For Biden, coming off a stronger-than-expected midterm result for Democrats is sure to factor heavily in the decision, along with the potential for a rematch against former President Trump. And while the White House has insisted for months Biden plans to run again, the president has left the door open to making a final decision after discussing with family during the holidays.
Archiv: extras (movies / politics / simulations)
2024 National Democratic Primary Poll, Without Biden: Harris 25% Clinton 17%
(…)
Netanyahu assured Putin „I will be back soon“ after losing election
(Oct 13, 2021)
Days after being ousted as prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu passed a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin promising a quick comeback, a source close to Netanyahu and a European diplomat told me.
Why it matters: Netanyahu and Putin had a close relationship that grew even closer after Russia began its military involvement in Syria in 2015.
There Is a Place for Ben-Gvir in Netanyahu’s Cabinet, Former PM Says
The extreme-right MK Itamar Ben-Gvir would be a minister in a government formed by opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu, the former prime minister said on Sunday evening.
When asked in a Channel 14 interview whether the Religious Zionism party member has a place in the cabinet if the right-wing-religious bloc receives 61 Knesset seats, Netanyahu responded „Yes, certainly.“
Israeli elections are in 10 days and the apathy and fatigue are palpable, despite how high the stakes are – with the potential return of Netanyahu still on trial, the entry of the far right Zionist faction and the possible exclusion of a few Arab parties due to low voter turnout.
(22.10.2022)
Legalizing Corruption
The reform that Bezalel Smotrich is proposing validates public corruption on a grand scale. It is intended as a come-on for Benjamin Netanyahu’s supporters on the eve of the election, people who understand well that in contrast to the feigned denial of Smotrich, annulling the offense will necessarily lead to the cancelation of the bulk of the indictment against Netanyahu. This is another reminder of what is at stake in the forthcoming election.
Two Weeks to Election Day, Netanyahu’s Right-wing Allies Are Going Rogue
The last thing Benjamin Netanyahu wants is for voters to start focusing on his political partners in Religious Zionism and the Haredi parties, but they’re acting as if they’ve already won the November 1 election
In 2019, we wanted to borrow money to fund public, regional, green investment that would pay for itself. Truss and Kwarteng want to borrow money to pay for uncapped bankers‘ bonuses. This government have crashed the economy. We would have transformed it.
(12.10.2022)
Obama Charges Netanyahu as a World Leader Who Fueled ‚Putinism‘, Report Reveals
„What I worry about most is, there is a war right now of ideas, more than any hot war, and it is between Putinism — which, by the way, is subscribed to, at some level, by [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan or Netanyahu or [former Philippines President Rodrigo] Duterte and [former U.S. President Donald] Trump — and a vision of a liberal market-based democracy that has all kinds of flaws and is subject to all kinds of legitimate criticism, but on the other hand is sort of responsible for most of the human progress we’ve seen over the last 50, 75 years,“ he told reporters in off-the-record comments first published by Bloomberg.
The Trojan Horse That Is Destroying Israel
It would be interesting to know whether there will ever be a moment when supporters of the two-state solution will acknowledge that it is unfeasible, and when they will internalize that Israel is a binational state. After all, no official declaration will be issued. There will never be an official declaration. The Israeli government will not announce “in shock, with great sadness and deep sorrow,” as in Eitan Haber’s announcement of the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, the death of the two-state solution, the death of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state and its rebirth from the ashes as a binational apartheid state.
Pro-Israel Democrat Warns Netanyahu: Far-right Coalition Will Damage U.S. Ties
Democratic Senator Robert Menendez raised ’serious concerns‘ about the possibility of Netanyahu establishing a coalition with far-right Religious Zionism after the next Israeli election, according to a report from news site Walla
The seven Democrats most likely to run for president — if Biden bows out
While Harris, 57, has seen her own approval ratings fall at times during an up-and-down tenure as vice president, she remains the top non-Biden possibility for 2024.
The Magic Number Aaron Judge, Benjamin Netanyahu and Yair Lapid Are All Chasing
A few days removed from the hysteria of an impending nuclear deal with Iran, the political-media ecosystem is now obsessing about splits and mergers. On the right, there was a split in the minuscule, spare-parts junkyard party Zionist Spirit (formerly Naftali Bennett’s political home when it was named Yamina).
If you read the verbose stories with their endless gossipy details about who exactly instigated the dissolution, you’d think this was on the scale of the Southern secession in 1861 or the divisions of Germany and Korea in 1945. Of the 9.5 million Israelis, it is hard to imagine anyone – other than the immediate families of those involved, plus maybe another 500 politicians and journalists – caring about this split.
Israeli-made Spyware Was Used to Hack Phone of Greek Ex-minister
(09.09.2022)
Intellexa is run by a former Israeli military intelligence official Tal Dilian. The company was based in Cyprus until a year and a half ago, when it moved to Greece.
Predator is very similar to the infamous Pegasus spyware made by the competing and more famous cyber firm NSO Group. Like Pegasus, it allows the operator to access the entire contents of the target’s phone, as well as secretly activating its camera and phone and recording.
