‘What if Trump had said it?’ Joe Biden resurrects ‘exaggerated’ claim that he was shot at during trips to Iraq

President Joe Biden has dusted off an old story about how he came under fire while visiting Iraq, more than a decade after he admitted the claim was somewhat exaggerated. ‘Where’s the MSM outrage?’ social media users have asked.

While addressing US State Department staff on Thursday, Biden hailed the diplomats for showing “great personal courage,” which the new US president has purportedly seen first-hand.

"I’ve been with some of you when we’ve been shot at," he told the audience.

It’s unclear what Biden meant by the passing remark, and the White House has not elaborated on the statement.

Read more

AOC compared to Jussie Smollett after her ‘near-death’ riot experience revealed as hiding from POLICE in office OUTSIDE Capitol AOC compared to Jussie Smollett after her ‘near-death’ riot experience revealed as hiding from POLICE in office OUTSIDE Capitol

Biden has spoken about shooting-related close calls before, but he later walked back the claim. During a Democratic presidential debate in 2007, the then-senator alleged that he had been “shot at” while inside Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone.

When later pressed by journalists to expand on the story, Biden acknowledged that it would have been more accurate to say that he was “near where a shot [had] landed.”

“No one got up and ran from the room – it wasn’t that kind of thing,” he said at the time, adding: “It’s not like I had someone holding a gun to my head.”

Biden’s team issued a clarifying statement at the time, saying that the 2005 incident involved mortars that were fired “a few hundred yards away” and subsequently shook the building where Biden was staying. His staff also claimed that also in 2005, a bullet narrowly missed the helicopter that was transporting Biden and his aides to Baghdad’s airport.

The Democrat’s political opponents used the controversial claim as ammunition. The late senator John McCain (R-Arizona), who was seeking the Republican presidential nomination at the time, put out a statement from a retired Black Hawk helicopter pilot that accused Biden of blatant exaggeration.

More than ten years have passed since then, but Biden doesn’t seem to be facing the same scrutiny. Conservative pundit and author Liz Wheeler accused media outlets of giving Biden a free pass, arguing that broadcasters would “go ballistic” if Donald Trump had made a similar claim.

https://www.rt.com/usa/514701-biden-shot-controversy-revists/

Senate Dems Push Through $1.9TN Stimulus Blueprint As Harris Casts First Tiebreaker

Democrats moved to push through President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion stimulus plan with or without - most likely without - Republican support. Following an hours-long "vote-o-rama" (a sophisticated legislative procedure, for those who aren't familiar), VP Kamala Harris cast her first tie-breaking vote to approve the budget plan in the Senate.

The deciding vote came early Friday morning, after about 15 hours of all-night debate, and votes on dozens of amendments. In the end, the Senate found itself in a 50-50 partisan deadlock, allowing Harris to break the tie in a 0530ET vote…

Vice President Harris casts her first tie-breaking vote in the Senate-at 5:30am after 10 hours of debate-passing the budget resolution that allows for the passage of Biden’s $1.9 trillion covid relief package in the coming weeks without Republican support. pic.twitter.com/N013pnsPXO

— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) February 5, 2021

… but not before a series of amendments were passed to the budget plan that passed the House on Wednesday. Reuters offered an example: the Senate added a measure calling for increased funding for rural hospitals whose resources have been strained by the pandemic.

Shortly before the final vote, Democrats upped the pressure on Republicans by using amendments to reverse three earlier Trump-era votes that Republicans had won. This involved stripping support for the Canada-to-United States Keystone XL pipeline that Biden has blocked and support for hydraulic fracking to extract underground oil and natural gas.

Also overturned was a Republican amendment barring coronavirus aid to immigrants living in the United States illegally.

Given the changes approved by the Senate, the revised bill will now be kicked back to the House, which will need to approve the changes and agree on the Senate’s language. After all that is done, there is still one last step: Democrats will come together to craft the final relief bill, and pass it under special budget rules allowing them to circumvent a Republican filibuster in the Senate. The special rule is called "reconciliation",

Democratic leaders like Chuck Schumer, the legislative leader in the Senate, said the vote was a “giant first step” toward passing comprehensive coronavirus aid. Budget Chairman Bernie Sanders added that adoption means help is on the way to those suffering from an “economic collapse."

"Tonight we can say to them we understand the pain that they are experiencing and we are going to do something about it," Sanders said.

Dems want to spend the $1.9 trillion to speed COVID-19 vaccines throughout the US, while some of the money would extend to special unemployment benefits that will expire at the end of March and make direct payments to people to help them pay bills and stimulate the economy. Dems also would like to send money to state and local governments dealing the worst health crisis in decades, a measure that Republicans have fought to oppose, arguing it would merely subsidize spendthrift blue states.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/senate-dems-push-through-19tn-stimulus-harris-casts-first-tiebreaker

Blowback: Hedge Funds Ramp Up Security Amidst "Death Threats", "Obscene Messages"

Unlike Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, some hedge funds actually are being threatened. The increase in "hate" toward rich money managers is the result of the Reddit-fueled populist uprising surrounding capital markets.

This "Reddit Rebellion" has prompted wealthy hedgies ramping up their personal and corporate security with Bloomberg reporting today that as a result of last week's GameStop debacle, "the level of vitriol has experts wondering if merely owning a certain stock, or betting against it, might pose new safety risks." In fact, short sellers told Bloomberg they had dealt with "death threats, attempts to hack their phones, people trying to enter their offices and obscene messages sent to spouses."

Christopher Falkenberg, president of security firm Insite Risk Management, told Bloomberg "we now say to clients, ‘Tell us about your positions.’ We’ve never done that before. And we have clients with short positions who are saying to us, ‘We need a new security program."

Gabe Plotkin, head of Melvin Capital, a hedge fund that suffered billions in losses due to the GameStop short squeeze, says he has hired extra security for his family (and, arguably, his Miami beachfront mansion which is currently in the process of expansion). Plotkin was reportedly the target of "anti-Semitic slurs" and a chorus of insults from the market's newest participants.

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/hedge-funds-ramp-private-security-amidst-hate-and-death-threats

Hot Mic Catches House Democrats Making Fun Of Pledge Of Allegiance After Matt Gaetz Proposes Idea

A hot microphone caught House Judiciary Democrats making fun of Republican Representative Matt Gaetz’s request to have the committee recite the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of hearings as a way of showing the country that Congress can unite and work together.

Rep. Gaetz proposed the idea but Rep. Jerry Nadler said it was “unnecessary” because the House begins everyday with the Pledge.

Rep. Burgess Owens spoke out and said, “15 seconds to show our kids that…we can agree to disagree, but we love our country enough to at least stand and represent our flag.”

“Let’s stand, let’s pledge our flag…and then we will be an example of what unity looks like.” Owens shared.

