Globalism / Great Reset –
WHO is meeting this week on the changes to the pandemic treaty.
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In a May 15 speech to an EU-sponsored event appropriately titled “The Beyond Growth Conference,” European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen said out loud what the climate alarm movement has been trying to keep under wraps for a decade: That economic de-growth enforced by authoritarian governments is a fundamental element of its agenda.
“. . . . she goes onto frankly admit that her government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic was not about public health, but about what the World Economic Forum refers to as “The Great Reset,” an effort to transform economies based in free markets to controlled systems managed by authoritarian governments.
“First, when the pandemic hit us. Our Recovery Plan, NextGenerationEU, has focused not only on restarting our economic activities after the lockdowns but also on transforming our economic model. With a push to decarbonising industries, energy and transport. With an emphasis on digital skills and digital infrastructure. With new investments for schools and hospitals. Beyond growth, NextGenerationEU takes care of the next generation’s future.”
See? It isn’t just about an authoritarian group of government central planners managing every facet of your daily lives, it’s about their desire to “take care” of you.
OBSERVATION - Better details at the link. “economic de-growth” is linked to the elimination of fossil fuels, managed food supply and the resulting depopulation of much of the planet. We know the elites will keep their fossil fuels, but the rest of the world will drift into a neo-1800’s style fiefdom servicing the elites. Hello Hunger Games?
Economy –
Yellen is holding to the June 1 date as the hard deadline for the crash into the debt ceiling. Meanwhile, democrats as well as biden have stated that they could use the 14th Amendment as a way to bypass the ceiling. Yellen said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that President Joe Biden can not invoke the 14th Amendment to address the debt ceiling under the current circumstances.
There are also other thoughts in that NEW spending under the 14th is prohibited and only existing debt can be addressed. That means that funds have to be committed already and not just a line in the budget. That would shoot down most of the democrat agenda. If someone has more time to check this out and let us know, it would be appreciated.
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According to the USDA, 33% of winter wheat acreage nationwide will not be harvested, although that number is expected to grow. Some parts of Kansas and Oklahoma will abandon 50-70% of planted acreage.
OBSERVATION - This will hit the economy of the wheat belt. Weather watchers are hopeful that the developing El Nino will generate the moisture for next year’s crop. Wheat crops in other parts of the globe are in good condition, so the risk of shortages is not as significant - as long as new weather conditions don’t intervene.
Biden / Harris watch –
Biden told the leaders of the G7 that he convinced Australia, Japan, and India to form an organization called the Quad. Prime Minister Kishida had to remind him that Trump actually put the organization together.
BIDEN: “I’ve spoken at length with President Loon of South Korea.”
South Korea’s president is Yoon Suk Yeol.
Wuhan Plandemic –
On Tuesday, the WHO issued an alert that there had been a rise in “severe myocarditis” in newborns and infants between June 2022 and March 2023 in Wales and England. It said that this was associated with the enterovirus infection, which rarely affects the heart.
A UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) spokesperson confirmed to The Epoch Times that 10 babies have been diagnosed in Wales and five have been diagnosed in England.
The WHO said that “although enterovirus infections are common in neonates and young infants, the reported increase in myocarditis with severe outcomes in neonates and infants associated with enterovirus infection is unusual.”
OBSERVATION - Though blaming “enterovirus” there are many others stating that the timing of Myocarditis and that the wuhan virus can potentially replace it are leading them to suspect the latter.
POLITICAL FRONT –
Debt ceiling negotiations between the house and biden are expected to resume today.
Russia -
WAR WATCH - into the second year of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine - Feb 24th, 2022
CURRENT ASSESSMENT - Updated May 22 2023
Russia finds itself between a rock and a hard place with pressure from putin to continue the offensive at the expense of positioning forces to respond to a Ukranian offensive.
Russian forces have failed in their attempt to 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. Russia has expended its men and equipment on the battlefields of Bakhmut and the Donetsk sector – primarily Avdiyivka with little to show for their efforts. In five months alone it is conservatively estimated that Russian has lost 100,000 solders incl 20,000 KIA.
