Gustave Moreau Helen on the Walls of Troy 1885
https://twitter.com/charliekirk11/status/1911977298796138515
Miller
https://twitter.com/TONYxTWO/status/1911931824126955858
Tucker weldon
After twenty years in congress, Curt Weldon was about to become chairman of the House Armed Services Committee when he publicly questioned the accuracy of the 9-11 report. In retaliation, the Bush administration sent federal agents to his daughter’s house and ended his political… pic.twitter.com/vxiDRI8pfz
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) April 14, 2025
Former Congressman Curt Weldon drops a bombshell, revealing that Muammar Gaddafi was planning to launch a gold-backed currency to unite Africa—an economic move he says deeply threatened Western powers.
Weldon claims this plan was one of the key reasons the U.S. wanted Gaddafi… pic.twitter.com/Y8dt1ZMvXL
— Shadow of Ezra (@ShadowofEzra) April 14, 2025
RICO
Trump using RICO to bring everyone to court. pic.twitter.com/kjGIdJoLxs
— Jeff pontz (@827js) April 15, 2025
Realizing that if wehad 13 months instead of 12, every month would be exacily'28 days,
The lst would always be a Monday, and the 28th would al ways be a Sunday.
Every month would have exactly 4 weeks instead of 4257, and we would properly align ourselves with the cycle of the… pic.twitter.com/ID5P8STnNV
— FLAT OUT TRUTH (@TheFlatEartherr) April 15, 2025
Holy Week seems a good topic to pay attention to as conflicts are rising. And this time we get to move away from “..Biden gave the transgender lobby more attention than the resurrection of Jesus..”
• Trump’s Holy Week Statement Is Refreshing (Chris Queen)
Millions of Christians throughout the country are marking Holy Week, which covers the week between Palm Sunday and Easter. The White House recognized Holy Week with a presidential message on Sunday. President Donald Trump’s statement wasn’t just some milquetoast appreciation of Easter and those Christians who celebrate the resurrection of Jesus this coming Sunday. Instead, there’s a theological richness that was surprising and refreshing: During this sacred week, we acknowledge that the glory of Easter Sunday cannot come without the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on the cross. In His final hours on Earth, Christ willingly endured excruciating pain, torture, and execution on the cross out of a deep and abiding love for all His creation. Through His suffering, we have redemption. Through His death, we are forgiven of our sins. Through His Resurrection, we have hope of eternal life. On Easter morning, the stone is rolled away, the tomb is empty, and light prevails over darkness—signaling that death does not have the final word.
The penultimate paragraph was remarkably Trinitarian: “As we focus on Christ’s redeeming sacrifice, we look to His love, humility, and obedience—even in life’s most difficult and uncertain moments. This week, we pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our beloved Nation. We pray that America will remain a beacon of faith, hope, and freedom for the entire world, and we pray to achieve a future that reflects the truth, beauty, and goodness of Christ’s eternal kingdom in Heaven.” “Now, what stands out in that? What should grab our attention?” Dr. Albert Mohler asked in his podcast on Tuesday morning. “Well, number one, it’s a presidential statement calling for and praying for and outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our beloved nation. That’s pretty unprecedented in language. You now have clear explicit Trinitarian language as the structure for this statement.”
Later, Mohler referred to the last statement in that paragraph, saying, “That reference to Christ’s eternal kingdom is very, very interesting because it places the kingdom, so to speak, represented by the government of the United States of America, in a very different context than most presidents ever discussed them.” The president also reiterated his commitment to protecting religious freedom in the U.S. “This Holy Week, my Administration renews its promise to defend the Christian faith in our schools, military, workplaces, hospitals, and halls of government,” the statement asserted. “We will never waver in safeguarding the right to religious liberty, upholding the dignity of life, and protecting God in our public square.”
Such a statement from the White House is refreshing enough on its own (even though there’s some phrasing that I don’t 100% agree with theologically), but it catches my attention even more when I compare it to the Biden White House’s treatment of Easter last year. If you forgot, Easter coincided with the left’s high holy day, “Transgender Day of Visibility,” and of course, Biden gave the transgender lobby more attention than the resurrection of Jesus. Last year, I wrote: By now, we’re all aware that the White House managed to commit the most sacrilegious act imaginable — or at least made the biggest possible slap in the faces of Christians — by emphasizing “Transgender Day of Visibility” over Easter. While the holiday honoring our secular state religion of transgenderism is fixed on March 31, it could have and rightly should have taken a backseat to the moveable feast that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus.
Instead, Joe Biden, his handlers, and the rest of his administration chose to double down on honoring a tiny minority of transgender Americans over the millions of Christians who celebrate Easter Sunday. The White House statement on Easter was only 94 words, while the proclamation of “Transgender Day of Visibility” clocked in at a whopping 635 words. On the president’s X/Twitter account, the “Transgender Day of Visibility” tweet was twice as long (45 words) as the Easter tweet (20 words). Aren’t you glad that we don’t have to put up with that sort of nonsense this year? Thank you, President Trump, for standing up for believers and recognizing the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus as the ultimate turning point in history.
