Obama Holdover Made the Call to Fly Coronavirus Patients Back to the US from Japan – Then Boasted About It

President Trump was reportedly furious after a State Department doctor ignored the President’s orders and allowed Americans, sick with the coronavirus, to return to the US from Japan.

Dr. William Walters, Executive Director and Managing Director for Operational Medicine for the Bureau of Medical Services at the U.S. Department of State, made the decision to bring the patients back to the US.

Dr. William Walters is a holdover from the Obama administration.

The good doctor made the call despite the president’s wishes and then went out and bragged about it.

Daniel Greenfield at Frontpage Magazine reported:

Dr. William Walters is still on duty. In 2017, Walters was boasting of prepping more Ebola evacuations even over President Trump’s opposition to the practice. And he was once again at the wheel now.

“The question was simply this: Are these evacuees?” Walters explained the decision to evacuate coronavirus patients to the United States. “And do we follow our protocol? And the answer to that was yes on both accounts.”

Consulting President Trump was not part of the protocol even on a major national security issue.

In a Congressional briefing, Walters boasted that, “the Department executed the largest non-military evacuation of U.S. citizens in its history. The safe and efficient evacuation of 1,174 people from Wuhan, China and people onboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan is a testament to the agility, proficiency, and dedication of our workforce to accomplishing our core mission – advancing the interests of the American people.”

And the triumph of the administrative state and its bureaucratic protocols over the President.

At a State Department briefing, Walters stated that, “The chief of mission, right, through the U.S. embassy, is ultimately the head of all executive branch activities.”

That is the problem. Right there.

Walters got his job in 2011. He’s a relic of the Obama era. That doesn’t mean that his politics are those of his former boss. But this is not about him. It’s about the reality that the White House doesn’t make many of the most vital decisions and doesn’t even know that they’re being made until it’s too late.

And what that means, beyond the politics of the moment, is that the people don’t decide.

You can vote one way or another and the real decisions that matter will still be made by the head of a directorate that is a subsection of a bureau that you never heard of, but that has a budget in the hundreds of millions, a small army as its disposal, and will follow whatever the protocol is.

This is how the country is really run. And that’s the problem.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/03/obama-holdover-made-the-call-to-fly-coronavirus-patients-back-to-the-us-from-japan-then-boasted-about-it/

Russia seeks to ‘create conditions so that NOBODY wants to fight us’ – Putin

Vladimir Putin has confided that US President Donald Trump privately lamented the "insane" US military budget. He also says Russia protects itself by making the costs of attacking the country too high for anyone to contemplate.

“The US has outstripped us” in terms of annual defense expenditure, the Russian president said in a new episode of news agency TASS's ‘20 Questions to Vladimir Putin’ series. But being the world’s largest military spender doesn’t really make Donald Trump particularly happy, Putin said.

“Donald told me that they have adopted an insane [military] budget for the next year, $738 billion.”

The US commander-in-chief, who likes to talk up his country's military hardware during overseas trips while bragging about the armed forces, tends to be more reserved in private, according to Putin. “He told me that the costs were too high, but he had to do it,” he said, describing his counterpart as “an advocate of disarmament, as he says.”

In terms of military spending, Russia trails behind China, Saudi Arabia, the UK, France, and Japan, with a defense budget worth $48 billion, although its lower cost base gives it more purchasing power than most western states. “Moreover, our annual expenditures are falling. In contrast, other countries’ spending has been rising,” Putin stated.

We are not going to fight against anyone. We are going to create conditions so that nobody wants to fight against us.

Putin also explained why Trump – who already dismantled the landmark Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty the US signed with the old Soviet Union – is reluctant to talk non-proliferation and arms control.

“That is another question, this is a question which relates to the understanding of security and how to ensure it… We can discuss this topic,” the Russian president replied without going into details.

Another crucial treaty which now hangs in the balance is the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), which dramatically reduced the number of nuclear warheads and the means of delivery.

The current edition of the pact, known as New START, was signed by former US President Barack Obama and his then-Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev in 2010. It is set to expire in February next year.

While Moscow has signaled its readiness to prolong the treaty immediately, the US has kept silent on the matter.

https://www.rt.com/russia/482078-putin-trump-military-spending/

"They're Flying It In!" - Canadians Furious At Trudeau As Government Refuses To Stop Travelers From Iran

Furious Canadians slammed the government for failing to cancel flights from Iran, presently the country with the worst outbreak outside China, and other policies that suggest a dangerously blithe response from the government, perhaps as a consequence of PM Trudeau's commitment to 'woke' policies (many have slammed travel bans as racist).

One critic even accused Ottawa of "flying in" the virus by refusing to cancel flights. Though, to be fair, while President Trump has cracked down on China and Iran, his reaction to Italy and South Korea has been slightly more mild (though the State Department has issued travel advisories targeting SK and Italy.

Yesterday, Canadian public health officials confirmed four new cases of the virus, each diagnosed at hospitals in Greater Toronto. That brought Canada's total to 24.

"As a result of the co-ordinated efforts of our health care and public health system, all individuals who have tested positive have been quickly assessed and isolated," the province’s ministry of health said in a statement.

All of Canada's cases have been definitively tied to travelers. One patient, a man in his 50s who is a Toronto resident temporarily living in Vaughan, Ontario, where he is under self-isolation, is the brother of a Toronto man who had traveled to Iran recently, Global News reports.

Another man, this one in his 60s, was diagnosed at North York General Hospital after an emergency department visit with symptoms on Friday. He had also recently visited Iran.

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/canadians-furious-trudeau-government-refuses-cancel-flights-iran-outbreak-worsens

Dr. Matt McCarthy – Author of “Superbugs” – Suggests Coronavirus Numbers from Korea Suggest Mortality Rate Closer to Flu Rather Than Something Worse

Dr. Matt McCarthy, the author of “Superbugs: The Race to Stop an Epidemic” joined Stuart Varney on Monday morning to discuss the ongoing spread of the deadly coronavirus across Europe, the Middle East and now the United States.

During the discussion Dr. McCarthy said the data from South Korea is more trustworthy than the data coming from China. And the numbers from Korea suggest the coronavirus may be more like a deadly flu season than a SARS or MERS epidemic.

If there is any good news that would be it.

Dr. Matt McCarthy: We are doing a lot of mathematical targeting. We are not using the Chinese data. We don’t find it reliable. We are using the Korean data. We think what would happen in Korea is going to be a lot more reflective of what we’re going to see in the United States. And we see about a .2 to .4 death rate.

