And there are many more sources.Further,you may want to try 
installing VPN (Virtual Private Network)on your computer.
So,you will be able to view videos and websites that some
governments do not want people to visit (these governments 
want to decide what we should and shouldn't see).For about
60 US Dollars I have VPN installed on my computer for the
next 3 years.I get news from countries like Iran and Russia.
Below is a link to VPN.Follow the link and they should be able
to direct you to getting VPN installed onto a computer.
https://www.expressvpn.com/go/features/free-trial

BURNING THE AMERICAN FLAG

     Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397 (1989), is a landmark decision
by the Supreme Court of the United States in which the Court held,
5-4,that burning the American flag was protected speech under
the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.The majority of the
Court,according to Justice William Brennan,agreed with Johnson
and held that flag burning constitutes a form of "symbolic speech" 
that is protected  by the First Amendment.
The majority noted that freedom of speech protects actions that
society may find very offensive,but society's outrage alone is 
not justification for suppressing free speech.If you allow finding
whether or not an act to be constitutional or not to be determined
by the reactions of other's sensibilities-freedom of speech would
be reduced to the lowest common denominator.
   Just like one person has a right to wave a flag another
person has a right to burn the flag.Expressing dissent is the 
cornerstone of democracy.
   I remember while in university I had a professor who was 
retired from the US Army after serving 20 years inoctrinated 
me with these gems of wisdom-"PRIDE AND IGNORANCE WORK HAND 
IN HAND"


Author Sinclair Lewis said "When Fascism comes to America, it
will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross".


THE FALL OF THE AMERICAN EMPIRE
Most western people believe the USA is the great democratic
beacon on the hill.For nearly the past 60 years (ever since
President Kennedy was assassinated) this has not been the 
case.
  I will start by providing you with two famous quotes by two 
now deceased US politicians who exposed the truth about 
the USA.
  On Tuesday,January 17,1961 Dwight D. Eisenhower,as the 34th
President of the United States,delivered in a television 
broadcast his farewell address to the world".It was the final 
public speech as the 34th President of the United States.For 
in three (3) more days John F.Kennedy would be inaugurated as
President of the USA.Eisenhower in his speech said: 
 
       In the councils of government,we must guard 
       against the acquisition of unwarranted influence,
           whether sought or unsought,by the military-industrial 
       complex.The potential for the disastrous rise of 
       misplaced power exists and will persist.
 
 He was referring to what will happen when the military-industrial
complex (MIC) and big business collude,that many conflicts will
be fought for unjust causes.Since World War II the USA has not
won a war yet weapons manufacturers and defense contractors
have made money hand over fist.When the US Congress says they 
are providing countries (i.e Ukraine) with weapons,what they are
actually doing is taking tax payers money and sending that money
to defense contactors (i.e. Raytheon) who deposit it into their 
bank accounts.Again,although the USA has not won a war since 
World War II weapons manufacturers don't give a damn how many
people die or how many lives are ruined as long as they make
money.I'll get back to this quote further down.
 
    My other quote is from Henry Kissinger he was an American
diplomat,political scientist,geopolitical consultant and 
politician who served as United States secretary of state and
national security advisor in the presidential administrations
of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford between 1969 and 1977.He was
also a war criminal"his role in the destruction of Chilean 
democracy and the consolidation of the Pinochet dictatorship,
the atrocities of the Argentine military junta (Kissinger told
the country's foreign minister,"If there are things that have
to be done,you should do them quickly"),the prolongation of 
the Vietnam War through the sabotage of Lyndon Johnson's 1968
peace talks,the Indonesian invasion and subsequent rape of
East Timor,the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974,the betrayal
of the Iraqi Kurds,the extension of the Vietnam war to Laos and
Cambodia and the Pakistani army's atrocities in East Pakistan
(now Bangladesh).Quite an impressive record for one man,even a
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

  He died this year on Wednesday,November 29 at his home in 
Kent,Connecticut at the age of 100. 
  Any way on nummerous occassions Kissinger was
quoted as saying: 

         "It may be dangerous to be America's enemy,
             but to be America's friend is fatal."
         "America has no permanent friends or enemies,
             only interests"

   To be more succinct the USA has never been democratic.The 
country is obsessed with greed,money and power.The people who
really run America are not the politicians (they are just
puppets).The country is being run by the Wall Street banks,the
big oil companies,the MIC,Big Pharma and BlackRock.During the
Cold War the USA condemned the USSR for having a communist 
form of government.Now Russia is no longer a communist but a 
capitalist country and the USA still condemns Russia.Why? 

