Several different types of investigations have been, or could be, launched into Russian interference in the 2016 election. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post)
Several different types of investigations have been, or could be, launched into Russian interference in the 2016 election. What kinds of investigations could be launched into Russian election interference?(Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post)
In the most abstract sense, there is nothing noteworthy about a government official meeting with an ambassador from a foreign country. When such an interaction becomes important is when that official is an ally of a presidential campaign that’s got a complex set of possibly inappropriate relationships with other representatives of that ambassador’s country — and when that official while under oath says he did not have communications with representatives of that country.
What we’re going to endeavor to do here is to parse out that complex set of relationships, using the information we have at hand. In this case, as you’ve hopefully ascertained, the country at issue is Russia and the campaign is that of President Trump. The official, of course, is Attorney General Jeff Sessions. And the ambassador is, at this point, the linchpin of a lot of the interactions between Trump and the rest of his team.
We’ll consider three Russian entities.
- Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. Russia’s man in Washington.
- The Russian government. Kislyak is part of this government, of course, but we’ll use this as a shorthand for interactions with President Vladimir Putin or other government agencies (who may or may not be known). Included here is RT, the Russia-backed and -based television network.
- Russian business interests. This encompasses everything from Rosneft, the Russian oil giant, to sketchy Russian oligarchs.
As for the American side, let’s start at the top and move outward through Trump’s network.
Donald Trump, president. Trump’s connections to Russian business interests are murky, thanks to his decision not to release his tax returns during the campaign. We know that the Miss Universe pageant was hosted in Moscow when Trump owned it and that he earned millions of dollars for doing so. We know, too, that he’s repeatedly explored real estate deals in the country. It’s not clear whether Trump has met Kislyak, though the ambassador attended a foreign policy speech Trump gave last spring and the reception that preceded it. We know now that Trump has been in communication with Putin — but he also claimed to have been in contact with representatives of the Russian president (and Putin himself) before the campaign.
Jeff Sessions, attorney general. Sessions’s relationship with Kislyak is well-established by now. This is a good point at which to note, though, that the existence of that relationship does not in any way imply wrongdoing by Sessions. It’s just part of the network we’re establishing.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions told reporters at the Justice Department, March 2, that he was recusing himself from any investigation having to do with President Trump's 2016 campaign. Here are key moments from that news conference. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post)
Attorney General Jeff Sessions told reporters at the Justice Department, March 2, that he was recusing himself from any investigation having to do with President Trump's 2016 campaign. Here are key moments from that news conference. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is recusing himself from any investigation having to do with President Trump's 2016 campaign (Video: Sarah Parnass/Photo: Melina Mara/The Washington Post)
Jared Kushner, adviser. Trump’s son-in-law (Ivanka’s husband) also met with Kislyak during the period between Election Day and the inauguration, according to the New York Times. Kushner also has some loose connections to Russian business interests, according to the Times, including an investment from tech investor Yuri Milner in a real estate investment company and a friendship with the wife of oligarch Roman Abramovich. (She was invited to the inauguration as Ivanka Trump’s guest.)
Michael Flynn, former national security adviser. Flynn had a number of contacts with Kislyak after Election Day, including attending that meeting between the ambassador and Kushner. (Flynn was forced to resign his position after it was revealed that his comments about the content of those meetings to Vice President Pence were falsehoods.) After resigning from the Defense Intelligence Agency in 2014, Flynn was invited to give a paid speech at a celebration of RT. He did so and joined Putin’s table for a related banquet.
Vice President Mike Pence said he was "disappointed" that former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn misled him on his contacts with Russia, during a visit on Feb. 20 to NATO headquarters in Brussels. (Reuters)
Vice President Mike Pence said he was “disappointed” that former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn misled him on his contacts with Russia, during a visit on Feb. 20 to NATO headquarters in Brussels. Pence 'disappointed' Flynn misled him (Reuters)
Donald Trump Jr., son. The younger Trump visited France last October to speak to an obscure Russian group. In 2008, Don Jr., who works for the Trump Organization, famously told a real estate conference that “Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets” and that “we see a lot of money pouring in from Russia.”