“There’re security protocols, NATO Article 5 [on collective security] … a lot of detail attached to it. It’s a complicated situation..”
Perhaps your biggest problem: Half of Europe insists Putin wants to conquer their lands.
• Putin Wants Permanent Peace In Ukraine – Witkoff (RT)
Russian President Vladimir Putin is pursuing a permanent peace and a legally binding settlement to the Ukraine conflict, US special envoy Steve Witkoff has told Fox News. Witkoff, tasked by US President Donald Trump to lead negotiations with Moscow, met with Putin and two of his senior advisers on Friday. The US envoy shared details of the talks in an interview on Monday, describing the nearly five-hour meeting with Putin as “compelling” and saying it brought the Ukraine peace process to “the verge” of a breakthrough. According to Witkoff, Putin is pursuing a lasting solution. “So beyond just a ceasefire, we got an answer to that,” the envoy said, adding it “took a while for us to get to this place.” A key part of any deal, Witkoff said, would be the recognition that Crimea, the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, and Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions are part of Russia.
However, he emphasized that the proposed agreement goes beyond territorial issues. “There’re security protocols, NATO Article 5 [on collective security] … a lot of detail attached to it. It’s a complicated situation,” he said. Still, Witkoff said he believed the two sides “might be on the verge of something that would be very, very important for the world at large.” Friday’s meeting was Witkoff’s third with the Russian president since February. Trump has repeatedly said he aims to end the hostilities in Ukraine as quickly as possible. Russia has maintained it is open to peace talks, provided its key security demands are addressed. Moscow opposes any NATO presence on Ukrainian soil and has demanded that Kiev demilitarize, denazify, adhere to a position of neutrality, and recognize the territorial “realities on the ground.”
The Russian government has insisted it will not accept a freeze of the conflict, which it maintains will only lead to renewed hostilities later on. Moscow has cited Ukraine’s violations of a US-proposed moratorium on strikes against energy infrastructure as proof of Kiev’s untrustworthiness. Commenting on Putin’s meeting with Witkoff, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday there were “no clear outlines of any agreement yet,” but that there was the political will to move forward. Moscow, he added, values the “constructive and substantive” contact with the US side.
“Once again, we are very, very positive about the constructive and meaningful contacts that have taken place..”
• Kremlin: Russia and US Strive for Peace but Europe Pushes for Conflict (Sp.)
Russia and US are working hard for peace, while Europe is working hard for war, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday. “Yes, here also you and I should clearly understand that at the moment there is intense work between Moscow and Washington. And it is taking place in the name of peace. And against this background, European countries continue to work for war,” Peskov told reporters, adding that Russian-US economic cooperation may play a stabilizing role for the world. European countries declare their intention to continue supporting Ukraine and the Kiev regime in its efforts to continue the war, Peskov added. There is quite intensive work on the Ukrainian settlement, but immediate results should not be expected, Peskov said.
“Hard work is going on. Of course, it is such a complex substance that it is hardly possible to expect immediate results, but nevertheless. Of course, we would like to hope for the best, hope that this work will have positive results,” Peskov told reporters. There are no clear outlines of a future Ukrainian settlement agreement, but there is political will to work in its direction, he added. “Once again, we are very, very positive about the constructive and meaningful contacts that have taken place,” the spokesman said. Peskov refused to comment on media reports about an alleged US offer to Iran to transfer its uranium reserves to Russia. The Guardian reported earlier that the United States had allegedly offered Tehran to transfer uranium reserves to Russia during talks with Iran in Oman. “I leave this issue without comment,” Peskov told reporters.
Ukraine keeps launching strikes on Russian energy infrastructure on a daily basis, Kremlin spokesman said. “The temporary moratorium has not been respected and is not being respected by the Ukrainian military. We see daily strikes on Russian energy infrastructure. It is important for everyone to know this,” Peskov said. Unlike the Kiev regime, Russia continues to abide by the order of Russian President Vladimir Putin, given a month ago, and does not target Ukrainian energy infrastructure, he added. “I need to clarify [the dates of the moratorium’s end]. I just need to get corresponding information from [the Russian] Defense Ministry. Of course all will depend on the orders of the Commander-in-Chief [Putin],” the spokesman said when asked about the moratorium’s expiration date.
A conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump within the next few days is not on the schedule, Peskov said. “There is no such conversation on the schedule within the next few days,” Peskov told journalists. Peskov specified that if such a conversation were to take place, the Kremlin would provide information about it. “We will appropriately inform you the way we usually do it,” Peskov said. Russia expects leaders from more than 20 countries to visit Moscow on May 9 and take part in the Victory Day parade, Peskov said. “We are ready to receive anyone who is willing to celebrate this extremely important date with us. It has a special meaning now, when Nazism has reestablished itself in Europe. When we do not see a unanimous European desire to eradicate it immediately. Therefore, this day is extremely important, and we will be happy to welcome everyone. We can already say that we are expecting more than 20 heads of state and government who will be here together with [Russian President Vladimir Putin] to celebrate this day,” Peskov said.
