Biden Keeps Relying On Murderous Dictators To Keep Oil Prices Down As Elections Draw Near

"The Biden administration continues to rely on hostile regimes to keep oil prices down in the months leading up to pivotal elections.

The Treasury Department announced Monday that it is extending sanctions relief for 10 Russian financial institutions that are involved in the energy sector, with the relief set to expire on November 1 in the absence of any further action. The move reduces the risks that global oil prices spike over the summer and follows several similar decisions involving Iran and OPEC countries, for example, keeping oil prices lower ahead of important elections.
Additionally, the administration appears to have adopted a lax approach to enforcing oil sanctions against Iran, a State Department-identified state sponsor of terrorism. Iranian oil exports have exceeded $100 billion since Biden came into office in 2021. All of these decisions to keep global energy prices from increasing have been made while the administration has taken numerous steps to rein in domestic energy production. " DC

Russia hits Odesa with Iskander missile armed with cluster warhead

"Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin confirmed that Russia hit Odesa with an Iskander missile armed with a cluster warhead." RT

‘We stormed without support’: Ukraine towns fall to Russia in latest defeat

"Some Ukrainian servicemen with Brigade 155, which took over the town’s defense, blame its fall on their commanders’ mistakes.

“My company was literally destroyed, we carried out tasks in the worst conditions and no one cared, we stormed without support and with stupid command, we defended with almost no support and with the same stupid command,” one of the servicemen wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
A retired Ukrainian general said that the dominance of Ocheretyne’s high-rise apartment buildings over the surrounding steppe could have served as an effective deterrent against Russian troops and prevented the town’s takeover.
“What we have is a serious systemic failure,” General Serhiy Krivonos said in televised remarks. “The downside is that all of Ukraine knows, all the servicemen know that there’s no money, no equipment, a dire shortage of air defence systems,” Vladimir Prokhvatilov of the Russian Academy of Military Sciences told the Kremlin-funded Radio Sputnik.
“And when Syrskii commands a withdrawal, people simply run, he provoked the panic himself,” he was quoted as saying." AJ

US Congress threatens ICC over Israel arrest warrants

"Republican and Democrat US lawmakers alike have called for retaliating against the

International Criminal Court (ICC) if it issues arrest warrants for Israeli leaders.... the Hague-based tribunal will soon post warrants for the arrests of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials, members of Congress have issued statements warning of consequences for any such step. US Representative Brad Sherman (D-California) is among those insisting that Washington would retaliate for any attempt to arrest Israeli leaders during their ongoing war with Hamas.
“The ICC apparently considers warrants on Israeli leaders for legitimate self-defense,” the 14-term congressman said. Sherman argued that such a move would turn the tribunal into a “kangaroo court,” adding, “President [Joe Biden] must condemn this, and I know Congress will ensure consequences for such an absurd decision.” RT

Putin rains down death on Odessa as Sophie makes visit to Ukraine

"A Russian missile attack on an educational institution in Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odessa on Monday killed four people and injured 28, Regional Governor Oleh Kiper said on the Telegram messaging app. Four injured were in serious condition, Kiper wrote. Among the injured were two children and a pregnant woman. A turreted Gothic-style building known locally as the 'Harry Potter Castle', part of the Odessa Law Academy, was seen in flames after the strike. Putin's forces are firing on Ukraine as the Duchess of Edinburgh has become the first British royal to visit Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion. Sophie, 59, met with President Zelensky and his wife - and passed on a personal message from King Charles - as she showed her solitary with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and punishment during her emotional one-day trip." MS

Three Columbia University Janitors Claim Hitler Youth Held Them Hostage

"Three janitors claim the pro-Hamas insurrectionists at Columbia University temporarily held them hostage during the takeover of a campus building..... the Jew-hating insurrectionists stormed Hamilton Hall. The mob then “shattered windows, barricaded doors using tables and chairs, and obscured the windows of the facility.”" FOX

Ukraine's trust in NATO allies broken due to delays in aid

"Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General, believes that the delays in the supply of military aid by the Alliance's member states have affected Ukraine’s trust in them, and strengthening NATO's role in this situation may solve the issue. He mentioned his idea to create a years-long plan which would clearly determine the contribution of each NATO member into the aid for Ukraine." Pravada

Poll: Americans Overwhelmingly Back Israel over Hamas Terrorists

"Americans overwhelmingly support Israel in its war against the Hamas terrorist group by a margin of four-to-one despite pro-Palestinian protests roiling streets and campuses across the country, a poll released Tuesday reveals.
The Harvard CAPS-Harris survey shared with The Hill found 80 percent of registered voters back Israel more in the conflict while just 20 percent say they support Hamas more." Breitbart

French police break up Gaza war protest at the Sorbonne in Paris

"Police moved in to clear dozens of protesters who had camped out in a courtyard in Sorbonne University in Paris to demand an end to Israel's bombardment of Gaza. About 100 demonstrators took part in the protest near the prestigious university, waving a giant Palestinian flag and chanting slogans in support of Palestinians in Gaza." France24

115 combat clashes on front lines in past day

"115 combat clashes on front lines in past day.....In the Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna sectors, Russia maintains a military presence in the border areas, and continues to conduct sabotage and reconnaissance activities to prevent the deployment of our troops to threatened areas.

