American Exceptionalism in its purest embodiment: the U.S. is not subject to the same rules and laws as other nations.
Source: Would Turkey Be Justified in Kidnapping or Drone-Killing the Turkish Cleric in Pennsylvania?
Tag: John Kerry
Row at UN domain-name body WIPO: Probes shut down, payout from controversial chief
Two investigations into the conduct of WIPO chief Gurry were set in motion last year after the Registerexclusively published an internal report on misconduct by Mr Gurry – the Pooley Report. This accused Gurry of improperly collecting DNA samples from staff without their knowledge in order to find out who had made internal complaints against him. It also accused Gurry of illegal exports of computer equipment to North Korea, and highlighted Gurry’s apparent over-riding of internal procurement procedures to award an IT contract to a company run by an acquaintance of his. At the time, Mr Gurry stated that the allegations were “without foundation”.
An initial investigation into the matters raised in the Pooley Report was undertaken by KPMG following the report’s publication by the Register. This concluded that a further and more detailed investigation was required. Such an investigation was begun – but the Register understands that it was closed down last November.
WIPO staff members want to know why this has happened. They also want to know why Gurry has paid out a significant sum of money to an ex-WIPO staff member named in the Pooley report. The staff council letter to WIPO’s supervising council of national ambassadors to the UN says:
A person (whose identity we will presently protect by calling him Mr X) was a temporary employee in WIPO internal audit; was involved in the tainted investigation of the Brown Report [the original probe into Mr Gurry’s secret collection of staff DNA in 2012-13]; critically, [he] appears in the Pooley Report … Mr X left WIPO in 2013 …
Mr X received in March 2015 a payment from WIPO for services rendered for over CHF 12,000. This sum was sourced to the budget of the Director General [Mr Gurry].
Spookception: US spied on Israel spying on US-Iran nuke talks
Israel spied on the recent US-Iran nuclear talks, alleges America. And the US knows enough about it to say it publicly because the NSA is spying on Israel, along with everyone else.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Israel handed over confidential information from the negotiations with friendly members of the US Congress in a bid to derail any deal.
Israel denies the accusations, which highlight a widening gulf between Binyamin Netanyahu’s hawkish government in Israel and the Obama administration.