Moscow will be happy to welcome anyone “who is ready to share the pride and joy of this day” and believes that everyone in Europe and the world should understand the significance of Victory Day, he added. Russia has called the statement by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas about the presence of EU countries in Russia on May 9 very harsh, Dmitry Peskov said. “As for Ms. Kallas you mentioned, we draw attention to her very, very harsh statements. We do not consider them correct and we cannot assess these threats. Those threats should be assessed by a sovereign state that is being threatened. And as it seems to us, there are states in Europe that do not accept such rhetoric,” Peskov said, when asked about Kallas’ calls for candidates for EU accession not to participate in the celebration of the 80th anniversary of Victory Day in Russia.
EU and Ukraine organize their own ‘victory’ day on May 8. To celebrate the freedom they would not have had without the 26 million dead Russians. How low can one go? How petty?
• Ukraine Plotting To Overshadow Russia’s Victory Day – Politico (RT)
Ukraine is seeking to undermine Russia’s Victory Day celebrations by inviting senior European politicians to an event on May 9 in the west of the country, Politico has reported. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga proposed the event in order to “show our unity and resolve in the face of the biggest aggression in Europe since the Second World War,” according to the outlet. The plan was lauded by Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who believes that it will “show that Europe is there, in Ukraine, and not near [Russian President Vladimir] Putin in Moscow.” Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky is also reportedly pursuing a separate summit, to be held in May, involving countries who are seeking to deploy troops to the country as part of a potential truce. The potential visit could involve several European heads of state, including incoming German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, two sources told Politico.
Russia has voiced opposition against any unauthorized foreign troop deployment in Ukraine, warning they would be considered legitimate targets and that such a move could only escalate the conflict. Russia will celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany and hold its annual Victory Day parade in Red Square on May 9. More than 20 foreign leaders are expected to attend, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.
While Russia continues to celebrate Victory Day on May 9, Ukraine – which has long sought to sever cultural ties with its neighbor and erase its Soviet heritage – has moved its official WWII remembrance to May 8 and now designates May 9 as Europe Day. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov slated the reported Ukrainian plans. “The very fact that Zelensky doesn’t want to celebrate Victory Day on May 9 shows, at the very least, a lack of respect for the memory of his own grandfather… It once again shows that this is a regime can’t stand such days as May 9. It only confirms that the Russian side is right, and that President Putin is doing what needs to be done.”
“..Witkoff said his almost five-hour meeting with Putin was “compelling” and put the Ukraine peace process “on the verge” of a breakthrough..”
• Trump Aides Clash On Trusting Moscow – WSJ (RT)
US President Donald Trump’s senior advisers disagree on whether Moscow genuinely wants a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing anonymous sources. A group led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg are urging greater skepticism, the report said. Trump, however, is siding with diplomatic aide Steve Witkoff, who is said to be more trusting of Moscow. Last week, Witkoff met with President Vladimir Putin, after the two already held talks in March. Moscow maintains that it has always been willing to achieve its core objectives in the conflict through diplomatic means, while Kiev and its Western backers have advocated for escalation. The Russian government, however, has said it will not accept a freeze of the conflict, which will only lead to renewed hostilities later on, citing Ukraine’s violations of a US-proposed moratorium on strikes against energy infrastructure as proof of Kiev’s untrustworthiness.
As an example of Trump siding with Witkoff, the WSJ cited a missile strike on the city of Sumy on Sunday, in which Kiev claimed that Moscow deliberately targeted civilians, killing 34. Trump, however, referred to the incident as a “mistake,” while Rubio’s State Department called it “horrifying” and Kellogg said it crossed “any line of decency.” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the missiles were launched at “another meeting of Ukrainian military leaders with their Western colleagues” masquerading as mercenaries. The Defense Ministry estimated that the strike killed around 60 troops, claiming that Kiev used civilians as human shields for the gathering. Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky told CBS News on Sunday that Trump’s criticisms of his leadership indicate that “Russian narratives are winning in the US.”
Senior Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev expressed concern about American vulnerability to foreign lobbying after meeting with senior US officials earlier this month, accusing the Western media of waging a coordinated campaign to undermine the normalization of relations. ”We see attempts to misinterpret Russian messages, mischaracterize Russia and its leaders. This happens every day,” he stated, adding that “direct dialogue is the best way to defeat this disinformation.” In an interview on Monday with Fox News, Witkoff said his almost five-hour meeting with Putin was “compelling” and put the Ukraine peace process “on the verge” of a breakthrough.
“MORE COWBELL!”
• This Is China’s Real Problem and Trump’s Real Strength (Stephen Green)
Chinese Communist Party boss Xi Jinping has a problem, and the answer is — MORE COWBELL! I’m kidding, of course, except for the fundamental truth behind my silly Saturday Night Live gag. Since economic liberalization began under Deng Xiaoping in the 1980s, the answer to China’s economic questions — like Christopher Walken in the famous SNL sketch — has always been the same: MORE EXPORTS. But exports are about to hit a wall. Without getting too technical, China desperately needs to escape what economists call the Middle Income Trap. That’s when a Third World (or even Second World) economy comes this close to making the move from poverty to enjoying a middle-level income, then to joining the wealthy nations of the world.
