US Claims Iran Plans to Supply Russian Forces With ‘Weapons-Capable’ Drones

US officials claim Iran’s reported delivery of “several hundred” unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Russia is indicative of Moscow’s difficulty in sustaining a robust weapons stockpile as the conflict in Ukraine approaches six months.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan told White House reporters on Monday that US intelligence suggests Iran will be providing Russia with a rushed delivery of “weapons-capable” UAVs and other unmanned aircraft.

“Our information indicates that the Iranian government is preparing to provide Russia with up to several hundred UAVs, including weapons-capable UAVs on an expedited timeline,” Sullivan said on Monday.

Furthermore, Tehran was slated to begin offering related training sessions as early as July, the national security official pointed out.

“It’s unclear whether Iran has delivered any of these UAVs to Russia already,” Sullivan noted.

Sullivan’s revelation comes ahead of US President Joe Biden’s first trip to the Middle East since taking office.

The trip runs from Wednesday, July 13, through Saturday, July 16, and serves as an opportunity for the US administration to improve relations with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Riyadh, which Biden initially vowed to make a “pariah state.”

While Biden took a hard line with Saudi Arabia in November 2019, vowing to make Riyadh and MBS “pay the price” for approving the 2018 killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the global fuel crisis may lead the US president to adopt a more diplomatic approach in dealing with the oil-rich kingdom’s leadership.

https://sputniknews.com/20220712/us-claims-iran-plans-to-supply-russian-forces-with-weapons-capable-drones-1097208550.html

CIB busts human trafficking ring

Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) officials yesterday said they have arrested nine people on suspicion of human trafficking, and rescued nine Taiwanese.

The suspects are being accused of luring Taiwanese to Cambodia with lucrative job offers, before forcing them to work in their fraud operations.

The criminal ring was allegedly led by Lee Chen-hao (李振豪), who is suspected of being a boss of a Taipei chapter of the Bamboo Union triad, the officials said.

Lee and two men working for him have been placed under judicial detention pending further investigation, they said.

The CIB, with support from the National Police Agency, on Tuesday raided a business run by alleged members of the gang on Linsen N Road in Taipei and detained six suspected members of the ring.

Police also found modified handguns, bullets, computers, money ledgers, employment contracts and other documents linking the suspects to the trafficking operation.

Lee and other members of the ring are facing charges of fraud, illegal confinement and organized crime, CIB officials said.

The CIB’s investigation of the criminal ring began in May, when it received a call from a person being held hostage by the criminals. Police raided a hotel in Taipei and found three people confined to a room waiting to be transported to Cambodia.

Police at the time arrested three suspects, led by a man surnamed Lin (林), who allegedly worked with Lee in the human trafficking operation.

A follow-up investigation led to this week’s arrests, while police are cooperating with Cambodian authorities to track down other Taiwanese who might be linked to the case.

“Lee in November last year linked up with ‘snakeheads’ in Cambodia to set up conduits for human trafficking. He and members of his gang then put advertisements on social media platforms, offering up to NT$50,000 to NT$60,000 a month to work in Cambodia,” the CIB said.

The jobs offered included working in casinos, lending money and acting in adult films, it said.

However, the job applicants were confined to hotel rooms and had their identification cards confiscated before being forced to sign employment contracts. They were then taken to Cambodia, where local criminals and colluding Taiwanese took them to a place where they were forced to work in a telecom scam headed by Taiwanese, it said.

Victims who refused to cooperate were beaten and even tortured with electricity, the CIB said.

The profits generated by the criminal operation were split evenly between the Taiwanese and Cambodian groups, it said.

Eighty-two Taiwanese have been taken to Cambodia this way and nine have been rescued so far, the CIB said, adding that efforts are ongoing to find and repatriate the remaining victims.

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2022/07/10/2003781491

PEDO BUN 11 July 22

Federal Jury Finds Truck Driver Guilty of Sex Trafficking a Minor and Production of Child Sex Abuse Materials

https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdpa/pr/federal-jury-finds-truck-driver-guilty-sex-trafficking-minor-and-production-child-sex

After police lay in wait at a motel in Independence Township, three men were charged Saturday with multiple felonies when each tried to arrange to have sex with an underage girl, according to Oakland County law enforcement.

