KEK

Pentagon warns new ISIS leader will ‘step up’ because they want to ‘attack the West’

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby warned that a new ISIS leader will ‘step up’ and could even launch attacks on the U.S. after terror group’s head Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi blew himself and his family to bits.

The press secretary also said the Pentagon had hoped to capture al-Qurayshi, also known as Abdullah Qardash, alive to take him in for interrogation, but new details show that the ISIS chief wired the entire third floor of his home so he could blow himself and his family up at a moment’s notice if he were to be found by Western forces.

‘We are going to assume that they are going to try to replace him,’ Kirby said.

Al-Qurayshi has no known successor.

‘This is an organization that wants to reconstitute. They want to grow, they want to get back to the heyday that they had back in 2014.’

‘They certainly have expressed indications that they would like to continue to attack the West, even our homeland. So this is a group that we are keeping an eye on and we have to…

https://hcabarbieri.it/2022/02/04/pentagon-warns-new-isis-leader-will-step-up-because-they-want-to-attack-the-west/

Prince Andrew's ex Lady Victoria Hervey claims infamous image of Duke with Virginia Giuffre was FAKED using photo of accuser in the same clothes taken at Naomi Campbell's birthday months later and a body double who dated another Epstein victim

Ex 'It Girl' Lady Victoria Hervey, 44, is the daughter of the 6th Marquess of Bristol

She has claimed infamous photo of Prince Andrew with Virginia Giuffre is fake

Said she has been told by Epstein's victims Virginia photoshopped the image

Claimed she 'used images taken at Naomi Campbell's 2001 boat party' and 'an Irish body double' stood in for Prince Andrew to created the infamous photo

Claimed Virginia 'wants to take down the monarchy' using the Duke of York

Earlier this week Lady Victoria Hervey sensationally repeated claims that the infamous photo of Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre was faked.

Now the 44-year-old socialite and former 'It Girl', who is the daughter of the 6th Marquess of Bristol, has doubled down by identifying the set of images she says were used to create the doctored photo.

The infamous snap with the Duke of York, which was reportedly taken in March 2001 at Ghislaine Maxwell's London apartment, has been reproduced countless times around the world after Ms Giuffre - known before her marriage as Virginia Roberts - shared it with The Mail on Sunday in February 2011.

But Lady Victoria said it has been pieced together using a photo taken at Naomi Campbell's birthday party on board a yacht in St Tropez in May 2001, in which Virginia can be seen wearing the same white tank top with colourful patterned jeans.

The logical explanation is, of course, that she was wearing the same outfit on both occasions.

What's more, Lady Victoria does not have a copy of the exact Virginia photo from St Tropez which she claims was used to fake the Prince Andrew image, and it has never been seen publicly. However, she did share a bizarre painted reproduction of the alleged image to Instagram earlier this week.

Lady Victoria added to her baffling claims by saying that an 'Irish guy' who was dating one of Epstein's victims in 2001 and also attended the boat party was used as a 'body double' for Prince Andrew in the 'fake' image.

In an exclusive interview, Lady Victoria told FEMAIL she has spoken to several victims of Jeffrey Epstein, who said they believe the image was edited by Virginia and Maria Farmer, another victim who worked as an 'artist-in-residence' for Epstein.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-10476511/Prince-Andrews-ex-Lady-Victoria-Hervey-44-claims-Virginia-Giuffre-edited-image-Prince-Andrew.html

Pence Blasts Trump as ‘Un-American’ in Speech for ‘FedSoc’ Group Which Takes Massive Donations from Election-Fiddling Facebook Founder.

The Federalist Society named Facebook – whose founder Mark Zuckerberg spend millions influencing the 2020 election – as one of its Gold Sponsors this year.

Former Vice President Mike Pence delivered a speech to the ostensibly “conservative” Federalist Society on Friday, wherein he insisted that President Trump and his team were wrong to demand Pence use the powers of the Vice President to scrutinize the election results after the 2020 presidential debacle.

