oval Office, cannot go rogue. JFK did just that. So did DJT.”

— Intelligence Analyst & Former U.S. Military Officer

The Tel Aviv Connection

The critical point here is that Sheldon Adelson, a primary bagman for the Khazarian Mafia was Trump’s largest campaign donor during the 2016 election cycle. Shelly was used to fund Trump’s campaign with his massive gambling revenues, as he also did in 2020 but to a much smaller degree by purposeful design.

In a talk to an Israeli group in July, 2010, Sheldon Adelson said he wished he had served in the Israeli Army rather than the U.S. military–and that he hoped his young son will come back to Israel and “be a sniper for the IDF,” a reference to the Israel Defense Forces. (YouTube video of speech)

As a hardcore Neocon Zionist, Adelson only gave those HUGE donations to Trump on a quid pro quo basis, as is the case with every political campaign. This is why President Trump quite dramatically advanced so many cause célèbres directly associated with Zionist Israel.

Furthermore, it’s why Trump appointed Neocon warmonger and Zionist Iran-hater John Bolton as his National Security Advisor. It’s why he appointed fanatical Christian Zionist Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State. It’s why he appointed “Israel’s bitch” Nikki Haley as the 29th United States Ambassador to the United Nations. It’s especially why Trump was told to choose arch-Zionist Mike Pence as his VP.

KEY POINT: It can be confidently stated that the very day that Trump fired Bolton was the day that his re-election prospects were doomed with finality. Not only did Trump resist Bolton’s efforts to attack Iran, he also refused to invade Syria as well as to overthrow the Maduro administration in Venezuela. See: A Large US Military Convoy Rolled Into Syria On 1st Day Of Biden Presidency

In point of fact, all of President Trump’s most important appointments at the DoJ were foisted on him by his largest [Tel Aviv-connected] campaign donors. These include the disastrous Jeff Sessions and William Barr, as well as the catastrophic Christopher Wray at the FBI. It also includes the three obvious RINOs who Trump was forced to select for the Supreme Court—Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett.

This irrefutable personnel picture of the Trump administration is quite telling as it portrays the fact that each of these key players was not selected by President Trump; they were selected by Zionist kingpins in Chicago and Tel Aviv.

Really, why else would Trump have appointed the highly radioactive Alex Acosta to Secretary of Labor after he unlawfully cut a sweetheart deal with notorious child trafficker Jeffrey Epstein?!?! Mossad agent Epstein was Israel’s inside man making sure every single American VIP, who had any real power and/or major influence, was sufficiently bribable and/or blackmailable to do Israel’s work.

http://stateofthenation.co/?p=49410