    When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 Soviet President 
Mikhail Gorbachev was naive in believing the USA wanted to be
friends with Russia.America only wanted for Russia to get a
drunken idiot like Boris Yeltsin a president to be running the
country so the big corporations could plunder and expolit 
Russia.Then in 2000 along came Vladimir Putin and he saved 
Russia.He realized what America was doing and said "this will
never happen again to Mother Russia".America and western 
countries don't give a damn in the least what kind of 
government exists in Russia.Russia has gold,oil and many 
natural resources which the greedy bastards in the western
countries would love to plunder.
 
    If a country has natural resources that western countries
want you will suddenly hear them saying "there are dictators 
in that country and we must intervene".The USA did this in
Iran in 1953,in Bolivia in 2019,in Syria in 2011 and several
other countries. America also uses the technique of "divide
and conquer".The USA used Osama Bin Laden to fight the Soviets
in Afghanistan then they later kill him.They used Saddam
Hussein to fight against Iran then they kill him.
 
  The USA uses this "divide and conquer" cliche in the USA
with their own people.In a study it was found that 72% of the 
time a member of congress votes against the desires of the 
constituents they represent.Most Americans want free health
care,more government housing,stricter gun regulations,higher 
minimum wage,ability for the government to negotiate drug prices.
This never gets brought up in Congress.Why? The politicians are
corrupt and bought.They do what their donors want not what their
constituents want.
 
  With that "divide and conquer" cliche why do you think 
most US politicians love to talk about abortion rights and 
illegal immigration? They want the American people to be
pointing fingers at one another rather than pointing their 
fingers at them.
 
   Further,also when dealing with foreign countries America is
very condescending and employ such tactics as threats and 
coercion.If a country (i.e. Venezuela) doesn't do what the USA
wants the USA tells them we will impose sanctions on you.Other
countries like Libya if you don't do what we want we will 
overthrow your government.Further,if Americans think they are
safe because all this happens outside the USA.I will tell you
"You Have Another Thing Coming".The US government is an 
organized crime raquet.They make the mafia look like chumps.
 
  However,2023 is like the beginning of the end for the USA.
There is the war in Ukraine (I discuss in more detail in 
another section) and the USA has provided Ukraine with 
billions of US dollars in weapons and along with their European
puppets have thrown sanctions and everything including the
kitchen sink at Russia and Russia has only gotten stronger.
Russia has become more self-reliant and began trading more
with Asian countries.The war in Ukraine is just about over 
with Russia winning.You  will never hear the western media
admit this.What the USA will do is blame someone else or move 
on to another war like they have already done so in Israel.



   The USA also tried sanctioning China.They even tried 
sanctioning one Chinese company fom trading computer chips 
with another Chinese company.It didn't work. 

   Then in August you had the BRICS summit in South Aftrica
(I discuss further in another section) and the economic 
organization has expanded from five to eleven members.With the
BRICS countries now holding a total 32 percent of the world's
GDP compared to 30 percent held by the G7 countries. 

  Further,now even African countries are standing up to Europe
and the USA as evidenced in Niger with the Niger people 
kicking the French puppet government out.Further,yet with
the USA and Europe have been complicit and assisting Israel in
commiting a genocide (bombing hospitals,killing babies in 
incubators) in Gaza.The mask is off and the entire world is 
witnesing what the USA and Europe truly represent.
 
  The USA and Europe only comprise 13% of the world population.
Russia and China have never established colonies in Africa,Asia
or Latin America.Unlike the USA when representatives from China
and Russia speak to representatives from Africa and other third
world countries they treat the people with respect.That is why
most of the third world is much more willing to partner with
Russia and China.You could say 2023 is the beginning of the
multi-polar world.
 
   However,it is no bed of roses.For almost 100 years the USA 
has been creating choas and wrecking havoc through out the
world.It is difficult to teach an old dog new tricks.I reckon
America for now will still be trying to create more chaos.But
at least for now they should be starting to realize that they 
can't bring Russia and China to their knees.
 