South Korea escaped. Israel escaped. Singapore and Taiwan did, too. All four used to be dirt poor, or nearly so. All are now among the world’s high earners. Argentina was one of the world’s wealthiest countries a century ago but backslid into the middle rank under a crippling combination of economic populism and political corruption. Javier Milei is working furiously to fix all that, but I digress. These countries escaped in two steps. The first was by exporting well-made manufactured goods. The second was transitioning to a consumer-based economy much like ours. That second step is where China has trouble. China faces all kinds of headwinds as it sits right at the top of the middle-income heap without quite going any higher. Those headwinds include shrinking demographics, stalled productivity growth, a real estate crisis, a consumer confidence deficit, and more.
So instead of creating a political-economic climate free enough to transition to a more consumer-based economy, Xi turned to the “MORE COWBELL!” solution once again. China now pumps out state-subsidized manufactured goods at an unprecedented rate. The hope, I presume, is to crush the rest of the world’s manufacturing before any resistance is mounted. Look at this:
This is from @BrookingsInst – Not MAGA or @POTUS
CCP is flooding world markets with subsidized goods. This is how Xi fights for survival.
—@YatesComms @DominoTheoryPod @YatesComms @seanmdav @MariaBartiromo @andrewrsorkin @nedryun @DonaldJTrumpJr @instapundit @ImKingGinger… https://t.co/t5yhe8p95n— Mark Simon (@MarkSimonHK) April 14, 2025
The word you’re looking for is “unsustainable.” While I remain at best cautiously optimistic about the utility of tariffs for restoring American manufacturing — tax cuts and massive deregulation would probably help more — tariffs are a vital tool for dealing with a rival like Communist China. The chart shows it. Everything Xi needs to maintain CCP authority is right there in that big red line. The thing of it is, China has all the tools it needs — particularly in engineering — to escape the Middle Income Trap. All the tools but one: the political and economic stability required to empower the Chinese consumer and escape the Middle Income Trap. Nevertheless, Chinese manufacturing is a 600-pound gorilla, determined to crush smaller economies.
You can find endless reports of just that happening in places like Vietnam and Thailand. But now, enter the other 600-pound gorilla, the U.S. consumer. Without access to our spending power, China’s export power is greatly diminished — particularly if the administration’s trade negotiations get the rest of the world on board with caging the gorilla. Trump’s tariffs are a dam to the flood of Xi’s exports, a pin to prick his bubble economy.
Europe is set to arm itself into bankruptcy.
• Europe Cannot Be ‘Permanent Security Vassal’ of US – Vance (RT)
Europe cannot remain a “permanent security vassal” of the US, Vice President J.D. Vance has said, stressing that this arrangement is not beneficial for either side. His comments come at time of geopolitical tensions between the US and Europe on a number of issues, including the Ukraine conflict, while the administration of US President Donald Trump demands that other NATO members drastically increase their defense spending. In an interview with UnHerd on Monday, Vance voiced frustration over Europe’s approach to security, arguing that the topic has long been a blind spot for the region. “The reality is – it’s blunt to say it, but it’s also true – that Europe’s entire security infrastructure, for my entire life, has been subsidized by the United States of America.”
At present, he continued, only three European nations – the UK, France, and Poland – have self-sustained militaries. “In some ways, they’re the exceptions that prove the rule, that European leaders have radically underinvested in security, and that has to change.” I certainly recognize, that it’s not in Europe’s interest, and it’s not in America’s interest, for Europe to be a permanent security vassal of the United States. The Trump administration has been pushing European nations to invest more in their militaries since Trump’s first term, arguing that the US is shouldering the main burden. In 2014, NATO members pledged to increase their defense spending to 2% of GDP, though some are still struggling to reach this.
In February, Trump suggested that NATO members should consider spending as much as 5% of GDP on defense, later warning that “if they don’t pay, I’m not going to defend them.” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte agreed that Trump is right to demand that European members step up defense spending amid tensions with Russia. Numerous Western officials have speculated that Russia could attack European NATO members within a few years. Moscow has dismissed the claim as “nonsense,” saying it has no interest in doing so.
Make that “lack of leaders”. There’s two kinds in Europe: Unelected and unpopular.
• Washington Is ‘Frustrated’ With European Leaders – Vance (RT)
Washington is “frustrated” by the reluctance of its European allies to respond to their voters on critical issues such as immigration, US Vice President J.D. Vance has stated. In an interview with the British website UnHerd published on Tuesday, he said this sentiment is shared by the entire administration of President Donald Trump. “European populations keep on crying out for more sensible economic and migration policies, and the leaders of Europe keep on going through these elections, and keep on offering the European peoples the opposite of what they seem to have voted for,” Vance explained. He warned that politicians who disregard the will of the people risk ruining “the entire democratic project of the West.”
