Attack on Huawei tells world to avoid doing business with US - Prof. Wolff

RT2019/5/22
‘Stupid economics’: Attack on Huawei tells world to avoid doing business with US - Prof. Wolff
The US has underestimated the consequences of the attack on Chinese telecom giant Huawei as it sends a strong signal for the rest of the world to avoid dealing with such an unstable partner, professor Richard Wolff believes.

The trade war with China has already evolved into a technological one as Washington barred American companies from supplying Huawei with components or technology. The move will eventually deprive the Chinese corporation of access to Google’s apps and services as well as Intel and Qualcomm chips when the measure fully comes into force.

“This is going to hurt the American economy for years to come in countless ways, it will leave an economic scar on the American economy and there is… a stunning example of stupid economics,” professor emeritus of economics at the University of Massachusetts, Richard Wolff, stressed in an interview to RT.

He explained that the way the Trump administration is “hurting” Huawei may apply to many others. Now, CEOs realize that interactions with US firms may become unsafe and put companies in a vulnerable position. Thus doing business with the US can result in damages for companies, who can “be destroyed by a political operation” as the Huawei case shows.

“Here is the terrible, terrible miscalculation of the United States, which is very similar to the miscalculation of this tariff war. You’re teaching the rest of the world not to trust doing business with the United States,” Wolff said.

“Every CEO of every company has this morning sent a memo to the vice president, saying ‘reduce our interactions with United States companies, it is not safe for us.’ We become vulnerable.”

Trump’s decision also hurts US companies as they are forbidden from operating “in the normal way – to find the best quality at the lowest price.” The analyst stressed that no other political leader in Europe or Latin America has done such a “public attack” on their own businesses.

Huawei's 5G 'will absolutely not be affected' by US blacklist, founder says

RT2019/5/21
Huawei's 5G 'will absolutely not be affected' by US blacklist, founder says
Huawei isn't going away just because the US government has tried to ban it from its markets, company founder Ren Zhengfei has said, declaring that the Trump administration "underestimates our strength."

"Huawei's 5G will absolutely not be affected" by the Commerce Department's ban on selling or transferring US technology to the company, Ren told Chinese state media. "In terms of 5G technologies, others won't be able to catch up with Huawei in two or three years."

The 90-day grace period before Huawei is officially blacklisted from doing business with US companies does not have much impact on the company, Ren claimed, adding: "We are ready."

A Huawei spokesperson assured reporters that nothing would change for US residents with Huawei devices, or even those planning to buy a device in the future – possibly because the Chinese firm is already in talks with Google on how to manage the ban.

Huawei has bracing for such a ban after the company watched fellow Chinese telecom ZTE struggle with a similar blacklisting maneuver last year. Unable to do business with US firms and unable to fill the equipment void itself, ZTE closed its doors for four months, throwing itself on the mercy of the US government and reopening its business more than $1 billion poorer. Not so for Huawei: not only has it been developing its own mobile operating system since 2012 to break dependence on Google's Android, but it already makes half the chips used in its devices.

"We cannot be isolated from the world," Ren boasted, adding that while Huawei was at odds with the US government, it was not the enemy of US companies.

While Trump's emergency order last week did not mention China or Huawei by name, it clearly targets both, giving the Secretary of Commerce the right to block any activity posing an "unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons." The Commerce Department then moved to blacklist Huawei and 68 related companies from doing business with US firms.

The US has tried to convince its allies that Huawei is an unconscionable security risk, feeding information directly to the Chinese government through backdoors in its equipment. For its part, Huawei has accused the US of discrimination, claiming American telecoms cannot handle competition and pointing out the US' own record of backdooring allies' communications. Washington’s efforts to convince the EU and its member nations to bar Huawei from their 5G networks have failed so far – although Australia has agreed to adopt such a ban.

The battle over Huawei reflects the ongoing trade war between the US and China. Both countries have slapped additional tariffs onto the other's exports after trade talks fell apart earlier this month, and Trump has threatened to dramatically expand the categories of goods taxed this summer.

5,000 terrorists amassed in Afghanistan close to CIS border - Russian FSB chief

RT2019/5/21
5,000 terrorists amassed in Afghanistan close to CIS border - Russian FSB chief
An Islamic State offshoot has amassed around 5,000 militants in northern Afghanistan on the border of post-Soviet republics of Central Asia, the director of Russia’s FSB has warned, adding that many of them have fought in Syria.

“Especially worrying is re-deployment of terrorist groups into northern provinces of Afghanistan,” Alexander Bortnikov told chiefs of ex-Soviet intelligence services in Dushanbe. He warned that ‘Wilayat Khorasan’, a local Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) affiliate, had managed to gather 5,000 fighters in the area.

Terrorist cells are now infiltrating into former Soviet countries where they are forming ties with organized crime. To keep a low profile, they try to pose as refugees and migrants, according to Bortnikov.

立命館大元准教授のモハマド・サイフラ・オザキ イラクで投降拘束

時事通信2019年5月21日(火)19時43分
邦人死亡テロ、中心人物拘束＝立命館大元准教授の男−バングラ
　【ニューデリー時事】バングラデシュのメディアは２０日、首都ダッカで日本人７人を含む人質２０人が殺害された２０１６年のテロの中心人物とされる日本国籍の立命館大元准教授、モハマド・サイフラ・オザキ容疑者が、イラクで拘束されていると報じた。ダッカでのテロには、過激派組織「イスラム国」（ＩＳ）の関与が疑われている。
　オザキ容疑者は今年３月にシリア東部でクルド人部隊に投降し、イラク北部スレイマニヤに身柄を移された。また、一緒に行動していた日本人の妻と子供２人は空爆で死亡したという。
　同容疑者は１６年のテロの際、バングラデシュ国内の過激派とＩＳとの連絡役を務めたほか、資金調達や、バングラデシュの若者をＩＳに送り込む際の勧誘役も担った疑いがある。警察が指名手配し、行方を追っていた。
　バングラデシュ出身のオザキ容疑者は０２年に日本に留学。立命館大で経営学を教えていた１６年１月に無断欠勤が発覚し、解雇された。この前後にシリアに渡航したとみられている。

ホルムズ海峡

ホルムズ島のsilver beach

遠くにタンカーが見えます。でも、この海岸は東西に伸びていて西側には島があります。それが見えていない。


Google Mapから。この海岸は赤土が海に崩れて海が赤く染まるところが珍しいようです。


バイクに引かれた荷台がこの場所の交通機関。これで海岸の近くまで下りていきます。


場所によってはなかなか急坂ですが、このような小型の乗り物なら通れる？


海岸の遠景がおかしいですよね。




※　れい @esperanzasolo
れいさんがرڼـُا اڷَمٍُـُوالية......#موقوفو_الاماراتをリツイートしました
イランのホルムズ島（ホルムズ海峡のイラン側の島）で、海の水が血のように赤くなったそうです。原因不明との事。
https://twitter.com/R____Anaa/status/1129048542000111617

