Thank you for your notes of concern. The family ‘member’ involved was my dog and I was facing the possibility of having to put him to sleep yesterday. He was diagnosed last month as being diabetic, and quickly developed cataracts now essentially being blind. He ran into something and injured his eye and head (though I couldn’t see the injury – the vet did) and was totally lethargic. Fortunately, the meds have perked him back up. I know his years are substantially shortened (he’ll be 8 this summer), but it’s hard to say goodbye. For now we have his perkiness (and not suffering) around for a little longer, before that fateful day when he starts to suffer from diabetes and we have to say goodbye.
Globalism / Great Reset –
Equities dropped in the U.S., Asia and Europe on Tuesday as a combination of recession, banking, and debt-ceiling risks facing the world’s largest economy came together and dented the appetite for risk-taking.
Equities dropped in the U.S., Asia and Europe on Tuesday as a combination of recession, banking, and debt-ceiling risks facing the world’s largest economy came together and dented the appetite for risk-taking.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/stocks-fall-worldwide-on-u-s-recession-banking-and-debt-ceiling-risks/ar-AA1akyaW?rc=1&ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=263051f1cb1e44ecbcbd3c85830fb354&ei=34
OBSERVATION – Summer may be hotter than normal. A global economic meltdown is what is desired by the GGR in order to implement their plans.
Economy –
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) say their $1.5 trillion debt ceiling bill will pass a House vote, Democrats are vowing to vote it down in the Senate, and President Biden says he would veto the bill. McCarthy calls for spending cuts, which Biden and the Democrats oppose, while a handful of Republicans say the cuts aren’t deep enough. (FO)
OBSRVATION – I am getting inclinations more and more that this game of chicken is not a game, but a deliberate action by the democrats to implode our economy in order to facilitate the GGR’s desire for a one singular global economy. Some how they think they will retain power under that scenario, but most of them will be dumped like the useful idiots they are. Note the convergence with the approaching recession. This will get very ugly IMHO, as the democrats once again display willingness to burn the whole thing down in order to rule over the ashes.
**
Consumer confidence dipped again in April as anxiety over a slowing economy and possible recession weighed on American households.
The Conference Board reported Tuesday that its consumer confidence index fell to 101.3 in April from 104 in March. It’s the third time in four months that overall U.S. consumer confidence has declined.
Optimism about current economic conditions ticked up again, although consumers are less positive about the short-term future.
The index remains below 2022’s average level of 104.5.
OBSERVATION – Subjective measure of economic health, but reflects the impacts of our economy on the masses.
**
Global shipping company UPS said Tuesday that the U.S. economy is slowing down as its revenue fell 6 percent in the first quarter compared to a year earlier.
The company’s operating profit, it said, also fell about 22 percent. Its earnings also fell short of Wall Street forecasts for the quarter, according to Reuters.
OBSERVATION - Reflections of the slow down in the economy. Another harbinger of recession on its way.
**
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Tuesday warned of an “economic and financial catastrophe” that would decimate jobs and make loans more expensive for years to come if Congress fails to raise the debt ceiling and the government defaults on its obligations.
Yellen issued the warning in prepared remarks for the 51st annual Sacramento Metro Chamber’s annual Capitol-to-Capitol program, a meeting with California business executives.
The Treasury Secretary touched on the U.S. economic recovery from the lows of the pandemic recession, while acknowledging that inflation remains an ongoing problem.
“We still face near-term challenges. Our administration’s top economic priority is to tackle inflation while protecting the economic gains of the past two years,” she said, noting that inflation remains elevated, although it has come down several percentage points from the summer peak.
OBSERVATION – Remember to give her some considerable speculation. I think she may be greasing the skids for biden and the democrats rejection of any debt ceiling increase.
Biden / Harris watch –
Biden’s campaign theme is “Finish the Job” - omnious given how much damage he has done to the country in the few years he has already been in office.
CW2/Domestic violence –
Transtifia supporters in Montana continue to stomp their feet and throw tantrums.
