ICE HSI launches Operation Stolen Promise

Targeting COVID-19-fraud, illicit criminal activity

WASHINGTON – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) announced Wednesday the launch of Operation Stolen Promise to combat COVID-19 related fraud and other criminal activity. The operation intensifies collaboration with multiple federal departments and agencies, along with business and industry representatives. Surging criminal activity surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic requires an equally robust investigative response to protect the American public.

“HSI will bring every asset to bear against anyone targeting consumers with financial schemes or fraudulent products that jeopardize the health and safety of Americans,” said HSI Acting Executive Associate Director Alysa D. Erichs. “This unified effort brings a whole-of-government approach to monitor, investigate and arrest those responsible for endangering the public with criminal acts of fraud related to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Criminal organizations that have historically been engaged in financial scams are pivoting to exploit the coronavirus pandemic and the associated stimulus package for illegal financial gains. These networks are smuggling and selling counterfeit safety equipment and prohibited testing kits, medicines, and hygiene products, as well as running illicit websites to sell their merchandise. In the coming weeks, it is expected that financial fraud scams involving financial relief, COVID-19 stimulus checks, and traditional boiler room operations will increase. All these fraud scams also impact government public benefit agencies that are in the process of distributing aid and providing assistance.

As of April 14, HSI special agents have opened over 130 investigations nationwide, seized over three million dollars in illicit proceeds; made nine arrests; executed seven search warrants; sinkholed over 11,000 COVID-19 domain names and worked alongside U.S. Customs and Border Protection to seize over 225 shipments of mislabeled, fraudulent, unauthorized or prohibited COVID-19 test kits, treatment kits, homeopathic remedies, purported anti-viral products and personal protective equipment (PPE). The launch of the operation is in direct response to a significant increase in criminal activity.

Operation Stolen Promise will combine HSI’s expertise in global trade investigations, financial fraud and cyber investigations with robust private and public partnerships to disrupt and dismantle this criminal activity and strengthen global supply-chain security.

HSI is partnering with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Five Eyes Law Enforcement Working Group. Additionally, efforts span multiple HSI components including the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, HSI International Operations, the Illicit Finance and Proceeds of Crime Unit, and the Cyber Crimes Center (C3).

https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ice-hsi-launches-operation-stolen-promise

CA Mayor To Resign After Post Suggesting ‘Most’ Trump Supporters Have KKK Masks

Bill Kirby, the mayor of Auburn, California, has reportedly agreed to resign after sharing a photo online that suggested supporters of President Donald Trump have easy access to KKK hoods, and as such, could use the hoods as coronavirus masks.

According to Gold Country Media, Kirby agreed to pass off his mayoral duties to another council member at the next public meeting, at the end of April. The mayor did not, however, apologize for his actions, and only expressed “regret” for some of his comments, reports the news agency.

“Am I angry and frustrated? Yes,” said Kirby, referring to the president’s coronavirus response.

“Some people have viewed my posts, which were meant to be private and made out of frustration, as over the top. Some were, and I regret that,” said the mayor, in a statement obtained by Fox-40. “The president has put us all at risk. I believe history will judge those who stood up against damaging policies and ideologies and those who did not.”

The Sacramento Bee reports that the mayor shared the post last Thursday on his private Facebook page. The post, which doesn’t appear to have been written by the mayor, says “Good news for Trump supporters is that most of them already have masks.”

The post is accompanied by a picture of a person in a white hood, with a caption added by the mayor that says “True,” reports the news agency.

Below the since-deleted post, the mayor engaged with other people commenting on his post and allegedly told one person that he was just being “a realist.”

“If Hitler and everyone who supported him was removed from the face of the earth in 1939 the world would be a much better place,” the mayor allegedly wrote in a Facebook comment, reports the news agency. “The same is more true of trump and his supporters today.”

The mayor reaffirmed to Gold Country Media last week that he isn’t a Democrat, and instead identifies as a “fiscal conservative that believes in equality for everybody.”

Kirby also argued that many of the people who were angry about his Facebook post were not actually residents of Auburn, which has a population of about 14,000 people.

“They’re from all over the country,” said Kirby. “You look at all those emails, and see where they come from, and very few of them are citizens [of Auburn]. I look at them, I read them, but you gotta understand, it’s all over.”

The news agency reports that the mayor also bashed Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who was recently hospitalized with coronavirus, and evangelical Christians, who he suggested were deserving of coronavirus infections because they “all vote for Trump anyway.”

