Biden Pick For Pentagon Mideast Desk Bragged That US "Owns" Syrian Oil Territory

President Joe Biden recently tapped Dana Stroul to lead the Pentagon’s Middle East desk, according to Axios and other reports. She'll serve as the deputy assistant secretary of Defense for the Middle East after a previous stint as a senior official on the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and as a longtime fellow at the hawkish Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

She had also previously worked on Mideast policy at the Pentagon under the Obama administration. As we noted before, this and other appointments gives more alarming context to Biden's constant message on the foreign policy front that "America is back" and is "ready to lead the world" once again.

Stroul was recently on record as touting that America "owns" one-third of Syrian territory, particularly the resource-rich northeast region. So much for the administration "distancing" itself from Trump policies… (given Trump was the first to repeatedly and bluntly state the US was there "securing" Syria's oil).

At a US gov-funded think tank, this official who oversaw Congress' Syria Study Group outlines the continued regime-change strategy.

She says the US military "owned" 1/3rd of Syrian territory, including its oil/wheat-rich region. And the US is trying to block reconstruction funds pic.twitter.com/NIEJ9elxhs

— Ben Norton (@BenjaminNorton) November 5, 2019

Stroul made the comments during a televised think tank event in D.C. hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in October 2019.

"The United States still had compelling forms of leverage on the table to shape an outcome that was more conducive and protective of US interests," she explained at the time. She had been co-chair of the Syria Study Group, previously described by journalist Ben Norton as a "bi-partisan working group appointed by Congress to draft a new US war plan for Syria."

Here's how the new Biden-appointed head of the Pentagon's Middle East desk described the US occupation of Syria and Pentagon strategic objectives there:

"The first one was the one-third of Syrian territory that was owned via the US military with its local partner, the Syrian Democratic Forces. Now this was a light footprint on the US military, only about a thousand troops over the course of the Syria Study Group’s report; and then the tens of thousands of forces, both Kurdish and Arab, under the Syria Democratic Forces.

And that one-third of Syria is the resource-rich – it’s the economic powerhouse of Syria. So where the hydrocarbons are, which obviously is very much in the public debate here in Washington these days, as well as the agricultural powerhouse."

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/biden-pick-pentagon-mideast-desk-bragged-us-owns-syrian-oil-territory

Jeffrey Epstein's estate has paid nearly $50million compensation to victims after more than 100 accusers applied to Virgin Islands-based fund

Jeffrey Epstein's estate has paid out nearly $50million to victims of the disgraced pedophile financier, according to a new filing.

More than 100 accusers have applied for compensation from a fund set up last year in the US Virgin Islands where Epstein owned two private islands and where some of his sexual abuse and trafficking allegedly took place.

The document also reveals that tens of millions of dollars of Epstein's money are being spent on lawyers, with a number of Epstein-related proceedings still ongoing.

Meanwhile a private jet belonging to Epstein was sold for $10.5million late last year, while the sex offender's art collection was valued at nearly $339,000, according to the quarterly filing seen by the Miami Herald.

The compensation fund was approved by a Virgin Islands judge last June after Epstein's estate was hit by a barrage of lawsuits from his victims.

Survivors of Epstein's abuse can apply for a cut of his multi-million dollar estate, with the fund's administrator promising to liquidate his assets if needed.

Fund managers advertised the program as a way for victims to get compensation without having to air their allegations in public.

However, women who claim compensation via the fund must agree to waive their rights to file lawsuits against Epstein's estate.

Up to the end of 2020, the estate paid out around $49.8million to an unspecified number of victims, according to the new filing.

The report also showed that at least 20 women who had filed lawsuits have had their cases dismissed.

According to the filing, the total assets belonging to Epstein's estate were worth only $241million at the end of 2020 compared to $446million at the end of September.

While there was $11million of new income, millions of dollars more were spent on legal fees in the last three months.

The sale of the Gulfstream G550 jet brought in $10.5million - while the fate of Epstein's notorious 'Lolita Express' Boeing 727 jet is not yet clear.

The plan was seen last September lying abandoned at a Georgia airport, with a maintenance firm owner saying he was owed $11,000 in storage fees.

The new filing suggests Epstein's estate may face a lawsuit from a firm called Aviation Development Group, apparently based in Georgia, but it was not clear what the claim would relate to.

http://www.stationgossip.com/2021/02/revealed-jeffrey-epsteins-estate-has.html

Blinken Says US is ‘Reviewing’ Sanctions Against Russia

The Biden administration is ready to take actions against Moscow over unsubstantiated claims

Secretary of State Antony Blinken had harsh words for Moscow and suggested sanctions against Russia were on the horizon in an interview with NBC News that aired on Monday. While the US and Russia recently agreed to extend New START, the vital nuclear arms treaty, the Biden administration is otherwise taking a hostile stance towards Moscow.

Blinken condemned the Russian government’s response to recent protests and the jailing of Alexei Navalny, the opposition figure who the US alleges was poisoned by Moscow. Blinken was asked if the Biden administration was planning sanctions on Russia in response to what happened to Navalny. “Actually, we are reviewing a series of Russian actions that are deeply, deeply, disturbing,” he said.

Those actions that the Biden administration is “reviewing” include completely unsubstantiated claims, like the allegation that Russia paid bounties to the Taliban to kill US soldiers in Afghanistan. The bounty allegation first surfaced back in June 2020, when a thinly-sourced story from The New York Times made the claim.

Since the Times report, just about every US military leader said the Russian bounty story was uncorroborated. Regardless of the facts, the story was used to add an amendment to the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act that blocks funds for troop withdrawals from Afghanistan, and the Biden administration seems poised to take action against Russia for it.

Another alleged Russian action the Biden administration is reviewing is the hack of the software firm SolarWinds that affected several US government agencies. In January, US intelligence agencies said that Russia was “likely” behind the hack but offered no evidence to substantiate the claim. US politicians and media outlets blamed Russia for the hack almost immediately after it was discovered despite a lack of evidence.

Another claim against Russia the Biden administration wants to take action over is alleged election interference. One of the main allegations underpinning the election interference narrative is that Russia hacked the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and provided WikiLeaks with emails that were published in 2016.

The allegation that Russia hacked the DNC came from the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. In 2020, declassified testimony revealed that CrowdStrike President Shawn Henry told the House Intelligence Committee that his firm had no “concrete evidence” that alleged Russian hackers stole data from the DNC servers.