Now, details of the host organization of the speech and its links to Mark Zuckerberg, Big Tech, and Facebook specifically may go some way to explaining the former Veep’s precarious position on the matter.

Speaking in Orlando, Pence insisted: “President Trump is wrong. I had no right to overturn the election. The presidency belongs to the American people and the American people alone. And frankly there is no idea more un-American than the notion that any one person could choose the American president.”

But the American people did not get to choose the president in the last election, amidst voter fraud, unconstitutional changes in election rules, COVID-related restrictions and “drop boxes”. Instead, the decision was made by Big Tech, the same people who sponsor the group behind Pence’s speech.

The notion of a contested election is certainly risible given the precedent set by the establishment of an Electoral Commission during the 1876 election. But even more concerning is the involvement of the Zuckerberg-owned Facebook in the Federalist Society.

Zuckerberg famously dumped millions of dollars into unconstitutional election changes in 2020, with many of those rules currently being rolled back. The Zuckerberg-Chan Foundation, their Center for Tech and Civic Life, and Facebook itself have been implicated in major, illegal election interference.

https://thenationalpulse.com/2022/02/04/pence-blasts-trump-as-un-american-in-speech-for-fedsoc-group-which-takes-massive-donations-from-election-fiddling-facebook-founder/

Ottawa Police Team Up With Federal Intelligence Agencies, Including US DHS and FBI, to Launch “Enhanced Intelligence Operations and Investigations” Against Truckers For Freedom Convoy

Thousands of trucks have gridlocked the Canadian capital city of Ottawa for almost a week, with protesters aiming to pressure Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to end all mandates and lockdowns associated with Covid-19. Participants are refusing to leave until the authoritarian restrictions are lifted completely, and with both sides not budging, the Canadian government is turning to drastic measures in an attempt to crush the grassroots uprising.

On Friday, the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) announced they are pairing with several federal intelligence agencies and other law enforcement divisions to launch “enhanced intelligence operations and investigations” that will target individuals who are participating in the Canadian Truckers For Freedom Convoy.

US law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS), will also assist with the crackdown by investigating “online threats that originated in the US,” despite little to no evidence or behavior that has indicated any violence is being planned.

According to the OPS statement, the ‘enhanced investigation’ will begin targeting the key figures who are behind the organization of the convoy as part of the Canadian government’s “increased effort to identify and target protestors who are funding/supporting/enabling unlawful and harmful activity by protesters.”

Intelligence agencies will be assisting the OPS in gathering identifying information on targeted individuals, including financial records, digital history, vehicle registration, driver’s licenses, insurance status, and other personal data that can be used to criminally prosecute the convoy participants.

Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly provided details on the investigation during a press conference on Friday.

The OPS announcement also makes clear that “every unlawful act, including traffic violations, will be fully pursued regardless of origin.” It continues by specifying some of the ‘unlawful acts’ that will be criminally prosecuted – such as, “harassment, mischief, hate crimes, and noise violations.”

Mischief… yes, really.

According to Canada Globe and Mail reporter Marieke Walsh, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ontario Police, and the Sûreté Du Quebec, are all working on the operation with additional assistance from US Federal agencies.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/02/ottawa-police-team-federal-intelligence-agencies-including-us-dhs-fbi-launch-enhanced-intelligence-operations-investigations-truckers-freedom-convoy/

Genocide Olympics Protesters Denounce ‘Complicity’ of Corporations in Chinese Human Rights Abuses

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Brian Leung denounced mainstream corporations for supporting Beijing’s hosting of the 2022 Winter Olympics at a “#NoBeijing2022” rally on Thursday in Washington, DC, saying their sponsoring of the event equates to tacit approval of the Chinese Communist Party’s human rights violations.

Smith and Leung spoke in person at the demonstration on February 3, organized by the Victims of Communism Memorial Fund (VOC).

