To be clear, the Russians are consistent through the Manafort investigation as well.

6 April 2018
By Amanda Macias

...Victor Vekselberg, (click here) founder and chairman of the Renova Group asset management company.Treasury said two of his associates in the company had been arrested by Russian prosecutors in a bribery investigation connected to a power generation project.

It isn't as if there are separate Russians involved with Manafort, they are the same Russians involved with Paul Manafort. These men were known to be involved with Manafort when he left the campaign because of these Russian connections. So, when Cohen was taking donations for Trump's inauguration; Victor Vekselberg was known to be involved with his former campaign chairman.

Viktor Vekselberg can be considered a friend of President Putin.

April 9, 2018

By Tara Patel, Albertina Torsoli and Alexander Sazonov

Viktor Vekselberg (left) (click here) speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the National Children's Sports and Health Centre in Sochi, Russia, Oct. 11, 2014.

Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg’s (click here) constellation of Swiss industrial companies got hammered by investors on Monday after the U.S. imposed sanctions on the oligarch and his Renova Group investment vehicle.

Renova owns stakes in three Switzerland-based equipment manufacturers, Sulzer AG, OC Oerlikon Corp. and Schmolz + Bickenbach AG, as well as a holding in United Co. Rusal, the giant aluminum producer owned by Oleg Deripaska, another billionaire hit by the measures. Shares in the companies tumbled even as Vekselberg, 60, took steps to lower his stake in Sulzer to below a majority in a bid to insulate the company.

The U.S. Treasury on Friday included Vekselberg and Renova on a list of oligarchs, companies and senior government officials subject to sanctions that it said were intended to punish the country for actions in Crimea, Ukraine and Syria, and for attempting to subvert Western democracies. After founding Renova in 1990 and accumulating interests in Russia’s oil, gas and aluminum industries, Vekselberg bought stakes in Oerlikon in 2006 and Sulzer the following year as part of an expansion outside his home country....

With the picture above:

St. Petersburg is very near Europe. There is a strong European influence in St. Petersburg.

January 20, 2018
By Bendon James

A man looks at jeweled egg 'Cock' created by Peter Carl Faberge at the Faberge Museum in St. Petersburg, on November 19, 2013. Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg opened a museum to display his glittering collection of Faberge eggs, once owned by the tsars, in the former imperial capital of Saint Petersburg. 

...After International Business Times (click here) reported Tuesday that Gawker CEO and founder Nick Denton was seeking outside investment cash, Denton announced a planned partnership with Vekselberg’s investment firm Columbus Nova in the New York Times. Gawker, it turns out, plans to sell a minority stake to Columbus Nova, pending approval from Gawker’s shareholders, to finance the company's ongoing legal fight with Terry Bollea, also known as Hulk Hogan.

The Times article didn’t mention the oligarch connection, but soon the Wall Street Journal pointed out that Columbus is the U.S. investment arm of Vekselberg's oil and metal conglomerate. That makes him the latest player in the ongoing saga that is Gawker Media, and perhaps the most important after Denton himself....

Sanctions reach far deeper than just and= individual's investments. Because of the large percentages these Russian men hold in companies, the markets are effected and the company losses asset value. When asset values drops the ability to have liquidity diminishes. Liquidity is what any Wall Street stock relies on for daily expenses and incomes.

Sulzer is exposed to the sanctions because Vekselberg’s shareholding is above 50 percent, according to Baader Helvea analyst Reto Amstalden, adding that this is not the case for Oerlikon and Schmolz. Vekselberg holds a 43 percent stake in Oerlikon and 25 percent in Schmolz, according to the companies.

“Oerlikon is neither considered a sanctioned nor a blocked party because Mr. Vekselberg’s ownership interest in Oerlikon is less than 50 percent,” the company said in a statement.

Sulzer stock fell 14 percent to 108.30 francs at 3:37 p.m. in Zurich, according to data on the Swiss exchange’s website. At this price, the transferred shares would be worth about 542 million francs ($567 million). Oerlikon shares fell 5.7 percent while Schmolz dropped 6 percent.

Michael Cohen should never have accepted such large sums of money from a Russian oligarch. It is not good practice. I take it those monies were never returned.

This is typical of Trump's need for money. Evidently, donors are never vetted because the money is the focus, not national security. All these people are known to be Putin's friends.

