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World Health Organization working on codifying new global health regulations — some provisions are being discussed in secret.

I have FINALLY obtained an unofficial document that appears to be an updated version of the negotiating text of the proposed amendments to the International Health Regulations.

Please watch the video below…

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Below is a 13-page summary of proposed amendments to 18 articles and 5 annexes of the International Health Regulations.

Scroll down for the text version.

Regular text below is from the IHR(2005).

Bold text below is proposed additional amendments.

Struck through text below is text to be deleted.

Article 1: Definitions

“early action alert” means an alert on an event which has not been declared a public health emergency of international concern, at the time of communication

• to potentially require coordinated international action to control spread because the event has a potentially significant localized acute public health impact in a limited number of countries and:
• to constitute a potential risk of international spread and becoming a PHEIC. 

“public health emergency of international concern” means an extraordinary event which is determined, as provided in these Regulations:

(i) to constitute a public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease and

(ii) to potentially require a coordinated international response;

“pandemic emergency” means a public health emergency of international concern, that is infectious in nature, in relation to which it is determined, in accordance with Article 12, that the event:

(i) is significantly impacting or is likely to significantly impact various geographic regions around the globe; and:

(ii) is causing or is likely to cause substantial disruptions to social, economic, and health systems, including to travel and trade; and

(iii) requires rapid and enhanced coordinated international action, with global equity based and whole-of-society approaches because the event has continued to spread despite established public health interventions.

Article 4: Responsible Authorities

1. Each State Party shall designate or establish one or two entities, in accordance with its national law and context, to serve as National IHR Authority and National IHR Focal Point, as well as the authorities responsible within its respective jurisdiction for the implementation of health measures under these Regulations.

1. bis The National IHR Authority shall coordinate the implementation of these Regulations within the territory of the State Party.

2. bis States Parties shall take measures to implement paragraphs 1, 1. bis, and 2 of this Article, including, as necessary, by allocating human and financial resources and adjusting their national law, domestic legislative and administrative arrangements in accordance with paragraph 3 of Article 59.

Article 5: Surveillance

3. State Parties with more resources shall make available additional resources to WHO for assisting developing countries to develop, strengthen and maintain the capacities.

5. WHO should develop a early warning criteria for assessing and progressively updating the national, regional, or global risk posed by an event of known or unknown causes or sources and shall convey this risk assessment to states parties in accordance with Article 11 & 45 where appropriate.

Article 8: Consultation

In the case of events occurring within its territory not requiring notification as provided in Article 6, in particular including those events for which there is insufficient information available to complete the decision instrument in order to assess the event within 48 hours in accordance with paragraph 6(a) of Annex 1, a State Party is strongly encouraged to nevertheless consider, whenever appropriate, keeping WHO advised thereof in a timely manner  through the National IHR Focal Point and consult with WHO on appropriate health measures within 72 hours of the event being reported. Such communications shall be treated in accordance with paragraphs 2 to 4 of Article 11. The State Party in whose territory the event has occurred may request WHO assistance to assess any epidemiological evidence obtained by that State Party.

Article 12: Determination of an early action alert, a public health emergency of international concern and a pandemic emergency

1. The Director-General shall determine, on the basis of the information received, in particular from the States Parties within whose territory an event is occurring, whether an event calls for an early action alert  or constitutes a public health emergency of international concern, including, when appropriate, a pandemic emergency, in accordance with the criteria and the procedure set out in these Regulations. 

New 5. The Director-General shall also determine whether a public health emergency of international concern also constitutes a pandemic emergency.

Article 13: Public health response

1. Developed country State Parties and WHO undertake to provide resources to developing countries for the building of capacities pursuant to this provision equivalent to the amount of resources they provided to build capacities under Article 5. 

5. When requested by WHO, States Parties shall should provide, to the extent possible, support to WHO-coordinated response activities, including supply of health products and technologies, especially diagnostics and other devices, personal protective equipment, therapeutics, and vaccines, for effective response to PHEIC occurring in another State Party’s jurisdiction and/or territory, capacity building for the incident management systems as well as for rapid response teams. Any State Party unable to fulfill such requests shall inform the reasons for the same to WHO and the Director General shall include the same in the report submitted to WHA under Article 54 of these Regulations.

