More than 50 US lawmakers urge Biden to dissuade Israeli offensive in Rafah
A group of more than 50 US House lawmakers sent a letter to President Joe Biden this week, urging his administration to use all available means to dissuade the Israeli government from launching offensive operations in Rafah.
On Tuesday, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel will enter Rafah to combat the Palestinian organization Hamas, with or without an agreement on hostages. Israel has no other choice but to enter Rafah, Netanyahu said.
The Israeli government has not provided a credible and executable plan to protect civilians during potential operations in Rafah, as requested by the Biden administration, the letter said.
An Israeli offensive in Rafah risks starting an “escalatory spiral” and putting the region back on the brink of a broader conflict, the letter said.
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A group of more than 50 US House lawmakers sent a letter to President Joe Biden this week, urging his administration to use all available means to dissuade the Israeli government from launching offensive operations in Rafah.
“We write with urgency to say: an offensive invasion into Rafah by Israel in the upcoming days is wholly unacceptable,” the letter said. “We urge you to invoke existing law and policy to immediately withhold certain offensive military aid to the Israeli government, including aid sourced from legislation already signed into law, in order to preempt a full-scale assault on Rafah.”
On Tuesday, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel will enter Rafah to combat the Palestinian organization Hamas, with or without an agreement on hostages. Israel has no other choice but to enter Rafah, Netanyahu said.
The Israeli government has not provided a credible and executable plan to protect civilians during potential operations in Rafah, as requested by the Biden administration, the letter said.
An Israeli offensive in Rafah risks starting an “escalatory spiral” and putting the region back on the brink of a broader conflict, the letter said.
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Sputnik International
Reuters withdrew material with a quote by the British Foreign Secretary David Cameron about Ukraine’s “right” to strike Russian territory with British weapons. Subscribe to @SputnikInt
Reuters has republished the withdrawn news about Ukraine's "right" to hit Russia's territory with British weapons.
The news reappeared on the agency's feed without any visible changes. The quote by the British Foreign Minister about Ukraine's "right" to use British weapons to hit Russia is also given without any changes.
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The news reappeared on the agency's feed without any visible changes. The quote by the British Foreign Minister about Ukraine's "right" to use British weapons to hit Russia is also given without any changes.
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Ukrainian army leaving the Chasov Yar is a matter of time, Major-General Vadym Skibitsky, deputy head of the Ukrainian Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR), admitted in an interview with the Economist
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Iraqi Shiite groups claim for first time to have struck Beer Sheva city in southern Israel
Shiite armed groups of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq have said in a statement they had carried out a new attack on Israeli territory after a brief lull, claiming for the first time to have shelled the southern Israeli city of Beer Sheva in the Negev area.
The armed groups added that they will continue to attack key targets in Israel in response to its military action in the Gaza Strip.
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Shiite armed groups of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq have said in a statement they had carried out a new attack on Israeli territory after a brief lull, claiming for the first time to have shelled the southern Israeli city of Beer Sheva in the Negev area.
"Continuing our support for the resistance to the occupation, in support of our people in the Gaza Strip, and response to the massacres committed by the usurper entity against Palestinian civilians, including children, women and the elderly, fighters of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq attacked a vital target in Beer Sheva in the occupied territories on Thursday, May 2, with al-Arqab cruise missiles," the Islamic Resistance in Iraq said on Telegram.
The armed groups added that they will continue to attack key targets in Israel in response to its military action in the Gaza Strip.
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Democrats fallback on ‘outside agitator’ trope to justify police violence
Leaders of the Democratic party, including US President Joe Biden and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), are refusing to condemn the police action and continue to blame “outside agitators” for the unrest.
On Wednesday, Jeffries was asked about the NYPD’s excessive use of force against protesters at New York City schools.
Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams has asserted that “outside agitators” hijacked the protest but has so far declined to provide evidence of the charge. During an arraignment hearing that was described as "chaotic" the Guardian was only able to identify one non-student who was charged during the protest.
The outside agitator trope has been used to discredit protest for decades, going back to the Bonus Army march in 1932.
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Leaders of the Democratic party, including US President Joe Biden and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), are refusing to condemn the police action and continue to blame “outside agitators” for the unrest.
On Wednesday, Jeffries was asked about the NYPD’s excessive use of force against protesters at New York City schools.
“I didn’t see any excessive use of force by the NYPD yesterday,” Jeffries said flatly. “We shouldn’t see any protest ever veer into threatening the safety and security of others and to Anti-Semiotism or racism or xenophobia or islamophobia.”
Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams has asserted that “outside agitators” hijacked the protest but has so far declined to provide evidence of the charge. During an arraignment hearing that was described as "chaotic" the Guardian was only able to identify one non-student who was charged during the protest.
The outside agitator trope has been used to discredit protest for decades, going back to the Bonus Army march in 1932.
“WKCR, the student radio [at Columbia] has been trying to counteract all of these fictional stories about outside agitators,” a Columbia student who asked to have her name withheld to avoid punishment from the school administration, told Sputnik’s Political Misfits. “They’ve been including in their reports [that] ‘we have nothing to substantiate this claim about outside agitators. We recognize almost everyone here’… this is a completely homegrown movement,” she asserted.
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US CENTCOM says it killed Syrian civilian, not Al-Qaeda leader in may 2023 air strike
The US killed a civilian during a May 2023 air strike in northwestern Syria after misidentifying him as a senior leader of al-Qaeda*, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.
The investigation into the civilian casualty incident concluded in November 2023, the statement said. Investigators interviewed more than 40 witnesses and reviewed both classified and unclassified materials, the statement said.
The investigation concluded that the strike was conducted in compliance with the law of armed conflict and Pentagon policies, the statement said. However, the probe revealed several issues that could be improved, the statement added.
US CENTCOM acknowledges and regrets the civilian harm from the strike, the statement said.
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* A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries.
The US killed a civilian during a May 2023 air strike in northwestern Syria after misidentifying him as a senior leader of al-Qaeda*, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.
“On May 3, 2023, the United States conducted a unilateral counterterrorism air strike in Northwest Syria targeting a senior Al Qaeda leader. Soon after the air strike, reports surfaced the strike may have resulted in a civilian casualty,” CENTCOM said in a statement. “The investigation determined US forces misidentified the intended al-Qaeda target and that a civilian, Mr. Lufti Hasan Masto, was struck and killed instead.”
The investigation into the civilian casualty incident concluded in November 2023, the statement said. Investigators interviewed more than 40 witnesses and reviewed both classified and unclassified materials, the statement said.
The investigation concluded that the strike was conducted in compliance with the law of armed conflict and Pentagon policies, the statement said. However, the probe revealed several issues that could be improved, the statement added.
US CENTCOM acknowledges and regrets the civilian harm from the strike, the statement said.
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* A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries.
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Delays in the delivery of US arms to Ukraine undermined the Ukrainian Army's ability to fight and then hit their morale, a leading member of the US House of Representatives Armed Services Committee, Adam Smith, has said.
In an interview with Foreign Policy magazine, Smith admitted that, unlike the Ukrainian military, which was left without weapons and ammunition, Russia, on the contrary, psychologically feels that it is winning.
As a result, the congressman argued, the best outcome of the Ukrainian conflict for Kiev regime might be to keep "what they have."
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In an interview with Foreign Policy magazine, Smith admitted that, unlike the Ukrainian military, which was left without weapons and ammunition, Russia, on the contrary, psychologically feels that it is winning.
As a result, the congressman argued, the best outcome of the Ukrainian conflict for Kiev regime might be to keep "what they have."
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US anti-semitic awareness bill would be a direct attack on free speech
The Anti-Semitism Awareness Act would legally define criticism of the government or state of Israel as an act of anti-Semitism, and should concern every American, regardless of their views on Israel.
Some of the most egregious attacks on free speech would include
🔶 Accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel, or to the alleged priorities of Jews worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations.”
🔶 “Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.”
🔶 “Applying double standards by requiring of [Israel] a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.”
🔶 “Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy of that of the Nazis”
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The Anti-Semitism Awareness Act would legally define criticism of the government or state of Israel as an act of anti-Semitism, and should concern every American, regardless of their views on Israel.
“It would be as if you could not criticize US capitalism, and if you were to do so, you would be considered to be a bigot,” Dr. Gerald Horne, a professor of history at the University of Houston told Sputnik’s The Critical Hour. “Indeed, I think that you should correctly sense a whiff of what befell the United States in the 1950s with the so-called 'House un-American Activities Committee'.”
Some of the most egregious attacks on free speech would include
“It's part and parcel of what can fairly be considered [a] sort of thought crimes,” Horne warned. “There are going to be thought police who are going to ferret out these alleged offenders of these thought crimes.”
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Russian, US forces are housing on the same base in Niger, no access to each other's facilities
Russian forces are being housed on the same base in Niger but in a separate compound with no access to US forces until the withdrawal of the contingent of the United States from the country, a Pentagon official has told Sputnik.