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/oakland/2022/07/11/oakland-sheriffs-sting-nets-three-accused-child-predators/10033284002/

Two men arrested, accused of molesting multiple children, Flagler County deputies say

https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/two-men-arrested-accused-of-molesting-multiple-children-flagler-county-deputies-say

Nine men accused of soliciting minors online for sex in Central Texas

https://www.kwtx.com/2022/07/11/nine-men-accused-soliciting-minors-online-sex-central-texas/

Spencerport Man Who Attempted To Have Sex With A Minor Going To Prison For 10 Years

https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdny/pr/spencerport-man-who-attempted-have-sex-minor-going-prison-10-years

El Paso Man Pleads Guilty to Production of Child Pornography

https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdtx/pr/el-paso-man-pleads-guilty-production-child-pornography-0

Osceola County Sex Offender Sentenced To 25 Years In Federal Prison For Production And Possession Of Child Sex Abuse Materials

https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/pr/osceola-county-sex-offender-sentenced-25-years-federal-prison-production-and-possession

Previously convicted sex offender sentenced again after accessing dark web

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/pr/previously-convicted-sex-offender-sentenced-again-after-accessing-dark-web

Cottonwood County Farmer Charged with $46 Million Organic Grain Fraud Scheme

https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn/pr/cottonwood-county-farmer-charged-46-million-organic-grain-fraud-scheme

Ohio AG Says His Office Has No Evidence Of Raped, Impregnated 10-Year-Old Girl Biden Cited: Report

On Monday, after suspicion had mounted that the story President Biden referenced of a 10-year-old Ohio girl who was raped and impregnated was fictional, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost reportedly went farther than his previous statements, asserting that his office had no evidence of such a case and no evidence of any request for lab results.

The story Biden told claimed the girl had traveled to Indiana for an abortion because Ohio forbid such a procedure; Yost reportedly pointed out that Ohio law would have permitted an abortion in a case like that.

In his July 8 remarks, Biden stated, “What we’re witnessing is a giant step backwards in much of our country.” After citing 13 states implementing abortion bans and twelve more states likely to follow, he continued, “… in a number of these states, the laws are so extreme they have raised the threat of criminal penalties for doctors and healthcare providers. They’re so extreme that many don’t allow for exceptions, even for rape or incest.”

Then he segued to the July 1 story from the Indianapolis Star which claimed Indianapolis obstetrician-gynecologist Caitlan Bernard had been alerted by an Ohio “child abuse doctor” about the supposed 10-year-old girl. Biden proclaimed:

This isn’t some imagined horror. It’s already happening. Just last week, it was reported that a 10-year-old girl was a rape victim in Ohio — 10 years old — and she was forced to have to travel out of the state, to Indiana, to seek to terminate the presnency [pregnancy] and maybe save her life. That’s — the last part is my judgment. Ten years old. Ten years old. Raped, six weeks pregnant. Already traumatized. Was forced to travel to another state. Imagine being that little girl. Just — I’m serious — just imagine being that little girl. Ten years old.

The Washington Post noted that Bernard was the only source for the story, which went viral and was repeated around the world. The Post also reported that Ohio law would require a doctor to report any case of physical, sexual or emotional abuse or neglect of a child, whether proven or suspected, to the local child welfare or law enforcement agency.

Ashe Schow of The Daily Wire reported on Saturday:

The Daily Wire reached out to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, and a spokesperson noted that allegations of child abuse are not public record, “including acknowledging whether an allegation has been made.” The spokesperson also said that Ohio has a decentralized system, meaning each county administers their child services. There are 88 counties in Ohio.

Next, The Daily Wire reached out to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s office, who said the AG’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation “must be requested by a law enforcement agency or county prosecutor to investigate a potential crime,” and that it had “not been requested to assist in any investigation related to these allegations.”

http://www.stationgossip.com/2022/07/ohio-ag-says-his-office-has-no-evidence.html

Huge protest in Albania demanding government resign because of soaring inflation

Although life carries on as normal for citizens of the United States and Canada, unrest in the world of emerging markets is starting to boil as smaller economies have been hit harder by the high price of crude oil and a strengthening U.S. dollar.

