>>>6771438, >>6771442 New DJT: "Iran to defy Uranium Stockpile Limits"
>
>>>6771517 Iran to break uranian stockpile limit set by nuclear deal
>
>>>6771446 Netanyahu calls for 'snapback sanctions' if Iran violates nuclear deal
The US and Israel pulled out of the nuke deal and are now trying to use it as a premise for war unbelievable war mongering
Supreme Court Tosses Ruling Against Christian Bakers Who Refused Cake For Gay Couple
The Supreme Court on Monday tossed out a lower court ruling against two Oregon bakers who had refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple.
The case involved Melissa and Aaron Klein of Oregon, who shut down their small baker after a state agency fined them $135,000 for refusing to bake a wedding cake for two lesbians. The agency said the Kleins had violated the state’s public accommodation law.
The Kleins, though, cited their Christian beliefs as the reason they would not provide services for the gay couple. The case followed another from last year, in which Supreme Court justices ruled in favor of a Colorado baker.
The high court sent the Klein case back to a lower court “for further consideration in light of” their Colorado decision.
The Oregon case involved Rachel Bowman-Cryer, who went to the Sweet Cakes by Melissa in Gresham, Oregon, in January 2013 and inquired about a wedding cake. When Aaron Klein asked for the name of the groom, Bowman-Cryer said there wasn’t one. Klein told her the bakery does not bake cakes for gay weddings.
The Kleins were ordered to pay $135,000 to the couple for “discriminating against them in violation of a state public accommodations statute,” Fox News reported. The couple was forced to shut down their bakery.
After the Supreme Court’s decision not to take up the case, First Liberty, which represented the couple, lauded the decision.
“This is a victory for Aaron and Melissa Klein and for religious liberty for all Americans,” First Liberty president Kelly Shackelford said in a statement. “The Constitution protects speech, popular or not, from condemnation by the government. The message from the Court is clear, government hostility toward religious Americans will not be tolerated.”
Last June, the high court delivered a similar victory to Jack Phillips, the owner of Masterpiece Cake Shop in Colorado. The justices sent that case back to a lower court “after finding the Colorado Civil Rights Commission had acted with religious animus when investigating the baker’s actions,” the Washington Post reported.
Justice Anthony M. Kennedy said in the court’s majority opinion that there was improper religious bias by some Colorado officials against the baker. Future courts, he added, would need to address the rights of those with religious objections to same-sex marriage along with the rights of gay people, who “cannot be treated as social outcasts or as inferior in dignity and worth,” the Post wrote.
“The high court took the same tack last year in the florist’s case,” the Associated Press wrote. “Taking a second look at the case, the Washington Supreme Court concluded earlier in June that there was no animosity toward religion in court rulings that florist Barronelle Stutzman broke the state’s anti-discrimination laws by refusing on religious grounds to provide flowers for the wedding of a gay couple. Stutzman owns Arlene’s Flowers in Richland, Washington. The justices could consider Stutzman’s appeal in the fall.”
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/06/supreme-court-tosses-ruling-against-christian-bakers-who-refused-cake-for-gay-couple/
Trump: "I Think I Know" Who Was Behind 9/11 Attacks
President Trump says he knows who was behind the September 11, 2001 attacks, telling ABC News's George Stephanopoulos "Iraq did not knock down the World Trade Center," adding "It were other people. And I think I know who the other people were. And you might also."
Nearly 3,000 people died when 19 mostly-Saudi terrorists hijacked four passenger planes, flying them into the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, while the fourth went down in a Pennsylvania field after passengers allegedly fought back. Astonishingly, the passports of three hijackers were recovered; two at the Pennsylvania crash site, and one from the World Trade Center grounds. While nobody claimed responsibility for the attacks for several months, the NSA and German intelligence reported intercepting communications pointing to al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, after which investigators linked the 19 hijackers to the terrorist organization.
Trump segued from his 9/11 comments into a criticism of America's military intervention in the Middle East, calling it "the worst decision made in the history of our country," and describing the region as "like quicksand."
"It was a terrible decision to go into the Middle East. Terrible," said Trump, adding "We’re now up to almost $8 trillion. And when we want to build a roadway, a highway, a school, or something, everyone’s always fighting over money. It’s ridiculous. So that was a bad decision."
The US, backed by allies including Britain, invaded Afghanistan, where the terror group was being sheltered. But 9/11 was also used as part of the justification for the 2003 invasion of Iraq, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, more than 4,000 Americans and 179 British troops, and contributed to the rise of the Isis terror group. -Independent
Trump came under fire during the 2016 election when he claimed "There were people that were cheering on the other side of New Jersey, where you have large Arab populations," adding "They were cheering as the World Trade Center came down." Defending his comments, Trump pointed to a September 18, 2001 Washington Post article which reads "In Jersey City, within hours of two jetliners' plowing into the World Trade Center, law enforcement authorities detained and questioned a number of people who were allegedly seen celebrating the attacks and holding tailgate-style parties on rooftops while they watched the devastation on the other side of the river."
in April after he tweeted a montage of the 9/11 attacks interspersed between Somali-American Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) downplaying the incident as "some people did something," at a March 23 event for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
Also arrested in the aftermath of the attacks were the so-called five "Dancing Israelis" which locals reported were celebrating around New Jersey.
five of the Israelis came to the FBI's attention after they were seen by New Jersey residents on Sept. 11 making fun of the World Trade Center ruins and going to extreme lengths to photograph themselves in front of the wreckage. The FBI seized and developed their photos, one of which shows Sivan Kurzberg flicking a cigarette lighter in front of the smouldering ruins in an apparently celebratory gesture. -Associated Press via Globe and Mail (2001)
In 2002, a "high-ranking American intelligence official" told Forward magazine that the men were "conducting a Mossad surveillance mission" - using their employer, Urban Moving Systems of Weehawken, NJ as a front. According to a 2002 report by ABC News, the FBI suspected the same.
