SYRIA UPDATE

U.S.-Affiliated Arms Trafficker Assassinated In Southern Syria

A militant who worked as an arm trafficker for the U.S.-led Military Operations Center (MOC) in Jordan was reportedly assassinated in the southern Syrian governorate of Daraa on March 11.

Two unknown gunmen riding a motorcycle shot and killed the trafficker, Farzat Muhammad al-Mahamid, along with his brother, Ihab Mohammed Al-Mahameed, on a road near the town of Om Elmiathin in eastern Daraa.

Farzat had reportedly joined the reconciliation process and received guarantees that he will not be targeted by Syrian security forces.

Such assassinations are usually blamed on the Syrian intelligence. However, there is a chance that the trafficker was targeted by a terrorist group, like ISIS whose cells are known to be active in Daraa.

https://southfront.org/u-s-affiliated-arms-trafficker-assassinated-in-southern-syria/

Terrorists breach cessation of hostilities’ agreement in Idleb countryside

Idleb, SANA-Terrorist organizations, supported by Turkish regime, continued on Thursday their breach of the cessation of hostilities’ agreement, launching mortar and artillery shells on the axis of Hantotin and Hazarin towns in Idleb southern countryside.

SANA reporter in Idleb said that Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organization and the affiliated groups attacked, with mortar and artillery shells, the army posts on the axis of Hantotin and Hazarin.

https://www.sana.sy/en/?p=188183

Maurer: Economic Blockade on Syria Widely Affects Society and Economy

The President of the International Committee of the Red Cross has highlighted the need for humanitarian aid to reach the people of northern Syria writes SANA.

NOTE : Syria has been refuses red cross access as they smuggle in weapons for terrorists not aid.

https://syrianobserver.com/EN/news/56644/maurer-economic-blockade-on-syria-widely-affects-society-and-economy.html

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham Terrorists Clash With Locals In Northern Idlib

On March 12, heavy clashes erupted between Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) security forces and locals in the town of Saramada in the northern Idlib countryside.

According to opposition activists, HTS terrorists attacked an elderly local, Sa’ad Niyah, because he hit their checkpoint with his car by accident. The terrorists insulted the old man and assaulted him with the buttstocks of their rifles.

The incident provoked the locals, who launched an attack on HTS checkpoints around Saramada. After a few minutes of clashes, the terrorists withdrew from some of their positions.

https://southfront.org/hayat-tahrir-al-sham-terrorists-clash-with-locals-in-northern-idlib-video/

Syrian Military Discovered Terrorist Prison At Former Ice Cream Factory

The Syrian military have discovered a prison and a court, where terrorists sentenced locals to death for even the smallest of infringements in the town of Al Qasimiyah in Aleppo province.

The prison was located in a former ice cream factory.

“This was their prison. There are several cells — both big and small. Even women and children were imprisoned here, a total of 500 people,” a Syrian serviceman named Hadjar told Russian journalists.

The place is littered with prisoners’ belongings and jumpsuits of those sentenced to public executions.

“Here are sewage pits, [the terrorists] dumped those whom they considered particularly dangerous or guilty there,” the serviceman said.

According to the locals, the militants would punish even the smallest infringement: curfew violation, failure to pay debt, a woman appearing without headscarf in public and even for expression of disrespect to the terrorists. The so-called sharia morality police watched over this.

“I’ve been imprisoned for six months,” serviceman Ahmad Mugairi, apprehended by the militants over charges of collaboration with the Syrian army, told journalists. Mugairi managed to escape and joined the government forces. “What Army could I have collaborated with, if there were only militants around for 10 years at that point? See all these papers — these are records of people, most of whom bore no guilt, the militants just disliked them.”

https://southfront.org/syrian-military-discovered-terrorist-prison-at-former-ice-cream-factory/

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>>8391370

Intense Fighting Erupted Among Turkish-backed Groups In Syria’s Azaz

On March 11, an intense fighting erupted among Turkish-backed militant groups in the town of Azaz in northwestern Syria. According to reports, the clashes took place in the southern vicinity of the town and caused a state of panic among locals. The main reason of tensions is contradictions between Turkish proxies that are involved in a wide range of criminal activities and regularly clash for spheres of influence.

The previous large incident of this kind took place on the road between Sukariya Kabira and Jeb al-Naasan, when Ahrar al-Sham members (this group is a part of the National Front for Liberation) attacked fifghters of a smaller militant group that operates in the area.

