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Democrats only have themselves to blame for the rise of Ron DeSantis
The mercurial rise of Ron DeSantis is the Democrats' fault. I say this with gratitude, not regret. Absent some catastrophe, DeSantis is going to win a second term as governor of Florida this coming November and, after that, he has a fair shot of being president. This is partly because he has done an excellent job for his state. It's also because he was unusually lucky in his enemies. Unable to help themselves, the Democrats have aided him at every stage. They still are. 2018 was a good year for the Democratic Party, but not so good a year that the quality of its candidates didn't matter. Had the party nominated a credible centrist in Florida's toss-up gubernatorial race — Gwen Graham, for example — that candidate would not only have won the governor's mansion for the Democrats for the first time in two decades, she'd have ended DeSantis' career. Comment: This, of course, is speculation.
https://www.sott.net/article/466301-Democrats-only-have-themselves-to-blame-for-the-rise-of-Ron-DeSantis
Democrats only have themselves to blame for the rise of Ron DeSantis
The mercurial rise of Ron DeSantis is the Democrats' fault. I say this with gratitude, not regret. Absent some catastrophe, DeSantis is going to win a second term as governor of Florida this coming November and, after that, he has a fair shot of being president. This is partly because he has done an excellent job for his state. It's also because he was unusually lucky in his enemies. Unable to help themselves, the Democrats have aided him at every stage. They still are. 2018 was a good year for the Democratic Party, but not so good a year that the quality of its candidates didn't matter. Had the party nominated a credible centrist in Florida's toss-up gubernatorial race — Gwen Graham, for example — that candidate would not only have won the governor's mansion for the Democrats for the first time in two decades, she'd have ended DeSantis' career. Comment: This, of course, is speculation.
https://www.sott.net/article/466301-Democrats-only-have-themselves-to-blame-for-the-rise-of-Ron-DeSantis
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Russian investigative committee probe Mariupol hospital capture
The Russian Investigative Committee opened Saturday a criminal case against Ukrainian militants and mercenaries over their holding of hostages in a maternity hospital in Mariupol. "A criminal case has been initiated on the grounds of a crime under... part 2 of article 206 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation," which is the premeditated capture of two or more hostages committed by a group of people with the use of violence, the committee explained in a statement. According to the committee, Unidentified Ukrainian militants fired Friday at the building of the Mariupol maternity hospital. After opening fire, the militants seized the building, deployed heavy weaponry, and captured at least 100 civilians, including pregnant women and about 40 children. They proceeded to use them as hostages and human shields.
https://www.sott.net/article/466302-Russian-investigative-committee-probe-Mariupol-hospital-capture
Russian investigative committee probe Mariupol hospital capture
The Russian Investigative Committee opened Saturday a criminal case against Ukrainian militants and mercenaries over their holding of hostages in a maternity hospital in Mariupol. "A criminal case has been initiated on the grounds of a crime under... part 2 of article 206 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation," which is the premeditated capture of two or more hostages committed by a group of people with the use of violence, the committee explained in a statement. According to the committee, Unidentified Ukrainian militants fired Friday at the building of the Mariupol maternity hospital. After opening fire, the militants seized the building, deployed heavy weaponry, and captured at least 100 civilians, including pregnant women and about 40 children. They proceeded to use them as hostages and human shields.
https://www.sott.net/article/466302-Russian-investigative-committee-probe-Mariupol-hospital-capture
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Orban declares victory in Hungarian election
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban has declared himself the winner of Sunday's elections in Hungary as his conservative Fidesz-KDNP party holds on to a comfortable lead amid the vote-counting. As of 9pm local time, the party is ahead with 59.99% of the votes, with 23.03% of party-list ballots counted. Despite the six leading opposition parties uniting to try to knock out Orban's government under its banner, United for Hungary has only 28.89% of the vote thus far, with right-wing nationalist party Our Home (Mi Hazánk) trailing in third at 6.58%. Pollsters Medián had forecast a 49% win for Fidesz to 41% for United for Hungary, with Our Home expected to tie with joke party Hungarian Two-Tailed Dog Party (MKKP) for third place, with 4.5% of the vote. Budapest Business Journal has explained Fidesz's lead may shrink as many urban districts around the capital have not yet reported their results, while all votes from the rural areas, home to Orban's most enthusiastic supporters, are...
https://www.sott.net/article/466303-Orban-declares-victory-in-Hungarian-election
Orban declares victory in Hungarian election
Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban has declared himself the winner of Sunday's elections in Hungary as his conservative Fidesz-KDNP party holds on to a comfortable lead amid the vote-counting. As of 9pm local time, the party is ahead with 59.99% of the votes, with 23.03% of party-list ballots counted. Despite the six leading opposition parties uniting to try to knock out Orban's government under its banner, United for Hungary has only 28.89% of the vote thus far, with right-wing nationalist party Our Home (Mi Hazánk) trailing in third at 6.58%. Pollsters Medián had forecast a 49% win for Fidesz to 41% for United for Hungary, with Our Home expected to tie with joke party Hungarian Two-Tailed Dog Party (MKKP) for third place, with 4.5% of the vote. Budapest Business Journal has explained Fidesz's lead may shrink as many urban districts around the capital have not yet reported their results, while all votes from the rural areas, home to Orban's most enthusiastic supporters, are...
