Economy –
CNN — Walmart’s chief merchandising officer for its US operations is stepping down from the job as the retailer faces a tougher year ahead, an internal memo shared to US associates Friday said.
“The consumer is still very pressured,” Walmart CFO John Rainey told CNBC. “And if you look at economic indicators, balance sheets are running thinner and savings rates are declining relative to previous periods. And so that’s why we take a pretty cautious outlook on the rest of the year.”
The retail industry in general is expected to face challenges this year after sluggish holiday sales.
Biden / Harris watch –
Joe and Hunter Biden are back from their four-day taxpayer-funded vacation to Ireland. Biden retreated straight to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, for another weekend vacation. He has spent 326 days — 40% of his presidency — on vacation.
CW2/Domestic violence –
Minneapolis is the first major American city to allow the Muslim call to prayer, or adhan, to be broadcast over loudspeakers five times a day, year-round It follows a unanimous vote by the city council to amend the city’s noise ordinance after some morning and evening calls were previously prevented The move is seen as a victory for the city’s burgeoning population of East African immigrants, many of whom are Muslim.
OBSERVATION - Little surprise that Minneapolis was the center of major rioting in 2020 and that muslim violence in Europe has created many “no go” areas. Coming soon to Minnesota and other blue areas as well.
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Overnight in downtown Chicago a large group of teenagers tore up the area, smashing car windows, getting into fights, robbing people, and using mace. There have also been reports of multiple gunshots, and three teens have been shot while attempting to break into the Art Institute of Chicago.
OBSERVATION – It looks like this may be a long, hot summer in blue cities. The past several years of essentially no law enforcement has emboldened the ferals to do as they please. This in the face of some ‘civic leaders’ decrying the closure of 8 Walmarts in the city exactly because of this behavior. Expect ‘copy cat’ rampages soon in other cities.
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Disturbing words on the interwebs on whether or not our military would fire on civilians. Observations from veterans is that the needle has pushed to the definite “YES” category. Based in part to the efforts of the regime to force out those who would resist such an order – through purges of those with “potential” domestic terror/white supremacy alignment as well as those who refused the jab on principle. This leaves those who unthinkingly follow such orders – providing them a power trip as a bonus. Already, Marxist indoctrination is deeply embedded in the nation’s military academys and advanced officer leadership courses at Ft. Leavenworth / Cmd and Gen Staff College. This also mirrors increased indifference by metro police forces unwilling to stop violence against those on the right and our alphabet agencies willing to use swat style tactics to arrest peaceful protestors and political opponents.
On the other side, veterans in the civilian population pose a serious threat to any military effort directed by the regime to enforce any of its dictates like gun control. The only way they can force the issue is to disarm the populace. It will not be pretty if it happens. Hence I expect increasing calls for so called gun control and increased focus and infiltration into veterans groups / patriot groups by the feds – mostly to incite an incident that can be turned into justification to force disarming citizens.
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Sixty-nine acts of vandalism against churches occurred in the first quarter of the year, constituting a significant increase in the number of attacks compared to previous years.
The Family Research Council, a socially conservative think-tank based in Washington, D.C., released a supplemental report outlining “Hostility Against Churches” in the first quarter of 2023. The data builds on an earlier report published in December, which documented attacks on churches between January 2018 and December 2022.
January saw the highest number of church attacks, totaling 43 documented incidents. Fourteen acts of vandalism occurred in February, while 12 occurred in March.
The number of attacks against churches during the first three months of 2023 represents a marked increase in the number of incidents that occurred in the first three months of the previous five years. The Family Research Council recorded 15 attacks against churches in the first three months of 2018, 12 in the same period in 2019, 14 in the first quarter of 2021, and 22 in the first four months of 2022. 2020 saw no attacks on churches in its first three months.
OBSERVATION – This will only increase – particularly in blue regions of the country as the progressives in charge there will see this as comeuppance for the USSC abortion decision as well as resistance to the Transtifa agenda to force its agenda on the country.
Domestic / International Terror (modified)-
Situational awareness as Ramadan continues.