April 6, 2018
By Leslay Wroughton and Patricia Zengerle

Oleg Deripaska, Vladimir Bogdanov, Suleiman Kerimov, Krilli Shamalov, Viktor Vekselberg, (middle L-R) Mikjhail Fradkov, Sergi Fursenko, Alexei Dyumin, Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Konstantin Kosachev, (bottom L-R) Andrei Kostin, Alexei Miller, Nikolai Patrushev, Vladimir Ustinov, Viktor Zolotov.

Washington -The United States (click here) imposed major sanctions on Friday against 24 Russians, striking at allies of President Vladimir Putin in one of Washington’s most aggressive moves to punish Moscow for its alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. election and other “malign activity.”...

President Trump cannot deny knowledge of these activities. He and his family participated in them.

How much is lunch with members of Donald Trump's cabinet and House and Senate leadership worth? According to the Presidential Inaugural Committee, a cool $1 million....

... the "58th Presidential Inaugural Committee Underwriter Benefits." Those perks include a luncheon with "the ladies of the first families," an "intimate dinner" with Vice President-elect Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, and a "candlelight dinner" with "special appearances" by Trump and incoming First Lady Melania Trump as well as the Pences....

As to the sanctions, Western companies that  found themselves with Russian oligarches as share holders bought back as many shares as it could and reduced the explosure of the company by any office holder's dismissal. Most of the assets still remaining in The West were frozen and could not be accessed.

The report about Russian involvement in Ukraine attacks is validated, while former Ukraine Presidents seek to unify the country.

May 7, 2018

The Bellingcat investigative group (click here) says that it has identified nine Russian officers who allegedly were directly involved in the rocket attack on an eastern Ukrainian city that killed at least 30 civilians.

The group, which has previously released reports on the conflict in eastern Ukraine and the fatal downing of a Malaysian airliner over rebel-held territory, says it analyzed video and audio data that Ukraine is providing to the International Court of Justice.

Mariupol, a strategic port city on the Azov Sea, came under rocket fire on Jan. 24, 2015. Separatist rebels initially announced they were advancing on the city, then backtracked and blamed Ukrainian forces.

Russia persistently denies allegations of supporting separatist rebels in Ukraine. The Defense Ministry didn't respond to a request for comment on Monday's report.   

May 8, 2018

Presidents of Ukraine (click here) Leonid Kravchuk, Leonid Kuchma and Viktor Yuschenko have signed a joint appeal, in which they supported the initiative to appeal to the Ecumenical Patriarch regarding the provision of autocephaly to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

"After the discussions in our circle, we have signed a joint appeal," Kravchuk said at a joint press conference with Kuchma and Yuschenko in Kyiv on Tuesday.

"We believe that the granting of autocephaly by the Constantinople mother - the church will play an important role in strengthening Ukraine's independence, spiritual and national unity of our people, the development of religious freedom in Ukraine, will contribute to a fruitful interdenominational dialogue in our country," Kravchuk read the text of the appeal....

New York Army National Guard has concluded training Ukraine soldiers.

May 7, 2018
By Holly Williams

Yavoriv, Ukraine -- It was an ambush (click here) in a frozen pine forest. Russian-backed separatists surprised the group of Ukrainian soldiers. In the chaos, the Ukrainian forces took cover and fought back.

But they fired blanks. This time it was just an exercise, run by the U.S. military. But the Ukrainian soldiers taking part in the counter attack drill will be headed to the real front line very soon.

The U.S. is supporting its ally Ukraine in a war against Russian-backed militants. The rebels have seized swathes of territory in eastern Ukraine since 2014, in a conflict that's killed 10,000 people by some counts.

Soldiers from the New York Army National Guard directed the training exercise in the far-west of Ukraine....

We have been here before with Trump. He regards his politics more important than the truth.

If Trump decertifies and is lying to Congress. Iran is in compliance with the JCPOA. The Congress has options.

October 13, 2018
By Jonah Shepp

...Decertifying the deal, (click here) on the other hand, basically breaks its legs and tasks Congress with deciding whether to patch it up, or put it out of its misery.

The JCPOA doesn’t require the U.S. president to certify anything. The certification requirement comes from the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, a bit of legislative legerdemain drawn up by Senators Bob Corker and Ben Cardin in 2015 to give Congress some role in managing the deal, which the Obama administration had not negotiated as a treaty requiring congressional approval.