Another Greek opposition lawmaker victim of Predator
(09.09.2022)
A parliamentary inquiry committee set up to investigate the scandal has not brought any results considering that the former secret services chief and the prime minister’s secretary general, who both resigned after the scandal, refused to explain the reasons for spying on the Greek opposition leader.
Main opposition leader Alexis Tsipras warned on Thursday that those who invoke “confidentiality” to cover up crimes “face criminal charges”.
Further OPEC+ Production Cuts Could Be Looming
(06.09.2022)
“The simple tweak shows that we will be attentive, preemptive and pro-active in terms of supporting the stability and the efficient functioning of the market to the benefit of market participants and the industry,” Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said.
US Ready To Return To Nuclear Deal If Iran Is Ready – White House
In response to a question about the Israel’s efforts to dissuade Washington from reviving the nuclear deal in a news briefing on Tuesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, „The US and its allies are equally preparing for scenarios with or without mutual return to full implementation of the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action).”
“The US president will only conclude a deal that he determines is in the national security interests of the US,“ she noted, adding that the ultimate goal is to make sure Iran never acquires nuclear weapons.
Joint Statement by the Spokespersons of the Foreign Ministries of Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden
We are deeply concerned by the raids which took place in the morning of 18 August, as part of a worrying reduction of space for civil society in the oPT. These actions are not acceptable.
The further reduction of civil space in the oPT remains a source of concern. We stand firm with NGOs to uphold the right to freedom of expression and association in the oPT.
A free and strong civil society is indispensable for promoting democratic values and for a two state solution. As we stated on 12 July, no substantial information was received from Israel that would justify reviewing our policy towards the six Palestinian NGOs on the basis of the Israeli decision to designate these NGOs as ‘terrorist organisations’. Should convincing evidence be made available to the contrary, we would act accordingly.
🇧🇪🇩🇰🇫🇷🇩🇪🇮🇪🇮🇹🇳🇱🇪🇸🇸🇪 Statement by the Foreign Ministries of Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden on the Israeli raids of six Palestinian civil society organisations on 18 August 2022.
‚Not Acceptable‘ | Nine European States Slam Israeli Raids of Palestinian NGOs
In October, Defense Minister Benny Gantz signed an order declaring Addameer, Al-Haq, the Bisan Center for Research & Development, Defense for Children International-Palestine, the Union of Palestinian Women’s Committees and the Union of Agricultural Work Committees as terrorist organizations. The Defense Ministry claims that they are part of a funding network operated by the largely-defunct Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a charge that all six groups deny.
Missing Intel, Unprepared Police Failed to Stop 2021 Violence, Israel’s State Watchdog Finds
State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman stressed in his report major shortcomings in the force’s work to gather intelligence and anticipate the violence, specifically in mixed Jewish-Arab cities like Lod, Acre, and Jaffa.
Planned evictions of Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem and tensions surrounding the city’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound spilled into violence across the country. On May 10, 2021, Hamas fired rockets at Jerusalem, prompting an Israeli response, and the fighting lasted for 11 days. During that time, violence between Arabs and Jews in Israel intensified.
’super‐Europe’
(Nov. 9, 1978)
While the dollar was falling and rising, the Europeans were negotiating a new form of monetary union: the creation of a kind of deutschemark zone in Western Europe. This was no coincidence.
Just as the sovereignty of the nationstate is personified by the ability to create money, so the form and status of international money is an expression of changing power relationships. The events of the last few weeks merely confirm America’s decline and the growing importance of Western Europe, dominated by West Germany.
That Iran is on nuclear threshold is not secret, says top Iranian politician
He added “Iran has the capability to build nuclear bomb but it has no decision” to do so.
Enriching uranium to 20 percent was “more difficult” but increasing it to 60 percent was done in 2-3 days.
Therefore, he said, it will not be difficult to enrich uranium to purity of 90 percent.
“We’re a screwdriver’s turn away from reaching the 90% purity,” Kharrazi remarked.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei has banned production of nuclear arms.
The former foreign minister reiterated Iran’s long-held policy, saying nuclear weapon “contravenes” Iran’s religious “beliefs” and its „security exigencies“.
However, he added, mastering the nuclear technology and having the capability to build nuclear arms is “deterrent”.
Boris lashes out at Truss on tax as Tory leadership tensions explode in bloodbath contest
His comments came despite Ms Truss being seen as the „Boris Johnson continuity candidate“ with a number of his supporters backing her in a bid to stop Mr Suank entering No10.
Her attack on the former Chancellor’s record last night was one of a number of punches swung as the Tory leadership contest gets increasingly bitter.
The race to replace Boris Johnson, afternoon update (10 July):
Sunak: 30 MPs (+12)
Mordaunt: 18 (+11)
Hunt: 12 (+10)
Truss: 12 (+6)
Tugendhat: 12 (+6)
Badenoch: 11 (+5)
Zahawi: 10 (+7)
Braverman: 9 (-)
Chgs. w/ 24hrs ago
Israel Election: After Bennett Quits, His Party May Not Make It to Next Knesset, Poll Show
Likud, led by former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, would remain the largest party in parliament, according to the poll, with 34 out of 120 seats.