Strategic Activity / Deployments –
While there were earlier reports that the Ford CSG was to replace the Bush in the Med, USNI does not have it on their deployment maps or discussion. Thus it would appear that the Med currently has no carrier group in the region.
**
US and SK coming to an agreement to port US nuclear missile capable subs in SK – See North/South Korea below
POLITICAL FRONT –
Aftershocks continue in Carlson’s removal from Fox news. In addition to losing nearly a billion in stock value, many are removing subscriptions to Fox News. I haven’t seen the numbers yet, but it appears that it is reaching a boycott of bud light levels.
**
Increasing efforts by the leftist media to de-legitimize the USSC continue. Most recent are hit pieces on Gorsuch. I’m concerned that these attacks are laying the groundwork for an executive branch assault to sideline the court – bringing the number of effective branches to two. Such an attack on a conservative USSC would be in line for a communist take-over by force.
China –
In a phone call this morning, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky approved a Chinese special representative to start talks between the Ukrainians and Russians. Zelensky described the call as “long and meaningful,” while Xi said his goal was to promote peace and international stability by ending the conflict.
OBSERVATION – Xi is making the most out of the leadership vacuum created by the biden regime. Many now view him as the new global leader.
**
Taiwan is encountering jamming of GPS signals all along the northern part of the island. This coincides with the presence of China warships.
It is not known at this time why the jamming is being done, but it is interfering with air traffic into and out of Taiwan.
OBSERVATION – China testing the envelope for future operations. GPS has become critical for precision munitions.
North/South Korea –
A US nuclear missile submarine will soon visit South Korea for the first time since the early 1980s, senior US officials said on Wednesday.
The announcement comes as US President Joe Biden and his South Korean counterpart Yoon Suk Yeol are set to reveal details of enhanced military cooperation in response to North Korea’s missile tests and growing nuclear arsenal.
Japan –
Japan’s outgoing Ambassador to Australia, Shingo Yamagami, warned that “time is running out” for the West to prevent a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. “Time is quite limited because our response has been so slow,” Yamagami said.
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.
********
NOTE – I’ll be rewriting the above assessment in the coming days to reflect the current situation better.
Economic Impact –
The Kremlin announced on Wednesday that it had seized the assets of Finnish energy consortium Fortum and its former German subsidiary Uniper in what it termed as retaliation for the seizure of Russian assets abroad.
Ukraine –
WEATHER FORECAST – Temperatures with highs now reaching the 60’s with light rain over most of the forecast period.
24 HOUR ROUND UP –
Fighting continued to be fierce at Bakhmut with Russian forces attacking the northeast and eastern portions of the city continue to make marginal gains.
Ground fighting at Avdiyivka continues to show a shift in effort to Russians moving westward along the M04 highway, bypassing south the town.
The Svatove-Kreminna, Zaporizhizhia and Crimean fronts were relatively quiet, with mostly scattered and sporatic Russian artillery strikes and minimal ground attacks.
OUTLOOK –
No change in the conflict in the east. Eyes on Ukrainian movements and battlefield shaping operations (and those operations will be kept under tight OPSEC).
Belarus -
Rumors of a new Russian offensive from Belarusian territory were part of a coordinated masking operation by the Russian Main Operational Directorate (GOU) of the General Staff, according to Pentagon Leaks
OBSERVATION – Most likely this was a designed ruse. I think it was a pretty transparent one at that though. Multiple months ago I posted reports on this subject, and it became pretty apparent that such a reopening of an offensive front from Belarus was a non-starter. What Russia has done is utilize Belarus training facilities and staff to bring better training to its conscripted forces before shifting them to the eastern Ukraine front. This activity continues. I think Ukraine played along with the ruse as a counter measure.
Israel –
Celebrating its 75th anniversary of nationhood.
Africa general –
Sudan –
Situation in Sudan is mildly stabilizing, allowing foreign govts to extract their citizens.
White House spokesman John Kirby said on Monday it’s not safe to evacuate the remaining Americans out of Sudan as two powerful rival military factions battle it out for control of the east African nation.
The United States evacuated US embassy personnel on Sunday but thousands of Americans still remain and President Joe Biden’s administration ruled out a further evacuation.