Both Rep. Gaetz and Owens spoke out in support of working together but of course, the Democrats shut down this idea, and then they were caught on a hot mic mocking the idea of saying the Pledge of Allegiance.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/02/hot-mic-catches-house-democrats-making-fun-pledge-allegiance-matt-gaetz-proposes-idea/

American troops in Germany serve our ‘mutual interest,’ Berlin says, after Biden freezes planned withdrawal

US soldiers stationed in Germany are an integral part of Trans-Atlantic friendship, Berlin has said, after President Joe Biden put a halt to the Trump administration's plan to relocate thousands of troops from the country.

“We have always been convinced that the stationing of American troops here in Germany serves European and Trans-Atlantic security and is, therefore, in our mutual interest,” spokesperson for the German government Steffen Seibert told reporters on Friday.

Seibert praised the decades of Berlin's military cooperation with the US. “This is part of the Trans-Atlantic friendship,” he said, adding, though, that the deployment of soldiers overseas is Washington’s internal affair.

His remarks came a day after Biden confirmed the US is stopping the partial withdrawal of troops from Germany planned by his predecessor Donald Trump. Biden clarified that the final decision will depend on the US Secretary of Defense’s review of America's military presence and movements.

Commander of the American and NATO forces in Europe, US Air Force General Tod Wolters, said earlier this week that the previously planned troop movements will be “reexamined from cradle to grave.”

Trump wanted to remove 12,000 of the around 36,000 US soldiers stationed in Germany and to relocate United States European Command HQ from Stuttgart to Mons, Belgium. Trump frequently argued that Berlin was not contributing enough to NATO, and attacked Germany’s leadership for refusing to axe the near-complete Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline from Russia to Europe.

The former president’s dismissive rhetoric prompted Chancellor Angela Merkel to publicly admit that Europe cannot “rely” on Washington as much as it did before. However, officials in Berlin continue to maintain that a US military presence in Germany is key to peace and security in Europe.

Biden, on the other hand, has vowed to repair US ties with its traditional allies in Europe. “I want the world to hear today: America is back,” he said in a keynote speech on Thursday. “Diplomacy is back at the center of our foreign policy.”

American troops have been stationed in Germany since the end of WWII and remained there after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

https://www.rt.com/news/514726-germany-american-troops-mutual-interest/

Biden Convenes "Urgent" High Level NSC Meeting To Talk Iran Nukes

Axios has a new report underscoring the "urgency President Biden feels about Iran" - given on Friday the White House is convening a National Security Council principals committee meeting focused on what to do about the Islamic Republic's nuclear program. This after within the past week multiple international headlines suggested (somewhat misleadingly) that Iran is "weeks away" from being capable of producing a nuclear weapon.

Biden campaigned firmly on a commitment to immediately restore US participation in the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA) brokered under the Obama administration; however, this is already stalled given the White House position that Tehran must return to conformity to uranium enrichment and other caps stipulated by the deal.

Iran has of course responded by saying it's exclusively the US side (under Trump) which broke off the deal, thus it's up for Washington to "move first" by dropping all sanctions which have served to cripple the Iranian economy.

Here are the key details regarding Friday's high level NSC meeting, according to Axios:

Principals committee meetings — held in the Situation Room and attended by the secretaries of Defense and State and other key national security players — are designed to discuss policy at the highest level before presenting recommendations to the president.

One of the main action items Friday is whether to push toward returning to the nuclear deal before the June presidential elections in Iran or wait until after, a source familiar with the issue said

Earlier in the week national security advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters that "We are actively engaged" with European partners, and further, "The consultations will produce a unified front when it comes to our strategy."

The statement came in response to European Union offers to mediate a full restoration of of the JCPOA, which initially Washington seemed to rebuff.

On Thursday French President Emmanuel Macron put forward a plan for him to personally act as a broker for renewed talks. However Iran has viewed any offer for "stricter" talks that would move the goal posts in terms of the deal with hostility.

"I do welcome the willingness to reengage a dialogue with Iran," President @EmmanuelMacron tells #ACFrontPage.

Listen here: pic.twitter.com/z0cEsqXf2H

— Atlantic Council (@AtlanticCouncil) February 4, 2021

"I do believe we do need to finalize, indeed, a new negotiation with Iran," Macron said. "We have to address ballistic missile issues, and we have to address the stability of the region, and this comprehensive agenda is to be negotiated now," he added.

Again, Iran has spoken out vehemently against anything that resembles "new negotiations" while insisting it's up for the side that tore up the deal in the first place to show that it can conform first.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/biden-convenes-urgent-high-level-nsc-meeting-talk-irans-nuclear-program

He’s Number One! Hunter Biden’s Memoir Tops Amazon ‘Chinese Biographies’ Section

Within the space of 24-hours of Hunter Biden’s new memoir “Beautiful Things” being publicly announced as ready for the market place, the tome has zoomed to the top of Amazon’s listings reserved for “Chinese Biographies.”

As Breitbart News reported, the book is not even due for release until April 6, however such is the claimed level of interest in U.S. President Joe Biden’s son, it seems plenty of people are willing to pay for it and order in advance.

Sales will not be the only source of reward for Hunter if the book continues to sell well.

The Daily Mail reports he is likely to have received an advance of up to $2 million for writing the work and stands to make millions more if he allows his life story to be filmed.

Just how it ended up being listed by Amazon as a classifiation for “Chinese biographies” is yet to be revealed.

Checks out. pic.twitter.com/YpYaSPZte8

— Arthur Schwartz (@ArthurSchwartz) February 5, 2021

Even so, “Beautiful Things” was circulated for appraisal among several authors with advance praise from Stephen King, Dave Eggers and Anne Lamott. King writes:

“In his harrowing and compulsively readable memoir, Hunter Biden proves again that anybody — even the son of a United States President — can take a ride on the pink horse down nightmare alley.

“Biden remembers it all and tells it all with a bravery that is both heartbreaking and quite gorgeous. He starts with a question: Where’s Hunter? The answer is he’s in this book, the good, the bad, and the beautiful.”

In a snippet released by Gallery, Biden writes in his work of considered introspection, “I come from a family forged by tragedies and bound by a remarkable, unbreakable love.”

Hunter Biden, 51, is the oldest surviving child of the president, who lost his first wife and one-year-old daughter, Naomi, in a 1972 car accident, and son Beau Biden to brain cancer in 2015.

The title of Hunter’s book refers to an expression he and his brother apparently would use with each other after Beau’s diagnosis, meant to emphasize what was important in life.

AP reports “Beautiful Things” will center on the younger Biden’s well publicized struggles with substance abuse, according to Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.

Acquired in the fall of 2019, “Beautiful Things” was kept under wraps even as Biden’s business dealings became public before, during and after the election and his finances a matter of investigation by the Justice Department.

