KTFA:

Don961:  An American court accuses a translator in Iraq of spying for the Lebanese Hezbollah

She admitted to leaking information that included the names of informants working for the US military

Thursday - 10 Rajab 1441 AH - 05 March 2020 AD

Archives of the US Department of Justice Headquarters (AP)

Washington: «Middle East Online

A federal court in Washington on Wednesday accused a US military translator in Iraq of passing information that includes the names of informants working for the American army to people linked to the Lebanese Hezbollah.

The indictment stated that Maryam Taha Thompson, 61, contracted to work as a translator with the American Special Forces in Arbil, Iraq in mid-December, and her security statement was "extremely confidential."

The decision added that, one day after American fighters launched on December 29, raids on centers of an Iraqi militia allied to Iran, Maryam began entering computer files on the US military that contained identities of US military sources in addition to the information they provided.

After Maryam's arrest on February 27, she confessed to investigators that she had leaked to a Lebanese citizen who was “emotionally interested in him” information related to informants, as well as a warning about a US intelligence target linked to Hezbollah, according to the indictment.

The US Justice Department said in a statement that the Lebanese citizen is linked to a Lebanese government official and has "clear links to Hezbollah."

The statement added, Maryam Taha Thompson "has browsed dozens of files related to human sources of intelligence, including real names, personal identity data, information about clients' backgrounds and pictures of them, as well as secret correspondence detailing information provided by clients to the United States government."   link

Dan:  I am pretty sure it's a Guinness world record for the longest game of kick the can down the road ever. The positive take away is the can is almost disintegrated. TRUMP 2020  RI 2020? Hopefully.

All governments around the world have a budget & corona virus. Iraq get your head out of your glutious maximums.   THIS IS TAKING TOOOOO LOOOOOONG

GodLover:  Just my random thoughts/opinions...…….

Family members had asked me in the past why I believe Iraq's currency will have value again. I had stated that in 2003 the currency value was above $3...….. then war & sanctions happened which devalued their currency. Iraq has vast riches & it has always made sense that some day their currency will have value again imo. I still believe this. 

WS the other day had stated the CBI is & has been ready for quite some time imo. He also seemed to be implying a "seated government" is not needed, because they have always had a functioning caretaker government...imo. Although I value WS & his intel & by no means am I doubting him...… I still find it impossible not to question why the MR has yet to release. 

As far as the Iranian threat is concerned.....one would think that releasing the MR would cut off the Iranian thugs funding through the auctions & also give Iraq the monetary resources to further eliminate Iranian influence etc imo. 

I admit I was hopeful Allawi & his cabinet were voted & seated & was disappointed when that did not happen.....to me it would have eliminated a variable in this Iraqi puzzle that I cannot shake imo. After all, if the CBI has been ready & a new GOI is not needed....what piece is missing? This is one of many reasons I still think a new PM & government is needed prior to the MR release.... imo. Time will tell imo.

Walkingstick:  I, was not... I have stated numerous times over the years, exactly.. what requirements were needed to successfully launch the RD... My response was to some who were under the assumption no form of government was in place.. I was alluding to the fact, although a caretaker government... It is, in fact.. a seated and government...  An executive branch, PM and Cabinet...Although, unable to propose bills to parliament... They can and continue to issue directives ..... Regards....

Youngsc:  You have to remember that MTA was not there to be pm to begin with he was only there as bait. We were hoping for something that was never going to happen in the first place. Frank had stated over a dozen times there wasnt going to be any vote of any kind. It was up to us students to pay attention to what he says. At this point we already know the GOI will never get anything done because of influence Iran has on them so the CBI will do what they have to do. Example, the article that came out yesterday and citizens getting their cards quoted in FF's report. Frank also had already stated in his opinion that there is a set date to stop the auctions and whether or not a new pm is there makes no difference at this point. That is why Frank and walkingstick had already stated this numerous times to us students not to focus on the GOI only the CBI right now. 

Samson:  To prevent corona ... the central bank calls for avoiding dealing in cash

5th March, 2020

The Central Bank of Iraq, Thursday, called on citizens to deal with electronic payment tools.

The bank said in a statement received by / Mawazine News / a copy of it, that it "invites merchants and citizens to deal with electronic payment tools (cards, points of sale, mobile phone wallets) and to avoid dealing with cash in order to preserve public health."

He added, "This comes to coincide with what our dear country is going through, and as a result of the Central Bank of Iraq following up on international reports that warn of the ability of banknotes to be a carrier medium for viruses."   LINK

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Samson:  The central bank issues a decision to change its financial dealings to avoid Corona

05/3/2020 17:48:42

The Central Bank issued a decision today, Thursday, to change its financial dealings to avoid the spread of the Corona virus through securities.

The bank said in a statement, received by {Al Furat News} a copy of it, that it was "in line with what our dear country is going through, and as a result of the Central Bank of Iraq’s follow-up to international reports that warn of the ability of banknotes to be a carrier medium for viruses."

He added: "The bank invites merchants and citizens to deal with electronic payment tools (cards, points of sale, mobile wallets) and avoid dealing with cash in order to preserve public health."   LINK

MilitiaMan:  This was my thinking the other day.. ~ MM

"One thing comes to mind is the process was said to be highly complex. Those working on the total aspect of the project as a whole is a lot of work and having to be done privately with few people in the scheme of it all. Delta gave us his view of the video he translated and it spoke of the matters at large. The key points were the infrastructure is in place and there is an agreement that the process will be completed. Therefore, why it is not done?