“Today we witness the complicity of many in corporate America, from Coca-Cola to NBC and so many others who are … [barely] mentioning these horrific crimes out of fear of a denial of access to to the markets in China,” Rep. Smith said at the event.

Though he spoke separately, Leung echoed the themes of Congressman Smith’s speech, similarly highlighting the significant corporate backing of the 2022 Winter Olympics, which launched on February 4 and will last through February 20.

“China wants to reap the benefit and reputation of being a major international player [by hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics],” he said Thursday.

“But [China] is not willing to abide by the standards and the rules of the world,” Leung continued.

“Instead, it [China] wants to silence and suppress international critics and buy off companies and countries who are willing to acquiesce,” he stated.

Leung is the Executive Director of the Hong Kong Democracy Council, which supports pro-democracy activism in Hong Kong. The city has seen its limited freedoms increasingly encroached upon by the Chinese Communist Party over the past 18 months through the imposition of a “National Security Law” designed to stamp out a previously thriving pro-democracy movement. As the law was passed in Beijing, it is not legal to enforce it in Hong Kong under the “One Country, Two Systems” policy, but Hong Kong police have used it to repress dissidents, anyway.

In a summary of its February 3 “#NoBeijing2022” rally, the VOC said event participants had criticized the “top corporate sponsors” of the 2022 Winter Olympics “for failing to fulfill their human rights due diligence responsibilities and urged [them] to immediately disclose their human rights due diligence strategies or explain their failure to carry out such assessments.”

The human rights nonprofit named the Games’ mainstream sponsors as “Airbnb, Alibaba, Allianz, Atos, Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, Intel, Omega, Panasonic, P&G, Samsung, Toyota, and Visa.”

The VOC said its rally in Washington, DC, on Thursday specifically aimed to “denounce the atrocities and grave human rights abuses being committed by the Chinese government” in China’s westernmost region of Xinjiang and Hong Kong.

“I have determined that the PRC [People’s Republic of China], under the direction and control of the CCP [Chinese Communist Party], has committed genocide against the predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang,” former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wrote in a press statement on January 19, 2021.

Pompeo said he made the determination based on the documentation and review of crimes against humanity in Xinjiang committed by the Chinese Communist Party including, “the arbitrary imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty of more than one million civilians, forced sterilization, torture of a large number of those arbitrarily detained, [and] forced labor.”

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/02/04/genocide-olympics-protesters-denounce-complicity-corporations-chinese-human-rights-abuses/

Avenatti convicted of defrauding ex-client Stormy Daniels, sealing U.S. lawyer's fall

Lawyer Michael Avenatti, who rose to fame for taking on then-U.S. President Donald Trump before a string of criminal charges ended his legal career, was convicted on Friday of defrauding a former client, porn star Stormy Daniels.

Avenatti, who faces up to 22 years behind bars, had pleaded not guilty to embezzling nearly $300,000 in book proceeds intended for Daniels.

The verdict by a federal jury in Manhattan followed a two-week trial in which the brash, 50-year-old lawyer represented himself.

Avenatti, who is based in Los Angeles, agreed to surrender to U.S. marshals in California on Monday. Sentencing was scheduled for May 24.

Following the verdict, Avenatti, who was wearing a black mask and a suit with a diamond-patterned tie, switched his gaze back and forth between the jury and down at the table he was sitting at.

He vowed to appeal.

"I am very disappointed in the jury's verdict," Avenatti said. "I am looking forward to a full adjudication of all the issues on appeal."

It was the second time in two years that Avenatti was convicted on federal charges in Manhattan. "Rather than advise his clients in their best interests, Avenatti instead used his law degree as a license to steal," U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement.

Daniels, the prosecution's star witness, testified that Avenatti had led her to believe her publisher had not disbursed advance payments totaling $297,500 for her memoir, "Full Disclosure," when she asked in 2018 and early 2019 about the delays.

She said she later learned that Avenatti had diverted the money to an account he controlled, without telling her.