Financial terms for “Beautiful Things,” which was written in collaboration with the author and journalist Drew Jubera, were not disclosed.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden support their son Hunter’s upcoming memoir and they “admire his strength” in openly discussing his struggles with addiction.

Reading a statement from the Bidens, Psaki said: “We admire our son Hunter’s strength and courage to talk openly about his addiction so that others might see themselves in his journey and find hope.”

Psaki added that the book will be personal and about Hunter’s “own personal journey.”

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/02/05/hes-number-one-hunter-bidens-memoir-tops-amazon-chinese-biographies-section/

Democratic Lawyer Marc Elias Claims Voting Machine ‘Irregularities’ In New York House Race

Marc Elias, a prominent Democratic election attorney, argued in a court filing this week that faulty voting machines may have misread thousands of votes in a House election in upstate New York, a claim similar to the debunked allegation some Republicans pushed regarding the 2020 presidential election.

Elias, a partner at the firm Perkins Coie, made the argument in a court filing on Monday to challenge the results of the election in New York’s 22nd House district.

Elias asserted that voting machines used in the district undercounted votes for incumbent Democrat Rep. Ted Brindisi.

Brindisi trails Republican challenger Claudia Tenney by a razor-thin margin of 122 votes. Tenney declared victory in the race on Tuesday, but the state has not certified the results while the legal challenge unfolds.

Elias called on the state court to order a hand count of the vote, claiming that there is “mounting evidence of significant irregularities in the tabulation of ballots.”

The filing, reported by Breitbart News, reads:

In this case, there is reason to believe that voting tabulation machines misread hundreds if not thousands of valid votes as undervotes, (supra at 4), and that these tabulation machine errors disproportionately affected Brindisi, (id.). In addition, Oswego County admitted in a sworn statement to this Court that its tabulation machines were not tested and calibrated in the days leading up to the November 3, 2020 General Election as required by state law and necessary to ensure that the counts generated by tabulation machines are accurate.

Elias asserted that voting machines may have undercounted up to 2,599 votes for Brindisi throughout the district.

https://dailycaller.com/2021/02/05/marc-elias-voting-machines-new-york-ted-brindisi-claudia-tenney/

comms?

Jill Biden: We Owe It to Our Dogs to Keep Wearing Masks

First Lady Jill Biden filmed a public service announcement released Thursday, urging Americans to keep wearing their masks during the coronavirus pandemic.

The first lady appeared in the video with her family’s two dogs Champ and Major. The ad was titled “Puppy Bowl XVII” to coincide with this year’s Super Bowl on Sunday.

“The unconditional love from a dog is one of the most beautiful things on earth and we owe it to them to keep ourselves healthy,” Biden said in the video filmed in the White House.

She spoke about how dogs had become “a source of joy and comfort” during the pandemic even though sometimes they interrupted video conferencing calls.

Biden recommended Americans keep wearing their masks outside to help stop the spread of the virus.

“Please keep wearing your mask even when walking your dogs,” she said.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/02/05/watch-jill-biden-we-owe-it-to-our-dogs-to-keep-wearing-masks/

No Election! Top Eurocrat to Form EU ‘Technocratic’ Government in Italy

Italian president Sergio Mattarella has called on former European Central bank (ECB) president Mario Draghi to form a new technocrat government following the resignation of Giuseppe Conte rather than call fresh elections.

Mr Draghi accepted the offer to form a government on Wednesday after a meeting with the Italian president and will begin talks with various political parties in the parliament to secure the majority needed to properly govern the country. Britain’s Daily Telegraph responded to the decision, calling it a breath-taking stitch-up.

If Draghi is unable to come to terms with enough parties to form a solid majority, he will likely return to President Mattarella and refuse the position of Italian prime minister, Il Giornale reports.

Should he form a new government, it would not be the first time in recent years a pro-European Union figure has come to head the Italian national government.

Following the resignation of long-serving Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in 2011, European Commissioner Mario Monti was appointed prime minister and led a technocrat government from November 2011 to April 2013.

Draghi spoke to Italian media following his meeting with President Mattarella, saying: “This is a difficult time. The president recalled the dramatic health crisis with its serious effects on people’s lives, on the economy, on society.”

Italian Govt on Brink of Collapse, Right Wing Coalition Leading in Snap Election Polls https://t.co/VxYovkjw5r

— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) January 14, 2021

“Overcoming the pandemic, completing the vaccination campaign, giving solutions to the everyday problems of citizens, and relaunching the country are the challenges that confront us. We have at our disposal the extraordinary resources of the EU. We have the opportunity to do a lot for our country by carefully looking at the future of the younger generation and by strengthening social cohesion,” he added.

Populist senator and leader of the League Matteo Salvini said he would support Draghi’s appointment on certain conditions, including a guarantee of a national election in May or June, at the latest.

Salvini also demanded that Draghi not raise any taxes and pushed for the League policy of introducing a 15 per cent flat tax on incomes.

The populist leader also hit back against concerns made by President Mattarella on the safety of a national vote due to the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic, saying that elections were already scheduled in Calabria in April.

“In addition, 1,300 municipalities will also go to the polls, including towns such as Rome, Milan, Turin, Naples, and Bologna. Twenty million Italians will be called to the polls. If there can be 20 million, I think they may be as many as 60 million,” he said.

A Draghi government also threatens to tear apart the Five Star Movement (M5S), which has been ailing in recent polls.

According to Il Giornale, a split in the movement exists between those who support Draghi and those against him, such as senate vice-president Paola Taverna who rejected a technocrat government and said: “We believe that the only way forward is early elections. Citizens must be able to choose who will have to raise the fortunes of our country.”

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2021/02/05/italian-president-calls-former-top-eu-banker-form-government/

UK Working on ‘Vaccine Passport’ for Britons to Holiday Overseas

The government is reportedly working on a “vaccine passport” in anticipation that holiday destinations like Greece will demand proof of immunity before granting entry to visitors.

Earlier this week, Denmark became one of the first countries in the world to commit to a government-endorsed immunity certificate. The nation’s Acting Minister of Finance Morten Bødskov said initially the certificates, which could be available by the end of this month, would allow for businessmen to travel overseas but could also be used as “extra security” when reopening Danish society after months of restrictions.

Sources speaking to The Times said the British government was working on similar documentation, as countries like Greece have said they prepare to lift quarantine restrictions for tourists if they can prove they have been inoculated.

A combined effort of the British Department for Health and Social Care, the Department for Transport, and the Foreign Office is working on the options for the “vaccine passport”. British officials have reportedly told Greece that it could rescue the country’s ailing tourism industry if it rolls out the documentation.