Article 15: Temporary recommendations

2bis. When communicating the issuance, modification or extension of temporary recommendations, the Director-General shall endeavor to adopt measures and provide information to States Parties on access to, and availability of  health products, technologies and know-how through WHO-coordinated mechanisms for fair and equitable access.

Article 16: Standing Recommendations

2. When communicating the issuance, modification or extension of standing recommendations, the Director-General shall endeavor to adopt measures and provide information to States Parties on access to, and availability of, health products, technologies and know-how through WHO-coordinated mechanisms for fair and equitable access.

Article 17: Criteria for recommendations

When issuing, modifying or terminating temporary or standing recommendations, the Director-General shall consider: 

h) the availability of relevant health products, technologies and know-how, including in the context of WHO-coordinated access and allocation mechanisms for a fair and equitable access.

Article 24: Conveyance operators

1. States Parties shall take all practicable measures consistent with these Regulations to ensure that conveyance operators:

(a) comply with the health measures which may include isolation and quarantine recommended by WHO and adopted by the State Party including for application on board as well as during embarkation and disembarkation; Such measures, including isolation and quarantine, shall be based on available evidence;

(b) inform travelers of the health measures recommended by WHO and adopted by the State Party including for application on board as well as during embarkation and disembarkation; 

[From the International Health Regulations (2005)

“conveyance” means an aircraft, ship, train, road vehicle or other means of transport on an international voyage;

“conveyance operator” means a natural or legal person in charge of a conveyance or their agent;]

Article 27: Affected conveyances

The competent authority may implement additional health measures, including isolation and quarantine of the conveyances, as necessary, to prevent the spread of disease.

Article 35: General Rule

2. Health documents under these Regulations may be issued on non-digital, digital or any other possible format, subject to the obligations of any State Party regarding the format of such documents deriving from other international agreements. 

3.  Regardless of the format in which relevant health documents under these Regulations have been issued, each State Party shall accept health documents issued by other States Parties, as long as the health documents conform to the Annexes referred to in Articles 36 to 39 and their authenticity can be ascertained. 

4. WHO, in consultation with States Parties, shall develop and update, as necessary, technical guidance, including specifications or standards related to the issuance and ascertainment of authenticity of health documents in digital format, as well as non-digital format. Such specifications or standards shall be in accordance with Article 45 regarding treatment of personal data, and supporting the progressive achievement of the interoperability of information technology platforms.

Article 36: Certificates of vaccination or other prophylaxis

3. In accordance with Article 35, other types of proofs and certificates, such as test certificates, issued in conformity with Annex XXX, may be considered by States Parties when accepting the entry of travelers into their territories, in particular when a vaccine or prophylaxis has not yet been made available for a disease in respect to which a public health emergency of international concern has been declared.

Article 37: Ship Maritime Declaration of Health

1. The master of a ship, before arrival at its first port of call in the territory of a State Party, shall ascertain the state of health on board, and, except when that State Party does not require it, the master shall, on arrival, or in advance of the vessel’s arrival if the vessel is so equipped and the State Party requires such advance delivery, complete and deliver to the competent authority for that port a Ship Maritime Declaration of Health which shall be countersigned by the ship’s surgeon, if one is carried.

2. The master of a ship, or the ship’s surgeon if one is carried, shall supply any information required by the competent authority as to health conditions on board during an international voyage.

3. A Ship Maritime Declaration of Health shall conform to the model provided in Annex 8.

4. A State Party may decide:

(a) to dispense with the submission of the Ship Maritime Declaration of Health by all arriving ships; or

(b) to require the submission of the Ship Maritime Declaration of Health under a recommendation concerning ships arriving from affected areas or to require it from ships which might otherwise carry infection or contamination.

The State Party shall inform shipping operators or their agents of these requirements.

Article 42: Implementation of health measures

State Parties shall take all practicable measures, consistent with relevant national law and their international obligations, to ensure that non-State actors operating in their respective jurisdictions comply with and implement health measures taken pursuant to these Regulations.