https://www.sott.net/article/466303-Orban-declares-victory-in-Hungarian-election
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Goldman Sachs warns the dollar is at risk of losing its dominance, and could end up a lesser player like the UK pound
Goldman Sachs has warned the US dollar faces risks that could erode its global dominance, saying it's dealing with some of the same challenges that the British pound faced in the early 1900s. The move by the US and its allies to freeze Russia's central bank out of much of its foreign currency reserves has raised concerns that countries could start moving away from using the dollar, due to worries about the power the currency grants the US. Goldman's research note, released Thursday, is a sign major investors are taking the risks to the dollar seriously. The bank's analysts, including economist Cristina Tessari, said the dollar faces a number of challenges similar to those faced by the British pound before it declined. The pound was once the world's reserve currency, but was supplanted by the dollar in the middle of the 20th century.
https://www.sott.net/article/466304-Goldman-Sachs-warns-the-dollar-is-at-risk-of-losing-its-dominance-and-could-end-up-a-lesser-player-like-the-UK-pound
Goldman Sachs warns the dollar is at risk of losing its dominance, and could end up a lesser player like the UK pound
Goldman Sachs has warned the US dollar faces risks that could erode its global dominance, saying it's dealing with some of the same challenges that the British pound faced in the early 1900s. The move by the US and its allies to freeze Russia's central bank out of much of its foreign currency reserves has raised concerns that countries could start moving away from using the dollar, due to worries about the power the currency grants the US. Goldman's research note, released Thursday, is a sign major investors are taking the risks to the dollar seriously. The bank's analysts, including economist Cristina Tessari, said the dollar faces a number of challenges similar to those faced by the British pound before it declined. The pound was once the world's reserve currency, but was supplanted by the dollar in the middle of the 20th century.
https://www.sott.net/article/466304-Goldman-Sachs-warns-the-dollar-is-at-risk-of-losing-its-dominance-and-could-end-up-a-lesser-player-like-the-UK-pound
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WHO demands abortion at any time for any reason throughout the world
It's often said that no right is absolute. But according to the World Health Organization (WHO), that maxim doesn't apply to abortion. Its newly published "Abortion Care Guideline" is the most radically pro-abortion official document ever published (pdf). Indeed, in recommending abortion public policies for all the world's nations to adopt, the WHO not only assumes that abortion is a fundamental human right but also demands that access to terminations be guaranteed universally without any restrictions whatsoever. Reflecting the WHO's culturally imperialistic intent, the guideline oozes with the lexicon of Western political progressivism. It begins by stating: "In this guideline ... we also recognize that cisgender women, transgender men, nonbinary, gender-fluid and intersex individuals with a female reproductive system and capable of becoming pregnant may require abortion care." To say the least, most people in the world don't talk like that. Moreover, embracing the ideology of the...
https://www.sott.net/article/466305-WHO-demands-abortion-at-any-time-for-any-reason-throughout-the-world
WHO demands abortion at any time for any reason throughout the world
It's often said that no right is absolute. But according to the World Health Organization (WHO), that maxim doesn't apply to abortion. Its newly published "Abortion Care Guideline" is the most radically pro-abortion official document ever published (pdf). Indeed, in recommending abortion public policies for all the world's nations to adopt, the WHO not only assumes that abortion is a fundamental human right but also demands that access to terminations be guaranteed universally without any restrictions whatsoever. Reflecting the WHO's culturally imperialistic intent, the guideline oozes with the lexicon of Western political progressivism. It begins by stating: "In this guideline ... we also recognize that cisgender women, transgender men, nonbinary, gender-fluid and intersex individuals with a female reproductive system and capable of becoming pregnant may require abortion care." To say the least, most people in the world don't talk like that. Moreover, embracing the ideology of the...
https://www.sott.net/article/466305-WHO-demands-abortion-at-any-time-for-any-reason-throughout-the-world
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Pointless protraction, wanton wrongdoing
Preamble. With Russia now moving towards the second phase of its Special Operation, questions are being asked by both Moscow and knowing military minds as to why Kiev is acting as it is. Recent discoveries however will be pressing far harder for answers, both from the Ukrainian leadership (apparently still in Kiev) as well as the western nations that are backing it to the hilt. This article will examine why the situation developed as it did and why the Ukrainians, both government and troops are acting as they are. Bleak Prospects. In all truth, the Ukraine had slowly slid down a very slippery slope since it gained independence in 1991, yet it was only after 2014 that the country, (obviously minus the Donbass and Crimea) went into true freefall. A blend of both corruption and a war governed from afar ensured very bleak prospects for a land that was still led in a most corrupt fashion. Fast forward to this year, and with great discontent amongst the majority of the population that...