The driver of the van, Sivan Kurzberg, told the officers, "We are Israeli. We are not your problem. Your problems are our problems. The Palestinians are the problem." The other passengers were his brother Paul Kurzberg, Yaron Shmuel, Oded Ellner and Omer Marmari.
When the men were transferred to jail, the case was transferred out of the FBI's Criminal Division, and into the bureau's Foreign Counterintelligence Section, which is responsible for espionage cases, ABCNEWS has learned.
One reason for the shift, sources told ABCNEWS, was that the FBI believed Urban Moving may have been providing cover for an Israeli intelligence operation. -ABC News (2002)
The Israelis claimed to have been on a "working holiday" in the United States, and were cleared by the FBI to return to Israel. During a media appearance on Israeli TV, one of the men said that they had been in New York at the time to "document the event" according to the 2002 ABC News report.
In May, the Trump administration complied with a FOIA request to provide redacted black-and-white photos of the men, however they do not appear to shed much additional light.
https://youtu.be/aoYXihwcp8c
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-06-17/trump-i-think-i-know-who-was-behind-911-attacks
Iranian admiral urges ‘destabilizing’ US to leave Persian Gulf, reveals arrests of CIA-run agents
Tehran is well able to provide security in regional waters, Iranian Admiral Ali Shamkhani has said, branding the US the main source of “crisis and instability” and disclosing arrests made in the wake of a “CIA-run spy ring” bust.
“We have always said we guarantee the security of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz,” Iranian Admiral Ali Shamkhani said on Monday, as quoted by the IRIB broadcaster.
The US military presence in the Persian Gulf is nothing but a threat, the official stressed. He brought up the fate of Iran Air Flight 655, a passenger jet that a US destroyer shot down in 1988 while providing “protection” for Kuwaiti-owned oil tankers during the Iran-Iraq war.
We repeat our stance and call on US forces to finish their presence in the region as they are the main source of crisis and instability.
The remarks from Shamkhani, who serves as the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, come in the wake of the oil tanker incidents in the Gulf of Oman. On Thursday, two vessels were damaged by explosions under unclear circumstances. The US and some of its allies, pinned the blame on Tehran, while Iran in turn accused Washington of staging a false-flag operation.
But the Iran-US tensions are far from being limited to incidents at sea. Shamkhani also revealed details about what he called the busting of a large cyber-espionage ring that was run by the CIA.
“One of the most complicated CIA cyber espionage networks that had an important role in the CIA’s operations in different countries was exposed by the Iranian intelligence agencies a while ago and was dismantled,” Shamkhani said.
He did not elaborate which countries were involved, but said that “allies” were able to arrest an unspecified number of agents.
We shared the information about the exposed network with our allies that led to the identification and arrest of CIA intelligence agents.
Iran has repeatedly accused Washington of waging cyberwarfare. The CIA-run cyber-espionage ring was first mentioned by top Iranian officials in April. Back then, Tehran said it exposed the network that included some 290 agents operating in Iran and several more countries in the region.
https://www.rt.com/news/462075-iran-persian-gulf-security-cia/
HUGE DEVELOPMENT: ROGER STONE Files Two Court Documents – BLASTS FBI and Mueller’s False Allegations that Russians Gave DNC Emails to WikiLeaks
Roger Stone is requesting proof that Russians hacked the DNC server, as was reported in the Mueller report. Stone claims if the Russians didn’t hack the DNC, his case should be dismissed.
As we’ve pointed out…. the entire fake Russia collusion narrative was based on the fairy tale that Russia hacked the DNC and then provided emails they stole to WikiLeaks. Roger Stone is out to prove that this narrative is a total fabrication.
We reported on May 11, 2019, that Roger Stone and his legal team requested the report from Crowdstrike, the firm connected with the Deep State who reportedly did inspect the DNC server after emails were released by WikiLeaks. This report was used by the FBI and the Mueller gang as support that the DNC was hacked by Russia.
Roger Stone is trying to get the Crowdstrike Report. https://t.co/zl7rmEz2NU
— Semi-Casual Observer (@CasualSemi) May 10, 2019
Stone’s position is that if the Mueller team and the FBI did not inspect the DNC server, then how can they know that the server was hacked. This logical argument makes sense –
The chain of custody of evidence is kind of a big deal. If the FBI didn't have custody of the server, and if they never examined it, they cannot verify what happened to the data on it. https://t.co/0PmN50YAmy
— Praying Medic (@prayingmedic) May 10, 2019
The Mueller team fought back against the Stone team and argued that it is not necessary to see the documents that support that Russia hacked the DNC –
If it is "so obvious" the Russian government orchestrated the email disclosures of the 2016 campaign, why are the #Mueller leftovers in the #RogerStone case asking the court to relieve them of that very obligation, saying they should "not be required to prove" that very fact? pic.twitter.com/WdfSzSsvF2
— Robert Barnes (@Barnes_Law) May 10, 2019
The entire Russia collusion delusion is a sham. To date there has been no information reported that absolutely confirms that the DNC was hacked by the Russians. No reports to date show that the DNC server was inspected by the Mueller team and the FBI. Since this is the case, there is no way the Mueller team can claim the server was hacked.