Stuart Varney: .2 to .4 fatality rate due to coronavirus? What is it for ordinary, common variety flu?

Dr. Matt McCarthy: Well, common flu is .1% So what we’re saying here is that this would be like a very bad flu season. Well, some people say well that’s pretty reassuring? A flu season typically kills 29,000 to 69,000 people. So if we say double that, we’re talking about 50,000 Americans…

Stuart Varney: Older people greatly at risk?

Dr. Matt McCarthy: Yup. If you’re over 80 we’re seeing an incredibly high rate. We’re also seeing for people who have co-morbid conditions. Tony Fauci said at the press conference, obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes. That’s a pretty big swath of the American public.

Of course, this is good news but there will have to be more data available before medical experts will know what they are dealing with.

Via Varney and Co.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/03/dr-matt-mccarthy-author-of-superbugs-suggests-coronavirus-numbers-from-korea-suggest-mortality-rate-close-to-flu-rather-than-something-worse-video/

German interior minister REFUSES TO SHAKE MERKEL’S HAND amid coronavirus scare

German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer declined a friendly handshake with his boss Chancellor Angela Merkel, as Germany scrambles to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

A short video shows Merkel approaching Seehofer and extending her hand. The German minister then signals that he’s not interested – prompting laughter from bystanders. Merkel herself seemed to be amused by the anti-germ-spreading tactic, and reportedly told Seehofer afterwards that it was “the right thing to do.”

Seehofer informed German media on Sunday that he had stopped shaking people’s hands as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus, which began in the Chinese city of Wuhan and has spread to every continent, excluding Antarctica.

Merkel reportedly implemented a similar no-handshake policy while visiting her constituency in Eastern Germany last week.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany rose to 150 on Monday, up from 129 on Sunday, the Robert Koch Institute for disease control said. The organization said that the virus now poses a “moderate” risk to the country.

https://www.rt.com/news/482112-merkel-handshake-coronavirus-refuses-video/

Trump Slams "Slow To Act" Fed As Concerned Strategist Urges Powell: "Don't Jump Into The Liquidity Trap"

President Trump repeated his same message, demanding action from Jay Powell and The Fed:

"As usual, Jay Powell and the Federal Reserve are slow to act. Germany and others are pumping money into their economies. Other Central Banks are much more aggressive. The U.S. should have, for all of the right reasons, the lowest Rate. We don’t, putting us at a competitive disadvantage. We should be leading, not following!"

But, Mizhuho rates strategist, Peter Chatwell, is concerned that The Fed will 'deliver' what Trump and the market is demanding, sending it even deeper into a liquidty trap…

Dear Fed,

On Friday you gave yourself the option to ease and provided a bit of calm to the stock market. It won’t work. Don’t make the mistakes the BoJ and ECB have made in trying to paper over structural problems with liquidity. If you do, your actions will be deflationary and you will devalue your monetary tools. Your real structural problems are rising inequality and the number of ‘zombie’ companies.

The virus will have a major economic impact. Global growth may fall on par with the GFC. It will, with a lag of 6-9 months, justify you easing through the employment dimension of your mandate. It will not, however, be disinflationary. Getting Fed Funds down to 1.25% would put your monetary policy back to a slightly accommodative setting.

However, moving too early, in order to support confidence (let’s admit it, stocks), will put you in a currency war you cannot win. Other central banks, who are missing their inflation targets will follow swiftly, reducing the FX benefit of your easing. By moving to support “confidence” (stocks) and “transmission” (spreads) you will in fact be generating deflationary forces.

Your easing since the GFC has allowed zombie companies to continue their lumbering, groaning, slow-motion takeover of the economy. By no means are we saying you need to shoot them (hike), but equally don’t support them just to satisfy your urges for a roaring SPX. Instead society needs them to bow out gracefully (let PE take the risk). Equities will perform better in the long run if you let the zombies die.

By cutting rates on March 18th, you will be telling the market a) that, all else equal, the underlying value from this level is dubious, and b) that you are determined to support asset bubbles. You will be advocating leveraged longs of failing companies. Your rate cuts will reduce the neutral Fed Funds rate once again. You are choosing to dive into a liquidity trap, racing to 0% Fed Funds and a QE restart. Yield curve control (another market vol killer) should also be avoided. Please learn the lessons from your international counterparts. The water in the liquidity trap isn’t lovely, don’t dive in!

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/concerned-strategist-writes-letter-powell-dear-fed-dont-jump-liquidity-trap

Liar Lindsey Graham Praises Someone Today Who He Promised to Investigate Yesterday – Americans are Insane to Trust Him

Lindsey Graham is so full of contradictions and outright lies about getting to the bottom of anything in the Senate that Americans no longer have any trust in him.

Lindsey Graham is not the person you can trust to drain the swamp.

For more than a year Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has claimed that he would get to the bottom of FISAgate, the Mueller Hoax, the Biden’s corrupt actions in the Ukraine, etc… He’s either a liar or crazy or both. It’s also clear that Americans are crazy to listen to him.

Last January, we reported that incoming Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) claimed that he would get to the bottom of FISAgate. He has done nothing.

In January 2019, Graham said Bill Barr has a high opinion of outgoing DAG Rod Rosenstein and King Robert Mueller, both criminals who have been trying to remove President Trump from office.

Reporters asked Senator Graham if he was going to investigate FISA abuses which involve Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

“Will you investigate surveillance abuse allegations, including those involving the Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein?” a reporter asked Lindsey Graham.

“Yeah, I told him I want to give a deep dive on the FISA warrant problem as I see…” Graham said.

“Will you bring Rosenstein to testify under oath before he leaves?” a reporter asked.

Graham responded, “I’m going to do a deep dive on the FISA issue and I think he’ll be a part of it.”

Of course Rosenstein should be questioned under oath–he signed the June 2017 FISA renewal app and until this day, 20 pages of those FISA docs are redacted!

We recognized a year ago that Lindsey Graham was full of contradictions. On one hand Graham said Mueller is doing a great job and will be fair to President Trump, and on the other hand he acknowledges there was FISA abuse.

Later in 2019 Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) promised again to call in Hunter Biden to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) joined Maria Bartiromo on Sunday Morning Futures a few weeks ago.

