European Commission recommends EU 'candidate status' for Ukraine

"The European Commission has recommended that Ukraine be granted European Union
candidate status, its president, Ursula von der Leyen, said during a press conference, a day after the bloc's most powerful leaders visited Kyiv. The humanitarian situation across Ukraine and particularly in the eastern Donbas region is “extremely alarming and continues to deteriorate”, the United Nations said." France24

“We’ve Hurt Ourselves with Our Sanctions”: Tucker Makes Interesting Point about Russian Ruble, American Inflation

"Tucker Carlson.... pointing out that the now gold-backed Russian ruble is stronger than it has been in months in currency markets while the US succumbs to an inflation crisis and experiences a financial meltdown of sorts.

Tucker began that skewering of American monetary and foreign policy by attacking the Secretary of Energy and how America’s incompetent leftist elites have mismanaged energy policy, pushing it away from reliable sources of energy like fossil fuels and nuclear power to unreliable sources of energy like wind and solar, saying:

“Now you may be asking yourself, why would you put someone like that, who’s never had a real job and achieved precisely nothing in her life and actually doesn’t know anything about anything, why would you put her in a key position like Secretary of Energy?

“Because she knows the science. As she just told you, sun and wind are the most reliable forms of energy. It’s not like clouds could block the sun or the wind might stop blowing. That’s insane. And don’t think about nuclear power ramping up domestic energy production. That’s what Putin wants you to do.”" TP

Two US Veterans Captured by Russia in Ukraine

"A pair of former U.S. servicemen who volunteered for the Ukraine war effort have reportedly been captured by Russian forces near the city of Kharkiv during an “absolutely crazy” mission.

Alexander Drueke, 39, and Andy Huynh, 27, were allegedly manning a rocket-propelled grenade launcher when Russian tanks rolled up on a 10-man Ukraine army squad last Thursday in the village of Izbytske." 

Telegraph

 

French Navy kicks off “SQUALE” ASW exercise in Toulon

"The French Navy kicked off multinational anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise called
"SQUALE" in Toulon..... brings together French and allied surface ships, a submarine and aircraft from the French Navy and the French Air Force, in the midst of a realistic conflict scenario, both in terms of intensity and the variety of warfare areas simulated." NavalNews

Ukraine reveals daily military casualties

 "Up to 1,000 soldiers are being killed or wounded each day, according to a Kiev official. David Arakhamia, who leads Kiev’s negotiations with Moscow and heads the Ukrainian president’s party in parliament, disclosed the figures during a roundtable meeting at the German Marshall Fund in Washington DC. " RT

Leaders of Germany, France, Italy, Romania meet Zelensky in Ukraine to support fight against Russia

"The leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Romania made a high-profile visit to Ukraine on Thursday and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, aiming to show support for the country after more than three months of war." UPI

Zelensky vows to retake Donbass and Crimea

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed to “liberate” the Russian territory of
Crimea and the independent republics of Donetsk (DPR) and Lugansk (LPR). He was speaking just hours after reports of the Ukrainian military shelling residential buildings, a marketplace and a maternity hospital in the center of Donetsk." NW

Global Food Crisis: Ukrainian Farmers Fearing ‘Hell’ Harvest Amid Ongoing Invasion

"Ukrainian farmers are reportedly preparing for a “hell” harvest season, with physical and
financial dangers predicted to prevent them from reaping, transporting and selling their crops." Breitbart

Greek Community Reveals Details of Atrocities of Azov Militants in Mariupol

"Members of the Greek community in Mariupol have shared their first-person accounts of the atrocities committed by the neo-Nazi Azov battalion in the city, including the killings of civilians, threats and robbery, the Estia newspaper reported on Sunday.

The newspaper cites the testimony of Natalia Papakitsa, the chairman of the Greek society of the village of Sartana near Mariupol, who was held hostage for 33 days along with dozens of other civilians in the basement of one of the houses.

"When we were starving, they would break into apartments at our home and rob us, taking everything that was valuable, from food to clothes," Papakitsa told the newspaper, adding that the Greeks of Mariupol "want the world to learn the truth."

In April, two militants of the Azov battalion of Greek origin spoke to the Greek parliament alongside Volodymyr Zelensky via videoconference, causing a political scandal, with many lawmakers boycotting the meeting." Sputnik

Nepal's Plan to Sign U.S. Pact Triggers Protests as Opposition Warns Deuba of Strategic Consequences

"The Sher Bahadur Deuba government had secured parliamentary approval for the US
government's $500 million Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) pact last February despite massive street protests. Fresh controversy started on Tuesday following a leak claiming the Deuba government is set to sign a military deal with the US.

Nepal's opposition parties have launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, accusing him of pushing the country into a "geopolitical conflict" by signing the US State Partnership Program (SPP).

Former foreign minister Pradeep Gyawali, a senior politician of the Marxist-Leninist main opposition party CPN-UML warned the government of the strategic consequences of joining the SPP, a key US security cooperation tool, "facilitating cooperation across all aspects of international civil-military affairs"." Sputnik

Xi Pledges China Will Keep Backing Russian "Sovereignty, Security" In Putin Call

"A Wednesday phone call between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin included Xi saying China backs Russia on "sovereignty and security"." ZeroHedge

Russia to Revive Abandoned Arctic Military Airport

"Russia is reconstructing a long-dormant military airport on its far northern Kola Peninsula as part of a major upgrade of Northern Fleet airstrips in the European Arctic."

MoscowTimes 

China Slams Washington Post as ‘Pathetic’ and ‘False’ for Publishing Zelensky Taiwan Comments

"Washington Post reporter Josh Rogin asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky  to
advise Taiwan on how it could “stand strong as China seeks to impose its control over a free people, by force if necessary.”

The Chinese Foreign Ministry’s initial response was arrogant and restrained, but on Monday, the state-run Global Times erupted in a hysterical rant against Rogin for asking the question and daring to write about Zelensky’s answer.

The Ukrainian president advised the world to learn from its mistakes in Ukraine and take stronger pre-emptive diplomatic measures to stave off another attempted military conquest. The Global Times attacked Rogin for daring to presume Zelensky answered a direct question about China and Taiwan by referring to China and Taiwan." Breitbart

Libya's Fragile Peace Is A Major Oil Market Risk

"The relentless oil price is causing economic havoc around the world, and Libya represents a
major supply risk that could send prices even higher. 

The recent failed attempt by Bashagha to take power in Tripoli has heightened tensions in the country and could lead to significant supply outages.

Until there is genuine progress on the issue of fair distribution of oil revenues within the country, this risk of major supply outages will continue to plague markets. 

The economic pain for many countries being caused by still-high crude oil (and gas) prices may be exacerbated by another extensive series of blockades of key oil facilities in Libya." ZH

Pope Doubles Down On NATO-Ukraine Comments: Russian Invasion Was "Provoked"

"Pope Francis has doubled down on prior controversial statements suggesting the Russia-
Ukraine conflict is largely NATO's fault, asserting also that "war cannot be reduced to distinction between good guys and bad guys" - as the Vatican's own headline to the interview reads." ZeroHedge