Article 43: Additional health measures

3 bis. When implementing additional health measures referred to in paragraph 1 of this article, States Parties shall take all practicable measures to avoid interference with and facilitate unhindered and equitable access to health products required for responding to a public health risk or a public health emergency of international concern.

Article 44: Collaboration and assistance

1. Upon request of a State Party and/or of WHO, States Parties shall, to the extent possible, undertake to collaborate with, and assist each other, in particular developing countries, to the extent possible, in: 

(a) the detection and assessment of, and response to, events as provided under these Regulations, including by exchanging, samples and genetic sequence data of pathogens through an equitable and fair ABS system established under the World Health Organization.

(e) facilitating unhindered and equitable access to health products, technologies and know-how  through WHO-coordinated mechanisms.

2. WHO shall collaborate with, and assist States Parties, upon request, to the extent possible, in: 

(d) facilitating the exchange of samples and genetic sequence data of pathogens through an equitable and fair ABS system established under the World Health Organization.

(e) the formulation of proposed laws and other legal and administrative provisions for the implementation of these Regulations;

(f) facilitating unhindered and equitable  access to health products, technologies and know-how, through WHO-coordinated mechanisms.

Article 45: Treatment of personal data

2. In the event that processing or disclosure of personal data pursuant to this paragraph would result in public disclosure of such personal data, the State Party concerned shall inform, if possible prior to such public disclosure, the State Party that provided the data.

ANNEX 1: CORE CAPACITY REQUIREMENTS

1.  States Parties shall take specific measures to strengthen broader health systems capacities, such as primary health care and hospital care facilities, while investing domestically and providing international assistance for building capacities under this Annex. 

New 4. State(s) whose existing/ and or strengthened national structures and resources are not able to meet the core capacity requirements within time frame stipulated under para 2, shall be supported by WHO to fill gaps in critical capacities for surveillance, reporting, notification, verification, response.

At the local community level and/or primary public health response level (hereinafter the “Local Level”)

Each State Party shall develop, strengthen and maintain, 

The capacities:

(c) to coordinate with and support the local level in preparing for and responding to public health risks and other events, including in relation to:

(i) surveillance;

(ii) on-site investigations, including multidisciplinary and /or multisectoral;

(iii) laboratory diagnostics, including referral of samples and genetic sequencing;

(iv) implementation of control measures;

(v) provision of access to health services and relevant  health products;

(vi) risk communication, including countering misinformation and disinformation; and

(vi bis) provision of health information system to support emergency operations

(vii) provision of logistical assistance.

5. At the national level

Public health preparedness and response. The capacities:

(a) to coordinate with and support the local and intermediate levels in preparing for and responding to public health risks and other events, including in relation to: 

(ii)  collaborative / multi-sectoral, multidisciplinary surveillance; 

(vii) risk communication, including countering misinformation and disinformation;

B. CORE CAPACITIES REQUIREMENTS FOR DESIGNATED AIRPORTS, PORTS AND

GROUND CROSSINGS

1. At all times

The capacities:

(pre a) to establish surveillance at Points of Entry.

(c) to provide trained Point of Entry workforce personnel for the inspection of conveyances;

ANNEX 3:

ANNEX 4: TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS PERTAINING TO CONVEYANCES AND CONVEYANCE OPERATORS

1. Conveyance operators shall facilitate: 

(c) application of other health measures under these Regulations, including by providing conveyances with a plan to address situations where there is evidence of a public health risk  on board as well as during embarkation and disembarkation; 

ANNEX 6: VACCINATION, PROPHYLAXIS AND RELATED CERTIFICATES

1. Vaccines or other prophylaxis specified in Annex 7 or recommended under these Regulations shall be of suitable quality; those vaccines and prophylaxis designated by WHO shall be prequalified or listed for emergency use by WHO.

3. Certificates under this Annex are valid only if the vaccine or prophylaxis used has been prequalified or listed for emergency use by WHO.

