However, the KRG and the Iraqi federal government reached an oil-for-budget deal at the end of November, thereby removing one of the biggest points of contention. This was done under the Kurd-friendly Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi, who has since stepped down from the post in the wake of widespread calls for his resignation.
Daily Archives: 28. Dezember 2019
China Focus: China to complete Beidou-3 satellite system in 2020
China will finish the construction of the BeiDou-3 Navigation Satellite System (BDS-3), with another two geostationary orbit satellites to be launched before June 2020, said BDS Spokesperson Ran Chengqi on Friday.
UN extends probe into mysterious 1961 death of Secretary-General Hammarskjold
In his last report, published in early October, Othman accused the United States and Britain of withholding information regarding Hammarskjold‘s death.
The resolution on the #DagHammarskjöld investigation, initiated by??, was just adopted by consensus & the record high number of 128 cosponsors. We ? all cosponsors for their support & look forward to the continuation of the investigation!
Navy SEALs who turned in Gallagher: He is ‚freaking evil‘
“Tell the truth, don’t lie or embellish,” one member told the others in a group text in 2017, when they first reportedly tried to report the chief. “That way, he can’t say that we slandered him in any way.”
Fellow Navy SEALs slam former chief Edward Gallagher in newly released video
Video obtained by The New York Times shows members of SEAL Team 7 criticizing their former platoon chief Edward Gallagher, who was accused of murdering a teenage ISIS member. CBS News national security correspondent David Martin joined CBSN with the latest details.
Riyadh signs deal with Raytheon Saudi Arabia to localize Patriot maintenance
Saudi Arabia signed a deal with the local unit of U.S. weapons maker Raytheon on Saturday to localize maintenance of its Patriot missile defense system, as part of efforts to boost Saudi’s defense industries and its broader economy.
High Court‘s Netanyahu verdict may pose danger to democracy
if I may, I would like to apply pressure on the judges from the other end of the spectrum. Not from the side of Netanyahu‘s devotees, but from the side of those who are devoted to an impartial process, the rule of law and the continued peaceful existence of our democracy.
Please, do not involve yourself in this matter. Looking out at the world through the windows of the halls of justice can obscure the bigger picture sometimes. Caring only for your close compatriots and friends could be dangerous.
Likud-Wahl von Benjamin Netanjahu: Quicklebendige Demokratie
Israel zeigt einmal mehr, dass es eine westliche Demokratie mit einem starken Rechtsstaat ist. Das ist manchmal anstrengend.
Israel’s Attorney General and Other Cowards in the Face of Netanyahu
We’re in this situation because of the cowards – people like Mendelblit, who had no problem accepting a role as a gatekeeper without growing the requisite backbone. We’re here because for months after the recommendations by the police and the prosecution, the attorney general continued to drag his feet.
And after deciding to file indictments, he didn’t intervene as Netanyahu dragged us into yet another election while using all the power of his status to vilify the legal system that the attorney general is supposed to defend.
Bibi bis zum bitteren Ende
Das israelische Gesetz sieht vor, dass ein amtierender Premier selbst unter Anklage erst abtreten muss, wenn er rechtskräftig verurteilt wird. Allerdings besagt ein anderes Gesetz, dass ein Politiker, der unter Anklage steht, kein offizielles Amt übernehmen darf. Beide Gesetze mussten bislang noch nie in der Praxis „getestet“ werden.
DNC’s Billionaire Bonanza
The ultra-wealthy are pouring money into the 2020 Democratic Primary. Cenk Uygur, John Iadarola, and John Fugelsang, hosts of The Young Turks, break it down.
OPCW-DOUMA – Release Part 4
27 December, 2019
Today WikiLeaks releases more internal documents from the OPCW regarding the investigation into the alleged chemical attack in Douma in April 2018.
One of the documents is an e-mail exchange dated 27 and 28 February between members of the fact finding mission (FFM) deployed to Douma and the senior officials of the OPCW. It includes an e-mail from Sebastien Braha, Chief of Cabinet at the OPCW, where he instructs that an engineering report from Ian Henderson should be removed from the secure registry of the organisation:
“Please get this document out of DRA [Documents Registry Archive]… And please remove all traces, if any, of its delivery/storage/whatever in DRA”.
The main finding of Henderson, who inspected the sites in Douma and two cylinders that were found on the site of the alleged attack, was that they were more likely manually placed there than dropped from a plane or helicopter from considerable heights. His findings were omitted from the official final OPCW report on the Douma incident.
Media’s Deafening Silence On Latest WikiLeaks Drops Is Its Own Scandal
This is getting really, really, really weird.