“That right wing corona virus denier Boris Johnson just got hospitalized. Guess which 2 should be next,” said the mayor in a Facebook comment under an Atlantic article, reports the news agency. “God bless all those evangelicals going to church in large groups…. There is no cure for stupid…. But they all vote for Trump anyway so it is ok.”

http://www.cuzzblue.com/2020/04/ca-mayor-to-resign-after-post.html

Bats, Gene Editing and Bioweapons: Recent Darpa Experiments Raise Concerns Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

WASHINGTON D.C. – In recent weeks, concern over the emergence of a novel coronavirus in China has grown exponentially as media, experts and government officials around the world have openly worried that this new disease has the potential to develop into a global pandemic.

As concerns about the future of the ongoing outbreak have grown, so too have the number of theories speculating about the outbreak’s origin, many of which blame a variety of state actors and/or controversial billionaires. This has inevitably led to efforts to clamp down on “misinformation” related to the coronavirus outbreak from both mainstream media outlets and major social media platforms.

However, while many of these theories are clearly speculative, there is also verifiable evidence regarding the recent interest of one controversial U.S. government agency in novel coronaviruses, specifically those transmitted from bats to humans. That agency, the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA), began spending millions on such research in 2018 and some of those Pentagon-funded studies were conducted at known U.S. military bioweapons labs bordering China and resulted in the discovery of dozens of new coronavirus strains as recently as last April. Furthermore, the ties of the Pentagon’s main biodefense lab to a virology institute in Wuhan, China — where the current outbreak is believed to have begun — have been unreported in English language media thus far.

While it remains entirely unknown as to what caused the outbreak, the details of DARPA’s and the Pentagon’s recent experimentation are clearly in the public interest, especially considering that the very companies recently chosen to develop a vaccine to combat the coronavirus outbreak are themselves strategic allies of DARPA. Not only that, but these DARPA-backed companies are developing controversial DNA and mRNA vaccines for this particular coronavirus strain, a category of vaccine that has never previously been approved for human use in the United States.

Yet, as fears of the pandemic potential of coronavirus grow, these vaccines are set to be rushed to market for public use, making it important for the public to be aware of DARPA’s recent experiments on coronaviruses, bats and gene editing technologies and their broader implications.

Examining the Recent Wuhan-Bioweapon Narrative

As the coronavirus outbreak has come to dominate headlines in recent weeks, several media outlets have promoted claims that the reported epicenter of the outbreak in Wuhan, China was also the site of laboratories allegedly linked to a Chinese government biowarfare program.

However, upon further examination of the sourcing for this serious claim, these supposed links between the outbreak and an alleged Chinese bioweapons program have come from two highly dubious sources.

More

https://www.unz.com/wwebb/bats-gene-editing-and-bioweapons-recent-darpa-experiments-raise-concerns-amid-coronavirus-outbreak/

Bioweapon Research Is Illegal. Many Charge That the US Is Engaged in It.

Robert Kadlec, Assistant Secretary of Health in Washington, denies that the US is involved with bioweapons research, as do most US officials. http://concerneduspatriots.com/pentagon-funded-mers-cov-sars-bioweapon-research/

Francis Boyle disagrees. He says that the US has 13,000 scientists working in bioweapon research in a large number of labs.

What is this if not bioweapon research:

https://www.the-scientist.com/the-nutshell/moratorium-on-gain-of-function-research-36564

Giving aerosol gain-of-function to pathogens is not bioweapons research?

What is this if not bioweapon research:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8211291/U-S-government-gave-3-7million-grant-Wuhan-lab-experimented-coronavirus-source-bats.html

Funding coronavirus/bat research in a level 4 lab is not bioweapon research?

How does this differ from bioweapon research:

https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/lab-made-coronavirus-triggers-debate-34502

Certainly, nonweapon rationals can be given for the research. Nevertheless, creating a pathogen with aerosol transmission capability is to create a bioweapon.

Is there any possibility of enforcing US law that prohibits the US from participating in bioweapons research and production? Or do once again false “national security” claims take precedence over US law?

https://www.unz.com/proberts/bioweapon-research-is-illegal-many-charge-that-the-us-is-engaged-in-it/

Australia's University of Queensland is considering the expulsion of a student for being outspoken of the university's close ties to the CCP and supporting of the Hong Kong(Picture0

http://www.stationgossip.com/2020/04/australias-university-of-queensland-is.html

Reports are that the Swiss Also Locked Up A doctor for being Against the Coronavirus Fraud

Stories are coming from Switzerland that a doctor, Thomas Binder, who has spoken out against the coronavirus fraud was arrested. It has been reported that he was brutally attacked by a Swiss SWAT team in his medical practice. He was arrested and taken to a psychiatric institution. Anyone who speaks out against the coronavirus is simply being arrested in some places in Europe. This is a shocking result that is unfolding across Europe. The question is WHY? This is not only Stalinistic, but crushing dissent must mean there is a hidden agenda. That appears to be the preparation for a new monetary system because they know this is collapsing. That is what the REPO Crisis was all about.