動画を見るとずいぶん海水が赤くなっています。この色なら確かに珍しい。この動画でも島が見えませんね。どうなっているんだろう。

この場面で向こうに見えるが島影？　


初出　2019-02-27 13:38:13　追記　5/20

Homs: Over 12,000 Civilians Flee US-Controlled Refugee Camp

FARSNEWS2019/5/17
Homs: Over 12,000 Civilians Flee US-Controlled Refugee Camp
TEHRAN (FNA)- Thousands of residents of US-controlled Al-Rukban Refugee Camp in Homs province have fled to safe areas under the Syrian Army's control, the Arabic-language media sources said.

The Arabic-language al-Watan newspaper reported that hundreds of new Syrian families have managed to escape al-Rukban in al-Tanf Region in Eastern Homs near the border with Iraq via Jaliqam crossing.

The newspaper also quoted special sources as saying that 25 percent of al-Rukban residents, amounting to 12,500 residents, most of them women and children, have managed to flee the camp.

The sources, meantime, pointed to a call by a large number of civilians to exit the camp, and said that more civilians plan escape from al-Rukban in the coming days.

In a relevant development late last Month, al-Watan reported that "there are around 40,000 to 60,000 people residing in al-Rukban Camp and about 2,500 of them have managed to leave the camp".

The sources said the exit of the civilians came after terrorists sought to block their departure from the camp.

The families who have escaped al-Rukban have confirmed lack of food and hygiene in the camp, adding that the US-backed terrorists keep people hungry and prevent their evacuation, al-Watan said.

Based on media reports, the US troops that occupy a 55-km zone in Southern Syria block Russian and Syrian diplomatic and military officials from entering al-Rukban Camp to provide people with humanitarian aid.

The US command in Al-Tanf had previously delayed the delivery of aid to al-Rukban from Damascus, after refusing to guarantee its safety. It has also prevented buses sent by Damascus and guarded by the Russian military police from taking Syrians from the camp to other parts of Syria.

Since opening in 2014, Rukban is home to more than 40,000 Syrians, the majority of which have expressed a desire to return home. A survey released by the UN in February found that nine out of 10 living at the camp wanted to return. However, many expressed worry over gaining access to their property, possible retribution, as well as general safety and security concerns.

軍事知識ゼロの狂人

毎日新聞2019年5月13日 19時07分(最終更新 5月14日 16時35分)
北方領土「戦争しないと…」維新・丸山議員　国後元島民へ発言
　北方四島ビザなし交流の訪問団の一員として国後島を訪問した日本維新の会の丸山穂高衆院議員（35）＝大阪19区＝が11日夜、滞在先の国後島古釜布（ふるかまっぷ）で元島民の男性に対し、北方領土問題について「戦争をしないとどうしようもなくないか」「（戦争をしないと）取り返せない」などと発言し、トラブルになった。
同行記者団によると、丸山氏は11日午後8時ごろ、訪問団員との懇談中、元国後島民で訪問団長の大塚小弥太（こやた）さん（89）に「ロシアと戦争で（北方領土を）取り返すのは賛成か反対か」と語りかけた。大塚団長が「戦争なんて言葉を使いたくない」と言ったところ、丸山氏は「でも取り返せない」と反論。続いて「戦争をしないとどうしようもなくないですか」などと発言した。
　丸山氏はロシア人島民宅で飲酒した後で、訪問団員らの制止を聞かずに大声で騒いだり外出しようとしたりしたという。このため複数の団員が「日露友好の場にそぐわない」として丸山氏に抗議。丸山氏は12日、滞在先の古釜布で全団員の前で「ご迷惑をかけたことをおわび申し上げます」と謝罪した。
　一方、13日に北海道・根室港に戻った後の記者会見では「（マスコミに）発言を切り取られており心外。団員の中では領土問題についてタブーが無く話せると聞いており、団長にも考えを聞いた」などと述べた。
　発言を受け、日本維新の会の松井一郎大阪市長は同日、大阪市内で記者団に「（丸山氏を）厳重注意した」と語った。
　丸山氏は当選3回。衆院沖縄北方問題特別委員会の委員を務めている。【同行記者団】

・・・引用終わり・・・

本件は、あまりにもバカげた発言で取り上げませんでした。ロシアがすぐに問題にするとも思えない。いつかこの件で日本側のわきの下に冷汗をかかせることはあるでしょうが。

日本人は、国際情勢、特に世界各地で進行している戦争にあまりに無知です。シリアでイエメンでどんなことが起きているか、全く知らない。知ろうともしない。一般国民の意識レベルは、この議員と同じではないでしょうか。

2019/5/14、西　亨さんから寄せられた投稿を引用する。引用開始。

若い勇者で偉大なる戦士丸山国会議員の戦争で北方領土を奪還するという発言には、驚きましたね。
この丸山さん軍事知識ゼロの狂人ですね。核兵器15000発持つているロシアと戦争ですか、戦争に負けて北海道がロシア領になりますよ。
自衛隊には、戦争するだけの弾薬備蓄もありません。自衛隊は、すべてを米軍に頼っています。
ノモンハン事件の時のソ連軍の補給量と弾薬備蓄は、物凄い量でした。関東軍は、腰を抜かしましたよ。



世界各国のメディアがこの件を取り上げています。自民党が応答要領を配布したとも。

時事2019年05月14日18時34分
丸山氏発言、ロシアメディアが詳報＝「見過ごすな」と批判
　【モスクワ時事】丸山穂高衆院議員が北方領土問題の解決手段として戦争に言及したことについて、ロシア国営メディアは１４日、詳しく報じた。また、保守系メディアは発言に関し、日本専門家の批判的意見を伝えた。
　タス通信は東京発で丸山議員の発言や北方領土問題の経緯を報道。発言を受け、菅義偉官房長官が「誠に遺憾だ」と述べたことや、外交交渉によって問題解決を目指す政府方針を強調したことを伝えた。
　保守系のレグナム通信は１３日、日本で記者として働いたこともある日本専門家のアナトリー・コーシキン氏の寄稿を掲載。コーシキン氏は「日本の居酒屋で時々酔客に『戦争で島を取り戻すぞ』と言われたことはあったが、国会議員からこのような発言は聞いたことがない」と批判し、日ロ両政府は発言を見過ごしてはならないと訴えた。

RT2019/5/17
Japanese opposition calls for resignation of MP who suggested war with Russia over Kurils
Japanese lawmakers are determined to chase a fellow MP out of parliament after he suggested Tokyo could wage war on Russia over the Kuril Islands.