Even though many of the allegations against Russia are baseless, they were important enough for President Biden to bring up with Russian President Vladimir Putin in their first phone call.

https://news.antiwar.com/2021/02/01/blinken-says-us-is-reviewing-sanctions-against-russia/

Senate confirms Buttigieg as Transportation secretary

The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Pete Buttigieg to lead the Transportation Department.

The Senate voted 86-13 to approve Buttigieg’s nomination. He is the 19th Transportation secretary and the fifth member of President Biden's Cabinet to be confirmed by the Senate. He is also the first openly gay Senate-confirmed Cabinet member in U.S. history.

He is the former mayor of South Bend, Ind., and a Navy veteran. He ran against Biden in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary before dropping out of the race and throwing his support to the now-president.

The Senate already confirmed Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The Senate Commerce Committee advanced Buttigieg’s nomination last week through a broad bipartisan vote, with only three Republican senators voting against it.

He is set to take over an agency overseeing an industry devastated by the coronavirus pandemic. Biden has also emphasized the need for a bold infrastructure package, which Buttigieg has highlighted.

The former mayor defended Biden’s executive order to revoke a permit for the Keystone XL pipeline when questioned earlier this month. He also walked back comments that left the door open to raising the gas tax to fund the Highway Trust Fund; a spokesperson said after the hearing that increasing the gas tax is not an option.

Buttigieg has quipped that he would be the second-biggest Amtrak enthusiast in the administration. Biden is an outspoken advocate for Amtrak and would regularly commute between Delaware on Washington, D.C., by train when he was a senator.

When Biden formally introduced Buttigieg as his nominee for Transportation secretary in December, he called him “one of the smartest people you will ever meet.”

https://thehill.com/policy/transportation/536914-senate-confirms-buttigieg-as-transportation-secretary

Sophia Bush backs call to label Republicans as 'terrorist right' following Capitol riot

The star has also called on Donald Trump to be convicted of inciting the incident

Hollywood actress Sophia Bush said on Twitter she supports labeling some in the GOP as "the terrorist right."

The "One Tree Hill" actress has been outspoken on social media throughout the campaign and the subsequent riots at the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6. She’s referred to people who supported Donald Trump at the riots as cult members and has called on the president to be convicted of crimes.

On Monday, she agreed with a tweet posted by California Congresswoman Jackie Speier calling for Republicans to be labeled as "the terrorist right" following what happened after the election leading up to and through Jan. 6, where five people died after breaching the security at the U.S. Capitol while the Senate was meeting to certify the electoral college votes.

"The Republicans have been calling Democrats the radical left. Time to call Republicans the terrorist right?" Speier wrote.

"It’s been time," the actress commented.

Later in the day, the actress responded to another tweet speculating on the way Trump may use his upcoming impeachment trial as a publicity stunt for his next political move.

"He must be convicted. Accountability is the only way to stop this from happening again," Bush commented. "And from Trump officials knee-capping the National Guard, to horrific death and destruction, the crimes played out on paper AND on live TV. This is not up for debate. @SenateDems @SenateGOP."

Following the events at the Capitol building, the House of Representatives brought a historic second impeachment on Trump for "incitement of insurrection." The House voted 232-197 to impeach the president. Ten Republicans joined with Democrats.

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/sophia-bush-label-republicans-terrorists-capitol-riots

Judicial Watch and Daily Caller News Foundation Appeal Court Decision about Hidden Biden Senatorial Records

(Washington, DC) Judicial Watch announced today it filed a notice of appeal to the Supreme Court of Delaware, asking for a reversal of the opinion of the Superior Court of Delaware, which is blocking a state Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for access to records about President Joe Biden’s senatorial records held by the University of Delaware. Biden’s papers include more than 1,850 boxes of archival records from his senate career.

The appeal comes in Judicial Watch and the Daily Caller News Foundation’s lawsuit filed after a Delaware Attorney General’s opinion denied access to the records (Daily Caller News Foundation v. University of Delaware (No. N20A-07-001)). The Delaware FOIA lawsuit was filed in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware on July 2, 2020.

The appeal is challenging the Superior Court of Delaware’s January 4, 2021, ruling upholding the Delaware state attorney general’s opinion that the records are not “public records” because, the opinion concludes without evidence, no public funds are used to support the Biden records project at the University of Delaware.

Judicial Watch responded in court that it is impossible for the housing of Biden’s senatorial records in the University of Delaware’s Library to not be supported by any public funds. Judicial Watch noted that the University admitted that “[t]he State of Delaware provides the University with approximately $120 million each year through an appropriation in the state budget,” but has yet to show how public funds are not used to support the papers.

Judicial Watch further pointed out that “archival storage space and professional staff members’ time are things of value that it can be inferred are paid for with public funds,” and notes that the requests even listed the “University personnel who maintain the Senatorial Papers whose salaries, it can be inferred, are paid with State funds.” Judicial Watch requested that the Superior Court order the University to search for and produce the requested records.

“We have no idea why the University of Delaware is hiding these materials that the public should have every right to see and we are grateful for Judicial Watch and our local counsel for pushing this case hard. When people ask why our institutions are no longer trusted they should look up this case,” said Daily Caller News Foundation President Neil Patel.

“There is significant public interest in the special deal between Joe Biden and the University of Delaware that is keeping Biden’s Senate records completely secret,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “Delaware law is explicit in requiring state entities, including the University of Delaware, to provide public access to these records.”

Judicial Watch filed its FOIA lawsuit after the University denied its April 30, 2020, request for:

All records regarding the proposed release of the records pertaining to former Vice President Joe Biden’s tenure as a Senator that have been housed at the University of Delaware Library since 2012. This request includes all related records of communication between the University of Delaware and any other records created pertaining to any meeting of the Board of Trustees during which the proposed release of the records was discussed.

All records of communication between any representative of the University of Delaware and former Vice President Biden or any other individual acting on his behalf between January 1, 2018 and the present.

https://www.judicialwatch.org/press-releases/jw-dc-biden-records/

Israel's foreign ministry calls to release Myanmar leader Suu Kyi

The ministry said it is in contact with the Israeli embassy in Yangon and that its staff and their families, as well as Israeli citizens in Myanmar, are well.

Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi must be released, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday, the day after a military coup in the Southeast Asian country.