https://www.sott.net/article/466306-Pointless-protraction-wanton-wrongdoing
Pointless protraction, wanton wrongdoing
Preamble. With Russia now moving towards the second phase of its Special Operation, questions are being asked by both Moscow and knowing military minds as to why Kiev is acting as it is. Recent discoveries however will be pressing far harder for answers, both from the Ukrainian leadership (apparently still in Kiev) as well as the western nations that are backing it to the hilt. This article will examine why the situation developed as it did and why the Ukrainians, both government and troops are acting as they are. Bleak Prospects. In all truth, the Ukraine had slowly slid down a very slippery slope since it gained independence in 1991, yet it was only after 2014 that the country, (obviously minus the Donbass and Crimea) went into true freefall. A blend of both corruption and a war governed from afar ensured very bleak prospects for a land that was still led in a most corrupt fashion. Fast forward to this year, and with great discontent amongst the majority of the population that...
https://www.sott.net/article/466306-Pointless-protraction-wanton-wrongdoing
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The Ukraine: A decisive transfer of the balance of power from west to east
The 2022 Russo-Ukraine is also a proxy war between Russia and the Western world. We should be prepared for a decisive transfer of the balance of power from West to East...The bulk of the fighting is in the Donbas where there are few or no Western journalists. Most of the debate and coverage of the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war in Australia and the Western world is decidedly banal. It is characterised by the simplification of an extremely complex situation to generate a narrative that can be summarised as Putin and Russia are evil and Ukraine is good. This gross simplification is not helpful in either understanding the causes of the war, the nature of the war, its broader implications and most importantly of all, how it can be ended with the least number of additional deaths and injuries and damage to Ukraine's infrastructure.
https://www.sott.net/article/466307-The-Ukraine-A-decisive-transfer-of-the-balance-of-power-from-west-to-east
The Ukraine: A decisive transfer of the balance of power from west to east
The 2022 Russo-Ukraine is also a proxy war between Russia and the Western world. We should be prepared for a decisive transfer of the balance of power from West to East...The bulk of the fighting is in the Donbas where there are few or no Western journalists. Most of the debate and coverage of the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war in Australia and the Western world is decidedly banal. It is characterised by the simplification of an extremely complex situation to generate a narrative that can be summarised as Putin and Russia are evil and Ukraine is good. This gross simplification is not helpful in either understanding the causes of the war, the nature of the war, its broader implications and most importantly of all, how it can be ended with the least number of additional deaths and injuries and damage to Ukraine's infrastructure.
https://www.sott.net/article/466307-The-Ukraine-A-decisive-transfer-of-the-balance-of-power-from-west-to-east
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'Gods of War': How the US weaponized Ukraine against Russia
Since the US-engineered 2013-14 coup in Ukraine, American forces have taught Ukrainians, including neo-Nazi units, how to fight in urban and other civilian areas. Weaponizing Ukraine is part of Washington's quest for what the Pentagon calls "full spectrum dominance." "[I]f you can learn all modalities of war, then you can be the god of war," so said a Ukrainian artillery commander in 2016 while receiving training from the US Army. The unnamed commander was quoted by Lt. Claire Vanderberg, a mortar platoon leader training soldiers as part of the Pentagon's Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine. The training has taken place at the absurdly named International Peacekeeping and Security Center, which sits close to the border with Poland near the Ukrainian town of Yavoriv. Western media reported Russia's recent cruise missile attack on the base, but chose not to mention what has taken place inside. The relationship described above is a snapshot of a decades-long US-NATO effort to...
https://www.sott.net/article/466294-Gods-of-War-How-the-US-weaponized-Ukraine-against-Russia
'Gods of War': How the US weaponized Ukraine against Russia
Since the US-engineered 2013-14 coup in Ukraine, American forces have taught Ukrainians, including neo-Nazi units, how to fight in urban and other civilian areas. Weaponizing Ukraine is part of Washington's quest for what the Pentagon calls "full spectrum dominance." "[I]f you can learn all modalities of war, then you can be the god of war," so said a Ukrainian artillery commander in 2016 while receiving training from the US Army. The unnamed commander was quoted by Lt. Claire Vanderberg, a mortar platoon leader training soldiers as part of the Pentagon's Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine. The training has taken place at the absurdly named International Peacekeeping and Security Center, which sits close to the border with Poland near the Ukrainian town of Yavoriv. Western media reported Russia's recent cruise missile attack on the base, but chose not to mention what has taken place inside. The relationship described above is a snapshot of a decades-long US-NATO effort to...