In February, Vance sent shockwaves through the West by criticizing America’s European allies for what he characterized as backsliding on the democratic values they share with the US. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, he warned that if this continues, Washington could conclude that these nations are not worth protecting as NATO members. Vance criticized politicians who shun parties such as the anti-migration Alternative for Germany (AfD). Last week, the AfD surpassed the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) to become the most popular party in Germany, receiving 25% of support in a hypothetical election. The CDU has engaged in coalition negotiations with the Social Democrats (SPD), excluding the AfD from the discussions entirely.
In the UnHerd interview, Vance said his criticism stems from a deep love for Europeans and the shared cultural heritage underpinning Western civilization. He also urged NATO members in Europe to bolster their militaries instead of relying on security “subsidized by the United States of America.” Tensions between the US and its European allies have grown since Trump took office in January. This is in part due to Washington’s refusal to provide further military aid to Ukraine, the US president’s stated goal of claiming Greenland (an autonomous territory of Denmark) for America, and his attempt at rebalancing international trade through tariffs and deals with individual states.
“..Zelensky claimed that “Russian narratives are prevailing in the US” and that Moscow has “enormous influence” [on Trump].
• Vance Blasts Zelensky For ‘Absurd’ Claim (RT)
US Vice President J.D. Vance has accused Vladimir Zelensky of making “absurd” statements, after the Ukrainian leader suggested that Washington is on Russia’s side in the conflict between Moscow and Kiev. In an interview with CBS News on Sunday, Zelensky claimed that “Russian narratives are prevailing in the US” and that Moscow has “enormous influence” on the administration of US President Donald Trump and its policies. Responding in a conversation with the UnHerd outlet published on Tuesday, Vance described Zelensky’s remarks as “certainly not productive.” “I think it is sort of absurd for Zelensky to tell the [US] government, which is currently keeping his entire government and war effort together, that we are somehow on the side of the Russians,” he stressed.
“If you want to end the conflict, you have to try to understand where both the Russians and the Ukrainians see their strategic objectives,” Vance added. ‘“That does not mean you morally support the Russian cause, or that you support the full-scale invasion, but you do have to try to understand what are their strategic red lines, in the same way that you have to try to understand what the Ukrainians are trying to get out of the conflict,” he said. Members of the Trump administration “are not on anybody’s side. We are on America’s side,” Vance insisted. Trump and Vance publicly clashed with Zelensky during his visit to the White House in late February, accusing the Ukrainian leader of disrespect toward the US, failing to appreciate American aid, and not being interested in achieving peace with Russia.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the Kommersant newspaper in an interview published on Tuesday that Moscow appreciates that “the Trump administration is trying to get to the bottom of the issue and, most importantly, understand the root cause” of the Ukraine conflict. Lavrov also noted that Trump “has repeatedly said that the colossal mistake which led to the current events in Ukraine was the Biden administration’s decision to drag Ukraine into NATO.” Ukrainian neutrality remains one of Moscow’s key demands for a settlement of the conflict, along with the demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine and recognition by Kiev that Crimea, the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, and Kherson and Zaporozhye regions are part of Russia.
Big Plans. Big Numbers.
• Trump’s Budget Axe Takes Swing at State Dept. and Foreign Aid (Sp.)
The State Department’s budget may be dropped from $54.4 billion to $28.4 billion in 2026, according to internal planning documents seen by Reuters. Furthermore, nearly 30 US missions, mainly in Africa and Europe, would be shut, with foreign aid slashed from $38.3 billion to $16.9 billion, and programs deemed “redundant” headed for the shredder. America’s soft power toolbox – USAID – is getting the axe too, per the documents; its parts are being folded into the State Department.
The story that Russia killed civilians worked for 3 days. Now back to reality.
• Zelensky Fires Sumy Head After Russian Strike (RT)
Vladimir Zelensky’s office announced on Tuesday that it has fired the head of Ukraine’s Sumy Regional Military Administration, Vladimir Artyukh. The move follows accusations that Artyukh organized a military awards ceremony that was targeted in a Russian missile strike. On Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that it carried out a precision strike the previous day on a gathering of Ukrainian command staff in the border city of Sumy. Two Iskander-M missiles were used in the attack on Sunday, it said, adding that over 60 senior Ukrainian servicemen were killed in the strike. The local Ukrainian authorities have claimed that the attack targeted a military awards ceremony for the 117th Territorial Defense Brigade. Officials reported that the strike resulted in 35 civilian deaths and 129 others injured.
Several Ukrainian officials, including the mayor of Konotop, Artyom Semenikhin, have since called for the prosecution of Artyukh, accusing him of being directly responsible for the casualties by “organizing an awards ceremony” despite warnings not to do so. Artyukh has effectively confirmed that the ceremony took place on the day of the attack but denied responsibility for the event, telling public broadcaster Suspilne that he “was invited” but did not organize it. Nevertheless, Zelensky signed a decree on Tuesday removing Artyukh from his post. Taras Melnychuk, the cabinet’s representative in parliament, confirmed the move in a post on Telegram on Tuesday and announced that the government has decided on a replacement.