“Israel is following the situation in Myanmar with concern,” the Foreign Ministry statement reads, “and calls for the release of the head of state, Aung San Suu Kyi, as well as of the leaders and public figures who have been arrested.”

The Foreign Ministry added that “Israel continues to support the people of Myanmar and the process of democratization, and calls for the preservation of peace, quiet and rule of law in the country and for the prevention of violence.”

In addition, the ministry said it is in contact with the Israeli embassy in Yangon and that its staff and their families, as well as Israeli citizens in Myanmar, are well.

Myanmar’s army overthrew the country’s democratically elected government on Monday, arresting Suu Kyi and transferring power to military chief Gen. Min Aung Hlaing.

Since then, caravans have been roaming the streets, blasting "patriotic music" and assaulting journalists, citizens and independent journalists reported.

On Tuesday morning, independent news organizations reported that some of the imprisoned politicians, including Suu Kyi, were released to house arrest.

Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, spent 15 years under house arrest in the struggle to bring democracy to Myanmar.

Beloved in Myanmar as "the Lady," Suu Kyi fulfilled the dreams of millions when her party won a landslide election in 2015 that established the Southeast Asian nation’s first civilian government in half a century.

However, she appalled the world two years later by denying the extent of a sweeping military-led crackdown against the Rohingya Muslim minority which forced hundreds of thousands to flee the country.

In Myanmar, Suu Kyi remains adored but she has failed to unite its myriad ethnic groups or end its decade-long civil wars. She also oversaw tightening restrictions on the press and civil society and has fallen out with many former allies.

https://www.jpost.com/international/foreign-ministry-calls-to-release-myanmar-leader-suu-kyi-657573

Megadonors Pour Record Amount of Money Into ‘Get Out the Vote’ Effort for Dems

A rapidly growing $800 million dark money network helped anonymous donors pour a record amount of money into voter registration groups focused on increasing Democratic Party turnout ahead of the 2020 election.

The Tides Foundation, an organization that allows left-wing donors to fund political activism anonymously, raised over $800 million across its nonprofit network in 2019, a dramatic rise over previous figures.

Much of that money went to "Get Out the Vote" (GOTV) campaigns in the 2020 election cycle, including the Voter Registration Project, Rock the Vote, and the Voter Participation Center, which exploit IRS nonprofit rules to register new voters in Democratic-leaning areas that helped deliver key battleground states to President Joe Biden. The IRS considers voter registration a "charitable" activity for 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) nonprofits, provided it isn’t explicitly partisan.

But when self-identified progressive organizations target Democratic-leaning constituencies in battleground states during election years the effect is anything but nonpartisan. Their tax-deductible funding comes from undisclosed sources on the left and is passed through Tides, which caters strictly to left-wing political groups, and voter registration groups on the left vastly outnumber similar groups on the right. The vast sums poured into these efforts also run counter to the narrative on the left that it abhors dark money in politics.

Anna Massoglia, an investigative researcher for the Center for Responsive Politics, told the Washington Free Beacon that the "key issue is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit’s intent."

"It may raise questions if a 501(c)(3) nonprofit attempted to determine a potential voter's candidate preference or political party affiliation before encouraging them to vote," Massoglia said. But whether a nonprofit’s voter registration efforts were entirely nonpartisan is difficult to verify, unless it opts to publicly release that information.

The Voter Registration Project (VRP), which received $850,000 from Tides, targets African-American, Latino, Native American, low-income, and other likely left-leaning constituencies for mobilization. VRP also channels grants to state-based allies doing similar drives, including One Arizona, New Florida Majority, and New Georgia Project, founded by Stacey Abrams, a 2018 gubernatorial candidate and influential Democratic activist.

The Tides Foundation granted another $206,000 to Rock the Vote and its lobbying arm, Rock the Vote Action Fund, which turn out young and far-left voters. Despite claiming to be nonpartisan, Rock the Vote has accused Republicans of fueling "dangerous conspiracy theories and hate." The group also supports abolishing the Electoral College. Tides has channeled at least $2 million to Rock the Vote since 2006.

Tides also gave $180,000 to the Voter Participation Center (VPC), a GOTV group that targets "unmarried women, millennials, [and] minorities" and spent at least $582,000 on pro-Democratic independent expenditures in the 2020 election. VPC has received roughly $2.1 million from Tides since 2008.

Other Tides grants in 2019 went to ACRONYM, whose data app Shadow Inc. infamously bungled the Iowa Democratic caucuses in February 2020; Catalist, a leading data company formed by Clinton family operatives that’s been accused of illegally offering left-wing groups services below market rates; and the Black Voters Matter Fund, a far-left GOTV group aligned with the socialist-led movement Black Lives Matter. The Tides Center, a branch responsible for spawning new advocacy organizations, took control of a top Black Lives Matter group (the BLM Global Network Foundation) last July, putting the far-left movement squarely in the middle of Tides’ professional activist network.

Since 2007, the Tides network has spent over $4.3 billion this way, almost all of it to the benefit of left-wing political groups.

https://freebeacon.com/democrats/megadonors-pour-record-amount-of-money-into-get-out-the-vote-effort-for-dems/

Lindsey Graham: If Dems want impeachment witnesses, GOP will call on FBI to testify

If Democrats open “a can of worms” by calling witnesses during former President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, Senate Republicans will call on the FBI to testify, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said, Fox News reported.

The trial is set for next Tuesday.

Democrats are expected to announce as soon as Tuesday whether they will call witnesses, Reuters reported Monday.

“If you open that can of worms, we’ll want the FBI to come in and tell us about how people pre-planned this attack and what happened with the security footprint at the Capitol,” Graham told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Monday night. “You open up Pandora’s Box if you call one witness.”

In the same interview, Graham said that the “second impeachment of Donald Trump is not wearing well over time. Democrats are in a box.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has not publicly stated his views on impeachment yet, but he did say on the Senate floor last month that the mob who violently stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6 were “provoked” by Trump and “other powerful people.” Last week, too, McConnell voted with 44 other Senate Republicans against tabling a vote on the constitutionality of Trump’s second impeachment, the first time a commander-in-chief has received an impeachment trial in the upper chamber after leaving office. The vote was ultimately tabled.

Graham provided his insight into what Senate Republicans think of impeachment.

“I had a great meeting with Sen. McConnell today, I think every Republican sees the House process as an affront to the presidency and due process,” the South Carolina Republican said.

