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After initially blaming the US for provoking the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, China and its leadership are singing a slightly different tune on Friday as Russian forces waltz into Kiev following a brief - and almost embarrassing - a military campaign. As fighting breaks out just north of Ukraine, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday during a call with President Putin that he supported solving "the Ukraine crisis" through "talks".There have also been reports about Russia potentially sending a delegation to Minsk for renewed talks with Ukraine.Unsurprisingly, Chinese state media, who were among the first to report the news,...

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Russia appears to have "lost a bit of momentum" as they continue their invasion of Ukraine, a senior US defense official told reporters on Friday. The official said Russian forces are "not moving on Kyiv as fast as they anticipated they would be able to" and are "meeting more resistance than they expected," CNN reported. Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine early Thursday morning, entering the country from several directions, with many of its forces pushing towards the capital city of Kyiv. Russian forces, which have launched various strikes on Kyiv, have also been attacking other cities. There have...

What does the unfolding Ukraine-Russia crisis need more than anything? A heaping dose of Sean Penn, of course. Sean Penn — who has a history of cozying up to dictators, including Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez — is on the ground in Ukraine where he recently attended a press briefing in Kyiv and met with Ukrainian presidential adviser Alexander Rodnyansky, according to photos posted to official social media accounts. The two-time Oscar-winning actor is in Ukraine to work on a documentary about the Russian invasion for Vice Studios, according to multiple reports.

The Russian offensive against Ukraine unleashed by Russian President Vladimir Putin is now two days old. There are two big things to consider as the conflict grinds on: strategy and morale.The first is the survival of Ukraine’s young president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy and his democratically-elected government are the focus of Putin’s war. The German military theorist Carl von Clausewitz wrote, “The talent of the strategist is to identify the decisive point and to concentrate everything on it, removing forces from secondary fronts and ignoring lesser objectives.” Zelenskyy is that decisive point.For an opposing force, the contrary is often true. In...

In less than 24 hours, Eurovision is singing a different tune. Organizers said on Friday that Russia will not be allowed to compete in the Eurovision Song Contest, according to a statement. The decision comes less a day after the European Broadcasting Union initially decided it would allow a performer to represent the country, which this week invaded Ukraine, in the competition. “The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has announced that no Russian act will participate in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest,” the statement said. “The decision reflects concern that, in light of the unprecedented crisis in Ukraine, the inclusion of...

In an extraordinary last-minute move Manhattan’s Carnegie Hall has cut the acclaimed Russian conductor Valery Gergiev, a close supporter of Vladimir Putin, from its programming this weekend “due to recent world events,” a spokesperson at the prestigious institution said. The decision — which Carnegie and the Vienna Philharmonic had earlier delivered in a joint statement — comes in the wake of the Russian president’s invasion of Ukrainen. Protesters were expected at the superstar maestro’s three highly anticipated appearances leading the Vienna Philharmonic in New York to begin Friday. Gergiev has not yet spoken publicly regarding Moscow’s offensive, but he has...

Chainsaws are an important tool in any homeowner’s tool shed. From trimming trees to clearing fallen branches, there is no quicker way to cut through thick branches or take down a tree. In fact, you won’t get a tool with more power per inch than a chainsaw. But all that power comes responsibility. The chain of the chainsaw moves anywhere from fifty to even eighty miles per hour at full throttle, cutting through the thickest branches with ease. Just imagine what this tool can do to your fingers or toes after a small moment of distraction.

Elections matter.— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) February 24, 2022------------------------------Good point. What happened post Biden’s election? Inflation exploded, oil and energy prices went haywire, the border exploded with new aliens arriving and no checks and balances, and now we have a war in Eu and Taiwan’s days are numbered. You’re a joke.— Andrew is a Wizard (@Andrewisawizard) February 25, 2022

Hollywood celebrities rushed to offer their “thoughts and prayers” following Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine on Wednesday. Some stars took advantage of the crisis to viciously attack former President Donald Trump while omitting any reference to President Joe Biden. Celebrities including Barbra Streisand, Mark Ruffalo, and George Takei weighed in with anodyne but self-important entreaties for peace. Meanwhile, Rob Reiner, Rosie O’Donnell, Albert Brooks, Bradley Whitford, and others took aim at Trump, accusing him of being on Vladimir Putin’s side.