Russia is now being forced to face a Ukrainian offensive with fewer forces capable of stopping a well organized attack.
Russia is continuing to try to press the offensive in the Donetsk region – around Avdiyivka, but are failing badly.
Russia has been successful in finally capturing Bakhmut - a very pyrrhic victory by all counts, but doesn’t have the forces necessary to exploit the capture.
Russia’s strategic ballistic and cruise missiles and Iranian made Shahed drones show evidence of massively reduced inventories of such missiles. This means that these barrages will be further apart. Russia does have some capability to strike strategic targets during an Ukrainian offensive, but the success rate will likely be low due to improving Ukrainian ADA skills and poor targeting and timeliness of response.
Russia has established an extensive system of tank/armor barriers across the south and east. Russia may not have the forces necessary to concentrate to stop any Ukrainian breach of this system, due to its forces being spread so thin.
Russian Personnel Issues –-
Wagner PMC has announced that beginning May 25th they will begin to Withdraw their Forces from Eastern Ukraine in order for them to be Deployed to other “Hotspots” across the World including Sudan and Syria.
Ukraine –
WEATHER FORECAST – Temperatures with highs reaching the 70s - 80s, however, rain is forecast for the latter part of the period.
Zelensky held meetings with the heads of delegations of the United Arab Emirates, the Sultanate of Oman and the State of Kuwait. He has now arrived in Japan to meet with G7 leaders.
US has cleared away objections to supplying F-16 fighters to Ukraine.
24 HOUR ROUND UP –
British Storm Shadow cruise missiles have been hitting Russian command, logistic and troop concentrations over the past week.
Four Shahed-136/131 drones were shot down over Ukraine. A Su-35 was confirmed downed over the Black Sea.
Situation at Bakhmut is that Wagner forces have gained essential control and there is a possibility that they are working to switch control of the area over to Russian forces. Ukrainian pressure on the flanks continues as the potential encirclement of the city grows.
Ground fighting at Avdiyivka is ongoing, though at a low level.
The Svatove-Kreminna, Zaporizhizhia and Crimean fronts were relatively quiet, with mostly scattered and sporatic Russian artillery strikes and minimal ground attacks.
Donetsk Oblast —— Ukraine has hit an ammunition storage sites in Yenakieve and near Mospyne airfield in Russian controlled Donetsk region.
Heavy fires are reported in the Nechaevе area as a result of strikes. NOTE - this area is one of the most frequent places from where Russians are shelling Kherson.
Zaporizhizhia Front ———
Explosions have been reported near Berdyansk Airport in the Russian-Occupied Zaporizhzhia Region; this airport has been utilized by the Russian Armed Forces as a major helicopter base since the City of Berdiansk was captured by them earlier in the War.
Crimean front ———
An explosion was seen in the City of Sevastopol in Russian-Occupied Crimean after which the electricity went out; the light was seen as far as the City of Simferopol to the northeast.
Russian Territory –
Multiple Explosions have been heard and afire appears to be burning in the Shebekinsky District of the Belgorod Region in Western Russia.
Legion “Freedom of Russia” and RDK (Russian Volunteers corps) claimed control over Kozinka village of Grayvoron district of Belgorod region. Russian media report partial evacuation of civilians from Kozinka village of Grayvoron district.
NOTE - “Freedom of Russian” are pro-ukrainian
Fire and explosions reported in Zamostye village of Belgorod region.
OUTLOOK –
Russia has Bakhmut after over 9 months and tens of thousands of dead Russians and likely hundred thousands wounded - countless tanks, armor and artillery lost. It looks like Wagner is following up on its announcement that they are pulling out and having regular Russian units backfill their positions. This replacement will necessitate that Russian planners take more forces away from its preparations for a Ukrainian offensive and into terrain that is seeing Ukraine diverting from its active defense in depth of the town into brutal defeats of regular Russian forces on the flanks - endangering Bakhmut with Ukrainian surrounding and cutoff. One other item, switching over of forces is a dangerous operation - one where poor communication between the forces as well as poor timing could create windows of weakness that Ukraine can exploit.
