https://twitter.com/TIME/status/1204745148007157765

FFS rubbing it in our faces

Migrating “Chlorine Cylinder” And Bellingcat’s Investigations Of Assad “Chemical Weapons”

In July 2019, Hidden Syria’s Phillip Watson published an investigation looking into two alleged chemical attacks in Syria’s Aleppo in November 2016.

It specifically looked into the interesting “anomaly” of one and the same chlorine cylinder being used in two separate alleged chemical attacks 24 hours apart.

It all began when Watson looked into a report by Eliot Higgins, founder of Bellingcat, who used an image of an alleged chlorine cylinder from an alleged attack in December 2016 to claim that another attack had been carried out in March 2017.

The original photo and claim for the December 2016 were written on Bellingcat itself, which stands to prove the integrity, professionalism and investigative skills of an individual who evidently failed to “investigate” what content his website had used earlier.

https://southfront.org/migrating-chlorine-cylinder-and-bellingcats-investigations-of-assad-chemical-weapons/

Horowitz Admits FISA Warrants to Spy on Carter Page Based “Entirely” on Information From Phony Steele Dossier (VIDEO)

Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz testified Wednesday morning before the Senate Judiciary Committee led by Chairman Lindsey Graham.

Horowitz confirmed what Congressman Nunes stated in his FISA memo that he released nearly 2 years ago — the FISA warrants used to spy on Trump campaign advisor Carter Page was based “ENTIRELY” on information from the phony, Hillary-funded Steele dossier.

The 2-page FISA memo revealed that Hillary’s phony Russia dossier that was compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele played an essential part of the Carter Page FISA applications.

McCabe also testified that if not for the phony, Hillary-funded Russia dossier, the FBI would never have sought the FISA warrants on Carter Page.

Nunes was widely mocked by the media and Democrats following the release of his FISA memo but he was right all along.

Schiff even tried to refute Nunes with his own counter-memo, but as usual, Schiff was once again proven to be a liar.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/12/bombshell-horowitz-admits-fisa-warrants-to-spy-on-carter-page-based-entirely-on-information-from-phony-steele-dossier-video/

Police launch rape and sexual assault investigation into one of Britain's richest men - identifiable only as ‘Mr X’ following a High Court secrecy order

One of Britain's richest men is facing investigation over rape claims, Times says

Identity of multimillionaire businessman 'Mr X' is protected by court orders

After lengthy legal battle women reportedly accepted out-of-court deals

Women allegedly groped, forcibly kissed and assaulted at work and his home

Male junior manager said businessman hit him twice and 'forcibly shaved' him

One of Britain’s wealthiest men is under police investigation over allegations of rape and sexual assault.

A court order protects the identity of the Establishment figure and he is being referred to only as ‘Mr X’.

He had allegedly agreed to pay financial settlements to two former female staff who accused him of assaulting them in an employment tribunal case.

A condition for accepting the out-of-court settlements was that the two women sign non-disclosure agreements that prohibit them from talking about their cases.

However, the NDAs reportedly allowed the women to make a criminal complaint if they wished and one of them has now done so.

She has made allegations to police of rape and sexual assault in her former workplace, The Times reported.

A witness who provided evidence in the employment tribunal expressed surprise that detectives had not contacted them despite the investigation being active for more than two months.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7778997/Police-launch-rape-investigation-one-Britains-richest-men.html

George H. Walker Bush: The Bush Family and the Mexican Drug Cartel

Donald Trump has offered to intervene in Mexico, i.e. “to go after the Drug Cartels” following “the brutal killing of an American family in Mexico”. The Mexican president has turned down Trump’s generous offer.

In a recent interview, President Trump confirmed that his administration is now considering categorizing “drug cartels” as “terrorists”, akin to Al Qaeda (with the exception that they are “Catholic terrorists”).

They would henceforth be designated by Washington as “foreign terrorist organizations”.

What is the intent?

Create a justification for US-led “counterterrorism” (military) operations inside Mexico and elsewhere in Latin America?

Extend the “War on Terrorism” to Latin America? “Responsibility to Protect” (R2P). Go after the “Narco-terrorists”.

The unspoken truth is:

1. Al Qaeda and its related terrorist organizations (including ISIS) in the Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia are creations of the CIA.