Paul Manafort, former campaign manager. Manafort’s links to Russian interests are well established. New revelations that emerged during the campaign prompted Trump to demand Manafort’s resignation. Manafort is one of the Trump campaign staffers who reportedly made contact with Russian interests during the campaign.
A Ukrainian lawmaker releases more details of what he says were secret payments made to Paul Manafort, Donald Trump's former campaign chief who resigned the same day the new details emerged. (Reuters)
A Ukrainian lawmaker releases more details of what he says were secret payments made to Paul Manafort, Donald Trump's former campaign chief who resigned the same day the new details emerged.Details emerge in Ukraine of alleged payments to Manafort (Reuters)
Rex Tillerson, secretary of state. Before he was confirmed to serve as the head of the State Department, even Republicans questioned Tillerson’s relationship to Putin. As the head of ExxonMobil, Tillerson helped negotiate a massive agreement between the Russian government and ExxonMobil-Rosneft, a partnership between the two companies. Tillerson was subsequently awarded the “Order of Friendship” by Putin.
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Wilbur Ross, secretary of commerce. Ross’s connections to Russian business interests are less obvious than Tillerson’s. During the Clinton administration, Ross served on the board of the U.S.-Russia Investment Fund, an effort to bolster businesses in post-Cold-War Russia. During his confirmation, questions arose about his ownership of a bank on Cyprus that, in the words of McClatchy’s Kevin Hall, “caters to wealthy Russians.”
Roger Stone, longtime adviser. Stone’s connection to Russia is murky. During the campaign, he drew attention for seeming to have inside knowledge on the WikiLeaks document releases — releases that have been linked to Russian interests by the government. More directly, the Times reports that Stone is possibly under investigation by the U.S. government for his links to Russia.
Carter Page, former adviser. Page is included in that alleged investigation as well, but his links to Russia are more clear. Page pretty clearly met with Kislyak last year during the Republican convention in Cleveland, as he admitted to MSNBC’s Chris Hayes on Thursday night. He also has repeatedly addressed Russian business groups in that country, including twice in 2016. Over a decade ago, he worked in Russia as an investment banker.
J.D. Gordon, former adviser. Page is far in the outer orbit of Trump’s circle, serving briefly as part of Trump’s national security advisory team. He’s joined there by Gordon, a onetime Pentagon spokesman who also served as an adviser to the campaign. Gordon, like Page, reportedly spoke with Kislyak in Cleveland.
This document should be considered a work in progress. As more information is released, it (and the graphic) will be updated. Again, none of the relationships above are intended to show misbehavior by those involved. The broad question at stake is the extent to which Russia sought to interfere in the 2016 election and, if it did, the extent to which it may have leveraged relationships with Trump’s team to that end. That much-bigger question is much harder to evaluate.
Read the whole story
· · · · · · · ·
The last 48 hours have been dominated by a steady stream of new information about previously undisclosed conversations between Trump aides and Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, a Washington fixture and, according to intelligence sources, one of Moscow's foremost operators in the US.
But the White House and Trump, who on Thursday night accused the media of carrying out a
"witch hunt,"
have been stingy with even the most mundane details. And their attempts to explain -- or explain away -- the news have in many cases only raised new questions.
Here is a rundown of what we know about this increasingly murky affair -- and what is still to be answered:
1. After months of investigations, US intelligence officials say the Russian government sought to disrupt the 2016 presidential election by hacking and disseminating thousands of emails stolen from the DNC and Clinton campaign.
2.
One purpose, they believe, was to damage Clinton. In doing so, the Russians provided a boost to Donald Trump's bid. This was the conclusion of
a declassified US intelligence assessment
released in January.
3. According to the report, another aim was to undermine core political institutions like the Democratic Party and, more broadly, the US electoral system.
Here's where Trump and his team come in:
4.
During the 2016 election season, multiple current and former intelligence, law enforcement and administration officials say Russian officials and agents known to the US were in
constant contact
with high-level Trump officials.
5. On at least two occasions now, Trump administration officials have been caught either lying or misleading officials about the extent and nature of those conversations.
Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn
was dismissed
from his post as national security adviser, admitting he failed to disclose to Vice President Mike Pence that he and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak had discussed sanctions in December.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions claimed in his confirmation hearings that he "did not have communications with the Russians."