North/South Korea –
South Korea’s military released a statement saying that a ROK Navy vessel fired warning shots after a North Korean patrol boat crossed the Northern Limit Line. The North Korean patrol boat was reportedly chasing a Chinese fishing boat.
OBSERVATION – From what I understand, it is crabbing season in that area, and Chinese boats commonly poach crabs, causing problems for both NK and SK
Japan –
Video of the recent attempted bombing of the PM shows the rapid reaction by one of his bodyguards in kicking the device away from the PM then putting himself between the PM and pushing him away from the threat.
Russia -
WAR WATCH - into the second year of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine - Feb 24th, 2022
CURRENT ASSESSMENT
Russian forces have initiated an offensive who’s declared goals are to reach and secure the Luhansk and Donetsk oblast borders — an objective that Russian Chief of General Staff Army General Valery Gerasimov had also outlined on December 22, 2022. Troop and equipment build up is being noted
This offensive action is focused on several fronts –
1) the Svatove-Kreminna front,
2) Bahkmut region,
3) Donetsk region and
4) Zaporizhizhia Oblast around the town of Vuhledar.
Analysts are noting that the Russian offensive operations are winding down. Some offensive operation will continue to be attempted, however, a lot of assessment indicates they’ve lost the capability to sustain a credible offensive to try to capture the Donbas region having frittered away resources against Bahkmut.
Russia is also capable of launching cruise/ballistic missile attacks directed against Ukrainian infrastructure - primarily its power grid, but massively reduced inventories of such missiles means these barrages will be further apart.
While Russia has nuclear capability, the probability is low that any will be used in the near future.
********
Ukraine -
WEATHER FORECAST – Temperatures with highs now reaching the 60’s with some light rain over part of the forecast period. Could signal a potential drying trend.
24 HOUR ROUND UP –
Fighting around Avdiivka and Bakhmut with increased Russian efforts at both cities.
The Svatove-Kreminna, Zaporizhizhia and Crimean fronts were relatively quiet, with mostly scattered and sporatic Russian artillery strikes and minimal ground attacks.
OUTLOOK –
Expect fighting in Avdiivka and Bakhmut to continue. I’m discerining a trend of increased Russian efforts to secure as much of the areas around these cities as possible before any Ukraine offensive occurs. Speculation is that in at least in the case of Bakhmut, it will be the focus of one of the axis’s of the offensive.
Israel –
Israeli media media report Israel has extended the restrictions imposed on the airspace near the Lebanese border for a period of 24 hours.
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Several Israeli websites have found themselves under cyberattack on Friday afternoon, coinciding with the Iranian anti-Israel hate festival known as ‘Quds Day.’ A group of hackers identified as ‘Anonymous Sudan’ has taken responsibility for targeting websites of Israeli banks, phone providers, the post office, the electricity company and the red alert warning app. Israeli media reported that some of the sites have collapsed and were offline for a short time.
Turkey -
The Turkish president on April 14 called for the creation of a new constitution for the country that stands up for the public’s hopes and dreams.
“Let’s make a new, civil, libertarian constitution that embraces the dreams of all the people of this country. This is a call for all 85 million (people in Türkiye),” Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told a groundbreaking ceremony for houses and the handover of over 1,400 houses and 17 shops in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır.
OBSERVATION – Some see this call as evidence that Erdogan is struggling to regain the confidence of a significant portion of the country. He has shifted the country more and more towards Islamic fundamentalism and positioned it as the leader of the restored califate – a move the more moderate majority of the country rejects. This on top of the deployment of Turkish forces around the Med in support of that claim. He has further overseen the massive economic meltdown of the country’s currency and associated woes.
Africa general –
Fighting continues in the Sudan between govt military forces and the RSF. Most of the fighting is centered in the capitol city of Khartoum.
RSF had captured Egyptian military elements in country for an exercised with national military – now the RSF says they will be released without any preconditions after initially designating them as POWs.
Chad has reportedly closed its border with Sudan.