The Greek government is said to be wary of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, but are confident in the AstraZeneca and Pfizer shots, which are being administered in the United Kingdom. British tourists may be allowed to enter the country with minimal restrictions by May. Travellers may still be asked to provide a negative COVID-19 test no more than 72 hours before travel even if they have a vaccine passport.

Denmark to Introduce World’s First Corona Vaccine Passport: Report https://t.co/0pOljfUa2w

— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) February 4, 2021

The Mediterranean country is also believed to be considering opening up the vaccine certificate exemptions to the United States and Israel, which are having similar successes in vaccinated their populations.

Greek officials do not anticipate countries like Germany will be able to participate in the programme, because it remains so far behind in its vaccination programme.

British government ministers have been sending out mixed signals in recent months over the possibility of vaccine passports, either for travel or the resumption of normal life. In December, Vaccine Minister Nadim Zahawi said that while the government would never mandate vaccinations, private businesses could demand proof of vaccination, which might involve government-backed documentation to prove it.

Senior minister Michael Gove was quick to respond that “I certainly am not planning to introduce any vaccine passports, and I don’t know anyone else in government (who is).”

However, weeks after Gove’s denials, it was reported that the government had contracted two technology firms to explore the possibility of “freedom passports”, with QR code-based apps used to prove a “negative Covid-19 test certification”.

While on January 12th, Mr Zahawi said: “We have no plans to introduce vaccine passports… No one has been given or will be required to have a vaccine passport.”

Tory MPs Call for End of Lockdown After Oxford Vaccine Shows Two-Thirds Reduction in Transmission https://t.co/K2l0SSilo2

— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) February 3, 2021

Responding to the Times report on Friday, Foreign Office minister James Cleverly would not outright reject the reports, telling Good Morning Britain: “Every country sets its own rules about who it does or doesn’t allow into its country.

“Other countries around the world may decide that they accept people who have had proof of vaccinations and as British officials always do, we work with our international partners so that we can understand what their travel rules are…so that we can properly inform British travellers.”

Last week, globalist champion Tony Blair reiterated calls for “health passports”, saying efforts to create a “Global Covid Travel Pass” should be led by the United Kingdom.

“I do think that we are going to be in a position where we have to have an annual coronavirus vaccine, and that annual vaccine will be tailored to the variant strains in the UK at that particular moment." https://t.co/BNrl698bfA

— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) February 2, 2021

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2021/02/05/uk-working-vaccine-passport-britons-holiday-overseas/

Report: UK ‘Flying Blind’ on Migration Numbers as Extra 1.25m People ‘Appear’ in Stats

The British government is “flying blind” on immigration, suggests a new report from the University of Oxford, with an extra 1.25 million people having “appeared” in statistics without a reasonable explanation.

The ancient university’s Migration Observatory found that Labour Force Survey data suggested a fall in the migrant population of almost 900,000 in 2020 — but accompanied by an implausible rise in the UK-born population of some 1.25 million, according to the Telegraph.

Noting significant changes in the way the state has attempted to gather statistics as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the Observatory hinted that the figures, which come out as Boris Johnson’s administration is attempting to roll out a new post-Brexit immigration system, are no longer reliable.

“We don’t know who’s arriving or leaving, who’s here, or where they are,” the Observatory said when sharing its findings on social media.

“This raises some serious challenges for post-COVID planning.”

“There is absolutely massive uncertainty about what is going on with migration at the moment, because all the data sources we normally use have been hugely disrupted,” added Migration Observatory director Madeleine Sumption in comments to the Telegraph.

“This has left us flying blind just as the UK is introducing a new immigration system, and will make it more difficult to understand the impacts of new policies,” she added.

Our latest commentary ‘Where did all the migrants go?’ explains how COVID has led to a collapse in the UK’s migration data. We don’t know who’s arriving or leaving, who’s here, or where they are. This raises some serious challenges for post-COVID planning. https://t.co/Knl0Y37HDu

— MigrationObservatory (@MigObs) February 5, 2021

Speaking to Breitbart London, the Migration Watch UK think tank agreed that the University of Oxford report “rightly points to the absence of reliable statistics because of Covid and makes some debatable, if reasonable, assumptions.”

“Fact is, the government have little idea of what is going on,” said Alp Mehmet, the chairman of the migration sceptic group.

“Despite this, and as we have pointed out, the doors have been thrown open with a weak points-based system and an open-ended offer to 5.4 million Hong Kongers to come and settle,” Mehmet accused.

While the Johnson administration has dropped the Tory pledge to cut net immigration “from the hundreds of thousands to the tens of thousands” — first made by David Cameron ahead of the 2010 general election, but never realised and, according to Cameron lieutenant George Osborne, never offered sincerely — it did commit to an overall decrease in the migrant influx, if vaguely.

That has not appeared to be on the cards in recent months, with non-EU immigration — the only type of legal immigration the government could largely control, prior to the end of the Brexit transition — rising significantly, illegal immigration by boat at record levels, and deportations down by a massive 79 per cent.

UK Deportations of Foreign Criminals Fell 79 per cent Last Year, Despite Patel’s Promises to ‘Get Tough’ https://t.co/5PazItcV8R

— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) January 19, 2021

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2021/02/05/report-uk-flying-blind-on-migration-numbers-as-extra-1-25m-people-appear-in-stats/

Biden’s Release of COVID-Untested Migrants ‘Unconscionable,’ Says Texas Democrat Senator

A Texas Democrat state senator called the release by Border Patrol of migrant families who have not been tested for COVID-19 “unconscionable.” The senator’s comments followed the release of large numbers of migrant families in the Rio Grande Valley who have not been tested for Coronavirus.

“[Border Patrol agents] were just dropping them off at the bus station without testing them. Obviously, that’s very alarming to all of us in that they’re coming from Central America and through Mexico and to be released into the United States without being tested for COVID is really unconscionable,” Texas State Senator Jose “Chuy” Hinojosa (D-McAllen) told Border Report on Wednesday afternoon.

In response to a request from the mayor of McAllen, Texas, state health officials shipped 10,000 COVID-19 test kits to the city.

The total number of released migrants in question remains officially undisclosed.

Senator Hinojosa told Border Report the tests have only been requested by McAllen and other cities in the Rio Grande Valley. He explained that the City of McAllen implemented a “local policy” to test the released migrants. Other communities in the region are “not necessarily” applying the testing policy.

In one McAllen facility, the Humanitarian Respite Center of the Rio Grande Valley, nearly 400 migrants have been released into their care. The migrant families in this facility told Border Report they were released by Border Parol and were “paroled to temporarily live in the interior of the country,” the article states.

Responding to an inquiry from Breitbart Texas, a CBP official said U.S. Border Patrol agents have never tested migrants for COVID-19.

