Saudi Crown Prince Threatened U.S. ‘Economic Consequences’ During Feud Over Oil Production: Report

The Saudi crown prince privately threatened “major economic consequences” against the US last fall if the Biden administration retaliated against its decision to slash oil production, a new report revealed.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made the threat after President Biden promised unspecified “consequences” for Saudi Arabia over the kingdom’s decision to cut oil production during a time of high energy prices, according to a classified document obtained by The Washington Post.

The crown prince claimed in private that “he will not deal with the U.S. administration anymore” and promised “major economic consequences for Washington,” according to the document.

A second leaked document from December warned that Saudi plans to expand its “transactional relationship” with China by procuring drones, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and mass surveillance systems from Beijing.

Biden has not followed through on his word, despite Saudi Arabia’s recent pledge to cut oil production by a further 1 million barrels per day starting in July. (Read more from “Saudi Crown Prince Threatened U.S. ‘Economic Consequences’ During Feud Over Oil Production: Report” HERE)

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U.S. Issues Air Quality Warnings, Restrict Flights Over Smoke From Canada Fires

U.S. agencies warned the public to avoid inhaling smoke from Canadian wildfires, which also disrupted travel on Thursday.

The Department of Energy and Environment issued an air quality warning and advised people in affected areas to stay indoors.

“Today the air quality is extremely unhealthy. Members of the general public may experience health effects and sensitive groups may experience more serious health issues. Some potential effects are heart attacks, irregular heartbeat, aggravated asthma, and decreased lung function,” the DOEE tweeted Thursday.

“Everyone should stay indoors as much as possible, especially sensitive groups such as children, elderly, pregnant women and people with heart and lung conditions like asthma and bronchitis,” the department continued. (Read more from “U.S. Issues Air Quality Warnings, Restrict Flights Over Smoke From Canada Fires” HERE)

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New Cold War? U.S., China Defense Chiefs Square Off in Singapore

U.S. and Chinese military leaders squared off at a major security conference in Singapore: Beijing asserted that its forces are ready for war over Taiwan, while U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin chided China for its increasingly aggressive military actions in the region.

Chinese Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu bluntly told the Shangri-La dialogue defense conference that Beijing seeks “peaceful reunification” with Taiwan, but will “make no promise to renounce the use of force” if necessary to make the island democracy part of China.

“If anyone dares to separate Taiwan from China, the Chinese military will not hesitate for a second,” he said. “We will fear no opponents and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity regardless of any cost.”

Gen. Li’s comments came a day after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the U.S. military is stepping up plans, coordination and training to “deter aggression.”

The competing remarks, in speeches at Shangri-La last weekend, underscored the depths of U.S.-China tensions. The strains were on display ahead of the security conference when Chinese jets engaged in a dangerous aerial intercept of a U.S. surveillance aircraft in the region last week. (Read more from “New Cold War? U.S., China Defense Chiefs Square Off in Singapore” HERE)

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U.S. Government Sanctions Foreign Companies for Censorship While Encouraging It at Home

The U.S Department of State has sanctioned Iranian tech company Arvan Cloud, along with its two co-founders and its United Arab Emirates-based affiliate, for “their roles in facilitating the Iranian regime’s censorship of the Internet in Iran.”

Meanwhile, the very same U.S. Department of State has funded efforts to pressure western tech companies to censor Americans. Earlier this year, Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) called out the State Department for funding the Global Disinformation Index (GDI), an organization that worked to blacklist conservative media companies for censorship and demonetization.

In its press release announcing the sanctions, the U.S. Treasury condemns Arvan for helping Iranian authorities “control and censor incoming and outgoing traffic,” and blocking websites at the request of the Iranian government.

Arvan is being sanctioned under the provisions of E.O. 13628, a Trump-era executive order that allows for the sanctioning of companies that assist the Iranian regime’s efforts to censor its citizens. (Read more from “U.S. Government Sanctions Foreign Companies for Censorship While Encouraging It at Home” HERE)

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Country Considering Killing 200,000 Cows to Fight Climate Change

Government officials in Ireland are considering a plan to kill 200,000 cows to combat climate change, according to reports.

There were multiple reports this week that the Irish government was contemplating a plan to cull 200,000 cows within three years to fight climate change. The Irish Mirror stated that “the cows would have to be ‘culled’ at a cost of €600,000 to taxpayers over the next three years to meet climate emissions targets.”

The possible plan was detailed in an internal Department of Agriculture document that was unearthed in a freedom of information request.

The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association immediately railed against the reported plan to kill 200,000 cows.

Pat McCormack – the president of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association – declared, “If there is to be a scheme, it needs to be a voluntary scheme. That’s absolutely critical because there’s no point in culling numbers from an individual who has borrowed on the back of a huge financial commitment on the back of achieving a certain target that’s taken from under him.” (Read more from “Country Considering Killing 200,000 Cows to Fight Climate Change” HERE)

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President of This Country Signs Death Penalty Law for Homosexuals, Passed by Parliament 387-2

Uganda’s president, Yoweri Museveni, has signed into law the world’s harshest anti-LGBTQ+ bill, which allows the death penalty for homosexual acts. . .

