In attempting to take Bakhmut, Russian forces have used scorched earth tactics and turned the once-popular tourist destination into a hell-on-earth. The Kremlin is so hungry for any success that it's willing to go to any length to take the city — even if it's been turned to rubble.
If Russian forces take control of Bakhmut, it would be a devastating loss for Ukraine. Not only has Ukraine lost hundreds of troops in trying to retain the city, but this operation would also enable Russia to continue its advance into key areas of Donetsk including Slovyansk and Kramatorsk.
There is a 3% chance that the regions surrounding the Dnipro River (Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kherson) will be under Russian control by June 2023, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Historically low wages call for historically massive strikes. Adjusted for inflation, public sector workers today are making £203 ($250) less per month than in 2010, and the government is now trying to strip their only way of bargaining for a living wage. If Sunak's government really wants to help the working class, his ministers should focus on putting more money in their pockets rather than ridiculing the only form of self-empowerment they have.
This is being represented as a massive, unified national strike when, in reality, obscure government departments that aren't as crucial as train drivers and teachers are being lumped together with essential workers to bolster its impression. Even regarding essential workers, the unions conveniently left out that they continued to get paid during the pandemic — even if they didn't work — while private sector workers were left out to dry. While pay has certainly lagged behind inflation, increases need to be accompanied by productivity, which has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels.
Pres. Biden and his economic policies — such as this latest effort — have brought the US into the best economic growth since the former Pres. Bill Clinton was in office, even in the face of the current tumultuous environment. While consumer prices have risen faster under the Biden presidency, the economy overall is in much better shape than he's given credit for. Once inflation slows, his leadership through tough economic times will shine.
Not only is the economy actually suffering, but Biden doesn't seem to notice, showing how out of touch the White House is with the American people. Under his administration, inflation rates have risen to their highest in 40 years, and 78% of Americans believe the economy is getting worse. As Biden continues to lie to the American people about the state of their pockets, Americans are left wondering where a soft-landing spot will be found.
While Biden may have good intentions, targeting these so-called "junk fees" may actually end up costing Americans more. These extra fees are what's known as "unbundling," which allows consumers to pay more or less depending on the services they need. By getting rid of them, businesses will likely level the playing field by raising and standardizing prices, forcing customers to pay for services they don't want.
US green subsidies — which offer incentives for US buyers of electric vehicles if they "Buy American" — and unfair competition from China threaten the EU's industries as they tend to leave European firms uncompetitive and lure investments to the US and Asia. As a result, the EU plan offers a global playing field.
The EU plan must be revisited as it only helps wealthy countries such as Germany, which have the fiscal capacity to invest in domestic firms. Not all EU countries can offer subsidies to the same extent as France or Germany. As the plan could entail further joint borrowing, the EU must use funds already approved instead of seeking more money.
After already waiting weeks to reveal the original batch of classified documents found in Biden's DC office, the FBI again took its sweet time to finally search his Rehoboth Beach house. You would think the FBI would want to quickly sweep the house after discovering that Hunter Biden was using his father's Wilmington mansion as an unofficial office to conduct business with some of the same countries cited in the documents. The hypocrisy after the treatment of Trump is dumbfounding.
There’s a big difference between the Trump and Biden cases. Trump violated the law by possessing classified papers and attempting to cover up his actions. The former president is facing a serious investigation because he knowingly held sensitive information and actively worked to keep it from the archives. Biden did neither of those things and is being fully cooperative with the investigation, so GOP claims of hypocrisy are unfounded.
Neither Trump nor Biden should have ever mishandled any classified information, and both should be investigated per the severity of their violations. However, the "overclassification" of US government documents has been raised for over a decade, and the bureaucracy of the federal government has produced an administrative nightmare. There must be accountability and reforms to a flawed classification system.
There’s nothing you can say about Brady to overstate his greatness and legacy. The numbers, accolades, and championships speak for themselves, but what truly made him the “GOAT” was his sheer will to be great and overcome adversity. Despite being doubted his whole career, and not possessing the best physical attributes, he accomplished more than anybody has or ever will.
There will be an endless stream of Brady echo chambers lauding his achievements while eulogizing his career, but don’t forget its darker side. Brady and the Patriots were embroiled in scandals from the start of his career, and he should not be able to escape the “cheater” label. If sports greats like Barry Bonds and Lance Armstrong are considered cheaters, even while out of the spotlight, so should Brady.
This seizure confirms a long-standing suspicion that Iran has been sneaking arms to Yemen's Houthis in breach of the UN weapons embargo. By doing so, Tehran continues to undermine peace efforts in the country and is prolonging the conflict.
Having sold countless billions of dollars worth of advanced weapons to the self-proclaimed military coalition behind the brutal war, the West lacks any credibility when it accuses Iran of foreign meddling. Though they blame Tehran for the conflict and the subsequent humanitarian crisis, it's ultimately the Western nations that are partnering with a coalition of war criminals.
The international community must remain firm against Myanmar's illegal and illegitimate military rule, imposing further coordinated sanctions on the junta and supporting the pro-democracy shadow National Unity Government. Because the nationwide human rights, humanitarian, and economic crisis resulting from the coup remains, a peaceful and democratic transition is impossible.
Due to its commitment to restoring perpetual peace and stability in Myanmar, the State Administration Council had no option other than to extend the state of emergency as insurgents and terrorists are trying to seize power. In addition, this move is needed also to ensure correct voter lists for the upcoming election.
Arafat was not the leader of the Palestinians, but rather someone with authoritarian tendencies who furthered corruption in the region. The defeat of his Fatah party in the 2006 elections was the people's response to those who could have established a state but preferred to pursue their personal interests. Bush's concerns were well-founded.
Arafat sacrificed his life for the Palestinian cause, serving as a role model for future generations and achieving undeniable success — such as convincing the world about the legitimacy of his people's resistance against Israeli oppression and proving Zionist racism was morally, ethically, and legally wrong. As Palestinians face hardship today, a visionary leader like Arafat is needed once again.
The US pretends to be a proponent of democracy and popular rule, yet the gap between its rhetoric and actual foreign policy couldn't be bigger. For years, the US has unapologetically meddled in foreign countries to suit its own agenda; wanting to overthrow the democratically elected Arafat is but one example. Sadly, it doesn't look like this will change anytime soon.
While Nikki Haley has an uphill battle to secure the GOP nomination in 2024, she is an intriguing candidate with unique qualities compared to the prospective primary field. As a woman of color, she could represent a diverse future for the party, and being the first female of color president would look great for the Republican Party. Her victory might finally end America's divisive culture wars.
Nikki Haley represents everything that is wrong with the GOP and is a dangerous neocon relic from the G.W. Bush era. She will likely focus on the military-industrial complex instead of taking on Big Tech or standing up to leftist ideology, which is concerning. America and the GOP can't afford a candidate driven by the elitist political winds.