Moscow has stressed that it does not attack civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the Russian military only strikes “military-related targets.” Russian officials have accused Kiev, however, of deliberately hosting military events in civilian areas. Following the Sumy attack, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the facility targeted in Sunday’s strike was hosting both Ukrainian and NATO officers, and claimed they were posing as mercenaries. Lavrov went on to say that Kiev routinely flouts international law by placing military facilities and weapons in or near civilian infrastructure, and that there have been “a million” examples of this. Sumy is a regional capital and frontline city of over 250,000 people, located 25km from the border with Russia. It has become a focal point of Ukraine’s retreat from Russia’s Kursk Region following its failed incursion.
“..Trump’s team had told the group that it couldn’t sign the statement because it is “working to preserve the space to negotiate peace.”
• US Blocks G7 Condemnation of Russia Over Sumy Strike – Bloomberg (RT)
US President Donald Trump’s administration has reportedly refused to back a G7 statement condemning Russia’s recent missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy, according to sources cited by Bloomberg. On Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed firing two Iskander-M missiles the day before, targeting a gathering of Ukrainian and Western command staff, killing at least 60 senior servicemen. The Ukrainian authorities, however, have claimed that the Russian missiles struck a military awards ceremony, leaving 35 civilians dead and 129 others injured. Following the attack, Ukraine and a number of its international backers accused Russia of deliberately targeting civilians and undermining peace talks.
According to Bloomberg, the G7, which is being presided over by Canada this year, has drafted a joint statement denouncing the strike on Sumy but has not released it due to a lack of US support. In a draft of the statement seen by the outlet, the group said that the attack was proof that Russia was determined to continue the hostilities. Bloomberg reported that Trump’s team had told the group that it couldn’t sign the statement because it is “working to preserve the space to negotiate peace.”
Since taking office in January, Trump has pushed to get both Moscow and Kiev to the negotiating table and has resumed direct contacts with Russia in order to facilitate a peace deal. Throughout the Ukraine conflict, Moscow has maintained that it never targets civilian infrastructure. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov recently emphasized that Russia only strikes military targets. Russian officials have also stated that Moscow remains open to a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict but have stressed that any settlement must address its root causes. Moscow has demanded that Kiev demilitarize, denazify, give up its NATO ambitions, and adhere to a position of neutrality, and recognize the territorial “realities on the ground.”
If you don’t force him, he won’t do it. And even then, fair election anyone?
• Zelensky Moves To Delay Election Again (RT)
Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has submitted a bill to extend martial law in the country by another 90 days, which would rule out any chance of a new presidential election being held within that time frame. Zelensky – whose presidential term expired almost one year ago – has repeatedly cited martial law as a pretext for refusing to hold a new election. Russia has declared Zelensky “illegitimate” as a leader, insisting that the Ukrainian parliament remains the only legal authority in the country. On Tuesday, Zelensky introduced draft legislation in the Ukrainian parliament proposing a three-month extension of martial law and general mobilization starting from May 9. According to Ukrainian law, elections cannot be held while martial law is in effect, meaning the presidential vote will remain suspended.
If martial law were lifted, parliamentary elections could be held within 60 days after the end of the restrictions, and presidential elections within 90 days. The submitted bills are expected to be approved by parliament between April 15 and 18, Ukrainian MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak has said. Zelensky’s potential run for reelection has been the subject of much media speculation, particularly after Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East and a key figure in negotiating a settlement of the Ukraine conflict, claimed in late March that “there will be elections” in the country, although without providing a timeline. His comments also came after Trump himself called Zelensky “a dictator without elections.”
A later report by The Economist claimed that Zelensky and his team were gearing up for a blitzkrieg election campaign to “catch [his] rivals off guard” and win the vote before the opposition could muster its strength. However, Ukrainian officials have dismissed any plans to hold an election anytime soon. David Arakhamia, the head of Zelensky’s faction in the parliament, said that “all parliamentary parties and groups have agreed that elections should be held six months after the lifting of martial law.” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that European NATO members are making every effort to make sure that Zelensky retains power. Even if he fails to do so, Kiev’s backers would seek to maintain “the same Nazi and overtly Russophobic regime” in Ukraine by installing a new “half-Fuhrer” in Zelensky’s stead, Lavrov stated.
“U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis is now threatening contempt proceedings against the Trump administration for not complying with her order to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia from El Salvador..”
• A Federal Judge Just Threatened the Trump Administration (Margolis)
Make no mistake about it, the left is trying to force President Trump to bring an MS-13 gang member back to the United States. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis is now threatening contempt proceedings against the Trump administration for not complying with her order to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia from El Salvador. The Biden-appointed judge is particularly upset that the administration hasn’t provided evidence of efforts to bring back this suspected gang member. During Tuesday’s hearing, she complained, “I’ve gotten nothing. I’ve gotten no real response, and no real legal justification for not answering.” Attorneys for Abrego Garcia had asked that the administration be found in contempt of court over its inaction. The judge said she wants to review the evidence the administration submits, which is expected to include sworn depositions, before ruling on the matter.