Exactly one week after the deadly January 6 riot, the House of Representatives voted 232-197 to impeach Trump for “incitement of insurrection.”

When asked about the concerns surrounding the constitutionality of impeaching a former president, Graham said, “Sen. McConnell basically told the Republican conference exactly what you just said. He was offended by the process in the House.”

The trial scheduled to start February 9 will be overseen by Senate President Pro Tempore Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) instead of Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.

Trump allies have put it out in the open that the main argument they plan to make is that the impeachment trial is unconstitutional since the former president has already left office.

In order to successfully convict Trump, 17 Republicans would have to break party lines and vote will with all 50 members of the Senate Democratic Caucus. However, 45 Republican senators including McConnell voting last week to not table a vote on the trial’s constitutionality has been widely interpreted to mean that the trial will be dead on arrival next week.

https://saraacarter.com/lindsey-graham-if-dems-want-impeachment-witnesses-gop-will-call-on-fbi-to-testify/

Happy Days Ahead for the Pentagon as Beacons Are Lit for the Military-Industrial Complex

President Biden’s beacon has been deflected to the rugged trails of aggression, Brian Cloughley writes.

The Washington Post put it gleefully by headlining that as a result of the January 26 Biden-Putin telephone call “The Biden-Putin relationship is already on the rocks.” It was no surprise that the profoundly anti-Russia Post would take an entirely negative approach to the U.S.-Russia relationship, whatever the signals might have been, but its reporting of that phone call must have lit up smiles in offices in and all round Washington, from the Pentagon to the Boeing office in Arlington, via Raytheon in Pennsylvania Avenue, Lockheed Martin in Bethesda, Northrop in Falls Church and all the other members of the military-industrial complex who see even more profits looming.

Biden seems to have more heart than his predecessor (but then, most people do), and has concentrated on urgent domestic affairs in his first days in the White House. His desire to combat and overcome the pandemic is not simply political (as in the UK, for example), but seems to stem from a genuine feeling that people matter and that their well-being should be the most important consideration in his deliberations. His White House speech of January 26 was more compassionate than anything Trump ever uttered, and even though Biden did fall into the temptation of rubbishing the disgraceful fumbling of the mercifully-departed Mar-a-Lago man, he was positive and even mildly optimistic. But his approach to international affairs, notably in regard to China and Russia, is negative and pessimistic.

The signal he sent by appointing retired General Lloyd Austin III to be defence secretary was a decidedly mixed one. He obviously intended to attract approval by choosing a black person for the job, which was part of his understandable desire to bind the nation together, but picking a former general was unwise. Apart from anything else, none of these generals have even come close to winning a war, but the main thing is that the war machine should be headed by a civilian, therefore making it clear that the military are not top-guns in any administration.

But Austin is assuredly a top gun, and a rich one too, because he has been deeply involved with military contractor Raytheon, having served on its board and having substantial stock holdings in a company whose 195,000 employees, as reported by the New York Times, “make fighter jet engines, weapons, high-tech sensors and dozens of other military products” that it hawks for billions of dollars a year. And when Mr Austin sells his shares, as he is legally bound to do, he’ll get as much as 1.7 million dollars, which gives rise to the reasonable question that when Raytheon representatives come panting round the Pentagon to apply for another billion-dollar contract, just how can Mr Austin ignore them?

The NYT also noted that Austin “has served as a partner at an investment firm named Pine Island Capital, whose board he joined in July [2020]. The firm has been on a recent buying spree of small military contractors, including Precinmac Precision Machining, which sells specialized parts for rocket launching systems and machine guns”.

The military-industrial complex has just got itself a might ally in the top echelons of the new Administration in Washington, and given that Biden endorses confrontation with Russia and China, currently involving carrier strike groups roving off China’s coast, three U.S. Navy warships operating in the Black Sea, and U.S.-led Nato manoeuvres in the Arctic which U.S. Admiral Andrew Lewis declares to be “the new frontier of our homeland defence,” it is apparent that the new Biden Cold War will be lucrative for countless weapons’ manufacturers and a shot in the arm for the Pentagon, which is being given 740 billion dollars to spend in 2021.

The former Majority Leader in the U.S. Senate, Mitch McConnell, trotted out the usual platitudes about patriotism and declared that the money “looks after our brave men and women who volunteer to wear the uniform” while — of course — ensuring that “we keep pace with competitors like Russia and China.’’

https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2021/02/02/happy-days-ahead-for-pentagon-as-beacons-are-lit-for-military-industrial-complex/

Seven Hour Siege In Mogadishu Hotel Ends: At Least 10 Dead, 30 Injured

On February 1st, the siege at the Afrik Hotel in Mogadishu ended, with security forces taking the upper hand.

Islamist group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the assault through their radio station.

The attack featured clashes with heavy gunfire, which followed a car bombing. The entire incident took longer than 7 hours.

Among those killed at the popular hotel was the well-known retired General Mohamed Nur Galal, said Somalia’s Information Ministry. Another general and more than 100 civilians were reportedly rescued during the siege.

According to various reports, anywhere between 9 and 17 people were killed, and at least 30 were injured.

“The operation is over now,” said police spokesman Sadik Ali.

“I have never witnessed such a level of devastation,” said bystander Ali Ato, who said he went to the hotel to recover the body of a colleague.

There are numerous photographs and videos on Twitter and YouTube.

THICK white smoke can be seen rising up over Mogadishu after a bomb explosion at Afrik hotel around the city's airport on Sunday afternoon. #Somalia. pic.twitter.com/F7PdRY0R3m

— Garowe Online (@GaroweOnline) January 31, 2021

🇸🇴🚨| Vidéo des coups de feu à proximité de l'hôtel Afrik juste au nord de l'aéroport de #Mogadiscio.

Attaque présumée du complexe Al-Shabaab en cours à #Mogadiscio. pic.twitter.com/uW6EkSXdkK

— Alan Info 🦅 (@AlanInfo2) January 31, 2021

The Somalian government condemned the al-Shabab attack.