But, according to the Department of Justice, Sessions met
twice during the campaign
with their ambassador to the US. And as Sen. Al Franken, whose question prompted Sessions' statement, deadpanned to CNN
on Thursday
, "the ambassador from Russia is a Russian."
A spokeswoman for Sessions suggested Wednesday night that his response stemmed from a misunderstanding of the question -- that he "was asked during the hearing about communications between Russia and the Trump campaign -- not about meetings he took as a senator and a member of the Armed Services Committee."
6.
There were
other meetings
by other Trump advisers -- a number of which have only come to light in the past few days.
As first reported in The New Yorker and The New York Times, senior Trump aide and son-in-law Jared Kushner, along with Flynn,
met with Kislyak at Trump Tower
in December.
Additionally, national security advisers to the campaign, J.D. Gordon and Carter Page,
also met with Kislyak
during the Cleveland convention, as first reported by USA Today.
Gordon confirmed the report to CNN, adding that another national security adviser, Walid Phares, also met with Kislyak, but denied any talk of collusion.
"This is not any different than anything I said publicly and on panels," he said.
Page too said he "never did anything improper."
8.
Paul Manafort, Trump's campaign chairman at the time of the convention,
resigned in late August
after questions arose about his ties to Russia, in particular the Kremlin-backed deposed Ukrainian leader Viktor Yanukovych.
9. None of the people named above have denied these meetings and conversations took place. Several, though, have left their positions after coming under scrutiny.
Sessions
recused himself
from any investigation into Trump associates' contacts with Russia on Thursday, less than 24 hours after his meetings were made public. Flynn was fired
for misleading Pence
. Page's fuzzy role in the campaign eventually dissipated, and Manafort stepped down after questions surrounding his work became a
"distraction."What we don't know
1. Did Trump, as either a Republican primary or general election candidate, discuss the hacks with any Russian agent or official?
2. If so, did he encourage them -- or seek information about the Democrats and Clinton campaign?
Trump has denied any such contact, but ongoing investigations will likely ask this question.
3. What specific evidence does the intelligence community have that shows, beyond trying to hurt Clinton, that the Russians actively sought to help Trump?
If so, is there evidence that any of these acts were discussed with anyone from the Trump campaign during their contacts with the Russians? It is important to note that no such evidence is publicly available.
The intelligence community made their assessment public, but they have not disclosed the underlying facts that led them to this conclusion.
4. Was Trump aware of the numerous meetings and conversations detailed above?
5. After his meetings with the Russian ambassador were made public, Sessions said through a spokeswoman, "I never met with any Russian officials to discuss issues of the campaign."
Is there a distinction between meeting "to discuss" those matters -- that is, with the express intent of reviewing them -- and simply discussing them in the course of a broader meeting?
6. And finally, the fundamental question: Why have administration officials so consistently misled, muddied or stonewalled questions about their interactions with the Russians?
That follows a broader theme: Very little of what we know was volunteered by the administration. In most cases, they have only confirmed, tacitly or without elaboration, new and contradictory information uncovered by the media.
Read the whole story
· · · · · · · · · · · · · ·
Untangling Trump and Russia: What we know -- and what we don't
CNN - 1 hour ago
(CNN) Six weeks into his presidency, Donald Trump and a number of top administration officials are again bogged down by questions about his campaign's potential ties to Russia -- and Moscow's alleged role in hacking the Democratic National Committee ...
THE MEMO: White House fails to fend off Russia questions
The Hill - 1 hour ago
President Trump's Russian troubles are multiplying — and even some Republicans are wondering if the White House can stop the problems from becoming a full-blown crisis. “I think they've handled it quite badly because they haven't been forthcoming ...
Trump Team's Links to Russia Crisscross in Washington
New York Times - 10 hours ago
Sergey Kislyak, Russia's ambassador to the United States. Credit Brendan Smialowski/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images. WASHINGTON — During the 2016 campaign, Donald J. Trump's second campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, had regular ...
A Special Prosecutor . . . For What?
National Review - 2 hours ago
There is no crime to probe in the matter of the Trump campaign's contact with Russians. So, Attorney General Jeff Sessions has recused himself. Great! Just one question: From what? Yes, yes, Sessions is a good and decent man. He is a scrupulous lawyer ...
