Durham report: Barr touts special counsel investigation into Trump inquiry as 'success’

May 16, 2023

Former Attorney General William Barr touted special counsel John Durham's investigation as a "success."

In an appearance on Fox News, Barr hailed Durham's final report as vindicating former President Donald Trump and accomplishing what it set out to do. He stressed that the investigation, which he commissioned in 2019, wasn't intended to find criminal wrongdoing but only to get to the bottom of the FBI'shandling of its investigation into alleged collusion between Trump and the Russian government.

"I take away from [the Durham report] that it was a success in that its purpose from the very beginning was to get to the truth," Barr answered when asked what his main takeaway from the final report was.

"It was not launched as a criminal investigation, and people who compare it to the Mueller investigation are simply wrong. I asked [Durham] to get to the bottom of it, to get his arms around the truth. If he found crimes, we could prosecute them. But I think that’s what he has done; he has dug into it, andI think he has gotten as close to the bottom as anyone is going to get to this," Barr continued.

Barr also accused the FBI of abandoning "any semblance of professionalism," saying the agency took up the cause with a vengeance.

"I think the real story here, from the FBI’s perspective, is what an abomination this was," Barr said. "This so-called investigation, you know, if it wasn’t a witch hunt, it’s a damn good imitation of one."

Barr also condemned the FBI and those who encouraged the Mueller investigation into Russian collusion as having "ruined the country through their conspiracy-mongering."

However, Barr also offered a defense of the FBI as it stands currently, arguing that the issues in the Russian collusion investigation came from the top so don't necessarily indict the FBI as a whole.

"This was not necessarily institutional rot," he said. "This was from the top."

Barr said the reforms initiated by himself and FBI Director Christopher Wray largely solved the problems that led to the Russia investigation.

Durham's final report was released on Monday. Though not recommending any criminal charges, the special counsel issued a scathing indictment of the agency, writing that its handling of the investigation was "seriously deficient" and caused "severe reputational harm."

(Barr takes credit for the big dud of Durham reports, and admits he set up Durham to fail to prosecute anyone. I’m sure Garland was the cherry on top when Barr pushed his SC full authority issued on Dec. 21, 2020, the day he resigned; and Durham had to work under the new AG. Barr can now collect his bribe money!)

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/courts/william-barr-durham-success

PN>>18860259, >>18860260, PN>>18860262, >>18860264, PN>>18860264 Anon reporting Durham findings>>18860294, >>18860309 Moar Anon reporting Durham: Obama, Brennan 'in on it'

The one thing I can say for sure is that the FBI does extremely well, memory holing laptops

Weiner laptop

Hunter laptop

Rich laptop

All of HRC’s laptops

I’m sure there’s more!

They really seem to dislike evidence of serious crimes, because they disappear when arriving at the FBI. Odd considering their job is crime related, oh yeahthey renamed themselves an intelligence gathering Agencyright after 9/11 when Bush told Mueller they should.

So based on that,they are collecting blackmail material to use in the future

17 May, 2023 15:15

Kiev (Whines &) demands apology after ‘cynical’ quip by TV host

A French satire show host described Ukrainian presidentVladimir Zelensky's European tour as a traveling circus

Ukraine’s ambassador to France has lashed out at TV network RTL for airing a segment that likened President Vladimir Zelensky’s tour of Europe to a traveling circus. Vadim Omelchenko is demanding an apology.

The sarcastic characterization was“cynical and lacked tact,”the diplomat tweeted on Tuesday, adding that the French presenter and show producers had demonstrated neither empathy nor responsibility in airing it. The envoy demanded that RTL apologizes to Zelensky and the Ukrainian people. They are “fighting for their freedom and for yours,” he declared, as well as for their right to "live lives that are enjoyable." (Oh Yeah, Ukraine actually accused someone else of being “cynical and lacking tact! Hysterical really)

The episode that the Ukrainian ambassador took issue with was part of a show hosted bycomedian and impersonatorLaurent Gerra. His schtick is making ridiculous statements in the voice of French public figures, especially politicians.It’s not unlike what Zelensky himself did during his careeras a comedian, when sketches on his TV show had actors portray Ukrainian political figures in a satirical way.

The short gag on RTL took aim not exclusively at the Ukrainian leader but also at many Western politicians, including French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and US President Joe Biden. Speaking a la carnival barker,Gerra described them all as part of the troupe of the “Zelensky circus” and urged the audience to attend the night’s entertainment.

Zelensky visited France and met Macron on Sunday as part of a whirlwind tour of several European nations. He has taken to the road to secure additional military assistance against Russia.

