Rachel Blevins

Israel's president just became the latest official to threaten a full-scale war against Hezbollah in Lebanon, after Netanyahu claimed Israel is "prepared for very intense action in the north." This, as Hezbollah's deputy chief said this week that the group is not seeking to widen its conflict with Israel but is "ready for the battle and will not allow Israel to secure any victories." Meanwhile, Russian President Putin is calling out the ongoing claims from NATO members that Russia is planning some kind of attack on the alliance, calling the allegations "Bulls**t." At the same time, Putin is noting that as Western countries lift their restrictions on certain weapons they send to Kiev and allow them to be used on Russian territory... Moscow could easily do the same by providing long-range weapons to others to strike Western targets.

Tensions continue to build on the border between Lebanon and Israel, as Hezbollah's rockets spark fires in northern Israel. Netanyahu claimed that Israel is "prepared for very intense action in the north," as Hezbollah's deputy chief said the group is not seeking to widen its conflict with Israel but is "ready for the battle and will not allow Israel to secure any victories." Veteran Journalist Elijah J. Magnier noted that Hezbollah is prepared for all options, and has made it clear that the cross-border clashes will continue for as long as Israel continues its bombardment and blockade of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

Zelensky's 5-year term came to an end this month, which has fueled the question of who is now the "legitimate" president of Ukraine, as Zelensky refused to allow elections, due to the fact that he has kept the country under martial law... International Relations and Security Analyst Mark Sleboda noted that the question of the Ukrainian presidency shouldn't start on 20 May 2024... it should go back a decade to the 2014 coup in Kiev that overthrew the last legitimate democratically-elected Ukrainian president. All of this, as NATO members start to give in to pressure to remove restrictions on the weapons they send to Ukraine being used to strike Russian territory (even though Kiev has already been doing just that, with NATO's help)

Zelensky is scrambling to prove he has support from the West amid reports that even Biden is planning to attend a Hollywood fundraiser instead of the NATO-backed "Ukraine Peace Summit" (which notably doesn't include Russia). Meanwhile, NATO Chief Stoltenberg is the latest leader in the alliance to put his support behind removing restrictions on the weapons NATO sends to Ukraine and allowing them to be used on "military targets" inside Russia. Of course, no one wants to talk about how many Western-supplied weapons Kiev has used against "non-military targets" in Russia, or the fact that the alliance isn't remotely prepared for the escalations it is pursuing.

Under pressure from the U.S. and the UK to set a dangerous precedent and illegally seize hundreds of Billions in frozen Russians assets that are being held in the EU...the Bloc has come up with a plan. They say they're going to take the interest generated from the assets, and use that to help Ukraine. George Szamuely of the Global Policy Institute noted that it's not just about the West illegally seizing Russian assets—it's about using those assets to arm Ukraine in its war against Russia... and this is likely just the beginning.

When asked if he believes Ukraine's failures on the battlefield this week are Washington's fault, Zelensky claimed “it’s the world’s fault,” accusing the international community of giving “the opportunity for Putin" to advance around Ukraine's second-largest city. Sarah Bils, Co-Founder of DD Geopolitics, noted that while Zelensky is lobbying for the flow of lethal aid from the West to continue, he's well aware of the growing manpower shortages and that his backers in Washington can't print new men to send to the frontlines...

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot multiple times in an assassination attempt carried out by a perpetrator who has shown support for the opposition party, and protested against policies that include the cutting of military aid for Ukraine. Meanwhile, the West is warning about the growing partnership between Russia and China, as Putin and Xi hold talks in Beijing. International Relations and Security Analyst Mark Sleboda noted that in the same way that Western leaders are sending their condolences to Fico, despite spending months demonizing his rise to power and its implications for NATO and the EU... they're also expressing concerns about ties between Russia and China, because the alliance threatens U.S. dominance in the growing multipolar world.

While the U.S. continues to provide unconditional military, political and public support for Israel, members of the Biden Admin are finally starting to say the quiet part out loud, with Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell admitting the "total victory" over Hamas that Israel claims to be pursuing is not "likely or possible." Veteran Palestinian-American Journalist Said Arikat noted that this reality was obvious from the start, especially given the fact that the Palestinian resistance is a movement made up of people living under Israeli oppression who are fighting for their lands and their basic rights.