MP Hodaka Maruyama horrified many in Japanese political circles during his visit to “the Northern territories” – as the islands are known in Japan, earlier this month. While talking with a former Japanese resident of one of the islands Maruyama asked if he thought the Kurils “could only be taken back by means of war,” causing a massive diplomatic faux pas.

The lawmaker later apologized, claiming he was drunk. But his party – the Nippon Ishin Japan Innovation Party – the third largest opposition force in parliament, took matters into their own hands. They expelled the politician, while the party leader apologized to Russians for the remarks.

Maruyama was also urged to give up his parliament seat, which he refused to do. Today six opposition parties submitted a resolution to the lower house officially calling for the MP’s resignation.

The territorial dispute over the South Kuril Islands has been one of the major stumbling blocks in Russian-Japanese relations since the end of World War II, with the two countries still lacking a formal peace treaty. The islands were handed over to the USSR under the 1945 Potsdam Declaration, but since then Tokyo has been trying to reclaim them.

シリア軍ハマーとイドリブの境に到達 戦死者も多い

FARSNEWS2019/5/16
Syrian Army Retakes Control of Terrorists' Key Base in Hama despite Ankara's Opposition
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian army regained control of one of the most important strongholds of the terrorists in Northern Hama despite Ankara's military support for the militants.
The Syrian army forces, supported by heavy artillery fire, engaged in fierce clashes with Tahrir al-Sham al-Hay'at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) terrorists in the Northern parts of al-Sharia airport in Western Hama on Thursday, taking back control of the town of al-Hawiz, one of the most important strongholds of militants in the region.

Meantime, the Syrian army's artillery and air force units pounded the terrorists' moves and positions in al-Latamineh, Kafr Zita, al-Hawijeh, Jisr Beit al-Ra'as, Jisr al-Shaqour, al-Amiqeh, Ba'arbou, Shahshabou, Haish and Khan Sheikhoun in Northern Hama and Southern Idlib, killing tens of terrorists.

Also, the Arabic-language al-Watan newspaper quoted a source close to the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) as saying that Ankara has in the past few days sent a large number of weapons and military equipment, including the US-made anti-tank TOW missiles, to the National Liberation Front and Faylaq al-Sham militants in Idlib through its military officers patrolling in the region.

Relevant media reports said on Wednesday that the Syrian army was preparing to regain full control of the strategic city of Khan Sheikhoun in Southern Idlib and reopen Hama-Aleppo Highway.

The Arabic-language version of the Russian Sputnik news agency quoted a war correspondent as saying that the Syrian army had spread forces to the Southern and Southwestern administrative borders of Idlib in a bid to accomplish its military operations in Sahl al-Ghab region in Northwestern Hama.

The correspondent pointed to the Syrian Army efforts to widen the scope of the military operation, and said that the trend of the military operations showed that the Syrian Army would directly move from the liberated regions in Northern Hama towards the strategic city of Khan Sheikhoun in Southern Idlib.

"Once the Syrian Army captures Khan Sheikoun, the terrorists will be militarily defeated in the town of al-Hobait and Kafar Zita in Northern Hama and will be forced to retreat from these regions," he added.

The war correspondent, meantime, said that Syrian Army advances would also help reopen Aleppo-Hama Highway.


FARSNEWS2019/5/16
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian army continued military operations in Northwestern Hama, regaining control of new areas and advancing to the gates of the strategic Jabal al-Zawiyeh region.

The Syrian army units continued battle against the terrorists in Northwestern Hama on Thursday after retaking control of the town of al-Hawiz and capturing the villages of Hawiz Foqani, Hawiz Tahtani and Hawiz Horiya.

Meantime, a field source said that the Syrian army has advanced to the entrance of the strategic region of Jabal al-Zawiyeh in Western Hama.

He added that the town of al-Hawiz is a point which links Qalat al-Maziq to Sahl al-Qab, noting that now security will prevail in a large number of adjacent towns and villages, including al-Rasif which had been targeted by the toxic gasses used by the terrorists against the population.

The source said that the Syrian army is attempting to advance in Northeastern Lattakia towards al-Sarmaniyeh and Jisr al-Shaqour to fully surround Jabal al-Zawiyeh.

In a relevant development earlier today, the Syrian army regained control of the town of al-Hawiz in Northern Hama despite Ankara's military support for the militants.

The Syrian army forces, supported by heavy artillery fire, engaged in fierce clashes with Tahrir al-Sham al-Hay'at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) terrorists in the Northern parts of al-Sharia airport in Western Hama on Thursday, taking back control of the town of al-Hawiz, one of the most important strongholds of militants in the region.

Meantime, the Syrian army's artillery and air force units pounded the terrorists' moves and positions in al-Latamineh, Kafr Zita, al-Hawijeh, Jisr Beit al-Ra'as, Jisr al-Shaqour, al-Amiqeh, Ba'arbou, Shahshabou, Haish and Khan Sheikhoun in Northern Hama and Southern Idlib, killing tens of terrorists.

Also, the Arabic-language al-Watan newspaper quoted a source close to the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) as saying that Ankara has in the past few days sent a large number of weapons and military equipment, including the US-made anti-tank TOW missiles, to the National Liberation Front and Faylaq al-Sham militants in Idlib through its military officers patrolling in the region.

FARSNEWS2019/5/15
Syrian Army Aims to Take Control of Terrorists' Strategic Base in Idlib
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Syrian Army is preparing to regain full control of the strategic city of Khan Sheikhoun in Southern Idlib and reopen Hama-Aleppo Highway, media reports said.

The Arabic-language version of the Russian Sputnik news agency quoted a war correspondent as saying that the Syrian Army has spread forces to the Southern and Southwestern administrative borders of Idlib in a bid to accomplish its military operations in Sahl al-Ghab region in Northwestern Hama.

The correspondent pointed to the Syrian Army efforts to widen the scope of the military operation, and said that the trend of the military operations shows that the Syrian Army will directly move from the liberated regions in Northern Hama towards the strategic city of Khan Sheikhoun in Southern Idlib.

"Once the Syrian Army captures Khan Sheikoun, the terrorists will be militarily defeated in the town of al-Hobait and Kafar Zita in Northern Hama and will be forced to retreat from these regions," he added.