A statement from CBP explains:

CBP uses a combination of onsite contract medical personnel and referrals to local health systems to provide medical support for persons in custody who require medical attention. CBP personnel conduct initial inspections for symptoms or risk factors associated with COVID-19 and consult with onsite medical personnel, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), or local health systems as appropriate. Onsite medical personnel can provide basic assessment and supportive treatment, but suspected COVID-19 cases are referred to local health systems for appropriate testing, diagnosis, and treatment.

Prior to recent weeks, migrant families and single adults apprehended by Border Patrol agents after illegally crossing the border from Mexico were expelled back to that country. Expelling migrants under Title 42 requires the receiving country to accept the expelled migrants, an unnamed CBP official told Breitbart Texas.

The Washington Post reports Mexico has changed their policy of accepting the expulsion of migrant families.

Responding to an inquiry from Breitbart Texas, an unnamed CBP official said:

CBP has seen a steady increase in border encounters since April 2020, which, aggravated by COVID-19 restrictions and social distancing guidelines, has caused some facilities to reach maximum safe holding capacity. Per longstanding practice, when long-term holding solutions aren’t possible, some migrants will be processed for removal, provided a Notice to Appear, and released into the U.S. to await a future immigration hearing. As the Administration reviews the current immigration process, balancing it against the ongoing pandemic, we will continue to use all current authorities to avoid keeping individuals in a congregate setting for any length of time.

An unnamed official added that “COVID-19 protocols, changes in Mexican law, and limited U.S. holding capacities have forced us to adapt.”

https://www.breitbart.com/border/2021/02/04/bidens-release-of-covid-untested-migrants-unconscionable-says-texas-democrat-senator/

REPORT: Texas Sends 10K COVID Tests to Border as Biden Releases Untested Migrants

https://www.breitbart.com/border/2021/02/04/report-texas-sends-10k-covid-tests-to-border-as-biden-releases-untested-migrants/

Biden declares 'America is back.' Mike Pompeo asks: 'Back to when ISIS controlled a caliphate?'

President Joe Biden declared Thursday in a speech outlining his foreign policy priorities that "America is back."

But former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo took issue with the president's remarks, asking, "back to when ISIS controlled a caliphate?"

What are the details?

Biden made the statement during an address at the State Department, where he pledged, "We will repair our alliances and engage with the world once again, not to meet yesterday's challenges, but today's and tomorrow's."

"America is back. Diplomacy is back," the president said, adding that after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol that the U.S. would rebound "stronger, more determined and better-equipped to unite the world in fighting to defend democracy because we have fought it for ourselves," The Washington Post reported.

Pompeo, who served under President Donald Trump, told Fox News' Trey Gowdy in an interview later that Americans have already seen Biden's record on foreign policy when he was vice president for President Barack Obama, and that it could be cause for concern.

"Does he mean back to when ISIS controlled a caliphate in Syria that was the size of Britain?" Pompeo said in response to Gowdy asking for his reaction. "I hope not. President Trump and our team took that down."

The former secretary of state went on to ask:

When he says "back," when America is back, does he mean back to letting China walk all over us, destroying millions of jobs in places like Kansas and South Carolina, that we know so well? I hope that's not what he means by back. He talked about allies, when he said go back, does he mean back to dissing allies and friends like Israel and treating the terrorists in Iran like friends by giving them $150 billion in pallets of cash? I don't think the American people can afford to go back to eight more years of Barack Obama's foreign policy. I hope they'll move forward with a foreign policy look much more like our America first foreign policy.

Anything else?

The Post noted that Biden "sketched his traditional foreign policy views with a broad brush," but a key takeaway from his speech was his pledge to end America's support of the offensive in Yemen led by Saudi Arabia.

Biden declared that "the war has to end," saying it " has created a humanitarian and strategic catastrophe."

The Associated Press noted:

The announcement on Yemen fulfills a campaign pledge. But it also shows Biden putting the spotlight on a major humanitarian crisis that the United States has helped aggravate. The reversing of policy also comes as a rebuke to Saudi Arabia, a global oil giant and U.S. strategic partner.

http://www.tathasta.com/2021/02/biden-declares-america-is-back-mike.html

Mystery sound shakes Southern Arizona

Another mystery rumble shook homes and rattled windows across Tucson on Wednesday, Feb. 3. It struck at approximately 12:12 pm.

We’ve been inundated with hundreds of messages on Facebook; people from near Green Valley all the way to Picture Rocks report feeling or hearing it.

I felt it on the northwest side and would describe it as feeling like a seismic waveform originating from the ground and not the sky.

I called the local military installations including Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Luke Air Force Base, and the 162nd Fighter Wing. None report any of their aircraft reporting a sonic boom.

A check of the U.S. Geological Survey shows no earthquake activity in Arizona today.

I called the Mission Mine in Sahuarita and there was no blasting at the time. I also called the Asarco Silverbell Mine NW of Tucson but I’m waiting to hear back.

I also have a call into Eric Kiser at the University of Arizona, he’s an assistant professor of Global and Active-Source Seismology.

In the past, these mystery booms/rumbles have registered as seismic activity on UA monitors but they don’t register as earthquakes on the U.S. Geological seismograms.

[ RELATED: Longest mystery boom to date reported in Tucson ]

Local residents have also captured the rumbles on security and door-bell cameras including this one from 2019 by Phil Williams.

https://www.kold.com/2021/02/03/mystery-sound-shakes-southern-arizona/

Ghislaine Maxwell blames her arrest on Jeffrey Epstein’s death claiming US prosecutors targeted her as a substitute newly unsealed court papers reveal

Ghislaine Maxwell blames her arrest on ex-boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein’s death, claiming US prosecutors are targeting her as a substitute, newly unsealed court papers reveal.

She is being prosecuted on sex abuse charges that could put her in prison for life.

Her lawyers challenged the case brought against their client last July on multiple grounds in papers filed last week and unsealed Thursday with some redactions.

'One does not need to engage in complex analysis to understand what has happened here,' her lawyers wrote in the Manhattan federal court documents.

'The government has sought to substitute our client for Jeffrey Epstein, even if it means stretching - and ultimately exceeding - the bounds of the law.'

They added: 'The government's sudden zeal to prosecute Ms. Maxwell for alleged conduct with Epstein in the 1990s - conduct for which the government never even charged Epstein - follows a history that is both highly unusual and deeply troubling.'

Maxwell, 59, is scheduled for a July trial on charges that she recruited three teenage girls from 1994 to 1997 for Epstein to sexually abuse. Sometimes, prosecutors alleged, Maxwell joined in.

The charges against Maxwell came exactly a year after Epstein was arrested on sex trafficking charges in Manhattan. He killed himself in a federal jail a month later.

Maxwell, who has citizenship in the U.S., the United Kingdom and France, has been held without bail after a judge rejected a $28.5 million bail proposal on the grounds that she had not been fully forthcoming about her finances and other matters and that she remained a threat to flee.