LET THEM EAT CAKE"...234 YEARS AGO THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
IS SET IN MOTION AS THE FRENCH PEOPLE STORM THE BASTILLE
IN PARIS
After the Boston Tea Party where Americans were protesting
King George III of England,in 1775 Paul Revere made his famous
midnight ride through the streets of Lexington and Concord in
Massachusetts shouting "The British Are Coming" set the American
Revolution in motion.
 Fourteen years later in 1789 the time was ripe in France.
Marie Antoinette the wife of King Louis XVI after being told 
the people of France do not have bread.She responded saying
"Let them eat cake." (not really a good solution).on Tuesday,
July 14,1789 the French people in Paris stormed the Bastille 
and overthrew the King set the French Revolution in motion.
Today this is celebrated as a national holiday in France.King
Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were both subsequently beheaded
by the guillotine. 
IS THE TIME RIGHT IN THE USA FOR ANOTHER FRENCH 
REVOLUTION?????
  In 2023 we don't have kings,in the USA they are now called
CEOs.In 1970 the average CEO earned 45 times more than the 
person at the entry level position.In 2023 the average CEO 
earns more than 1000 times as much as the person at the entry
level position.
   Today,Jeff Bezos earns 68 million dollars a day just on the
interest from his investments.He earns more money in one hour 
just on his interest than what most Americans earn in their
lifetime.
  Ever since Ronald Reagan became President the USA has been
slowly going down hill.In 1970,adults in middle-income
households accounted for 62% of aggregate income,a share that
fell to 42% in 2020.Meanwhile,the share of aggregate income 
accounted for by upper-income households has increased steadily,
from 29% in 1970 to 50% in 2020.
  In a recent podcast economist Professor Richard Wolff
espoused that the USA is moving from a capitalist society to 
an authoritarian society.
See-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0c5Gfh2ZWY.
  You can see this happening with recent events other than 
just the fact of the widening income gap.The minimum wage has
not been raised in several years.How the Democrats crushed the
railroad strike in December of 2022.The large increase in the
homeless population (would you believe in Russia people have a
constitutional right to a home).Student loan debt is on the 
rise (in Cuba your education is free to the PHD level).Even 
after a COVID epidemic the USA still refuses to provide free
public health care for their citizens (Since 1996,Russia's
constitution has provided citizens and residents with the 
right to free healthcare).
  The USA has banned network's that provide a narrative the US
Government does not approve of.RT (Russian news in English) is
banned in the USA while CNN still broadcasts in Russia.Republicans 
want to abolish social security benefits.That hits home because
I am 70 years old.All these measures are just band-aids designed 
just to keep capitalism viable.The top 1% want to keep the bottom
99% suppressed to avoid another French Revolution.Still there
are enough middle class people living a comfortable enough 
lifestyle now to not want to rise up against the government.
 However,in my opinion,the oligarchs in the USA are extremely 
greedy and the way the top 1% have been having wealth shifted to
them from bottom 99% for the past 50 years I believe will continue 
for the foreseeable future.I believe it will continue until
most Americans don't have bread and someone in the White
House says "Let them eat cake."

THE WAR IN UKRAINE
  Before I start I will say what I have said multiple times in
previous year end reviews.The greatest threat to peace and
stability in this world is not Russia,it is not China,it is
not Iran,it is not North Korea it is unequivocally the USA.The
USA is the culprit who started this war in Ukraine.The USA has
had a track record for starting wars in the past.
Here are a few examples.
 
  In 1963 US President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.The US
government put the blame on a lone gunman Lee Harvey Oswald.In
1963 I was 10 years old but I smelled a dead rat.I then knew
there was something rotten in the USA.Lee Harvey Oswald
was just a patsy.This was clearly done by the CIA.The CIA
wanted a Bay Of Pigs 2.0-Kennedy refused.The CIA wanted a war
in Vietnam again Kennedy refused.Kennedy even wanted to dismantle
the CIA.Good enough motive for a bunch of sociopaths to want
to rub JFK out.

  In August of 1964 the US government accused the North
Vietnamese government of firing at a US vessel in the Gulf Of 
Tonkin.This incident resulted in starting the Vietnamese War
resulting in 58,000 dead Americans and millions of dead 
Vietnamese.In 2003 former US Secretary Of Defense Robert 
McNamara appeared before the US Congress admitting no Vietnamese
vessel ever fired at any US vessel in the Gulf of Tonkin in 
1964.

  In 2003 the US government accused Iraq of having Weapons of 
Mass Destruction to start an invasion.Then after the invasion
no WMDs were discovered.

  Now one of the most recent American lies is that in July of 
2014 Russia took a missile from Russia into Ukraine and shot 
down a Malaysian airliner flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.
Then the same vehicle went back across the border into Russia.
Although this was a Malaysian airline no Malaysians were 
involved in the investigations.No Russians just Ukrainian 
officials were involved in the investigation.Perhaps one day
the truth will be revealed.
 