The war correspondent, meantime, said that Syrian Army advances will also help reopen Aleppo-Hama Highway.

In a relevant development on Sunday, the Syrian Army spread to the borders of Idlib province after advancing in Northwestern Hama and regaining control over several towns and villages.

The Syrian Army troops backed by artillery units and air force engaged in clashes with the terrorists North of Qala al-Maziq in Northwestern Hama, taking control of the towns of Bab al-Taqa, al-Sharia, al-Arimeh and al-Jamazieh.

The Syrian Army troops also managed to take control of the towns of Meidan Ghazal and al-Mostariheh in Jabal Shahshabou axis.

A military source pointed to deployment of the Syrian Army's units in al-Sharia town, and said that the Syrian Army troops arrived in Southern borders of Idlib province after making recent advances.

Meantime, the Syrian Army's artillery and missile units also pounded the military positions and movements of Tahrir al-Sham al-Hay'at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) in the towns of Heish, Kafar Sajneh and Hass in Northern Hama and Southern Idlib as well as destroying several key centers and military positions of terrorists from where they launched attacks on the safe zone and killed a number of terrorists.


Russian aircraft bombard the perimeter of the village of Sheikh Mustafa in Southern Idlib










AMN2019/5/12
BEIRUT, LEBANON (12:00 P.M.) – The Turkish military has sent a large convoy of reinforcements to the Syrian province of Idlib, today, after a string of jihadist losses at the hands of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA).

According to pro-opposition activists, the Turkish military sent reinforcements from the Hatay Province to the southern countryside of Idlib, where they already have several observation posts.

These Turkish Army reinforcements are meant to bolster their military presence in Idlib and prevent the government forces from expanding further north of Hama’s provincial border.

The Syrian Arab Army has already captured over 15 areas in the northwestern countryside of Hama; this includes the former militant strongholds of Kafr Naboudeh and Qal’at Al-Madiq.

While the Turkish reinforcements are precautionary, a source from the Syrian Arab Army told Al-Masdar last week that the military currently has no plans to push to Idlib city, despite the rumors.

Currently, the Turkish military possesses 12 observation posts throughout northwestern Syria, with their largest concentration in the southern region of Idlib.

FARSNEWS2019/5/11
Terrorists Fear Turkey Ceases Support amid Syrian Army's Full Control over Key Bases in Northern Syria
TEHRAN (FNA)- The terrorist groups in Northern Syria have been disintegrated and express concern that Turkey will no longer support them as the Syrian Army has made rapid advances towards their strategic military bases in Northern Hama and Lattakia in the last few days.

The Syrian Army units managed to take full control of the towns of al-Karkat, al-Tavineh, Tal al-Sakhr and al-Moshrefeh Tal al-Sakhr in the surrounding areas of Qala al-Maziq.

Meantime, the Syria Army also managed to take control of al-Jorf al-Sokhra which is one of the highest hilltops in Jabal al-Akrad till 1,154 height in Northeastern Lattakia.

The terrorists are facing a wave of disintegration concurrent with the Syrian Army's control over terrorists' key military bases in Qala al-Maziq and Kafar Naboudeh in Northern Hama and rapid advances by the government forces in the region, battlefield sources said.

The sources pointed to the strong fear of terrorists over lack of support by Ankara as they are also accusing each other of betrayal.

Meantime, the Syrian Army troops engaged in heavy clashes with Tahrir al-Sham al-Hay'at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) terrorists and other terrorist groups who had launched massive attack on the Syrian Army's military positions in the town of Kafar Naboudeh from al-Hobait and Harsh Abedin and managed to repel their attack after killing tens of them.

In a relevant development on Thursday, the Syrian army and allied forces seized back control of the strategic town of Qal'at al-Maziq in Hama from Tahrir al-Sham al-Hay'at terrorists.

The Arabic-language service of the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that the Syrian army troops and their allies continued operations in Northern Hama on Thursday and could liberate Qal'at al-Maziq in Sahl al-Ghab region.

It added that Tahrir al-Sham militants started leaving Qal'at al-Maziq on Wednesday night after their defense lines in the town collapsed in the Syrian army operations.

In a relevant development on Wednesday, a large number of Chinese terrorists of the Turkistani Party were killed in the Syrian Army's ambush operations in Northwestern Hama, the Arabic-language media outlets said.

"Turkistani Party's Chinese terrorists launched an attack on the Syrian Army's military positions in Taleh Bakir in Sahl al-Ghab region in Northwestern Hama, the Arabic-language version of the Russian Sputnik news agency quoted a military source as saying.

The source noted that the Syrian Army troops ambushed the terrorists in Taleh Bakir and brought their movements under heavy artillery and missile attacks, killing a number of them and foiling their offensives.

A military source said the Syrian Army has established its military positions in Tal Osman region and its surrounding areas in Northern Hama, and added that the Syrian Army troops have advanced towards terrorists' strategic base in the town of Kafar Naboudeh in Northern Hama.

イランIRGCの指揮官交代

FARSNEWS2019/5/16
Supreme Leader Appoints New IRGC Commanders

China’s nuclear option of dumping US bonds would cause absolute chaos in global markets – expert

RT2019/5/15
China’s nuclear option of dumping US bonds would cause absolute chaos in global markets – expert
The ongoing tit-for-tat tariff exchange between China and the US could push Beijing to strike back with the so-called ‘nuclear option’ – dumping its vast holdings of US Treasury bonds.

While the move would be partly self-defeating for China, it would also have devastating consequences for global financial markets, Sourabh Gupta, a senior fellow at the Institute for China-America Studies in Washington told RT.

“In that case, there would be absolute chaos in global currency markets, and thereafter in global equity markets,” he said, adding that with regards to interest rates “after significant initial volatility, the effects would be somewhat muted.” The concern though is with financial market sentiment, not specifically interest rates, Gupta said.

China currently owns $1.13 trillion in US Treasuries. That’s a fraction of the total $22 trillion in US debt outstanding but 17.7 percent of the various securities held by foreign governments, according to data from the Treasury and the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association. Beijing has been pulling back from its role in the US bond market, having cut holdings nearly four percent over the past 12 months, but it still takes the top spot among America’s foreign creditors.

Gupta said that even if the trade conflict worsens abysmally, he doesn’t think Beijing will completely stop buying US debt. “There are better avenues for retaliation, such as government-juiced consumer boycotts of US goods. Until China fully internationalizes and hardens its currency, it simply cannot walk away from US debt markets… and doing so would be self-damaging,” he said.