4 bis. In accordance with Article 35, certificates, regardless of the format in which they have been issued, shall include elements allowing for the ascertainment of the certificate’s authenticity  through non-digital means. This requirement shall be reviewed by the States Parties, based on developments, with a view to its modification as appropriate, at the Eighty-second World Health Assembly and shall conform with technical guidance and specifications in line with Articles 35 and 45. Without prejudice to the foregoing, certificates may also include additional elements allowing for the digital ascertainment of the certificate’s authenticity.

This certificate is valid only if the vaccine or prophylaxis used has been approved prequalified or listed for emergency use by the World Health Organization

Bureau’s text suggestion for “pre-qualification” raises concerns of vaccine supply concentration

The proposal states:

“Certificates under this Annex are valid only if the vaccine or prophylaxis used has been prequalified or listed for emergency use approved by WHO”.

[The words in bold indicate the proposed text addition, and those in strikethrough are proposed for deletion].

The proposal to introduce these phrases came from the United States during the December 2023 meeting.

This amendment, if adopted, will make it compulsory to use only vaccines or prophylaxis that are WHO prequalified or listed for emergency use by WHO to issue vaccine/prophylaxis-related certificates.

ANNEX 7:

No amendments have been proposed to Annex 7. The current text from the International Health Regulations is included here for convenience.

REQUIREMENTS CONCERNING VACCINATION OR PROPHYLAXIS FOR SPECIFIC DISEASES

1. In addition to any recommendation concerning vaccination or prophylaxis, the following diseases are those specifically designated under these Regulations for which proof of vaccination or prophylaxis may be required for travellers as a condition of entry to a State Party:

Vaccination against yellow fever.

2. Recommendations and requirements for vaccination against yellow fever:

(a) For the purpose of this Annex:

(i) the incubation period of yellow fever is six days;

(ii) yellow fever vaccines approved by WHO provide protection against infection

starting 10 days following the administration of the vaccine;

(iii) this protection continues for the life of the person vaccinated; and

(iv) the validity of a certificate of vaccination against yellow fever shall extend for the

life of the person vaccinated, beginning 10 days after the date of vaccination.

(b) Vaccination against yellow fever may be required of any traveller leaving an area where the Organization has determined that a risk of yellow fever transmission is present.

(c) If a traveller is in possession of a certificate of vaccination against yellow fever which is not yet valid, the traveller may be permitted to depart, but the provisions of paragraph 2(h) of this Annex may be applied on arrival.

(d) A traveller in possession of a valid certificate of vaccination against yellow fever shall not be treated as suspect, even if coming from an area where the Organization has determined that a risk of yellow fever transmission is present.

(e) In accordance with paragraph 1 of Annex 6 the yellow fever vaccine used must be approved by the Organization.

(f) States Parties shall designate specific yellow fever vaccination centres within their territories in order to ensure the quality and safety of the procedures and materials employed.

(g) Every person employed at a point of entry in an area where the Organization has determined that a risk of yellow fever transmission is present, and every member of the crew of a conveyance using any such point of entry, shall be in possession of a valid certificate of vaccination against yellow fever.

(h) A State Party, in whose territory vectors of yellow fever are present, may require a traveller from an area where the Organization has determined that a risk of yellow fever transmission is present, who is unable to produce a valid certificate of vaccination against yellow fever, to be quarantined until the certificate becomes valid, or until a period of not more than six days, reckoned from the date of last possible exposure to infection, has elapsed, whichever occurs first.

(i) Travellers who possess an exemption from yellow fever vaccination, signed by an authorized medical officer or an authorized health worker, may nevertheless be allowed entry, subject to the provisions of the foregoing paragraph of this Annex and to being provided with information regarding protection from yellow fever vectors. Should the travellers not be quarantined, they may be required to report any feverish or other symptoms to the competent authority and be placed under surveillance.

ANNEX 8:

Please realize that the information in the above document is incomplete. The document makes no mention of the following:

1. Article 2
2. Article 3
3. Article 13A
4. Article 44A
5. Article 53A
6. Article 53 bis-quater
7. Article 54
8. Article 54 bis
9. Annex 10

Please note that Articles 13A, 44A and Annex 10 were NOT included in the updated amendments above.