1. The CIA protects the multibillion dollar global drug trade as well as the Mexican drug cartels. Moreover, it is estimated that 300 billion dollars (annually) worth of drug money is routinely laundered in casinos across America including Las Vegas and Atlantic City… As well as in Macau. Guess who is the World’s richest casino owner.

1. Both American and Latin American politicians are known to have ties to the drug trade.

Flash back to the 1990s: George H. W. Bush, the dad of Bush Junior had developed close personal ties with Carlos Salinas de Gortari (former president of Mexico) and his dad Raul Salinas Lozano who, according to the Dallas Morning News (February 27, 1997) was “a leading figure in narcotics dealings that also involved his son, Raul Salinas de Gortari… And Raul was an intimo amigo of Jeb Bush, (former Governor of Florida) and the brother of George W, Bush.

The Bush family has ties to the Bin Laden Family as well as ties to the Salinas de Gortiari family. Is it relevant?

The following text was published in May 2015 under the title Jeb Bush, the Mexican Drug Cartel and “Free Trade”. The Bush Family and Organized Crime. It also documents the signing of the North american Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) by a Mexican head state with links to the Drug Cartels.

https://www.globalresearch.ca/jeb-bush-the-mexican-drug-cartel-and-free-trade/5448747

Norway Digs for Reasons to Oppose Northern Sea Route

Norway doubts the economic feasibility of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) and will also look into its compliance with environmental standards, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway Ine Marie Erickson Sereide told Russian outlet Izvestia.

She noted that she has no idea how Russia will be able to ensure the safety of shipping in Arctic waters along the entire route.

The Russian Embassy in Oslo told Izvestia that Moscow does not plan to use the NSR together with Norway, since the route is considered in Russian territorial waters. At the same time, Moscow is open for dialogue with all international partners along the Northern Sea Route.

“Norway, as far as one can judge, is eyeing the opportunities that will gradually open up as the route is arranged, but at the same time remains an outside observer,” said the senior adviser to the embassy Vladimir Isupov.

The existing part of the Northern Sea Route passes exclusively in Russian territorial waters, reaching to Arkhangelsk in the west and to Chukotka in the east.

The ships nevertheless go further – to the ice-free ports of Murmansk and Vladivostok. Russia has repeatedly spoken about plans to expand the existing waterway to connect the harbors of Western Europe and Asia – the route through the NSR is almost two times shorter than the route through the Suez Canal.

But there are worries, and they are, as usual, predominantly political.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Marie Erickson Sereide told Izvestia, the Norwegian side is eyeing the Northern Sea Route, but so far does not see its economic prospects.

Currently the route operates within the framework of existing agreements, as it passes outside of Norwegian territorial waters.

But it should be checked for compliance with environmental standards that are put forward for ship routes in the Arctic, the minister emphasized.

“As far as I can see, the NSR has serious problems regarding everything: from search and rescue operations and insufficient infrastructure along the entire route to an extremely harsh climate. This greatly complicates the task of making this route as profitable and commercially successful, as many would like,” Sereide said.

The minister also stated that Norway had not considered the possibility of providing Svalbard ports for use within the framework of the NSR. Earlier, Russian experts suggested that the island’s ports, convenient in terms of location, could be involved in the Northern Sea Route.

“Svalbard as a part of Norwegian territory is not a subject for discussion within the framework of this project,” the Foreign Minister explained.

“We have yet to explore this possibility, given the sovereignty of Norway over the island, as well as the impact of the Northern Sea Route on the environment and compliance with environmental requirements.”

https://southfront.org/norway-digs-for-reasons-to-oppose-northern-sea-route/

Trump antisemitism executive order sets up First Amendment battle

While Trump’s order has been in the works for months, its emergence coincides with two Hanukkah receptions at the White House on Wednesday, which gather Republican supporters of his Israel policy.

President Donald Trump’s executive order this week to consider a specific definition of antisemitism in discrimination cases could prompt a court battle with free speech advocates, who argue that the ability to deny Israel’s right to exist is protected under the First Amendment.

The executive action is likely to please the president’s allies in the Israel advocacy community and, entering the heat of the 2020 presidential race, provide his campaign with a counterpoint to continued criticism that Trump himself has fueled rising antisemitism.

The order will direct the Justice Department and the Education Department to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition and its adjoining examples, which state that efforts to demonize, delegitimize or apply double standards to Israel are antisemitic in discrimination cases brought forth under Title Six of the Civil Rights Act.