In the Kupiansk sector, Ukrainian troops repelled nine attacks near Berestove and Novoserhiivka in the Kharkiv region and Stelmakhivka in the Luhansk region.
In the Lyman sector, 13 enemy attacks, supported by aircraft, were repelled in the Tverdokhlibove are, Nevske and Serebrianka forestry in the Luhansk region; Terny, Torske and south of Zarichne in the Donetsk region.
In the Bakhmut sector, Ukrainian soldiers repelled 33 attacks in the Bilohorivka area of the Luhansk region; Verkhniokamianske, Novyi, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka, Andriivka, Rozdolivka and Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk region, where the enemy, with the support of aircraft, tried to improve the tactical situation.
In the Avdiivka sector, Ukrainian defenders repelled 24 attacks in the areas of Arkhanhelske, Novokalynove, Ocheretyne, Sokil, Solovyove, Semenivka, Orlivka, and Netailove in the Donetsk region, where the enemy, with the support of aircraft, attempted to dislodge Ukrainian from their positions.
In the Novopavlivka sector, the Defense Forces continue to hold back the enemy in the vicinity of Kostiantynivka, Heorhiivka, and Urozhaine in the Donetsk region, where the enemy, with the support of aircraft, tried to break through the defense of Ukrainian troops 20 times.
In the Orikhiv sector, the enemy, with the support of aircraft, attacked Ukrainian positions seven times in the vicinity of Staromaiorske, Donetsk region, and Novodarivka, Zaporizhzhia region.
In the Kherson sector, the enemy continued attempts to dislodge Ukrainian units from the footholds on the left bank of the Dnipro River. Over the past day, the enemy made three unsuccessful attacks on Ukrainian positions." Ukrin

PMs of Ukraine and Ireland discuss confiscation of Russian assets

"Prime Ministers of Ukraine and Ireland Denis Shmyhal and Simon Harris discussed the confiscation of Russian assets. According to Shmyhal, he received assurances that Ireland will support Ukraine as long as it is needed." Ukrin

ISIS Resurgence: Four Assad Troops Killed in Syria Ambush

"ISIS jihadists killed four of dictator Bashar Assad’s soldiers in an attack intentionally targeting the military, the latest in what experts fear is an accelerating escalation of ISIS activity in the country. The incident reportedly occurred in the province of Raqqa, whose eponymous largest city was once the capital of the Islamic State “caliphate” established over significant portions of both Iraq and Syria. It occurred in the context of growing concern that, after the eradication of ISIS from Raqqa in 2017, the Sunni jihadist terror group has found a way to regroup in the Middle East, in addition to increasing its activity throughout Africa and South Asia." Breitbart

Biden Looks To Prevent Future President From Ending Ukraine War With 10-Year Agreement

"Soon on the heels of President Biden last week signing into law a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine's defense, President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday indicated that he's working with Washington on a bilateral security agreement which would last ten years.
"We are already working on a specific text," Zelensky said in his nightly video address. "Our goal is to make this agreement the strongest of all."

"We are discussing the specific foundations of our security and cooperation. We are also working on fixing specific levels of support for this year and the next 10 years."
He indicated it will likely include agreements on long-term support centering on military hardware and joint arms production, as well as continuing reconstruction aid. "The agreement should be truly exemplary and reflect the strength of American leadership," Zelensky added.
But ultimately a key purpose in locking such a long-term deal in would be to keep it immune from potential interference by a future Trump administration.
Below is what The Wall Street Journal spelled out last year:

"The goal is to make sure Ukraine will be strong enough in the future to deter Russia from attacking it again. More immediately, Ukraine’s Western allies hope to discourage the Kremlin from thinking it can wait out the Biden administration for a potentially more sympathetic successor in the White House. Western officials are looking for ways to lock in pledges of support and limit future governments’ abilities to backtrack, amid fears in European capitals that Donald Trump, if he recaptures the White House, would seek to scale back aid."

We and others have previously underscored that NATO and G7 countries are desperately trying to "Trump-proof" future aid to Ukraine and the effort to counter Russia.
As for its first new weapons package in the wake of the $61 billion being authorized, the Biden administration has announced new arms packages totaling $7 billion. The US has vowed to rush the weapons to Kiev, given that by all indicators its forces are not doing well on the frontlines.
"We are still waiting for the supplies promised to Ukraine – we expect exactly the volume and content of supplies that can change the situation on the battlefield in the interests of Ukraine," Zelensky had said over the weekend. "And it is important that every agreement we have reached is implemented – everything that will yield practical results on the battlefield and boost the morale of everyone on the frontline. In a conversation with Mr. Jeffries, I emphasized the need for Patriot systems, they are needed as soon as possible." But all of this means the war will be prolonged, and this puts negotiations much further away on the horizon, despite what are now daily acknowledgements of Ukraine forces being beaten back." ZeroHedge

Drones Target Two Oil Depots in Smolensk Region, Resulting in Loss of 26,000 Cubic Meters of Russian Fuel

"According to sources within Ukrainian special services, two fuel storage facilities in Russia’s Smolensk region were hit by drones allegedly operated by the SBU.

The attacks destroyed 26,000 cubic meters of Russian fuel and triggered large-scale fires, prompting evacuations. The SBU confirmed the attacks, stating that such facilities are legitimate targets as they support the Russian army in Ukraine.
Locals reported hearing explosions and seeing a glow and smoke from the oil depot near the village of Razdorovo, 10 kilometers from Smolensk." MS

Russian man arrested over murder of Ukrainian soldiers in Germany

"Two citizens of Ukraine were killed in a knife attack at a shopping center in Bavaria,

Germany on Saturday, according to local police. The victims were military personnel on medical leave, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a press release on Sunday.
Bavarian police responded to a report of “two seriously injured men” at the mall in Murnau, Burggraben shortly after 5pm local time on Saturday.
One of the victims died from his injuries before the emergency services arrived at the scene. The second later succumbed to his wounds at a nearby hospital. The authorities identified them only as “Ukrainian citizens aged 23 and 36,” both living locally.
Police quickly tracked down the main suspect, named as a 57-year-old Russian national. He was detained later that evening at his residence nearby, and served a warrant for his arrest for murder. The motive was not immediately clear." RT