‘We’re going to do everything we can to help guide people, get them the information they need to get out safely. But it is not safe right now for another evacuation attempt. That would actually put Americans in more danger, not less,’ Kirby, the spokesman for the National Security Council, said on CBS Mornings.
He said the administration is ‘advising all Americans, those who didn’t take the warning, to get out, to shelter in place. This is not the time to be moving around the city.’
OBSERVATION – France is reporting that it is evacuating US citizens – something that the US just isn’t able to do. Talk about lack of concern or leadership.
OBSERVATION – Xi is making the most out of the leadership vacuum created by the biden regime. Many now view him as the new global leader.
Biden's a fool... so are most of our military 'leaders'. The downside? Xi knows Ukraine has rare earth elements... and Ukraine will remember Xi as a peacemaker and us as the people who propped up a corrupt regime.
Running a little behind. Trying to get preliminary yard work done now that the glacier has receded. Seeing a lot of continued interweaving of national and international news falling in to the WEF stated goals. The trends I’m seeing are not good and with the growing political tsunami of the 2024 elections enroute my refocus on preparations are being rechecked.
Globalism / Great Reset –
Argentina will start to pay for Chinese imports in yuan rather than dollars, the government announced Wednesday, a measure that aims to relieve the country’s dwindling dollar reserves.
In April, it aims to pay around $1 billion of Chinese imports in yuan instead of dollars and thereafter around $790 million of monthly imports will be paid in yuan, a government statement said.
OBSERVATION - Part of China’s ongoing effort to strip the dollar of its global reserve status, and many economists are beginning to raise red flags (no pun intended) over it. The GGR absolutely NEEDS the US dollar’s position as reserve currency in order for it to do its global financial reset.
Economy –
Gross domestic product, a measure of all goods and services produced for the period, rose at a 1.1% annualized pace in the first quarter, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had been expecting growth of 2%.
OBSERVATION – There is a storm coming and the GDP is reflecting the ongoing slowing of the economy into a recession.
**
First Republic Bank’s stock price fell 50% Tuesday and continued to fall Wednesday after the bank announced a 41% drop in deposits in the first quarter of 2023.
OBSERVATION – Weakness here could cause another round of bank runs/failures.
**
The latest EPA proposal would mandate ‘carbon capture’ at power plants. A study by MIT showed that carbon capture raises the cost of electricity from 30% to 50% depending on the type of plant. Another study by Australia’s Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis however showed that prices could actually climb as high as 95% to 175%. A Stanford study found that carbon capture actually increases air pollution.
OBSERVATION – Failing to gain legislative support, biden is trying the end around with the EPA, once again, following tactics already struck down by the USSC. He doesn’t care how it happens or its consequences, biden et al want to kill all coal and gas plants in the country. About 63% of the nation’s power is generated by coal, shutting them down will drive much of the country back into the 1800’s.
Biden / Harris watch –
Biden was caught again with crib notes telling him which reporters to call on with prescreened questions. The media is covering for him.
CW2/Domestic violence –
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Director Steve Dettelbach avoided confirming Wednesday whether the agency would pursue prosecution against people who violated its new pistol brace rule accidentally.
The rule requires owners to register pistols with braces as “short barrel rifles” by redefining a weapon “designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder” as a “rifle,” with a May 31 deadline. Republican Texas Rep. Troy Nehls said he viewed the rule as “a direct assault” on law-abiding Americans’ Second Amendment rights, asking Dettelbach what enforcement mechanism the ATF would use to fine or possibly sentence people to jail if they do not comply or aren’t aware of it, during the Wednesday House Judiciary Committee hearing on ATF oversight.
OBSERVATION – Clock is ticking and of course he won’t say anything – silence is a loud yes they will and as quickly as they can since the courts are cutting the ban off at the start.