The Ukrainian diplomatic corps has been quite vocal in quashing any criticism of the Zelensky government in the West. Andrey Melnik, Kiev’s former ambassador to Berlin, served as a vivid example of the approach, often verbally attacking German politicians whose positions he found not supportive enough of his country’s cause. In the early months of the conflict with Russia, the diplomat infamously dubbed Chancellor Olaf Scholz an “offended liverwurst” over the German leader’s refusal to visit Kiev.

Melnik now serves as deputy foreign minister. This month he lashed out at his successor in the embassy in Berlin for putting too little pressure on the German government.

https://www.rt.com/news/576449-kiev-apology-french-comedian/

17 May, 2023 14:06

Wall-piercing Russian rocket slated for Ukraine battlefield – producer

The recently developed S-8OFP unguided air-launched projectile is touted as offering a greater payload than other munitions

A new Russian air-launchedrocket with increased range and firepowerhas gone into serial production and could be deployed in action against Ukraine this year, its manufacturer has reported.

The deputy director of defense producer Tekhmash, Aleksandr Kochkin, shared the news about the S-8OFP with RIA Novosti on the sidelines of a military exhibition in Belarus on Wednesday.

The rocket, which is nicknamed ‘Broneboyshchik’ (armor piercer), is the latest addition to the S-8 family of unguided projectiles meant for aerial platforms, including close air support planes and helicopters. According to Tekhmash, the weapon’s main feature is anew engine that uses a more powerful propellant.

This has allowed the propulsion part of the rocket to be reduced, providing engineers with a greater payload allowance. The rocket is tipped with a new warhead designed to penetrate walls and other obstacles, if necessary, before detonating. Previous versions had other types of payload, from regular high explosives to flechette antipersonnel projectiles.

Open-source data states that an S-8OFP can deliver its 9kg warhead to a target up to 6km away. Like the rest of the rocket family, the projectile has a caliber of 80mm and is compatible with standard 20-tube and seven-tube launchers used by Russian military aircraft.

The Russian Defense Ministry released footage in 2018 of S-8OFP deployments from a helicopter during trials. The following year, Tekhmash reported that the weapon had successfully completed tests and was cleared for service.

Kochkin spoke to RIA Novosti in Minsk, which is hosting the four-day MILEX-2023 expo this week. He also reported that his company, which is a subsidiary of Russian military conglomerate Rostec, had boosted production of projectiles for multiple rocket launch systems by 20 times compared to last year. Mass production of time-tested weapons is currently a priority for the firm, he noted.

(This is a warning to Ukraine, the big guns will come out until there is peace negotiations)

https://www.rt.com/russia/576447-new-russian-aviation-rocket/

17 May, 2023 11:05

EU state denies entry to Russian homeowners

Estonian lawmakers have refused to overturn travel restrictions, despite owners complaining that they cannot take care of their properties

Owning real estate in Estonia does not give Russian citizens an exemption from travel restrictions, the Baltic nation’s lawmakers have insisted.

On Tuesday, the Estonian parliament’s Constitutional Commission rejected a collective plea by more than 1,100 people, who said they cannot take care of their properties in the country as the government is denying them entry.

Estonia last year imposed a ban on Russian nationals entering via the countries’ shared border, even if they hold valid Schenghen visas, with exceptions made for those who have EU residence permits or family members in Estonia. Other EU countries bordering on Russia imposed similar restrictions.

Tallinn claimed the ban, which came into force last September, was necessary to defend its national security amid the armed conflict in Ukraine. Critics, including some within Estonia, have argued that the restrictions are discriminatory and contrary to EU values.

Russian citizens who own homes in Estonia, but have no residence permits, asked for a special exemption. They saidwithout in-person visits it was difficult for them to pay their bills and ensure that their properties do not degrade.

The petition was rejected by MPs, with commission chair Igor Taro stating that the problem is not a constitutional matter, as the country’s fundamental law does not spell out the right for Russian nationals to own real estate on Estonian soil. However, if mounting debt and dilapidated buildings “start causing problems to the residents of Estonia, we should consider options to address that,” he said.

The commission claimed that it was Russia’s fault that its citizens were unable to enter the country, and urged people behind the petition to address their grievances to Moscow.

“Internal pressure on the Russian regime, which unleashed this war [in Ukraine], needs to be increased,” lawmakers reasoned in their formal response.

As the Estonian government took efforts to restrict the inward flow of Russian nationals last year, Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu argued thatthe policy was morally justified and would nudge Russians to oppose their government, some with “cobblestones in their hands.” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted at the timethat the top Estonian diplomat was openly advocating violence.