Since there is no proof that the emails were hacked, the reports that Russians were involved in the collusion delusion evaporate. Others agree with this assertion.
After speaking w/ my @FBI sources & a @nytimes reporter with direct knowledge of the handling of the @DNC server it's true – there was no direct examination or physically custody of the DNC server – an "image" (i.e. copy) of the server was examined only: https://t.co/yDJKCYmUQC
— Tony Shaffer (@T_S_P_O_O_K_Y) May 12, 2019
We reported two weeks ago that NSA Whistle blower Bill Binney looked at the DNC data leaked by WikiLeaks and determined that it was definitively not hacked, it was copied to a disk or flash drive.
NSA Whistleblower and longtime intelligence analyst Bill Binney on continuation of #RussiaGate fever: "The problem with the Mueller Report & the Rosenstein indictment is it's based on lies."
FULL INTERVIEW: https://t.co/qiTOpvNd2q pic.twitter.com/tDSSSg0j0H
— Status Coup (@StatusCoup) June 3, 2019
Yesterday we provided more arguments against Mueller’s assertion that the DNC was hacked by Russians. Yaacov Apelbaum posted an incredible report earlier this year with information basically proving that the DNC was not hacked by the Russians.
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/06/huge-development-roger-stone-files-two-court-documents-blasts-fbi-and-muellers-false-allegations-that-russians-gave-dnc-emails-to-wikileaks/
https://www.scribd.com/document/413637629/DEFENDANT-ROGER-STONE-S-REPLY-TO-GOVERNMENT-S-OPPOSITION-TO-MOTION-TO-SUPPRESS#from_embed
https://www.scribd.com/document/413637844/134-Roger-Stone-Reply-to-Opposition-to-Motion-to-Compel#from_embed
Teen Vogue blasted for ‘promoting sex work’ as ‘real work’ to young girls
Teen Vogue is facing backlash for “promoting prostitution” after publishing an article which advertises sex work as “real work” to its audience, which is made up mostly of girls between the ages of 12 and 18.
The article, headlined “Why Sex Work Is Real Work” was originally published in April, but has recevied renewed attention and criticism after the magazine decided to promote it again on Twitter this week.
In the piece, Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng argues for the decriminalization of sex work across the world, citing global efforts to ensure better labor rights for the women involved. The continued criminalization of sex work is “a form of violence by governments and contributes to the high level of stigma and discrimination” around prostitution, she argues.
https://www.rt.com/usa/462077-teen-vogue-sex-work-girls/
UK bans “harmful gender stereotypes” in ads
The United Kingdom has officially banned “harmful gender stereotypes” in advertising over concerns it could contribute to societal inequality. But is this political correctness run amok, or long-overdue reform? RT.com reports.
The UK Advertising Standards Authority has banned “harmful gender stereotypes” likely to cause “serious or widespread offense” from all ads in a ruling that takes effect Friday. The rule springs from a 2017 review that found absorbing gender stereotypes through advertising could limit people’s potential and play a part in “unequal gender outcomes.”
Complaints will be dealt with on a case-by case basis, examining the “content and context” to assess whether the rule had been broken, as using non-offensive gender stereotypes – such as women shopping, or men doing work around the house – is still OK under the new rules, as is using stereotypes to subvert expectations.
Scenarios like a man failing at changing diapers or a woman unable to park a car, however, would run afoul of the new rules. The advertising authority also called out stereotypes in children’s behavior, warning that ads depicting girls as “caring” and boys as “daring” would come under scrutiny. Violators will be referred to Ofcom or the Trading Standards board for sanctions if the ASA is unable to reach an agreement with the offending company, and their ads may be withheld from broadcast.
“This is just the advertising industry bowing down to radical feminism,” Justice for Men and Boys leader Mike Buchanan told RT, pointing out that while “only 9 percent of British women self-identify as feminists,” their influence is wildly disproportionate. This is all about trying to make women more like men, and that requires men to become more like women.’
The new regulations actually have “nothing to do with feminism,” argued feminist campaigner Linda Bellos. “It’s got to do with the law,” which “has said since the 1975 Sex Discrimination Act that women should be treated no less favorably than men.”
But women don’t “want to become more like men,” Buchanan insisted. “They cherish things like family life, and there’s a big difference in the work ethics of men and women and that isn’t changing.”
“I can’t see what a uterus has got to do with picking up your own clothes, putting in the washing machine, washing the dishes, cooking food for yourself,“ Bellos retorted. “I want my son and grandson to be able to clean up after themselves, not just to think that it’s a women’s job. You might think it’s radical, but this is the 21st century.”
https://voiceofeurope.com/2019/06/uk-bans-harmful-gender-stereotypes-in-ads/
Mexican Feds, DEA Raid Industrial-Scale Fentanyl Lab in Border State
MONTERREY, Nuevo Leon – Mexican federal authorities raided a large warehouse outfitted by cartel members to allegedly manufacture industrial quantities of fentanyl in closer proximity to Texas.
The raid was announced on Sunday afternoon by Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office (FGR). The operation was coordinated with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Following an investigation, federal authorities obtained a search warrant from a judge in Nuevo Leon and raided a warehouse in the Ciudad Mitras Industrial Park and a home in the Pedregal La Silla neighborhood.