What is the agenda here?

https://www.investmentwatchblog.com/reports-are-that-the-swiss-also-locked-up-a-doctor-for-being-against-the-coronavirus-fraud/

Reference Laboratory, Pain Clinic, and Two Individuals Agree to Pay $41 Million to Resolve Allegations of Unnecessary Urine Drug Testing

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/reference-laboratory-pain-clinic-and-two-individuals-agree-pay-41-million-resolve-allegations

ACLU Files Historic Lawsuit to Stop Surveillance Planes Above Baltimore

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a lawsuit in an attempt to stop the city of Baltimore from rolling out a disturbing aerial surveillance program.

The ACLU filed the suit on behalf of a group of Baltimore community activists who have raised concerns about the introduction of a controversial technology known as wide-area aerial surveillance which involves stationing an aircraft equipped with ultra-high-resolution cameras over a city to track all visible pedestrians and vehicles within that city.

The ACLU writes:

Imagine a day in the future when everyone, from the moment they step outside their home, has to live with the knowledge that their every movement is being recorded by powerful cameras circling in the skies above. Not just where they work, shop, eat and drink, and whose homes they visit, but details about their political, religious, sexual, and medical lives—all captured and stored in databases without a warrant and available to law enforcement upon request.

That day is here.

The ACLU states in the lawsuit that the program would violate the plaintiffs’ constitutional rights to freedom of association and privacy. The rights group argues that government tracking of everyone in a city would violate the Constitution’s ban on “general warrants,” which authorize searches under broad and vague criteria. The ACLU states that the systems violates the Fourth Amendment prohibition against “unreasonable searches and seizures” and the First Amendment’s guarantees of the right to assemble. The ACLU also notes that the Supreme Court has repeatedly made clear that the courts’ role when interpreting new technology is to protect the “degree of privacy against government that existed when the Fourth Amendment was adopted.”

The wide-area aerial surveillance technology—originally used for monitoring citizens in Iraq and Afghanistan in a program called “Gorgon Stare”—is yet another example of tools from the U.S.-led Global War on Terror making their way to American cities. Coincidentally, the company behind the technology, Persistent Surveillance Systems (PSS), was founded by Ross McNutt, a former colonel in the U.S. Air Force who worked on similar programs in the military. McNutt and PSS are now preparing to roll out the same technology in the skies above Baltimore.

The company has been promoting the technology to local police for years. However, the Baltimore police department is the first to embrace the idea.

https://www.activistpost.com/2020/04/aclu-files-historic-lawsuit-to-stop-surveillance-planes-above-baltimore.html

Coronavirus: Israel's spy agency Mossad admits to stealing face masks overseas amid global PPE shortage

Israel's spy agency Mossad has admitted to resorting to theft to obtain face masks and other medical supplies in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

A Mossad official made the revelation during an interview with Israeli media.

The intelligence agency has and will use all means to procure necessary equipment during the pandemic, according to Ilana Dayan, host of Channel 12's "Fact".

Mossad is currently involved in efforts to procure supplies ranging from face masks to the mechanical ventilators required to keep some Covid-19 patients alive.

When asked whether those efforts have included theft, the head of the intelligence agency's technology division, identified by "Fact" only as H., affirmed: "We stole, but only a little."

https://english.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2020/4/14/israel-stole-face-masks-amid-global-coronavirus-ppe-shortage

GOP Tax Cuts in Coronavirus Relief Bill Give 82% of Benefits to Millionaires and Billionaires

A new report suggests that a tax cut quietly inserted into the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act will add almost $170 billion to the deficit over the next ten years and overwhelmingly benefit the ultra-wealthy.

Hidden away in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a series of Republican tax cuts that will save the ultra-wealthy $90 billion in 2020 alone. According to a report from the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT), a nonpartisan congressional body, almost 82 percent of the benefits of the tax breaks will go to just 43,000 Americans who make over $1 million annually. In contrast, less than three percent will go to the great majority who earn less than $100,000 per year.

The provision, inserted into the emergency bill intended to save the economy from implosion, allows business owners to suspend any limitations on how much they can deduct against their non-business income, such as capital gains tax, in order to further reduce their tax liability, in some cases likely to zero. Unsurprisingly, this business-friendly loophole is destined to aid the extremely wealthy and ultimately hurt the rest. The JCT projects that the tax cut will add almost $170 billion to the deficit over the next ten years, something that Republicans, if history is any judge, will use as a battering ram against any progressive policies tabled.