Sudan’s joint chiefs of staff says that there will be no negotiations or dialogue before the dissolution of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) - Reuters
The African Union’s peace and security council has tweeted that it is convening an emergency session to discuss the crisis.
The Arab League is also holding an urgent meeting to discuss the situation, following a request by Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
At the same time, the Egyptian presidency has said that Egypt and South Sudan have offered to mediate between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
OBSERVATION – RSF is apparently staging a coup attempt. Complicated military relationship as it has been an independent force now facing loss of that independence thru integration in an subordination to the govt military.
The RSF may have dodged a bullet (metaphoically and literally) by releasing the Egyptian soldiers, as Egypt would not have views such capture and retention favorably.
Globalism / Great Reset –
Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas & Electric, and San Diego Gas & Electric submitted a joint proposal to the state’s Public Utilities Commission last week that outlines the new rate structure. It follows last year’s passage of Assembly Bill 205 which requires a fixed rate and generally simpler power bills.
Under the proposal, households will see a fixed rate covering basic electricity services and the utility company’s operating costs on a scale based on their household income.
SCE says approximately 1.2 million of its lower-income customers will see their bills drop by 16%-21%. Overall, rates will decrease by about 33% per kilowatt hour for all residential customers, the utility says.
OBSERVATION - Classical communism. Watch the exodus of businesses and rich from Kalifornia increase.
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A Switzerland-based group has issued a report urging nations to end the criminalization of various acts – the most notable being sex with a minor who supposedly consents to the activity.
The report was created by the International Committee of Jurists (ICJ), alongside the United Nations group UNAIDS and the U.N.’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, according to a news release from UNAIDS.
The report urged an end to criminal laws that prohibit acts that the groups deem human rights.
OBSERVATION - Continued perversion of children by the globalists.
**
U.S. climate czar John Kerry claimed in an interview on Sunday that “so much has been invested in clean energy that there can be no rolling back of moves to end carbon emissions,” according to an interview with the Associated Press.
Kerry claimed that if countries phase out petroleum-based fuels, the world can purportedly limit average global warming to 1.7 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit).
“The United States and all the developed world has the responsibility to help the developing world through this crisis,” he said. “Those countries will really determine what happens. If they will reduce, if they will take the lead, if they will start deploying the new technologies, if they will stop using unabated fossil fuels, we’ll up the chance of winning this battle.”
OBSERVATION – Declaration from the deep state / WEF that they will not permit reversals of their global energy policies.
Economy –
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said tightening lending standards and credit restriction in the economy could “substitute” further rate increases by the Federal Reserve. Responding to a question about deposit security in the wake of bank collapses, Yellen said there are important pros and cons to consider for a Central Bank Digital Currency, but it could be in America’s future. (FO)
OBSERVATION – More pressure that will harm small businesses and farms due to evaporation of access to credit. Also – indicators the recent (and ongoing under the surface) banking crisis a factor in the delivery of a US CBDC.
Invasion of Illegals –
President Joe Biden’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released more than a million migrants into the United States through a parole pipeline — a foreign population that exceeds the populations of six states.
A few months into taking office in 2021, Biden began implementing an expansive Catch and Release network that has transformed the U.S.-Mexico border into a European-style checkpoint where many border crossers are merely stopped, briefly detained, and then released into the nation’s interior.
OBSERVATION – All untraceable and virtually impossible to expel.
Biden / Harris watch –
On Thursday, President Joe Biden is scheduled to attend a Major Economies Forum, which includes leaders of 20 nations that account for more than three-quarters of global carbon emissions. The summit offers another opportunity for committing resources to the goal of reaching zero emissions by 2050
CW2/Domestic violence –
Chicago mayor-elect said the city should not demonize the teens who organized a ‘Teen Takeover’ of the Loop over the weekend, even after the event turned violent with cars burnt cars and minors shot.
Brandon Johnson, 47, said Sunday he does not ‘condone the destructive activity’ and that it’s ‘unacceptable and has no place’ in Chicago, but that it should not be used as a way to vilify the group.