As part of the bail proposal, Maxwell disclosed that she has set aside more than $7 million to be spent on lawyers out of $22.5 million in assets belonging to herself and her husband.

In documents released publicly last week and Thursday, Maxwell's lawyers attacked the government's case on multiple grounds, including that a grand jury seated in suburban Westchester County deprived her of nonwhite grand jurors who would otherwise have decided her fate.

http://www.madnesshub.com/2021/02/ghislaine-maxwell-blames-her-arrest-on.html

Always playing the victim ((()))

Joe Biden says he will welcome 125,000 refugees to the U.S. in first fiscal year of his administration - far above Trump's 15,000 limit

President Joe Biden on Thursday announced his intention to massively increase the cap on annual refugee admissions to the United States, which fell to a historical low under Donald Trump.

In line with a campaign promise, Biden said he would set at 125,000 the cap on admissions as part of the country's refugee resettlement program, against the current 15,000.

'We offered safe havens for those fleeing violence or persecution' in previous years, when America's 'moral leadership on refugee issues' encouraged other nations to open their doors as well, Biden said.

'So today I'm approving an executive order to begin the hard work of restoring our refugee admissions program to help meet the unprecedented global need,' he added.

'It's going to take time to rebuild what has been so badly damaged, but that's precisely what we're going to do.'

The United States has an extensive history of welcoming refugees and is one of the world's largest resettlement nations.

But after nearly 79,000 refugees headed to US shores in 2016, the numbers plunged, with just 6,740 arriving in 2020, according to resettlement data by the United Nations refugee agency.

The executive order 'will raise refugee admissions back up to 125,000 persons for the first full fiscal year of the Biden/Harris administration,' which begins October 1, the president said.

Biden's announcement earned swift praise from UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, who said it would send a compelling message to other countries to follow suit.

'The action today by President Biden will save lives. It's that simple,' Grandi said in a statement, adding that the expansion shows that 'strength is rooted in compassion.'

He added that despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, which has left more than 2.2 million people dead worldwide, 'we remind countries of the life-threatening circumstances that refugees face and encourage them to continue to expand their resettlement programs.'

Biden said he would direct the State Department, where on Thursday he delivered his maiden foreign policy speech as president, to consult with Congress about making a 'downpayment' for raising the refugee cap as soon as possible.

The UN estimates that there are 25.9 million refugees worldwide, most of whom are hosted in developing countries.

Biden's announcement came as he took the podium at the State Department, which was his first cabinet agency visit.

There, Biden said Russia needed to free Alexei Navalny 'immediately' as he said the United States will no longer 'roll over' to President Vladimir Putin like 'my predecessor.'

The tough and anti-Trump talk came Thursday when Biden made his first trip to a cabinet agency, the State Department, under the leadership of his longtime aide, Secretary of State Tony Blinken, and called for 'reclaiming our credibility and moral authority.'

'Much of which has been lost,' Biden uttered.

http://www.stationgossip.com/2021/02/joe-biden-says-he-will-welcome-125000.html

Petition EN2192 - No Resrictions on Those Who Refuse a Covid 19 Vaccination

Petition Reason

We want the Government to confirm that there will be no restrictions placed on citizens or residents who refuse a COVID-19 vaccination. This includes restrictions on travel, right to re-enter the country, social events such as concerts or sports, and access to shops, restaurants, bars, clubs, etc. I believe that such a move would be against our human rights as outlined in the UNESCO Bioethics & Human Rights 2005, as well as Australian Rules on Consent to Medical Treatment and the Ethical Standards of Helsinki. Consent should be voluntary and informed.

Petition Request

We therefore ask the House to consider the legality of imposing any restrictions on the citizens and residents of Australia should they chose not to have a COVID vaccination, and to endorse this petition by confirming that this will not happen. We also ask the House to agree to provide advice to all business operating within Australia or in partnership with Australia that they should also not impose any such restrictions on our right to travel, re-enter the country, access social events, such as concerns or sports, and should not restrict access to shops, restaurants, bars, clubs, etc. Any decision to be vaccinated should be voluntary and informed.

https://www.aph.gov.au/petition_list?id=EN2192

If you love freedom, you're a 'far-right extremist' to the left

The "far right" is mentioned often in the mainstream media. As to who these people are, we need only know that they are the ones who refuse to submit to the left's attempts to exercise absolute control over their thoughts, speech, and lives.

To our national detriment, colleges and universities, the media, the entertainment industry, Big Tech, and most of the corporate world have joined the left's cultural revolution. They define the terms of the debate and act as if these radical new standards have always been the norm. Most American institutions support this grand deception.

Last year from late spring through the summer, police stations were attacked, police officers and civilians were injured and killed, and property was destroyed in over 500 riots. The mainstream media deemed these "protests" peaceful and legitimate expressions of outrage against social injustice.

One riot at the Capitol, while rightly condemned, was magnified into an insurrection. The action was lawless, disruptive, and dangerous, but our Constitutional Republic was never on the brink of destruction. Congress was back to business a few hours later. Yet anyone who attended the peaceful part of the gathering is subject to being blacklisted and fired.

The Black Lives Matter Movement led over 500 riots last year, but the left wants us to believe that "white supremacists" are the real threat to civil disorder. As an American of African and slave ancestry, I have no sympathy with white supremacists. However, it is the left that is branding, silencing, and metaphorically lynching anyone who is not in lockstep. White supremacists are despicable but marginal. The left actually destroys people — their careers, businesses, and reputations — with the ruthlessness of a totalitarian regime.

This is a new form of totalitarianism that is not governmental, but cultural. Marxist theorist Antonio Gramsci argued for a communist revolution by subverting the values that uphold liberty. The left is doing just that. Leftists have smeared Americans who adhere to faith, family, and freedom as undercover bigots. Faith is camouflage for homophobia and misogyny. Traditional family roles of husband and wife are anti-gay. Freedom is an excuse for hate speech and gun violence.

Americans used to say that "I may not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend with my life your right to say it." Now we have speech codes, de-platforming, and "safe spaces." Colleges and universities, once bastions of free speech, have become enclaves of censorship.

For generations, conservatives have respected the flag, loved our country, and defended free speech and religious liberty. The left has convinced its cult followers that patriotism and First Amendment freedom are the "dog whistles" of racists.

My patriotism comes from gratitude and appreciation for the life America makes possible. I want the same for my children, grandchildren, and future generations. That is not xenophobic, racist, or white supremacist. It is an attitude shared by millions of decent, hardworking Americans of all races and ethnicities.

The left characterizes the commonsense principle of taking care of America First as right-wing extremism or "Christian nationalism." Imagine my surprise at learning that, as a black American, putting my own country's interests before those of other nations makes me hateful.