Sessions Controversy Heightens Trump's Feeling of Being Under Siege
New York Times - 9 hours ago
Advisers to President Trump say he has felt besieged by what he regards as a mostly hostile bureaucracy. Credit Al Drago/The New York Times. President Trump was still upbeat Wednesday night, as he settled into dinner in the White House residence with ...
Read the whole story
· · ·
 CNN |
Untangling Trump and Russia: What we know -- and what we don't
CNN (CNN) Six weeks into his presidency, Donald Trump and a number of top administration officials are again bogged down by questions about his campaign's potential ties to Russia -- and Moscow's alleged role in hacking the Democratic National Committee ... THE MEMO: White House fails to fend off Russia questionsThe Hill A Special Prosecutor . . . For What?National Review Based on photo with Putin, Trump calls Schumer 'hypocrite'Washington Post New York Times -U.S. News & World Report -Politico -NBCNews.com all 4,784 news articles » |
The United Nations is warning that the alleged use of chemical weapons in Mosul, if confirmed, would be a serious violation of international humanitarian law and a war crime
World News Review
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LYON, France (AP) -- Jose Evrard's left-wing credentials were impeccable. His great-uncle Victor, he recounts with pride, was a French communist executed by the Nazis; his father worked in a coal mine; Evrard himself was a card-carrying French communist for 36 years....
World News Review
LYON, France (AP) -- Jose Evrard's left-wing credentials were impeccable. His great-uncle Victor, he recounts with pride, was a French communist executed by the Nazis; his father worked in a coal mine; Evrard himself was a card-carrying French communist for 36 years....
The illegal Colombian coca crop has exploded since 2013, and a State Dept. report says U.S. cocaine use is on the rise for the first time in nearly a decade.
World
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· · ·
Jose Evrard’s left-wing credentials were impeccable. His great-uncle Victor, he recounts with pride, was a French communist executed by the Nazis; his father worked in a coal mine; Evrard himself was a card-carrying French communist for 36 years.
World
Read the whole story
· · ·
Amid Firestorm, Trump Appears to Waiver on Russia Deal https://t.co/G0FopJZBHy
Posted by 
mikenov on Sat Mar 4 11:41:11 2017.
mikenov on Sat Mar 4 11:41:11 2017.
GENEVA (Reuters) - Syria's chief negotiator said on Saturday that the "only thing" achieved at 10-day talks in Geneva was an agreed agenda and that the government wanted a unified opposition delegation as its negotiating partner.
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Reaction from Tara Maller, national security analyst and former CIA military analyst
To be clear: "Brokeback Mountain," this isn't....
Salon |
Most foreign-born terrorists radicalized 'years' after coming to US, DHS report
ABC News Most foreign-born terrorists operating in the United States were radicalized "several years" after entering the country, according to a recently published Department of Homeland Security intelligence assessment. The findings may undercut the ability of ... Virgil: The Deep State Strikes Again with Rachel Maddow Department of Homeland Security LeakBreitbart News DHS assessment: Individuals radicalized once in USCNN Rachel Maddow Reveals Trump's Muslim Ban May Never Come to Pass in Exclusive ReportAlterNet MSNBC all 33 news articles » |
Experts monitoring freedom of expression at the United Nations and key regional organizations are expressing concern at the growing prevalence of “fake news” and propaganda — and alarm at public authorities denigrating the media as “lying” or “the opposition.”
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Salon |
Russia today: What new information did we learn about the Trump-Russia connection?