German Finance Minister Christian Lindner said on Friday that we must step up sanctions against Russia and that we are open to cutting Russia out of the SWIFT international payments system. Just because we have been thinking about the consequences of cutting Russia out of SWIFT doesn't mean we are against it, Lindner added.

Putin's Yacht ‘Graceful’ Abruptly Leaves Germany Amid Sanctions Warnings Over Ukraine

Jeff Rizzone Disgraced reporter Lesley Stahl Back in March 2017, President Trump tweeted about Barack Obama’s illegal spying on his presidential campaign in 2016. POTUS Trump tweeted this in March 2017. How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2017 The tweet sent shockwaves across the fake news media. Hack reporters screeched in horror. They were outraged that President Trump would dare make such an accusation.

U.S.—Musician Neil Young has delivered a harsh ultimatum to Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that he must either fully retreat from Ukraine or he will pull all of his songs from Spotify again. “It’s time to hit Putin where it hurts. Sanctions are not enough. That’s why I’m bringing out the big guns and threatening to pull all my songs from Spotify,” said Neil Young proudly. “Somebody’s gotta stand up to this guy, so why shouldn’t it be the most legendary musician of all time?” The message was promptly delivered to the Kremlin, but they were oddly unresponsive. Sources claim...

”The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” is back, consistent as ever, gorgeous and immersive, clever and provocative. The show looks and feels as fresh as its first season, which hardly doubles as a critique given how great it was right out of the gate. “Maisel” last aired on Dec. 6, 2019. It was, for me, the final binge before The Great Binge. As Midge moved into the ’60s, America moved into the ’20s. As Midge moved into the sexual revolution, America started questioning it. Watching “Maisel” now feels oddly discordant, like being asked to celebrate the take-off of a plane you know...

And this doesn’t include the inflation in prices caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Yet. US Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index rose by 5.2% in January, the fastest rate since mid-1983. With CPI inflation at 7.5% YoY, the Taylor Rule suggests a Fed Funds target rate of 13.35%, higher than the current rate of 0.25%. Overstimulated much?? Let’s see if The Fed actually goes hunting inflation. Let’s see if inflation makes The Fed dance!

People who’ve followed my work for a while know that I am a monarchist in the real sense of the word. As a result of this, I correspondingly tend to believe that whiggery as a governing philosophy doesn’t work very well (and in the long run I’m right). However, I am willing to grant that there are times and places where systems with whiggish tendencies, or at least things approaching them, were relatively successful and socially stable. The reason is because these systems met some criteria that, however temporarily, enabled them to curtail democratic tendencies that always lead to social...

With major crime up 34%, 95 more cops walk out the door; CPD is losing cops at “unsustainable” rate, alderman says February 24, 2022 CWBChicago Citywide One month ago, we reported that CPD statistics showed reports of major crimes were up 24% in the first three weeks of the new year compared to the same time last year. How have things improved since then? They haven’t. Major crime reports are now up 34%, with all seven categories showing increases: murder, criminal sexual assault, robbery, aggravated battery, burglary, theft, and motor vehicle theft. That’s according to CPD’s internal CompStat report dated...

Sen. Ted Cruz Full Speech at CPAC 2022 in Orlando

The Russian government has partially blocked access to Facebook in the country after it claims the social network “restricted” the accounts of four Russian media outlets. In a statement on Friday, Russia’s tech and communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, said Facebook was violating “the rights and freedoms of Russian citizens,” and that it had recorded 23 cases of “censorship” by the social network since October 2020.