Russia did gain some initial success in their attempts to surround and cut off Bakhmut - but were unable to seal the deal. Ukraine OTOH, is better trained and will cut the city off. Given Russian performance on these flanks, at the threat of being surrounded, Russian troops may flee the rubble that was Bakhmut.
Ukraine used of British supplied cruise missiles with a 150 mile range - 3x that of HIMARS - has breathed more fear into Russian planners. HIMARS was a shock and Russians over time have adapted their operations to keep them out of range. That gave them a false sense of security. Now these cruise missiles (with accompanying US made drones) are hammering Russian C3CM facilities once thought to be safe. This means Russia has to move these elements ever further away from the battle front. Given Russian logistical weaknesses as well as poor command and control via radio coms - moving these elements even further back will make matters worse - not able to get ammo to troops under assault during the offensive as well as inability to get timely combat data to HQs now nearly a 150 mile away.
Lots of other Ukraininan battlefield shaping taking place via attacks on rail roads. Russia is big on rail providing supplies and increasing attacks are making that very difficult. Logistic is king and that is one of Russia’s most serious weaknesses.
So in summary, Russia has obtained a city that provides it no tactical advantage. It doesn’t have the forces necessary to exploit the capture towards the west, and barely has the forces necessary to hold the town. Thus having to redeploy forces to hold the situation, further reducing available forces to counter a Ukrainian offensive.
The White House has estimated that Russia has suffered 100,000 casualties in the fight for Bakhmut alone, including the deaths of more than 20,000 soldiers.
Ukraine is estimated to have suffered some 20,000 casualties.
Weather is continuing to warm and soil conditions becoming more and more conducive to support a Ukrainian offensive over the next couple weeks.
Biden told the leaders of the G7 that he convinced Australia, Japan, and India to form an organization called the Quad. Prime Minister Kishida had to remind him that Trump actually put the organization together.
BIDEN: “I’ve spoken at length with President Loon of South Korea.” South Korea’s president is Yoon Suk Yeol.
ROTFLMAO... GREAT ONE Godzilla
Globalism / Great Reset –
Brazilian President Luis Inácio Lula da Silva told reporters at the G7 summit in Japan that BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) would have to create a common currency.
”It is not possible to depend on the dollar for foreign trade. It is not possible to depend on a currency that you do not produce. There’s only one country that produces, and that is the United States,” Lula said.
OBSERVATION - The movement to dethrone the dollar as the global currency of trade is growing rapidly. A lot quicker than i thought it would a recent as last year. A lot has to do with the global crash of US leadership and the successful switch to looking a China as the world’s leader.
Economy –
Both McCarthy and a biden spokesperson said progress was made in over night talks. But agreement as of yet on raising the debt ceiling.
It looks like democrats are getting cold feet about forcing a shutdown. Could swing the tide of the negotiation to the republican favor, forcing key concessions .
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Jake Jolly, head of investment analysis at BNY Mellon Investment Management, has outlined three possible scenarios, each considering the impact of the banking crisis, the “stickiness” of inflation, and the path of rate hikes by the Federal Reserve.
Scenario 1: The credit crunch — 50% probability
It certainly isn’t the best-case scenario.
This imagines what would happen if the Federal Reserve hikes interest rates two or even three more times as the banking turmoil in the United States and Europe cause credit conditions to tighten significantly.
That would catapult the United States into recession during the second half of 2023 (Europe and the UK will feel it even earlier). The red-hot labor market would loosen quickly, and layoffs would be widespread.
Scenario 2: Delayed Landing — 30% probability
In this scenario, key global central banks pause their rate hikes in response to the banking crisis. Labor markets remain exceptionally tight and wage growth re-accelerates, adding to sticky inflation levels.
China’s reopening, meanwhile, ends up being inflationary for core goods.
As inflation grows again, central banks are forced to hike rates even more, sending the United States into recession in the second half of 2024.