During their discussion Lindsey once again promised to call in the Bidens to testify in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Lindsey Graham: When this trial is over, I don’t want to call Hunter Biden now, we will do oversight of the Bidens to give the Vice President (Biden) the scrutiny that the president has had regarding the Ukraine is yet to be had.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/03/liar-lindsey-graham-praises-someone-today-who-he-promised-to-investigate-yesterday-americans-are-insane-to-trust-him/

‘Morally & politically bankrupt’: New report slams ‘broken’ UK voting system, says millions being ignored

Nearly half the UK electorate – 14.5 million people – in the 2019 general election were denied proper representation due to a “morally and politically bankrupt” voting system, according to new research.

The survey by the Electoral Reform Society (ERS), an organization that campaigns to end the ‘first-past-the-post’ system, claims that 45 percent of the UK electorate cast a vote for a non-elected parliamentary candidate.

Dr Jess Garland, the director of research and policy at the ERS, has called for a reform of the “broken” voting system and urged all political parties to get behind a move to proportional representation (PR) to help bring about “real democracy” in Westminster.

It is no wonder trust in politics is at rock bottom; the vast majority of people’s votes are being systematically ignored by a voting system that is morally and politically bankrupt.

The organization’s audit, titled ‘Voters Left Voiceless’, in combination with data from the pollsters YouGov revealed that 32 percent of voters “held their nose” and voted tactically, rather than selecting their preferred party or candidate.

Garland said that the research “exposes the scale of disenfranchisement” that currently occurs under a “one-party-takes-all voting” system, insisting PR would help ensure seats in parliament reflect how people actually want to vote.

The organization highlighted Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party, with the concentration of their support in certain areas meaning that it took on average 50,835 votes to return a Labour MP — compared to 38,264 for a Conservative MP.

The ERS also insisted that smaller parties such as the Greens, Lib Dems and Brexit Party were “penalized” by the current system at the last general election in December 2019, despite an increase in vote share on 2017’s snap poll.

https://www.rt.com/uk/482091-british-voting-system-bankrupt-report/

CDC Accidentally Releases 'Diamond Princess' Evacuee Who Tested Positive For The Virus

This doesn't exactly inspire confidence in the federal government's virus response, and certainly doesn't bode well for American officials' ability to suppress the virus.

Early Monday, the CDC admitted that it had mistakenly released an infected coronavirus patient from the San Antonio Texas Center for Infectious Disease the day prior after the patient twice tested negative for the virus. At that time the patient had no symptoms and technically met the criteria for release, and so was allowed to leave, ABC 7 reports.

However, the patient was soon returned to isolation after a subsequent lab test came back positive for the novel coronavirus, the virus that causes COVID-19. So the CDC decided to bring them back to quarantine "out of an abundance of caution."

According to CNN, the patient was one of the evacuees from Wuhan, who was evacuated to Texas's Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio , been kept in quarantine on military bases in California, Texas and Nebraska.

So, why was the patient released if they still had a lab pending? The agency didn't offer any kind of explanation.

"The fact that the CDC allowed the public to be exposed to a patient with a positive COVID-19 reading is unacceptable," said San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said.

The CDC said the individual, who is currently being retested, had some "limited contact" with healthy individuals on the outside. The CDC said this wasn't the first time a patient has seen back-to-back tests go from negative to positive. The agency is going to need to tighten its 'criteria' for what constitutes a 'cured' case. Hopefully they will before they really drop the ball, if it's not already too late.

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/cdc-accidentally-releases-diamond-princess-evacuee-who-tested-positive-virus

Italian Governor Zaia from the Veneto region said:

“80% of all sick people heal by themselves, 15% need medication and 5% need to have hospital attention. All 17 people who died already, had advanced health issues. No healthy person who caught the coronavirus has died. It’s an alarm with no foundation. In the beginning they reacted the way they did because they didn’t have any real information about the virus. But after seeing what it is, the information is too exaggerated.”

Rockerfeller Plan to Use Bioweapons to Impose Martial Law One Quarantine at a Time!

School Cop Tasked with ‘Protecting’ Young Children, Arrested for Child Sex Trafficking

Poplar Bluff, MO — There are so many cases each week of police officers getting caught with child porn or sexually assaulting children that TFTP cannot report on all of them. However, the following case out of Missouri is so disconcerting that we felt it was necessary to make a point. Child predators often seek out positions of authority which allow them to carry out their sick desires while garnering the trust of those around them. Poplar Bluff police officer Brandon Michael Hopper was one of these predators.

Last week, the 39-year-old was charged with the unclassified felony of first-degree sexual trafficking of a child, the Class B felony of first-degree promoting child pornography and two Class D felonies of possession of child pornography by Butler County Prosecuting Attorney Kacey Proctor.

Hopper was a ten year veteran of the department who had requested and received the position as a School Resource Officer (SRO) at Poplar Bluff Middle School last year. The school district welcomed this child predator to “protect” young children with open arms, because, after all, his badge made him a pillar of the community.

Investigators reportedly received a cyber tip that Hopper was engaged in the transfer of child pornography and looked into the claims. What they found was utterly sickening.

After his arrest, Poplar Bluff Police Department stated:

“The information indicated one of our officers was possibly sharing child pornography. As this involves one of our own employees, we are respectfully requesting the DDCC (Drug and Crime Control Division) handle the investigation. The Poplar Bluff Police Department is cooperating fully with the on-going investigation regarding a now-former employee of its force.”

The investigation led to the arrest of Amber Longhibler, 28, who was also arrested on Wednesday. She was charged with sexual trafficking of a child, promoting child pornography and four counts of possession of child pornography, according to KFVS.

In an interview which took place inside Longhibler’s home, investigators said she admitted to taking pictures of a nude 11-year-old girl.

Longhibler stated she took the photos at Hopper’s request, and sent them to him over the internet, according to KFVS.

When investigators searched both cell phones, they reported they found this conversation between the two:

Hopper asked Longhilber to: “send me some [child’s name] pics to trade, obviously no face pics.”

Longhilber replied: “I’ll send you what I have.”

Longhilber then sent two close up photos of a prepubescent female child’s privates.

https://thefreethoughtproject.com/school-cop-child-trafficking/

Migrant Mobs Turn Violent at Greek Border, Army Deployed

Violent clashes erupted on the European Union’s common external border over the weekend as Greek border guards tried to stop migrants promised they could travel to Europe by the Turkish president from entering.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who leads the Islamist government in Ankara, told migrants the border was now open several days ago — a move widely regarded as punishment for the West’s failure to back his effective annexation of northern Syria, which has embroiled him in an increasingly deadly confrontation with the Syrian government and its backers in Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah.