Nearly half a million Palestinians have fled Rafah after Israel unleashed its heaviest bombing in months across the Gaza Strip, leaving hundreds of civilians dead. It’s yet another reminder that nowhere in Gaza is safe, and Palestinians are constantly impacted by Israel's bombardment and blockade. Veteran Journalist Elijah J. Magnier noted that while Biden Admin officials like Secretary of State Antony Blinken may be claiming that Israeli forces need to "get out of Gaza" now, they continue to support Israel's ultimate goals of ethnically cleansing the Gaza Strip.

You know it's getting bad for Kiev when even CNN reporters are describing the frontline situation as a "nightmare" for Ukraine, as Russia goes on the offensive, capturing nine villages in less than a week. Veteran, Author and Russian Military Expert, Andrei Martyanov, noted that Moscow's latest gains shouldn't come as a surprise, and there is very little NATO can do, as members of the alliance continue to try to keep Kiev on life support while their forces crumble on the battlefield.

The UN General Assembly has passed a resolution in support of full membership for Palestine with overwhelming approval. The only problem? The recommendation now goes to the UN Security Council, where the U.S. is expected to veto it. Journalist Patrick Henningsen noted that while the U.S. claims to support a two-state solution, it is doing the opposite by refusing to allow Palestine to have any rights, unless Israel approves. He also pointed out that the current situation is a reminder that the only viable solution is a one-state solution, where all citizens have equal rights—no discrimination, no segregation, no apartheid.

With pressure building across the country, Biden is now claiming that the U.S. will not supply Israel with "offensive weapons" for a ground invasion of Rafah, if Netanyahu moves forward with his plans as promised, putting around 1.4 million Palestinians (including 600,000 children) in jeopardy. But while some claim this is proof that the Biden Admin does, in fact, have a "red line" when it comes to Israel, other reports are noting that Israel already has the weapons and supplies it needs for a ground invasion of Rafah, thanks to supports like the U.S. So, while Biden tries to gain political points by making it look like he may actually hold Israel accountable for its crimes for once—he continues to make sure that the U.S. is complicit in the genocide being carried out by Israel against the Palestinian people.

Russian's Defense Ministry confirmed that its forces launched a barrage of long-range precision weapons at Ukrainian targets, which included Kiev's energy sector, as President Putin was inaugurated for a fifth term in office, after an overwhelming victory amid a record turnout in Russia's latest election. International Relations and Security Analyst Mark Sleboda noted that by targeting Kiev's energy sector, Russia is ramping up pressure and attacking Ukraine's military industrial complex in a number of areas at a time when the West isn't providing as much aid and some of the items on Zelensky's wish list like *cough cough* Abrams tanks have fallen flat on the battlefield.

French President Emmanuel Macron is once against threatening that NATO troops will be sent to Ukraine, claiming the threat is necessary to deter Russia, and that “if Russia wins in Ukraine, there will be no security in Europe.” (If only the West cared enough about "European Security" to keep them from supporting a coup in Ukraine and expanding NATO right up to Russia's border…) George Szamuely of the Global Policy Institute noted that even though Ukrainian forces are crumbling on the battlefield, the West continues to claim it must support Kiev, based on what it has already spent propping up the country in a proxy war against Russia. But the goal has never been about accomplishments for Ukraine, nearly as much as it has been about trying to weaken Russia...

The latest economic data shows that the U.S. is still battling inflation, which is no secret to the American people as they are feeling the pain every time they visit the grocery store. As for the dream of home ownership, that is unattainable for many Americans, as home prices have soared and the Fed keeps interest rates high, and the increase in wages is nowhere near the increase in the living costs. Prof. Richard Wolff, an Economist and founder of Democracy at Work, noted that as the American middle class is shrinking, the U.S. is facing one thing it hasn't in decades: a legitimate competitor on the world stage. While the U.S. Empire may be declining, China is on the rise...

The situation on the battlefield is becoming increasingly dire for Kiev, as Russian troops advance, while in some cases, Ukrainian forces flee. It has gotten so bad that even the Washington Post is admitting that Ukraine is running out of men for the U.S. to train in programs set up to aid Kiev as part of Washington's proxy war against Moscow. International Relations and Security Analyst Mark Sleboda noted that while Zelensky comes up with plans to force Ukrainian men back home to fight, the pressure is on for NATO troops to fill the void left by the nearly 500,000 Ukrainians troops who have been killed since 2022… and reports are already warning that there are NATO soldiers on the ground, proudly wearing the insignia of their home country.

When asked if the Biden Admin condemns Netanyahu's foreign interference in American affairs when he demanded a crackdown on pro-Palestinian protesters at university campuses across the U.S., State Dept. Deputy Spokesman Vedant Patel acted as though he had no idea what the Israeli prime minister actually said. Veteran Palestinian-American Journalist Said Arikat, who posed the question to Patel, noted that the Biden Admin is showing that it doesn't care about either the First Amendment or the sanctity of life, as it continues to provide support to Israel by the Billions...