Together with a coalition of right-wing parties who have backed the current opposition leader – far-right Religious Zionism party, projected 10 seats, and ultra-Orthodox parties Shas and United Torah Judaism, with eight and seven seats, respectively – a Netanyahu-led bloc would have 59 seats, two short of a majority.
Israel Downs Unarmed Hezbollah Drones Believed to Be Heading for Gas Rig
Israeli military sources say …
Israel Election: Netanyahu’s Party Is Counting on Gantz
(Jul 1, 2022)
The second consensus – which is both more important and more interesting – is that absolutely no one in Likud, from the most junior member to the most senior, failed to cite Kahol Lavan Chairman Benny Gantz, the current defense minister, as the person they are counting on to complete the tally of 61 Knesset seats that Netanyahu needs to form a government.
Travel Warning: Israel’s Election Will Be Long and Dirty
It capped a week that symbolized everything that was bad about it during the little over a year it was in power: a fractured coalition, too many of whose heads were convinced they were destined to be prime minister and waged an endless campaign, mainly against one another; a coalition with too few responsible adults and too many opportunists. Above all, however, it was a coalition faced with an opposition the likes of which we have never seen: violent, vulgar, brutal, cynical, without a drop of empathy for human suffering, no matter where; that spits on the general public, including its own voters. An opposition without any red lines but with a personality cult; that is captive to a single person who seeks to escape his trial and who along the way turns every stone and scorches every bit of earth in order to completely destroy the young experiment known as Israeli democracy.
Europe’s new Iron Curtain: The defences designed to keep Putin out as Biden announces a new permanent base in Poland – while Sweden and Finland are formally invited into alliance and Russia blasts ‚destabilising‘ move
Joe Biden, speaking at a NATO summit in Madrid today, announced the creation of a new base for the US Fifth Army Corps in Poland – the first permanent American base in the country – along with 3,000 extra soldiers to be sent to Romania and ‚enhanced‘ troop rotations for the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Two more squadrons of F-35 fighters will be deployed to the UK, Biden added, along with additional air defence systems for Germany and Italy, and another two destroyers which will be stationed at Rota Naval Station in Spain, bringing the total to six.
#Iran FM spox: The two-day talks in Doha have not ended yet and there will be another meeting between @Bagheri_Kani and @enriquemora_ later in the evening… The talks in Doha are underway in a serious and professional atmosphere
Putin Travels To Friendly Central Asian Countries In 1st Trip Abroad Since War Began
President Vladimir Putin arrived in the ‚Russia-friendly‘ central Asian country of Tajikistan on Tuesday, for a one-day visit with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, in what marks Putin’s first trip abroad since launching the Feb.24 invasion of Ukraine.
The two leaders discussed „bilateral ties, the development of cultural and economic relations, and regional and global issues, especially the situation in Afghanistan.“ He then went on to Turkmenistan on Wednesday to attend an important regional summit of allies.
France Says Western Powers Should Open Oil Markets to Iran and Venezuela
President Nicolás Maduro: “I would tell President Macron: Venezuela is ready to receive all the French companies that want to come to produce gas and petrol for the European market, for the global market. You are welcome to come whenever. The road is paved. We are prepared, ready and happy to do it.”
#BREAKING France wants oil from Iran, Venezuela back on the market: Macron’s office
(19 hours ago)
Powers need to study all oil options, including Iran, Venezuela -France
„There are resources elsewhere that need to be explored,“ a French official said on the sidelines of a G7 summit in Germany, when asked about how to alleviate high oil prices.
Oil prices end higher as the U.S. announces new sanctions on Iran
(16.06.2022)
Oil futures climbed on Thursday, shaking off early losses from economic growth worries in the wake of the Federal Reserve’s latest interest-rate hike, to finish higher after the U.S. announced new economic sanctions on Iran.
NATO to have over 300,000 troops at higher readiness – Stoltenberg
(27.06.2022)
BRUSSELS, Belgium – NATO will massively boost the number of troops on high readiness to over 300,000, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday, June 27, with allies set to adopt a new strategy describing Moscow as a direct threat four months into the Ukraine war.
France’s Macron asks Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne to propose new government
French President Emmanuel Macron has asked Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne to propose a new „government of action“ that will be named in early July, according to an interview with AFP.
Macron also confirmed his confidence in Borne for the long term, AFP said in a Twitter post.
Lapid Is About to Become Israel’s PM, and the Entire Mideast Is Watching
Lapid will likely seek to avoid pointless military escalation, and may rely on experienced brass until the election. He may even make a left-wing overture and meet the Palestinian president
With the Government’s Implosion, It’s Anyone but Bibi Again
In both style and content, Lapid’s and Bennett’s speeches distilled what is best about the government of change and served as a reminder, by way of contrast, of everything Israel left behind when Benjamin Netanyahu lost power and everything that threatens it should he regain it – a return to a politics and a public discourse of incitement, division, mudslinging, humiliation, intimidation, lies and manipulation; a return to assaults on the justice system, the police, the media and the opposition; a return to the persecution of human rights organizations and incitement against Arab citizens and their representatives in the Knesset.
