Category: Central Northern Asia and The Caucasus,

Russian Trust-Fund Baby Boasts Of Ongoing Access To Trump Family

On By peanutgallerynhIn Central Northern Asia and The Caucasus,, Domestic Affairs,, Money, Class, and Poverty,Leave a comment

“I have nothing to do with Russia,” Donald Trump bellowed to thousands of frenzied supporters at a Tampa, Florida rally last October. The truth, it seems, is a bit more complicated.

In an exclusive interview with FORBES, Emin Agalarov—a Russian pop singer, real estate mogul and son of one of the country’s richest people—described an ongoing relationship with the Trump family, including post-election contact with the president himself.

Among Agalarov’s most striking claims: that he and his billionaire developer father, Aras, had plans to build a Trump Tower in Russia that would now likely be under construction had Trump not run for office; that he has maintained contact with the Trump family since the election, and has exchanged messages with Donald Trump Jr. as recently as January; and that President Trump himself sent a handwritten note to the Agalarovs in November after they congratulated him on his victory.

Exclusive: Powerful Russian Partner Boasts Of Ongoing Access To Trump Family

hmmm

Exclusive: Tillerson plans to skip NATO meeting, visit Russia in April – sources 

On By peanutgallerynhIn Central Northern Asia and The Caucasus,, Domestic Affairs,, Europe,Leave a comment

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson plans to skip a meeting with NATO foreign ministers next month in order to stay home for a visit by China’s president and will go to Russia later in April, U.S. officials said on Monday, disclosing an itinerary that allies may see as giving Moscow priority over them.

Exclusive: Tillerson plans to skip NATO meeting, visit Russia in April – sources | Reuters

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Associated Press Investigation Says Paul Manafort Worked With Russian Billionaire

On By peanutgallerynhIn Central Northern Asia and The Caucasus,, Domestic Affairs,Leave a comment

Manafort had been paid more than $12 million by a pro-Russian political party for work he had done on its behalf. Manafort said the ledger was fake. Donald Trump fired him.

This week, a member of Ukraine’s Parliament released documents that he says show Manafort tried to hide those payments. Manafort says those documents are also forgeries. Now comes a report this morning from The Associated Press, which says Paul Manafort secretly worked with a Russian billionaire to support Russian interests.

Associated Press Investigation Says Paul Manafort Worked With Russian Billionaire : NPR

Don’t sit down Manafort, your pants are on fire!

Michael Flynn received nearly $34,000 to attend event with Putin 

On By peanutgallerynhIn Central Northern Asia and The Caucasus,, Domestic Affairs,Leave a comment

A House committee investigating former national security adviser Michael Flynn revealed today that Flynn received tens of thousands of dollars in 2015 from RT, the state-run Russian television network.

On Thursday, Rep. Elijah Cummings, the top Democrat on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, released checks, emails and invoices that showed Flynn was paid almost $34,000 to attend the event by RT. 

The CIA found in a report on Russia’s actions during the 2016 presidential campaign that RT engaged in “a Kremlin-directed campaign to undermine faith in the U.S. government.”

Flynn also received over $11,000 from a Russian cargo airline and $11,000 from Kaspersky Labs, a well-known cyber security company with ties to Russian officials.

Michael Flynn received nearly $34,000 to attend event with Putin – CBS News

You know, Kaspersky Labs , the fine folks who brought you the Russian hack of Yahoo.

Man alive….

Trump’s Critics Are Letting The Bigger Russia Story Slide 

On By peanutgallerynhIn Central Northern Asia and The Caucasus,, Domestic Affairs,, Media and Culture,Leave a comment

The Russian cyberattack of 2016 was widely documented, but what’s happening now is that some of Trump’s critics are turning the fabric of diplomacy into conspiracy. They’re trying to find evidence that it was his camp that directed those hacks, rather than investigating how they originated in Russia. Of course, it’s also important to examine potential ties between Trump, his advisers, and Russia — if for no other reason than no one has yet found a good explanation for Trump’s worship of Putin and Russia. But, at the end of the day, it’s Russia that hacked the US, in its drive to sow chaos in a country it sees as its rival, and to elect a friendly leader who would both pass amenable policies (like the potential lifting of sanctions) while feeding that very chaos.