Meanwhile, William L. Anderson, a professor from the College of Business at Frostburg State University believes that “if the anti-Chinese rhetoric from the White House continues, then the Chinese would purchase less US debt, at least in the short run.”

He told RT that American consumers would certainly feel the pinch, noting: “We also have seen a serious crash in the US stock market in large part because of this unnecessary and destructive trade war that has its roots in the Donald Trump administration.”

According to Gupta, foreign purchasers of US debt, including China notably, are important players in the market at a time when “US debt as a percentage of GDP is gradually creeping towards triple digits.”

If China partially exits the US bond market, Washington will have to find new buyers for its debt. That will require higher interest rates, which in turn will have negative implications for the US economy, said Gupta, adding however that “one must also maintain perspective.”

He explained that US Treasury markets are deep and liquid, and China’s exit, at a time when interest rates are already near decades-long lows, will only cause a modest spike in rates. “As the primary reserve currency issuer in the international monetary system, the US government will be able to finance its medium-term borrowing needs without significantly hurting the domestic economy. But it would certainly not be painless.”

ボルトン更迭か

FARSNEWS2019/5/15
Report: Trump Considering Replacing Bolton
TEHRAN (FNA)- US President Donald Trump is considering replacing his hawkish National Security Adviser John Bolton over his plans to push the United States towards a military conflict with Iran, Venezuela and North Korea, according to a report.

Bolton “is headed for the exits, having flown too close to the sun on his regime change efforts for Iran, Venezuela and North Korea”, The National Interest reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

“Hearing that Trump wants him out,” a former senior Trump administration official told the magazine.

There is speculation in Washington “that there’s now daylight between Trump and Bolton”, the report added.

The fighting has also expanded to include US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, according to officials. A State Department official and a former White House official both report that Bolton and Pompeo are “fighting all the time”.

A former senior official in the State Department noted that Pompeo is enthusiastic about isolating Iran, but fearful of an actual war that might engulf much of the Middle East.

“John Bolton is the problem … Trump’s national security adviser is getting dangerous...particularly to the president’s ideals,” Douglas Macgregor, a Bolton rival and would-be successor, writes in Spectator USA.

The United States has been ratcheting up economic and military pressure on Iran, with Trump recently urging Tehran to talk to him.

"What I’d like to see with Iran, I’d like to see them call me," Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday.

But then he stated that he would not rule out the possibility of military action in Iran amid escalating tensions before slamming former secretary of state John Kerry for his involvement in the issue.

His remarks came after Bolton said on Sunday that the United States was sending an aircraft carrier strike group and a bomber task force to the Middle East in a "clear and unmistakable" message to Iran.

The Pentagon announced on Friday that the US was deploying an amphibious assault ship and a Patriot missile battery to bolster an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers already sent to the Persian Gulf.

Germany suspends training Iraqi troops amid US-Iran tensions in the Gulf

RT2019/5/15
Germany suspends training Iraqi troops amid US-Iran tensions in the Gulf
The German army suspended its training programs for Iraqi troops due to increasing tensions in the region, the Defense Ministry said. The move comes after the US ordered partial evacuation of its embassy in Baghdad.

Berlin made the decision to suspend the training of Iraqi soldiers while “orienting itself toward our partner countries,” the Defense Ministry’s spokesperson, Jens Flosdorff, told reporters.

He said that there is “no concrete threat” to German troops at the moment but the decision to halt the training of local forces was made because the situation on the ground in general is becoming more tense.

Some 60 German soldiers are involved in training the Iraqi military in Baghdad, and around 100 more are stationed in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Earlier on Wednesday, the US ordered to partially evacuate its embassy in Baghdad and a consulate in Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo claimed that “Iranian activities” endanger American sites and troops in Iraq.

RT2019/5/15
Netherlands joins Germany in halting Iraq mission due to security threat
The Netherlands has followed Germany in suspending its mission in Iraq amid heightening tensions between the US and Iraq’s neighbor, Iran.

The Netherlands decided to halt the mission which provided assistance to the Iraqi authorities because of a security threat, the Dutch ANP news agency said.

The Dutch Defense Ministry’s spokesperson told ANP that the withdrawal of Dutch forces from the area is “currently not discussed.” Around 50 Dutch soldiers train Kurdish forces in Erbil, few more are also stationed in Baghdad.

イラクの米大使館 非常事態対応員以外の退去を命令

これはおかしい。イランがイラクの大使館を攻撃するインセンチブなどない。米国の好戦的な宣伝以外の何物でもない。

RT2019/5/15
US orders all non-emergency personnel to leave Iraq as tensions with Iran grow - embassy
Washington ordered to pull out its “non-emergency” staff from Iraq, the US Embassy in Baghdad said on Wednesday. The move comes after an alert on tensions in the country.

Some government employees are set to leave the embassy in Baghdad, as well as the US Consulate in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan.

On Sunday, the embassy warned of “heightened tensions” in Iraq and called on US citizens there to “remain vigilant.” Normal visa services will be temporarily suspended.

RT2019/5/15
Look harder: US rebukes British general for doubting heightened threat from Iran
A UK military commander was rebuked by the US Central Command for questioning Washington’s claims that Iran poses an increased threat. Gen. Ghika, a senior figure in the anti-ISIS coalition, said none was evident in Iraq or Syria.

The awkward exchange on Tuesday came as the US is trying to rally its allies to confront Tehran over an unspecified threat to American interests in the Middle East.

Despite the beat of the war drum, even the US’ closest allies remain skeptical about the narrative furthered by Iran hawks in Washington like US National Security Advisor John Bolton and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. One of the doubters is British Army Maj. Gen. Christopher Ghika, a deputy head of the US-led coalition created to fight the terrorist group Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS).

“There’s been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria,” Gen. Ghika said on Tuesday during a video briefing from Iraq. “We’re aware of that presence, clearly. And we monitor them along with a whole range of others because that’s the environment we’re in.”

There is a large number of Shia militias operating in Iraq and Syria, some with the backing of the Iranian government. They were involved in fighting against radical Sunni groups, including IS, in the past few years, but the degree of control that Tehran has over the fighters is questionable.

Washington cited the existence of those groups as one of the reasons why Iran poses a danger to the US and should be contained. The US has some 5,000 troops deployed in Iraq with the consent of its government as part of the coalition effort, as well as some 2,000 troops stationed in Syria illegally.

Hours after Ghika’s report, the US Central Command, which is responsible for the Middle East operations, rebuked the British general, saying his word ran “counter to the identified credible threats available to intelligence from US and allies regarding Iranian backed forces in the region.” CENTCOM said it has “increased the force posture level for all service members” of the anti-IS coalition.