"I felt very betrayed and stupid," Daniels said. "Michael had been lying and stealing from me."

In a statement following the verdict, Daniels' lawyer, Clark Brewster, said his client was "relieved this nightmare is over."

"Mr. Avenatti possessed the uncanny ability to steadfastly deny the crimes and persuade others he was entitled to the embezzled funds," Brewster said. "Stormy is pleased that the justice system worked."

https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/jury-reaches-verdict-michael-avenattis-fraud-trial-court-official-2022-02-04/

CDC Admits Natural Immunity Trumps Vaccine Immunity — 5 Months After Touting Vaccines as Superior

Five months after issuing a statement that vaccine immunity protects against COVID better than natural immunity, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent a report showing the opposite is true, at least when it comes to the Delta variant.

A Jan. 19 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed natural immunity against COVID was at least three times as effective as vaccination alone at preventing people from becoming infected with the Delta variant.

Overall, the study showed natural immunity outperformed vaccine immunity when it came to preventing infection and hospitalization from Delta.

The results contradicted a previous CDC study, published in August 2021, which concluded vaccination was better than natural immunity. The CDC issued a media statement about the August study, which was widely covered by mainstream press.

When a much larger Israeli study was published two weeks later, finding the opposite, the CDC did not offer any comment or analysis on the new data.

“The CDC is now finally revising its position five months later,” said Dr. Madhava Setty, senior science editor for The Defender. “This is a major problem with the CDC and its data. They have been opaque and late to the game from the beginning.”

Are vaccines interfering with natural immunity?

The latest CDC study examined four categories of people in California and New York between May and November 2021: unvaccinated and vaccinated who survived a previous COVID infection, and unvaccinated and vaccinated who had never been infected.

While the highest case rates were among those who had neither previous exposure nor vaccination, the outcomes with Delta for those who were unvaccinated but previously exposed were substantially better than for those whose immunity came from vaccination alone.

Unvaccinated, recovered individuals had infection rates 14.7 (N.Y.) to 29 (Calif.) times lower than those who had no immunity, while the vaccinated who had no prior COVID exposure had rates 4.5 (N.Y.) to 6.2 (Calif.) lower than those without any immunity.

The results were similar for hospitalization: Those with natural immunity were 2- 6 times less likely to be hospitalized than those with vaccinated immunity alone.

Additionally, the week-by-week hospitalization risk data often showed natural immunity registering lower risk rates than even hybrid immunity (vaccination plus prior recovery from COVID).

During the last three months of the study (Sept. 4 to Nov. 13), the hazard rate of hospitalization for those with natural immunity was typically 20 or more points lower than the hazard rates for those with hybrid immunity.

The report did not offer cumulative, comparative data on hospitalization rates.

“This is potentially a concerning finding in that it suggests the vaccine could be interfering with natural immunity,” Setty said.

Summarizing the data, the CDC made reference to the now well-documented decline of vaccinated immunity during Delta:

“Case rates were initially lowest among vaccinated persons without a previous COVID-19 diagnosis; however, after emergence of the Delta variant and over the course of time, incidence increased sharply in this group [those with vaccinated immunity], but only slightly among both vaccinated and unvaccinated persons with previously diagnosed COVID-19.”

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7104e1.htm?s_cid=mm7104e1_w

https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/cdc-natural-immunity-trumps-vaccine-immunity/

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Anti-Defamation League Changes Its Definition of Racism After Backlash

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has again changed its definition of racism amidst public backlash, after the organization’s CEO, Jonathan Greenblatt, criticized then accepted the apology of television personality Whoopi Goldberg for making racially insensitive and inaccurate remarks on “The View.”

On Feb. 2, the organization Californians for Equal Rights Foundation (CFER) and 20 other civil rights groups sent a letter to the ADL raising alarm over its definition of racism.

In July 2020, the ADL redefined racism as the “marginalization and/or oppression of people of color based on a socially constructed racial hierarchy that privileges white people.”