Another source of instability in northwestern Syria is regular incidents involving IED and car bombing in settlements and towns controlled by Turkish-backed miltiants. Turkish sources often blame Kurdish rebels for these attacks, but most of them are a result of the local standoff in the criminal sphere.

https://southfront.org/intense-fighting-erupted-among-turkish-backed-groups-in-syrias-azaz/

Military Situation In Syria And Iraq On March 12, 2020 (Map Update)

A brief overview of the recent developments in Syria and Iraq:

3 US-led coalition personnel were killed in a rocket strike on Camp Taji;

‘Unidentified aircraft’ bombed supposed positions of Iranian-backed forces near al-Bukamal;

Turkey released a third video supposedly showing the destruction of a Russian-made Pantsir system in Greater Idlib;

The SDF claimed that 3 Turkish soldiers were killed in clashes in northeastern Syria last week;

US forces deployed additional howitzers to their positions in northeastern Syria;

A Russian service member and 2 civilians died in a road accident near Barmaia;

A fighting among Turkish-backed groups erupted in Azaz.

https://southfront.org/military-situation-in-syria-and-iraq-on-march-12-2020-map-update/

Russian Service Member Died In Road Accident In Syria’s Tartus

“Two Syrians and a Russian soldier died and seven others, including two Russian soldiers, were injured when a Russian military vehicle collided with a bus on Qadmous-Banias road,” Tartus Police Chief told the state-run news agency.

https://southfront.org/russian-service-member-died-in-road-accident-in-syrias-tartus-photos/

A summit meeting between President Al-Assad and Erdogan is not possible while Turkey is occupying Syrian areas: Shaaban

"I think the Europeans should know that Erdogan is not the one who has the solution for the migrants, that he is the problem. He is the one who caused all this migration from Syria. And, I would like also to put many question marks around the figures that Erdogan gives to Europe in order to get as much money as he can from European countries to help his staggering economy," Shaaban said, referring to the funds that Ankara has asked for to allegedly support refugees in Turkey.

http://syriatimes.sy/index.php/news/local/47435-a-summit-meeting-between-president-al-assad-and-erdogan-is-not-possible-while-turkey-is-occupying-syrian-areas-shaaban

Moscow: Israeli attacks on Syrian territory increase tensions in region

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a press conference on Thursday “We are concerned over Israel’s continued practice of delivering unilateral airstrikes on the Syrian territory in violation of the sovereignty of neighboring Arab nations,” adding that such arbitrary actions undermine regional stability and increase tensions.

https://www.sana.sy/en/?p=188162

ISIS Claims Its Cells Captured & Executed Seven Syrian Soldiers In Aleppo

In a statement released by the Amaq agency, the terrorist group claimed that the soldiers were captured in an ambush in the southeastern Aleppo countryside.

“With the grace of God Almighty, caliph soldiers ambushed personnel of the apostate Nusayri army [ISIS’ term for the Syrian Arab Army (SAA)] southeast of Aleppo, yesterday [March 10], which led to the capture of seven personnel who were executed, praise be to God,” Amaq’s statement reads.

https://southfront.org/isis-claims-its-cells-captured-executed-seven-syrian-soldiers-in-aleppo/

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Trump: Pelosi’s Coronavirus Bill Stuffed with Unrelated ‘Goodies’ for Democrats

President Donald Trump said he did not support the proposed emergency funding bill by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi released on Wednesday night to fight the coronavirus.

When asked by reporters if he supported the bill, Trump replied, “No, because there are things that are in there that have nothing to do with what we are talking about.”

Pelosi and House Democrats rushed to release a bill on Wednesday night at 11:00 p.m. that was about 124 pages long. The bill did not address issues that the president asked for, including a payroll tax cut. But Trump indicated that Democrats were using the crisis to push through partisan proposals.

“It’s not a way for them to get some of the goodies that they haven’t been able to get for the past 25 years,” Trump said.

Speaker Pelosi said Thursday during a press conference that it was imperative to get a bill passed as soon as possible to help American families suffering the economic disruption

But negotiations continue, as Pelosi said that she was continuing to speak to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.

She noted that the White House requests for changes to the bill were “all very reasonable.”

Trump said he would remain at the White House as the fight against the spread of coronavirus continued.

