Former Mossad head ‘threatened’ ICC prosecutor over war crimes investigation - report

Yossi Cohen, who headed the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad in 2016-2021, put pressure on the International Criminal Court’s then-prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to abandon her inquiry into war crimes conducted by the country in Palestine, the Guardian reported, citing sources.

Several years ago, Cohen first “tried to build a relationship” with Bensouda and “charm” her, so that she would cooperate with Israel, the publication says.

Later, however, the tone of the communication changed, with Cohen allegedly starting to threaten the prosecutor during private meetings, telling her "not to interfere in matters that could jeopardize" her safety or that of her family. This led Bensouda to brief a select few senior ICC officials on Cohen’s conduct.

When asked by the Guardian to comment on the report, Israeli authorities have denied the allegations as “unfounded”.

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Macron calls to double EU budget to save bloc's waning relevance

French President Emmanuel Macron has called to double the EU's budget in order to revitalize the bloc's economy during his speech at a youth festival in the eastern German city of Dresden.

"Emmanuel Macron commits to an idea which he knows cannot be accepted, but where he hopes that in the event of rejection he will be able to say: 'If they had listened to me…'," Jacques Sapir, director of studies at the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (EHESS) in Paris, tells Sputnik.

The economic expert explains that the only possible instrument to implement Macron's plan is through a loan with the guarantee of the European Central Bank (ECB). However, Germany, Italy, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia – let alone fiscally conservative Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Sweden – won't follow France's lead.

"Germany, which will already be politically opposed to such an idea, will object even more to the method and will say that Macron wants the EU to go into debt like France does," Sapir says.

According to the expert, the Dresden speech is a continuation of the federalist positions that Macron has always defended.

"[Macron's] great fear is that the EU, both under the effect of external pressures and internal pressures, will fall apart in the next ten years," Sapir concludes.

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Macron vs Putin: Who's a better German-speaker?

French President Macron reportedly studied German with a tutor for a year in order to overcome differences with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during his visit to Germany.

🤔 Does he have a chance?

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▪️Putin’s full answer to the question about Zelensky’s legitimacy

▪️Numerous cases of use of the irritant substance chloropicrin by the Ukrainian military have been recorded

▪️NATO members divided on Ukraine's plans to hit Russia with Western weapons

▪️Where are US tactical nukes deployed in Europe?

▪️Why time is ripe to delist Taliban as terrorist entity

▪️Macron calls to double EU budget to save bloc's waning relevance

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Poland’s ‘East Shield’: Costly and dangerous plan of a dividing wall against Russia

Poland’s Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz has unveiled Warsaw’s plan to create a so-called ‘East Shield' in 2024-2028 - a sinister system of minefields, barbed wire and anti-tank hedgehogs on the borders with Russia and Belarus. It will cost no less than €2.4 bln (about $2.5 bln) and include space satellites, thermal imaging cameras and even man-made “impenetrable” woods and swamps.

As the announcement raised many questions, the minister and Poland’s General Staff will have to address public concerns with clarifications:

▪️The spending bill, totaling €2.4 billion, will be presented to the Sejm next week. This amount is considerable for Poland, given its current defense expenditure of around 4% of GDP.

▪️Planned as a part of a European effort aimed at “deterring” Russia, Polish authorities expect “East Shield” to be partially financed by the EU.

▪️The project was hatched together with the plan of a “drone wall,” which is supposed to protect not only Poland, but also Finland, Norway, and the Baltic states.

However, the project may exceed its planned budget. Here’s why:

▪️The planned system along Poland's 700 km eastern border with a 50 km deep "protected zone" would necessitate the relocation of residents to avoid living among anti-tank mines and obstacles.

▪️Poland will have to create its own satellite system to provide “monitoring of every centimeter of its border zone,” promised in the project. Space programs are costly.

▪️Promised massive bunker construction aims to provide the local population with a "new sense of security". This is also a costly affair.

▪️The “biggest strengthening of Poland’s border since 1945” presupposes building new airfields, so that an eventual “Russian attack” would not destroy Polish aircraft before they get off the ground.

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Why Justin Trudeau has ceased to be the voters’ darling in Canada

Things are not looking particularly good for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the moment, seeing how the Conservative Party is currently enjoying a double-digit lead in the polls over Trudeau’s Liberal Party less than a year and a half away from the next federal election.

Aside from the general fatigue with the Liberal Party, as some media outlets describe it, the following events and factors also did not help Trudeau’s standing in the eyes of Canadian voters:

▪️Canada’s relations with China, as well as with countries such as India and Saudi Arabia, soured after Trudeau’s election in 2015, as the Canadian government seems keen to follow the US’ lead when it comes to foreign policy;

▪️In 2017, Trudeau became embroiled in a political scandal caused by revelations that he accepted gifts and private island vacations from Aga Khan, leader of the Shia Ismaili religion, whose foundation ended up receiving millions of dollars of Canadian federal funding in 2016;

▪️A veritable political scandal erupted in 2019 amid allegations that Trudeau’s office pressured Canada’s minister of justice to intervene in an ongoing criminal case against SNC-Lavalin construction company;

▪️Trudeau’s handling of the so-called Freedom Convoy – a protest by Canadian truckers against the anti-COVID measures and lockdowns imposed by Ottawa – which included mass arrests and freezing of the protesters’ bank accounts, also did not endear the prime minister to his constituents;

▪️In September 2023, the Canadian government committed a faux pas of colossal proportions by toasting Ukrainian ex-Waffen SS member Yaroslav Hunka in Canada’s parliament, who was initially presented as a WWII veteran who “fought against Russia”;

▪️Last month’s revelations, such as those coming from Fitch Ratings, suggest that Canada's budget deficit continues to grow, and it remains unclear whether Trudeau has a recipe to deal with this problem.