The EU, including the United Kingdom, had been funnelling the Turkish government billions of euros in order to encourage Erogan to bring the flow of migrants under a modicum of control, but he has now reneged on that deal, and they are again travelling to the frontier in their tens of thousands — many of them in unmarked buses seemingly laid on for the purpose of transporting them.

The Greek border, however, remains closed, resulting in angry confrontations between Greek personnel and migrants who believed border guards on both sides of the frontier had been stood down.

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2020/03/02/pictures-migrant-mobs-turn-violent-at-greek-border-army-deployed/

Erdogan Delivers E.U. Migrant Ultimatum: ‘Doors Are Open… Take Your Share’

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed Monday to keep the doors open for migrants heading for Europe, promising he will not hinder anyone heading for the border with Greece.

He warned Europe that it will have prepare to shoulder its part of the migrant “burden.”

“After we opened the doors, there were multiple calls saying ‘close the doors’,” he said. “I told them ‘it’s done. It’s finished. The doors are now open. Now, you will have to take your share of the burden’.”

Some 13,000 migrants, including Afghans, Syrians and Iraqis, massed at Turkey’s border with Greece over the weekend after Erdogan announced Turkey would no longer prevent them from heading towards Europe’s hearland.

The move follows years of threats made by Erdogan to punish Europe for not furnishing his Islamist government with money and political support by opening Turkey’s borders — behind which are 3.5 million or more migrants waiting to travel to head west.

As Breitbart London reported, tensions at the border with Turkey began rising as thousands of migrants arrived at the frontier on unmarked buses and state-owned railways.

Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on Sunday evening that all asylum applications are being suspended in response to the crisis, and “the level of deterrence at our borders [has been increased to the maximum.”

E.U. foreign ministers are due to meet this week at the request of Greece to discuss the situation, amid fears of a repeat of the refugee influx that poisoned European politics in 2015.

Athens is to boost patrols of its land and sea borders in the north-east and was also suspending consideration of asylum applications by those who entered the country illegally, said Greek government spokesman, Stelios Petsas.

https://www.breitbart.com/middle-east/2020/03/02/erdogan-delivers-e-u-migrant-ultimatum-doors-are-open-take-your-share/

Greek Government Labels Alleged Killing of Migrant on Border ‘Fake News’

The Greek government has claimed that a widely spread video claiming to show a migrant fatally wounded along the countries border is “fake news.”

Government spokesman Stelios Petsas commented on the footage, which was released by BBC World Service journalist Mughira Al Sharif on Monday, stating on social media platform Twitter that the alleged killing of a Syrian refugee was Turkish propaganda.

“Video showing fatality on Greek-Turkish border is fake news. We call upon everyone to use caution when reporting news that furthers Turkish propaganda,” Petsas said.

The footage claims that the man in the video is a Syrian asylum seeker named Ahmed Abu Emad who is originally from the city of Aleppo. Mr Al Sharif went on to state that the incident occurred on Monday morning at 9:07 am and the Syrian died after being shot in the throat. The true facts of the case have yet to emerge.

The footage comes as tensions remain high along the land border between Turkey and Greece after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that the country would be opening the gates to any and all asylum seekers and migrants who wished to travel to Europe on Thursday.

Since Thursday, there has been a huge surge of asylum seekers heading toward Greece, with Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu claiming on Sunday that 100,577 migrants had left Turkey to head for Europe.

President Erdogan confirmed initial reports that the border was open for asylum seekers on Saturday saying, “We will not close the gates to refugees,” and added, “The European Union has to keep its promises.”

A video released by the Greek coastguard on Monday also claimed to show a migrant boat being escorted to Greece by a Turkish patrol craft. If proven true, the footage could add credence to claims that migrants travelling from the Turkish interior to the border with Germany are being assisted by the Turkish state railways and long-distance buses.

In response to the allegations, the Greek government released a statement saying, “Turkey, instead of curbing migrant and refugee smuggling networks, has become a smuggler itself.”

Clashes between migrants and Greek border guards have also occurred over the last several days, with migrants accused of throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails at border officials.

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2020/03/02/greek-government-labels-alleged-killing-of-migrant-on-border-fake-news/

Mexico Extradites Cartel Lord Allegedly Tied to Dall

Mexico’s federal government announced the extradition of a cartel boss wanted in Texas for helping to orchestrate the 2013 murder of a Mexican attorney-turned-informant in the Dallas area.

On Sunday night, Mexican authorities took Ramon “El Mon, Ramoncillo, or El Gatillo” Villarreal Hernandez from a federal detention center to the Mexico City International Airport where they turned him over to the U.S. Marshals to make his initial court appearance in connection with the murder charges.

Detectives with the Nuevo Leon State Investigations Agency arrested El Mon in May 2018 while serving a federal extradition warrant in connection with the Dallas area murder.

Villarreal is the brother of Rodolfo “El Gato” Villarreal, a former federal police officer who became the former leader of the Beltran Leyva Cartel in the Monterrey area, who then established an independent organization. Breitbart Texas was the first outlet to publish photographs of El Gato, who remains a fugitive in Mexico.

https://www.breitbart.com/border/2020/03/02/mexico-extradites-cartel-lord-allegedly-tied-to-dallas-area-execution/

US will not provide air support to Turkey in Syria: Pentagon

The United States will not provide air support to Turkey in the war-torn Syrian province of Idlib, Pentagon Chief Mark Esper has said.

Speaking to reporters in Washington on Monday, Esper said that the US would be seeking to increase humanitarian aid deliveries to Turkey following last week’s deadly attack which killed 33 Turkish troops. Asked if US assistance would include air support, he responded “No.”

The secretary of defence also confirmed that he has spoken to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg about the situation in Syria, and that NATO was ready for anything that might happen.

On Saturday, President Trump said the US had been speaking with President Erdogan of Turkey “a lot” over the situation in Idlib, and confirmed that the two countries were discussing Ankara’s request for the temporary deployment of US Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems on Turkey’s border with Syria.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/us-will-not-provide-air-support-to-turkey-in-syria-pentagon/

Chicago Mayor Defends ‘Sanctuary City’ Policy After ICE Says Man Accused Of Raping Toddler Was Previously Deported

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is on the defensive this weekend after Immigrations and Customs Enforcement announced that a convicted felon, now facing charges of sexually assaulting a toddler in a downtown Chicago McDonalds bathroom, was supposed to have been turned over to ICE and deported — and had been deported before.