https://www.sott.net/article/466294-Gods-of-War-How-the-US-weaponized-Ukraine-against-Russia
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Report says Secret Service renting $30K Malibu pad to protect Hunter Biden
Taxpayers are shelling out more than $30,000 a month so the Secret Service can rent an estate in the upscale celebrity enclave of Malibu to protect Hunter Biden, who is living nearby in a "resort-style" home with "enchanting" panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, according to a new report on Monday. A former Secret Service agent told ABC News the setup is the "cost of doing business" for the agency, since Hunter — like other presidential family members — is entitled to round-the-clock security. "Typically, wherever a protectee sets up their residence, the Secret Service is forced to find someplace to rent nearby at market value," retired agent Don Mihalek told the network, adding that the agency also rents properties at Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach in Delaware, as part of its duty to protect President Biden on his frequent weekend trips home.
https://www.sott.net/article/466308-Report-says-Secret-Service-renting-30K-Malibu-pad-to-protect-Hunter-Biden
Report says Secret Service renting $30K Malibu pad to protect Hunter Biden
Taxpayers are shelling out more than $30,000 a month so the Secret Service can rent an estate in the upscale celebrity enclave of Malibu to protect Hunter Biden, who is living nearby in a "resort-style" home with "enchanting" panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, according to a new report on Monday. A former Secret Service agent told ABC News the setup is the "cost of doing business" for the agency, since Hunter — like other presidential family members — is entitled to round-the-clock security. "Typically, wherever a protectee sets up their residence, the Secret Service is forced to find someplace to rent nearby at market value," retired agent Don Mihalek told the network, adding that the agency also rents properties at Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach in Delaware, as part of its duty to protect President Biden on his frequent weekend trips home.
https://www.sott.net/article/466308-Report-says-Secret-Service-renting-30K-Malibu-pad-to-protect-Hunter-Biden
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Russia may collect $321 billion windfall if oil and gas keep flowing
Goldman, IIF expect record current-account surplus for Russia Russia's economy has staggered through the first full month of the war with Ukraine but it may yet emerge with a sparkling balance sheet if some of its biggest trade partners don't turn off the tap on its exports of energy. For all the hardships visited on consumers at home and the financial chokehold put on the government from abroad, Bloomberg Economics expects Russia will earn nearly $321 billion from energy exports this year, an increase of more than a third from 2021. It's also on track for a record current-account surplus that the Institute of International Finance says may reach as high as $240 billion.
https://www.sott.net/article/466309-Russia-may-collect-321-billion-windfall-if-oil-and-gas-keep-flowing
Russia may collect $321 billion windfall if oil and gas keep flowing
Goldman, IIF expect record current-account surplus for Russia Russia's economy has staggered through the first full month of the war with Ukraine but it may yet emerge with a sparkling balance sheet if some of its biggest trade partners don't turn off the tap on its exports of energy. For all the hardships visited on consumers at home and the financial chokehold put on the government from abroad, Bloomberg Economics expects Russia will earn nearly $321 billion from energy exports this year, an increase of more than a third from 2021. It's also on track for a record current-account surplus that the Institute of International Finance says may reach as high as $240 billion.
https://www.sott.net/article/466309-Russia-may-collect-321-billion-windfall-if-oil-and-gas-keep-flowing
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Latvia may agree to pay for Russian gas in rubles
Latvia's main gas operator says it won't rule out paying for Russian natural gas in rubles, revealing that the new settlement method announced by Moscow is being evaluated from a legal and business perspective. "According to the first impression, the settlement procedure in Russian rubles does not formally violate the sanctions regime and is possible," Latvijas Gaze said in a statement. Earlier, Aigars Kalvitis, the board chairman of Latvijas Gaze, which is partially owned by Russia's Gazprom, said the company couldn't pay for natural gas supplies from Russia in rubles, since the current contract stipulates that all transactions must be made in euro.
https://www.sott.net/article/466310-Latvia-may-agree-to-pay-for-Russian-gas-in-rubles
Latvia may agree to pay for Russian gas in rubles
Latvia's main gas operator says it won't rule out paying for Russian natural gas in rubles, revealing that the new settlement method announced by Moscow is being evaluated from a legal and business perspective. "According to the first impression, the settlement procedure in Russian rubles does not formally violate the sanctions regime and is possible," Latvijas Gaze said in a statement. Earlier, Aigars Kalvitis, the board chairman of Latvijas Gaze, which is partially owned by Russia's Gazprom, said the company couldn't pay for natural gas supplies from Russia in rubles, since the current contract stipulates that all transactions must be made in euro.