**
Violence to silence is becoming normalized.
https://hotair.com/david-strom/2023/04/27/violence-to-silence-is-becoming-normalized-n546537
OBSERVATION – Just posting a link here but a good read to catch the bigger picture of the development of leftist violence here in the US and parts of the rest of the world. As long as the biden regime condones leftist violence and leftist (and Soros bought) DA’s refuse to prosecute this will only get worse until the FAFO threshold is reached and the right pushes back. This pushback is exactly what the leftists want to justify a crackdown on all of us ‘domestic terrorists’, an action that may well trigger a shooting CW2.
Strategic Activity / Deployments –
Biden energy secretary Granholm if pushing to require a 100% electric vehicle fleet by 2030.
POLITICAL FRONT –
Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Angus King (I-ME) introduced the Supreme Court Code of Conduct Act, which would require the Supreme Court to adopt a code of ethics, designate an ethics official, and contract with federal agencies to handle ethics investigations. Murkowski said the Supreme Court must demonstrate independence and fairness in their decisions, and any cracks in public confidence could damage our democracy. (FO)
IN RELATED - Now there is a question about the professional work of one of the justices’ wives. U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts’s wife could face an ethics inquiry by the Department of Justice.
A former colleague of Jane Sullivan Roberts has formally asked the DOJ for an inquiry after claiming that the chief justice’s wife had been paid millions in commissions to place lawyers at firms — some of which have business before the Supreme Court. Jane Roberts is a high-end legal recruiter, Conservative Brief reports.
“In his letter last month, Kendal Price, a 66-year-old Boston lawyer, argued that the justices should be required to disclose more information about their spouses’ work. He did not cite specific Supreme Court decisions, but said he was worried that a financial relationship with law firms arguing before the court could affect justices’ impartiality or at least give the appearance of doing so,” the New York Times reported.
OBSERVATION – As I pointed out in earlier USSC post, the conservative justices have come under serious partisan attacks from MSM and politicians. This is another assault on the independence of the court. I will reiterate, I think the groundwork is being laid down for an eventual overthrow/take over of the court by leftists in govt (deep state). This would occur when SHTF and the govt declares martial law in order to crack down on patriots. Window opening – election 2024.
**
Carlson aftershocks continue. In his first public address since getting sacked, Carlson tweeted a 2:48 video that smashed viewership of even his former segments on Fox.
**
(Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday narrowly passed a bill to raise the nation’s $31.4 trillion debt ceiling, defying President Joe Biden by attaching sweeping spending cuts for the next decade.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters the House bill is “dead on arrival.” He said the Republican legislation “only brings us dangerously closer” to an historic U.S. debt default that would shake markets and economies worldwide.
OBSERVATION – Ball is in the democrats court, and the game of chicken continues. The regime has started a full court press attack on the bill and are openly lying about it. At this stage, democrats appear to think they have the republicans over a barrel and that they can force a ‘clean’ hike. Right now I figure odds are that the ceiling will be hit this summer and govt shutdowns will ensue.
China –
Chinese President Xi Jinping explicitly recognized Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence, stating that mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity is foundational to Ukrainian-Chinese relations in a conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr
OBSERVATION - This is a huge blow to Russia and their buddy – buddy with China. China has even included Crimea as part of Ukraine in other statements. Just like China views America as weak, they are coming quickly to the same conclusion regarding Russia. If hard push comes to shove, China will still nominally back Russia, but at the moment China is fixing on extracting a lot of out of Russia – territory and resources.
**
Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka canceled a high-level meeting with China’s Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, instead putting forward Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica, which Beijing refused. Ma was reportedly in Fiji to deliver an ultimatum to Prime Minister Rabuka that Fiji should reconsider its ties to Taiwan and its growing alignment with Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. (FO)
OBSERVATION – All is not happy with China’s expansion into the western Pacific Island regions. Threats like this may cause other island nations to reconsider their ‘friendship’ with China.
**
See Globalism / Great Reset above on the yuan being used instead of dollars for payments
**
(AP) — A Chinese coast guard ship blocked a Philippine patrol vessel steaming into a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, causing a frightening near-collision in the latest act of Beijing’s aggression in the strategic waterway.
The high seas face-off Sunday between the larger Chinese ship and the Philippine coast guard’s BRP Malapascua near Second Thomas Shoal was among the tense moments it and another Philippine vessel encountered in a weeklong sovereignty patrol in one of the world’s most hotly contested waterways.
