⏰ Time is ticking for Big Pharma

Patrick Bet-David points out that "75% of cable TV ad revenue comes from Big Pharma," as RFK Jr. is pushing to ban pharmaceutical ads on TV.

Aside from the US, New Zealand is the only other country where pharmaceutical ads are allowed on TV.

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🔍Mulled US billion-dollar levies on Chinese ships fraught with an ‘APOCALYPSE for trade’

Industry executives and experts have warned that the ‘sledgehammer’ fees targeting Beijing’s cargo vessels would be devastating for the global economy as they will:

🟠exacerbate inflationary pressures within the US,
🟠elevate shipping costs,
🟠make American goods too expensive internationally,
🟠disrupt supply chains.

Earlier, the US Trade Representative (USTR) proposed imposing substantial fees on Chinese-built and Chinese-operated vessels docking at US ports. The decision was ostensibly to counteract China's dominance in global shipbuilding.

The issue will be at the heart of a two-day USTR hearing in Washington that begins on Monday. Trade groups will be given a chance to explain why the proposals could disrupt global trade more than Donald Trump’s tariffs.

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💬 Canada’s PM calls snap election seeking ‘mandate to deal with Trump’ amid US trade row

Mark Carney promises to slash middle-class taxes, boost domestic trade, and reshape Canada’s economy.

“Trump threatens our sovereignty - he wants to break us. We won’t let that happen,” Carney vowed.

His main rival in the federal election set for April 28, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre launched his campaign for the premiership with a “Canada First” message.

He dismissed Carney as Justin Trudeau’s handpicked replacement and ill-equipped to take on Donald Trump.

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🟠 Hamas political bureau member Ismail Barhoum killed in Israeli strike on Gaza hospital

🟠 Police unleash tear gas to break up protests in Istanbul

🟠 South Korea's Constitutional Court OVERTURNS PM Han Duck-soo's impeachment, RESTORES his powers

Check out Sputnik’s analysis:

🔶 Deep state cleanup op? What SECRETS Biden-appointed attorney Jessica Aber could take with her to the grave

🔶 Iran’s master stroke: anti-air and anti-ship missiles on key islands could BLOCKADE US forces in the Gulf

🔶 Europe’s high-tech headache: What happens if Uncle Sam pulls the plug?

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🛬US WARPLANES land in Greenland

National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Second Lady Usha Vance, and Energy Sec. Chris Wright arrived on the island to make "an offer" one "can't refuse."

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🎤Educational bikini-survey on US beaches

Respondents are confident that:

✅The USA declared independence from Spain [according to a elementary school teacher].
✅ The shape of the Pentagon building in the USA is square.
✅ The US Senate has 6 or 7 senators.
✅ The Civil War in the US was fought between the East and the West.
✅ It was fought between "these citizens" and "whoever was in power."
✅ The Supreme Court includes an FBI representative.
✅ The 2nd Amendment of the US Constitution gives the right to vote in elections.
✅ The state that borders Canada is called Asia.

History class, anyone?

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❗️The Russian delegation arrives at the venue of the talks with the US in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for talks with the US, Sputnik correspondent reports.

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What to know about Russia-US talks on Ukraine settlement in Saudi Arabia

Moscow’s delegation has arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to take part in the scheduled consultations of the Russian and US expert groups on a Ukraine settlement.

Who is taking part:
Russia is represented by:
🟠Grigory Karasin, Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs,
🟠Sergey Beseda, an advisor to the head of the Federal Security Service (FSB).

The American delegation, according to media reports, includes:
🟠Michael Anton, the policy planning director under Secretary of State Marco Rubio,
🟠Aides to President Trump's special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg,
🟠Representatives from the office of national security adviser Michael Waltz.

What is on the agenda:
🟠Russia and the US will discuss the resumption of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which was in effect in 2022-2023 to set up safe corridors for grain export from Ukrainian ports.
🟠Talks would focus on a proposed maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea so that "both sides can transport grain, fuel, and resume trade," Waltz said.
🟠"We'll talk the line of control, which is the actual front lines, peace keeping" and "some type of discussion of territory for permanent peace,” he told CBS.

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⚡️A new phase of the Russian-US talks kicks off in Saudi Arabia, Al Arabiya reports.

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🪖Australia to add on $1 billion to its defense spending budget as part of militarization expansion efforts

The measure aims to speed up its AUKUS commitments, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said.

This is the most significant increase in defense spending in peacetime Australia since the end of the World War II, the minister said.

"What this will do is see us have ready HMAS Stirling, the Henderson Defense Precinct for the establishment of the Submarine Rotational Force West. This will see us be able to move forward at a faster pace in establishing the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance enterprise," Marles added.

Overall, Australia's parliament plans to boost defense spending by $50 billion over the next decade.

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⚡️LIVE NOW: Lavrov speaks at a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Alexander Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Fund

👉 Watch live in our Telegram

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❗️Ukraine CONTINUES TO ATTACK Russian energy infrastructure

The Ukrainian forces attempted to attack the "Kropotkinskaya" oil pumping station of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium at night, the Russian Ministry of Defense said.

The drone was intercepted 7 km from the site.

This was the second time when Ukrainian forces attempted to attack the station.

Despite Zelensky’s statements, the KIEV REGIME CONTINUES TO DELIBERATELY ATTACK ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE WITHIN RUSSIAN TERRITORY, including international facilities, the Defense Ministry stressed.

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❗️Essence of Black Sea initiative, currently under Russia-US discussion, is navigational safety - Kremlin

Other statements from the Kremlin:

🔸 Russia, the United States have many more aspects to work out related to the Ukrainian settlement

🔸 Russia and the US have desire to move towards resolving the Ukrainian crisis

🔸 Issue of the Black Sea initiative, as well as related aspects are on the agenda of the talks between Russia and the United States in Riyadh

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