Niinistö and Stoltenberg discuss Nato bid at Kultaranta Talks
On Monday morning, Støre will discuss Nordic security with Speaker of Parliament Matti Vanhanen (Cen) and the directors of the Swedish and Finnish institutes of international affairs.
That will be followed by a security policy debate in Finnish featuring Defence Forces Commander Timo Kivinen, Education Minister Li Andersson (Left), Foreign Affairs Committee chair Jussi Halla-aho (Finns) and Defence Committee chair Petteri Orpo (NCP).
Finland will not go into NATO without Sweden, president says
Finland’s President Sauli Niinistö has underlined his country’s commitment to joining NATO in tandem with Sweden after he was asked whether Finland could proceed alone in the application process.
Niinistö was speaking on Sunday at a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
French EU minister: Mélenchon’s real objective is ‘to crush the left’
Beaune believes that Mélenchon’s real intention is not to become a prime minister – as he has declared – in the next legislative election but to “crush the left and kill the Socialist Party and the Greens for the benefit of Jean-Luc Mélenchon alone”.
Législatives : la NUPES devient la première force politique du pays
Le 1er tour des élections législatives acte un bouleversement de notre vie politique. À 26%, la NUPES est désormais la première force politique du pays. L’alliance historique de la gauche, composée de LFI, du PS, du PCF, de EELV et de Génération.s laisse derrière elle le bloc libéral et le bloc d’extrême-droite. La NUPES est présente au second tour dans plus de 500 circonscriptions.
As France returns to the polls, can Mélenchon’s left deprive Macron of a majority?
“Jean-Luc Mélenchon pulled off an extraordinary PR coup,” said Pascal Perrineau, a professor of political science at Sciences-Po Paris. “Asking the French to elect him prime minister might sound absurd, but it was an extremely shrewd strategy. It allowed him to both supplant Le Pen as Macron’s chief opponent and cast himself as the pillar of a revamped left.”
The PR stunt was soon followed by another tour de force, which even critics have hailed as a masterstroke. In the days following Macron’s re-election, Mélenchon and his team engineered what many had come to see as an impossible feat: a broad alliance of France’s deeply fractured left, united around a common policy platform and fielding a single candidate in each of France’s 577 constituencies.
European intelligence has three favourites for the position of Serbian PM
Sinisa Mali, the current finance minister and former mayor of Belgrade, is mentioned first as a possible candidate. He is one of Aleksandar Vučić’s closest associates and has been involved in several scandals – from the destruction of the Savamala quarter in Belgrade to allegedly owning 24 apartments in Bulgaria. The University of Belgrade stripped him of his doctorate after it was confirmed that he had plagiarized his thesis.
According to European intelligence, Nikola Selaković, current Minister of Foreign Affairs, also has a chance to become the new PM. He is also a loyal associate of Aleksandar Vučić…
We can ‘neither confirm nor deny’ we’re spying on Congress
(16.05.2022)
Government attorneys assert it is legal for their agencies to simply open the government purse and buy our data scraped from apps and social media, no warrant needed. When further challenged, the government’s ultimate fallback is a claim that a Reagan-era executive order, known as E.O. 12333, means that it needs no statutory authority to look at whatever it wants.
It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Congress created the Freedom of Information Act in 1967 at a time when lawless surveillance of Americans by the FBI and CIA was rampant.
C.I.A. Is Collecting in Bulk Certain Data Affecting Americans, Senators Warn
(Feb. 10, 2022)
The C.I.A. kept censored the nature of the data when it declassified the letter.
Report Shows FBI Spied On 3.3 Million Americans Without A Warrant, GOP Demands Answers
In a May 25 letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Mike Turner (R-Ohio) asked Wray to explain why his agency had wiretapped and gathered personal information on over 3.3 million Americans without a warrant (pdf).
Limited authority to gather foreign intelligence information is granted by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
World Economic Forum Annual Meeting: List of confirmed Public Figures
Heads of State and Government 50
Foreign Affairs 30
Finance / Economy 43
Trade / Commerce / Industry 27
Central Bank 7
International Organizations 36
Digital / Information, Communication and Technology 11
Energy and Resources 11
Environment 17
Health 6
Labor / Social Affairs / Education 6
Transport and Infrastructure 5
Defence and Intelligence Chiefs 3
Others 58
Johnson Avoids More Fines as UK Police End ‘Partygate’ Probe
Boris Johnson won’t be fined again for breaking coronavirus regulations after UK police concluded a probe into rule-breaking gatherings during lockdown, a major boost for the prime minister after months of turmoil.
Pegasus: Europe’s deepening spyware scandal
(03.05.2022)
An investigation committee launched by the European Parliament is preparing its first operational work meeting, which could be held this Thursday. The provisional agenda shows the presence of members of the Senate of Poland, one of the countries where there are suspicions about the use of Pegasus to spy on the government’s political rivals. The European Data Protection Supervisor has already called for programs like Pegasus to be banned on the grounds that they are very difficult to control and endanger fundamental rights and freedoms.