The INARA legislation requires that the president report to Congress every 90 days to certify that Iran is complying with the terms of the deal. It is indeed compliant, as even the Trump administration itself grudgingly acknowledges. However, INARA also calls for the president to certify that the suspension of sanctions on Iran is still appropriate and vital to U.S. national security interests. Trump and officials like U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley have lately been busy arguing that they are not....       

It is bad when women don't have a clear path to justice.

May 20, 2018
By Jane Mayer and Ronan Farrow

...Now Schneiderman (click here) is facing a reckoning of his own. As his prominence as a voice against sexual misconduct has risen, so, too, has the distress of four women with whom he has had romantic relationships or encounters. They accuse Schneiderman of having subjected them to nonconsensual physical violence. All have been reluctant to speak out, fearing reprisal. But two of the women, Michelle Manning Barish and Tanya Selvaratnam, have talked to The New Yorker on the record, because they feel that doing so could protect other women. They allege that he repeatedly hit them, often after drinking, frequently in bed and never with their consent. Manning Barish and Selvaratnam categorize the abuse he inflicted on them as “assault.” They did not report their allegations to the police at the time, but both say that they eventually sought medical attention after having been slapped hard across the ear and face, and also choked. Selvaratnam says that Schneiderman warned her he could have her followed and her phones tapped, and both say that he threatened to kill them if they broke up with him. (Schneiderman’s spokesperson said that he “never made any of these threats.”)...

How corrupt is this issue? It was nearly impossible to get a conviction against Bill Cosby and now there is an Israeli firm called Black Cube taking out contracts on the reputation of people that simply ask for justice? Like, what?

I thought Russia was an issue. It is far larger than that. Now, there are international elements targeting political leaders and Hollywood stars. Wow. I had no idea oppression and victimization of women was so extensive. There needs to be a Congressional investigation into "Black Cube."

May 6, 2018
By Ronan Farrow

The private-intelligence firm Black Cube compiled profiles on Colin Kahl (pictured) and Ben Rhodes, Obama Administration advisers who were proponents of the Iran nuclear deal.

...The e-mail appears (click here) to be part of an undercover campaign by an Israeli private-intelligence firm to discredit Obama officials who had been leading proponents of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. The campaign was first reported, on Saturday, by the British newspaper the Observer. However, sources familiar with the effort and pages of documents obtained by The New Yorker reveal that there is more to understand. Two of those sources told me on Sunday that the operation was carried out by Black Cube—a firm that was also employed by Harvey Weinstein and that offers its clients access to operatives from “Israel’s élite military and governmental intelligence units,” including the Mossad....

I am not sure what came first, Russia's election interference or Israel's?

This is coercion of the United States of America. Black Cube (click here) has offices in London and Tel Aviv. It calls it's so called product "Creative Intelligence," basically lying.

Black Cube likes to create believable lies and/or entrap people in compromising positions to cause a change in direction of their client's problem. But, Israel's elite? Really? 

November 7, 2018

..."More than a year ago, (click here) Mr. [Ehud] Barak was asked by Harvey Weinstein whether he is familiar with an Israeli security company, which is capable of helping him with some business issues he is facing," a spokesman for Ehud Barak told the Post. "Barak confirmed that the company that Weinstein has mentioned was probably Black Cube, and that it is indeed working from Israel.

"Barak does not know the company or its managers personally, but he did provide Weinstein with its contact information. Until this morning, Barak was not aware that the company was hired by Weinstein, neither did he know any of the purposes or activities it was hired for," the spokesman continued....

The Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak is a very good man. He actually favors the Iran Deal and is mostly a man of peace. I am more than surprised to realize the extent Black Cube was known as a 'go to' company when dirty work needs to be done. Ehud Barak has served Isreal well for many years, but, was not in the government during this time.

Where does this end? Does it end? 

Black Cube was founded by a former Mossad agent in 2010. President Obama won his elections in 2008. The so called purpose of Black Cube is to provide litigation support. I would think with the reputation of it's founder that litigation support would be based in truthful evidence that would be an added aspect to clarify liability and such, but, coercion? Really? How much of American and Israeli politics is tainted by the lies of these idiots that have no appreciation for the integrity of the truth or democracy?