In a press release, CFER called that definition of racism “absurd and narrow-minded” with roots in critical race theory.

“The far left is waging a culture war by redefining and engineering fundamental concepts that we use daily, including racism, along political and ideological lines,” said Frank Xu, president of CFER. “As a society, we must be on high alert and push back.”

The ADL’s redefinition of racism came into the media spotlight when Goldberg said on the television show “The View” on Jan. 31 that the Holocaust was “not about race.” Greenblatt quickly condemned her remarks on Twitter and appeared in a segment on the show the next day.

ABC has suspended Goldberg from the show for two weeks.

In the Feb. 2 letter, CFER and the co-signing partner groups claim ADL’s attempt to redefine what constitutes racism is a “deeply offensive, illiberal, and un-American ploy to ascribe guilt and innocence to individuals on the basis of their race.”

The groups represented in the letter suggested ADL adopt a definition similar to its former definition of racism: “the belief that a particular race is superior or inferior to another, that a person’s social and moral traits are predetermined by his or her inborn biological characteristics.”

The same day the letter was issued, ADL revised the definition of racism on its website to a new “interim” definition.

“Racism (interim definition): Racism occurs when individuals or institutions show more favorable evaluation or treatment of an individual or group based on race or ethnicity. (Prof. Robert Livingston, The Conversation).”

ADL did not respond to specific inquiries about the change, but instead deferred to an article written by the organization’s CEO, Jonathan Greenblatt: “Getting it Right in Defining Racism.”

The article cites the interim definition as what Professor Robert Livingston of the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard University calls his “simple definition.”

ADL, Greenblatt wrote, is trying to adapt to the times, “but we certainly don’t always get it right.”

https://www.theepochtimes.com/anti-defamation-league-faces-backlash-over-redefinition-of-racism_4255892.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=ZeroHedge

Congress Probes NIH for Spending $2.5 Million Injecting Puppies With Cocaine

'Coke hounds' were either killed or 'recycled' for other experiments, White Coat Waste Project said

The National Institutes of Health is facing a bipartisan congressional probe for spending $2.5 million in taxpayer funds on a study that injected beagle puppies with cocaine, according to a copy of the investigation obtained exclusively by the Washington Free Beacon.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), an NIH offshoot, was recently found to have conducted a study in which it "spent roughly $2.5 million of taxpayers' money on cruel tests on six-month-old beagle puppies," according to the investigation by 15 House lawmakers, led by Reps. Nancy Mace (R., S.C.) and Brendan Boyle (D., Pa.). "These tests entailed force-feeding puppies an experimental drug and injecting them with cocaine to study the interaction between the two compounds."

The study, first disclosed by the nonpartisan watchdog group White Coat Waste Project, ignited a media firestorm and put the NIH's agenda in the congressional crosshairs at a time when the agency was already facing criticism over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic and partnerships with Chinese scientific institutions. Lawmakers want information on the cost of the study and similar studies, as well as details about what other tests are being performed on dogs. The investigation is likely to further erode public confidence in the NIH, which has been the subject of congressional investigations into their handling of the COVID pandemic.

The NIDA study was conducted from March 2020 until September 2021, when White Coat Waste disclosed the project this month following a Freedom of Information Act request. "At the end of the experiment, the ‘coke hounds' were either killed or ‘recycled'—meaning they were shipped off to be used in other wasteful, cruel, and unnecessary experiments," according to White Coat Waste's findings.

Documents related to the study indicate NIDA was working to generate a report to send to the Food and Drug Administration. After news of the study broke, however, the FDA said it "does not mandate that human drugs be studied in dogs"—casting doubt on the need for such an experiment.

"We are concerned that NIDA is spending tax dollars on dog testing that is cruel, costly, outdated, and that the FDA has claimed is unnecessary," the lawmakers write. They want to know if NIDA attempted to explore non-animal alternatives before deciding to experiment on beagle puppies.