Ghika disagreed, saying Operation Inherent Resolve, as the coalition effort is officially called, is not operating against Iran, so he was speaking only about the militias. “I’m not going to go into the detail of it, but there are a substantial number of militia groups in Iraq and Syria and we don’t see any increased threat from any of them at this stage,” he said during the video call.

CENTCOM’s current position seems to contradict what they told the Pentagon’s Office of the Inspector General. The latest OIG quarterly report on Operation Inherent Resolve said the command believed Tehran-backed militias to be focused on assisting the Syrian government in the fight against IS and not intent on attacking the coalition forces. The report warned that this may change, should the US ramp up what Tehran could see as “anti-Iranian activities.”

Earlier, the US deployed an aircraft carrier strike group, several B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers, an amphibious transport dock, and a battery of Patriot air defense missiles in response to the unspecified threat from Iran.

The Pentagon may also send as many as 120,000 troops to the Middle East, according to a New York Times report. President Trump has rejected the claim, calling it fake news and saying: “If we did that, we would send a hell of a lot more troops than that.”

Russia Warns of US Preparing to Use Nuclear Weapons in Europe

FARSNEWS2019/5/14
Russia Warns of US Preparing to Use Nuclear Weapons in Europe
TEHRAN (FNA)- By deploying nuclear weapons in Europe, the United States is preparing to use them with permission of non-nuclear European states, Vladimir Ermakov, the director of the Department for Non-Proliferation and Arms Control at the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated.

"Unfortunately, some countries dependent on Washington pretend that nothing is happening, or are simply afraid of even thinking about the provocative nature of the fact that in the 21st century there is a preparation for the use of nuclear weapons with participation non-nuclear states on the territory of Europe," Ermakov told Sputnik.

According to the diplomat, it is impossible to seriously talk about strengthening of nuclear non-proliferation regime, when "civilised" European states "continue to mindlessly put themselves on the brink of a nuclear catastrophe and a total self-destruction".

In March, US Air Force announced it had deployed six nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to Europe for "theater integration and flying training" with its NATO allies. The actions were promptly criticized by the Kremlin.

In April, Ermakov noted that the US military exercises involving nuclear component might result in catastrophic events, and Europe has to realize the risks of taking part in such "crazy actions".

ホルムズ海峡に不穏な動き

RT2019/5/14
Iran calls recent tanker attacks in UAE nothing but ‘Israeli mischief’
The recent damage sustained to four commercial vessels off the UAE coast is nothing but Israeli meddling, an Iranian parliamentary spokesman said on Tuesday, as US-Iran tensions in the Persian Gulf continue to heat up.

“The events that took place in the emirates were Israeli mischief,” Behrouz Nemati said, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). While Nemati didn’t expand on why he believed there was involvement by Tel Aviv, he said it was the conclusion reached by the Iranian government after much debate on the issue.

On Sunday, two Saudi oil tankers, an Emirati barge and a Norwegian vessel, suffered damage after being targeted in waters near the emirate of Fujairah, in what the UAE’s Foreign Ministry called a series of “sabotage operations.” Both Saudi and UAE authorities have been tight-lipped about who they believe is the culprit behind the acts, however, and little information has been given about the extent of the damage incurred. Iran has called for a full probe into the incident, fearing“ill-wishers” want to disrupt regional security.


SPUTNIK2019/5/14
Yemeni Houthis Claim Responsibility For Attack on Saudi Oil Pipeline - Reports
The attack on the pumping stations, which are serving a major East-West oil pipeline, comes days after the Saudi authorities reported that the country's ships had been sabotaged near the UAE.

Two oil pumping stations have been attacked by drones in Saudi Arabia, Minister of Energy, Industry, and Mineral Resources Khalid bin Al-Falih said on Tuesday.

According to the minister, the attack, which resulted in a fire at station No. 8, occurred between 6.00 a.m. and 6.30 a.m. local time on Tuesday.

He slammed the attack as a "cowardly act of terrorism" targeted against Saudi Arabia and the global economy, stressing the need to counter terror groups, including "Iran-backed Houthi militias in Yemen."

"Crude oil production and export of Saudi oil and oil products continue, they have not been interrupted," Falih added.

The official further noted that despite the incident, the production and export of Saudi oil would continue "without interruption".

Commenting on the event, the kingdom's national oil company, Saudi Aramco, said that no injuries had been registered.

Following the attack, the Associated Press reported that the Houthis had claimed responsibility for the attack, which was meant to send a message to the kingdom to stop what the militants described as "aggression".

The stations are serving a major East-West oil pipeline that transports crude from the oilfields in the Eastern Province to the port of Yanbu on the west coast.

The incident comes days after the minister said that two country's vessels were targeted in a "sabotage attack" near the UAE. According to Reuters, one of the targeted vessels was en route to being loaded with Saudi crude from Ras Tanura port to be delivered to Aramco customers in the US before the attack.


RT2019/5/13
Iran warns of ‘conspiracy by ill-wishers,’ urges probe into ‘sabotage attack’ off UAE coast
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said it wants clarification of what happened at the UAE port of Fujairah, where four ships were reportedly targeted in a “sabotage operation.”

Sunday’s incident at Fujairah port was “alarming and regrettable,” a spokesman for Iranian Foreign Ministry, Abbas Mousavi, said in a statement on Monday. He cautioned against “adventurism by foreigners,” which could undermine the region’s stability and security, saying shipping and maritime safety is of paramount importance to Tehran.



RT2019/5/13
Detailed footage shows extent of damage to tanker ships in Persian Gulf (VIDEO)
Video footage captured by an RT Arabic correspondent details the damage done to a Norwegian tanker ship at a port in UAE waters. Saudi and Emirati officials allege three other ships nearby were targeted with ‘sabotage.’

The footage reveals a sizable hole in the stern of the Andrea Victory, a Norwegian tanker ship docked at the port of Fujairah in the UAE. The damage was inflicted on Sunday by an “unknown object,” Thome Ship Management, a Norwegian shipping company that manages the vessel, said in a statement to the media.

No crew members were harmed in the incident and that the Andrea Victory was not at risk of sinking, the company said.

Three other commercial vessels, including two Saudi oil tankers and an Emirati barge, were also damaged Sunday in what Saudi and UAE officials say were “sabotage attacks.” One of the Saudi ships was in the process of delivering Saudi crude oil to American customers, according to Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih.

Though the UAE maintained that the four ships were damaged by sabotage, local authorities at Fujairah denied media reports of explosions at the harbor.

