Just before midnight on 15 January, Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, was rocked by a targeted missile attack by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Eleven Fateh 110 ballistic missiles homed in on the private residence of the affluent and connected Kurdish tycoon Peshraw Dizayee, aged 61, who was killed along with members of his family and a fellow business associate.

The Cradle's Iraq Correspondent

For those who remember their high school textbooks, the issue of America's imperial history is very clear cut. American imperialism, the textbooks told us, was that fairly brief period in American history that lasted from 1898 to 1945. This was the period during which the United States acquired a number of overseas territories, including the Philippines and Puerto Rico, among others. The era of imperialism, we are told, ended in 1945 when the Philippines was finally granted full independence from Washington. Even more dubious—the textbook writers tell us—is the idea that the US is or has been a colonial empire. After all, American citizens did not set up any colonies in the Philippines or in Puerto Rico in the way that British migrants populated Virginia or New England.

The US has the power to pressure Hungary if it does not adjust its foreign policy towards the EU, NATO and Russia, American ambassador to Budapest, Davis Pressman, said.

In an interview published in the Financial Times on Friday, Pressman laid out a laundry list of complaints about Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, including his defiant stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and attitude towards Russian President Vladimir Putin.

THE ABC (AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION) HAS BEEN UNDER THE GUNS FROM VARIOUS PLACES — FROM THE MURDOCH MEDIA, THE IPA, THE MELBOURNE JEWISH LOBBY, FROM VARIOUS GOVERNMENTS SLASHING ITS BUDGET AND FROM WITHIN ITSELF — LOSING SIGHT OF ITS NEWS VALUES AWAY FROM THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA.

NOW IT HAS A NEW CHAIRMAN (CHAIRPERSON) WHO USED TO WORK FOR RUPERT MURDOCH... DESPITE THIS, WE SUSPECT KIM WILLIAMS IS QUITE AWARE OF THE VALUE OF PUBLIC BROADCASTING, AND WILL PROTECT THE ABC FROM THE DESTRUCTORS...

FROM THE SMH...

The new chair will have to act fast to restore order in the wake of the Lattouf sacking, write Michael Bachelard and Calum Jaspan.

I assign the German youth the noblest task of being masters of life and the future. Despite their wrong-doings throughout history, the German people are a great people — a people that has given the world waves of intellectual, scientific, artistic, and philosophical thought, a people that has enriched the world with countless products of its ingenuity, technology, and labour; a people that, in its peaceful work as well as in the sorrows of war, has unfolded true treasures of courage, discipline, and organisation.

                                General de Gaulle

«J'espère que les 21% d'inflation qu'ont connus les consommateurs en deux ans ont profité à l'agriculture», défend Michel Édouard Leclerc

«J'espère que les 21% d'inflation qu'ont connus les consommateurs en deux ans ont profité à l'agriculture ! Si ce n'est pas le cas, il faut ouvrir des commissions d'enquête pour voir où est passé cet argent», défend Michel Édouard Leclerc dans l'émission Esprit d'Entreprise...

https://video.lefigaro.fr/figaro/video/jespere-que-les-21-dinflation-quont-connus-les-consommateurs-en-deux-ans-ont-profite-a-lagriculture-defend-michel-edouard-leclerc/

25 Republican governors back Texas in standoff with Biden
Gov. Greg Abbott has waged a legal battle with federal agencies over his immigration policies

A large group of Republican governors has issued a joint statement voicing “solidarity” with Texas Governor Greg Abbott and his stepped-up border protections, accusing the White House of leaving the country “completely vulnerable” amid an influx of illegal migrants.

Published on Thursday, the open letter was signed by 25 GOP governors across the country, with Vermont Governor Phil Scott the sole Republican to leave his signature off the message. 

Josep Borrell, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, receiving an honorary doctorate in Valadolid, declared: "We believe that a two-state solution [Israeli and Palestinian] must be imposed from outside to bring about peace.

NATO is a “walking war machine” that has been spreading chaos across Asia since its formation, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian told reporters on Thursday, accusing the bloc of using the specter of a dominant Beijing to foment regional conflict.

Wu appeared to be referencing comments made by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during the World Economic Forum last week, in which the bloc’s leader attempted to frame its buildout in Asia as a response to purported Chinese aggression.

“It should be said that NATO is a walking ‘war machine,’ and wherever it appears, it brings disorder everywhere,” Wu said, referencing “inappropriate statements by the NATO Secretary General regarding China.” 

During his speech, he did not beg for money and weapons. This is the first time I’ve seen him do this. Instead, he touted his “peace plan,” which was simply incomprehensible.

The 3-point plan goes as follows:

For the last few Februaries the Director-General of the ASIO, Mr Mike Burgess, has delivered an “annual threat assessment” by way of a speech to as many worthies as he can gather before him. He’s no doubt got the 2024 edition well in the works and invitations to the event in the post. Potential invitees should brace themselves by building up their reserves of patience because if he’s true to form Burgess will test them to their limit.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky on Wednesday disputed Moscow’s claim that Kiev’s air defenses shot down a Russian plane carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war scheduled to be exchanged.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the Il-76 was transporting 65 Ukrainian captives when it was shot down by a Ukrainian missile over Belgorod Region. Six Russian crew members and three officials were also on board. There were no survivors.

“We must determine all the hard facts – as much as possible, given that the plane crashed on Russian territory,” Zelensky said in a video published on his website.

He added that the Ukrainian authorities are investigating the incident and working to “determine the fate of all POWs.”

Currently the information on the Gaza war (for example on January 24 on the 1 p.m. news of France Inter) reserves a preponderant part for the 24 Israeli soldiers who died in a single day in the fighting on the ground.

BY Philippe ARNAUD

January 25, 2024

ALERT MEMORANDUM FOR: The President

FROM: VETERAN INTELLIGENCE PROFESSIONALS FOR SANITY (VIPS)

SUBJECT: Throwing Good Money After Bad: Decisions in an Intelligence Vacuum

Dear President Biden:

Nikki

Nikki Haley made strides for women in politics. There’s just one problem: Trump
Nikki Haley is testing the limits of how much GOP primary voters care about gender.

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/22/nikki-haley-gender-gop-trump-00137060

GENDER?

NIKKI IS A DANGEROUS WOMAN... SHE HAS MADE MUCH NOISE ABOUT GOING TO WAR AGAINST CHINA (NOT A COMPETITOR BUT AN ENEMY) AND SHE WANTS PUTIN/RUSSIA TO BE CRUSHED. DIPLOMACY ISN'T HER SKILL. SHE'S A CRUSHER. SHE'LL GET THE WHOLE WORLD DESTROYED TO SATISFY HER WITCHERY....

BUT SHE'S IS A WOMAN (POSSIBLY ONE OF THE 1 PERCENT WHO ARE SOCIOPATHS). WITH TRUMP BEING MARTYRED BY THE ESTABLISHMENT, SHE WOULD FULFIL THE ESTABLISHMENT WISHES OF WARS WARS AND WARS....