https://www.sott.net/article/466310-Latvia-may-agree-to-pay-for-Russian-gas-in-rubles
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US says that Ukraine can offer Russia 'sanctions deal' if it agrees to end special operation
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has received a green light from Washington to offer Russia relief from international sanctions in exchange for ending its military offensive against the former Soviet republic. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken opened the door to such an offer on Sunday, confirming in an NBC News interview that Zelensky has the ability to negotiate sanctions relief for peace. He said President Joe Biden's administration will support whatever the Ukrainian people want to do to bring the war to an end. "We'll be looking to see what Ukraine is doing and what it wants to do," Blinken said. "And if it concludes that it can bring this war to an end, stop the death and destruction and continue to assert its independence and its sovereignty - and ultimately that requires the lifting of sanctions - of course, we will allow that." Comment: That's nice of the US to them to do that; what was that they were saying about sovereignty?
https://www.sott.net/article/466311-US-says-that-Ukraine-can-offer-Russia-sanctions-deal-if-it-agrees-to-end-special-operation
US says that Ukraine can offer Russia 'sanctions deal' if it agrees to end special operation
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has received a green light from Washington to offer Russia relief from international sanctions in exchange for ending its military offensive against the former Soviet republic. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken opened the door to such an offer on Sunday, confirming in an NBC News interview that Zelensky has the ability to negotiate sanctions relief for peace. He said President Joe Biden's administration will support whatever the Ukrainian people want to do to bring the war to an end. "We'll be looking to see what Ukraine is doing and what it wants to do," Blinken said. "And if it concludes that it can bring this war to an end, stop the death and destruction and continue to assert its independence and its sovereignty - and ultimately that requires the lifting of sanctions - of course, we will allow that." Comment: That's nice of the US to them to do that; what was that they were saying about sovereignty?
https://www.sott.net/article/466311-US-says-that-Ukraine-can-offer-Russia-sanctions-deal-if-it-agrees-to-end-special-operation
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Hysterical Russophobia: Poland demands tougher anti-Russian sporting sanctions
The Ministry of Sports and Tourism of Poland has called to impose limits upon Russian athletes from competing in various sports internationally to just those who "oppose the actions of the Russian Federation in Ukraine." The Russian sporting infrastructure has been hit with a large swathe of sanctions from various sporting bodies in the wake of the country's military operation in Ukraine which was launched towards the end of February. St. Petersburg was stripped of this season's Champions League final by football authorities UEFA, while Russia was also expelled from a scheduled World Cup qualification playoff against Poland, effectively barring them from this year's World Cup in Qatar. There have been various other measures taken against Russia and its sportspeople since the onset of the military operation in Ukraine, but Poland's sporting leadership has called for sanctions to go one step further - by banning Russians from almost all international sport and limiting those eligible...
https://www.sott.net/article/466312-Hysterical-Russophobia-Poland-demands-tougher-anti-Russian-sporting-sanctions
Hysterical Russophobia: Poland demands tougher anti-Russian sporting sanctions
The Ministry of Sports and Tourism of Poland has called to impose limits upon Russian athletes from competing in various sports internationally to just those who "oppose the actions of the Russian Federation in Ukraine." The Russian sporting infrastructure has been hit with a large swathe of sanctions from various sporting bodies in the wake of the country's military operation in Ukraine which was launched towards the end of February. St. Petersburg was stripped of this season's Champions League final by football authorities UEFA, while Russia was also expelled from a scheduled World Cup qualification playoff against Poland, effectively barring them from this year's World Cup in Qatar. There have been various other measures taken against Russia and its sportspeople since the onset of the military operation in Ukraine, but Poland's sporting leadership has called for sanctions to go one step further - by banning Russians from almost all international sport and limiting those eligible...
https://www.sott.net/article/466312-Hysterical-Russophobia-Poland-demands-tougher-anti-Russian-sporting-sanctions
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Russia and Ukraine trade accusations over Bucha civilian deaths (TIMELINE)
Ukraine has accused Russian troops of committing war crimes in the city of Bucha. However, Moscow insists that the allegations are baseless and has implied that the Ukrainian government is manipulating the media to smear Russia. Bucha is a small city of around 35,000 residents, located some 10km northwest of the Ukrainian capital Kiev. From the early days of the ongoing Russian military attack, it Moscow's troops have been present in the area, but last week they were ordered to evacuate. Days after the withdrawal, Kiev accused the Russian military of committing numerous atrocities in Bucha. Moscow has denied the allegations and unsuccessfully tried to call a UN Security Council meeting to discuss what it claims to be an attempt to frame it forces. Russia's foreign intelligence service earlier warned that Kiev was working to downplay footage of what appeared to be Ukrainian soldiers torturing Russian prisoners of war. The Russian military had warned that provocations could be staged...