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2021/02/if_you_love_freedom_youre_a_farright_extremist_to_the_left.html

Biden tells Russia's Putin: US no longer 'rolling over'

President Joe Biden on Thursday (Feb 4) told Russia that the United States would no longer be "rolling over" in the face of aggressive action by Moscow, declaring a new, tough approach by Washington.

Visiting the State Department, Biden also promised to repair alliances and engage with the world again.

"American leadership "must meet rising authoritarianism and unite with partners to combat global challenges such as the coronavirus pandemic or climate change, he said.

Biden, as expected, adopted a sterner tone with Russian President Vladimir Putin than his predecessor, Donald Trump.

"I made it clear to President Putin in a manner very different from my predecessor, that the days the United States rolling over in the face of Russia's aggressive actions, interfering with our elections, cyber attacks, poisoning citizens are over," Biden said.

The two leaders spoke by phone in late January.

"We will not hesitate to raise the cost on Russia and defend our vital interests and our people, and we will be more effective in dealing with Russia when we work in coalition and coordination with other like-minded partners," he said.

As president, Trump came under intense criticism that he was too friendly with Moscow, amid US intelligence findings that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election to boost his chances of winning the White House.

Washington and Moscow disagree on a wide range of issues such as Russia's military ambitions in Ukraine and Georgia, the alleged poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, and last year's cyberattack on US government agencies that Washington blames on Russia.

Biden, calling the recent jailing of Navalny "politically motivated", said Washington was deeply concerned and repeated a US call for his release.

Despite their disagreements, the two countries earlier this week extended the New Start arms control treaty for five years, preserving the last treaty limiting deployments of the world's two largest strategic nuclear arsenals.

https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/biden-tells-russias-putin-us-no-longer-rolling-over

Biden withdraws Judy Shelton's nomination as Fed board member

U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday withdrew from consideration Donald Trump’s contentious nomination of Judy Shelton to fill a vacant seat at the Federal Reserve.

Trump had hoped to secure Shelton’s confirmation before leaving office, but her nomination stalled after the Republican-controlled Senate failed to muster the required votes to move her nomination ahead in the confirmation process.

Trump had re-nominated Shelton and over 30 other individuals for key judgeships and other posts in early January.

Shelton’s nomination ran into trouble in November after a couple of Republicans joined Democrats in opposing the former Trump economic adviser out of concern that her perceived partisanship could imperil the Fed’s independence.

In addition, two other Republicans had to skip the vote because they were quarantining due to the coronavirus.

Shelton had come under fire for inconsistent, controversial views, including an embrace of the gold standard and a shifting stance on interest rates as control of the White House passed from Democrat Barack Obama to Trump.

Shelton’s name was one of 32 nominations for various posts and judgeships withdrawn by the White House late on Thursday, including that of Joseph Barloon, former general counsel of the U.S. Trade Representative’s office, to be a judge on the U.S. Court of International Trade.

https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-biden-shelton/update-1-biden-withdraws-judy-sheltons-nomination-as-fed-board-member-idUSL1N2KA3EW

82nd Airborne Disputes Claims of 'Mass Outbreak' of COVID-19 at Training Center

Paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division training at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana, are complaining of a "mass outbreak" of COVID-19 within the unit and claiming there has been no isolation for those infected.

The first of about 4,000 soldiers began leaving Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in a series of bus convoys headed for the combat training center Jan. 22.

The Fayetteville Observer reported Wednesday that it had received a letter from a group of anonymous paratroopers who claim to have been forced to ride in a bus for several hours with unit members "suspected to be infected with COVID-19" without social distancing restrictions.

The anonymous paratroopers also said that unit members began testing positive just over a week later but have not been quarantined, the Observer reported.

But officials are pushing back on the claims.

"COVID mitigation measures are in place and are proving to be effective," 82nd spokesman Lt. Col. Mike Burns said in a statement.

"Our positivity rate for this exercise is under 5 percent, much lower than our surrounding communities," he continued. "We've implemented several measures in accordance with [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidelines to reduce likelihood of spreading the virus to one another."

According to the Observer, the letter states, "Soldiers are having to sleep amongst those that are infected and are not provided with a place to quarantine or isolate."

Burns wrote that a "small number of soldiers have tested positive for COVID since their arrival at JRCT. … [They] were quickly identified and isolated in barracks on mainpost (Fort Polk) away from the training area."

"Paratroopers in the isolation barracks are provided meals and sustainment by Fort Polk leadership, and are seen by medical providers twice a day to ensure their health and well-being," he added.

The 82nd would not release the exact number of soldiers who have tested positive for the virus, Burns said in the statement.

The three-week exercise at JRTC, one of the Army's three combat training centers, began Feb. 1 when about 500 paratroopers participated in a parachute assault into the training area, Burns said.

Prior to leaving Bragg, every paratrooper was tested for the virus and "required to restrict their movements until their test results were returned in order to decrease chances of infection prior to movement," Burns said.

The 82nd does not allow soldiers who test positive for COVID-19 to participate in training rotations, he told Military.com.

Paratroopers deploying to JRCT were offered the "option to vaccinate prior to deployment," said Burns, who would not say how many soldiers agreed to be vaccinated.

Vaccinations are being offered on a voluntary basis as long they are being distributed under an emergency use authorization.

"Leaders at every level and paratroopers of every rank are responsible for protecting themselves and their fellow soldiers at all times," Burns wrote. "We continue to emphasize the importance of vaccinations for all populations at Fort Bragg to improve the health, safety, and welfare of our paratroopers and their families."

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/02/05/82nd-airborne-disputes-claims-of-mass-outbreak-of-covid-19-training-center.html

Israel demolishes electricity network in occupied West Bank

February 5, 2021 at 8:40 am

Israeli occupation forces yesterday demolished a home and an electricity network in the West Bank's southern city of Hebron.

WAFA reported that Israeli bulldozers raided Beit Awwa town, near the city of Hebron, and demolished a 180 square metre house sheltering a Palestinian family including five children with social needs. The bulldozers also destroyed an electricity grid that was supplying ten homes in the area.

Swaity family inspects the rubble of their underconstruction home which was demolished by Israeli occupation forces in Beit Awwa town near #Hebron, under the pretext of building without permit.#Palestine#Act4Palestine#FreePalestinepic.twitter.com/EFCHozw5cI

— Shadi (@shadi1948) July 29, 2020

Occupation forces said the grid and the house were in what the Oslo Accords designated as "Area C" in the West Bank, which falls under full Israeli military and administrative control. Palestinians in the area almost never receive the necessary building permits to renovate, extend or construct new homes for their families in the area. Meanwhile, Israel continues to expand illegal settlements in the area in an effort to push Palestinians out, rights groups have warned.