#Somalia government condemns the attack on Hotel Afrik. pic.twitter.com/MLZSq0z2hU

— Khaalid Foodhaadhi (@KFoodhaadhi) February 1, 2021

My prayers and thoughts are with the families and friends of those affected by the terror attack in Somalia today. I strongly condemn this cowardly attack on innocent civilians. We are confident that Somalia will win the war against terror. #Somalia #afrikhotel pic.twitter.com/1bGZPgTDUS

— AMB. Ibrahim Hussein. (@BaloziHussein) January 31, 2021

Somalia is scheduled to hold indirect parliamentary and presidential elections on February 8, but two regional states, Jubbaland and Puntland, have objected to how delegates were selected and electoral management bodies appointed.

The Associated Press quoted United Nations special representative James Swan warning officeholders that their use of a resolution to stay on would bring “an unpredictable political situation in a country where we certainly don’t need any more of that.”

Huge explosion around #Mogadishu’s KM4 and airport checkpoint. #Somalia. pic.twitter.com/au0jhL81PR

— Abdulaziz Billow Ali (@AbdulBillowAli) January 31, 2021

#BREAKING: Explosion followed by gunfire is reporting from Afrik Hotel in Mogadishu #somalia, the casualties is unknown, conflicting information coming there the situation very intense. pic.twitter.com/NgZQpQshBR

— Ali Abdirahman (@AliAdanAbdi) January 31, 2021

https://southfront.org/seven-hour-siege-in-mogadishu-hotel-ends-at-least-10-dead-30-injured-videos/

McCarthy to meet with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene: Her conspiracy theories may strip her of committee assignments

It was November 2018 when then Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-GA, wrote in a Facebook post of a conspiracy linking Rothschild Inc. to “lasers or blue beams of light” that she alleged caused the devastating 2018 wildfires in California. At the time she wasn’t an elected official but a businesswoman who ran one of the most successful cross fit gym’s in the nation.

The Facebook post has since been deleted, according to Media Matters, which first reported on the lengthy social media statement.

The Rothschild family, a wealthy Jewish family, has been the target of antisemitic tropes for centuries.

“These comments are deeply disturbing and Leader McCarthy plans to have a conversation with the Congresswoman about them.”

-A Mccarthy spokesperson

A number of Jewish organizations condemned Greene’s post, including the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC). Their statement, released last Friday, renewed the group’s commitment to speak out “against antisemitic comments from individuals on both sides of the political aisle” and defended that “the RJC has never supported or endorsed Marjorie Taylor Greene.”

The statement added, “We opposed her as a candidate and we continue to oppose her now. She is far outside the mainstream of the Republican Party, and the RJC is working closely with House Republican leadership regarding next steps on this matter.

Greene’s recently-unearthed posts, along with other conspiracies she’s touted regarding the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting, and the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, may cost her her recent assignments to the House Committee on Education and Labor and the House Budget Committee.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-MD, has reportedly given House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-CA, a 72-hour ultimatum to strip Greene of her seats on those committees, according to Politico.

“The resolution introduced at today’s pro forma would remove Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from her committee assignments,” Hoyer said in a statement. “It is my hope and expectation that Republicans will do the right thing and hold Rep. Greene accountable, and we will not need to consider this resolution. But we are prepared to do so if necessary.”

A McCarthy spokesperson told this reporter Tuesday that the Republican Leader found Greene’s comments to be “deeply disturbing” and “plans to have a conversation with the Congresswoman about them.”

The Dark Wire Investigation Foundation contacted Rep. Greene’s office, asking if she would apologize for her past remarks and provide a statement, but didn’t received a response.

Both Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-KY, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, however, have outwardly denounced Greene’s past statements.

On Monday, McConnell condemned Greene’s “loony lies and conspiracy” theories” as a “cancer for the Republican Party.”

“Somebody who’s suggested that perhaps no airplane hit the Pentagon on 9/11, that horrifying school shootings were pre-staged, and that the Clintons crashed JFK Jr.’s airplane is not living in reality,” McConnell said in a statement first reported by The Hill. “This has nothing to do with the challenges facing American families or the robust debates on substance that can strengthen our party.”

Watchdog StopAntisemitism.org stands by the move.

“StopAntisemitism.org supports the removal of Marjorie Taylor Greene from all committee assignments,” said StopAntisemitism.org’s Director Liora Rez in a statement to The Dark Wire Investigation Foundation. “Her ludicrous conspiracy theories and racist views do not belong in the halls of Congress.”

https://saraacarter.com/mccarthy-to-meet-with-rep-marjorie-taylor-greene-her-conspiracy-theories-may-strip-her-of-committee-assignments/

NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence In Estonia

Seven member states of the Alliance (Germany, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Estonia) and NATO’s Strategic Reform Command signed documents in May 2008 establishing a Cooperative Cyber ​​Defense Center of Excellence (CCDCOE) in Tallinn, Estonia. The importance of this DCOE has grown significantly since the Alliance declared cyberspace, along with air, land and sea, as a new area of ​​operations at the 2016 Warsaw Summit.

It should be noted that NATO member countries can become members of the center after signing a memorandum of understanding that defines the issues of funding and allocation of personnel. The DCOE can also cooperate with non-bloc states, research institutes and enterprises as sponsors.

NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence In Estonia

Click to see the full-size image

Currently, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Great Britain, USA, Greece, Turkey, Belgium, and from non-NATO countries – Austria, Sweden and Finland are participating in the work of the Center. Bulgaria, Norway and Romania plan to join this structure.

The following main tasks of the center are defined:

research and development of new ways of protecting information, including the identification of harmful effects on the information systems of the participating countries, the assessment of the damage caused, the restoration of their performance, as well as the timely adoption of measures to prevent cyber attacks

legal support of NATO activities in the field of cyber defense

study, generalization and dissemination of experience in the field of information security

educational and methodological work and training of specialists in the field of protection and security of information of the member countries

The center pays special attention to research in the cybersphere, the main directions of which are:

-development of concepts and strategies for ensuring security in cyberspace, as well as concepts for conducting cyber operations (offensive, defensive, operational) both within NATO and in individual member countries

development of technical solutions to ensure the security of digital computing systems of the alliance and member countries, detection and elimination of the consequences of cyber attacks, development of methods for determining an intrusion from the outside

cyber risk assessment, modeling and conducting cyber defense exercises and drills

In 2013, the center published a collection of expert opinions and rules on actions in cyberspace “The Tallinn Cyber ​​Warfare Guide”, and in 2017, an expanded version of it, which analyzed the norms of international law in relation to cybercrime.

https://southfront.org/nato-cooperative-cyber-defense-center-of-excellence-in-estonia/

Washington Examiner: Capitol Protesters Are 'Terrorists' Like Al Qaeda Who Must Be 'Ruthlessly Hunted Down'

The Washington Examiner ran a hysterical column on Monday from "former" CIA officer Kevin Carroll calling for Americans who took part in the mostly peaceful protests at the Capitol to be "ruthlessly hunted down" and treated like Al Qaeda terrorists.