In response to pro-Palestinian protests spreading to university campuses across the country, both Democrats and Republicans have joined in on calling for a harsh crackdown by police, and demonizing the students and faculty involved in the demonstrations. It's a reminder that there is no "Free Speech" party when Americans criticize Israel. The U.S. Establishment is working overtime to try to figure out how to stop the masses from calling for an end to U.S. support for Israel's genocide of the Palestinians in Gaza. But the more they try to suppress movement, the more it grows...

The pro-Palestinians demonstrations that began at Columbia University are spreading to campuses across the country, as thousands of students call for their universities to stop doing business with Israel, and all of the companies that support its ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Sabrina Salvati, Host of the Sabby Sabs Podcast, noted that universities are run like businesses, and while billionare donors are throwing their weight around and pledging to pull their funding if the schools don't use force to put an end to the protests... the students themselves are also learning how much strength they have in numbers to call for change.

Stop data brokers from exposing your personal information. Go to my sponsor https://aura.com/rachelblevins/ to get a 14-day free trial and see how much of yours is being sold Members of Congress are celebrating, and waving tiny Ukrainian flags after the House passed around $95 Billion in foreign aid that includes around $60 Billion in Ukraine-related funding. But that money won't change the inevitable outcome of Washington's proxy war against Russia. It will only prolong the suffering for the Ukrainian people, as the U.S. continues to prop up the Kiev regime. The House also passed a new round of military aid for Israel, serving as a reminder that no matter what the Biden Admin claims when they say they want to see less Palestinians killed, they continue to find ways to help their closet ally carry on with its genocide in Gaza.

Days after reports that the U.S. was asking Iran to allow a "symbolic strike" from Israel, Iranian air defense took down a small IDF drone strike, leading Israel’s own national security minister to mock the attack online, with a single Tweet that translates to: "Lame." International Relations and Security Analyst Mark Sleboda noted that it wasn't just Iran that was the target of the attacks... it was also Iraq and Syria, two countries whose sovereignty Israel routinely violates. A reminder that the U.S., which is of course Israel's top provider of lethal aid, forgets about "international law" when its closest ally is involved.

The Biden Admin claims they support a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine... but that didn't stop them from using their veto power to strike down the resolution to support Palestine's status as a full member state in the United Nations. Independent Journalist Sam Husseini noted that while the U.S. vetoed the resolution at the Security Council, the UN General Assembly still has the power to make Palestine a full member state under the 'Uniting for Peace' resolution, as nearly 140 countries currently recognize Palestine as a state.

The U.S. submitted a new set of assurances to London's high court this week, in an effort to force the extradition of WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange to face charges that could put him in prison for life. But those "assurances" related to whether Assange would be granted First Amendment rights as a foreign national, and whether he would face the death penalty in violation of extradition law, were riddled with loopholes. Independent Journalist and Editor of The Dissenter Newsletter, Kevin Gosztola, noted that the concerns surrounding the U.S. Government's treatment of Assange also extend to additional charges they could levy against him if he is extradited, as the current charges only pertain to the initial leaks, and don't include other key troves like the Vault 7 leaks.

Israel is now vowing to respond to Iran's retaliatory attack, and while the Biden Admin claims to have told Netanyahu that the U.S. won't aid in any offensive action, they are still promising to provide air defense... just like they did when Tehran retaliated for Israel's deadly attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria. Journalist and Editor-in-Chief of The Cradle, Sharmine Narwani, reported that an Iranian military security official revealed exclusively to The Cradle that the U.S. reached out and asked Iran to allow Israel "a symbolic strike to save face,” which was “outright rejected” and met with warnings that any attack from Israel targeting Iran will be met with immediate action.

Iran launched a barrage of missiles targeting military sites in Israel over the weekend, in retaliation for Israel's deadly attack on an Iranian consulate building in Damascus earlier this month. While the world was waiting to see what Iran's response would be, Tehran was attempting to decrease tensions by calling for the UN Security Council to condemn Israel's assault and calling for Israel to allow a ceasefire in Gaza. Journalist Marwa Osman noted that it was only during Iran's retaliatory attack that the Palestinians had a few hours of peace, as Israel's focus turned from committing genocide in Gaza, to calling on its friends to provide air defense. Those friends just happened to include the U.S., the UK, France and Jordan... and the cost was around $1 BILLION.