“ICE said in a news release Thursday [Christopher] Puente was placed into Chicago police custody in June of 2019 after he was arrested for theft,” according to a Chicago ABC affiliate. “According to ICE, Chicago police were expected to hold Puente until he could be taken into their custody, as Puente was expected to be deported.”

Because Chicago is a so-called “Sanctuary City” and has lenient bail policies, Puente was released back into the community.

Puente is now charged with raping a 3-year-old girl in the bathroom of Chicago’s landmark “Rock & Roll McDonalds,” a major tourist destination just north of the city’s downtown, and just west of its “Magnificent Mile” shopping district. Puente allegedly lured the girl away from her father, who was attending to the girl’s brother inside a bathroom stall. Puente, police say, dragged the girl into his stall, locked the door, molested and assaulted her. The girl’s father, alerted by her screams, rescued her, but could not catch Puente, CPD says, who bolted from the bathroom and out the door of the McDonalds, into the street.

“Puente was being investigated for trespassing when police recognized him from the surveillance pictures because he was wearing the same clothes he has on following Monday’s attack,” ABC Chicago said in a seprate story.

Chicago’s branch of ICE says “Puente had been deported to Mexico in 2014 over a prior burglary conviction, but tried to get back in five days later, claiming to be a citizen, and later skipped out on a hearing before an immigration judge. He was ordered deported again in 2017 in absentia,” according to CBS Chicago.

http://www.cuzzblue.com/2020/03/chicago-mayor-defends-sanctuary-city.html

A great video on how corrupt the WHO is. All advice the WHO gives, after seeing how they mishandled the ongoing crisis, safely can and should be ignored.

WHO chief on coronavirus: Global markets ‘should calm down and try to see the reality’

I like how the WHO keeps raising the threat level of COVID19 on a weekly basis but always going shy of calling it a pandemic, I guess that might trigger some algos to sell and clearly their priority is the stock market….

Just an all round embarrassment, remember when they first met and said the virus is not of concern? Only to meet again 4 days later and say actually it’s concerning.

Now they’re calling it a global emergency / linked epidemic and asks nations to work together, but not a pandemic got forbit we say the p word.

https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/a-great-video-on-how-corrupt-the-who-is-all-advice-the-who-gives-after-seeing-how-they-mishandled-the-ongoing-crisis-safely-can-and-should-be-ignored/

Another Way of Reducing the World Population 5 BILLION HUMAN BEINGS TO BE MURDERED — New World Order :: The Plan Is In Progress RIGHT NOW !!

TRANSGENDERISM is another way of reducing the worldpopulation……transgenders are infertile !! I would like to propose a law that forbids GLOBALISTS to reproduce….for the coming about 70 years….?? And what about the hurricanes…the EMP-burnings in Californië and the disappearance of survivors in Fema-camps and on -barges….?? And what about the extreme cold weather everywhere…?? What about the never ending MINDCONTROLL and the coming INFLUENCING of our brains…?? THE DEEPFREEZE STATE IS ALREADY SLOWLY KILLING OUR POPULATION FOR DECADES….AND THEY WILL PLAN QUICKER IF THEY DON ‘T GET THEIR WW III….! THE CABAL ARE KHASARIAN TARTARS….IN JEWISH SHEEPCLOTHES… THINKING THEY ARE THE CHOSEN ONES BECAUSE OF THEIR BELIEVED SUMERIAN SATANIC BACKGROUND….!! I THINK WE…SHEEPLE… SHOULD START TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST THEM….WE LEAN BACK AND WONDER…..WE SHOULD ACT AGAINST THEM IF THEY ATTACK US ALL THE TIME…..THEY ARE COLD SATANISTS….BUT THEY HAVE PLANNED AND KNOW WHAT THEY DO TO US AND OUR PLANET…..!!

Most experts assume that the world’s population will rise from today’s 7 billion to 9 billion by 2050. It’s hard to fathom that many people competing for dwindling resources. It’s even harder to wrap your head around what we must do to stop it.

“We’ve got people on the other side [the Dark Side] who think we should reduce the population of the earth. That’s Satan’s plan, of course. Jacques Cousteau [you’ve seen his underwater documentaries] said we need to eliminate 350,000 people a day. Ted Turner [you pay for his cable TV networks] said we need a 95% decline in population.

These guys for the New World Order want to reduce the population of the world [from it’s present 6 billion] to a half billion.”

https://www.mydailyinformer.com/another-way-of-reducing-the-world-population-5-billion-human-beings-to-be-murdered-new-world-order-the-plan-is-in-progress-right-now/

Commander of US Forces in Europe Tells Senate He Is “a Fan of Flexible First Strike” vs Russia

The military commander of entire NATO doesn't mind lobbing nukes first

When the Commander of NATO says he is a fan of flexible first strike at the same time that NATO is flexing its military muscle on Russia’s border, the risk of inadvertent nuclear war is real.

US Air Force Gen. Tod D Wolters told the Senate this week he “is a fan of flexible first strike” regarding NATO’s nuclear weapons, thereby exposing the fatal fallacy of the alliance’s embrace of American nuclear deterrence policy.

It was one of the most remarkable yet underreported exchanges in recent Senate history. Earlier this week, during the testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee of General Tod Wolters, the commander of US European Command and, concurrently, as the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe (SACEUR) also the military head of all NATO armed forces, General Wolters engaged in a short yet informative exchange with Senator Deb Fischer, a Republican from the state of Nebraska.

Following some initial questions and answers focused on the alignment of NATO’s military strategy with the 2018 National Defense Strategy of the US, which codified what Wolters called “the malign influence on behalf of Russia” toward European security, Senator Fischer asked about the growing recognition on the part of NATO of the important role of US nuclear deterrence in keeping the peace. “We all understand that our deterrent, the TRIAD, is the bedrock of the security of this country,” Fischer noted. “Can you tell us about what you are hearing…from our NATO partners about this deterrent?”

Wolters responded by linking the deterrence provided to Europe by the US nuclear TRIAD with the peace enjoyed on the European continent over the past seven decades. Fischer asked if the US nuclear umbrella was “vital in the freedom of NATO members”; Wolters agreed. Remarkably, Wolters linked the role of nuclear deterrence with the NATO missions in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere outside the European continent. NATO’s mission, he said, was to “proliferate deterrence to the max extent practical to achieve greater peace.”