The official noted that Russian forces arrived a few weeks ago at Air Base 101, a Nigerien Air Force base that is co-located with the international airport in Niger’s capital, Niamey.
US and Niger recently began discussions for the "orderly withdrawal" of US servicepeople based in Niger and the Pentagon later announced that some of the US contingent will also be withdrawn from Chad.
On Wednesday, a US defense official told Sputnik that the US has relocated 60 of its military personnel to Germany, where they will continue their work, as part of their withdrawal from Chad.
There are currently around 1,100 US personnel in Niger.
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Russian forces are being housed on the same base in Niger but in a separate compound with no access to US forces until the withdrawal of the contingent of the United States from the country, a Pentagon official has told Sputnik.
"The Russians are housed in a separate compound and do not have access to US forces, spaces, or equipment," the official said. "We continue to monitor the situation and to take all necessary and prudent measures to ensure the security of US forces, facilities, and equipment."
The official noted that Russian forces arrived a few weeks ago at Air Base 101, a Nigerien Air Force base that is co-located with the international airport in Niger’s capital, Niamey.
US and Niger recently began discussions for the "orderly withdrawal" of US servicepeople based in Niger and the Pentagon later announced that some of the US contingent will also be withdrawn from Chad.
On Wednesday, a US defense official told Sputnik that the US has relocated 60 of its military personnel to Germany, where they will continue their work, as part of their withdrawal from Chad.
There are currently around 1,100 US personnel in Niger.
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The United States is trying to benefit from the Ukrainian conflict, therefore it prevents its termination, said Balazs Orban, political advisor to the Hungarian prime minister, in an interview with Tucker Carlson.
According to the politician, the priority for the United States is "attempts to weaken Russia" and "stop German and Russian energy cooperation." However, strategically, "it destroys Europe as an economic power."
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According to the politician, the priority for the United States is "attempts to weaken Russia" and "stop German and Russian energy cooperation." However, strategically, "it destroys Europe as an economic power."
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The rich countries of the West, including the United States, have found themselves in an almost hopeless situation due to the public debt problems, Alexey Mozhin, Executive Director for Russia at the International Monetary Fund, told Sputnik.
In its estimates for the United States, the IMF excludes a number of options, including the devaluation of the national debt through inflation. As a result, the US is left with a choice: "do nothing and watch this debt grow endlessly," or go for a unilateral restructuring of debt obligations only for foreign holders of government bonds, "which will be completely beyond good and evil."
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In its estimates for the United States, the IMF excludes a number of options, including the devaluation of the national debt through inflation. As a result, the US is left with a choice: "do nothing and watch this debt grow endlessly," or go for a unilateral restructuring of debt obligations only for foreign holders of government bonds, "which will be completely beyond good and evil."
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US, Japan to spend $3 billion on new hypersonic weapon interceptor
The US and Japan will allocate more than $3 billion to jointly develop a new type of missile capable of intercepting hypersonic weapons, Kyodo News quoted an unnamed Pentagon source as saying.
The Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI) project is expected to be completed by the 2030s, with Japan expected to allocate $1 billion for the purpose. The program was reportedly agreed upon by Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in August 2023.
The new missile will be designed to shoot down incoming hypersonic missiles during their most vulnerable glide phase of flight, before re-entering the atmosphere from space.
The Pentagon has previously said that in Japan, the GPI is likely to be installed on the future ASEV - Aegis System Equipped Vessels - of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Aegis is a US system designed to defend against short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.
The GPI project comes as the US lags behind Russia and China in the development of hypersonic weapons, which include vehicles and missiles that travel faster than Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound.
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The US and Japan will allocate more than $3 billion to jointly develop a new type of missile capable of intercepting hypersonic weapons, Kyodo News quoted an unnamed Pentagon source as saying.
The Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI) project is expected to be completed by the 2030s, with Japan expected to allocate $1 billion for the purpose. The program was reportedly agreed upon by Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in August 2023.
The new missile will be designed to shoot down incoming hypersonic missiles during their most vulnerable glide phase of flight, before re-entering the atmosphere from space.
The Pentagon has previously said that in Japan, the GPI is likely to be installed on the future ASEV - Aegis System Equipped Vessels - of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Aegis is a US system designed to defend against short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.
The GPI project comes as the US lags behind Russia and China in the development of hypersonic weapons, which include vehicles and missiles that travel faster than Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound.
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A Ukrainian drone struck a civilian car in the village of Voznesenovka in Russia's Belgorod region.