Justin Goodman, senior vice president of advocacy of public policy at White Coat Waste, said the congressional investigation is vital to generating public accountability for the NIH's actions.

"Animal lovers and liberty lovers can agree that taxpayers should not be forced to pay $2 million for beagle puppies to be injected with cocaine just to fulfill outdated FDA red tape," Goodman said. "We're grateful to Reps. Boyle, Mace, and their colleagues for sticking up for taxpayers and puppies and demanding answers from the NIH about its wasteful and cruel spending on dog experiments. As our ‘Coke Hound' investigation has shown, the NIH is addicted to spending and taxpayers in both parties want it to stop."

https://freebeacon.com/politics/congress-probes-nih-for-spending-2-5-million-injecting-puppies-with-cocaine/

US Media Outlets Peddle Chinese Propaganda as Olympics Begin in Beijing

NYT praises China's pandemic response; NBC presents 'both sides' of Uyghur genocide

China is hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics, which means U.S. media coverage of the brutal communist regime is going to be even more credulous and obsequious than usual over the next couple of weeks.

Just as the opening ceremonies were getting underway in Beijing, for example, the New York Times published an article that praises China's authoritarian response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The government's "zero Covid" policy, comprised of strict lockdowns and other acts of state coercion, has been a major success, the Times reports.

How do they know it's been successful? Because China has one of the lowest COVID-19 death rates in the entire world, according to the Chinese government. The Times concedes that the Chinese data "can be suspect" but insists that China has "almost certainly" done a great job handling the pandemic, even if the official numbers are "artificially low." (China has reported just 3 deaths per million from COVID, compared with almost 2,700 in the United States.)

"China's success at controlling Covid had turned into a public relations triumph for the regime," write reporters David Leonhardt and Ian Prasad Philbrick. "President Xi Jinping uses China's management of the virus to bolster his global campaign for influence, arguing that China’s system of government works better than Western democracies do."

The article does not mention the origin of the virus (Wuhan) or the Chinese government's initial efforts to downplay the severity of the virus. It does, however, concede that China's containment measures have "disrupt[ed] daily life even more than in other countries," especially the ones that value "individual rights," such as the United States, where citizens are allowed to "disagree vehemently" about government policy.

NBCUniversal, the Comcast subsidiary responsible for producing U.S. coverage of the Olympics, was also quick to peddle Chinese propaganda during the opening ceremonies. Today show coanchor Savannah Guthrie provided credulous commentary on the (alleged) selection of a Uyghur athlete from Xinjiang province to light the Olympic torch.

"This moment is quite provocative. It's a statement from the Chinese president Xi Jinping," said Guthrie. "It is an in-your-face response to those Western nations, including the U.S., who have called this Chinese treatment of [Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang] genocide and diplomatically boycotted these games."

NBC's coverage of the opening ceremonies was marked by a "both sides" approach to China's systematic repression of Uyghur Muslims, which was repeatedly described as merely an allegation leveled by Western countries against the communist regime. "It has to be said that the Chinese government emphatically denies all of this," NBC commentators remarked. "They say that accusations of genocide are the lie of the century."

In other news, a Dutch reporter was manhandled by Chinese officials during a live broadcast, and News Corp announced that hackers working "to benefit China's interests" had stolen emails and other documents that belong to some of its journalists and other employees.

https://freebeacon.com/media/china-olympics-propaganda/

Russia, China condemn AUKUS, affirm ‘no limits’ to their partnership

Moscow: China and Russia have condemned the AUKUS alliance between Australia, Britain and the United States, saying it increased the danger of an arms race in the region, in a combative joint statement released as China’s President Xi Jinping hosted Russia’s Vladimir Putin on the opening day of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/russia-china-condemn-aukus-affirm-no-limits-to-their-partnership-20220205-p59u11.html

PEDO BUN 4 February 22

Former Guam Army National Guard Soldier Sentenced to 10 years for Attempted Enticement of a Minor

https://www.justice.gov/usao-gu/pr/former-guam-army-national-guard-soldier-sentenced-10-years-attempted-enticement-minor

