Along with other sweeping changes during his first days in office, President Biden on Thursday quickly removed reputed allies of former President Donald Trump from the Voice of America (VOA) news outlet and its parent agency, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM). … [Read more...] about Biden quickly purges Trump allies from Voice of America, parent agency: reports
Dentsu network agencies
Biden administration fires the heads of three US-funded international broadcasters – including Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcasting Networks – for ‘turning stations into pro-Trump propaganda machines’
The two officials said the acting CEO of USAGM, Kelu Chao, had fired Middle East Broadcasting Network director Victoria Coates, Radio Free Asia chief Stephen Yates and Radio Free Europe head Ted Lipien in a swift series of moves late Friday. It was not immediately clear if any of those removed would try to contest their dismissals. … [Read more...] about Biden administration fires the heads of three US-funded international broadcasters – including Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcasting Networks – for ‘turning stations into pro-Trump propaganda machines’
Drug deals, dirty money and links to Beijing: Australian police bring down Asia’s ‘Mr Big’
In December 2019, the AFP intercepted yet another drug shipment from Bangkok: 1.6 tonnes of methamphetamine and 37kg of heroin worth an estimated $1.2b. Police also arrested a couple running a shipping and freight logistics business, who are accused of helping smuggle the contraband past authorities. … [Read more...] about Drug deals, dirty money and links to Beijing: Australian police bring down Asia’s ‘Mr Big’
Iran Can’t Get Its Story Straight on Assassination of Top Nuclear Scientist
The nuclear archives Israel exfiltrated in 2018 show that Fakhrizadeh orchestrated the decentralization of the nuclear weapons program post-2003. Since 2011, the program has fallen under the Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (Sazman-e pazhouhesh-haye novin-e defa’i), also known as SPND, which in theory falls under the defense ministry. Interestingly, Defense Ministry Amir Hatami has said that Fakhrizadeh was a deputy defense minister and chief of the Defensive Research and Innovation Organization (Sazman-e pazouhesh va no’avari-e defa’i), also SPND in its Persian acronym. That appears to be the same entity flagged by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and in the nuclear archives. Iranian officials, however, have claimed that Fakhrizadeh recently worked on a COVID-19 vaccine. Hatami later announced that SPND’s budget would double after the soldier-scientist’s death. … [Read more...] about Iran Can’t Get Its Story Straight on Assassination of Top Nuclear Scientist
People who have received first Covid-19 jab must stay at home for THREE WEEKS, says Jonathan Van-Tam as urges them to keep following lockdown rules
Among 30 new vaccine centres opening tomorrow will be the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley, where the BBC drama Peaky Blinders was filmed. Other new sites include a former Ikea superstore in Stratford, East London; Winter Gardens Blackpool; Bath Racecourse and Debenhams in Folkestone, Kent. … [Read more...] about People who have received first Covid-19 jab must stay at home for THREE WEEKS, says Jonathan Van-Tam as urges them to keep following lockdown rules
Joe Biden halts border wall building after Trump’s final surge
The agency referred questions to the White House, which had no immediate comment. Trump said the border wall would be "virtually impenetrable" and paid for by Mexico, which never happened. While the wall is much more formidable than the barriers it replaced, it isn''t uncommon for smugglers to guide people over or through it. … [Read more...] about Joe Biden halts border wall building after Trump’s final surge