Salon Another aide has admitted that then-candidate Trump insisted on removing an anti-Russia plank from the Republican platform. J. D. Gordon, who represented the Trump campaign on national security issues at the Republican National Convention last year, ... Jeff Sessions was a leading Russia hawk. Then he signed on with Donald Trump.Vox Trump's Russian connections: What if it were Obama?Chicago Tribune Is Russia connection destined to be Trump administration's Watergate?The Guardian Business Insider -Washington Examiner -Bustle -Washington Post all 3,573 news articles » |
Mirror.co.uk |
Donald Trump's Russian connections revealed - despite desperately distancing himself from Putin regime
Mirror.co.uk As Donald Trump desperately tries to distance himself and his administration from links withRussia, over in Moscow businessmen, oligarchs and politicians are raising eyebrows and wry smiles. The President may have told a Washington press conference, ... For Donald Trump Jr., lingering questions about meeting with pro-Russia groupABC News Donald Trump's 'bromance' with Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to be coolingFirstpost Sensing Chaos, Russia Takes A 'Wait-And-See' Approach To TrumpNPR The New Yorker all 120 news articles » |
USA TODAY |
Senate Judiciary Committee won't recall Attorney General Jeff Sessions
USA TODAY WASHINGTON — The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee has no plans to recallAttorney General Jeff Sessions to testify about his failure to disclose contacts with the Russian ambassador to the United States during the former Alabama senator's ... and more » |
The Hill |
Trump tweets: I also want probe of Pelosi-Russia ties
The Hill “I hereby demand a second investigation, after Schumer, of Pelosi for her close ties to Russia, and lying about it,” Trump tweeted, with a link attached to a story about Pelosi's 2010 group meeting with Russia's U.S. ambassador. He tweeted the message ... Trump slams Pelosi, Schumer as Russia meeting pics emergeFox News What We Already Know About Trump's Ties to Russia Amounts to Treachery to the RepublicNew York Magazine Trump tweets that US should investigate Schumer over 'ties to Russia'The Boston Globe Chicago Tribune -Vox -Taipei Times all 219 news articles » |
Fox Business |
Trump Won't Be Successful With Putin Negotiations: Gen. Jack Keane
Fox Business On Thursday, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself from investigations related to Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election after it was revealed that he met twice with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during the campaign. and more » |
Salon |
House GOP begin to turn on Trump: Republicans break from party to demand president's tax returns
Salon Sanford was one of several House Republicans, including House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz, who called on Trump to release his tax returns during the presidential campaign. Sanford even sent a letter in late January to Trump's chief of ... Two Republicans sign on to effort demanding Trump's tax returnsThe Hill GOP Oversight of Trump: Worse than WatergateCommon Dreams all 111 news articles » |
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The New Yorker |
Why Hide Talks with Sergey Kislyak?
The New Yorker In the first weeks of the Obama Administration, Michael McFaul, the President's top aide on Russia policy at the National Security Council, found himself in a contentious negotiation with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian Ambassador to the United States ... and more » |
The Hill (blog) |
How to make the Russia-Trump investigation bipartisan
The Hill (blog) I have come up with an alternative that, while not perfect, assures that there would be bipartisan input into an investigation of the Russian-Trump connection. Under this alternative, investigationscould be conducted by state attorney's general, in ... and more » |
U.S. News & World Report |
Former Intelligence Officer and Putin Critic Tapped for White House Role
U.S. News & World Report She has argued in favor of keeping sanctions in place on Russia in response to Moscow's aggression in Crimea and Ukraine and wrote about Russian President Vladimir Putin's desire for a "weakened U.S. presidency" in analyzing the Russian autocrat's ... Like Trump, Putin issued lots of executive orders early on. They mostly didn't work.Washington Post The Jeff Sessions fiasco deepens Donald Trump's Putin problemNew Statesman WH: Schumer Having Drinks with Putin Not News, But a Trump Volunteer Bumping into a Russian Ambassador Is?CNSNews.com Daily Mail -Hong Kong Standard (press release) -Washington Post all 3,629 news articles » |
Three Trump Associates Who Changed Their Story on Russiaby By WILSON ANDREWS and KAREN YOURISH
Their statements changed after news reports emerged of their conversations.