This is outrageous. Women are not safe from former Mossad agents? This is hideous and ridiculous and the tail wagging the dog. That is enough. London needs to investigate the existence of this company as well. What is it's real purpose and it doesn't seem to be peace! When it entered the world of coercion of American staff members of President Obama it no longer was simply the dark side of a movie company, it entered into the power of manipulating the USA policies that direct it's military.

Young Americans have welcomed allies.

A cardboard cut-out of Donald Trump stands in front of a large banner that reads "Come And Take It," during a pro-gun rally on the sidelines of the National Rifle Association gathering, May 5, 2018

U.S. President Donald Trump (click here) sparked anger in France and Britain by suggesting looser gun laws could have helped prevent deadly attacks in Paris in 2015, and linking a wave of knife crime in London to a handgun ban.

In a speech to the National Rifle Association (NRA) on Friday, Trump mimicked the shooting of victims in the Paris rampage, and said if civilians had been armed "it would have been a whole different story."

The French government issued its strongest criticism of Trump since he took office, at a time when President Emmanuel Macron has been reinforcing bilateral ties following a state visit.

"France expresses its firm disapproval of President Trump's comments about the Paris attacks on Nov. 13, 2015 and demands that the memory of the victims be respected," the foreign office said in a statement....

While on the subject of Hollywood.

November 5, 2018

Robin Williams had a disease that mimics Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and schizophrenia (click here)

His death was a shock to many. He became a focus on suicide rather than the disease that plagued him. This book by David Itzkoff is a welcome addition to the awareness of mental health.

6 May 2018

A new book (click here) has claimed that Robin Williams struggled to remember his lines as he unknowingly suffered from a devastating brain disorder.

Dave Itzkoff's new biography, Robin, seeks to answer the lingering puzzle over Williams' chaotic life and sudden death.

It reveals his final days from the eyes of some of his closest family and friends and admirers in Hollywood.

According to the book, while the Oscar-winning actor was filming Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, the third movie in the franchise, he was unable to remember his lines. 

'He was sobbing in my arms at the end of every day. It was horrible. Horrible,' makeup artist Cheri Minns said, according to the New York Post.

'I said to his people, "I'm a makeup artist. I don't have the capacity to deal with what's happening to him."'...

Tom Cruise may have met his match.

May 8, 2018
By Shaherra Anwar

Karachi - Famous (click here) Pakistani actor Imran Abbas who is known for his roles in TV dramas such as Alvida, Mera Naam Yusuf Hai amongst many others has just signed a British feature film.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Abbas revealed he will be playing a spy in the film who is from a Syrian-Morrocan descent. “I have many get-ups in the film and I will be seen in about six to seven disguises as I play the lead protagonist,” shared the actor.

He added that filming will commence in July with longer shooting spells in October this year. Shot at multiple locations including the UK, Europe and Turkey, the film is titled The Trojan Horse.

When asked about the makers of the film and who he will be working with, Abbas stated that he cannot reveal much details but the cast and crew is from Hollywood. He mentioned that since international stars are very committed to the kind of roles they sign for, he cannot – for now – confirm who his co-stars will be....

In the case of diplomatic immunity, suing the USA directly may prove a better choice.

Unfortunately, Mr. Shahzad Akbar is correct; there is a lot going on with Pakistan's court right now. There are issues such as enforcing law regarding the interruption of television signals (click here), the listing of people on the "Exit Control List (click here) and there may soon be an argument between the two major political parties regarding their rally venues (click here).

The point is Pakistan has always had issues with stability among it's political realms that lead to problems post election with the ISI while it tries to maintain some degree of domestic stability. If the Pakistan judiciary loses credibility on issues that are important, there could be ground lost with the people. This case will becomes a political football. The USA should find a way to end this case with an agreement with the man's family. The USA performs such agreements in war zones all the time. This case is just that important.

May 8, 2018
By Rizwan Shehzad

Islamabad: The man who's son was killed (click here) as a US diplomat hit a motorcyclist in the capital has informed the Islamabad High Court that absolute immunity of diplomats may defeat citizens’ trust in the justice system.

Shahzad Akbar, the counsel for Muhammad Idrees —father of the deceased Ateeq Mir who was killed by the defence and air attaché at the US Embassy Colonel Joseph Emmanuel — argued on Monday before Justice Aamer Farooq that “absolute immunity of diplomats may defeat citizens’ trust in the justice system.”