The Working Group for amendments to the International Health Regulations had a super-secret meeting on March 8, 2024. There were scheduled to discuss Articles 13A, 44A and Annex 10.

All they revealed to the public was 20 minutes of nothing…

WHY THE SECRECY?

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Democrats continue laughably dishonest talking point in the face of stalled progress in the House over more financial assistance for Ukraine.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) claimed Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson are leading a “pro-Putin faction” in the GOP that’s stymying additional financial aid to Ukraine.

In a CBS “Face the Nation” interview with Margaret Brennan on Sunday, Jeffries complained that Ukraine aid has failed to advance in the House because of “pro-Putin” Trump and Carlson.

“The reason why it’s not happening is because there’s a pro-Putin faction in the Republican Party led by Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson who are blocking this legislation,” Jeffries told Brennan.

House Minority Leader @RepJeffries says “we don’t need an alternative” to the Senate border security and foreign aid bill.

“There’s a pro-Putin faction in the Republican Party, led by Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson, who are blocking this legislation. And that’s shameful.” pic.twitter.com/9RdZpoEbas

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) March 10, 2024

Jeffries didn’t elaborate on how exactly not wanting to continue handing billions of taxpayer dollars to Ukraine — after already sending over $100 billion — constitutes ideological support for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

But Jeffries did say that Democrats would vote against a motion to vacate Rep. Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) Speakership if he helps the House pass more Ukraine aid.

“We haven’t had that conversation as a caucus,” Jeffries said. “But I have made the observation that I believe there are a reasonable number of members if the Speaker wants to do the right thing, that don’t believe that he should fall as a result of it.”

Carlson recently interviewed Putin to get a sense of the Russian leader’s rationale behind his nation’s conflict with Ukraine and how it could be ended.

Tucker was soon decried as a traitor by former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and some Democrats even called for Tucker to be charged under the Espionage Act.

As for Trump, Putin himself last month said he’d actually prefer to see Joe Biden remain in office after 2024.

Watch the full interview:

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Donald Trump will stop the conflict between Russia and Ukraine if he wins the election and returns to the White House, according to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Orban made the comment on Saturday in […]

The post Hungarian PM Viktor Orban Says Trump’s Return Would Be Better For The World appeared first on The People’s Voice.

FDNY Commissioner declares perpetrators will be “hunted down” if they don’t voluntarily turn themselves in.

New York City firefighters are facing administrative punishment after booing Democrat Attorney General Letitia James during a promotion ceremony last week.

James’ speech on Thursday was drowned out after members of the New York Fire Department (FDNY) delivered boos and chants supporting former President Trump.

This is how the Democrat activist Attorney General Letitia James, who is going after Donald Trump in New York, was greeted by the FDNY.

With “Trump” chants and boos.

The political lawfare will backfire..

pic.twitter.com/9yvQoX2i71

— ALX ?? (@alx) March 7, 2024

“Come on, we’re in a house of God…simmer down,” James scolded them.

BREAKING: AG Letitia James’s speech to FDNY firefighters drowned out by pro-Trump chants pic.twitter.com/kQupIvlMvN

• Save 40% on DNA Force Plus NOW! Try it today and see why so many listeners have made it an essential part of their daily routine!

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) March 7, 2024

FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh responded to the incident by sending an email vowing to “hunt down” all those involved in the jeering, announcing that the Bureau of Investigation and Trials (BITS) will investigate the matter.

“BITS is investigating this so they will figure out who the members are. I recommend they come forward. I have been told by the Commissioner It will be better for them if they come forward and we don’t have to hunt them down,” the email reads.

After NY Firefighters exercised their 1st Amdt right to protest corrupt city leaders, a letter was sent saying anyone who booed Letitia James will be sent to HQ for re-“education”

NYC has become a Marxist hellhole where politics are prosecuted & anyone objecting gets in trouble https://t.co/oY859lGnFW pic.twitter.com/qIoKL8LSdV

— DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) March 9, 2024

“The DC’s shall direct the Captain of the Company to make a list of those that come forward and send it directly to John and Kevin in Operations. I realize members might not come forward but they should know that there is clear video of the entire incident and they will be contacted by BITS if they don’t,” it added.