IT companies warn in open letter: EU wants to ban encryption
(15.04.2021)
Together with the companies Tutanota, Boxcryptor, Cryptomator, mail.de, Mailfence, Praxonomy, and Tresorit, mailbox.org has written an open letter to the EU strongly criticizing upcoming plans for communication surveillance.
Le Pen doesn’t stand a chance… as per usual French election practice, on the second round all parties will stand together to oppose Le Pen. As such it’s easy to say Macron has already won…
well he controls the media and is backed by the big shots (WEF)
Macron faces a tough fight as France votes on Sunday
Opinion polls still see Macron leading the first round and winning a runoff against Le Pen on April 24, but several surveys now say this is within the margin of error.
How False Testimony and a Massive U.S. Propaganda Machine Bolstered George H.W. Bush’s War on Iraq
(Dec 5, 2018)
As the media memorializes George H.W. Bush, we look at the lasting impact of his 1991 invasion of Iraq and the propaganda campaign that encouraged it. Although the Gulf War technically ended in February of 1991, the U.S. war on Iraq would continue for decades, first in the form of devastating sanctions and then in the 2003 invasion launched by George W. Bush. Thousands of U.S. troops and contractors remain in Iraq. A largely forgotten aspect of Bush Sr.’s war on Iraq is the vast domestic propaganda effort before the invasion began. We look at the way U.S. media facilitated the war on Iraq with journalist John “Rick” MacArthur, president and publisher of Harper’s Magazine and the author of the book “Second Front: Censorship and Propaganda in the 1991 Gulf War.”
A pregnant Ukrainian influencer who survived the Mariupol maternity-hospital bombing gave birth to a daughter
A photo of a bloodied Vishegirskaya fleeing the hospital made global headlines, prompting the Russian Embassy to falsely claim she was a crisis actor, saying she was not at the hospital at the time of the attack and was wearing „some very realistic make-up.“
4. Busted! We’ve found the ‚wounded‘ pregnant patient of the ‚bombed‘ maternity hospital in #Mariupol. Yes, she is pregnant, but she wasn’t there of course, she’s a local beauty-blogger Marianna Podgurskaya instagram.com/gixie_beauty, photographer was instagram.com/evgenymaloletka
New fight in Congress over war powers with US troops in Eastern Europe
The contours for a congressional authorization are murky at best. One could argue that portions of the 2001 AUMF serve as justification for the U.S. raid last week in Syria against an ISIS leader. But ISIS didn’t even exist when Congress approved that AUMF to invade Afghanistan and take on al Qaeda following 9/11. Many Democrats – and some Republicans – suggest that multiple presidential administrations have abused AUMF’s for decades now. They say the administrations of Presidents George W. Bush, Obama, Trump and even Biden have leaned on these older AUMFs as a crutch when they need to act overseas.
Government doesn’t depend on Netanyahu – Lapid
Asked at Yesh Atid’s faction meeting if he still thinks his rotation as prime minister would happen if Netanyahu signs a plea deal, Lapid said: „This government will last because it does not depend on Netanyahu. It depends on working together & national unity.“
Exclusive: @EU_Commission President @vonderleyen reacts to the AUKUS fallout. “One of our member states has been treated in a way that is not acceptable,” she tells me. “We want to know what happened and why.”
Full interview airs at 7pCET @CNNi
and tonight @PBS
(listings vary).
Im still wondering why I keep seeing outraged members of Congress and the Senate yelling about this, yet they are on vacation
House Intel Committee to receive briefing on Afghanistan
The briefing, which is believed to be the first in-person meeting with lawmakers, comes as four separate congressional committees have pledged to conduct oversight efforts into the administration’s moves in withdrawing from Afghanistan.
German intelligence (BND) advised government last Friday that it was „unlikely“ the Taliban would take Kabul before September and that they had no interest in doing so, according to minutes of emergency meeting seen by Bild.
(18.08.2021)
U.S. Military Assists Israeli-managed Tanker Attacked Off Oman, Says Likely Hit by Drone
U.S. and European sources familiar with intelligence reporting said on Friday Iran was their leading suspect for the incident, which a U.S. defense official said appeared to have been carried out by a drone, but stressed their governments were seeking conclusive evidence.
U.S. and E.U. security officials wary of NSO links to Israeli intelligence
In interviews, several current and former officials said they presumed that the company, which was founded by former Israeli intelligence officers, provides at least some information to the government in Jerusalem about who is using its spying products and what information they’re collecting.
“It’s crazy to think that NSO wouldn’t share sensitive national security information with the government of Israel,” said one former senior U.S. national security official who has worked closely with the Israeli security services and, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to candidly describe intelligence operations
5 things to know about EU’s Fit for 55 climate package
(21.07.2021)
It’s the first time that a major economy is radically overhauling its climate rules, and is being watched around the world.
The Fit for 55 package will be announced on July 14.