Moscow has described the campaign to restrict its nationals from entering the EU, promoted by several members of the bloc including Estonia, as “openly chauvinistic” and aimed at “canceling everything Russian.”

(This strategy will have the opposite effect on what Estonia wants.)

https://www.rt.com/russia/576435-estonia-russian-citizens-property/

17 May, 2023 10:43

KEKEU state accuses Moscow of freezing its assets

Russia’s action is being interpreted as a response to seizures of its property in the EU

Russia froze the accounts of Finland’s diplomatic missions on its territory, the Finnish foreign minister said on Wednesday.

Accounts belonging to the Finnish Embassy in Moscow and to the Consulate General in St. Petersburg were frozen on April 27, Pekka Haavisto told a press conference, adding that in early May Finland contacted Russian authorities about the matter but no explanation has yet been received.

Finland’s diplomatic missionwill now have to settle its payments such as rent and bills in cash or through a Russian bankthat would agree to remove the restrictions.

Salary payments to employees have not been affected and the Finnish embassy and consulate will continue operations in Russia despite difficulties with money flows, Haavisto added.

According to Finland’s most senior diplomat, Russia’s actions are related to EU sanctions against Russia and its banking sector. (So EU countries do not like what they have been doing to Russia for 6 months. Thats odd)

The freezing of the Finnish diplomatic accounts in Russia was reported earlier by newspaper Helsingin Sanomat. The outlet cited an email from the foreign ministry in Helsinki which described the situation as “serious.”

The Finnish diplomatic mission has had its access to banking services restricted on a reciprocal basis, news agency RIA Novosti reported, citing the Russian embassy in Helsinki. According to Russian diplomats, Moscow has repeatedly warned its neighbor of a possible retaliation, afterFinland froze the account of the Russian Center for Science and Cultureat national bank Nordea in March.

In late April President Vladimir Putin signed a decree establishing a mechanism for temporarily taking over foreign assets in Russia in the event of other countries seizing Russian private or government property based in their jurisdictions, or of a threat to the national, energy, or economic security of Russia.

Billions of euros worth of state assets and property belonging to Russian business people and officials have been frozen in the EU since last year, as part of a sanctions campaign against Moscow over its military operation in Ukraine.

In January the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs was reported to havefrozen €187 million (over $202 million) worth of Russian assets such as real estate, shares, cars, yachts, and aircraft.

Last weekRussian border controls reportedly started to cancel the visas of Finnish citizenstrying to enter Russia to go shopping and buy cheaper fuel for their cars.

https://www.rt.com/business/576434-russia-freeze-accounts-finland-embassy/

17 May, 2023 11:48

Three civilians killed in shelling of Donetsk – mayor

Ukrainian forces allegedly used 155-mm shells in an attack that destroyed a store in the city’s Kuibyshevskiy district, according to officials

Kiev’s troops carried out another series of artillery strikes oncivilian infrastructurein the city of Donetsk on Wednesday, on this occasion causing at least three civilian deaths, city officials have reported.

According to the head of the Donetsk administration Aleksey Kulemzin, who detailed the attack on his official Telegram channel, the shelling hit agrocery storeand resulted in the death of three civilians and injuries to two others.

The city official shared photos of the aftermath of the “barbaric shelling” on his channel, noting that the attacks on the region were ongoing and asking residents to exercise caution.

He also claimed that shelling was reported in the village of Elenovka, where Kiev’s forces allegedlystruck a bread factory as well as several residential buildings. According to Kulemzin, two civilians were injured in the strikes on Elenovka.

The Donetsk People’s Republic Central Control, which tracks and reports Ukrainian strikes on the territory of the DPR, stated that Kiev’s forces had launchedseveral dozen 155-mm caliber shellstargeting various districts and villages of Donetsk on Wednesday.

Donetsk is the capital of the DPR, one of four former Ukrainian regions which voted to join Russia last year. Since the start of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, the DPR, along with the neighboring Lugansk People’s Republic, have repeatedly been shelled by Kiev’s armed forces. The attacks have caused numerous civilian deaths and injuries.

Last week, Kulemzin reported thata mother and her four-year-old son had been burned alivein Donetsk after a Ukrainian missile struck their house and caused a fire. The mayor reported that six other people had been injured that day and Kiev’s forces had also damaged 18 residential buildings and three civilian infrastructure facilities in Donetsk and the nearby town of Gorlovka.

https://www.rt.com/russia/576441-donetsk-shelling-grocery-store/

17 May, 2023 14:31

South Africa’s army chief visits Moscow

The bilateral meeting with Russian counterparts includes a visit to prestigious army and artillery military academies

(This picture of the African Commander looks very familiar…Reeeee)

The commander of South Africa’s ground forces has visited Moscow for bilateral talks with his Russian counterparts, in the wake of Washington’s accusations that Pretoria has covertly supplied arms to Russia.