 Телеканал новостей 24 |
"Беспрецедентная пятилетка" Путина: Россия проложила "свою колею" в мировой политике
ТАСС МОСКВА, 4 марта. /ТАСС/. Пять лет назад Владимир Путин в третий раз был выбран на пост президента России. Минувшая пятилетка была для него не первой у государственного штурвала, но по масштабам процессов внутри страны и глобальных потрясений вокруг нее этот ... Какую цену платит Путин за крымскую авантюру?Телеканал новостей 24 О вероятных соперниках Путина на президентских выборах в РоссииinoСМИ.Ru Все похожие статьи: 41 » |
Fox News |
Trump slams Pelosi, Schumer as Russia meeting pics emerge
Fox News President Trump got to work exacting revenge Friday on top Democratic lawmakers for demanding his attorney general's resignation over past meetings with Russia's ambassador -- after pictures emerged of the same lawmakers in similar meetings, exposing ... Trump tweets: I also want probe of Pelosi-Russia tiesThe Hill Is Russia connection destined to be Trump administration's Watergate?The Guardian Donald Trump's Attempt To Shift Russia Focus To Chuck Schumer Is More Than A Little DesperateHuffington Post Vox -Los Angeles Times -CNBC all 158 news articles » |
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Originally published at - http://www.golos-ameriki.ru/a/china-and-global-financial-system/3748856.html
Washington Times |
Putin critic accuses Russia of second failed assassination attempt
Washington Times A Russian opposition figure who recently emerged from a coma after experiencing sudden organ failure for the second time in two years believes President Vladimir Putin's regime responsible for both near-death experience. Vladimir Kara-Murza, a ... Putin is manoeuvring the US into his diplomatic gamegulfnews.com Donald Trump's Russian connections revealed - despite desperately distancing himself fromPutin regimeMirror.co.uk What happened to Vladimir Putin's detente with Donald Trump?Telegraph.co.uk The New Yorker all 120 news articles » |
Battles Among Kurds in Sinjar Could Hinder Fight Against Islamic Stateby webdesk@voanews.com (Rikar Hussein, Sirwan Kajjo)
Fighting in Iraq's Sinjar region between two rival Kurdish groups in recent days highlights the risk of turf wars among multiple forces fighting the Islamic State group and could hinder allied progress against IS, analysts say. Fierce skirmishes broke out late Thursday when forces known as Rojava peshmerga moved away from Iraq's border with Syria and headed toward the Sinjar mountain. A local Yazidi militia affiliated with the Turkish-based Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, retaliated and several gun battles raged. At least two fighters were killed and a dozen others were wounded on both sides, according to military officials and local reports. “They attacked our bases with heavy weapons and we had no choice but to defend ourselves," Zardasht Shingali, a commander with the PKK-affiliated local Yazidi militia known as Sinjar Resistance Units, told VOA. The Rojava peshmerga was provocative, he said. Peshmerga take a stand The peshmerga said in a statement that their forces were blocked and fired at by the Kurdish militia during a repositioning process. “We want to affirm our stance that peshmerga of Kurdistan have no intention for war and we do not want any clashes to occur in that area,” the statement said. The peshmerga consider Sinjar a part of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region and see themselves as the sole security force of the area “Peshmerga forces are free to move whenever and wherever they want in Kurdistan's soil. We will not ask permission from anyone,” the statement said. Trapped on Sinjar mountain Sinjar became a pivotal point in the fight against IS after thousands of minority Yazidis living in the area were either massacred, tortured or forced to leave the area by IS. After IS took over in Sinjar in early August 2014, it murdered roughly 5,000 male residents and enslaved thousands of women and children. Those who managed to escape became trapped on Sinjar mountain, leading to an international response, including U.S. airstrikes. The United States enlisted local Kurdish factions to keep IS from returning. The Turkish-based PKK — seen by Turkish authorities as a terrorist entity inside Turkey — sent hundreds of its fighters as a support force for its Iraqi Kurdish brethren in Sinjar. Local fighters trained When IS fled Sinjar in late 2015, the PKK refused to withdraw and started training local militias. The town has since become a major center of dispute between the PKK and forces loyal to the Kurdistan regional government. “These PKK-affiliated fighters are destabilizing the Sinjar region. They do not belong here," said Mahma Khalil, the mayor of Sinjar. Rojava peshmerga forces consist of Syrian Kurdish fighters trained by the Iraqi Kurdish government. The forces were initially to be deployed to Syria; but, because of tensions with the People's Protection Units (YPG), another Kurdish group that fights IS in Syria, their deployment has been delayed. Aid groups have often complained that skirmishes involving rival Kurdish forces in northern Iraq have slowed the pace of reconstruction in the town which was 80 percent destroyed by IS. “The fighting has prevented NGOs from providing aid to the needy. There are now over 7,000 returning families who live in the town with no electricity, water, and other services,” Ahmed Burjus, deputy executive director of a global Yazidi organization known as Yazda, told VOA. Yazidi refugees worried about IS Yazda has teamed up with United Nations-sponsored aid agencies to deliver aid to people living in refugee camps near Sinjar mountain, Burjus said. Yazidi refugees fear returning home because of conflicts between Kurdish forces and fears that IS may exploit the infighting and return to power. “IS is still controlling a large swath of our land,” Burjus said. He added that Kurdish forces should unite and concentrate on the fight against IS. "The two sides would do better to rescue the 3,500 Yazidi women and children who are still under IS slavery," Burjus said. Infighting deflects from attack on IS The Kurdish infighting could also impede the ongoing war on IS which has seen a lot of progress recently in other parts of Iraq and Syria. “The two forces that are fighting each other now in Sinjar have been very effective in protecting the town and keeping IS at bay," said Radwan Badini, a politics professor at Salahaddin University in Irbil, the capital of Kurdistan region. He told VOA that any escalation of this intra-Kurdish fighting “would slow the process to liberate the remaining territory from IS.” VOA's Kurdish Service contributed to this report.