The Philippine coast guard had invited a small group of journalists, including three from The Associated Press, to join the 1,670-kilometer (1,038-mile) patrol for the first time as part of a new Philippine strategy aimed at exposing China’s increasingly aggressive actions in the South China Sea, where an estimated $5 trillion in global trade transits each year.
OBSERVATION – China’s aggression is not limited to Taiwan, but is focused on the Philippines as well. This act is one of the reasons Philippines are drawing into a closer relationship with the US for military support in the region. You can bet that once China has dealt with its Taiwan problem, this region will be next.
Illegal Immigration –
On Wednesday, a whistleblower is set to testify before Congress with bombshell claims that the federal government has essentially become a “middleman” in a child trafficking ring along the southern border, an operation that is allegedly worth billions.
The hearing before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement will be titled “The Biden Border Crisis: Exploitation of Unaccompanied Alien Children.” The focus of the hearing will be the spike in the number of “unaccompanied children” (UACs) during the border crisis under Biden’s watch.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) statistics indicate that the number of UACs has risen from just 33,239 in fiscal year 2020 to over 146,000 in fiscal year 2021, and 152,000 in 2022. Currently, fiscal year 2023 has already seen over 70,000 UACs encounter border authorities.
OBSERVATION – this hearing was already held, and the implications are disgusting. Ever notice those arrested for human trafficking and child sexual exploitation tend to be predominantly democrat or the uber-rich RINOs? Part of the plan folks.
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.
********
NOTE – I’ll be rewriting the above assessment in the coming days to reflect the current situation better.
**
Russian forces have constructed massive fortifications along large sections of the Donbas front, some stretching for 30km. The defensive fortifications appear to be rows of concrete “dragon’s teeth” barricades, wire, and trenches. The largest fortification collection lies along the approach to Crimea in the Zaporizhzhia region.
NOTE – I’ve noted these constructions in past posts. In order to be successful, Russia must have the counterattack forces available to stop any breach and the whole length must be defended in some way. This is Ukraine’s home field and even with these defenses, it will continue to have the advantage.
NUCLEAR THREATS –
Russia does not intend to follow the path of nuclear escalation, but advises against testing Moscow - Russian Foreign Ministry
Russia has increased its submarine presence in the Atlantic at a higher level than ever in recent years, the top U.S. officer overseeing operations in Europe said Wednesday. “The Russians have been more active than we’ve seen them in years,” Army Gen. Chris Cavoli, the top commander for NATO and U.S. military operations in Europe, told Congress on Wednesday of Moscow’s undersea capabilities.
RUMINT-
There is allegedly an ongoing internal effort to convince Russian President Vladimir Putin to switch to a defensive. This effort is reportedly unsuccessful so far.
NOTE – This appears to be a continuation of the centralization of tactical/strategic decision making with putin. Failure to make the switch with enough lead time to counter a Ukrainian offensive will be potentially devastating to Russian forces.
Logistics –
Iran has supplied 1000s of drones, a drone factory on Russian soil, a million rounds of ammunition 300,000 artillery shells in the past half year alone.
Russian Personnel Issues –-
Russian sources report that Mikhail Mizintsev also known as ‘The Butcher of Mariupol’ was dismissed from the post of Russian Deputy Minister of Defense. In his position, he was responsible for the logistics of the troops, but apparently he didn’t do well enough.
Ukraine –
WEATHER FORECAST – Temperatures with highs now reaching the 60’s with light rain over most of the forecast period.
24 HOUR ROUND UP –
Fighting continued to be fierce at Bakhmut with Russian forces attacking the northeast and eastern portions of the city continue to make marginal gains. More Russian efforts north of Bahkmut along the M-03 highway.
Ground fighting at Avdiyivka continues to show a shift in effort to Russians moving westward along the M04 highway, bypassing south the town. Other general Russian ground attacks elsewhere along the Donetsk front.
The Svatove-Kreminna, Zaporizhizhia and Crimean fronts were relatively quiet, with mostly scattered and sporatic Russian artillery strikes and minimal ground attacks.