She ordered officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security to sit for the depositions, and for the administration to hand over documents by the end of the month to see what steps its taken to comply with her order. Naturally, the liberal media is portraying Abrego Garcia as some innocent victim of an “administrative error.” But they conveniently gloss over the serious concerns about his background. “Abrego Garcia was a foreign terrorist. He is an MS-13 gang member. He was engaged in human trafficking,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt explained Tuesday, setting the record straight. “He illegally came into our country, and so deporting him back to El Salvador was always going to be the end result.”
Xinis previously ordered the administration to try to bring Abrego Garcia back to the U.S., where he could be given due process. The Supreme Court partially affirmed her order last week, saying Abrego Garcia’s removal was “illegal” and that Xinis’ order “properly requires the Government to ‘facilitate’ Abrego Garcia’s release from custody in El Salvador and to ensure that his case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador.” During an Oval Office meeting Monday between President Donald Trump and President Nayib Bukele, the Salvadoran president told a reporter that he wouldn’t send Abrego Garcia back to the U.S., calling the question “preposterous.”
But what about the judge’s previous ruling that supposedly bars Abrego Garcia’s deportation? The administration’s position is clear: as a member of MS-13, which Trump has designated as a foreign terrorist organization, his removal was both legal and necessary for American safety. The left is desperately trying to paint a different picture. They point to the judge’s opinion questioning the evidence used to identify him as an MS-13 member. This case perfectly illustrates the ongoing battle between Trump’s commitment to law and order and activist judges trying to obstruct his immigration policies — and now threatening the administration with contempt proceedings. This is judicial activism run amok, and it has to stop.
Yeah, give them all their day in court…
“Parole is not a legal status under immigration laws. It is a status created by executive action and is now being curtailed under that same authority.”
• Judge Halts Trump Deportation of Half a Million Biden “Parolees” (Turley)
The intense struggle between the Trump Administration and federal judges continued this week with another court ordering a halt to a nationwide program. In Massachusetts, District Judge Indira Talwani is preventing President Donald Trump from canceling a Biden program granting parole and the right to work to immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela (CHNV). Judge Talwani’s order would require individual hearings for the half of a million individuals allowed into the country under this program by President Joe Biden. Under the announcement published in the Federal Register, the Department of Homeland Security officially moved to terminate the CHNV Program. The announcement followed an Executive Order, signed on Trump’s first day in office, entitled “Securing Our Borders,” directing the DHS to end the CHNV program.
Under the notice, DHS said that the parole status would expire in 30 days “unless the Secretary makes an individual determination to the contrary.” It further mandated that parolees who had not obtained a legal basis to be in the United States, such as a green card or other visa, must depart the United States before their parole expires. In the prior hearing, Judge Talwani indicated that she would not allow that to happen, stating that the Administration’s interpretation of the law was “incorrect” and that “[t]he nub of the problem here is that [Homeland Security Secretary Krisit Noem], in cutting short the parole period afforded to these individuals, has to have a reasoned decision.”
In her opinion, Judge Talwani wrote: “If their parole status is allowed to lapse, plaintiffs will be faced with two unfavorable options: continue following the law and leave the country on their own, or await removal proceedings. If plaintiffs leave the country on their own, they will face dangers in their native countries, as set forth in their affidavits.” The court also noted that leaving would cause family separation and jeopardize their ability to seek a remedy based on the Administrative Procedure Act. The Administration argued that it did have a “reasoned decision” to end the CHNV program and weighed the cost to the parolees. It noted that the parolees were always going to face family separation and costs since this was just a temporary, two-year program. It asserted that it did weigh alternative periods for winding down the program. While the court may disagree with its conclusions, it asserts that it has the same discretion used by President Biden in creating the program.
There was another pressing reason for the change. If the parolees were allowed to run the course of the full period, those who did not obtain legal status could force formal removal proceedings rather than the expedited removal under the program. The Justice Department maintained: “DHS’s decision to terminate the CHNV program and existing grants of parole under that program is within this statutory authority and comports with the notice requirements of the statute and regulations,” they wrote. “Additionally, given the temporary nature of CHNV parole and CHNV parolees’ pre-existing inability to seek re-parole under the program, their harms are outweighed by the harms to the public if the Secretary is not permitted to discontinue a program she has determined does not serve the public interest.”
All of this presents another novel legal question. Parole is not a legal status under immigration laws. It is a status created by executive action and is now being curtailed under that same authority. However, these individuals came to the country under the promise of a two-year period. The question is whether a temporary program created by executive fiat can be treated as creating a type of vested right. If Judge Talwani prevails, individual determinations of half a million cases would be an overwhelming burden on the Administration and easily run out the time granted under the program for these individuals. Indeed, for many of the individuals, the appellate process could exceed that period. The court is not weighing the harshness of the decision but the president’s discretion in making such a decision. Judge Talwani suggests that, once created by President Biden, the program cannot be curtailed or shortened by President Trump. That question could very well find itself on the Supreme Court’s ever-lengthening docket.