    That is why when I hear western news services report a 
story I am not quick to believe it.As a matter of fact I will
assume the story is false and see what I can do to debunk 
this assertion.
 
  Now back to the war in Ukraine.The war did not begin on
February 24,2022.It began in February of 2014.Before we start 
you should know some Russian and Ukraine history.Russia has 
been invaded several times from Europe in the past.In the
1800s Napoleon tried to invade Russia and the French were 
defeated with the help of the Russian winter.Hitler was to
meet the same fate in World War II.Old man winter may be the 
same culprit in helping the Ukraine and NATO meet their own 
demise.Only half a million Americans (who entered the war when
it was almost half over) died while over 26 million Russians 
died in World War II.The Russians do not like Nazis.However in
western Ukraine there are many Ukrainians who supported the 
Nazis and continued their support for Nazis after World War II
ended.That is why western Ukraine which was primarily agrarian
is rather nationalistic while the industrialized eastern
Ukraine was more pro-Russian.

  Anyway,Russia and Ukraine were part of the same country the
U.S.S.R. until 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union.In 
2014 the Ukraine president Viktor Yanukovych who was sympathetic
to the Russian speaking areas of Ukraine was not very popular.
He was up for re-election in about a year and was not likely to
win.In 2014 there were protests against Yanukovych.But America
uses the same playbook like it did in Afghanistan in 
1979,what they have tried to use in Hong Kong and what they 
are trying to use now in Iran,when a certain segment of a 
population displays discontent with a government (one that 
the USA wants to see gone) the USA will try to encourage the
most violent segments of that population to overthrow the
government.And the Nazis in western Ukraine were the perfect
target.Just like the USA colluded with the Mujahideen in 
Afghanistan in 1979.They did likewise with the Nazis in Ukraine.

  In February of 2014 when Viktor Yanukovych had his government
overthrown,and he fled the country because he feared for his 
life,this was when the Ukraine war began.

  One footnote every year since 2014 a resolution has been
proposed by Russia in the UN General Assembly to condemn 
Nazism And Racism and every year the USA and Ukraine always
oppose the resoltion.In December of 2021 the USA and the 
Ukraine were the only two countries to oppose the resolution. 
https://www.voanews.com/a/un-approves-resolution-condemning-
denial-of-nazi-holocaust/6406427.html
https://www.yjc.news/en/news/55077/the-united-states-voted-
against-a-resolution-condemning-nazism-and-racism

 Crimea had always belonged to Russia.From 1791 to 1954 Crimea
was part of Russia.In 1954 Russian leader Nikita Khrushchev
who was Ukrainian made Crimea part of Ukraine.But Crimea and
Russia were still part of the same country the U.S.S.R.In 1991
when the Soviet Union collapsed Crimea stayed with Ukraine.
Russia has a big military base in Crimea.The people in Crimea
speak Russian. Most Crimeans belong to the Russian Orthodox
Church.So in 2014 when this coup d'etat occurred in Ukraine
the people in Crimea were furious,held a referendum and voted
overwhelmingly to become part of Russia.
  At the same time in the other Russian speaking area of 
Ukraine the Donbass.They too were not very happy with the new
government.So,in September of 2014 Russia,France and Germany 
recognized the Donbass as an autonomous region but yet still 
part of Ukraine.France and Germany were supposed to enforce 
this agreement known as the Minsk Accords.Recently,Angela Merkel
admitted that France and Germany never had any intention of 
enforcing the Minsk Accords after Russia negotiated on good faith
and they were just trying to buy time.Then for 8 years the 
Ukrainian military continued attacking the people in the Russian
speaking regions of Ukraine.
 Then in December of 2021 Russia drafted a treaty proposal
demanding that NATO would not expand into Ukraine.NATO 
dismissed this as a non-starter. Western countries forget the
1962 Cuban Missile Crisis when the USA had for years been
trying to overthrow the Cuban government.The U.S.S.R. was
going to give Cuba nuclear weapons to protect themselves.The USA 
would not tolerate this.Now the shoe is on the other foot.Do
you think Russians would tolerate nuclear weapons to be 
situated so close to Russia to where within three minutes they
could strike the Kremlin.

  So,after 8 years of the Ukrainian military attacking Russians
in the Russian speaking areas of Ukraine and the USA rejecting
Russia's treaty proposal the Russians told the western
countries-You have crossed a red line and there will be
consequences.Hence,Russia began their military operation in 
Ukraine on February 24,2022.