Scenario 3: Soft Landing — 20% probability
This would be the ideal and, according to Jolly, least likely scenario.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/02/investing/premarket-stocks-trading/index.html
OBSERVATION - Economists continue to gaze into their crystal balls and tea leaves trying to discern what is about to hit the economy. This one has merit as it is trying to apply the current economic situation and project how each component will impact the other.
CW2 / Domestic violence -
The FBI improperly performed warrantless searches on more than a quarter-million U.S. citizens in a single year, a 127-page court filing unsealed Friday by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA), in the latest instance of FBI abuse of its powers to make the news.
The FBI conducted more than 278,000 illegitimate queries on citizens, including some George Floyd protestors and more than nineteen thousand donors to a Congressional campaign, in the 12 months ending November 2021.
The FBI conducted search queries on U.S. citizens without any justification or evidence of wrongdoing, the court filing reveals.
OBSERVATION - Stasi style surveillance state. No one will be held accountable in the FBI/DoJ over this.
Terrorism -
The US Secret Service said it had detained the driver of a rented box truck that crashed into security barriers near the White House on Monday night, perhaps intentionally, but that there were no injuries or ongoing danger.
A Reuters witness said investigators found a Nazi swastika flag that apparently came from inside the truck, which crashed into barriers at Lafayette Square, near the White House grounds.
Officers retrieved the flag and plastic evidence bags that had been laid out on the pavement following the crash and placed them in the back of the U-Haul, a Reuters photographer said.
“Preliminary investigation reveals the driver may have intentionally struck the security barriers at Lafayette Square,” Anthony Guglielmi, chief of communications for the Secret Service, said on Twitter.
OBSERVATION - Poorest planned terror attack or false flag ever.
POLITICAL FRONT –
The FBI refused again on Monday to comply with a subpoena from House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-KY) requiring the agency to turn over unclassified documents related to allegations that then-Vice President Biden engaged in a “pay-to-play” scheme with a foreign national.
OBSERVATION - This just adds another nail into the coffin that is the FBI. If any still feel it is a force for good, well, they might as well go to their local train station and await their boxcar.
MORE Related - - Biden Justice Department formally shut down Clinton Foundation “investigation” in August, 2021. FBI destroyed all evidence.
OBSERVATION - If this is true, it is further evidence that the FBI is corrupted beyond redemption. It is already news that the DoJ shut down FOUR (4) separate investigations into the Clinton mafia after biden took the throne.
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Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson dismissed Kari Lake’s lawsuit against the stolen 2022 Midterm Election late Monday night, following a three day trial exposing election misconduct and fraudulent mail-in ballot signature verification.
The new Minute Entry states, “rather than trying to cast doubt on a specific number of ballots (a herculean evidentiary endeavor in these circumstances), she attempts to prove that the signature review process for Maricopa County was not conducted pursuant to A.R.S. § 16-550(A) or the EPM.”
However, as The Gateway Pundit reported, Kari Lake attorney Kurt Olsen told the Court, “11 of the signature verification workers approved 170k signatures at a rate of less than 0 and 2.99 seconds with a 99.97% approval rating.” Later, in closing argument, Olsen revealed that “there were approximately 274,000 ballot signatures compared and verified in less than three seconds.”
Lake is expected to appeal this ruling again all the way to the Arizona Supreme Court.
OBSERVATION - Even when clearly violating the law, corrupt judge sides with democrats. There is no country without adherence to the laws designed to preserve it. When citizenry can no longer look to the ballot box to settle things, they will look to other options.
Russia -
WAR WATCH - into the second year of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine - Feb 24th, 2022
CURRENT ASSESSMENT - Updated May 22 2023
Russia finds itself between a rock and a hard place with pressure from putin to continue the offensive at the expense of positioning forces to respond to a Ukranian offensive.
Russian forces have failed in their attempt to 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. Russia has expended its men and equipment on the battlefields of Bakhmut and the Donetsk sector – primarily Avdiyivka with little to show for their efforts. In five months alone it is conservatively estimated that Russian has lost 100,000 solders incl 20,000 KIA.
Russia is now being forced to face a Ukrainian offensive with fewer forces capable of stopping a well organized attack.