The Trump administration, which originally brushed off the coronavirus as a liberal “hoax” intended to unseat the president, has of late spared no expense in trying to buoy the fortunes of the rich. Last month, the government injected over $1.5 trillion into the stock market – the equivalent of the entire national student debt – resulting in a 15-minute rally before another fall. Big business has been bailed out to the tune of trillions for the second time in twelve years. Despite the fact that filming has been suspended and its theaters, hotels and amusement parks are deserted, Disney’s share price has been rallying by over 20 percent of late due to the promise of an enormous quarter-trillion dollar bailout for the hotel and leisure industry. Meanwhile, airlines are expecting a similarly generous settlement, leading American Airlines stock to surge 27 percent in the last two weeks, despite the fact that barely anyone is currently using their services.

https://www.mintpressnews.com/82-percent-benefits-coronavirus-relief-fund-go-to-millionaires-billionaires/266674/

UK’s BAE Systems sold $18.7bn in arms to Saudi during Yemen war

Britain’s leading arms manufacturer British Aerospace (BAE) Systems has sold $18.7 billion worth of weapons and services to Saudi Arabia over the past five years while it has been engaged in a war against Yemen.

A report by the Guardian yesterday cited data obtained from BAE’s latest annual report which was analysed by Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT). Last year the company received $3.11 billion alone in revenue from Saudi arms sales.

Andrew Smith of CAAT said: “The last five years have seen a brutal humanitarian crisis for the people of Yemen, but for BAE it’s been business as usual. The war has only been possible because of arms companies and complicit governments willing to support it.”

Despite a ruling by the Court of Appeal in June last year freezing all British arms exports that could be used against Yemen, the sales have continued. The data also reveals the true value of the UK’s arms sales to Saudi Arabia which far exceed the £5.3 billion ($6.6 billion) total value of the country’s export licenses since March 2015, when the Western-backed coalition launched the military campaign, intended to reinstate the exiled Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi.

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200415-uks-bae-systems-sold-18-7bn-in-arms-to-saudi-during-yemen-war/

>>8803687

Trying to protect

MOSSAD

on QR…………… gold

TOP KEK CLOWN

Physical Gold And Silver Continue To Disappear

I was watching one of the Fed Governors who made the assertion that “low interest rates would be here for a long time” and I thought to myself this guy must be on drugs because the U.S. has had low interest rates for 12 years now, which is already a long time.

The current shortage in physical gold and silver was developing many months before anyone ever heard of “coronavirus.” In fact, what’s happening now as Central Banks print trillions of paper currency further validates Gresham Law. Bad money drives out good money – physical gold and silver will be hoarded and fiat paper Central Bank money will be used for transactions.

Rob Kreinz of GoldSilverPros invited me onto his podcast to discuss the ramifications of rampant money printing and the rush into physical gold and silver:

https://www.activistpost.com/2020/04/physical-gold-and-silver-continue-to-disappear.html

House Democrats propose $2,000 monthly payments to Americans

House Democrats have introduced legislation that would expand the federal government’s coronavirus relief cash payments to $2,000 a month until the economy recovers.

On Wednesday, Americans who qualify started getting one-time checks from the Treasury Department of up to $1,200 per adult depending on their incomes.

But Democratic Reps. Tim Ryan (Ohio) and Ro Khanna (Calif.) introduced a bill on Tuesday that would expand the payments to $2,000 on a monthly basis until employment returns to pre-crisis levels.

They argued that the expansion is necessary to keep up with the growing number of Americans facing layoffs, furloughs or pay cuts due to the pandemic shutting down much of the economy.

"As millions of Americans file for unemployment week over week, we have to work quickly to patch the dam — and that means putting cash in the hands of hard-working families,” Ryan said in a statement.

“A one-time, twelve hundred dollar check isn’t going to cut it,” Khanna added.

Under their proposal, every American age 16 older making less than $130,000 annually would receive at least $2,000 per month, while married couples earning less than $260,000 would receive at least $4,000. Families would also be eligible for an additional $500 for each child, up to $1,500.

People would be able to receive the payments through mobile applications like Venmo, PayPal or Zelle, in addition to direct deposit or checks.

The proposal from Ryan and Khanna goes much further than the payments established by the $2 trillion coronavirus relief package that was signed into law last month.

Under the current law, people will get a check of up to $1,200 if they earn $75,000 or less annually. Individuals making up to $99,000 annually will get checks prorated on a sliding scale.

Married couples can get up to $2,400 if their joint income is less than $150,000 per year, or smaller prorated checks for incomes up to $198,000. Families will also receive $500 per child.

The Democrats' bill would ensure that college students would qualify for the payments, as well as adults with disabilities who are claimed as dependents.

The IRS is already issuing direct deposit payments to people who have bank account information on file with the agency. Others will receive the check by mail in the coming weeks.

Ryan and Khanna previously introduced legislation that would provide checks for the rest of the year ranging from $1,000 to $6,000 for those earning less than $65,000.