Videos emerged on the English Twittersphere of massive protests in Albania, a NATO member country, calling for the ruling government to resign that appear to show multiple tens of thousands of people in the streets.

English-language website Albanian News reported on July 7 that the demonstrations were peaceful, conducted in front of Prime Minister Edi Rama’s office, and organized by former Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha.

Unrest stems from “huge price hikes,” high costs of fuel, and a slowing job market.

The outlet also stated that protestors on the scene said they came out to challenge “poverty, corruption, and crime,” as well as “depopulation.”

Albania is a small country of only 2.8 million people nestled northwest of Greece.

Website Balkan Insight stated on July 7 that Albania posted a 6.7 percent inflation rate, which Central Bank Governor Gent Sejko was paraphrased as saying “might not have peaked.”

The outlet also paraphrased the Governor as saying, “While the country is expected to avoid a recession, growth will likely fall.”

Sejko was directly quoted as defining inflation as “the biggest danger that threatens the long-term sustainable growth of the country.”

In response to high inflation, the Central Bank shocked its economy, hiking the key interest rate 100 basis points from 0.25 to 1.25 percent.

https://www.visiontimes.com/2022/07/10/massive-albania-protests-fuel-costs-inflation.html

https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/huge-protest-in-albania-demanding-government-resign-because-of-soaring-inflation/

Inflation Protests Span Sri Lanka, Albania, Argentina, Panama, Kenya, Ghana - How Long Before They Hit The United States?

Sri Lanka is not the only country where household budgets are stretched to the breaking point. In many countries, high inflation has increased the cost of living, and protests are erupting at a rapid pace.

In Sri Lanka, inflation reached 54.6% in June while the central bank raised interest rates to 15.5%. This means that workers in Sri Lanka are losing savings by the second, while debt repayments have increased, putting strain on household budgets. The government has failed to honor foreign debt, and the IMF has demanded that it raise taxes and combat corruption as a condition for receiving a bailout loan.

Thousands of Albanians marched in Tirana last week, demanding that the government resign due to alleged corruption and a massive increase in consumer prices. The Albanian central bank announced a 1.25% interest rate increase, while official June inflation was 6.7%.

Thousands of Argentinians marched in Buenos Aires last week to protest rising costs of living. With key interest rates at 52% and inflation at 60.7% in May, demonstrators urged the government to resign while rejecting IMF loans that come with ever-tougher conditions for citizens.

Protests against the government in Panama began on first July, demanding that the government address the country's high cost of living. Demonstrators are demanding higher wages, lower commodity prices and the removal of supply chain bottlenecks. While inflation remains low in the highly monetized country, global supply chain issues have impacted Panama Canal revenues, reducing the government's revenues and projections.

The cost of basic foodstuffs has skyrocketed in Kenya and hundreds of protesters marched through Nairobi on Saturday, urging the government to lower food prices. Protesters claimed that the high cost of living was caused by the state's excessive borrowing and rampant corruption. Kenya's official inflation rate is 7.91%, while interest rates are 7.50%.

Ghanaians took to the streets in June to protest the high cost of living. The government was able to negotiate an IMF bailout after inflation reached 27.6% and raising interest rates to 19% did not appear to work. Ghana's economy has been flirting with a debt crisis due to excessive borrowing.

There are other demonstrations in the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and China that seem to span people being unable to comfortably handle household budgets, their cost of living being threatened by environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies and inability to access cash at bank.

While the US remains strong and employment data indicates a thriving economy, higher inflation could easily pressure household budgets and lead to protests. The FED is walking a tight rope and any mistake or black swan event could easily trigger demonstrations.

As a citizen, you can protect yourself from excessive currency printing by investing in bitcoin BTC -2.4% or other hard assets that cannot be printed for free. When held in self-custody, bitcoin has a hard cap and cannot be inflated. People who live in high-inflation areas could use bitcoin as a technology to store value and protect themselves from inflation. Furthermore, individuals who were unable to access their funds at Chinese commercial banks may benefit from a solid umbrella under bitcoin.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/rufaskamau/2022/07/11/inflation-protests-span-sri-lanka-albania-argentina-panama-kenya-ghanahow-long-before-they-hit-the-united-states/

U.S. weighs resumption of offensive arms sales to Saudis, sources say

The US is considering lifting a ban on offensive weapon sales to Saudi Arabia that was introduced by US President Joe Biden in February last year, according to a Monday report by Reuters.