Russia pulled off one of the greatest coups in history — and it’s getting away with it.

Trump’s Critics Are Letting The Bigger Russia Story Slide – BuzzFeed News

hmmm

Trump aides were in constant touch with senior Russian officials during campaign 

On By peanutgallerynhIn Central Northern Asia and The Caucasus,, Domestic Affairs,Leave a comment

High-level advisers close to then-presidential nominee Donald Trump were in constant communication during the campaign with Russians known to US intelligence, multiple current and former intelligence, law enforcement and administration officials tell CNN.

Trump aides were in constant touch with senior Russian officials during campaign – CNNPolitics.com

Holy moly, mother of Zarathustra…

Edward Snowden may head to U.S., jail 

On By peanutgallerynhIn Central Northern Asia and The Caucasus,, Domestic Affairs,, Privacy,Leave a comment

Moscow is reportedly toying with the idea of handing NSA leaker Edward Snowden over to President Trump as a housewarming gift after the whistleblow and alleged spy spent four years hiding in Russia.

The Kremlin’s ploy emerged from intelligence reports that outlined Russian talks about ways to “curry favor” with the Trump administration, according to an NBC News report citing two unnamed U.S. officials.

…Trump has called Snowden a “terrible traitor” and “a spy who should be executed.”

Boston University professor and longtime CIA officer Joseph Wippl said gift-wrapping Snowden and forcing him on a plane to U.S. “wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense.”

…On Twitter, Snowden hailed the rumor as “irrefutable evidence that I never cooperated with Russian intel.”

“No country trades away spies, as the rest would fear they’re next,” his tweet read.

Edward Snowden may head to U.S., jail | Boston Herald

hmmmm

The Curious World of Donald Trump’s Private Russian Connections 

On By peanutgallerynhIn Central Northern Asia and The Caucasus,, Domestic Affairs,, Money, Class, and Poverty,Leave a comment

Did the American people really know they were putting such a “well-connected” guy in the White House?

….Putin and his billionaire friends have plundered the wealth of their own people. They have also run numerous schemes to defraud governments and investors in the United States and Europe. From public records, using his renowned analytical skills, Henry shows what the mainstream news media in the United States have failed to report in any meaningful way: For three decades Donald Trump has profited from his connections to the Russian oligarchs, whose own fortunes depend on their continued fealty to Putin.

The Curious World of Donald Trump’s Private Russian Connections – The American Interest

hmmmm

Georgia Pope: Tbilisi stadium largely empty for papal Mass 

On By peanutgallerynhIn Central Northern Asia and The Caucasus,, Religion,Leave a comment

The Pope says Mass in a largely empty stadium on a visit to Georgia after the majority Orthodox Christian Church asks followers to stay away.

…The Orthodox patriarchate said on its website: “As long as there are dogmatic differences between our churches, Orthodox believers will not participate in their prayers”.

One Georgian priest told AP it was a protest against Catholic attempts to convert Orthodox Christians.

“Can you imagine how it would be if a Sunni [Muslim] preacher came to Shia [Muslim] Iran and conducted prayers in a stadium or somewhere else?” Father David Klividze asked. “Such a thing could not be.”

Georgia Pope: Tbilisi stadium largely empty for papal Mass – BBC News

Hmmmm

Ukraine athlete mysteriously refuses to compete in mens Olympics gymnastics final

On By peanutgallerynhIn Central Northern Asia and The Caucasus,, Media and Culture,Leave a comment

One gymnast alludes to a hospital trip.

Ukraine ends mystery over controversial Olympics gymnastics ‘strategy’ – The Washington Post

I have no idea what the truth is but that story is total fucking bullshit. They sabotaged themselves and spit on the 9th place team.

If it truly was – as it very much appeared to be – a protest on the part of a single athlete I hope the team kicks his unsportsmanlike ass to the curb before the games are over.

Disgusting.