During the warehouse raid, authorities found a full-scale production laboratory and series of notebooks with formulas allegedly describing the manufacture of fentanyl. Police arrested a chemist identified as Guadalupe “A” on drug production charges.
The fentanyl laboratory is the first of its kind in Nuevo Leon. Authorities have not revealed which criminal organization they believe is linked to the plant.
https://www.breitbart.com/border/2019/06/17/mexican-feds-dea-raid-industrial-scale-fentanyl-lab-in-border-state/
Orbán: New EU Leadership Must Respect Nations and Christian Culture
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has commented on the upcoming elections for the next European Union Commission, saying the new leaders must respect national sovereignty and Europe’s Christian culture.
The conservative Hungarian leader made his comments on broadcaster Kossuth Radio, saying his party Fidesz would be looking to support those who back the sovereignty of nations rather than bureaucrats in Brussels, according to a press release.
Prime Minister Orbán also said that halting migration would be an important issue when supporting potential candidates for the commission.
Viktor Orban Promotes Protection of World’s Christians in Trump Meeting https://t.co/EtnT7cdC3C
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) May 14, 2019
While he refused to name any specific candidates he and Fidesz would support, Orban added that he would support candidates who were either from the Central European Region or those who have not acted against countries in the region.
The Visegrád Group (V4), which consists of Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia, was also mentioned by Mr Orbán who highlighted the economic growth in the Central European region saying that the V4 would look to use their influence to advance their agenda with the new EU Commission.
In an exclusive interview with Breitbart London in Budapest earlier this month, newly elected Fidesz MEP and former party communications director Balázs Hidvéghi said that the party would be looking to advance sovereigntist ideas in the European Parliament.
‘Hungary First’: Orbán Vows to Fight Brussels, Soros’s Globalist Agenda https://t.co/PY5xjahyWS
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) March 26, 2019
“We believe the idea of a Europe of nations should be strengthened,” he said and went on to add, “We believe in sovereign, independent free nations in Europe cooperating on their free will and making the European Union work like that.”
Mr Orban is also not the only member of his party to mention the current state of Europe’s Christian culture.
Earlier this year, Hungarian foreign minister Péter Szijjártó told Breitbart News, “We are proud of having a very rich Christian heritage, and we want to preserve that.”
“Christianity is the most persecuted religion all over the world… look at [the] figures, it’s a fact.” he added.
https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2019/06/17/orban-new-eu-leadership-must-respect-nations-and-christian-culture/
Israel's chip sales to China jump as Intel expands
Semiconductor exports to China up 80 percent, most produced by Intel's Kiryat Gat plant; Jerusalem pushing for deeper trade ties with Beijing, now its second-largest export market
Israel's exports of computer chips to China soared last year as Chinese companies bought more semiconductors made at Intel's Kiryat Gat plant.
An official at the Israel Export Institute told Reuters that new data showed semiconductor exports to China jumped 80 percent last year to $2.6 billion. An industry source said that Intel Israel accounted for at least 80 percent of those sales.
The data will be welcome news for the government as it pushes for deeper ties with China and because semiconductors accounted for $3.9 billion of overall goods exports in 2018, according to the institute, a government agency.
The two countries have started negotiating a trade deal and technology is expected to be a major part of the discussions. Overall exports of Israeli goods to China, excluding diamonds, rose 50 percent to $4.7 billion, statistics.
Intel announced a $5 billion investment to expand capacity in its Kiryat Gat plant in southern Israel in 2017, which makes some of the smallest and fastest chips in the world.
That year it also bought Israeli auto-focused chip and technology firm Mobileye for $15 billion. It said this year it would invest $11 billion in a new Israeli plant.
A spokesman for Intel said the firm exported $3.9 billion worth of goods from Israel last year, up from $3.6 billion in 2017. He declined to give further details of Intel's operations in Israel.
https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5481212,00.html
Bayer, owner of Roundup, to invest $5.6 billion in new weed-killing methods
Bayer said it plans to invest $5.6 billion over the next decade in developing new weedkillers.
Bayer became the owner of Roundup when it bought Monsanto last year for $63 billion.
Roundup is at the center of legal battles over the safety of glyphosate, a Roundup ingredient which some consumers claim led to their cancer diagnoses.
German chemical and pharmaceutical company Bayer says it plans to invest about $5.6 billion over the next decade in developing "additional methods to combat weeds." Bayer became the owner of Roundup when it bought Monsanto last year for $63 billion.
Friday's announcement comes as Bayer is engaged in legal battles in the U.S. in which plaintiffs claim that subsidiary Monsanto's Roundup weed killer caused cancer. Rulings in three cases have gone against it, including a California jury that awarded a couple $2 billion in punitive damages after concluding that sustained exposure to Monsanto's popular Roundup weed killer led to their cancer diagnoses.
Bayer argues that studies have established that glyphosate, Roundup's active ingredient, is safe and made clear Friday that it stands by the product. Yet not all scientific organizations agree, with the World Health Organization's cancer agency saying the weedkiller is "possibly carcinogenic to humans."
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bayer-owner-of-monsantos-roundup-glyphosate-to-invest-5-6-billion-in-new-weed-killing-methods/
Same as always just move to the next killer chemical
Company knew risk of thalidomide six months before it was pulled, says book
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/may/25/distillers-knew-risk-of-thalidomide-six-months-before-it-was-pulled-says-book
Introducing Nuclear Weapons to the Middle East
IF THE NATIONAL INTEREST MANDATES that the United States go to war to stop the spread of nuclear weapons in the Middle East then we should have begun bombing Israel in the 1960s.