WikiLeaks has published yet another set of leaked internal documents from within the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) adding even more material to the mountain of evidence that we’ve been lied to about an alleged chemical weapons attack in Douma, Syria last year which resulted in airstrikes upon that nation from the US, UK and France.
This new WikiLeaks drop includes an email from the OPCW Chief of Cabinet Sebastien Braha (who is reportedly so detested by organisation inspectors that they code named him “Voldemort”) throwing a fit over the Ian Henderson Engineering Assessment which found that the Douma incident was likely a staged event. Braha is seen ordering OPCW staff to “remove all traces, if any, of its delivery/storage/whatever” from the organisation’s secure registry.
Das ohrenbetäubende Schweigen der Medien zu den neuesten WikiLeaks-Veröffentlichungen ist an sich schon ein Skandal
Es wird wirklich sehr sehr seltsam.
WikiLeaks hat eine Reihe weiterer geleakter interner Dokumente der Organisation für das Verbot chemischer Waffen (OPCW) veröffentlicht und dem Berg an Beweisen noch mehr Material hinzugefügt, dass man uns über den angeblichen Chemiewaffenangriff in Douma, Syrien belogen hat. Diese Lüge führte zu den Luftangriffen auf Syrien durch die USA, UK und Frankreich.
Diese neue WikiLeaks-Veröffentlichung beinhaltet eine E-Mail des Kabinettschefs der OPCW, Sebastien Braha (der Berichten zufolge von den Inspektoren der Organisation so verachtet wird, dass er den Spitznamen „Voldemort“ bekam), der einem Tobsuchtsanfall gleicht, weil eine Ingenieur-technische Einschätzung von Ian Henderson herausfand, dass der Douma-Vorfall wahrscheinlich eine Inszenierung war. Braha wurde dabei ertappt, dass er OPCW-Mitarbeiter angewiesen hat, aus dem Sicherheitsregister der Organisation „jedwede Spuren davon aus Registratur/Speicherung/was auch immer zu beseitigen“.
So, der erste Tag auf dem 36c3 hat sich schon mal gelohnt.
Für die sensibleren Gespräche ist Julian mit Anwalt dann zum Badezimmer gegangen und hat die Dusche laufen lassen. Daraufhin ließ die CIA eine Wanze hinter dem einen Schrank dort anbringen. Es war wohl einigermaßen erheiternd, die fluchenden Amis in den Anfragen an die Spanier zu lesen, weil sie nicht weiterkamen.
Das Ende war dann weniger lustig. Über die Wanze im Feuerlöscher haben die Amis ein Gespräch zwischen Julian und der Geheimdienstchefin von Ecuador belauscht, die Julian einen ecuadorischen Pass beschafft hatten, ihn zum Diplomaten ernannt hatten, und eine offizielle Abberufung in eine Botschaft in einem anderen Land eingetütet hatten. Am nächsten Morgen lag dann überraschend ein internationaler Haftbefehl der USA vor. Überwachen hat also ernsthafte Folgen.
Es gab leider technische Probleme beim Streaming und der Aufzeichnung am Anfang. Ich hoffe mal, das ist trotzdem was geworden. Andy hat extra später angefangen.
Leaked Video of SEALs Calling Eddie Gallagher „Evil“
Gallagher‘s war crimes case gained national attention after President Donald Trump controversially intervened on his behalf, ignoring Pentagon leaders who had told the President such a move could damage the integrity of the military judicial system.
„The guy is freaking evil,“ Special Operator First Class Craig Miller said of Gallagher during his interview with Naval Criminal Investigative Service agents, the Times reported.“
Hosts: Cenk Uygur, John Iadarola, John Fugelsang
“Nobody touch him. He’s mine.” Navy SEAL videos and text messages reveal why some of Chief Edward Gallagher’s own men were upset about his actions in Iraq.
A new documentary from #TheWeeklyNYT now on @Hulu: Videos reveal new details about the case of Edward Gallagher, a Navy SEAL accused by his own men of war crimes and whose defenders include President Trump.
Also watch this Sunday on @FXNetworks.
Bolivien: Die Außenpolitik der Putschisten
Leitartikel der mexikanischen Tageszeitung La jornada zum Konflikt mit der De-facto-Regierung in Bolivien um das Botschaftsasyl
‘We Are the Ones Who Will Awaken the Dawn’
Democracy has been shackled by capitalist power. If sovereignty were merely about numbers, then the workers and the peasants, the urban poor and the youth would be represented by people who put their interests first and would be able to command more of the fruit of their labour. Democracy promises that people would be able to control their destiny. Capitalism, on the other hand, is structured to allow the capitalists – the property owners – to have power over the economy and society. From the standpoint of capitalism, democracy’s full implications cannot be allowed. If democracy gets its way, then the means of producing wealth would be democratized; this would be an outrage against property, which is why democracy is narrowed.
