Russia has offered to relax its blockade of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, but only in exchange for sanctions relief from the West, amid fears that the war raging in Eastern Europe is driving a major international food crisis.
US News Republicans are pushing back on Biden’s plan to retire the B83 nuclear weapon. [Link] The Biden administration pauses plans to roll out a disinformation board. [Link] Pentagon Press Sec John Kirby is moving to the White House National Security Council. [Link] Russia Turkey blocks the start of talks for NATO membership for Finland and Sweden. [Link] Turkey says its opposition to membership is firm. [Link] NATO believes all members will quickly approve of the two Nordic states joining. [Link] Finland says it will not host nuclear weapons or NATO bases. [Link] Activists who support...
The Joe Biden administration has agreed to ease sanctions on Venezuela, offering to scale back penalties if the government commits to a meeting with opposition leaders. Despite the rare diplomatic outreach, one US official said the economic war launched by President Donald Trump would continue regardless.
Austria’s top diplomat said his country would remain outside the NATO military bloc and keep its long-standing policy of neutrality after both Finland and Sweden applied to join the alliance.
US News The VA purchased 10,000 iPhones and 85% were wasted sitting in storage. [Link] Russia Belarus says Western sanctions will block between $16-$18 billion in exports. [Link] Rand Paul is blocking the Senate from passing the $40 billion Ukrainian aid bill. Paul is seeking the creation of an inspector general post to oversee the aid. [Link] The Senate is expected to vote on the bill Wednesday. [Link] Several Senators visit Kiev. [Link] Zelensky says French President Macron urged him to cede Ukrainian territory to end the war. [Link] Finland plans to join NATO without delay. [Link]...
Speaking at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, President Joe Biden on Tuesday morning declared inflation to be his top “domestic priority” and insisted that inflation would not be a problem were it not for covid and the war in Ukraine. There was little room, however, for any sound economics in a speech that was little more than a campaign speech for the ruling Democratic Party in an election year in which the party looks to take a beating at the ballot box. In truth, it is the U.S. regime itself—and the regime's central bank—that is the real cause of today's galloping inflation....
US News Biden is willing to increase the military budget beyond $813 billion. [Link] Biden called on Congress to divide funding bills for Ukraine and Covid relief. [Link] The US extradites the third man for alleged involvement in the assassination of former Haitian President Jovenel Moise. Joseph Joel John was formerly a Haitian senator. [Link] Russia The Pentagon reviews hundreds of proposals from arms makers about what can be supplied to Ukraine. [Link] Democrats want to increase the Ukraine aid bill to $40 billion. [Link] Biden tells his top aids that leaks about intelligence support...
Venezuela has begun importing heavy crude from Iran as the White House maintains severe economic sanctions on both countries. While the Biden administration has sought to increase ties with Tehran and Caracas, recent development suggests that a deal with either government is unlikely. Documents from Venezuela’s state oil company show that 200,000 barrels of Iranian heavy crude oil arrived in mid-April. A second shipment - double in size - is currently being discharged at the Jose port. Iran is also delivering diluting agents to Venezuela, helping Caracas access its reserves. The...
There’s a lot of news flying around about the changes happening in global currency trading. From “Gas for Rubles” to “What the Hell is Going on With the Yen?” there are a lot of questions and very few answers as to what it all means and whose on which side of the divide. The Fed just hiked 50 basis points for the first time since 2000 and will be running off its balance sheet forcing the Treasury to stop issuing new debt at stupid rates. The European Union unveiled a sixth sanctions package against Russia which calls for a complete embargo of all Russian oil. Further to this the EU is now...
Brazil CIA Director William Burns told the Brazilian president not to cast doubts over the integrity of Brazil’s election. [Link] Russia Adam Kinzinger is struggling to enlist co-sponsors for his Russia war bill. [Link] Zelensky invites German leaders to Kiev in an effort to improve ties. [Link] Sweden says it received security assurances from the US for its NATO application period. [Link] The Russian Ambassador to the US said NATO is not taking the threat of nuclear war seriously enough. [Link] The New York Times reports the US is giving Ukraine intelligence to help kill Russian...
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