“I want to be here,” he said.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/03/12/trump-pelosis-coronavirus-bill-stuffed-with-unrelated-goodies-for-democrats/

NHL Suspends Season, MLB Cancels Spring Training, PGA No Fans, College B-Ball Tourneys Cancelled Due to Coronavirus

First the NBA, now the NHL.

The National Hockey League on Thursday announced it will be suspending the 2019-2020 season due to concerns over the Coronavirus.

Also–

Major League Baseball cancelled spring training.

Major League Soccer cancelled games.

The PGA will not allow fans during play.

College Basketball tournaments are cancelled.

JUST IN: NHL Suspends Season, MLB Cancels Spring Training, PGA No Fans, College B-Ball Tourneys Cancelled Due to Coronavirus

Cristina Laila by Cristina Laila March 12, 2020 88 Comments

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First the NBA, now the NHL.

The National Hockey League on Thursday announced it will be suspending the 2019-2020 season due to concerns over the Coronavirus.

Also–

Major League Baseball cancelled spring training.

Major League Soccer cancelled games.

The PGA will not allow fans during play.

College Basketball tournaments are cancelled.

The NHL decided to shut down the season after the NBA decided to suspend games after a player for the Utah Jazz tested positive for Coronavirus.

“Our goal is to resume play as soon as it is appropriate and prudent, so that we will be able to complete the season and award the Stanley Cup,” the NHL said in a statement.

The NHL said it will halt the season effective immediately and cancelled Thursday night’s game.

President Trump addressed the nation on the Coronavirus pandemic from the White House Wednesday evening.

President Trump announced a 30 day ban on flights from Europe.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/03/nhl-suspends-season-due-to-concerns-over-coronavirus/

McConnell Announces Senate Recess Cancelled to Work on Coronavirus Package – Congress Closes Capitol to Public

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) cancelled next week’s Senate recess to work with Pelosi to get a bipartisan Coronavirus package ready.

Congress also shut down the US Capitol, House and Senate office buildings to the public until April 1 in response to the Coronavirus, reported the Associated Press.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday made it clear during her weekly presser that it’s her way or nothing when it comes to addressing the Coronavirus.

Pelosi smacked her hand on the lectern as she told reporters that she is not willing to negotiate with Republicans and work with them on a Coronavirus response bill.

Congress cannot leave until they can agree to a bill that can pass the House, Senate, and be ready for a signature from President Trump.

After delaying a vote on a Coronavirus bill, to run ads for Super Tuesday, Pelosi is now saying she will not wait another day to work with Republicans.

“We don’t need 48 hours, we need to just make a decision to help families right now… I’m not sticking around because they don’t want to agree to language,” Pelosi said.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/03/mcconnell-announces-senate-recess-cancelled-to-work-on-coronavirus-package-congress-closes-capitol-to-public/

Bazooka Fired: Fed Unleashes $1.5 Trillion Repo Bailout, Expands "Not QE" To QE5

After increases in its repo facility twice already this week, from $100billion to $150billion to $175billion per day, and adding added a new 1-month term repo facility, the New York Fed just stunned the market and fired its biggest bazooka since Lehman (not coincidentally, just moments before today's 30Y Treasury auction, as a failed auction would mean, well, game over), by announcing a total of $1 trillion in 3-month repos over two days ($500BN today, $500BN tomorrow), as well as an additional $500BN in one-month repos offered weekly, which means up to $3 trillion in cumulative repos (if fully allotted) may be online by the end of the month.

But wait, there's more, because the fed also finally threw in the towel on the semantics bullshit it was pulling since Sept 2019 by pretending that "QE" is "NOT QE", when it officially expanded not-QE/QE4 to Q5, when it announced it would start purchasing coupon Treasuries as part of its POMO operations, which as a reminder, was the official trigger transforming Not QE into QE .

For some context of how that compares to what they have been doing, assuming full allotment on the 2 $500BN repos…

Full Statement by NYFed:

The Open Market Trading Desk (the Desk) at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York has released a new monthly schedule of Treasury securities operations and has updated the current monthly schedule of repurchase agreement (repo) operations. Pursuant to instruction from the Chair in consultation with the FOMC, adjustments have been made to these schedules to address temporary disruptions in Treasury financing markets. The Treasury securities operation schedule includes a change in the maturity composition of purchases to support functioning in the market for U.S. Treasury securities. Term repo operations in large size have been added to enhance functioning of secured U.S. dollar funding markets.