One man was injured, governor of the Belgorod region Vyacheslav Gladkov reported.
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One man was injured, governor of the Belgorod region Vyacheslav Gladkov reported.
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze refused to visit the United States because the American side demanded that parliament suspend consideration of the bill on foreign agents, the Georgian Foreign Ministry announced.
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The countries have been lobbying EU capitals not to seize the assets, fearing for the future of their own reserves held in the West, the Financial Times reports, citing officials.
While the US and Canada continue to push for the confiscation of Russian assets, the EU "remains highly cautious, resulting in a stalemate," the outlet said.
Confiscating Russian assets could trigger a wave of reparations claims stemming from long-standing disputes, such as those against Germany after the two world wars, as well as former colonies making claims against former imperialist powers, the FT noted, citing EU officials.
"Moving from freezing the assets, to confiscating them, to disposing of them [could carry the risk of] breaking the international order that you want to protect," European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said.
While Ukraine insists on the complete seizure of Russia's assets, G7 officials privately declare that such a step is "no longer on the table."
The Russian Foreign Ministry has called the freezing of Russian assets theft, noting that such an attempt violates international law.
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Roughly 2,200 people were arrested during pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses in the United States, AP reports.
On Thursday, police violently dispersed a tent camp at the University of California, Los Angeles.
American media noted the brutality of the police during the arrests: rubber bullets were used, from which protesters tried to protect themselves with umbrellas and homemade shields.
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On Thursday, police violently dispersed a tent camp at the University of California, Los Angeles.
American media noted the brutality of the police during the arrests: rubber bullets were used, from which protesters tried to protect themselves with umbrellas and homemade shields.
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Cemeteries in the Baltic states are seeing an increase in burials of mercenaries who died fighting for Ukraine, however the exact number of casualties is unknown.
The correspondent visited the Antakalnio military cemetery in the eastern part of the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, where, according to local media, the ashes of the first Lithuanian mercenary killed in Ukraine, Tadas Tumas, are buried.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, 81 out of 174 Lithuanian mercenaries had been killed in Ukraine as of March 14.
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The correspondent visited the Antakalnio military cemetery in the eastern part of the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, where, according to local media, the ashes of the first Lithuanian mercenary killed in Ukraine, Tadas Tumas, are buried.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, 81 out of 174 Lithuanian mercenaries had been killed in Ukraine as of March 14.
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Nuclear energy race: US yielding to Russia and China
Although a massive US nuclear power plant in Georgia is finally complete, the facility “might be the last of its kind," the Wall Street Journal has reported.
The development comes as the US faces the closure of at least 25 nuclear plants, in another sign that America is losing the nuclear energy race to Russia and China, which plan to build 19 and 24 such facilities, respectively, before the end of 2029. Moreover, Moscow is building nuclear reactors for other nations – the list of NPPs includes Xudabao and Tianwan in China, Akkuyu in Turkiye, El Dabaa in Egypt, Koodankulam in India, Paks in Hungary, and Ruppur in Bangladesh.
▫️ Reports suggest that a mere five nuclear plants are due to be constructed in the US over the next five years.
▫️ Forbes, in turn, has reported that “in the same period as China’s building spree [related to nuclear facilities], the US added [just] 2 with none under development now.”
▫️ The emerging technology of small modular reactors (SMRs) and advanced generation IV reactors are being embraced much quicker in China and Russia than in the US, according to open sources.
▫️ Importantly, Russia provides almost a quarter of the enriched uranium used to fuel America’s fleet of more than 90 commercial nuclear reactors, which makes Russia the No. 1 foreign supplier, per US Energy Department data.
▫️ Last but not least, both Russia and China “lead the US in terms of the number of agreements with sales of nuclear energy hardware [such as nuclear reactors] and services attached," according to a memo by the Third Way, a Washington-based think tank.
▫️ The memo is eloquently noscriptd 'The world wants nuclear energy. China and Russia are racing ahead.'
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Although a massive US nuclear power plant in Georgia is finally complete, the facility “might be the last of its kind," the Wall Street Journal has reported.
The development comes as the US faces the closure of at least 25 nuclear plants, in another sign that America is losing the nuclear energy race to Russia and China, which plan to build 19 and 24 such facilities, respectively, before the end of 2029. Moreover, Moscow is building nuclear reactors for other nations – the list of NPPs includes Xudabao and Tianwan in China, Akkuyu in Turkiye, El Dabaa in Egypt, Koodankulam in India, Paks in Hungary, and Ruppur in Bangladesh.
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