https://www.sott.net/article/466313-Russia-and-Ukraine-trade-accusations-over-Bucha-civilian-deaths-TIMELINE
Russia and Ukraine trade accusations over Bucha civilian deaths (TIMELINE)
Ukraine has accused Russian troops of committing war crimes in the city of Bucha. However, Moscow insists that the allegations are baseless and has implied that the Ukrainian government is manipulating the media to smear Russia. Bucha is a small city of around 35,000 residents, located some 10km northwest of the Ukrainian capital Kiev. From the early days of the ongoing Russian military attack, it Moscow's troops have been present in the area, but last week they were ordered to evacuate. Days after the withdrawal, Kiev accused the Russian military of committing numerous atrocities in Bucha. Moscow has denied the allegations and unsuccessfully tried to call a UN Security Council meeting to discuss what it claims to be an attempt to frame it forces. Russia's foreign intelligence service earlier warned that Kiev was working to downplay footage of what appeared to be Ukrainian soldiers torturing Russian prisoners of war. The Russian military had warned that provocations could be staged...
https://www.sott.net/article/466313-Russia-and-Ukraine-trade-accusations-over-Bucha-civilian-deaths-TIMELINE
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BEST OF THE WEB: US tells Ukraine to offer Russia 'sanctions deal' if it agrees to end military operation
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has received a green light from Washington to offer Russia relief from international sanctions in exchange for ending its military offensive against the former Soviet republic. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken opened the door to such an offer on Sunday, confirming in an NBC News interview that Zelensky has the ability to negotiate sanctions relief for peace. He said President Joe Biden's administration will support whatever the Ukrainian people want to do to bring the war to an end. "We'll be looking to see what Ukraine is doing and what it wants to do," Blinken said. "And if it concludes that it can bring this war to an end, stop the death and destruction and continue to assert its independence and its sovereignty - and ultimately that requires the lifting of sanctions - of course, we will allow that." Comment: That's nice of the US to them to do that; what was that they were saying about sovereignty?
https://www.sott.net/article/466311-US-tells-Ukraine-to-offer-Russia-sanctions-deal-if-it-agrees-to-end-military-operation
BEST OF THE WEB: US tells Ukraine to offer Russia 'sanctions deal' if it agrees to end military operation
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has received a green light from Washington to offer Russia relief from international sanctions in exchange for ending its military offensive against the former Soviet republic. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken opened the door to such an offer on Sunday, confirming in an NBC News interview that Zelensky has the ability to negotiate sanctions relief for peace. He said President Joe Biden's administration will support whatever the Ukrainian people want to do to bring the war to an end. "We'll be looking to see what Ukraine is doing and what it wants to do," Blinken said. "And if it concludes that it can bring this war to an end, stop the death and destruction and continue to assert its independence and its sovereignty - and ultimately that requires the lifting of sanctions - of course, we will allow that." Comment: That's nice of the US to them to do that; what was that they were saying about sovereignty?
https://www.sott.net/article/466311-US-tells-Ukraine-to-offer-Russia-sanctions-deal-if-it-agrees-to-end-military-operation
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The truth about Bucha is out there, but perhaps too inconvenient to be discovered
"In war, truth is the first casualty." This quote has been attributed to Aeschylus, a 6th BCE Greek tragedian noted for his "copious use of imagery, mythic allusion, grand language, wordplay and riddles." It is only fitting, therefore, that the man who first gave word to the concept of modern-day war-time propaganda would see his quote come to life in the present-day Ukraine. The Kiev government and their Western information warfare advisers may have coopted all of Aeschylus' playwright devices to craft a modern-day tragedy in the Ukrainian town of Bucha that exemplifies the notion of the lie as not just a byproduct, but also a weapon of war. The main source of the Bucha tragedy reports is a videotape, taken by the Ukrainian National Police, of one of their convoys driving through a street in the town. A dozen or so corpses litter the roadway, many of them appearing to have been bound. This video has gone viral, producing a pandemic of anguish and anger that has swept over much of...
https://www.sott.net/article/466314-The-truth-about-Bucha-is-out-there-but-perhaps-too-inconvenient-to-be-discovered
The truth about Bucha is out there, but perhaps too inconvenient to be discovered
"In war, truth is the first casualty." This quote has been attributed to Aeschylus, a 6th BCE Greek tragedian noted for his "copious use of imagery, mythic allusion, grand language, wordplay and riddles." It is only fitting, therefore, that the man who first gave word to the concept of modern-day war-time propaganda would see his quote come to life in the present-day Ukraine. The Kiev government and their Western information warfare advisers may have coopted all of Aeschylus' playwright devices to craft a modern-day tragedy in the Ukrainian town of Bucha that exemplifies the notion of the lie as not just a byproduct, but also a weapon of war. The main source of the Bucha tragedy reports is a videotape, taken by the Ukrainian National Police, of one of their convoys driving through a street in the town. A dozen or so corpses litter the roadway, many of them appearing to have been bound. This video has gone viral, producing a pandemic of anguish and anger that has swept over much of...