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/492950-house-democrats-propose-2000-monthly-payments-to-americans

Putin: Small, medium companies will receive gratuitous aid of $162 per employee

The head of state stressed that the only prerequisite for companies to receive the assistance is to preserve not less than 90% of the staff as of April 1

NOVO-OGAREVO, April 15. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed the government to provide direct gratuitous state assistance to small and medium-sized businesses in the amount of 12,130 rubles ($162) per employee.

"In addition to the support measures that are already being taken I propose providing small and medium-sized companies of the affected sectors with direct gratuitous financial assistance from the state," Putin said at a meeting with members of the government.

Read also

Putin proposes tax defferals for SMEs except VAT for six months

"The amount of support for a particular company will be calculated taking into account the total number of its employees as of April 1 of this year, proceeding from an amount of 12,130 rubles per employee per month, "Putin stated.

The head of state stressed that applying for such assistance should be simple and convenient for businesses. It should also be technically possible to apply for the assistance remotely, without queues and rush.

"I instruct the government to ensure that such a request can be submitted within a month, starting on May 1," he said.

The head of state stressed that the only prerequisite for companies to receive such assistance is to preserve not less than 90% of the staff as of April 1. He added that if this requirement is met, financial support for April will be credited to a company account starting on May 18, and funds for May will be transferred in June.

New economic support measures

The government should start preparing new measures to support the economy, Vladimir Putin said Wednesday.

"The situation is changing dynamically. I request the government together with regions and business associations to assess efficiency and sufficiency of undertaken measures on a going basis," the head of state said. "It is obvious that new solutions will be required, for the economy on the whole and for individual sectors," Putin noted.

"Such decisions should be developed already now, consolidating required resources," the head of state said.

"In general, concerning each basic and backbone sector of the economy, my request is to promptly work out and present a specific action plan, including as regards support of import substitution programs in the industry," Putin added.

https://tass.com/economy/1145261

Memers you know what to do with Putin's screens

Montana physician Dr. Annie Bukacek discusses how COVID 19 death certificates are being manipulated

Dr. Bukacek is a longtime Montana physician with over 30 years' experience practicing medicine. Signing death certificates is a routine part of her job.

In this brief video, Dr. Bukacek blows the whistle on the way the CDC is instructing physicians to exaggerate COVID 19 deaths on death certificates.

https://theduran.com/montana-physician-dr-annie-bukacek-discusses-how-covid-19-death-certificates-are-being-manipulated/

Robert F Kennedy Jr. Drops Bombshells on Dr. Fauci For Medical Cover Ups and Fraud; Fauci “Poisoned an Entire Generation of Americans”

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. revealed disturbing information about Dr. Anthony Fauci’s medical career in the government, calling out the celebrated physician for a history of disturbing practices ranging from costly cover ups to outright fraud.

Kennedy repeatedly slammed Fauci on the Thomas Paine Podcast on Wednesday, revealing disturbing information about Fauci’s problematic career steering key medical policy for the United States. Kennedy described Fauci as a workplace tyrant who has ruined careers of upstanding physicians and researchers in order to cover up scandals and costly medical research disasters at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases where Fauci has served as director since 1984 as part of the National Institute of Health.

“Tony Fauci didn’t want the American public to know that he has poisoned an entire generation of Americans,” Kennedy said, alleging Fauci targeted a whistleblower who was trying to uncover the blood supply in the country was tainted with deadly strains. Kenney said Fauci ruined the physician’s career and covered up the crucial research. And that was just one of Kennedy’s attacks against Fauci. There were more. Kennedy also targeted Bill Gates, Big Pharma, the media, and more in this exclusive interview. Listen below.

https://truepundit.com/exclusive-robert-f-kennedy-jr-drops-bombshells-on-dr-fauci-for-medical-cover-ups-and-fraud-fauci-poisoned-an-entire-generation-of-americans/

SICK: Pelosi Congratulates Dems on Blocking Bill to Help Small Businesses

What else would you expect from the Democratic Party?

Nancy Pelosi made the media rounds on Tuesday bragging about how the Democrats had blocked a stimulus bill to help small businesses because it didn’t help groups they wanted to help.

Meanwhile, the Democrats are are concerned with giving your hard earned tax money to non US citizens, and illegal immigrants.

Watch the disgusting video below if you can stomach it.

https://thedcpatriot.com/sick-pelosi-congratulates-dems-on-blocking-bill-to-help-small-businesses/

>>8803526

>>8803892

This

Have a look

Despite Coronavirus-Caused Cutbacks, Israel Expects to Get Full $3.8 Billion From U.S.

Israel's Jerusalem Post newspaper reports that "nearly all the experts" it consulted believe that Israel will get at least $3.8 billion from the U.S. in the coming year despite economic devastation to the U.S. economy caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

JP notes that the aid is expected even though "American economic activity has declined in recent weeks at a rate not seen since the Great Depression." Barron's similarly reports that the entire U.S. economy "has been brutalized" by the coronavirus pandemic.