Then came the piece de resistance of the hearing. “What are your views, Sir,” Senator Fischer asked, “of adopting a so-called no-first-use policy. Do you believe that that would strengthen deterrence?”

General Wolters’ response was straight to the point. “Senator, I’m a fan of flexible first use policy.”

More

https://www.anti-empire.com/commander-of-us-forces-in-europe-tells-senate-he-is-a-fan-of-flexible-first-strike-vs-russia/

CNN and NY Times journalists caught at party with disgraced former congresswoman

It seems like life is back to normal for Katie Hill, the disgraced former member of Congress who resigned last October after it was revealed that she and her husband were involved in an intimate "throuple" with one of her staffers. In fact, Page Six reported that Hill may be "dating" Playboy's Washington, D.C., political correspondent, Alex Thomas.

The two were reportedly spotted at a posh Manhattan party last week for the launch of Lachlan Markay and Asawin Suebsaeng's book, "Sinking in the Swamp." The book is said to be "a deep dive into the murky underworld of President Trump's Washington" that exposes the "charlatans" and "run-of-the-mill con artists" who have "infected" the nation's capital.

Hill denies the two are dating

Hill and Thomas were spotted at the party by at least two attendees who spoke to Page Six on background.

"They arrived together, they were together all night, and they left together," an attendee of the Upper East Side party said. Another anonymous source noted the two "kept going outside to smoke together."

Page Six contacted Thomas for comment; he denied that he and Hill, who is currently going through a divorce, are in a relationship.

Guess who else was in attendance?

CNN's Brian Stelter, Oliver Darcy, and Vicky Ward were also said to be at the party, along with New York Times Styles reporter Taylor Lorenz. Stelter's attendance is notable since he, as the host of "Reliable Sources," frequently calls out his industry colleagues for biased reporting. It is unclear if any of the journalists interacted with Hill or Thomas at the event.

Page Six also noted that when the scandal surrounding Hill first broke and nude photos of the former House member were leaked online, Thomas defended her. The Playboy reporter accused the National Republican Congressional Committee of "shopping around" the pictures of Hill. The NRCC denied this.

Hill said the photos were part of a smear campaign by media conservatives. She has also attributed her resignation, in part, to "biphobia" on Capitol Hill.

http://www.hideoutnow.com/2020/03/report-cnn-and-ny-times-journalists.html

Trump Goes Nuclear On Democrats At CPAC: ‘Now We’re Coming After Them’

At a massive gathering of conservatives at an annual summit outside Washington, D.C., on Saturday, President Trump swooped in and dished out some read meat, blasting Democrats who have “pursued a relentless crusade to overturn the results of the 2016 election.”

In a stem-winder of a speech, Trump fired up the crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference’s final day, ripping Democrats as a “hate-filled left-wing mob.”

“From the moment I took the oath of office, the Left has pursued a relentless crusade to overturn the results of the 2016 election and sabotage our next election. You know that. It was all a big hoax. You know that,” Trump said.

But Trump said the tables are now turned. “They’re coming after me and we fight ’em back – and now we’re coming after them!” he said, drawing raucous cheers and chants of “USA!”

Democrats, Trump said, want to turn American into a “large-scale Venezuela.”

“They want to take away your money, take away your choice, take away your speech, guns, take away your religion, take away your history, future, and take away ultimately your freedom. But we will never let them do that,” he said to more cheers.

Trump also touted his efforts to secure U.S. borders, tying that to terrorism. “All of the 9/11 hijackers came here on visas and we are determined to keep radical Islamic terrorists the hell out of our country. And we’re keeping them out.”

Following his impeachment in the House and the Russia probe that turned up nothing, Trump praised Republicans for sticking together throughout the endless battles.

“Except Romney,” Trump said, drawing laughter and boos for Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), the only Republican in the Senate who voted with Democrats on an article of impeachment. “He got some good publicity,” Trump said. “He’s a low life.”

But Trump saved his best attacks for Democrats, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), former Vice President Joe Biden, and especially former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg.

http://www.tathasta.com/2020/03/trump-goes-nuclear-on-democrats-at-cpac.html

Turnout at 56.3% as of 6 p.m. as pollsters hint at unexpected results

Party chiefs begin final push for support with less than 2 hours before polls close; special voting stations for Israelis under quarantine close

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-march-2-2020/

Putin submits amendment on recognizing marriage as union of man and woman to parliament

The president noted that the idea to uphold traditional family values, including family composition, was correct, but pointed to the need to choose the right wording

MOSCOW, March 2. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has submitted an amendment on recognizing marriage as a union between a man and a woman to Russia’s State Duma (lower house of parliament), Vice Speaker Pyotr Tolstoy told reporters on Monday.

"President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin submitted his proposals to the State Duma on the last day when Constitutional amendments can be submitted and on the first day of Great Lent. They are set forth on 24 pages. For me, the most important is the proposal to enshrine the concept of marriage as a union of a man and a woman in the Constitution, and I am happy that this amendment has been initiated by the head of state," Tolstoy said.

Earlier at a meeting with the working group on amendments to Russia’s Constitution Putin supported the idea to legally enshrine the concept of marriage as a union of a man and a woman. He noted that the idea to uphold traditional family values, including family composition, was correct, but pointed to the need to choose the right wording.

On January 23, Russia’s State Duma (lower house) unanimously voted to approve the bill in the first reading on the constitutional amendments submitted by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The document, in particular, stipulates expanding the powers of the legislature and the Constitutional Court, a ban on high-ranking officials holding residence permits in other countries, limiting the number of presidential terms, placing the supremacy of Russia’s Constitution over international agreements and strengthening the state’s social obligations. The presidential bill also provides for a nationwide public vote on the law on amendments to Russia’s Constitution.

The second reading of the bill is expected to be held in the State Duma on March 10, and the nationwide public vote - on April 22. Putin has stressed more than once that the amendments to Russia’s Constitution would come into force only if they were approved by citizens.

https://tass.com/politics/1125773

Erdogan: “Millions” of migrants are on their way to Europe

“Since we have opened the borders, the number of refugees heading toward Europe has reached hundreds of thousands. This number will soon be in the millions,” Erdogan said today in Ankara during a televised speech, Greek daily newspaper Kathimerini reports.

“After we opened the doors, there were multiple calls saying ‘close the doors.”