Legislative train: Fit for 55 package under the European Green Deal
The following initiatives were announced for second quarter (Q2) of 2021. The Commission has announced a postponement of the initial batch to 14 July 2021:
– Revision of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), including maritime, aviation and CORSIA as well as a proposal for ETS as own resource
– Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and a proposal for CBAM as own resource
– Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR)
– Revision of the Energy Tax Directive
– Amendment to the Renewable Energy Directive to implement the ambition of the new 2030 climate target (RED)
– Amendment of the Energy Efficiency Directive to implement the ambition of the new 2030 climate target (EED)
– Reducing methane emissions in the energy sector
– Revision of the Regulation on the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions and removals from land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF)
– Revision of the Directive on deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure
– Revision of the Regulation setting CO₂ emission performance standards for new passenger cars and for new light commercial vehicles
The following initiatives are announced for fourth quarter (Q4) of 2021:
– Revision of the energy performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD)
– Revision of the Third Energy Package for gas (Directive 2009/73/EU and Regulation 715/2009/EU) to regulate competitive decarbonised gas markets
“Change” Gov’t Approves 31 New Projects in Occupied West Bank
On Friday, June 25, the United Nations accused Israel of blatantly violating international law and called on it to halt the illegal expansions in settlements. According to Al-Ittihad, Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General and Tor Wennesland, UN Mideast envoy, cited Security Council resolution 2334 from December 2016 that declared the occupation’s settlements as having “no legal validity.”
“I again underscore, in no uncertain terms, that Israeli settlements constitute a flagrant violation of United Nations resolutions and international law,” Wennesland said. “They are a major obstacle to the achievement of a two-state solution and a just, long lasting and comprehensive peace. The advancement of all settlement activity must cease immediately.
Coronavirus latest news: Stop daily case updates as virus no longer ‚important cause of mortality‘, says JCVI scientist
He joins a growing number of MPs and leading scientists, including Prof Tim Spector, of King’s College London, warning the daily slew of Covid statistics are terrifying people and they lack any context, such as figures on flu, heart disease and cancer.
Conservative MPs are pressing Downing Street to follow officials in Quebec, Canada, and Singapore by moving to weekly updates or similar, ahead of the July 19 unlocking.
Another reason to speed up, Boris: More proof vaccines are working as Britain’s cases spike 62% in a week to 26,068 but deaths drop to 14 as Tory MPs, businesses and teachers call on PM to ‚go quicker‘ and axe crippling self-isolation rules
Britain’s daily Covid deaths fell again today despite cases jumping by nearly 62 per cent in a week, as Tory MPs, businesses and teachers called on the Prime Minister to ‚go quicker‘ and axe crippling self-isolation rules.
Department of Health bosses posted just 14 deaths, falling 26.3 per cent on last Wednesday’s figure of 19, in a clear sign of the vaccine effect in the face of climbing cases.
Vaccine passports: It’s all over! Cabinet agrees it’s time to ‚live with Covid’… and you WON’T have to show proof of vaccination to attend mass gatherings
– Ministers are set to shelve plans for the mandatory use of ‚Covid certification‘
– Plans for pubs and restaurants had already been put on the backburner
– The Mail can now reveal that ministers have also dropped the idea of imposing them on mass events
It is ‚time to learn to live with Covid‘: Downing Street warns UK will have to accept flu-like death figures of up to 20,000 a year in marked shift on messaging as country approaches July 19 with ’no going back‘ after Freedom Day
An Office for National Statistics (ONS) report published today found that 74 people died directly from Covid in the week ending June 18, which was up 12 per cent on the week before. Wales recorded no deaths from the virus in the most recent week, for the first time since the pandemic began.
A separate study from scientists at Cambridge University found that fewer than one in a thousand people who catch Covid in England now die from the disease. They estimate the overall infection fatality rate (IFR) of coronavirus has been driven down to 0.085 per cent thanks to the country’s hugely successful vaccine rollout.
Joint Communiqué by Ministers of Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS
Daesh/ISIS no longer controls territory and nearly eight million people have been freed from its control in Iraq and Syria, but the threat remains. The resumption in Daesh/ISIS activities and its ability to rebuild its networks and capabilities to target security forces and civilians in areas in Iraq and Syria where the Coalition is not active, requires strong vigilance and coordinated action. This includes allocating adequate resources to sustain Coalition and legitimate partner forces’ efforts against Daesh/ISIS, and significant stabilization support, both to address the drivers that make communities vulnerable to recruitment by Daesh/ISIS and related violent ideological groups, as well as to provide support to liberated areas to safeguard our collective security interests. In this regard, the Ministers noted the 2021 Pledge Drive for Stabilization as an important means to help sustain the recovery of areas liberated from Daesh/ISIS and prevent its resurgence. The Ministers reaffirm that Daesh/ISIS will continue to be pressured by curbing its ability to raise revenue, enhancing information sharing on terrorists through bilateral and/or multilateral channels like INTERPOL, and fighting against Daesh/ISIS’ toxic propaganda and denying the group space to exploit social media online.
Jerusalem March ‚Provocations‘ Risk Reigniting Israel-Hamas Violence, UN Warns
The march was originally scheduled for Israel’s Jerusalem Day last month. It was, however, diverted due to security concerns as clashes between police and Palestinians in the city intensified. Shortly after it began, it was dispersed due to Hamas rocket fire from Gaza toward Jerusalem, which lead to an 11-day round of fighting between Israel and Hamas.