"Whatever happens next, the events of the past six weeks will scar the U.S. economy well into the 2030s, if not beyond," Barron's predicts. "Tens of millions of Americans are already paying the price, and they will continue to do so for a long time."

Nevertheless, the Jerusalem Post reports, a "Trump administration source" said that Israel would not need to worry about getting the money "even if there is a depression" in the U.S.

For decades Israel has received more U.S. tax money than any other country – on average, about 7,000 times more per capita than to others around the world.

$38 billion package

The current aid to Israel is part of a package promised by the Obama administration in 2016 under which Israel would get $38 billion over the next 10 years – the largest such package in U.S. history.

The aid package works out to $7,230 per minute to Israel, and equals about $23,000 per each Jewish Israeli family of four.

Under the Obama-Netanyahu Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the $3.8 billion per year was to be a 'ceiling' – the agreement was that Israel would not ask for more money on top of this annual disbursement.

However, an MOU is a non-binding agreement and can be changed. Therefore, Israel partisans in Congress have introduced legislation that would make it into law – and the legislation before Congress makes the terms even more beneficial to Israel than the MOU.

Under the current bill before Congress, the $38 billion would be a 'floor' rather than a 'ceiling,' meaning that aid could increase, as it almost always has in the past.

JP reports, however, that some former Israeli diplomats, concerned that Americans suffering under COVID-19 might object, recommend that this year Israel avoid its usual request for more money.

https://www.informationliberation.com/?id=61382

At Least 2 Million U.S. Households Behind On Their Mortgage Payments

KEY POINTS

The percentage of U.S. mortgages in forbearance amounted to 3.74% in the week ended Apr. 5

Almost 17 million Americans have filed for unemployment claims in recent weeks

Mortgages which are not federally backed do not fall under the protection of the CARES Act

Millions of American households have fallen behind on their mortgage payments

The Mortgage Bankers Association, or MBA, said the percentage of U.S. mortgages in forbearance amounted to 3.74% in the week ended Apr. 5 – which means some 2 million households fell behind on their mortgage payments – up from 2.73% in the prior week.

In comparison, only 0.25% of all mortgages were in forbearance for the week ended Mar. 2.

As the coronavirus pandemic has shut down untold numbers of businesses and thrown millions out of work, more mortgage borrowers are asking lenders for a respite from their mortgage obligations.

Almost 17 million Americans have filed for unemployment claims in recent weeks.

MBA noted that mortgages securitized by Government National Mortgage Association, or Ginnie Mae, had the highest forbearance rate of 5.89% – a 1.58% jump from the prior week.

Forbearance on loans backed by the Federal National Mortgage Association, or Fannie Mae, and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, or Freddie Mac, jumped to a rate of 2.44% in the latest week.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and. Economic Security, or CARES Act, allows borrowers with federally-backed mortgages to receive forbearance for up to 12 months without incurring late fees or penalties. (Mortgages which are not federally backed do not fall under the protection of the CARES Act.)

MBA also stated that loans backed by independent mortgage banks had a 4.17% forbearance rate, while banks posted a 3.63% forbearance share.

“The nationwide shutdown of the economy to slow the spread of COVID-19 continues to create hardships for millions of households, and more are contacting their [loan] servicers for relief,” said Mike Fratantoni, MBA’s senior vice president and chief economist. “The share of loans in forbearance grew the first week of April, and forbearance requests and [lender] call center volume further increased. With [virus] mitigation efforts seemingly in place for at least several more weeks, job losses will continue and the number of borrowers asking for forbearance will likely continue to rise at a rapid pace.”

https://www.ibtimes.com/coronavirus-crisis-least-2-million-us-households-behind-their-mortgage-payments-2959269

Kremlin. The Awakening

On April 15, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a new package of measures to support Russia’s economy hit by consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak and the following lockdown.

Putin announced a direct financial support to businesses hit hardest by the nationwide lockdown, including small and medium-sized businesses and airlines.

The announced measures include:

Monthly state payments to small and medium-sized businesses for every employee in April and May, provided firms maintain 90% of their workforce. The payment is 12,130 rubles ($160) for an employee per month;

The federal government allocates a package of 200 billion rubles ($2.6 billion) of support for regional budgets;

At least 23 billion rubles ($307 million) of government support for airlines.

The federal government will reform the government-backed system of interest-free salary loans for firms. The reform is aimed at providing an easier access to loans by businesses.

It looks like the Russian government has analyzed the economic-support measures employed by Germany and developed its own variant. For example, Germany adopted the following measures:

The federal government announced assigning 538 billion euro as a first stage of forming a fund for supporting the private sector of the economy through low-interest loans. The majority of it is to be allocated for private corporations that are crucial to their branches of the economy. There are also funds intended for small and mid-sized business. The funds are being disbursed unevenly from one federal land to another, depending on the number and size of businesses located there which are suffering losses due to temporary stoppages caused by force majeure.