Russia is continuing to try to press the offensive in the Donetsk region – around Avdiyivka, but are failing badly.
Russia has been successful in finally capturing Bakhmut - a very pyrrhic victory by all counts, but doesn’t have the forces necessary to exploit the capture.
Russia’s strategic ballistic and cruise missiles and Iranian made Shahed drones show evidence of massively reduced inventories of such missiles. This means that these barrages will be further apart. Russia does have some capability to strike strategic targets during an Ukrainian offensive, but the success rate will likely be low due to improving Ukrainian ADA skills and poor targeting and timeliness of response.
Russia has established an extensive system of tank/armor barriers across the south and east. Russia may not have the forces necessary to concentrate to stop any Ukrainian breach of this system, due to its forces being spread so thin.
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NUCLEAR THREATS –
Russia announces that it has evacuated its tactical nuclear weapons from the Belgorod-22 facility near Grayvoron. See Ukraine below.
Ukraine –
WEATHER FORECAST – Temperatures with highs reaching the 70s - 80s, however, rain is forecast for the latter part of the period.
RUMINT –
There is a rumor that Ukrainian Forces has extracted from Belgorod region a system that jams unjammable satellite communications and encoded GPS. Device in the latest configuration, and that is one most wanted tool by West.
MORE RUMINT - The current action in Grayvoron is reportedly an effort to seize tactical nuclear warheads from the nearby Strategic Rocket Forces nuclear storage facility 15 kilometers from Graivoron.
Donetsk Oblast ——
Russian forces continue to press westward along the M-04 highway south of Avdilvka and northwest of Donetsk.
Russian Territory –
Legion “Freedom of Russia” and RDK (Russian Volunteers corps) continued to clash with Russian police/guards. Belgorod Regional Officials have stated that “Ukrainian Forces” have entered and Partially-Captured at least 4 Settlements near the Border Region including the Towns of Kozinka, Glotovo, Gora-Podol and Grayvoron with a Heavy Fighting still going on in the North.
Russian media report partial evacuation of civilians from Kozinka village of Grayvoron district.
The Russian force numbers about 100 and is minimally equipped with a couple tanks, and 8-10 armored vehicles.
Ukrainian officials are stating that the operations carried out in Belgorod region are exclusively by Russian citizens.
Russia announces that it has evacuated its tactical nuclear weapons from the Belgorod-22 facility near Grayvoron. They were stored only a few km from where the fighting is taking place right now
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A drone dropped an explosive device on administration building in Borisovka village of Belgorod region.
A drone dropped explosive device at HQ of FSB in Belgorod region, setting the building on fire.
OUTLOOK –
The incursion into the Belgorod area by these Russian forces aligned with Ukraine is quite interesting to observe - and eventually doomed to fail if holding terrain is their goal. If the RDK and LSR forces penetrated as deep as they reportedly did (it’s not confirmed) then it further demonstrates the truism that field fortifications don’t matter if they’re not manned.
This incursion has thrown the population in the Oblast into terror frenzy - evacuating, ripping doors off bomb shelters to gain access, Russian key stone cop response, etc. But it also serves as a wakeup call to Russian military planners - they are very vulnerable to counter invasion. If Ukraine was really serious, they could have used a larger element, drove to the Russian nuke storage area and quickly captured the warheads and pulled out long before a serious Russian response could have been mounted. Very minimalist forces there.
The field fortification aspect is also key. It did nothing to stop this force. If you don’t have barriers covered by fire, they are worthless. The huge expanse of fortifications Russia has installed during the winter will require spreading already thin Russian forces over a very long area. Ukraine will focus its attacks and easily overwhelm Russians and these defenses will be shown to be worthless.
Battles continue in Bakhmut, but the fight for the city is mostly over. Fight for the flanks is continuing with Ukraine making gains.
Russian activity elsewhere is on the decline as Russia is trying to ready itself for defensive operations. The action in Belgorod will be another headache for Russian planners.
Europe / NATO General –
Ukrainian pilots have already started training on the F-16 in various Nato countries.