As a part of its $60 billion reserve management purchases for the monthly period beginning March 13, 2020 and continuing through April 13, 2020, the Desk will conduct purchases across a range of maturities to roughly match the maturity composition of Treasury securities outstanding. Specifically, the Desk plans to distribute reserve management purchases across eleven sectors, including nominal coupons, bills, Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, and Floating Rate Notes. The distribution of purchases across sectors will be the same distribution as the Desk uses to reinvest principal payments from the Federal Reserve’s holdings of agency debt and agency MBS in Treasury securities. The first such purchases will begin tomorrow, March 13, 2020.

Today, March 12, 2020, the Desk will offer $500 billion in a three-month repo operation at 1:30 pm ET that will settle on March 13, 2020.

Tomorrow, the Desk will further offer $500 billion in a three-month repo operation and $500 billion in a one-month repo operation for same day settlement.

Three-month and one-month repo operations for $500 billion will be offered on a weekly basis for the remainder of the monthly schedule.

The Desk will continue to offer at least $175 billion in daily overnight repo operations and at least $45 billion in two-week term repo operations twice per week over this period.

These changes are being made to address highly unusual disruptions in Treasury financing markets associated with the coronavirus outbreak. Reserve management purchases into the second quarter will continue to be conducted with this maturity allocation. The terms of operations will be adjusted as needed to foster smooth Treasury market functioning and efficient and effective policy implementation.

Finally, for those looking forward to the official return of QE, i.e., the monetization of coupons in addition to Bills, here is the Fed's full monetization schedule.

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/ny-fed-conduct-1-trillion-repo-over-two-days-stabilize-treasury-financing-market

Last Call: Jersey Enacts City-Wide Liquor Curfew To Battle COVID-19 Spread

With community spreading underway in the Tri-state area, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop said new containment measures to control the Covid-19 outbreak would start by curbing liquor sales at "larger nightclubs" after 10 pm.

At a news conference on Thursday afternoon, quoted by Bloomberg, Fulop said there are no confirmed virus cases in Jersey City, New Jersey's second-most-populous area, and home to many Wall Street firms. He said it is now time to implement preventive measures, including restricting City Hall visits, suspending parking-permit sales and renewals, and canceling city-sponsored or permitted events.

He also asked large restaurants "to be tracking attendance, best as they can" in case there's an outbreak, which would allow health officials to easily find possible people with infections.

The nightclub liquor restrictions are expected to start this weekend, he said.

This comes at a time when mass gatherings across the country have been restricted to prevent the transmission of the fast-spreading virus. Already, Seattle, California, and Washington, D.C., have limited public gatherings over 250 people.

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/last-call-jersey-enacts-city-wide-liquor-curfew-battle-covid-19-spread

FISA Reforms Are Insufficient & No One Has Been Held Accountable

Senior FBI officials lied. Senior State Department, Intelligence and Department of Justice officials also lied and played a crucial role in one of the most egregious investigations into a United States president in modern political history: the bureau’s probe into President Donald Trump’s campaign and it’s alleged collusion with Russia.

It was built on a foundation of lies propagated by a dossier supplied by the private research firm Fusion GPS and cultivated by a former British spy Christopher Steele, who was paid with funding from the Hillary Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

The majority of FBI agents involved in the hoax have either been fired or have resigned. Yet, none of them, even those caught lying to Department of Justice investigators under oath, have been prosecuted. It’s an outrage.

The most egregious violations were exposed by DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz and House Intelligence Committee now-ranking member Rep. Devin Nunes’ Russia report. Horowitz, whose report fell short of exposing the true nature of the investigation, identified “at least 17 significant errors or omissions in the Carter Page FISA applications and many errors in the Woods Procedures” which guide the FBI’s FISA process, according to the 476-page report.

Nunes report exposed the FISA Court violations much earlier and was vindicated by the findings of Horowitz.

“These errors and omissions resulted from case agents providing wrong or incomplete information to the National Security Division’s Office of Intelligence and failing to flag important issues for discussion,” Horowitz said.

These weren’t just simple mistakes or lack of oversight.

The errors and omissions were done purposefully to spy on short-term Trump campaign advisor Carter Page in an effort to target the Trump campaign and later the administration.