“I told them ‘it’s done. It’s finished. The doors are now open. Now, you will have to take your share of the burden’,” he said.

https://voiceofeurope.com/2020/03/erdogan-millions-of-migrants-are-on-their-way-to-europe/

Jewish organizations, Israeli NGOs facilitating invasion of Europe

http://therealistreport.com/jewish-organizations-israeli-ngos-facilitating-invasion-of-europe/

Israeli volunteers care for world’s refugees

Helping refugees from Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Rwanda, Chechnya, Indonesia, Haiti, Burma, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Kenya and more.

https://www.israel21c.org/israeli-volunteers-care-for-worlds-refugees/

>>8300198

MOSSAD BAKER

So many notable left behind.

Anon bun coming

fuck you BO you useless cunt

SAD DAY: PRODUCTION ENDS FOR THE CHEVROLET IMPALA

The last week of February 2020 marked the end of the Chevrolet Impala but not for the first time. The last Chevrolet Impala, in a bright cherry red, rolled off the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly line around 8:30 Thursday morning. Born as a trim level atop Chevrolet’s full-size model range in 1958 the Impala was bold from the outset.

Through the mid-‘60s, the Impala was a volume leader for Chevrolet and recorded more than a million sales in one year with the redesigned 1965 model and its sweeping roofline. In 1966, the Caprice became the top full-size Chevy, and in 1986 the Impala nameplate was retired. But, in 1994 the Impala was back and would reclaim the top-of-the-line position from the Caprice with the V-8 powered Impala SS. But in 1996 both the Caprice and Impala ended production in the US in 1996.

The Impala debuted again for the 2000 year and from 2000–08, Chevrolet sold an average of 250,000 Impalas every year in the U.S., but sales never bounced back after the 2007-2008 financial crisis.

The final generation of the Impala debuted for the 2014 model year as W-body Impalas continued for fleet use as the Impala Classic through 2016. The new, bigger car was lauded by critics as vastly improved, and while sales were not bad for its segment, they’ve been trending down. Last year, sales fell 20 percent, with fewer than 50,000 of the big cruisers finding owners.

The Impala has a long and somewhat patchy history as GM’s top sedan. It was the most beautiful four-seater and also the quickest car they built at times, yet it languished as a fleet special later in its life, only to be reborn as a competitive and well-built family car.

The Detroit-Hamtramck plant will no longer make internal combustion engine vehicles. Instead, it will be retooled to the tune of $2.2 billion over the next 12 to 18 months for the production of all battery electric vehicles.

GM plans to build a GMC Hummer electric pickup for sale later next year and the self-driving Cruise Origin EV along with other new electric trucks at the plant. When it’s at full production, GM expects to employ 2,200 people at Detroit-Hamtramck.

https://thedcpatriot.com/sad-day-production-ends-for-the-chevrolet-impala/

#10626

>>8299887, >>8300093 CNN and NY Times journalists caught at party with disgraced former congresswoman

>>8299889 The USCP is responding to a Suspicious Package at the Pennsylvania Avenue NW Walkway.

>>8299918 Deutsche Bank: The End Of Ambition

>>8299958 CDC Accidentally Releases 'Diamond Princess' Evacuee Who Tested Positive For The Virus

>>8299965 IMF, World Bank say ready to address economic challenges of coronavirus

>>8299966 Rockerfeller 2010 Plan to Use Bioweapons to Impose Martial Law One Quarantine at a Time! Vid

>>8299983 School Cop Tasked with ‘Protecting’ Young Children, Arrested for Child Sex Trafficking

>>8299995, >>8300015 Migrant Mobs Turn Violent at Greek Border, Army Deployed

>>8300036, >>8300227 Y family dig / theory

>>8300085 Commander of US Forces in Europe Tells Senate He Is “a Fan of Flexible First Strike” vs Russia

>>8300223 Republican Billionaire Buys Major Stake in Twitter Singer

>>8300275 Federal Court Orders Deposition of Hillary Clinton on Emails and Benghazi Attack Records

>>8300277 State Dept orders Beijing state media to cut Chinese staff in US by nearly half, vowing reciprocity as Beijing restricts foreign press

NOT NOTABLES

Prince George's County man sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for sex trafficking of a minor

Previously convicted sex offender paid a 14-year-old girl for sex, and produced a video of the victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct

BALTIMORE – U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake today sentenced Rody L. Bowden, age 41, of Prince George’s County, Maryland, to 22 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, on the charge of sex trafficking of a minor. Bowden was a registered sex offender at the time of the offense and will be required to continue to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Special Agent in Charge John Eisert of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

“This is an egregious case because the defendant was already a twice-convicted sex offender and his victim was a 14-year old child,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Rody Bowden will now serve 22 years in federal prison, where there are no suspended sentences and no parole – ever. This sentence sends a powerful message that the sex trafficking of children will not be tolerated in Maryland.”

“This man – already a two-time sex offender – exploited and trafficked a child,” said John Eisert, HSI Baltimore special agent in charge. “HSI is committed to finding and investigating predators like him so they can no longer harm our communities’ most vulnerable members – its children.”

According to Bowden’s plea agreement, in late 2016 and early 2017, Bowden engaged in commercial sex acts with a 14-year-old ninth-grade student, including in Anne Arundel County motel rooms. On January 4, 2017, Bowden recorded a video of the victim engaged in oral sex with him. The next day, Bowden created an account on a streaming pornographic website and uploaded the video to his account, where it could be viewed by all of Bowden’s followers on the site. On September 4, 2017, Bowden e-mailed a copy of the video to another account that he controlled.

Bowden was previously required to register as a sex offender, stemming from two convictions for third-degree sex offenses in Prince George’s County and Charles County. Bowden has been detained since his arrest.

This case was investigated by the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, formed in 2007 to discover and rescue victims of human trafficking while identifying and prosecuting offenders. Members include federal, state and local law enforcement, as well as victim service providers and local community members. Learn more about the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force.

https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/prince-georges-county-man-sentenced-22-years-federal-prison-sex-trafficking-minor

ICE arrests Dominican national involved in $7M fentanyl ring released from local custody under New York’s Bail Reform Act

NEW YORK – A 25-year-old illegally present Dominican national previously charged with participating in a $7M fentanyl ring was arrested Feb. 27 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) after being released from custody without bail, as a result of New York State’s recently enacted Bail Reform Act.