Internal communications from firefighter unions, including the Uniformed Fire Officers Association (UFOA), circulated memos condemning the stunt, the New York Post reported.

The memo reads:

• I’m here to address the behavior of firefighters that attended Thursday’s promotion.
• The behavior we saw and heard was grossly inappropriate
• Protesting, heckling, or booing anyone at a ceremony is simply unacceptable.
• This was a promotion ceremony to honor members who made sacrifices and worked hard to achieve this day. They had close family and friends there to celebrate with them.
• Absolutely no one should have been subjected to what happened based on the political beliefs of some members.
• It was disrespectful to the speakers, to the promoted members and their families
• This was not a political event and Letitia James was not there to give a political speech.
• She was there to support her friend and our new chaplain Pamela Holmes. Pamela invited her friend to attend the ceremony.
• Members have a right to political beliefs. But you don’t have a right to make a job related ceremony political in nature.
• When you’re not on duty, feel however you want about politicians. Vote. Protest. That’s your right. But don’t do it on the job’s time, on other members’ time, or on their families’ time. Do it on your own time.
• Our actions at the promotion damaged the relationship with the attorney general and the Christian Cultural Center. We may lose that venue now.
• Politics aside, the attorney general is a friend to the UFA and UFOA and a supporter of our Department. She has come to the hospital on more than one occasion to support us when one of our members is seriously injured or died.
• These actions reflected very poorly upon us and diminished the dignity of the occasion.
• Instead of news reports talking about the accomplishments of our members, it talked about the politics and our poor behavior.
• Everyone must be better. Do the right thing. Even if you aren’t the one acting poorly, if you see a fellow firefighter act in this manner, STOP IT.
• Act in a manner befitting of the uniform that you wear. Nothing less should be tolerated.

The memo goes on to say that the guilty parties will be “educated” over their behavior:

Next steps:

• Have DC visit each firehouse that had a member promoted
• Relay bullet point message
• They should understand that BITS is gathering video and identifying members that brought discredit and to the Department
• We want the members to come forward. They will come to HQ to be educated why their behavior is unacceptable.

One FDNY retiree blasted the department’s heavy-handed response.

“It was a political stunt for the city to have the AG there,” the retired firefighter said. “When it backfired, they sent their fascist pit bulls after guys for exercising their First Amendment rights. Most were off-duty and not in FDNY uniform.”

Constitutional scholar Alan Dershowitz likewise criticized the FDNY for vowing to hunt down firefighters who were exercising their First Amendment right.

“Firefighters have an absolute constitutional right to boo the attorney general, and the government has no power to punish them for it,” he told the Post. “So efforts to get the names of the booers is an effort by the government to chill free speech and is unconstitutional.”

James has become a political lightning rod over her witch hunt against Trump, where he was ordered to pay $454 million in her civil fraud case against him within one month.

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Crowd goes wild for Trump in Miami.

The crowd of UFC 299 went wild Saturday night as former President Donald Trump entered the Kaseya Center arena in Miami amid chants of “F*ck Joe Biden.”

Flanked by UFC President Dana White, Trump shook hands and exchanged words before sitting down with Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner for the fight between Sean O’Malley and Marlon Vera.

The crowd goes crazy for Trump at UFC 299 pic.twitter.com/ePujU0VvRQ

— TaraBull (@TaraBull808) March 10, 2024

?Just In: UFC crowd goes ballistic for President Trump. pic.twitter.com/hWFLuCjbVR

— Real Mac Report (@RealMacReport) March 10, 2024

Joe Burrow was a left wing gun control activist who retweeted Obama and Biden

Now he’s embracing Trump at UFC events

The energy has shifted pic.twitter.com/eV03QKGjJ2

• Winter Sun Plus is NOW 40% off! Boost your natural defenses with this powerful vitamin D3 and K formula!

— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) March 10, 2024

Miami loves Trump pic.twitter.com/KglES6dYfJ

— Terrance McKinney (@twrecks155) March 10, 2024

Chants of “F*ck Joe Biden” broke out after Trump made his entrance following a barn burner campaign rally in Rome, Georgia.