OPINION:

We defeated al Qaeda and can do the same to the fascist thugs who attacked our democracy last month.

But only if we take similar hard measures against the enemy within.

https://t.co/YXh7nlwAmX

— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) February 1, 2021

From The Washington Examiner, "How to fix our domestic terrorist problem":

Democrats such as Attorney General-designate Merrick Garland and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer should use their executive and legislative power over the next 23 months to do the following five important things.

First, bring the heaviest felony charges possible on as many participants in the insurrection as the Justice Department can identify and believes it can confidently convict. We ruthlessly hunted down foreign terrorists after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and must do the same to their domestic equivalents. […]

Second, make fire and police departments that receive federal grants have their members sign commitments not to engage in acts to overthrow the government. Prosecute any who subsequently violate their oaths. We could also cut or suspend federal funding to departments that fail to introduce these measures. […]

https://www.informationliberation.com/?id=62031

Netanyahu Appoints Steve Bannon Protege to Lead His Election Campaign

Former Breitbart reporter Aaron Klein has been dubbed ‘the Bibi whisperer’ by the Israeli media and has been working full-time for the PM as a strategic adviser since June 2020

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made a peculiar choice to lead his upcoming election campaign, which will be Israel’s fourth in two years.

Aaron Klein, a former reporter for the far-right website Breitbart News and a protege of Steve Bannon, will manage Netanyahu's

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/.premium-netanyahu-appoints-steve-bannon-protege-to-lead-his-election-campaign-1.9504961

Judicial Watch Asks Supreme Court to Uphold Court Ruling Requiring Hillary Clinton to Testify Under Oath About Her Emails

Conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch filed a petition for writ of certiorari (“cert petition”) with the U.S. Supreme Court asking it to uphold a court ruling requiring Hillary Clinton to testify under oath about her private email system.

Last March a federal court ordered a deposition of Hillary Clinton on her emails and Benghazi attack records in response to a FOIA lawsuit filed by Judicial Watch.

Hillary Clinton’s lawyers immediately filed an emergency appeal to stop her court-ordered email testimony.

Clinton’s team filed an emergency writ of mandamus to avoid testifying and the DC Court of Appeals granted her relief in August.

Judicial Watch refuses to back down and is now taking the fight to the US Supreme Court.

Judicial Watch announced today that it filed a petition for writ of certiorari (“cert petition”) with the U.S. Supreme Court asking it to take up its challenge to an appeals court order exempting Hillary Clinton from testifying under oath about her emails. Judicial Watch argues the court should hear its case because the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit erred in giving Clinton unwarranted special treatment that conflicts both with Supreme Court precedent and the precedents of other courts of appeal, including its own.

As Judicial Watch argues in its cert petition, granting Clinton this extraordinary relief flies in the face of the D.C. Circuit’s own precedent, most recently in the Michael Flynn case, who, unlike Clinton, was denied mandamus relief.

Judicial Watch also argues that the appellate decision allowing Hillary Clinton to avoid testimony dramatically undermines the Freedom of Information Act:

In effect, it eliminates any discovery into the actions of agency officials or employees other than FOIA officers – walling off from any inquiry officials or employees who may be less than honest with FOIA officers or who might seek to conceal agency records from FOIA officers to prevent disclosure to the public, among other matters plainly relevant to an agency’s good faith in responding to FOIA requests.

“No court should undermine the Freedom of Information Act and the rule of law by giving Hillary Clinton special protection from having to testify about her emails,” stated Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “The Supreme Court should cast politics aside and affirm that Hillary Clinton is not above the law.”

You can support Judicial Watch and Tom Fitton by clicking here.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/02/judicial-watch-asks-supreme-court-uphold-court-ruling-requiring-hillary-clinton-testify-oath-emails/

What were US State Dept, think tanks, NGOs, and Facebook doing in Myanmar?

How Facebook’s Rise Fueled Chaos and Confusion in Myanmar

The social network exploded in Myanmar, allowing fake news and violence to consume a country emerging from military rule.

The riots wouldn’t have happened without Facebook.

On the the evening of July 2, 2014 a swelling mob of hundreds of angry residents gathered around the Sun Teashop filling the streets in the commercial hub of Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city. The teashop’s Muslim owner had been accused, falsely, of raping a female Buddhist employee.

The accusations against him, originally reported on a blog, exploded when they made its way to Facebook—by then, synonymous with the internet in Myanmar. Many among the crowd had seen the Facebook post, which was widely shared including by a Mandalay-based ultra-nationalist monk named Wirathu, who has a massive following across the country.

As anger rose among the throngs of men, police struggled to disperse the growing crowds, firing rubber bullets and trying to corral rioters into certain sections of the city. Their efforts were largely unsuccessful. Soon, armed men were marauding through the streets of the royal capital on motorbikes and by foot wielding machetes and sticks. Rioters torched cars and ransacked shops.

A curfew was imposed in the city and surrounding townships. Authorities were fearful that the violence would spread to other towns that had seen outbreaks of religious violence the previous year. The mayhem did not spread, but during the multi-day melee in Mandalay two men—one Muslim and one Buddhist—were killed and around 20 others were injured.

The unrest was the latest in a string of flare-ups, often violent, between minority Muslims and Buddhists in the majority-Buddhist country of around 51 million since restrictions on free speech and the internet were steadily loosened starting in 2010. Waves of violence broke out in the western Rakhine state in 2012 between Muslims and Buddhists, leaving nearly 200 dead and displaced some 140,000, mainly Rohingya Muslims and reverberated across the country in the months and years that followed.

https://www.wired.com/story/how-facebooks-rise-fueled-chaos-and-confusion-in-myanmar/

https://thediplomat.com/2020/08/how-facebook-is-complicit-in-myanmars-attacks-on-minorities/

Atlantic Council’s DFRLab independent analysis of networks removed by Facebook in Russia, Georgia, and Myanmar

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/news/press-releases/atlantic-councils-dfrlab-independent-analysis-of-networks-removed-by-facebook-in-russia-georgia-and-myanmar/

Trump Team Responds To Impeachment Article, Argues Senate Has 'No Jurisdiction' To Bar From Running Again

President Trump's legal team has filed a response to House Democrats' single impeachment article, arguing that he cannot be tried for impeachment because he's no longer president, and that he did not engage in insurrection or rebellion leading up to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

"Incitement of Insurrection against him as moot, and thus in violation of the Constitution, because the Senate lacks jurisdiction to remove from office a man who does not hold office," reads the filing.