Frequently lost in the discussion over the Iran nuclear program is the irony that it was of course Israel that first introduced nuclear weapons to the region and did so after repeatedly and blatantly deceiving its “special ally,” the United States, in the process. As discussed below, today’s hostility toward Iran may not primarily be about nuclear weapons, but the Trump administration will maximize the “Iran nuclear threat” as a propaganda theme in the buildup toward a possible U.S.-Israel war targeting Iran and Hezbollah.
Israel of course maintains a stony silence about its own nuclear arsenal. On this, as with almost any other matter, the United States complies with Israel’s wishes. History shows the reverse clearly has not been the case.
https://www.wrmea.org/2019-june-july/introducing-nuclear-weapons-to-the-middle-east.html
FBI Never Saw CrowdStrike Unredacted or Final Report on Alleged Russian Hacking Because None was Produced
CrowdStrike, the controversial cybersecurity firm that the Democratic National Committee chose over the FBI in 2016 to examine its compromised computer servers, never produced an un-redacted or final forensic report for the government because the FBI never required it to, the Justice Department has admitted.
The revelation came in a court filing by the government in the pre-trial phase of Roger Stone, a long-time Republican operative who had an unofficial role in the campaign of candidate Donald Trump. Stone has been charged with misleading Congress, obstructing justice and intimidating a witness.
The filing was in response to a motion by Stone’s lawyers asking for “unredacted reports” from CrowdStrike in an effort to get the government to prove that Russia hacked the DNC server. “The government … does not possess the information the defandant seeks,” the filing says.
In his motion, Stone’s lawyers said he had only been given three redacted drafts. In a startling footnote in the government’s response, the DOJ admits the drafts are all that exist. “Although the reports produced to the defendant are marked ‘draft,’ counsel for the DNC and DCCC informed the government that they are the last version of the report produced,” the footnote says.
In other words CrowdStrike, upon which the FBI relied to conclude that Russia hacked the DNC, never completed a final report and only turned over three redacted drafts to the government.
https://consortiumnews.com/2019/06/17/fbi-never-saw-crowdstrike-unredacted-or-final-report-on-alleged-russian-hacking-because-none-was-produced/
1/2
That, of course, would have been the last thing Comey would have wanted.
On March 31, 2017 WikiLeaks released the most damaging disclosure up to that point from what it called “Vault 7” — a treasure trove of CIA cybertools leaked from CIA files. This disclosure featured the tool “Marble Framework,” which enabled the CIA to hack into computers, disguise who hacked in, and falsely attribute the hack to someone else by leaving so-called tell-tale signs — like Cyrillic, for example.
The CIA documents also showed that the “Marble” tool had been employed in 2016.
Two weeks later, then CIA Director Mike Pompeo branded WikiLeaks a “non-state hostile intelligence service,” and the U.S. put pressure on Ecuador, which had given Assange asylum, to expel him from its London embassy. He was on April 11 when British police arrested him. On the same day he was convicted of skipping bail on a Swedish investigation that had since been dropped. Assange was sentenced to 50 weeks in London’s max-security Belmarsh prison.
Comey, it seems a safe bet, still worries that Assange or one of his associates, will provide “technical evidence” enough to prove “who did not engage in the DNC releases.”
What Were They Thinking?
At the March 20, 2017 House Intelligence Committee hearing, Congressman Trey Gowdy heaped effusive praise on then-FBI Director Comey, calling him “incredibly respected.” At that early stage, no doubt Gowdy meant no double entendre. He might now.
As Russia-gate transmogrifies into Deep State-gate, the DOJ is launching a probe into the origins of Russia-gate and the intelligence agencies alleged role in it. It remains to be seen whether U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut John Durham, who is leading the probe, will interview Assange, unlike Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who did not.
It is proving very difficult for some of my old FBI friends and others to believe that Comey and other justice, intelligence, and security officials at the very top could have played fast and loose with the Constitution and the law and lived a lie over the past few years.
2/2
US: Florida passes bill suppressing free speech on Israel, Palestine
Israel has been granted protection from its critics by the state of Florida in recent amendments to the Florida Educational Equality Act (FEEA), which includes provisions that suppresses free speech. Under new definitions of anti-Semitism adopted by the American state, limits have been placed on discussions of the plight of the Palestinian people and underscoring the brutality of Israel’s occupation.
The bill is likely to open the door for criminal charges to be levelled against human rights activists and critics that advocate a single democratic state in which Israeli Jews, Palestinians and all others are granted full, equal rights. Supporters of the Palestine cause face the prospect of being silenced on the grounds that calls for equality under a single democratic state is deemed to be an attempt to deny the Jewish people their right to self-determination and that such a call for non-discrimination questions Israel’s right to exist.
Florida signed the bill while its governor, Ron DeSantis, was on tour of Israel and the occupied territories. DeSantis, who has called Florida “the most Israel-friendly state in the country”, visited the US embassy in Jerusalem to ceremonially sign the new law. He also paid a visit to Ariel University, located in an illegal settlement, to receive an honour for “his dedication, leadership and commitment to the State of Israel.” Reports also confirm that he had met with Sheldon Adelson, a top funder of the Republican Party and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Amendments to the definition of anti-Semitism in Florida’s House Bill 741, include examples that conflate criticism of Israel with the universally accepted definition of anti-Semitism, the main characteristic of which is hatred for the Jewish people. The new provision sets limitations on the criticism of Israeli policy by insisting that “demonising Israel” or “drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis” is anti-Semitic.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190617-us-florida-passes-bill-suppressing-free-speech-on-israel-palestine/
New Denver City Council Member: I Will Usher In Communism ‘By Any Means Necessary’
Newly elected far-left Denver City Council member Candi CdeBaca has stated that she is "excited to usher" in communism "by any means necessary.