https://www.sott.net/article/466314-The-truth-about-Bucha-is-out-there-but-perhaps-too-inconvenient-to-be-discovered
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The curious butchers of Bucha in Ukraine
First, there was the ghost of Kyiv, a modern red baron hero who single-handedly shot down thirty Russian fighter jets in the first days of the war. Along came an Instagram portrait of a Ukrainian beauty queen with an airsoft rifle and shooters' goggles who made for more fascinating western war propaganda that sent the Ukrainian flag emoji bearers writhing in a digital sharing frenzy. Blurry ariel drone footage from Syria has been used to show glorious Ukrainian battlefield victories for the western masses to feed on. Objects exploding on monochromic thermal vision can be just about anything to any true believer. Even an American battleship on fire was used as a photo prop claiming it was a Russian destroyer attacked by brave Ukrainian freedom fighters on the Black Sea. Actually, it was used twice in the same month, in early and late March. To say the western war propaganda has been sloppy is an understatement. The Mariupol maternity hospital "bombing" was a staged media operation...
https://www.sott.net/article/466315-The-curious-butchers-of-Bucha-in-Ukraine
The curious butchers of Bucha in Ukraine
First, there was the ghost of Kyiv, a modern red baron hero who single-handedly shot down thirty Russian fighter jets in the first days of the war. Along came an Instagram portrait of a Ukrainian beauty queen with an airsoft rifle and shooters' goggles who made for more fascinating western war propaganda that sent the Ukrainian flag emoji bearers writhing in a digital sharing frenzy. Blurry ariel drone footage from Syria has been used to show glorious Ukrainian battlefield victories for the western masses to feed on. Objects exploding on monochromic thermal vision can be just about anything to any true believer. Even an American battleship on fire was used as a photo prop claiming it was a Russian destroyer attacked by brave Ukrainian freedom fighters on the Black Sea. Actually, it was used twice in the same month, in early and late March. To say the western war propaganda has been sloppy is an understatement. The Mariupol maternity hospital "bombing" was a staged media operation...
https://www.sott.net/article/466315-The-curious-butchers-of-Bucha-in-Ukraine
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Protests over soaring energy prices & inflation spread to UK
Thousands of people have taken to the streets in the UK in protest against the sharp rise in energy prices, as a cabinet minister said the government could not "completely nullify" the increases. Demonstrations took place on Saturday, including one near Downing Street in central London where crowds gathered to hear speeches, including from former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Other protests took place in cities including Cardiff and Birmingham. They follow a major increase in the energy price cap on Friday, with average household gas and electricity bills rising to £1,971 a year. A further jump in October could take the cost up to £2,600. Groups including the Trades Union Congress and anti-poverty campaigners have voiced alarm at the changes, and said that when combined with increasing inflation and low pay, it could push people into "impossible choices" between heating their homes or eating.
https://www.sott.net/article/466316-Protests-over-soaring-energy-prices-inflation-spread-to-UK
Protests over soaring energy prices & inflation spread to UK
Thousands of people have taken to the streets in the UK in protest against the sharp rise in energy prices, as a cabinet minister said the government could not "completely nullify" the increases. Demonstrations took place on Saturday, including one near Downing Street in central London where crowds gathered to hear speeches, including from former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Other protests took place in cities including Cardiff and Birmingham. They follow a major increase in the energy price cap on Friday, with average household gas and electricity bills rising to £1,971 a year. A further jump in October could take the cost up to £2,600. Groups including the Trades Union Congress and anti-poverty campaigners have voiced alarm at the changes, and said that when combined with increasing inflation and low pay, it could push people into "impossible choices" between heating their homes or eating.
https://www.sott.net/article/466316-Protests-over-soaring-energy-prices-inflation-spread-to-UK
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SOTT FOCUS: The truth about Bucha is out there, but perhaps too inconvenient to be discovered
"In war, truth is the first casualty." This quote has been attributed to Aeschylus, a 6th BCE Greek tragedian noted for his "copious use of imagery, mythic allusion, grand language, wordplay and riddles." It is only fitting, therefore, that the man who first gave word to the concept of modern-day war-time propaganda would see his quote come to life in the present-day Ukraine. The Kiev government and their Western information warfare advisers may have coopted all of Aeschylus' playwright devices to craft a modern-day tragedy in the Ukrainian town of Bucha that exemplifies the notion of the lie as not just a byproduct, but also a weapon of war. The main source of the Bucha tragedy reports is a videotape, taken by the Ukrainian National Police, of one of their convoys driving through a street in the town. A dozen or so corpses litter the roadway, many of them appearing to have been bound. This video has gone viral, producing a pandemic of anguish and anger that has swept over much of...