Trump's team also argues that as a private citizen, the Senate has no jurisdiction over whether he can hold office gain.

"The 45th President believes and therefore avers that as a private citizen, the Senate has no jurisdiction over his ability to hold office."

Arguments from Trump's legal team on impeachment (h/t @weijia):

-Trump cannot be tried for impeachment because he is no longer president

-Trump did not engage in insurrection or rebellion

-As a private citizen, the Senate has no jurisdiction over whether he can hold office again

— Rebecca Kaplan (@RebeccaRKaplan) February 2, 2021

Read the full filing below and check back for updates:

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trump-team-responds-impeachment-article-argues-senate-has-no-jurisdiction-bar-running

BFW_020221_17250

14 pages

https://www.scribd.com/document/493094029/BFW-020221-17250#from_embed

Biden Declares Myanmar Crisis A Coup D'Etat - Sanctions Coming As Unrest Looms

The State Department is warning of the potential for "civil and political unrest in Burma" following the dramatic military takeover of the country and arrest of its civilian leadership Monday. This as all international travel has been halted, and various communications including internet were cut to the capital.

The Biden administration has now formally declared it as a coup d'état, which means Washington is required by law to cut off all foreign assistance to the southeast Asian country. It further announced that targeted action will be taken "against those responsible" for the arrests and continued detention of the elected civilian leadership, likely in the form of sanctions.

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/biden-declares-myanmar-crisis-coup-detat-says-sanctions-coming-unrest-looms

Lebanon - British Embassy Infiltrates Military Intelligence, Provides Snooping Equipment, Indoctrinates Young Palestinians

The British ambassador to Lebanon is 'very exited’ to hand off some useless, half armored patrol vehicles to the Lebanese army:

Martin Longden @MlongdenUK - 12:25 UTC · Feb 1, 2021

Very excited to witness the arrival in Beirut of 100 armoured patrol vehicles, a donation from 🇬🇧 to @LebarmyOfficial. This is a great practical example of the 🇬🇧 🇱🇧 partnership, and of our longstanding support for the LAF’s vital role in keeping the Syria border safe and secure.

Keeping the Syrian border safe and secure is certainly not a British priority. Let’s not forget that it was Britain which hired various companies, led by 'former' British intelligence officers, who then organized and ran the propaganda campaigns for the Jihadi onslaught on Syria.

The same companies were hired to secretly create 'civil society’ groups in Lebanon that were then used to demonstrate for 'regime change’ and to pressure the Lebanese government. It was also Her Majesties Government which hired such intelligence cutouts to embed into and undermine Lebanon’s justice and security services.

Lebanon’s army was another target of British intelligence efforts to gain control over Lebanon’s policies.

'Anonymous' hackers have recovered and published a third batch of documents which show how Britain infiltrated Lebanon’s Armed Forces Military Intelligence Department. Other documents show that Britain supplied spying equipment to the intelligence services it had infiltrated. Another secret program was designed to infiltrate Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon and to manipulate Palestinian youths.

For all this the British government is using company cutouts. A government’s Terms of Reference document for the penetration of Lebanon’s military intelligence describes how the vendor is supposed to proceed. The 'excuse' is to provide training and support for counter terrorism (emphasis added):

The objective of [British Embassy Beirut] is to increase the capacity, capability and Human Rights compliance of the LAF and Military Tribunal within the CT arrest to trial process. A compliant pathway through the Lebanese CT system is sought that could be used by UK law enforcement in the case of terrorism cases with UK links in Lebanon.

Requirement

An external supplier is required to deliver a two year programme on behalf of the British Embassy Beirut working primarily with the Lebanese Armed Forces Department of Military Intelligence, but with scope to engage with a broader range of security services here, to develop their investigative processes and evidential standards.

Working primarily via a embedded CT adviser, the successful supplier will also be expected to demonstrate a broad range of areas of expertise available on call down as necessary, to effectively project manage the programme while reporting into BE Beirut, and to demonstrate that they have built in rigorous and independent M&E processes throughout the programming timeline.

https://www.blacklistednews.com/article/79179/lebanon–british-embassy-infiltrates-military-intelligence-provides-snooping-equipment.html

Zuckerberg admits Facebook censored Trump to prevent free and fair 2020 election

New insider footage released by Project Veritas exposes Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg as an American traitor who committed treason against the United States.

Right before Facebook decided to blacklist President Donald Trump from the social media platform, Zuckerberg admitted that this needed to be done because Trump was trying to “undermine” the transition of power.

Note that the thing Zuckerberg wanted to prevent Trump from undermining was not a legitimate transfer of power, but merely a transfer of power, which is exactly what ended up happening.

Project Veritas analyzed hours of insider footage from Facebook, which exposes many top company executives conspiring to steal the 2020 election from Trump. They also brought up the Capitol protests, lambasting Trump for drawing his supporters to converge there on Jan. 6.

“It’s so important that our political leaders lead by example, make sure we put the nation first here, and what we’ve seen is that the president [Trump] has been doing the opposite of that,” Zuckerberg is further heard stating in the footage.

“The president [Trump] intends to use his remaining time in office to undermine the peaceful and lawful transition of power.”

Because Trump refused to publicly condemn his supporters for going to the Capitol to protest the stolen election, Facebook deemed this a violation of its “community standards,” which require that everyone accept the stolen election results as if they were real.

“His [Trump’s] decision to use his platform to condone rather than condemn the actions of his supporters in the Capitol I think has rightly bothered and disturbed people in the U.S. and around the world,” Zuckerberg whined in one of the audio captures.

In what parallel universe were Capitol protesters treated better than BLM “protesters?”

Parroting what many in the mainstream media were claiming, Zuckerberg also commented to his colleagues that the protesters who converged at the Capitol were somehow treated better than the Black Lives Matter (BLM) “protesters” from back in the summer because of “white supremacy.”