While Trump’s order has been in the works for months, its emergence coincides with two Hanukkah receptions at the White House on Wednesday, which gather Republican supporters of his Israel policy.

The IHRA definition has been recognized by the US Department of State, Israel, France, Germany and several other European governments, but it is not without controversy.

In the United States, for example, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has opposed its usage under the Civil Rights Act on constitutional grounds, while overseas, a debate within the British Labour Party over whether to adopt the definition has embroiled leader Jeremy Corbyn in scandal before Britain’s parliamentary elections on Thursday.

Trump’s executive order, crafted by Jared Kushner and his longtime aide Avi Berkowitz, adopts the language of a stymied bill supported by Republicans and Democrats in both houses of Congress.

https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Antisemitism/Trumps-antisemitism-executive-order-sets-up-a-First-Amendment-battle-610592

Is Libya The New Syria?

On December 10th, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey was prepared to send troops to Libya if it were asked by the Government of National Accord (GNA).

“If Libya were to make a request, we would send a sufficient number of troops,” Erdogan said. “After the signing of the security agreement, there is no hurdle.”

Earlier in December, Ankara signed two agreements with the GNA. One was regarding territorial waters, the other about military cooperation.

“It’s only natural if the Libya government invited Turkey to provide assistance to deploy Turkish forces in accordance with this agreement. It’s entirely normal,” said former Turkish ambassador Mithat Rende. “Because there are so many countries that already are part of the game. This General Haftar is heavily supported by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, France, and I also understand, the Russian Federation.”

The GNA is currently defending from an offensive that the Libyan National Army (LNA), headed by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar that began on April 4th, 2019 and is on behalf of the Libyan House of Representatives, located in Benghazi. Russia is one of the LNA’s supporters.

Erdogan claimed that the call for Turkish forces may be in response to the alleged presence of the mythical Russian mercenaries the “Wagner Group.”

“You know that Russia has the Wagner group. Russia sent these security forces to Libya. If Libya asks us for military support (especially after signing an agreement on military cooperation), then we will send a sufficient number of our people in the same way.”

The Wagner Group is a favorite topic of MSM and it is typically tied to Russian businessmen Yevgeny Prigozhin, who is its alleged founder and allegedly runs the PMC. Prigozhin has repeatedly said that he has nothing to do with the so-called Wagner Group and that there’s no such thing.

“I wish that the matter of Haftar would not create a new Syria in our relations with Russia,” Erdogan said.

Greece is also unsatisfied with the agreements Turkey signed with the GNA.

Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos slammed the agreement, claiming it compromised Greece’s territorial waters.

“Turkey’s thoughts are on how it imagines it’s imperialist fantasies,” he said.

https://southfront.org/is-libya-the-new-syria/

Biden Paid Women Less Than Men in Each of His 35 Years as Senator

Women working for Biden made as little as 44 cents for each dollar earned by men, analysis finds

Women working for former vice president Joe Biden were paid less than their male counterparts during the entirety of Biden's 35 years in the U.S. Senate, according to a Washington Free Beacon analysis.

When Biden joined the Senate in 1973, the average pay for a full-time female staffer in his office was $5,029, about 68 percent of the $7,383 average paid to men during that span, according to the secretary of the Senate's first spending report for the 93rd Congress. A Free Beacon analysis of spending reports covering Biden's full Senate tenure found that he never achieved gender pay equity. Over the course of Biden's time in the Senate, women on average earned just 67 cents for each dollar earned by men.

The Free Beacon conducted its analysis using salary disbursements disclosed in the biannual report of the secretary of the Senate. As with previous Free Beacon gender pay gap investigations, only staffers employed for the entirety of any of the six-month pay periods analyzed were included in the calculations.

Biden as vice president called achieving equal pay for women "common sense" and "overdue." He has campaigned for the presidency as someone who's "fought for women's rights his whole career," pointing to gender equity legislation signed during the Obama administration, which also paid women less than their male colleagues.

That rhetoric is at odds with his record in public office. Women working for Biden earned less than 50 percent of what men made in 11 of the six-month periods analyzed by the Free Beacon. The closest the Delaware senator came to achieving gender pay equity was in early 2002 when female staffers earned 98 percent of the amount collected by their male counterparts. The Biden campaign did not respond to request for comment.

https://freebeacon.com/issues/biden-paid-women-less-than-men-in-each-of-his-35-years-as-senator/