Secretary-General’s remarks to the Security Council – on the situation in the Middle East [as delivered]
I thank the Chinese presidency for organizing this open meeting.
We meet today amid the most serious escalation in Gaza and Israel in years.
The current hostilities are utterly appalling. This latest round of violence only perpetuates the cycles of death, destruction and despair, and pushes farther to the horizon any hopes of coexistence and peace.
Fighting must stop. It must stop immediately. Rockets and mortars on one side and aerial and artillery bombardments on the other must stop. I appeal to all parties to heed this call.
Blanket statements like these w/ little context or acknowledgement of what precipitated this cycle of violence – namely, the expulsions of Palestinians and attacks on Al Aqsa – dehumanize Palestinians & imply the US will look the other way at human rights violations. It’s wrong.
(12.05.2021)
By only stepping in to name Hamas’ actions – which are condemnable – & refusing to acknowledge the rights of Palestinians, Biden reinforces the false idea that Palestinians instigated this cycle of violence.
This is not neutral language. It takes a side – the side of occupation.
Biden says Israel has a ‘right to defend itself’ as he sends envoy to deescalate conflict
(12.05.2021)
During a White House press conference Wednesday afternoon, Biden said he had just spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and had an “expectation and hope” that the conflict would end soon.
US halts statement by UN Security Council on escalation in Israel-Palestinian tensions
(11.05.2021)
The United Nations Security Council held an urgent meeting Monday on the unrest in Jerusalem but issued no immediate statement, with diplomats saying the United States assessed that public comments could be counterproductive.
I am extremely concerned by the growing conflict in Israel and Palestine. Once again we are seeing how the irresponsible actions of government-allied right-wing extremists in Jerusalem can escalate quickly into devastating war.
Israeli children should not have to spend the night scared in bomb shelters, as many are doing tonight. Palestinian children should not have to grow up under the constant violence and oppression of occupation, as so many do, and have done.
The United States must call for an immediate cease-fire and an end to provocative and illegal settlement activity. And we must also recommit to working with Israelis and Palestinians to finally end this conflict.
Oh, and not that I expect this to reassure anyone, but the IDF has already given the escalation a name: Operation Guardians of the Walls מבצע שומרי החומות
Foreign Troops To Stay In Afghanistan Beyond May Deadline
(02.03.2021)
Like NATO, Afghan officials stated that it is critical for U.S. troops to remain so that Taliban and Afghan leaders can reach peace agreements. According to the Washington Post, Afghan officials announced that the maintenance of a small U.S. counter-terrorism force in Afghanistan would provide the country’s government with more leverage during peace talks than the country would have without military aid. These negotiations could bring a decades-long, violent war to a peaceful end.
U.S. Pushes U.N.-Led Peace Conference in Letter to Afghan Leader
Negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban began in September as part of a February 2020 agreement between the militants and the United States. But the talks have faltered over issues like a prisoner exchange and reductions in violence.
Mr. Blinken wrote that the United States had not decided whether to withdraw the remaining 2,500 American troops from Afghanistan by May 1, as outlined in its agreement with the Taliban.
In Iraq, Joe Biden Haunted by Obama’s Foreign Policy Missteps
(26.02.2021)
The U.S. attempt to institute democracy in Iraq began with a thunderous roar nearly 18 years ago as Baghdad, already under siege by Washington’s sanctions, was bombarded by U.S. missiles in 2003. In less than a month’s time, former President George W. Bush would deliver a victory speech in front of a banner that read „Mission Accomplished.“
What exactly that mission was remains unclear to this day.
The White House Shouldn’t Get a Blank Check to Wage War
(12.02.2021)
For close to two decades, U.S. presidents have sent American troops into combat without requesting authorization from Congress. As it conducts a review of U.S. military operations around the world, the Biden administration should push to restore the legislative branch’s proper role in deciding when and where the country goes to war.
There was congressional notification prior to the US airstrike on #Syria, @PentagonPresSec tells reporters.
(26.02.2021)
„The Department of Defense briefed Congressional leadership before the action last night,“ confirms @PressSec
. „The administration has been briefing the Hill at the Member- and staff-level today. There will be a full classified briefing early next week at the latest.“
Biden administration to give Congress full classified briefing on Syria strikes by next week
(26.02.2021)
“The Department of Defense briefed Congressional leadership before the action last night. The Administration has been briefing the Hill at the Member- and staff-level today. There will be a full classified briefing early next week at the latest,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement.
Some Members of Congress Criticize Biden’s Syria Bombing
In the wake of President Biden’s bombing of eastern Syria, some members of Congress are speaking out and questioning the legality of the move,including Bidens Fellow Democrats
Democrats question Biden’s legal justification for Syria strike
But some Democrats said that Congress has not passed an authorization for the use of military force specifically in Syria, and previous resolutions passed in 2001 and 2002 were designed for attacking those responsible for the September 11, 2001 attacks and to go into war with Iraq. Congress has not declared war since 1942.
„This makes President Biden the seventh consecutive US president to order strikes in the Middle East,“ said California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has asked Gov. Gen. Julie Payette to prorogue Parliament until Sept. 23, ..