Meanwhile, Congress has still not authorized reparations for the countless Trump supporters, who remain as powerless crime victims amidst all of the DOJ’s and FBI’s lies, Carter Page

These bureau officials withheld significant information from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court when they applied for a warrant to spy on an American. Remember, by the time they began spying on Page in September, 2016 he was no longer with the Trump campaign.

On Wednesday the House passed legislation with broad bipartisan support to reauthorize the FISA bill that was set to expire Sunday. These lawmakers promised that the reforms would be sufficient to protect Americans from unwarranted surveillance abuses by the FBI in the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court.

It’s not true and the FISA reforms will not be sufficient, say opponents.

https://saraacarter.com/fisa-reforms-are-insufficient-no-one-has-been-held-accountable/

PM Scott Morrison addresses nation on coronavirus health and economic plan

Scott Morrison has addressed the nation to ease growing fears of the coronavirus pandemic, the first time a prime minister has made such an appearance since Kevin Rudd spoke during the Global Financial Crisis.

The PM spoke of a three-part plan for Australia to guide us through what is shaping up to be the worst health crisis since the Spanish Flu.

"Rest assured, we are taking action and we have a clear plan," Mr Morrison said.

"The months ahead have many challenges but we will respond to them.

"We'll get through this together Australia. We all have a role to play."

The plan aligns with three pillars; health, jobs, and recovery.

Mr Morrison said travel bans already in place will help protect citizens from coronavirus.

A $2.4 billion national health response plan will include more than 100 pop-up clinics, support for aged care, public hospitals and increase our medical stockpile (medicine and masks).

The economic stimulus plan is worth $17.6 billion and includes one-off payments to large groups of those in need.

https://www.9news.com.au/national/coronavirus-update-prime-minister-scott-morrison-addresses-australia-health-economy-stimulus-plan/175707bc-586e-451c-9c0e-b03ecfac047f

Mirroring POTUS

>>8391602

baseless statement now prove it wrong ffs

YOU GLOW

‘I’m not concerned’: Trump brushes off fears he got CORONAVIRUS after Bolsonaro’s comms sec he met in Mar-a-Lago tests POSITIVE

US President Donald Trump is “not concerned” he might have contracted coronavirus from the communications secretary of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who was diagnosed with the virus on Thursday.

The president brushed off concerns after Bolsonaro aide Fabio Wajngarten tested positive for the virus on Thursday, a week after he was photographed with Trump at the president’s Mar-a-Lago resort.

“Let’s put it this way, I’m not concerned,” he told reporters on Thursday when he was asked about his contact with the infected Brazilian.

https://www.rt.com/usa/482968-trump-coronavirus-bolsonaro-official-infected/

Fren's

It's on, stay calm and keep fighting.

Our salvation is in our faith!

Pure faith no fear.

GOD WINS

Netanyahu, Likud Spread Hate of Arab Israelis, U.S. State Department Report Says

Annual human rights report says actions taken by the prime minister’s party negatively impacted equality in Israel; Hamas and Palestinian Authority also criticized for numerous human rights violations

WASHINGTON The U.S. State Department accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu s Likud party of promoting hatred against Israel s Arab citizens in its annual human rights report, published on Wednesday.

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-netanyahu-and-likud-spread-hate-of-arab-israelis-u-s-state-department-report-says-1.8669561

2019 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

https://www.state.gov/reports/2019-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/

Lights Go Out on Broadway: New York City Theaters Agree to Close for a Month Over Wuhan Coronavirus

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Thursday that Broadway theaters will be closed effective 5 p.m. EDT as part of a statewide order barring gatherings of over 500 people to prevent spread of the Wuhan coronavirus, COVID-19. The order is in effect until the week of April 13, according to Playbill.

Cuomo posted the announcements to Twitter:

“We are taking new actions to reduce the density of people across the state. Starting Friday at 5pm, gatherings with 500 people or more will not be permitted in NYS. Additionally, for facilities with an occupancy of 500 or fewer, we are reducing the legal capacity by 50%…For Broadway theaters in Manhattan, these rules will go into effect at 5pm TODAY. We have already spoken to the theaters about these new measures and they agreed.”

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/03/lights-go-out-on-broadway-new-york-city-theaters-agree-to-close-for-month-over-wuhan-coronavirus/