"CdeBaca, who won in an upset runoff election earlier this month, said in late March during a candidate forum for City Council District 9:
I don’t believe our current economic system actually works. Um, capitalism by design is extractive and in order to generate profit in a capitalist system, something has to be exploited, that’s land, labor or resources.
And I think that we’re in late phase capitalism and we know it doesn’t work and we have to move into something new. And I believe in community ownership of land, labor, resources, and distribution of those resources.
And so, whatever that morphs into I think is what will serve community the best and I’m excited to usher it in by any means necessary. [Emphasis added]
Encyclopedia Britannica defines communism as a "political and economic doctrine that aims to replace private property and a profit-based economy with public ownership and communal control of at least the major means of production (e.g., mines, mills, and factories) and the natural resources of a society."
CdeBaca, who is a democratic socialist, also drew intense criticism for saying that she will "usher" in communism "by any means necessary."
While it's not exactly clear what CdeBaca meant when she said "by any means necessary," PBS notes that Malcolm X used the phrase and it meant "up to and including the use of violence."
The American Mirror added that "by any means necessary" also happens to be a radical far-left organization. Influence Watch reports on By Any Means Necessary (BAMN):
BAMN employs aggressive “militant” direct action and litigation to support its cause.[3] BAMN protests of official government bodies have resulted in flipping tables and other disruptive outbursts.[4] BAMN demonstrators have been arrested for inciting riots,[5] throwing rocks at police,[6] and destruction of property.[7]
https://postnewsd2.blogspot.com/2019/06/new-denver-city-council-member-i-will.html
Democratic 2020 hopeful Pete Buttigieg says it's 'statistically almost certain' there have been gay Presidents before
America has had gay Presidents before, Democratic 2020 candidate Pete Buttigieg believes.
Buttigieg, who is regarded as the first gay man with any realistic chance of winning a major-party nomination, said it was 'statistically almost certain' that at least one of the 44 men who have held the office was gay.
Asked which ones, the South Bend mayor said: 'My gaydar doesn't even work that well in the present, let alone retroactively.'
The 2020 hopeful and Afghanistan veteran celebrated his first wedding anniversary with his husband Chasten yesterday and has suggested they could start a family in the White House.
Home / News / Democratic 2020 hopeful Pete Buttigieg says it's 'statistically almost certain' there have been gay Presidents before
Democratic 2020 hopeful Pete Buttigieg says it's 'statistically almost certain' there have been gay Presidents before
06:55 0 Comments - News
America has had gay Presidents before, Democratic 2020 candidate Pete Buttigieg believes.
Buttigieg, who is regarded as the first gay man with any realistic chance of winning a major-party nomination, said it was 'statistically almost certain' that at least one of the 44 men who have held the office was gay.
Asked which ones, the South Bend mayor said: 'My gaydar doesn't even work that well in the present, let alone retroactively.'
The 2020 hopeful and Afghanistan veteran celebrated his first wedding anniversary with his husband Chasten yesterday and has suggested they could start a family in the White House.
Pete Buttigieg, right, yesterday celebrated his first wedding anniversary with his husband Chasten, left (pictured together at a human rights event in Las Vegas last month)
If elected he would be the first openly gay President, the youngest ever elected at 38 and the first mayor to ascend straight to the White House - giving his campaign historic appeal.
However, it has also invited concern over whether he is experienced enough for the White House, and whether Americans are ready to elect a gay head of state.
In an interview with Axios on HBO, he was asked how he would respond to likely attacks that he is 'too young, too liberal [and] too gay'.
The mayor explained he would talk about his policies and said: 'We have had excellent Presidents who have been young. We have had excellent Presidents who have been liberal. I would imagine we've probably had excellent presidents who were gay - we just didn't know which ones.'
Challenged on his last point he said it was 'statistically almost certain' that one of the 44 previous Presidents has been gay.
There are no official statistics on how many Americans are gay, although a survey last year found that the LGBT population as a whole was around 4.5 per cent of the population.
Some Presidents - notably 15th commander-in-chief James Buchanan, the only lifelong bachelor among the 44 men - have been the subject of speculation.
There have also been rumours about Abraham Lincoln and Richard Nixon, although the evidence is a long way from conclusive in either case.
A poll by Quinnipiac in April found that 70 per cent of Americans say they are open to electing a gay man as President.
However, only 36 per cent believed that the country was ready to do so.
'The good news for Mayor Pete Buttigieg is that voters seem ready to accept a gay man as president. The bad news for Buttigieg is that voters believe it just isn't going to happen', a Quinnipiac pollster explained.
The 70 per cent who were open to voting for a gay man included 85 per cent of Democrats and 46 per cent of Republicans.
Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, has boosted his profile enormously since joining the 2020 race.
His poll numbers surged in the early months of this year, turning him from an outsider into a plausible contender for the nomination.
Some Democratic polls have put him in third place behind only Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders.
Polls for a hypothetical Buttigieg v Trump race in the fall of 2020 have suggested a close contest.