https://www.sott.net/article/466314-The-truth-about-Bucha-is-out-there-but-perhaps-too-inconvenient-to-be-discovered
SOTT FOCUS: The truth about Bucha is out there, but perhaps too inconvenient to be discovered
"In war, truth is the first casualty." This quote has been attributed to Aeschylus, a 6th BCE Greek tragedian noted for his "copious use of imagery, mythic allusion, grand language, wordplay and riddles." It is only fitting, therefore, that the man who first gave word to the concept of modern-day war-time propaganda would see his quote come to life in the present-day Ukraine. The Kiev government and their Western information warfare advisers may have coopted all of Aeschylus' playwright devices to craft a modern-day tragedy in the Ukrainian town of Bucha that exemplifies the notion of the lie as not just a byproduct, but also a weapon of war. The main source of the Bucha tragedy reports is a videotape, taken by the Ukrainian National Police, of one of their convoys driving through a street in the town. A dozen or so corpses litter the roadway, many of them appearing to have been bound. This video has gone viral, producing a pandemic of anguish and anger that has swept over much of...
https://www.sott.net/article/466314-The-truth-about-Bucha-is-out-there-but-perhaps-too-inconvenient-to-be-discovered
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Picking our way through this sticky web of lies
It has been said that we live in a post-truth society, but I'm afraid it's now much worse than that. The post-truth society might be thought of as one where truth is relative, whatever you'd like it to be, rather like choosing from various brands of toothpaste. Such a society is tragic enough, but it is clear to the discerning person that we have now moved on from that. Those days start to look kind of innocent compared to what we are currently experiencing, which is the complete burial of truth under a monstrous pile of deceit and lies, such as the obvious falsehood that people with XY chromosomes can be people with XX chromosomes and vice versa. The last two years has seen a complete bonfire of truth, particularly in the so-called free media, or Globalist Pravda, as I prefer to call it. The lies they have told people during the last two years of all things Covid have been uniquely monstrous, particularly those relating to the new technology, lipid nanoparticle, blood-clotting,...
https://www.sott.net/article/466317-Picking-our-way-through-this-sticky-web-of-lies
Picking our way through this sticky web of lies
It has been said that we live in a post-truth society, but I'm afraid it's now much worse than that. The post-truth society might be thought of as one where truth is relative, whatever you'd like it to be, rather like choosing from various brands of toothpaste. Such a society is tragic enough, but it is clear to the discerning person that we have now moved on from that. Those days start to look kind of innocent compared to what we are currently experiencing, which is the complete burial of truth under a monstrous pile of deceit and lies, such as the obvious falsehood that people with XY chromosomes can be people with XX chromosomes and vice versa. The last two years has seen a complete bonfire of truth, particularly in the so-called free media, or Globalist Pravda, as I prefer to call it. The lies they have told people during the last two years of all things Covid have been uniquely monstrous, particularly those relating to the new technology, lipid nanoparticle, blood-clotting,...
https://www.sott.net/article/466317-Picking-our-way-through-this-sticky-web-of-lies
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New witness testimony about Mariupol maternity hospital 'airstrike' follows pattern of Ukrainian deceptions, media malpractice
A key witness to the widely publicized incident at the Mariupol maternity hospital has punctured the official narrative of a Russian airstrike on the facility, and raised serious questions about Western media ethics. Meanwhile, news of a massacre in the city of Bucha contains suspicious elements. On March 9th, shocking news of a deliberate Russian airstrike on a maternity hospital in Mariupol, eastern Ukraine, began spreading widely via social media and news outlets. Fiery condemnation from Western officials, pundits, and journalists was immediate. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, for his part, claimed the act was proof of the "genocide" Russia was perpetrating against the civilian population, and urged European leaders to condemn the "war crime" and "strengthen sanctions" to stop the Kremlin's "evil" deeds in the country. NPR suggested the attack was part of Russia's "terrible wartime tradition" of purposefully targeting health facilities and medics during conflicts, dating...
https://www.sott.net/article/466318-New-witness-testimony-about-Mariupol-maternity-hospital-airstrike-follows-pattern-of-Ukrainian-deceptions-media-malpractice
New witness testimony about Mariupol maternity hospital 'airstrike' follows pattern of Ukrainian deceptions, media malpractice
A key witness to the widely publicized incident at the Mariupol maternity hospital has punctured the official narrative of a Russian airstrike on the facility, and raised serious questions about Western media ethics. Meanwhile, news of a massacre in the city of Bucha contains suspicious elements. On March 9th, shocking news of a deliberate Russian airstrike on a maternity hospital in Mariupol, eastern Ukraine, began spreading widely via social media and news outlets. Fiery condemnation from Western officials, pundits, and journalists was immediate. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, for his part, claimed the act was proof of the "genocide" Russia was perpetrating against the civilian population, and urged European leaders to condemn the "war crime" and "strengthen sanctions" to stop the Kremlin's "evil" deeds in the country. NPR suggested the attack was part of Russia's "terrible wartime tradition" of purposefully targeting health facilities and medics during conflicts, dating...
https://www.sott.net/article/466318-New-witness-testimony-about-Mariupol-maternity-hospital-airstrike-follows-pattern-of-Ukrainian-deceptions-media-malpractice