Minnesota Fugitive Living In Rutherford County Is Sentenced To 15 Years For Transportation Of Child Pornography

https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc/pr/minnesota-fugitive-living-rutherford-county-sentenced-15-years-transportation-child

Sex Trafficker Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for the Trafficking of Two Minors

https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/sex-trafficker-sentenced-20-years-federal-prison-trafficking-two-minors

Bayamón Psychologist Indicted and Arrested for Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor

https://www.justice.gov/usao-pr/pr/bayam-n-psychologist-indicted-and-arrested-attempted-coercion-and-enticement-minor

US reacts to partnership between Russia & China

Washington maintains its own relationship with China,the White House has said.

The US has a relationship with Beijing of its own, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said during a press briefing on Friday, when asked about President Biden’s take on the strengthening ties between Russia and China “through the lens of his broader foreign policy goals, agenda items.”

“Well, we – the president views it – views it as we have our own relationship with China,” Psaki said, somewhat dodging the original question and straying into the issues related to the situation around Ukraine.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently spoke to China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and “underscored the global security and economic risks posed by further Russian aggression against Ukraine,” Psaki added.

“We’ve also conveyed that a destabilizing conflict in Europe would impact China’s interests all over the world. And certainly, China should know that,” she stressed.

The situation around Ukraine has been one of the centerpieces of US foreign policy over the past few months, with top officials and media repeatedly warning of an allegedly impending “invasion” of the country by Russia. Moscow has consistently denied having any plans of the sort.

Earlier in the day, Russia and China released a large joint statement announcing their plans to deepen their cooperation in a vast number of areas. The statement came amid a visit of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to China at the invitation of his counterpart, China’s President Xi Jinping.

“Friendship between the two States has no limits, there are no ‘forbidden’ areas of cooperation,” the statement reads.

The two countries have proclaimed a joint stance on the expansion of NATO – one of the top issues in the strained relations with the West for Moscow. “The parties oppose the further expansion of NATO and call for the North Atlantic Alliance to refrain from ideological approaches from the time of the Cold War,” the statement reads, urging the US-led bloc “to respect sovereignty, security, [and]the interests of other countries.”

https://www.rt.com/news/548388-us-russia-china-psaki/

Biden grants nuclear sanctions relief to Iran

Reverses Trump’s decision to rescind waivers related to Tehran’s civilian nuclear activities

Washington has allowed foreign companies to engage in some civilian projects at Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power station, Tehran Research Reactor and Arak heavy water plant, in an apparent bid to push forward negotiations to restore the nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

“The waiver with respect to these activities is designed to facilitate discussions that would help to close a deal on a mutual return to full implementation of the JCPOA and lay the groundwork for Iran’s return to performance of its JCPOA commitments,” the State Department said in a notice to Congress seen by the Associated Press on Friday.

As part of the JCPOA, Tehran agreed in 2015 to strict oversight of its nuclear energy program – maintaining that it never sought to obtain atomic weapons – in exchange for relief from sanctions imposed by the UN at the US’ urging. Former US President Donald Trump, however, decided that the deal was not good enough and unilaterally reimposed those sanctions in 2018. Some waivers granted at the time were later rescinded in 2020 as part of Trump’s ‘maximum pressure’ campaign.

Upon taking office in January 2021, US President Joe Biden said he was open to returning to the JCPOA if Iran came back into compliance. Tehran responded that Washington needs to come into compliance first, starting with the removal of sanctions.

“If the parties are ready to lift sanctions, the ground for reaching an agreement on nuclear issues is absolutely ready,” President Ebrahim Raisi told RT in an exclusive interview last month.

The State Department, however, emphasized that the sanctions relief serves “US nonproliferation and nuclear safety interests” and should not be seen as a “commitment or as part of a quid pro quo.”

https://www.rt.com/news/548389-iran-nuclear-sanctions-waivers/