Buttigieg would be the youngest person to become president, turning 39 the day before the next inauguration, on January 20, 2021.
More
http://www.stationgossip.com/2019/06/democratic-2020-hopeful-pete-buttigieg.html
Top Trump envoy backs Friedman on West Bank annexation
US Special Representative for International Negotiations Jason Greenblatt has stood behind comments made by US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, in which the latter stated Israel has “the right” to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.
Speaking yesterday at a conference held by Israel’s English language daily the Jerusalem Post in New York, Greenblatt said: “I will let David’s comments stand for themselves. I think he said them elegantly and I support his comments.”
Greenblatt was referring to an interview with Friedman in the New York Times last weekend, in which the ambassador claimed that, “under certain circumstances, I think Israel has the right to retain some, but unlikely all, of the West Bank”. Friedman was understood to be referring to Israel’s illegal settlement blocs, several of which extend deep into the occupied West Bank and which Israel seeks to formally annex under any future peace settlement.
Though the US has since stressed there has been “no change” to its West Bank policy, Friedman’s comments have been seen as evidence of the current administration’s willingness to support Israel’s ambitions.
Greenblatt also yesterday spoke about the “deal of the century”, the long-awaited US peace plan he has designed alongside senior advisor to the US President and Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
“I think the logic would still dictate that if we wanted to wait until a new [Israeli] government is formed,” Greenblatt explained, “we really do have to wait until potentially as late as November 6″. His comments have been seen as acknowledgement that the “deal of the century” may have to be delayed, given that Israel will once again head to the polls on 17 September.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190617-top-trump-envoy-backs-friedman-on-west-bank-annexation/
MIGA
Israeli Private Intelligence Company Black Cube Out of Control
Last week an Israeli investigative TV show called Uvda revealed that the private intelligence firm black cube was hired in 2014 by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer to smear Israel’s then-Finance Minister Yair Lapid. This is only the latest revelation about the covert actions that Black Cube has been undertaking. The company is also known to offer corporate espionage by using techniques that the Israeli Mossad and other security agencies have perfected. The company became famous when it was discovered that movie producer Harvey Weinstein had hired black cube to spy on women who filed complaints against him for sexual assault. Weinstein allegedly received the recommendation for contracting Black Cube from former Israeli Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Ehud Barak. Weinstein apparently believed that former Mossad agents would be able to get him off the hook for sexual harassment, assault, and rape allegations. Here’s what the well-known journalist Ilana Dayan had to say about Black Cube when introducing last week’s broadcast of the Uvda documentary.
https://imemc.org/article/israeli-private-intelligence-company-black-cube-out-of-control/
Berkeley, Cornell partner with Facebook to identify 'fake news'
Facebook is partnering with the University of California-Berkeley, Cornell University, and the University of Maryland to identify fake news.
The tech giant is investing $7.5 million into projects at the three schools, according to a UC Berkeley news release. The two Berkeley professors who will work with Facebook are Hany Farid and Alexe Efros, who are both part of UC-Berkeley’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences.
Farid has been a longtime critic of social media companies and the danger that doctored videos and images pose online. The professor has commented on this subject for CNN and admitted to the school that he is “skeptical” of the new partnership with Facebook.
“I have been skeptical,” he told Berkeley News. “But I have agreed to work with [Facebook] for a year on the technology. For over a decade now, I’ve been pushing them and other big tech companies to take more responsibility for social media, for misinformation and fake news. I’d like to see a healthier online experience, and I am hoping that this is a first step in that direction.”
Farid added that his work will involve creating technology to detect “fake news, fake images, and fake videos.”
Campus Reform reached out to Farid with questions about how such a technology could detect fake news without political bias, but received no response in time for publication.
Farid wasn’t the only member of the Berkeley community who was skeptical. The Berkeley College Republicans told Campus Reform that while well-intentioned, this effort could lead to censorship of conservative content.
“The underlying premise of Facebook's repeated crusades to eliminate misinformation and fake content is the belief that Americans are exceedingly gullible and need benevolent overlords to protect them from consuming the wrong information,” Berkeley College Republicans External VP Rudra Reddy told Campus Reform.
“As we have seen in the past, misinformation is often used as a cover by social media giants for censoring right-leaning websites and content,” Reddy added. “We wish the Berkeley faculty members involved in this process well but would urge them not to recommend the adoption of any community standard that they would find unacceptable if applied to content that appeals to their political biases.”
Efros, Berkeley College Democrats, Cornell University, and the University of Maryland did not return requests for comment in time for publication.
https://www.blacklistednews.com/article/73293/berkeley-cornell-partner-with-facebook-to-identify-fake.html
https://www.campusreform.org/?ID=13335
"Saddam & Bin Laden Ties" Redux: Pompeo Blamed Iran For Taliban Suicide Bombing
The American public might now be sensing the sadly all too familiar Washington war machine grinding into motion. We're already well past the phase of "If X happens, blame enemy country Y without so much as an investigation" — as last Thursday's two tanker attacks in the Gulf of Oman demonstrated. Perhaps at least Putin gets a momentary respite from being blamed by Washington for "influencing" every negative event across the globe.
And now with Tehran firmly in the cross hairs, even the Taliban gets a free pass, apparently:
As Secretary of State Mike Pompeo railed against Iran in the wake of the attack Thursday on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, he also blamed the nation for a recent assault in Afghanistan claimed by the Taliban.