“I know this is just a very difficult moment for a lot of us here, and especially our black colleagues,” Zuckerberg stated, going full politically correct. “It was troubling to see how people in this [Capitol] mob were treated compared to the stark contrast we saw during protests earlier this [past] year.”

It is unclear which BLM incidents Zuckerberg was referring to as none of them that this writer can recall involved anyone being doxed, fired from their jobs, or otherwise punished for burning down AutoZone and looting Target.

In fact, there were almost no repercussions for anyone involved with BLM riots, which is why they went on for months, spreading from city to city without consequence. Meanwhile, Trump supporters were present at one incident that went awry and all of them, including legislators and politicians, are being labeled “domestic terrorists.”

In a way, Zuckerberg is right. It is troubling to see how the Capitol protesters were treated in comparison to the BLM rioters because the latter were completely let off the hook for their crimes.

“What he really did was remove the decision-making capabilities of all Americans, and the right to hear both sides to make informed decisions,” wrote one Breitbart News commenter about what Zuckerberg’s actions did to destroy democracy.

“It also influenced the left by hearing only one side and their influence was so bad it became actual interference in the election,” this same commenter added. “They should be brought up on charges, but as usual with any left leaning organization, they get a free pass.”

https://www.naturalnews.com/2021-02-02-zuckerberg-admits-facebook-censored-trump-2020-election.html

Sinaloa cartel-linked fentanyl and heroin traffickers plead guilty, sentenced in Operation Cookout

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The mastermind behind an extensive drug trafficking ring entered a guilty plea this week, and four other defendants either entered pleas or were sentenced recently to substantial terms in prison for distributing large amounts of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine in Newport News, Virginia, and North Carolina.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. field office participated in the multi-agency Operation Cookout in August 2019, which involved 120 law enforcement officers from 30 law enforcement agencies in Virginia, North Carolina and Texas.

“Fentanyl and heroin have inflicted immeasurable amounts of pain and brought devastation to families across the United States and in EDVA,” said Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Due to their tenacity and commitment, our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners seized 24 illegal firearms, 30 kilograms of heroin and enough fentanyl to kill over 14 million people, saving our communities from significant loss of life and destruction.”

According to court documents, Ramiro Ramirez-Barreto, 44, from the Mexican State of Morelos, operated a continuing criminal enterprise with ties to Virginia, North Carolina, Texas and California. Ramirez-Barreto was linked to the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico, as were his drug sources. His operation supplied cocaine, heroin and fentanyl to numerous drug trafficking organizations in Newport News, Virginia, and in Henderson and Greensboro, North Carolina.

According to one of Ramirez-Barreto’s many North Carolina customers, Ramirez-Barreto supplied him with 60 kilograms of heroin from early 2018 to mid-2019. Another one of Ramirez-Barreto’s customers was an inmate in federal prison operating a drug trafficking organization in Henderson, North Carolina using a bootleg mobile phone.

Ramirez-Barreto entered his guilty plea on Jan. 25, 2021, and he is scheduled to be sentenced on July 12, 2021, by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak. Ramirez-Barreto’s residence—where law enforcement found 19 kilograms of heroin and over $600,000 in cash—is being forfeited in connection with this case. In addition, he faces a mandatory minimum term of 20 years in prison and a maximum term of life in prison.

In addition to Ramirez-Barreto, four additional defendants either entered guilty pleas or were sentenced this week by Judge Novak for their role in the drug trafficking conspiracy. Tangynika Johnson, 44, of Henderson, North Carolina, assisted co-defendant Cory Bullock, an inmate in a West Virginia federal prison, in getting drug proceeds delivered to Ramirez-Barreto. Johnson pleaded guilty on Jan. 29, 2021, to using a communication facility for drug trafficking. She is scheduled to be sentenced on July 12, 2021, and faces a maximum penalty of four years in prison. James Noyes, 55, of Newport News, Virginia, was a mid-level heroin distributor within co-conspirator Damarcus Mackie’s drug trafficking organization. Noyes was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Jan. 29, 2021. Keith A. Brownson, 42, of Henderson, North Carolina, was a cocaine and heroin dealer who arranged drop-offs of drugs and drug proceeds with Ramirez-Barreto. Brownson pleaded guilty on Jan. 29, 2021, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 21, 2021, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. Russell P. Johnson, 50, of Suffolk, Virginia, was sentenced to 140 months in prison on Jan. 25, 2021, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and 500 grams or more of cocaine. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/sinaloa-cartel-linked-fentanyl-and-heroin-traffickers-plead-guilty-sentenced

Perth Hills bushfire devastation as 59 homes lost to bushfire east of Perth

Authorities say 59 homes have been lost to a massive bushfire that continues to burn out of control east of Perth and more are expected to be razed, but there has been no loss of life and no reported injuries to members of the public.

Key points:

The fire was reported at midday yesterday and it has been fast-moving and erratic

At least 56 homes have been lost but that number is expected to grow

Most of the homes destroyed were on the eastern side of Toodyay Rd and in the Tilden Park estate

Six firefighters have sustained minor injuries.

DFES Commissioner Darren Klemm said teams had yet to complete their damage assessments, and the real figure was likely to be higher.

He warned strong winds were continuing to fan the fast-moving blaze and the warning area was still growing, with firefighters not expecting any respite overnight.

The fire has so far burnt through more than 9,000 hectares inside an 80-kilometre perimeter, and its cause is unknown.

An emergency warning is in place for parts of the shires of Mundaring, Chittering and Northam, and the City of Swan, forcing hundreds of residents to flee amid confusion over the COVID lockdown.

Suburbs affected include The Vines, Ellenbrook, Gidgegannup, Upper Swan, Baskerville, Aveley, Henley Brook, Bullsbrook, Brigadoon and Wooroloo.

A Watch and Act warning is in place for nearby areas including Hovea, Stoneville, Wundowie, Mount Helena, Jane Brook, Herne Hill, Muchea and Parkerville.

More than 2,700 properties have been left without power and more than 100 power poles and the same number of transformers have been damages.

Western Power has warned some areas could remain without power until next week.

A large aerial tanker from NSW arrived late on Tuesday and was expected to help about 220 firefighters and aerial crews battle the blaze.

Aerial support is due to resume at first light.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-02/perth-bushfire-destroys-homes-residents-evacuated/13112812

NWO agenda rolls on

PRAY FOR EACH OTHER