Subsequently the general aid packet was increased to over 750 billion euro, with additional measures being adopted, including:

1. The economic stabilization fund of 600 billion euro. It complements liquidity assistance already provided through the KfW (Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau, a state bank 80% of which is owned by the German government and 20% by German lands). This fund is to support crisis-affected major firms (over 250 employees), which sustain Germany’s labor market and its international standing. However, this fund can also be used to eliminate liquidity problems of small and mid-sized business if they are crucially important. The fund is operated by KfW, and includes:

1.1. 100 billion euro for direct corporate support

1.2 400 billion euro to guarantee business obligations

1.3 100 billion euro to refinance already approved KfW programs, if needed.

2. Special low-interest credit programs operated by KfW up to 1 billion euro for a group of firms in order to ensure liquidity of small business, self-employed, and freelancers, with a term of up to 5 years and without first-year payments. Interest has been reduced to between 1% and 2.12%. KfW also offers various credit programs with unlimited volume. Negatively affected firms have access to KfW credit through their own banks. If necessary, they can also use the guarantee instrument. The KfW 2020 special program has been active since March 23, 2020. KfW accepts the majority of responsibility for these credits, ranging from 80 to 90%. The federal government is the ultimate guarantor (this is outside the “750+” packet). With loans of up to 3 million euro, KfW accepts all the risks of creditor banks. Loans of up to 10 million euro may be offered following a simplified risk assessment procedure. These special programs may be implemented thanks to federal government’s increasing KfW capital from 465 billion euro to 822 billion.

3. Supplemental state budget of 156 billion euro funded through borrowing. The overall sum of fiscal measures is 353.3 billion euro, and the guarantees’ total is 819.7 billion euro. The supplemental budget will finance the following funds and measures:

https://southfront.org/kremlin-the-awakening/

Might the Russia-China-USA Alliance for Space Exploration Define the New ‘New World Order’?

Whatever forces are behind the current spread of the current coronavirus justifying the shutdown of major nations across the globe, one this is increasingly certain: a new system will absolutely emerge from the current one. What remains to be seen is whether this new system will be shaped by those fascist crisis-loving technocrats pushing for a unipolar world order, or whether it will be organized by sovereign nation states working together under a multi -polar community of principle.

Amidst the confusion and fear driven by the global pandemic, President Trump passed a fascinating Executive Order on April 6 calling for the mining of asteroids and the Moon which may serve as the gateway to shaping a new system of economic relations, rules and values around a shared future for humankind. Trump’s Executive Order states in part that “successful long term exploration and scientific discoveries of the Moon, Mars and other celestial bodies will require partnerships with commercial entities to recover and use resources, including water and certain minerals in outer space.”

In stark opposition to those cynics who wish to analyse every event from the lens of simple geopolitics, the executive order goes onto reject unilateralism in space (promoted by the Space Force ideologues seeking to extend militarisation beyond earth) and rather calls for cooperation, stating that the USA “shall seek to negotiate joint statements, and bilateral and multilateral arrangements with foreign states regarding safe and sustainable operations for the public and private recovery and use of space resources.”

This potential for a shared future for global (and celestial) development stands in stark opposition to certain forces who would rather use the two-fold crisis of economic collapse and viral pandemics to usher in a new age of fascism and world government under a Global Green New Deal. As I wrote in an earlier paper, this clash is exemplified by the closed system thinking of Malthusians and neocons vs. the open system thinking of genuine patriots and world citizens.

How the Dream of Open System Economics Was Lost

It was once believed in the west that the future would be beautiful, just, and as plentiful as it was peaceful. Under John F. Kennedy’s bold leadership the idea of space exploration was more than a simple “space race” or plopping a human being on the moon “within the decade and returning him safely back home”. Far from this narrow view, JFK and many leading American scientists saw this goal as a springboard to a new age of creative growth for all humanity both on the Moon and beyond. These stirring forecasts of an age of reason can still be heard in recordings of Kennedy’s Rice University address of September 12, 1962.

Unbeknownst to many, JFK also called for a USA-Russia joint Moon landing in order to defuse the Cold War formula of MAD and had this plan not been derailed, the world would have found itself on a much different trajectory.

https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2020/04/15/might-russia-china-us-alliance-space-exploration-define-new-world-order/

China Says Disappeared COVID Journalists Is ‘fiction,’ While FCC Carr Demands They ‘Un-disappear’ Them

A Chinese government spokesman said FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr is more than welcome to visit Wuhan but called Carr’s request to speak with disappeared citizen COVID19 whistleblowers “a fiction.”