.. putting a more than month-long pause on parliamentary business as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on.
Canada’s embarrassing governor general should resign — and no one should replace her
A Canada with more self-confidence would have the courage to revisit its governor general entirely on its own terms. If the country is truly the beacon of principled democratic liberalism it so often claims, eliminating a failed, undemocratic office should hardly be painful.
Can you fire a Governor General?
(11.08.2020)
The Governor General is appointed by the Queen on the advice of the prime minister. An exit from this post can only occur through death or incapacitation, resignation, or if the Queen, acting on the advice of the prime minister, removes the Governor General from the role.
11 European Foreign Ministers Urge EU to List Options to ‚Deter‘ Israeli Annexation
In a letter sent to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Friday, they wrote that doing so is essential, because “the window to deter annexation is fast closing.”
The letter, a copy of which was obtained by Haaretz, was signed by the foreign ministers of France, Italy, Holland, Ireland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Portugal and Malta.
Joint Declaration of the Foreign Ministers of Egypt, France, Germany and Jordan on the current state of the Middle East Peace Process
We exchanged views on the current state of the Middle East Peace Process and its regional implications. We concur that any annexation of Palestinian territories occupied in 1967 would be a violation of international law and imperil the foundations of the peace process. We would not recognize any changes to the 1967 borders that are not agreed by both parties in the conflict.
Jordan, Egypt, Germany, France warn Israel against West Bank areas annexation
Jordan, Egypt, Germany and France came out with a joint statement Tuesday warning Israel against applying its laws to a number of West Bank areas.
The statement was released by the German Foreign Ministry after a video conference held by the top diplomats from the four countries.
Many Will Take Credit, but This Is the Real Reason Netanyahu Delayed His Annexation Plan
Joe Biden is the main reason Netanyahu is not annexing.
There are few politicians who have a keener understanding of polls than Netanyahu. He has several pollsters on his official and unofficial payroll, and keeps in touch with others. His polling brain-trust is heavily American and though they have misled at least once in the past, when he thought that Mitt Romney had a chance of denying Barack Obama a second term in 2012. He is fully aware now that Trump’s chances of winning in November are vanishing.
Netanyahu signals delay in West Bank annexation plan
Netanyahu made the comments shortly after wrapping up talks with White House envoy Avi Berkowitz and the U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman. The sides have been holding talks for several months on finalizing a map spelling out which areas of the West Bank will be annexed by Israel.
„I spoke about the question of sovereignty, which we are working on these days and we will continue to work on in the coming days,“ Netanyahu said.
Benjamin Netanyahu has asked American evangelical supporters to lobby in favor of annexing parts of the West Bank in an attempt to press President Trump to give Israel the green light for annexing parts of the West Bank
(29.06.2020)
Why it matters: Israeli officials say Netanyahu thinks President Trump is politically vulnerable four months before the U.S. election and that he could lose to presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. He thinks Trump needs the evangelical base to go to vote in order to have a chance at winning.
IDF generals urge Trump to stand behind Netanyahu’s sovereignty plan
(23.06.2020)
The idea of Israeli sovereignty over 30% of the West Bank, including all of the settlements, is already incorporated into Trump’s peace plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
However, Israel can do so only with approval from the US.
Palestinians offer negotiations days before planned annexation – report
The Palestinian Authority dispatched a letter on Monday addressed to the Quartet on the Middle East stating that it’s prepared to renew negotiations with Israel and agree to „minor territorial exchanges,“ according to reports by Ynet News on Monday night.
The Quartet on the Middle East, a foursome consisting of the United Nations, the US, Russia and the European Union involved in mediating the Israeli–Palestinian peace process.
After Gantz Pours Cold Water on Annexation, Netanyahu Says Issue Not Up to Him
„We are in contact with the American team here in Israel,“ Netanyahu said at a Likud meeting. „We are doing so discretely. The issue is not up to [Gantz’s party] Kahol Lavan. They are not a factor either way.“
Earlier on Monday, Gantz met with Trump’s special envoy Avi Berkowitz and U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman to discuss the Trump administration’s peace plan.
U.N. Rights Expert Urges EU to Punish Any Israeli Annexation in West Bank
A U.N. rights investigator urged the European Union on Friday to consider measures to prevent or punish any Israeli annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank, a few days after over 1,000 European lawmakers made a similar call.
U.S. Weighs Israel Annexation Plan as Criticism Grows in Congress, U.N.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised to begin process as soon as July 1, though some of his U.S. backers have urged caution
Israel is about to reveal its West Bank annexation plans. How will Congress respond?
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, AIPAC, reportedly told U.S. lawmakers last week they’re “free to criticize Israel’s looming annexation plans — just as long as the criticism stops there.”
Thousands of Palestinians Protest Against Israeli Annexation in Jordan Valley
Thousands of Palestinians rallied Monday against Israel’s planned annexation of areas of the West Bank in a mass protest organized by the Fatah political party.
In the protest were Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, Nickolay Mladenov, the United Nations’s Middle East envoy, Arab and other foreign diplomats, including the ambassadors of the European Union, China, Russia and Jordan.