Saudi officials have been pressuring the Biden administration to scrap the policy ahead of Biden’s trip to the region this week and are eyeing a supply of precision-guided munitions that Biden had suspended.

Citing four people familiar with the talks between Washington and Riyadh, the report said such a change in US policy would likely require Saudi Arabia to make significant concessions of its own.

Primarily, it would require the Gulf state to begin the process of ending the war it has been waging against Iran-backed Houthis in neighboring Yemen. While former US presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump supported Saudi Arabia in its operation in Yemen, Biden scaled backed US support for the Saudi-led campaign and removed the Houthi group off the US terror list.

Biden’s overall approach to Saudi Arabia has been starkly more critical than that adopted by his predecessors, especially after the assassination of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in Istanbul in 2018.

While then-US president Trump defended the American embrace of Riyadh, Biden vowed to put human rights and “American values” first, a promise he began fulfilling shortly after entering office in January 2021.

After releasing an intelligence report that pointed to the direct involvement of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (known as MBS) in Khashoggi’s killing, the Biden administration called its Middle East partner a “pariah” and announced “significant changes” in US-Saudi relations.

“We are going to hold them accountable for human rights abuses and make sure that, in fact, if they want to deal with us, they have to do it in a way where human rights abuses are dealt with,” Biden said at the time.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/exclusive-us-weighs-possible-resumption-offensive-arms-sales-saudis-sources-2022-07-11/

Andrews Government urges Victorians to wear masks and consider working from home under new COVID pandemic orders

The Andrews Government has stopped short of reintroducing mandates as it issued recommendations to Victorians ahead of another imminent wave of COVID-19 infections.

Victorians are being urged to mask-up and consider working from home amid skyrocketing COVID-19 cases - as the Andrews Government warns the winter wave of infections is about to get even worse.

Businesses have been encouraged to facilitate at-home working for their employees as the federal and state Health Ministers warn of increased transmission due to COVID-19 subvariants BA.4 and BA.5.

The reinfection period will also be reduced from 12 weeks to four under the new measures set to be introduced at 11:59pm on Tuesday.

While the Andrews Government has stopped short of mandating the wearing of masks, it has strongly recommended that Victorians wear the face coverings in crowded and indoor areas.

New Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said she was “very confident” the pandemic orders would “empower” residents to make their own decisions ahead of a winter wave.

“The most effective way of minimising the spread is following the advice that is in place through the pandemic orders, listening to public health messages and putting into place the recommendations that we are making,” she said on Tuesday.

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler weighed into the worsening COVID-19 situation in Victoria and warned that cases and hospitalisations have “more to go” in the next six weeks.

https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/coronavirus/andrews-government-urges-victorians-to-wear-masks-and-consider-working-from-home-under-new-covid-pandemic-orders/news-story/e6a6f0424dcc4cd82f8d8d25760246a9

Puppeteer Jeff Dunham Mocks Joe Biden In Hilarious Send-Up

Russia slams Australia over Aussie Cossack’s jail sentence!

10 months for naming a pedo

The Aus courts are protecting pedos and going after anyone who exposes that

A former Liberal Party and Gladys Berejiklian staffer has been spared jail after he admitted to sexually abusing two children when he was a teenager.

The political adviser, who cannot be named as he was a teenager at the time, on Tuesday faced the NSW District Court, where Judge John Pickering sentenced him to a community corrections order for two years.

The court was told the man was arrested in 2020 after police spent four years investigating allegations made by a man and woman who said they had been abused as children in the mid-1990s.

Judge Pickering told the court the six offences of aggravating indecent assault occurred between 1993-1996.

The staffer was just 14 to 16 years old at the time but is now over 40 years of age and held a job as a staffer for Ms Berejiklian.

https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/courts-law/former-gladys-berejiklian-political-advisers-sex-abuse-acts-with-children/news-story/e13b696d3d4da599db493aab640e5f72

Australia's pedo protection