Ukraine continues to indicate that it has a military presence established on the left (east) bank of the Dnipir River.
Russian Territory –
Russian media report drones were shot down near Kursk Nuclear power plant in Kurchatov yesterday evening.
An explosion of an unidentified device occurred on the property of a thermal power plant in Pavlovsk, St. Petersburg, next to an abandoned building - Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation
OUTLOOK –
No change in the conflict in the east. Eyes on Ukrainian movements and battlefield shaping operations and those operations will be kept under tight OPSEC. See Russian RUMINT above for an interesting thought that Russia will continue the ‘offense’.
Iran –
Iranian ayatollah Abbas-Ali Soleimani, a member of the Assembly of Experts for Leadership of Iran, was assassinated at a bank on Wednesday morning in the northern city of Babolsar, according to Iranian media reports.
Soleimani was a former representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei’s representatives are clerics who officiate on behalf of the supreme leader at a provincial level.
Soleimani’s killer has been detained, the Fars news agency said. The governor of Mazandaran, Mahmoud Hosseinipour, stated that Soleimani was killed by a security guard at the bank, according to Iranian state media. Initial investigations have indicated that the attacker fired aimlessly and did not know that Soleimani was there, although the attacker’s motive is still not clear, according to Hosseinipour.
**
The U.S. Navy said Iran seized a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday amid wider tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program.
The Navy’s Mideast-based 5th Fleet identified the vessel as the Advantage Sweet. Satellite tracking data for the vessel from MarineTraffic.com showed it in the Gulf of Oman just north of Oman’s capital, Muscat, on Thursday afternoon. It had just come from Kuwait and listed its destination as Houston, Texas.
“The oil tanker issued a distress call during the seizure,” the 5th Fleet said. “Iran’s actions are contrary to international law and disruptive to regional security and stability. Iran should immediately release the oil tanker.”
OBSERVATION - Don’t expect much from the US so far. We are weak and Iran knows it.
Turkey -
Erdogan is reportedly sick with an unknown illness, sources say. Initial reports – since dismissed suggested a heart attack/ailment. This morning it is reported that Erdogan and Putin had a phone call. An announcement that may be designed to deflect health concerns.
17 days to the election and Erdogan has canceled several days worth of campaigning.
OBSERVATION – Erdogan is facing a significant fight for his political career as the economic woes Turkey has been experiencing are coming home to roost and a more moderate candidate has a chance at getting past the 50% margin for a first round win.
Central / South America General-
Things getting serious in Chile. While Chile remains one of the safest countries in Latin America violent crime reports have increased in recent years, officials caution that this sharp uptick is likely due to a resumption of public life after the pandemic lockdowns.
According to government data, homicides rose nearly a third in 2022, one of the highest yearly increases in the region, while violent robberies increased 63%. Kidnappings rose to 46, the highest number on record, according to the police, who detained 76 people in connection with the cases, most of whom were identified as foreigners.
Authorities say an influx of guns and organized crime have contributed to the numbers. That has hurt progressive President Gabriel Boric, with many voters disapproving of his handling of crime.
OBSERVATION – “Progressive” leadership = increase in crime.
Africa general –
Sudan –
Situation in Sudan is slipping off the cliff again. The Sudanese army has pounded paramilitary fighters with air strikes in the capital, Khartoum, while deadly fighting has flared in Darfur as a ceasefire that has slowed street battles is set to expire. The army said it agreed to talks in Juba, capital of neighboring South Sudan, on extending the truce, which expires late on Thursday. The talks have been proposed by a bloc of East African countries, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
France continues to evacuate US citizens , while our Sec State twiddles his thumbs. With violence resuming, the window for foreigners to get out of the country is dwindling.
Black Swans
One of the biggest black swan events that floats around the prepper world is the Solar EMP / megaflare scenario. The link below provides a good backgrounder on just what is happening solar wise and to understand the nature and potential of a threat.
https://www.sciencealert.com/were-about-to-enter-a-solar-maximum-an-expert-explains-what-to-expect