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A military jet crashed in the US state of New Mexico and the pilot was taken to the hospital, local media reported.

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Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has signed a bill to suspend the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE), according to the country's website.

The Belarusian leader authorized the act "to suspend the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe of November 19, 1990," according to the document.

The bill was approved by the lower house of the Belarusian parliament on April 17 and backed by the upper house on May 6.

The treaty was concluded in 1990 by representatives of 16 NATO member states and six members of the Warsaw Pact Organization. The document envisaged limiting the number of tanks, armored combat vehicles, artillery pieces, combat aircraft and attack helicopters in Europe.

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Political analyst and economist Jeffrey Sachs described how NATO gradually moved closer to Russia’s borders, ignoring Moscow’s concerns in an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson.

"Some people said, 'yeah, but we told Gorbachev and we told Yeltsin we weren't going to expand at all.'"

"'Oh, come on! The Soviet Union's done. We can do what we want! We are the sole superpower,'" Sachs said, expressing the view of US foreign policy elites at the time.

Sachs echoed Russian President Vladimir Putin, who in his interview with Carlson explained in detail how Russia sought peace and cooperation with NATO but was ruthlessly denied any opportunity.

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Economist Jeffrey Sachs described the state of US-Russia relations after the end of the Cold War in an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson.

“You didn't just defeat us. We said, 'no more.' We disbanded the Warsaw Pact. We wanted peace. We wanted cooperation. You call it victory – we just wanted to cooperate,” Sachs said, characterizing Russia's position at the time.

Sachs emphasized that Russia was open to partnership with the West to the extent that Moscow played a key role in disbanding the Soviet Union but US leaders neglected Russian calls for cooperation, instead reveling in their “victory” – a characterization of developments not shared by Moscow.

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The military aircraft that crashed in the US state of New Mexico earlier was an F-35B fighter jet, a Lockheed Martin spokesperson told Sputnik.

"An F-35B enroute from Fort Worth, Texas, to Edwards Air Force Base, California, crashed after a refueling stop at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico," the spokesperson said on Tuesday. "The pilot safely ejected. Safety is our priority and we will follow the appropriate investigation protocol."

The local authorities did not previously disclose what type of aircraft was involved in the incident.

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NATO dragging EU into WWIII, it is no longer defensive alliance - French politician

NATO is dragging the European Union into World War III with statements about strikes on Russian territory and is no longer a "defensive alliance," Florian Philippot, the leader of French Eurosceptic party The Patriots and a candidate for the European Parliament elections, said on social media.

"NATO's statements are an insane dash toward World War III against Russia. Every word is extremely serious and fraught with consequences. NATO has officially abandoned its position as a 'defense alliance' — already disproved in practice — it is declaring war!" Philippot said on X.

The politician has called on Paris to withdraw from the alliance.

"Wishing to stay in NATO is to agree that France will be dragged into World War III indefinitely, that the blood of its children will be spilled for the interests of NATO, the EU, [French President Emmanuel] Macron and the senseless corruption of this entire clique," Philippot added, saying: "let's stop this madness, let's stand up for peace, no more euros or weapons to Ukraine!"

On Monday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Ukraine’s right to self-defense includes the right to strike legitimate military targets outside the country. Stoltenberg also confirmed that he favors lifting restrictions on the use of Western weapons on "legitimate targets" on the territory of Russia. At the same time, he said that NATO remains committed to avoiding direct confrontation with Russia. The opinion of EU leaders on the issue is divided.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the NATO chief's statement as "provocative," adding that Russia's possible response to attacks on its territory is known only to the president and the top military officials, who will be taking appropriate countermeasures.

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Economist Jeffrey Sachs recalled Vladimir Putin's attempts to ensure good relations with Western countries after taking office as Russian president during an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson.

“Putin was completely pro-Europe, yes. And pro-US, by the way,” Sachs pointed out.

Sachs urged skepticism towards US posturing on foreign policy "because everything is phony, what we say. Everything is a lie."

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Economist Jeffrey Sachs revealed that the key reason for NATO aggression against Yugoslavia was to move military infrastructure closer to Russia's borders, making the claim during an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson.

"We bombed a capital of Europe for 78 days.... We broke apart Serbia, established by our declaration a new country, Kosovo. We put a huge NATO base there, and that was the goal," said Sachs, describing how the US violated international law and committed atrocities in a sovereign nation.

"We're the country of perpetual war. We don't look back. We're not even supposed to talk about this, because this was 'unprovoked,'" Sachs noted.

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France is ready to recognize Palestine as a state, but only when "it will be useful," French President Emmanuel Macron told a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

"I am fully prepared to recognize the state of Palestine, but I believe that this recognition must come at a time when it is useful. I will not recognize it led by 'emotions,'" Macron told the press conference, broadcast by the Elysee Palace on X on Tuesday.

The French president added that a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip is a priority now. He also expressed the need for Israel to end the ongoing military operation in the city of Rafah.

Until this Tuesday, Palestine was recognized by nine EU member states. Eight countries — Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Romania and Slovakia — recognized it in 1988 before joining the European Union, while Sweden did the same in 2014. Spain, Norway and Ireland officially recognized Palestine as a state earlier on Tuesday.

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