In his arguments, the counsel said that if rights of the citizens are not upheld and an innocent person is deprived of his/her life, a chaotic situation arises where the population has no trust in the criminal justice system of that country... 

"Morning Papers"

The Rooster

"Okaydoke"

Russian President Vladimir Putin is stating there will be consequences if the USA pulls out of the Iran Deal. He met with President Macron of France and the two see the deal succeeding, but, they differ in that Macron believes the Iran Deal could be improved. President Putin disagrees.

April 30, 2018
By Laurence Benhamou

...The Kremlin (click here) said Putin and Macron were both calling for "strict observance" of the hard-fought 2015 agreement after a phone call between the two leaders.

Macron's office however said that while the pair agreed on the need to "preserve the gains from the agreement", the French leader was also pushing for international talks on a potential wider deal....

"The president expressed his desire for discussions on controlling (Iran's) nuclear activity after 2025, in close cooperation with Russia, other permanent members of the UN Security Council, European and regional powers," the French statement said....

I am waiting for Chancellor Angela Merkel to show up. She is a physicist by education. She entered politics after the Berlin Wall fell. It is obvious why Trump is waiting until today to announce the withdrawal of the USA from the Iran Deal. He had to know what Putin said. I didn't believe for a minute Chancellor Merkel showed up in the USA just about tariffs. She didn't stay longer than a day because of Trump's womanizing reputation. Guaranteed. How would it look?

May 7, 2018
By Max de Haldevang

...Michael McFaul, (click here) former US ambassador to Russia and author of the new memoir From Cold War to Hot Peace, has one more reason to keep the deal: Abandoning it would play right into Russian president Vladimir Putin’s narrative that the US is untrustworthy.

McFaul worked on the Iran deal under Barack Obama. In a phone interview with Quartz, he recalled the lengthy talks held between the Obama administration and the P5+1 (the five permanent UN security council members plus Germany, which allied to negotiate the deal with Iran) to create the deal. Based on the Trump administration’s current lack of “diplomatic enthusiasm” for renegotiation, McFaul predicts the US will walk away from its historic agreement....

So, Puitin let Trump know. What Trump didn't expect is that President Putin would let him know in newspapers around the world. The USA, under Trump, is becoming a rogue nation.

Then there is bribery from BeBe to end the deal. The square is about the size of a small house. I doubt that will play well internationally for Israel.

May 8, 2018
By Hagay Hacohen

Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat (click here) named the square near the new US embassy in Jerusalem the "United States Square in honor of President Donald Trump."...

Below is a chat about Iran's nuclear deal in Israel. The current Israeli people want more than a "good deal," so the discussion is surrounding the inept politics of the USA vs. the Truth. An interesting approach. The war mentioned wasn't necessarily war with the USA, so much as Israel.

Israeli politics really needs to change in regard to Iran. Israel needs to develop a dialogue of non-proliferation and willingness for regional peace. I know that is a profound challenge to Prime Minister Netanyahu, but, he really needs to try or retire. Other than spineless Trump and his son-in-law, there isn't a country in the region that will allow an escalation of tensions with Iran to the point of war. Saudi Arabia already has a problem with Yemen. I mean, Hello Bebe.

What I always admired about Prime Minister Sharon is his long view of peace that is not achieved by confrontation and war. He sought to grow acceptance of Israel in the region and not cause greater concern. I always thought that was wise. The rant of the current Israeli government is not a good idea, yet alone good policy.

"Good Night, Moon"

Last quarter moon

22.2 days old

49.5% lit

From the "Robert Furguson Observatory" (click here)

Moon - The moon is near Saturn around 4:30 am on 5/4. The moon is near Mars around 2 am on 5/6. Last Quarter is on the evening of 5/7. New Moon is on the morning of 5/15. A thin 4.0% crescent moon is in the west after sunset on 5/16. The crescent moon is near Venus around 9 pm on 5/17. The moon will occult the star 20 Cancri on the night of 5/19 (see below). The first quarter moon is very near the bright blue star Regulus in Leo around 9 pm on 5/21 (use binoculars to appreciate the color). The moon will occult the star 7 Virginis on the evening of 5/23 (see below). The moon is near Jupiter around midnight on the night of 5/26. The "Flower" full moon is on the morning of 5/29. The moon is very near Saturn around midnight on evening of 5/31. [Note: Early in the month there are two bright star reappearance occultations. These are more challenging to observe....