That may be because they are not done, yet. The article about the recent large amount of bank accounts may have something to do with it. The more chunky money they started bringing in from the "Sterilization of Currency" scare may have been an additional tool that was unexpected and opportunity reared up and may have been cleverly used to do such thing, by reducing the note count.

The CBI has not adjusted the money supply since November 2019.. imo The more they get off the street the cheaper it may be in the end for them.. May support value to go along with it.

Therefore, again I will say this, " The longer it takes, the more money we make." imo. So, that is my take on what may be the case. ~ (Post #220 March 3rd, 2020." ~ MM"

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MilitiaMan:  So it now seems they have focus on getting the citizens to use digital even more!! Going cashless  is a focus and for more than one reason, health and wellness the citizens and then for the CBI, getting more notes off the streets!! We may even possibly start to see the next play? The newer polymer's may start to show up in our view, too? We shall see, but, be sure, this is an opportunity that is not going to waist.. imo ~ MM

Samson:  Including Iraq .. America is pumping money to 25 countries to confront Corona

4th March, 2020

The US embassy in Baghdad announced on Wednesday that Iraq and 25 other countries will receive $ 37 million in funding from the Emergency Reserve Fund for Infectious Diseases to help the affected countries of Corona

"This money is the first payment of $ 100 million pledged by the US government to help high-priority countries tackle the Corona virus," the embassy said in a statement to Shafak News

She noted that "the US government will provide these funds to the World Health Organization or programs led by implementing partners of the United States Agency for International Development

In addition to Iraq, the grant will include Afghanistan, Angola, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Africa, Tajikistan, the Philippines, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Kyrgyzstan, Lao, Mongolia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Thailand and Vietnam, according to the statement

On Wednesday, Iraq recorded three new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number to 35 since the first case was recorded on February 24, distributed in the governorates of Baghdad, Sulaymaniyah, Kirkuk, Najaf, Wasit, Diyala, Maysan, Karbala and Babel   LINK

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Samson:  Trump offers Iran help in tackling Corona's spread

09:52 - 05/03/2020

US President Donald Trump has announced that the United States is ready to help Iran cope with the spread of the "corona" virus, if Tehran accepts this.

Trump said in a statement to "Fox News": "We are doing a great job, we have a wonderful group (to fight "Corona" virus), (Vice President) Michael Pence is doing his job best, I appointed him to the head of this group, and we have the best doctors in the world.”

Trump added that the United States "is helping a number of other countries to confront the Corona virus, and we will help Iran if it wants to," stressing that it has been severely affected.

Earlier, the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, stated that Washington offered the Iranian authorities assistance to counter the spread of the Corona virus, and Washington made this offer through the Swiss embassy in Tehran.

In turn, the Iranian Foreign Ministry commented on this offer, calling it "funny", and said that this offer is a "political game." It is worth noting that the number of corona virus deaths in Iran reached 92, while about 3000 cases were recorded.   LINK

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Samson:  "No less dangerous than Corona" ... Desert locust swarms invade Iran

5th March, 2020
At a time when Iran is suffering from a major outbreak of the Corona virus, large swarms of desert locusts have invaded the south of the country, according to the Iranian Radio Verda website.

Reza Mir, a spokesperson for the Iranian Plant Protection Organization, said that locust swarms are coming from East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, and could only be dealt with using pesticides. He pointed out that the density of locusts is very high. After spraying pesticides, a layer of dead locusts are formed on the ground, which is between 10 and 15 centimeters thick. Mir added that biological methods of dealing with swarms are ineffective due to the size of swarms and lack of time. "Allowing pests to reproduce is much more harmful than the side effects of using chemical pesticides," he added.

Keykhosrow Changalvai, director of the Agricultural Jihad Organization in Khuzestan Province, for his part, confirmed that locust swarms this year are seven times larger than last year, adding that the length of the swarm was not more than one kilometer in the past, but this year ranges between 7-10 km meter. He pointed out that the danger of these swarms is no less than the risk of the Corona virus, as it eats everything in its path.

It is noteworthy that the Corona virus hit all Iranian cities, and resulted in the injury of 2922 people, as the number of deaths reached 92 cases, according to statements by the Iranian authorities, while Iranian media reports confirm that the number of infections in thousands, while the number of deaths reaches 456.  LINK

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Samson:  Corona hits world exports .. $ 47 billion, loss in 30 days

05/3/2020 15:54:32

The United Nations Trade Council estimated that the lack of industrial components and parts from China due to the outbreak of the Corona virus had a "multiplier effect" that caused exports of other countries around the world to drop by $ 47 billion last month.

The United Nations Trade and Development Council indicated that the statistics of Chinese companies indicate an annual decline of 2 percent in China's production, which led to a contraction in the supply of auto, chemical, communications and other industries in a number of countries, which in turn reduced their export capabilities.

The council added, on Wednesday, that preliminary statistics show that industries outside China that rely on Chinese components, parts and other inputs are unable to export products as they used to before the outbreak of the virus.

The outbreak began late last year in the Chinese city of Wuhan, shutting down factories and isolating workers in their homes. The decline in Chinese output has had "a multiplier effect on the global economy, amounting to a nearly $50 billion decline in exports around the world," said Pamela Cook-Hamilton, director of the International Trade and Commodities Division of the United Nations Trade and Development Board.

European Union exports alone account for about a third of that, or about $ 15.6 billion. American exports came in second place with about 5.8 billion dollars, and in third place came Japan with about 5.2 billion dollars.   LINK