Read the whole story
· · ·
Chicago Tribune |
Trump, hitting back over Russia contacts, accuses Schumer of Putin ties
Chicago Tribune Trump did not say where the photo came from, but Schumer quickly pointed out that it was taken in 2003 when Putin ventured to New York to celebrate the opening of a Russian-owned Lukoil gas station on Manhattan's west side. Several news organizations ... From old photo to right-wing meme to Trump's twitter: The journey of one Schumer/PutinpicWashington Post Donuts with Putin: Trump calls for investigation of Schumer, PelosiNewsWest9.com Trump accuses Charles Schumer of Putin ties in fiery Twitter exchangeToronto Star New York Magazine -The Atlantic all 209 news articles » |
Worldcrunch |
Trump's Foreign Policy, Lots Of Bluster And Little Else
Worldcrunch And yet when President Donald Trump said virtually nothing of substance Tuesday night onnational security, conservatives by and large gave him a pass. Trump's highlighting of the widow of slain Navy SEAL William "Ryan" Owens obscured the lack of ... and more » |
Anadolu Agency |
US aware of Russian, Syrian aid convoy to Manbij
Anadolu Agency The U.S. is aware of a Syrian-Russian convoy that traveled to the northern city of Manbij, the Pentagon confirmed Friday. Spokesman Eric Pahon said Washington was informed by Russia of the vehicles' transit, through an established channel the countries ... US General: Russian and Syrian Planes Bombed US-Backed ForcesBreitbart News Isis defeat in northern Syria opens deadly new phase in civil war as rebel groups turn on each otherThe Independent Turkey, US on collision course over Kurdish role in battle for Syria's RaqqaReuters BBC News all 180 news articles » |
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New York Times |
Three Trump Associates Who Changed Their Story on Russia
New York Times Three people associated with Donald J. Trump's presidential campaign or administration amended earlier denials related to contacts they had with Sergey I. Kislyak, the Russianambassador to the United States. The F.B.I. is conducting an investigation ... and more » |
CNN |
Trump tweets Schumer, Putin photo, calls for investigation
CNN After news broke that Attorney General Jeff Sessions met the Russian ambassador twice last year but did not mention either meeting during his confirmation hearings when asked about contacts between Trump surrogates and Russians, Schumer wrote, "The ... Trump Tweets Old Photo Of Schumer And Putin, Calls For ProbeNBCNews.com President Trump just had his very own 'Is our children learning?' momentWashington Post Donald Trump's Attempt To Shift Russia Focus To Chuck Schumer Is More Than A Little DesperateHuffington Post CBS News -New York Post -Daily Beast all 209 news articles » |
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Some Democrats worry the appointment of a Jeff Sessions subordinate to oversee an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election won't be a clean enough break from the embattled attorney general....
President Donald Trump, his administration under siege for contacts with Russian officials, is calling for "an immediate investigation" into Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer's own ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin
Some of America's most critical allies in the fight against ISIS have made a deal to cede territory to Russian and Syrian government troops in northern Syria, the Pentagon confirmed Friday.