Livio Alexander Valdez Zabala, entered the U.S. March 12 as a nonimmigrant visitor with authorization to remain until Sept. 11. Valdez Zabala, however, failed to depart the U.S. in accordance with the terms of his admission. On Jan. 28, the New York Police Department (NYPD) and the Drug Enforcement Administration arrested Valdez Zabala and charged him with criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal use of drug paraphernalia in New York Criminal Court. Valdez Zabala was arraigned and released on his own recognizance prior to ERO officers being able to lodge an immigration detainer. Under New York’s recently enacted criminal justice reform laws, a judge cannot impose bail for a nonviolent drug trafficking offense.

“It’s incomprehensible that someone who was arrested for participating in a drug ring worth over $7 million dollars would be released back into the community instead of collaborating with ICE to keep the city safe,” said Thomas R. Decker, field office director for ERO New York. “Valdez Zabala is an illegal alien who was arrested for multiple criminal charges, and before ERO could lodge a detainer, he was released due to laws implemented to protect criminals. ICE operates in the interest of public safety, and it is clear that New York politicians do not operate in the interest of their constituents’ safety.”

On Feb. 27, ERO officers arrested Valdez Zabala in Manhattan. He is currently in ICE custody pending immigration proceedings with the Executive Office for Immigration Review.

https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ice-arrests-dominican-national-involved-7m-fentanyl-ring-released-local-custody-under

Amazon Layoffs 2020: 3,200 Drivers To Be Cut By E-Commerce Giant

Amazon (AMZN) is set to lay off even more drivers as it reportedly looks to end its relationship with some delivery contract partners.

As many as 3,200 delivery drivers will be laid off by the e-commerce giant by the end of April as Amazon looks to smaller, cheaper contractors for package delivery, BuzzFeed News reported.

"Sometimes the companies we contract with to deliver packages do not meet our bar for safety, performance or working conditions," an Amazon representative told Business Insider. "When that happens we have a responsibility to terminate those relationships and work to find new partners."

The Amazon representative also told the news outlet that the company works to “ensure there is zero or very little net job loss,” offering laid-off workers the opportunity to apply for jobs with its other contract partners.

Amazon reportedly laid off more than 2,000 drivers in October from its delivery-service partnerships, which included workers from Letter Ride and Inpax.

Also, laying off workers this year was Amazon Prime partner, Pinnacle Logistics, which cut nearly 3,000 workers, who were said to be hired in part by Amazon directly.

Amazon has nearly 800 third-party delivery partners that have about 75,000 drivers. The delivery service partners pay for drivers’ wages, insurance, health benefits, and vehicle maintenance, working exclusively to deliver packages for Amazon.

https://www.ibtimes.com/amazon-layoffs-2020-3200-drivers-be-cut-e-commerce-giant-2932315

Israeli Attack Helicopter Struck Vehicle In Syria’s Quneitra

On March 2, an attack helicopter of the Israeli Armed Forces struck a vehicle in the Syrian province of Quneitra. According to the Israeli side, the strike was carried out in response to a sniper attack on Israeli troops in the occupied Golan Heights.

https://southfront.org/israeli-attack-helicopter-struck-vehicle-in-syrias-quneitra-videos/

Turkish Defense Minister Claims 2,557 Syrian Soldiers Were Killed Or Injured In Greater Idlib

On March 2, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar came with a new group of claims on results of its Operation Spring Shield in Syria’s Greater Idlib. No surprise, Akar said no word about the withdrawal of Turkish-led forces from Saraqib, but revealed some large numbers of the supposed casualties of the Syrian Army.

According to the Defense Minister, since the start of the operation, Turkish forces had destroyed 2 warplanes, 2 drones, 8 helicopters, 135 battle tanks, 77 armoured vehicles, 8 weapon depots, 102 artillery pieces and anti-tank weapons, 5 air defense systems belonging to the Syrian military and neutralized 2,557 Syrian soldiers.

It’s interesting to note that just on March 1 the number of ‘neutralized’ Syrian soldiers claimed by Akar was approximately 2,200. Therefore, if one believes into Turkish claims, over 350 Syrian soldiers were killed, injured or captured by the Turkish military during the last 24 hours. This looks hardly possible. Nonetheless, this does not stop Turkish media outlets from spreading these claims as confirmed facts.

https://southfront.org/turkish-defense-minister-claims-2557-syrian-soldiers-were-killed-or-injured-in-greater-idlib/

China Is Still Forcibly Harvesting Organs for Transplantation, Independent Tribunal Finds

An independent people’s tribunal based in London has issued its final judgment on March 1, pointing out that China’s state-run practice of killing prisoners of conscience and selling their organs for profit is still happening.

“There is no evidence of the practice having been stopped and the Tribunal is satisfied that it is continuing,” stated the China Tribunal, which is chaired by Sir Geoffrey Nice QC, in a 160-page report. There are an additional 300 pages of witness testimonies and submissions.

Nice previously led the prosecution of former Yugoslavian President Slobodan Milosevic for war crimes at the International Criminal Tribunal.

Furthermore, governments’ failure to investigate allegations against China about organ harvesting has allowed “many people to die horribly and unnecessarily,” according to the report.

Crimes

The findings reaffirm the tribunal’s previous conclusion, published in a June 2019 report, that adherents of the spiritual practice Falun Gong have been one of the main sources of organ supply.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual discipline with meditative exercises and moral teachings based on truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance. The practice’s enormous popularity—with 70 million to 100 million followers by the late 1990s, according to official estimates—was deemed as a threat by former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin.

On July 20, 1999, Jiang launched a nationwide persecution to round up adherents and throw them into prisons, labor camps, brainwashing centers, and psychiatric wards, in an effort to force them into renouncing their faith.

The report pointed out that organs harvested from Falun Gong adherents are readily available, based on undercover phone calls to doctors at Chinese transplant hospitals. Other phone calls showed that organ recipients were told the wait time would be about two weeks in China, contrary to months or years in other countries where legal organ donations take place.

Four methods of forced organ harvesting are known: killing prisoners by removing organs; harvesting from prisoners after lethal injection; harvesting from prisoners who were not completely dead after execution by shooting; and “organ harvesting under the pretext of brain death,” according to the press release.

“It is no longer acceptable for Governments, medical bodies and leading human rights organizations to say there is not enough evidence. The enormous task of assessing all available evidence has now been completed and is available for all to see,” said Susie Hughes, executive director and co-founder of the advocacy group, International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China (ETAC), in the press release.

Hughes added: “The time for ignoring the issue has passed…they are crimes against ALL of humanity. The next step is for humanity to act.”

https://www.theepochtimes.com/china-is-still-forcibly-harvesting-organs-for-transplantation-independent-tribunal-finds_3257293.html