One expert responded that including the attack in Kabul on the list of U.S. grievances against Iran is a sign of a Trump administration “itching for war,” The Washington Post reported.
Most pundits and media reports overlooked Pompeo's words on a bombing in Afghanistan in his speech last week, given the flurry of reporting and details coming out on the tanker incident. His initial remarks pointing the finger at Iran for the Gulf of Oman tanker attacks included reference to the following May 31 suicide bombing in Afghanistan:
In the violence in Kabul broached by Pompeo, the Taliban claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb attack on a U.S.convoy on May 31 that killed four Afghan pedestrians and wounded four American servicemen and at least three civilians. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid boasted of the attack in a phone call with The Associated Press.
Absurdly, Pompeo's remarks implied that even the Sunni fundamentalist Taliban is a "surrogate" and proxy of Shia Iran, including the Taliban suicide bombing as one of—
“a series of attacks instigated by the Islamic Republic of Iran and its surrogates against American and allied interests,” according to the Washington Post.
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-06-17/saddam-bin-laden-ties-redux-pompeo-blamed-iran-taliban-suicide-bombing
Trump: Obama Knew of Spying, Clinton ‘Should Be in Jail’
President Donald Trump renewed his criticism of former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in an interview which aired on June 16.
Trump told ABC News that he believes Obama was aware of the spying operation targeting his campaign in 2016. The president said Clinton should be in jail for obstructing justice during the investigation into her use of an unauthorized email server.
Ask if he believes that Obama orchestrated the spy operation, Trump said Obama “certainly must have known about it.”
“But you’re going to find that out. I’m not going to make that statement quite yet. But I would say that President Obama had to know about it,” Trump added.
Messages between top FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page show that they provided regular briefings to the White House. The pair, who maintained an extramarital affair in 2016, expressed hatred toward Trump and support for Clinton while playing key roles in investigating both candidates.
“Went well, best we could have expected. Other than [redacted] quote, ‘the White House is running this,’” Strzok wrote to Page on Aug. 5, 2016.
In testimony to Congress, Strzok denied that the message referred to the White House running the Trump-campaign investigation.
“Yes, [because] POTUS [President of the United States] wants to know everything we are doing,” Page wrote to Strzok on Sept. 2, 2016.
In testimony to Congress, Page said the August and September messages deal with briefings to the White House that had to do with Russia’s broader campaign to interfere in the 2016 election and not the specific investigation of the Trump campaign.
When ABC’s George Stephanopoulos asked Trump who the president thought set up the probe against his campaign, Trump responded: “I hope it’s going to come out. We’re going to find out very soon. Because I really believe it’s going to come out.”
“When you look at Strzok, these FBI guys that were lowlives … when you look at Strzok and Page, and they’re talking about an insurance policy just in case she loses.”
https://www.theepochtimes.com/trump-obama-knew-of-spying-clinton-should-be-in-jail_2966659.html
Two Strong Earthquakes Hit Southwest China, At Least One Person Dead
BEIJING–Two strong earthquakes shook the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan on June 17, killing at least one person in a part of the country frequently affected by strong tremors.
The first magnitude 5.9 quake was followed around 30 minutes later by one registering 5.2, both at a depth of 6 miles (10 kilometers) and centered near Changning County, according to the United States Geological Survey.
Chinese state media said shaking was felt in major cities in the region, including in the Sichuan Provincial capital Chengdu and the metropolis of Chongqing.
The China Earthquake Administration said there were several aftershocks.
Pictures posted by state media on their social media accounts showed cracks in some buildings and people rushing into the streets in some cities in Sichuan.
State television said rescuers had reached the epicenter—a largely rural area—and had pulled some people out of rubble alive already. At least one person so far has died, the report added, without giving details.
A huge quake in Sichuan in May 2008 killed almost 70,000 people.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/two-strong-earthquakes-hit-southwest-china-at-least-one-person-dead_2966814.html
Netanyahu urges world to reimpose sanctions if Iran ramps up nuclear enrichment
Prime minister vows Israel will never let Tehran obtain nuclear weapons, after Iran says it will break limit on uranium stockpile set by nuke deal
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday urged the international community to immediately snap back sanctions on Iran if it goes ahead with its threat to enrich uranium beyond the levels set by a landmark nuclear pact.
Iran said earlier Monday that it would break the uranium stockpile limit set by the 2015 accord in 10 days, and warned that Iran could enrich uranium up to 20 percent — just a step away from weapons-grade levels.
Netanyahu, one of the agreement’s most vociferous critics, said Israel was not surprised by the threat.
“In the event it acts upon its threats and violates the nuclear deal, the international community must immediately impose the sanctions that were set previously. Israel will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon,” he said at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, during a ceremony that commemorated Israeli presidents and prime ministers who have passed away.
The nuclear deal has steadily unraveled since the Trump administration pulled America out of the accord last year and re-imposed tough economic sanctions on Iran, deeply cutting into its sale of crude oil abroad and sending its economy into freefall.
The Monday announcement by Behrouz Kamalvandi, timed for a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, put more pressure on Europe to come up with new terms for the nuclear deal.
Europe has so far been unable to offer Iran a way around the US sanctions, and Netanyahu has urged other powers to follow the lead of the US and pull out of the deal as well.
Kamalvandi made the announcement during a press conference with local journalists at Iran’s Arak heavy water facility that was carried live on Iranian state television.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-urges-world-to-reimpose-sanctions-if-iran-ramps-up-nuclear-enrichment/
Pray for peace