US President Joe Biden decried the act as “shameful” and “tragic violation of universal human rights”. He said Washington was considering “sanctions and restriction of entry into the United States against anyone involved in serious human rights abuses” – a suggestion that Ugandan officials may face repercussions.

Early on Monday, the speaker of the Ugandan parliament, Anita Annet Among, released a statement on social media confirming Museveni had assented to the law first passed by MPs in March. It imposes the death penalty or life imprisonment for certain same-sex acts, up to 20 years in prison for “recruitment, promotion and funding” of same-sex “activities”, and anyone convicted of “attempted aggravated homosexuality” faces a 14-year sentence. . .

Among tweeted on Monday morning: “The president … has assented to the Anti-Homosexuality Act. As the parliament of Uganda, we have answered the cries of our people. We have legislated to protect the sanctity of [the] family.

“We have stood strong to defend our culture and [the] aspirations of our people,” she said, thanking Museveni for his “steadfast action in the interest of Uganda”. (Read more from “President of This Country Signs Death Penalty Law for Homosexuals, Passed by Parliament 387-2” HERE)

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Kremlin: Putin Open to Peace Talks to End Ukraine War, but Only if West Offers Concessions

Russian President Vladimir Putin is open to negotiations to end his country’s war in Ukraine, Kremlin officials said Saturday, though the prospects for talks remain dim amid Moscow’s insistence that any resolution includes recognition of its territorial claims in Ukraine‘s eastern Donbas region.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian media over the weekend that Mr. Putin seeks a “peaceful” resolution to the conflict but signaled that any ceasefire hinges on the West offering significant concessions to Russia.

Such a scenario so far has been a non-starter for Ukraine, the U.S. and NATO.

“President Putin has been, is, and will be open to any contact in order to attain our objectives by other means than the special military operation. If it is possible, it would be preferable,” Mr. Peskov told Russia‘s Rossiya-1 TV station on Saturday.

His comments come amid continued fighting in eastern Ukraine, particularly in and around Bakhmut, which Russian troops say they control even as Ukrainian military officials say fighting continues on the outskirts of the city. (Read more from “Kremlin: Putin Open to Peace Talks to End Ukraine War, but Only if West Offers Concessions” HERE)

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UK Endorses Ukraine’s Right to Attack Russian Territory Despite US Anxiety

British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly affirmed Ukraine’s right to attack “legitimate military targets” in Russia, in contrast with American unease about such operations on the day of an apparent drone attack near Moscow.

“It’s important to remember that Ukraine does have the legitimate right to defend itself,” Cleverly told reporters while traveling in Estonia. “It has a legitimate right to do so within its own borders, of course, but it does also have the right to project force beyond its borders to undermine Russia’s ability to project force into Ukraine itself.”

That general endorsement came as Russian media buzzed with the shock of an apparent kamikaze drone attack that “caused minor damage to several buildings,” according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. Cleverly emphasized that he could not comment on the drone incident — “I don’t have details, and I am not going to speculate about the nature of the drone attacks in Moscow,” he said — but his supportive tone contrasted with the response from President Joe Biden’s administration.

“As general matter, we do not support attacks inside of Russia,” a State Department spokesperson said Tuesday. “We have been focused on providing Ukraine with the equipment and training they need to retake their own sovereign territory, and that’s exactly what we’ve done.” (Read more from “UK Endorses Ukraine’s Right to Attack Russian Territory Despite US Anxiety” HERE)

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Head of Russian State Media Calls for Senator to Be Assassinated

The head of a Russian state broadcaster absurdly threatened Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) in the wake of the Republican’s recent meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

In a video from their May 26 meeting, Graham is heard telling the Ukrainian leader U.S. aid to support Ukraine was the “best money we’ve ever spent.”

“If [Lindsey] Graham really said that the money for the killing of Russians is the best money the U.S. ever spent — I hope that in our country, the sons or grandchildren of Sudoplatov [the lieutenant] are alive, Sudoplatov’s pupils, or the descendants of his pupils,” Margarita Simonyan said, according to a translated video posted by Russian Media Monitor.

“It’s not even hard. We have his address. We have his telephone number,” Simonyan said. (Read more from “Head of Russian State Media Calls for Senator to Be Assassinated” HERE)

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Moscow Warns It Will Launch Pre-Emptive Nuclear Strike on Ukraine if They Are Given Nukes

A former Russian President has warned the Kremlin will issue a “preemptive nuclear strike” against Ukraine and its Western allies, including the United Kingdom, if the defending nation is provided with their own warheads. Dmitry Medvedev, who was President from 2008 to 2012, between Vladimir Putin’s two autocratic rules, said during a trip to Vietnam that the West was failing to grasp Russia’s willingness to bring about nuclear war.

After the Fighter Jet coalition was announced last week, meaning US-made F-16s could be making their way into Ukraine this year, Medvedev suggested the West should refrain from escalating its support any further.

Medvedev, who is now deputy head of Putin’s security council, said: “There are some irreversible rules of war.

“If it comes to [deliveries of] nuclear weapons [to Ukraine], a preemptive strike will have to be carried out.”

Calling on the West to take his remarks seriously, he added: “It will mean that a missile with a nuclear warhead will come flying to them.” (Read more from “Moscow Warns It Will Launch Pre-Emptive Nuclear Strike on Ukraine if They Are Given Nukes” HERE)

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