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) said on Monday that Lieutenant General Lawrence Mbatha received an invitation from the Russian army “for a goodwill visit,” which “includes a call to the higher combined Army Academy and the Artillery Military Academy.” The SANDF added that the trip had been “planned well in advance,” emphasizing that the bilateral encounter is a “longstanding arrangement.”

South Africa, as a member of the BRICS alliance, has declined to impose sanctions on Moscow, despite pressures from Western countries. President Cyril Ramaphosa has emphasized that South Africa’s neutrality in the Russia-Ukraine conflict allows it to engage in dialogue with both sides.

Last week, US Ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety alleged that Pretoria had shipped weapons to Russia in December, loading them onto a cargo ship at Simon’s Town Naval Base in Cape Town. The South African government has denied the claims, which Ramaphosa said “undermine the spirit of cooperation and partnership” between Pretoria and Washington.

Brigety later allegedly admitted that he’d “crossed the line and apologized unreservedly”after he was summoned to South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation on Friday for a talk with Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor.

https://www.rt.com/africa/576431-south-africa-army-chief-moscow-visit/

17 May, 2023 14:16

Majority of Brits have negative view of Sunak – poll

The opposition Labour Party would be voted into government if a general election were held tomorrow, data suggests

Polling data published on Tuesday by market research firm YouGov has found that almost60% of UK citizens have an unfavorable view of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.(Well he and his wife are both billionaires, he ran a hedge fund and made billions from Moderna, so I agree with the people)

The results of the YouGov survey, which was conducted on May 14 and 15 and featured 2,012 respondents, suggested thatjust 6% of respondents had what was described as a “very favorable” opinion of the Conservative Party leader.

Another 25% described their stance on Sunak as “somewhat favorable,” while 59% of respondents had a negative view of Sunak’s premiership, the poll found. The latter figure included 34% who described their opinion of the premier as “very unfavorable.”

Keir Starmer, leader of the opposition Labour Party, marginally outperformed Sunak in key poll metrics, YouGov reported. Of the respondents, 35% said they had a “favorable”opinion of Starmer compared to 51% who stated the opposite, while 15% didn’t offer an opinion either way.

YouGov’s data reflects similar recent polling which has indicated a swell in support for Labour. Per analysis by Statista this month, 43% of the British public would vote for the Labour Party if a general election were held tomorrow. Just 26% would vote for the Conservatives, who have been the primary governing party in the UK since 2010.

The Tories have trailed Labour in most polls since 2022. The turbulent 44-day prime ministership of Liz Truss opened a large gap in support between both parties, Statista noted, as the government struggled to transition away from the scandals which plagued the final weeks of Boris Johnson’s leadership.

While Tory polling has rebounded somewhat under Sunak, Statista’s data suggests that the Conservatives would lose any upcoming general election in the current political climate.

British voters have consistently identified the economy as a key issue, according to extended data trends cited by Statista. Public health, as well as the successful operation of the National Health Service (NHS), immigration reform, and the environment are also considered to be the most important issues facing the UK, polling indicates.

https://www.rt.com/news/576450-uk-sunak-opinion-poll/

17 May, 2023 15:52

South African opposition calls for mass exodus from ICC

Julius Malema says the court has turned a blind eye to serious crimes

South Africa and other African countries mustwithdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), Julius Malema, the leader of South African opposition party the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has urged. (The court is a blackmail outfit)

Malema vowed his party would lead this effort and accused the ICC ofturning a “blind eye” to numerous serious crimes. “The ICC did not do anything about former US president George Bush’s wars in Iran andturned a blind eye when Barack Obama and NATO illegally invaded Libya,” he said.

Andile Mngxitama, a former South African National Assembly Member, also backed the call, telling RT thatthe Hague-based court has “proven to have no credibility” and has rather become a tool of the West against certain countries.

President Cyril Ramaphosa stated in April that the “ruling party has decided that it is prudent for South Africa to withdraw from the ICC,” but later backtracked on the decision, citing communication errors. (They were probably threatened by ICC)

(The international Cabal organizations seems to be imploding)

https://www.rt.com/africa/576433-africa-nations-icc-withdrawal-call/

3 hours ago

EXCLUSIVE J6 FOOTAGE | Defense Attorney Exposes THE EXACT MOMENT the Government Waged Attack

https://rumble.com/embed/v2lpqee/?pub=4