The incident comes on the heels of a number of American military deployments to the region, meant to quell an unspecified threat from Iran, according to the White House. Perhaps anticipating that Iran would be blamed for the so-called sabotage, the Iranian Foreign Ministry on Monday called for an investigation, requesting to know “the exact dimensions” of what happened.

When asked whether Iran was involved in the sabotage, US Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook declined to comment but said the US would assist the UAE in its investigation. The Saudis and Emiratis also refrained from explicitly blaming Iran.

US President Donald Trump did not speculate whether Tehran was behind the Fujairah incident but said the US would retaliate if Iran attacked any tankers in the Mediterranean.

“It's going to be a bad problem for Iran if something happens, I can tell you that,” the president told reporters Monday “They're not going to be happy.”

RT2018/11/12
Iran says navy prepared to protect oil tankers from ‘any threats’ as US sanctions kick in
Following US warnings dissuading port operators from allowing Iranian tankers to dock, Iran’s top brass pushed back by reiterating that its navy is ready to protect ships against any threats.

Iran’s military is “prepared today as in the past” to protect against “any threats,” and to ensure the safe passage of Iranian oil tankers, Rear-Admiral Mahmoud Mousavi, a deputy commander of the regular armed forces, said on Monday, Iranian news agency ISNA reports.

He stressed that any “hindrances” to Iran’s right to use international waterways “would be clearly unacceptable.”

The comments come a week after the United States unilaterally re-imposed sanctions on Tehran’s oil, shipping and banking industries. Although it’s unclear whether other nations will abide by Washington’s diktats, US officials have hinted that Iranian ships will no longer be welcome in international waters.

“From the Suez Canal to the Strait of Malacca and all choke-points in between, Iranian tankers are a floating liability,” Brian Hook, US special representative for Iran and senior policy adviser to the secretary of state, said on Wednesday. “Self-insured Iranian tankers are a risk to the ports that permit them to dock [and] the canals that allow them to transit.”

Hook went on to warn that nations that ignore the US-imposed restrictions on Iran’s commercial fleet could face sanctions of their own.

Tehran has repeatedly threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz and halt Persian Gulf oil exports if its own oil exports are blocked. In recent months, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has held naval exercises in the Persian Gulf designed to increase preparedness for “confronting possible threats.”

National Security Advisor John Bolton said in August that shutting down the Strait of Hormuz would be a serious “mistake,” suggesting that Tehran was merely “bluffing.”

On November 5, the US put back in force all sanctions previously lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal, which Washington unilaterally withdrew from in May. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the sanctions will remain until Tehran complies with a list of 12 demands. The ultimatum calls on Tehran to halt all nuclear and ballistic missile development, as well as ending the country’s alleged “support for terrorism.” Washington also says that Iran must completely withdraw from Syria before sanctions can be lifted.

中国外相がラブロフと会談 ポンペオは頻繁に予定変更

北朝鮮問題がメインテーマとの見方がありますが、中国にとっては米中貿易問題が直面する最大の問題。イラン、ベネズエラ問題も含めて経済問題が広く話し合われたのでは？　ポンペオ訪ロの直前に割り込んでいます。テロリスト問題もあるかもしれません。
ポンペオの日程変更が頻繁です。ポンペオは、ラブロフと違って経験豊富な外交官ではありません。こんなに日程が目まぐるしく変わっては、会談・交渉相手との準備もろくにできないのではないでしょうか。発言は率直というかとても分かりやすい。脅すだけに終わる場合も多いようです。何か抜き差しならない状況を生まなければいいがと危惧を覚えます。

ソチ国際空港　Google MapとSPUTNIKのライブ映像から




時事通信社2019年5月13日(月)21時03分
北朝鮮問題を議論＝中ロ外相会談
　【モスクワ時事】ロシアのラブロフ外相と中国の王毅国務委員兼外相は１３日、ロシア南部ソチで会談した。４月２５日のロ朝首脳会談や北朝鮮による最近の弾道ミサイル発射を踏まえ、朝鮮半島情勢などを議論した。
　ラブロフ氏は１４日にはソチでポンペオ米国務長官と会談する予定で、朝鮮半島情勢をめぐり関係国の接触が活発化している。中ロ外相会談では、イランが表明した核合意の一部履行停止や、政情不安が続くベネズエラ情勢も取り上げられたとみられる。

SPUTNIK2019/5/13
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, are holding a meeting in Sochi amid preparations for President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia to take part in the St Petersburg International Economic Forum in June.

The Chinese top diplomat has arrived to Sochi for a two-day visit; Wang and Lavrov are anticipated to discuss the strengthening of bilateral ties, as well as pressing issues on the international arena. In the meantime, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is also expected to visit Russia this week to meet with Lavrov and President Vladimir Putin.

RT2019/5/13
Pompeo cancels Moscow visit to talk about Iran in Brussels – official
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is not coming to Moscow on Monday as previously planned, according to a report citing a State Department official. He will still meet the Russian president and foreign minister on Tuesday.

Instead of heading straight for the Russian capital, on Monday Pompeo will hold talks with European officials about "Iran and other issues," an anonymous State Department official told Reuters.

The cancellation of the Moscow leg of Pompeo's visit will reportedly not affect his planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, which is scheduled to take place in Sochi on Tuesday. Pompeo is expected to talk to them about what Washington calls Russia's "aggressive and destabilizing actions." The US has repeatedly accused Russia of meddling all around the world, including most recently in Venezuela, where, according to Pompeo, only the US is allowed to meddle.

Pompeo has spent the past week escalating pressure on Iran, threatening it with "swift and decisive" US action in response to nebulously defined "attack on American interests or citizens" by "[Iran] or their proxies." On Tuesday, he canceled a visit to Germany and instead went to Iraq, where he hinted that Baghdad should stay away from doing business with Tehran – for the sake of its own independence.

On Friday, the Pentagon said it was sending additional Patriot anti-air missiles to the Middle East in addition to the carrier strike group and bombers it had dispatched to near the Iranian coast as a "warning" a week earlier. Pompeo, meanwhile, has been insisting the US does not want war with Iran.

On Wednesday, Iran announced that it would stop disposing of excess heavy water and uranium, which was one of the key terms of the landmark 2015 JCPOA nuclear agreement it had struck with the US, the EU, Russia and China. Tehran accused the EU of caving in to American pressure and failing to stick to its end of the deal. European diplomats shot back by saying the EU "rejects any ultimatums," but also urged "countries not party to the JCPOA" – which includes the US after its unilateral withdrawal in 2018 – to "refrain from taking any actions that impede the remaining parties’ ability to fully perform their commitments."