‘However, it is not constructive to demonize youth who have otherwise been starved of opportunities in their own communities,’ said Johnson, a progressive Democrat.
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Elon Musk: “Various government agencies effectively had full access to everything that was going on Twitter,” including to the users’ direct messages. “The degree to which various government agencies effectively had full access to everything that was going on at Twitter blew my mind”
OBSERVATION – govt spying on citizens - illegal and a sign of tyranny developing
Domestic / International Terror (modified)-
Situational awareness as Ramadan continues.
Strategic Activity / Deployments –
There is currently a rather large US Strategic Command exercise called Global Thunder 23 underway involving at least 10 B-52H, at least 16 tankers and an E-4B Nightwatch, all from USAF Global Strike Command. There are also four US Navy E-6B TACAMOs airborne.
Russia -
WAR WATCH - into the second year of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine - Feb 24th, 2022
CURRENT ASSESSMENT
Russian forces have initiated an offensive who’s declared goals are to reach and secure the Luhansk and Donetsk oblast borders — an objective that Russian Chief of General Staff Army General Valery Gerasimov had also outlined on December 22, 2022. Troop and equipment build up is being noted
This offensive action is focused on several fronts –
1) the Svatove-Kreminna front,
2) Bahkmut region,
3) Donetsk region and
4) Zaporizhizhia Oblast around the town of Vuhledar.
Analysts are noting that the Russian offensive operations are winding down. Some offensive operation will continue to be attempted, however, a lot of assessment indicates they’ve lost the capability to sustain a credible offensive to try to capture the Donbas region having frittered away resources against Bahkmut.
Russia is also capable of launching cruise/ballistic missile attacks directed against Ukrainian infrastructure - primarily its power grid, but massively reduced inventories of such missiles means these barrages will be further apart.
While Russia has nuclear capability, the probability is low that any will be used in the near future.
Ukraine -
WEATHER FORECAST – Temperatures with highs now reaching the 60’s with some light rain over part of the forecast period. Could signal a potential drying trend.
24 HOUR ROUND UP –
Fighting is intensifying at Bakhmut with Russian forces once again attempting to cut the city off while continuing pressure from the east . Action shifted from Avdiivka to the M-04 highway about 15 km west of the town.
The Svatove-Kreminna, Zaporizhizhia and Crimean fronts were relatively quiet, with mostly scattered and sporatic Russian artillery strikes and minimal ground attacks.
Russian Territory –
Ukraine drones hit a major power sub station in Belgorod causing a number of explosions and a large power outage.
OUTLOOK –
Expect fighting in Avdiivka and Bakhmut to continue. I’m discerining a trend of increased Russian efforts to secure as much of the areas around these cities as possible before any Ukraine offensive occurs.
Reports that the Russian military command appears to be increasingly shifting responsibility for offensive operations in Ukraine to the Russian Airborne troops (VDV). This may account for some of the change in tactics around Avdiivka and Bakhmut. VDV control may account for some of the changes in tactics at those cities.
Europe / NATO General –
Some 26,000 personnel from 14 countries are participating in Aurora 23, Sweden’s largest military exercise in 25 years. The exercise is designed to prove a joint capability to launch a counterattack against an invasion of Sweden.
Iran –
Regime is vehemently denying “rumours” about a possible fuel price hike but it has already launched a new rationing system that curbs the amount of fuel people can buy. A fuel price hike in Nov 2019 led to nationwide protests, security forces killing hundreds.
Syria -
An Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) senior leader was likely killed in a helicopter raid in northern Syria early Monday morning, according to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
The ISIS leader and operational planner, who was not named, was responsible for planning terror attacks in the Middle East and Europe. “The raid resulted in the probable death of the targeted individual,” the Department of Defense’s command said, adding that two other armed individuals were also killed in the raid.
No U.S. troops were injured in the attack nor was any Department of Defense equipment damaged, due to “extensive planning.” The command does not believe any civilians were injured either.
Africa general –
Sudan’s capital Khartoum continues under assault, with fighting in the country in its third day.