Los Angeles Times |
Trump fires back at Democrat over Russia ties, calls Schumer a 'total hypocrite'
Los Angeles Times His administration under fire over Russian contacts, President Trump shot back at Democrats on Friday by posting an old photo of Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) having a doughnut and coffee with Russian President Vladimir Putin, ... Trump tweets photo of Schumer with Putin: 'Hypocrite!'The Hill Trump mocks Schumer for eating doughnuts with PutinPolitico Drudge Powers Trump Counter-Attack on RussiaDaily Beast USA TODAY -BuzzFeed News -CNN -CNBC all 111 news articles » |
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New York Times |
Kushner and Flynn Met With Russian Envoy in December, White House Says
New York Times Michael T. Flynn, left, and Jared Kushner at the White House last month. Credit Stephen Crowley/The New York Times. WASHINGTON — Michael T. Flynn, then Donald J. Trump's incoming national security adviser, had a previously undisclosed meeting with ... Michael Flynn and Jared Kushner met with the Russian ambassador in December, White House revealsThe Week Magazine Two Other Trump Advisors Spoke To Russian Ambassador At GOP ConventionTPM White House reveals another Flynn meeting with the Russian ambassadorVox all 11 news articles » |
New York Times |
Sticking With Trump, Republicans Resist Call for Broader Russian Inquiry
New York Times “My concern is,” Senator Orrin G. Hatch of Utah said, “why are our Democratic senators so doggone rude” to the attorney general? Credit Gabriella Demczuk for The New York Times. WASHINGTON — Congressional Republicans, straining to defend the ... NYT: Obama Admin Kept Alleged Trump-Russia Intel at Low Classification for Easier SharingBreitbart News US House intel panel approves scope of probe into 'Russian activities in US elections'RT Obama Administration Rushed to Preserve Intelligence of Russian Election HackingNew York Times all 281 news articles » |
TIME |
The Mysterious Death and Life of Kim Jong Nam
TIME The cavernous terminal 2 departure hall at Kuala Lumpur International Airport was filled with its usual morning clutter of giddy vacationers and harried businesspeople. Mothers helped children to overpriced bowls of noodle soup, while backpackers ... Kim Jong Nam: Arrest warrant issued for North Korean airline workerCNN The Latest: Malaysia files warrant for N. Korean workerWashington Post One N. Korean Freed, Another Sought in Nerve-Agent KillingU.S. News & World Report Yahoo News -The Guardian -South China Morning Post -News24 all 174 news articles » |
CNN |
GOP senator: Medicaid expansion 'better be' preserved
CNN Washington (CNN) A Republican senator from West Virginia is insisting that Medicaid expansion be preserved in the GOP's Obamacare replacement proposal. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito's comments on CNN's "New Day" Friday morning highlight the ... Paul Ryan's Misguided Sense of FreedomNew York Times Conservative groups and lawmakers demanding 'full repeal' could derail Obamacare rollbackWashington Post GOP health plan could cost Minnesota billionsPost-Bulletin Columbus Dispatch -Madison.com -Kaiser Family Foundation all 258 news articles » |
Washington Post |
Indian athlete who got high-level help for US visa now accused of sexual assault
Washington Post CHANDIGARH, India — An Indian athlete who overcame a visa denial with the help of U.S. lawmakers and a local mayor to attend the World Snowshoe Championships in New York has been arrested on charges of the abuse of a minor. The parents of the ... J&K Sports Council distances itself from arrested athleteTimes of India Community shocked, saddened by allegations against snowshoerLake Placid News Indian sportsman held in US for sexually abusing minor girlBusiness Standard Redwood Times -BBC News -North Country Public Radio -Financial Express all 47 news articles » |
New York Times |
How Donald Trump Wins by Losing
New York Times It is impossible not to watch: Every day of the Trump administration seemingly brings another plot twist, a new initiative, outlandish attack or bizarre reversal. Not since wartime has news been so riveting — and with the president fighting so many ... |
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UPI.com |
Russian interference could be greatest threat to European democracy
UPI.com According to a report released by the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence onRussia's influence on the 2016 U.S. election, Putin's government "has sought to influenceelections across Europe." Hans-Georg Maassen, the head of Germany's ... and more » |
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