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210205-israel-demolishes-electricity-network-in-occupied-west-bank/

Biden signals he'll move forward on COVID-19 relief without GOP

President Biden on Friday sent his strongest signal yet that he would move forward with his coronavirus relief proposal without Republican support, making the case for the need for his $1.9 trillion package by citing the January jobs report showing a weak economic recovery.

“I’d like to be doing it with the support of Republicans… but they’re just not willing to go as far as I think we have to go,” Biden said in prepared remarks from the State Dining Room at the White House.

“If I have to choose between getting help right now to Americans who are hurting so badly and getting bogged down in a lengthy negotiation or compromising on a bill that’s up to the crisis, that’s an easy choice,” Biden said. “I’m going to help the American people that are hurting now.”

Biden’s remarks came shortly after he wrapped a lengthy meeting with House Democrats in the Oval Office to discuss his relief plan. Following the meeting, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) laid out a timeline to pass the $1.9 trillion package by the end of the month, with the House passing it within the next two weeks.

The Senate in the early morning hours Friday approved a budget resolution in a party-line vote that would allow Democrats to pass Biden’s $1.9 trillion relief proposal without Republican support. Vice President Harris cast her vote to break the 50-50 tie in the upper chamber and put the resolution over the finish line. The House is poised to vote on the measure on Friday.

Biden and other White House officials have pointed to the worsening of the pandemic and ongoing economic hardship to argue the country could suffer for longer if Congress does not act or insists on passing a more modest relief bill.

Biden said Friday that the U.S. would not get back to full unemployment until 2025 if officials did not act on his package.

The president repeatedly made clear he was done waiting around for Republicans to come around to broker a deal, swiping at those in the GOP who have argued the $1.9 trillion White House proposal would exacerbate spending.

“What Republicans have proposed is either to do nothing, or not enough,” Biden said. “All of a sudden many of them have rediscovered fiscal restraint and the concern for the deficits. But don’t kid yourself, this approach will come with a cost.”

New figures released by the Labor Department on Friday showed the U.S. economy added 49,000 jobs during the month of January, a sign of a weak recovery as coronavirus cases remain high and businesses and workers feel the pain of closures and restrictions brought on by the virus.

“While we are grateful for everyone who found work and is earning a paycheck, it is very clear that our economy is still in trouble,” Biden said in his address, which he delivered alongside Harris and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

“A once in a century virus has decimated our economy and it still wreaking havoc on our economy today and so much of it is still about the virus, we’re still in the teeth of this pandemic,” Biden said, noting that January represented the deadliest month yet in the fight against the virus.

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/537544-biden-signals-hell-move-forward-on-covid-19-relief-without-gop

Russia expels Swedish, Polish, German diplomats for attending unauthorized rallies

They were summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday

MOSCOW, February 5. /TASS/. Russia has declared a Swedish, a Polish and a German diplomat personae non gratae because of their participation in the January 23 unauthorized rallies in Moscow and St. Petersburg, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

"In compliance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of April 18, 1961, diplomats who took part in unauthorized rallies have been declared personae non gratae. They must leave Russia as soon as possible," the ministry said.

According to the ministry, Sweden’s, Poland’s and Germany’s ambassadors were summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday over these incidents.

"The Russian side expects that Sweden’s, Poland’s and Germany’s diplomatic missions and their personnel will strictly abide by international law," the ministry stressed.

https://tass.com/politics/1253209

Russian Foreign Ministry Is Concerned About Political Persecution in the United States

Moscow intends to hold a ‘serious conversation’ with Washington about the stars and stripes allegations of unauthorized actions in Russia.

The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova spoke about this at a briefing.

The American authorities, according to their words, will not be able to “divert public views, public opinion from their own problems” with their unbridled attacks on the Russian Federation: “We mean to keep this topic in sight and have a serious conversation with Washington. I assure you, the news won’t keep you waiting.”

“I would like to appeal to Washington. I predict: their protest will not dissipate by itself. Discontent will not work under the carpet. the authorities and the media obedient to them declare, a direct quote: ‘domestic terrorists.’ Doubts about the objectivity of the US law enforcement agencies are also raised by the fact that they are essentially acting in accordance with the political order and guidelines of the current administration, which declared the events of January 6 as a mutiny, and all who were near the congress that day are almost depicted as mauraders. However, most of them are ordinary US citizens who are worried about the situation in their own country. And you know how many there are? 74 million voters. They voted for their president, as they believed necessary, they defended their beliefs,” – Zakharova emphasized.

“The United States has already announced so much lately that I want to remind them of what is happening in their country … An endless, unceasing increase in the degree of violence. This is what our partners need to pay attention to, the situation in their own countries, and not try to help rock the situation in our country,” she added.

An official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that human rights with the United States “are constantly and very hypocritically taken care of in relation to other countries, but they do not hesitate to ignore them at home.”

Zakharova is sure the United States will continue at attempts to interfere in the affairs of Russia. “But if the United States of America chooses the tactics of constant intervention in our internal affairs, which we are talking about and bringing facts, and these facts are not hard to find, they are on the surface, – we will be interested to see how they end up doing.”

Maria Zakharova – on the criminal prosecution of participants in the storming of the Capitol:

“It is of serious concern of the ongoing campaign in the United States of persecution of the participants in the so-called storming of the Capitol on January 6 and, in general, all those who disagree with the results of the last presidential elections, which the authorities and the media obedient to them, have declared ‘domestic terrorists.’

According to available informaiton, the FBI has opened over 400 criminal cases, requested more than 500 permits in the courts to search and summon suspects, and also brought charges and has already arrested about 200 people. Severe pressure is carried out, including the treatment of relatives, acquaintances, coercion to give the necessary testimony. Moreover, people who have not even been formally charged are fired from their jobs, expelled from social networks, blocked or harassed.”

💬#Zakharova: We would like to address #Washington: The protest will not go away, and you cannot just sweep discontent under the rug. They deserve to be treated according to the law, in line with the international obligations of the #US.

❗️ Deal with your own issues. pic.twitter.com/abxmGWiSVE

— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) February 4, 2021

https://thesaker.is/russian-foreign-ministry-is-concerned-about-political-persecution-in-the-united-states/

Trump Refuses to Give Evidence Sidestepping Dems’ Impeachment Trap

https://theduran.com/trump-refuses-to-give-evidence-sidestepping-dems-impeachment-trap/

Supreme Court Battle on CLINTON EMAIL Testimony!

The battle over Hillary Clinton’s testimony is far from over. TUNE IN to hear from Tom Fitton about what Judicial Watch is doing to pursue every legal avenue available to secure her testimony.

https://www.judicialwatch.org/videos/scotus-hillary-testimony/

PRAY FOR EACH OTHER