1 in 6 of our children lives in poverty. 500,000+ Americans are homeless. 87 million are uninsured or underinsured. Half live paycheck to paycheck. But the billionaire class is doing better every day. This is a rigged economy and we are going to change it.
The Pentagon Budget Still Rising, 40 Years Later
In our case, of course, the definition of “national security” is subsidizing the U.S. military-industrial complex, year in, year out, at levels that should be (but aren’t) beyond belief. In 2019, Pentagon spending is actually higher than it was at the peak of either the Korean or Vietnam conflicts and may soon be — adjusted for inflation — twice the Cold War average.
Yes, in those four decades, there were dips at key inflection points, including the ends of the Vietnam War and the Cold War, but the underlying trend has been ever onward and upward. Just why that’s been the case is a subject that almost never comes up here.
The world‘s 3 richest people in 2019 have added a total of $231 billion to their fortune over the past decade, according to @wealth.
Here’s how they got here
This is a very big endorsement… very ably delivered. As 2019 concludes, the @BernieSanders campaign is going from strength to strength.
I am thrilled to be endorsing Senator Bernie Sanders for President. #NotMeUS
Democrats brace for ‚bloody‘ primary season
The party‘s top four candidates — two progressive candidates and two moderate candidates — are indicative of where the Democratic Party is right now, said Democratic strategist Michael Trujillo.
38 days from Iowa, Democratic candidates bear down on fundraising
With the Democratic presidential primary finally nearing the time for actual voting, candidates are working hard in early voting states and leaning into maximizing fundraising.
Dems appear to give up on John Bolton testimony, say they won’t subpoena after he blows off impeachment deposition – New York Daily News. Democrats didn’t even Subpoena John Bolton but now Demand @senatemajldr and Republican Senate do it
Biden reiterates that he won‘t testify in a Senate impeachment trial
When asked if defying a congressional subpoena could create the appearance that he is above the law, Biden held that his testimony would enable the President to „get away“ from the trial‘s focus.
Merkel und Schäuble: Ziemlich mutig für eine 20-Prozent-Partei
(07.10.2018)
Schäuble und Merkel steht das Wasser schlicht bis zum Hals. Und nun versuchen beide, wohl darüber informiert dass die Funktionäre der „S.P.D.“ auf der mittleren Ebene kurz vor einem Versuch der Arbeitsplatzsicherung stehen (also vor dem Rauswurf der leitenden Parteikader Olaf Scholz und Andrea Nahles), ihre Zweitpartei irgendwie in der „großen Koalition“ zu halten.
Der Staat muss jetzt aufpassen: das Ganze könnte am Ende noch dem Grundgesetz in die Hände spielen.
Schäuble für klare Verkleinerung des Bundestags
(22.12.2019)
Die Lösung von FDP, Linken und Grünen: Den Bundestag insgesamt auf 630 Sitze vergrößern, dafür aber unter anderem die Zahl der Wahlkreise reduzieren. Künftig solle es nur noch 250 anstatt von 299 Wahlkreisen geben. So würde zwar die Zahl der direkt gewählten Abgeordneten sinken, die Wahlkreise würden aber wachsen.
Bundestagspräsident Wolfgang Schäuble ist anderer Meinung und fordert eine neue Wahlrechtsreform, die den Bundestag verkleinern soll.
Im jahrelangen Ringen um eine #Wahlrechtsreform gibt es einen neuen Vorschlag: 24 Abgeordnete wollen den Erststimmen mehr Gewicht geben. Die Opposition reagiert empört und wittert einen „legalen Putsch“.
Zarif to visit Russia on Monday
“When discussing current issues on the international and regional agendas, special attention will be paid to the situation regarding the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on the Iranian nuclear program, the Syrian settlement, developments in the Persian Gulf area and other regional issues.“
IECC begins sorting electoral complaints: Official
Officials from the Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC) on Friday said that the organization has started the sorting process of the electoral complaints that had been filed by the election campaigns.
The formal process of assessing the complaints will be started on Saturday, said the IECC commissioner Qubuddian Roydar.
U.S. responds to Chinese aircraft carrier transit in Taiwan Strait
While apparently routine, the move drew attention for its timing, slightly more than two weeks ahead of Taiwan‘s Jan. 11 elections.
Bolivia‘s De Facto Regime Harasses Spanish Diplomats
Mexico‘s Ambassador to Bolivia Teresa Mercado reported that Bolivian security officers harassed Spanish diplomats as they were trying to enter her official residence in La Paz on Friday morning.