WATCH: Thunderous chants of “F**ck Joe Biden!” ERUPT in Miami at #UFC299 after President Trump makes surprise appearance ??? pic.twitter.com/Jy6dyn7xpk

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) March 10, 2024

F**** Joe Biden Chant Starts Early at UFC 299 #ufc299 pic.twitter.com/WgB87Eaehc

— Jon-Bernard Kairouz (@jonbernardk) March 10, 2024

This comes after Trump swept the Super Tuesday primaries and became the presumptive GOP presidential nominee when Nikki Haley dropped out.

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The more clearly Ukraine forces are losing, the more unhinged and bellicose some Western officials become.

Last week we detailed that during Ukrainian President Zelensky’s visit to Albania where he appealed for more weapons from Balkan countries, he pushed the idea that all Western-friendly Balkan states should have a pathway to the EU and NATO. And at the same time French President Emmanuel Macron has been busy floating the possibility of Western troops deploying to Ukraine.

Albania is of course a chief regional rival to Moscow’s close ally and friend Serbia. Jahja Muhasilovic, a political analyst on the Balkans, had commented of Zelensky’s rare Balkan trip that “Albania is known to be one of the staunchest supporters of limiting Russia’s influence here in the region.”

“In a way, Zelensky’s visit in Albania is having that geopolitical connotation. He is probably counting on the Western Balkan countries not to help them militarily because they are limited, but through their lobbying part that they can play in continuing the armament of the Ukrainian troops,” he explained.

In fresh comments this weekend, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has weighed in and responded to ongoing calls from Western officials to urgently send more weapons to Kiev. Vucic has accused the West of pursuing a policy of “total militarization” toward defeating Russian, which puts the region and the world on the brink of disaster and stumbling to WW3.

“What is happening now is madness,” he was cited in regional media as saying. “They all thought that Putin would be easily defeated. Now they see that this is not so.”

“The current trend is toward total militarization and a five-fold build-up in all respects,” the Serbian president said further during a visit to the Belgrade Military Technical Institute.

Vucic has also warned against European countries sending their troops to Ukraine to confront Russian forces, saying this would immediately and unpredictably escalate the war.

According to Politico on Friday, France is behind a new push for a serious ‘option’ of Western boots on the ground in Ukraine:

France is building an alliance of countries open to potentially sending Western troops to Ukraine — and in the process deepening its clash with a more cautious Berlin.

French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné was in Lithuania on Friday, where he met his Baltic and Ukrainian counterparts to buttress the idea that foreign troops could end up helping Ukraine in areas like demining.

“It is not for Russia to tell us how we should help Ukraine in the coming months or years,” Séjourné said at a meeting chaired by Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis and attended by his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba. “It is not for Russia to organize how we deploy our actions, or to set red lines. So we decide it among us.”

Coming off Macron first raising the issue at an international security conference last month in Paris, French FM Séjourné said further, “Ukraine did not ask us to send troops. Ukraine is asking us to send ammunition at the moment.” But then he emphasized, “We do not exclude anything for the coming months.”

It is these kinds of ultra-provocative statements which Serbia’s Vucic is precisely calling “madness” which sets the stage for nuclear-armed confrontation between Russia and NATO. The trend also seems to be that the more clearly Ukraine forces are losing, the more unhinged and bellicose some Western officials become.

Journalists who lied about this war have contributed to the growing possibility of nuclear war:
– Instead of seeking the truth, there has been relentless pressure for conformity to a Manichean narrative of good vs evil in which war is the path to peace and diplomacy is treasonous pic.twitter.com/6iKZl9rinP

— Glenn Diesen (@Glenn_Diesen) March 1, 2024

All of this comes as Ukraine is in retreat, following Russia’s capture of the eastern city of Avdiivka last month. Several other smaller towns and cities have also fallen, with Ukraine’s front lines in disarray. This has resulted in what might be called empty threats being issued from the West, as it sits helplessly while watching Russian forces advance.

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