“I’m glad you’ve seen their names,” Carr said on Twitter to Hua Chunying, the Chinese government spokesman.

“And I’m glad your response confirms to the world that you disappeared them simply for telling the truth about your brutal regime,” he said. “Now, my question to you still stands: Will you un-disappear them so we can speak?”

On Monday, Carr told The Sara Carter Show that the Federal Communications Commission will proceed with the Department of Justice’s recommendation to fully investigate China Telecom Corp. over alleged espionage. He added, the FCC is conducting a “top to bottom review” of every single Chinese company operating in the United States telecommunications networks.

https://saraacarter.com/china-says-disappeared-covid-journalists-is-fiction-while-fcc-carr-demands-they-un-disappear-them/

'New York Times' Allowed Biden Team to Edit Story on Sexual Assault Allegation

The New York Times apparently gave in to pressure from the Biden campaign to edit a story that ran over the weekend detailing the sexual assault allegations by Tara Reade against then-Senator Biden in 1993.

The story, which ran Easter Sunday on page A20 of the front section, originally said, "The Times found no pattern of sexual misconduct by Mr. Biden, beyond the hugs, kisses and touching that women previously said made them uncomfortable." That sentence was deleted, as was a tweet saying the same thing, and the sentence, "The Times found no pattern of sexual misconduct by Mr. Biden."

Executive Editor Dean Baquet gave a curious defense of the edits.

Washington Examiner:

"Even though a lot of us, including me, had looked at it before the story went into the paper, I think that the campaign thought that the phrasing was awkward and made it look like there were other instances in which he had been accused of sexual misconduct," he explained. "And that’s not what the sentence was intended to say."

He added, "We didn’t think it was a factual mistake. I thought it was an awkward phrasing issue that could be read different ways and that it wasn’t something factual we were correcting. So I didn’t think that was necessary [to explain]."

Is he kidding? Many women have complained about Biden's roaming hands and while it may not be "sexual assault" it's certainly "sexual harassment." Some men have been fired for less.

Biden Sexual Assault Accuser Files Complaint with D.C. Police

It should be noted that the Times covered the Tara Reade story for the first time over the weekend after every other major media outlet had already looked into it. They, too, gave the allegations short shrift – at least compared to the coverage of the Brett Kavanaugh allegations.

How about that, Mr. Baquet?

In explaining the editorial decisions that were put into the New York Times's coverage of Reade's allegations, the outlet also addressed comparisons to the newspaper's treatment of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's accusers. Baquet said the paper published allegations against Kavanaugh the day they were made because the larger story of sexual assault was already present with previous accusations from Christine Blasey Ford.

"Kavanaugh was already in a public forum in a large way. Kavanaugh’s status as a Supreme Court justice was in question because of a very serious allegation. And when I say in a public way, I don’t mean in the public way of Tara Reade’s. If you ask the average person in America, they didn’t know about the Tara Reade case," Baquet explained.

So the press gives little or no coverage to Tara Reade's story and Baquet uses that absence of publicity to blandly claim that the American people don't know about it!

Sating that "Kavanaugh was already in a public forum in a large way" is indescribably obtuse. I know Joe Biden is darn near invisible these days but wasn't he already in a public forum by being the presumptive presidential nominee of the Democratic Party?

https://pjmedia.com/trending/new-york-times-allowed-biden-team-to-edit-story-on-sexual-assault-allegation/

Israeli Drone Strike Targets Hezbollah SUV Near Syrian-Lebanese Border Crossing (Photos)

On April 15, a mysterious airstrikes targeted an SUV in the Syrian town of Jdaidit Yabws right on the border with Lebanon.

The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) confirmed the incident in short statement, saying that the airstrikes resulted in material losses only.

Security sources told RT the SUV, a black Jeep Grand Cherokee, belong to personnel of Lebanon’s Hezbollah. According to the sources, the SUV was targeted by an Israel drone. Many other Arab outlets reported the same information.

“The SUV was targeted by two missiles, the first one missed it, which allowed the passengers to exit [the SUV] just moments before it was hit by the second missile,” the Russian network quoted one of the sources as saying.

The UAE-based Sky News Arabia and al-Arabiya claimed that high-ranking commanders of Hezbollah were the target of the Israeli drone strike.

Hezbollah has not commented on the incident, thus far. The Lebanese group warned several times that will respond to any Israeli attack on its personnel in Lebanon, Syria or elsewhere.

Last year, Israel killed two Hezbollah fighters in an airstrike on the Syrian capital of Damascus. The group responded by targeting an Israeli military vehicle, demonstrating its will to deter Israel.

https://southfront.org/israeli-drone-strike-targets-hezbollah-suv-near-syrian-lebanese-border-crossing/

>>8804154

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