米国株式大幅下落

2019/5/13、23時現在。
米国株式は大幅下落。ダウは570ドル、2.2％下落。
ドル安です。ドル円109円割れ寸前

JNN/TBS　2019年5月13日(月)23時26分
中国が対米報復関税を最大２５％に、来月１日から
　中国政府は１３日、アメリカからの６００億ドル分の輸入品に対する追加関税を来月１日から最大で２５％に引き上げることを発表しました。
　今月１０日、アメリカが中国からの２０００億ドル分の輸入品に対して、追加関税を２５％に引き上げたことを受けての報復措置です。中国政府は「アメリカ側の保護貿易主義に対する答えだ」「アメリカ側が貿易交渉で共に努力し、ウィンウィンの合意に達するよう努力することを希望する」とコメントしています。（13日22:10） JNN/TBS

2019/5/13のダウ、617ドル、2.38％の下落

ホワイトヘルメット

※　vanessa beeley @VanessaBeeley氏の4:02 - 2019年5月12日のツイート
Discovery of UK Intelligence-cultivated and financed #WhiteHelmets Centre under grain siloes in Qaalat Al Madiq (Madiq Citadel) recently liberated from NATO terrorist occupation. #Hama
#WhiteHelmets terrorist auxiliaries serving US Coalition propaganda industry.
#Idlib

Google Mapから




この町のAfamiaには、パラミヤのような古代遺跡があります。

これがホワイトヘルメットの実像です。英国が多くの資金を出しています。まぎれもない現実です。目を背けていれば済む話ではない。
https://twitter.com/aangrybirdd/status/1023275298333241344

‘No future for dissidents’ on social media: Paul Joseph Watson reflects on Facebook ban

RT2019/5/11
‘No future for dissidents’ on social media: Paul Joseph Watson reflects on Facebook ban
Popular internet pundit Paul Joseph Watson is mulling legal action after being banned from Facebook for spreading “hate,” telling RT that it’s clear social media platforms are cracking down on dissident political speech.

Facebook kicked Watson off its platform on May 2 – along with conservative commentator Laura Loomer, Infowars founder Alex Jones, and black nationalist leader Louis Farrakhan. The group was accused of spreading “hateful” content, although no warnings or concrete reasons were provided for their seemingly arbitrary bans.

Watson, who runs a YouTube channel that boasts more than 1.5 million subscribers, has become a well-known but polarizing commentator on culture and politics. A long-time Infowars contributor, Watson now has his own outlet, Summit News.

Although he’s been labeled as an “alt-right” conspiracy theorist, Watson insists that he’s been smeared – and de-platformed – simply because he holds contrarian views.

“There is clearly no future for dissident personalities on any major social media network. We will have to go back to mailing lists and websites as our primary, and perhaps only platforms for delivering content,” he said.

He told RT that he’s hired the “best media lawyers in London” who "have taken on numerous media giants in the past and won” and will advise him about what legal recourse he has against Facebook.

The first step towards suing Facebook over his ban, according to Watson, is to initiate a written request, called a Subject Access Request, which requires the company to release all information relevant to the individual’s case under Section 7 of the Data Protection Act.

The information would be needed to verify if an individual violated community standards or if the company merely made a politically-motivated decision. Watson also intends to put Facebook on notice about the harm they have caused to his reputation by putting him under the category of “dangerous individuals,” which is one of Facebook’s stated reasons for banning people under the company’s community standards.

The list Facebook has made for what counts as “dangerous individuals” includes: Terrorist activity, organized hate, mass or serial murder, human trafficking, and organized violence or criminal activity. Facebook would have to verifiably prove that the banned person engaged in any of these activities, or the decision could count as defamation of character.

The hate watchdog organization Southern Poverty Law Centre (SLPC) has publicly admitted it was behind the censorship. In its statement, the SPLC writes how the banning of these individuals shows that social media companies are responding to their “pressure,” but adds that they nonetheless haven’t done enough, claiming they “have more work to do against hateful content.”

“The SPLC is not a fact-checker, it’s a hyper-partisan political attack dog which solely exists to demonize its ideological adversaries. There is no way to hold them accountable, they are accountable only to their own agenda and bias,” Watson said.

Twitter has reportedly dropped the SPLC as a reliable source for detecting hate content online and to police its platform, but other social media giants like Facebook, Google, and Amazon have continued to use the watchdog to decide what content should be kept on their sites.

Facebook has also recently come under fire from its co-founder Chris Hughes, who wrote an exclusive op-ed in The New York Times on Thursday calling for Facebook’s monopoly to be broken up, as its CEO Mark Zuckerberg has “unilateral control over free speech,” adding that his power is “unprecedented and un-American.”

“Personally, if and when I am banned on everything, I will probably just move into the background until the environment is once again fertile and if big enough alternative platforms exist which actually support free speech,” Watson added.

Facebook isn’t the only social media platform to face accusations of shutting down political speech it doesn’t like: In April, the company banned two conservative British candidates running for European Parliament, Tommy Robinson and Carl Benjamin, less than a month before the election.

The site banned Alex Jones and all Infowars accounts in September 2018.

トルコはS-400の調達を止めるか

RT2019/5/11
‘Done deal’: Erdogan aide debunks claim that Turkey is set to drop S-400 over US sanctions
Turkey will stay on course with a “done deal” to procure the S-400 systems from Russia, a top Turkish official stated in response to a German media report that Ankara was about to scrap the purchase, fearing US sanctions.

Potential US sanctions were too big a threat for Turkey to proceed with the S-400 deal, German tabloid Bild claimed on Friday. The publication quoted a “high-ranking diplomat from Ankara” who said that economic considerations were behind the alleged Turkish decision to stop the purchase.

Later, Fahrettin Altun, head of communications at the Turkish president’s office, took to Twitter to debunk the report.

“Dear Julian, your sources are mistaken,” Altun said in response to Bild editor Julian Roepcke, sharing a link to the article in question.
Take it from me: The S-400 procurement is a done deal.

The source quoted in the Bild piece said that “there won’t be an S-400 delivery in July, as the Turkish president has announced. “With the current crisis with the lira, this would be an economic downfall for Turkey.”

The Turkish military is set to take delivery of their first S-400s in July, with their crews starting training in Russia a month prior. In all, Turkey is expected to receive four S-400 batteries as part of the estimated $2.5-billion deal.

・・・引用終わり・・・

シリア政府軍のイドリブ侵攻でトルコ軍によるテロリストへの支援が予想外に弱いように見えます。トルコリラは大きく低下。エルドアンの演説が伝えられることが少なくなっています。