“I don’t read The New York Times,” the former TV host said. “I don’t subscribe to The Washington Post. I don‘t read Politico or any of that crap. It’s just garbage.”
• Tucker Carlson Shares Why His Show Was Canceled (DS)
It’s been two years since Tucker Carlson answered a phone call on a Monday morning in late April 2023 to learn that the Fox News Channel had canceled his prime-time show. “I got fired from Fox for saying things they didn’t like,” Carlson told The Daily Signal during an exclusive interview at The Heritage Foundation’s Annual Leadership Conference. “That’s all right, you know. It’s not my company,” Carlson said of his ouster from Fox, adding, “I wasn’t one of those people like, ‘You can’t fire me.’ It’s like, of course you can fire me!” He was replaced in the 8 p.m. Eastern Time slot by Jesse Watters. Fox was not the first major network to end its relationship with Carlson.
“I got fired once for low ratings [and] once for being kind of a lunatic,” he recalled. The political commentator worked at CNN and MSNBC before later going on to work at Fox News.Looking back on his more than two decades working at Fox News, Carlson said, “I would always say to Fox, ‘I’m not going to take instruction. I mean, you hired me to get decent ratings, I’ve done that. If you don’t like what I say, you can take me off the air, but you’re not going to control my show, just fire me.’ … And that seemed like that had always been our deal.” After spending about 30 years working in the world of cable news, Carlson said, “I liked everyone I worked for, including the people who fired me.” Since his breakup with Fox News, Carlson started his own company and launched a YouTube channel, which now has nearly 4 million subscribers, where he shares multiple video interviews each week. Carlson hosts a wide range of guests on his show. Between March 5 and March 7, for example, Carson released interviews with Sam Bankman-Fried, who is currently in prison for fraud related to the collapse of his cryptocurrency exchange; Jonathan Roumie, who played Jesus in “The Chosen”; and Qatar Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
“I have varied interests, you know, but I’m interested in people,” Carlson said. While Carlson said he could have retired after losing his job at Fox News and pursued his passions for trout fishing, bird hunting, and carpentry, his love of people kept him in the news and political commentary space. “But I really love talking to people. I like learning—that sounds like B.S., but it’s actually fully sincere. And I love that more than I love money. I would do that for free,” he said. Despite still working in the field of political commentary, Carlson says he does not “read any news content at all,” but instead gets his news from people. “I’m not following every topic, he said. “I only follow five or six things.” “I’m really interested in the foreign policy stuff, and I’ve spent a lot of time on that topic,” Carlson said.
“I’m not an expert on it, but I certainly know a lot more than most policymakers in the United States who are probably the dumbest people I’ve ever met in my life, and reckless, and not all, but the majority have no right to make the decisions that they make.” “I’m interesting in spiritual questions, he continued. “I’m interest in the outdoors, and I’m interested in the balance of power globally, and in war and preventing it. So, those are my interests.” Life is a lot easier, Carlson said, when you focus on your interests and know that “you don’t have to be an expert on everything. And by the way, no one can be.” Among the people who he says he does talk to in order to stay informed on the issues he cares about, there are “a surprisingly small number of journalists, but there are still a couple who I know because they’re really well-informed.”
“I don’t read The New York Times,” the former TV host said. “I don’t subscribe to The Washington Post. I don‘t read Politico or any of that crap. It’s just garbage. Like, why would you read that? Because it gets in your head and then you can’t remember, ‘How did I know that? Where did I hear that?’ You know? So, I get almost 100% of my information from individuals on the phone or by text.”
https://twitter.com/Boldyboy1975/status/1911855232176251283
https://twitter.com/Boldyboy1975/status/1911784309440074076
Holy week
https://twitter.com/Sachinettiyil/status/1911857353420656899
Holy Week in Spain is so cool. pic.twitter.com/fxQk722a70
— Catholic Arena (@CatholicArena) April 14, 2025
https://twitter.com/DiogenisSinopis/status/1912110942336266735
https://twitter.com/CatholicArena/status/1911929738521903128
https://twitter.com/CatholicQuote12/status/1911999731280355356
Alert
A herd of African elephants instinctively formed an “alert circle,” intended to protect the younger elephants at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park this morning, as a 5.2 magnitude earthquake shook southern California. pic.twitter.com/g3v6ddMz5G
— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 14, 2025
Lion
Logically which animal could take on a full grown male lion? pic.twitter.com/NzabfUxnPO
— Nature is Amazing ☘️ (@AMAZlNGNATURE) April 14, 2025
Menace
https://twitter.com/itsme_urstruly/status/1911843708473164266
Support the Automatic Earth in wartime with Paypal, Bitcoin and Patreon.
Home › Forums › Debt Rattle April 16 2025