Politics

Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus has described the mass shooting at an Istanbul nightclub as a false flag event carried about by members of an intelligence organization.  “It appears the Reina attack is not just a terrorist organisation’s act, but there was also an intelligence organisation involved. It was an extremely planned and organised act,” Kurtulmus said during an interview with A Haber. Middleeasteye.net reports: Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack in which 39 people were killed, saying it was revenge for Turkish military involvement in Syria.

Donald Trump has announced plans to allow members of the alternative media to join the White House Press Corps in Washington. In a bold move, Trump’s Press Secretary, Sean Spicer, said that the traditional system needed to be shaken up and that it was time independent journalists and researchers had a chance to ask the President questions – a privilege normally reserved for the mainstream media. Fox News reports: Spicer told Fox News’ “Media Buzz” hours earlier that the potential change is in response to the “off the chart” demand to cover Trump.

The leader of the UK’s Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, has been accused of being a Russian spy after he called for a de-escalation of tensions between NATO and Russia.  Corbyn told the BBC on Thursday that he wishes to see a de-militarisation of the border between Russia and surrounding countries. Theintercept.com reports: Along with the U.S., the UK has been rapidly building up its military presence in the Baltic region, including states which border Russia, and is now about to send another 800 troops to Estonia, 500 of which will be permanently based.

Just over a year since Iran captured 10 US sailors - and detained them for around 15 hours - for entering Iranian waters "illegally," it appears America's nuclear-deal-partner wants to make sure its citizenry do not forget...

Huge billboard in Tehran commemorates the capture of the US sailors...

h/t @potkazar

20 years after first taking up the game of golf in 1997 - due to basketball injuries - President Obama has worked hard to get his handicap down to "an honest 13," comparable to former golfing presidents as they left office (Nixon 12, Clinton 10, JFK 14).

However, there is one thing Obama has them all beat with - during his eight years in the White House he played a total of 306 rounds of golf, more than any other president since Dwight Eisenhower.