  In March of 2022 a peace agreement was almost about to be
signed between Ukraine and Russia (where Russia was 
willing to give up a lot).Then suddenly UK Prime Minister 
Boris Johnson acting like an errand by for Washington,D.C. 
flew to Ukraine and told the Ukrainians to reject any peace 
agreement and to keep on fighting.

   Then between September 23 and 27 four regions of Ukraine 
(Luhansk,Donetsk,Kherson and Zaporizhzhia) held referendums 
and voted to become part of Russia.On Friday,September 30 all
four regions officially became part of Russia.Currently
Ukrainian filmmaker Igor Lopatonok is making movie on the truth
about the Ukraine War.Also,Canadian journalist Eva Bartlett
gives an excellent interview to the CBC where she exposes
the truth about the situation in Ukraine.
https://rumble.com/v1vpxg1-interviewed-by-trish-wood-on-what
-im-seeing-in-the-donbass-under-ukraines-f.html 

The Kakhovka Dam in Ukraine was breached in the early hours of
6 June 2023,causing extensive flooding along the lower Dnieper
River,also called the Dnipro,in Kherson Oblast.The dam was
under the control of the Russian military,which had seized it
in the early days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.Many
experts have concluded that Russian forces likely blew up a 
segment of the dam to hinder the planned Ukrainian 
counter-offensive.Russian authorities have denied the 
accusation.

The dam was about 30 m (98 ft) tall and 3.2 km (2 mi) long;
the breached segment was about 85 m (279 ft) long.Two days 
after the breach, the average level of flooding in the Kherson
region was 5.61 m (18.4 ft),according to local officials.

There were signs of an explosion at the time of the breach. 
Both Ukrainian and Russian sources reported hearing blasts 
from the dam's hydroelectric power station,regional seismometers
detected explosions in the area,and a satellite detected the 
infrared heat signature of an explosion.

Water levels in the Kakhovka Reservoir,controlled by Russia,had
been rising for months and were at a 30-year high when the dam
failed.Thousands of residents downstream were evacuated,and 
floods submerged several villages in Ukrainian-and Russian-controlled
areas.By 21 June,58 people were reported to have been killed 
and 31 were missing.Flooding killed many animals and damaged 
farmland,homes,businesses and infrastructure.The loss of water
from the reservoir could threaten the long-term water supply 
to Russian-controlled Crimea and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power
Plant,but there was no immediate risk to either.

  In 2023 Ukraine attempted an unsuccessful counter-offensive
against Russia.The war still continues but is somewhat winding
down with the world now being focused on the war in Israel
(sort of America's off-ramp).The western media has horrendously
been lying. On CNN or the BBC you will hear no mention of the
2014 coup d'etat,no mention of the eight years of military
attacks by the Ukraine military on the Russian speaking areas
of Ukraine,continuous lie that Ukraine is winning this war 
amongst countless other lies.Russia has tried diplomacy and 
every means possible to prevent what has happened what may
happen from occurring and has had no success so far.Russia 
can not afford to lose this war.A defeat for Russia would be 
ultimate humiliation.On the other hand if Russia is victorious
Putin may go down in history as one of the greatest individuals
to walk the face of this earth.He brought down the racist
hegemonic bully the U.S.A.

JOURNALIST SEYMOUR HERSH REVEALS US DAMAGED THE
RUSSIA-GERMANY PIPELINE

On Wednesday,February 8,2023 journalist Seymour Hersh revealed
that the United States Navy,at the direction of President 
Joe Biden,was responsible for the September 26,2022 attacks on
the Nord Stream pipelines carrying natural gas between Russia
and Germany. 

This fact,has been met with total silence in the major US
publications,has blown apart the entire narrative of US 
involvement in the war as a response to "unprovoked Russian 
aggression." It lifts the lid on far-reaching plans to use the
escalating conflict with Russia to solidify US economic and
military domination over Europe.

Hersh revealed that:

In June 2022, under the cover of a military training exercise,
the US Navy placed explosives on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 
pipelines carrying natural gas from Russia to Germany,which
were then remotely detonated on September 26.

The operation was ordered by US President Joe Biden and planned
by Secretary of State Antony Blinken,Under Secretary of State 
for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland and National Security
Advisor Jake Sullivan.

Planning for the attack began in December 2021,months before
the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

CHINA NOW THE PEACE MAKER AS IT BROKERS SAUDI-IRAN DRIVING A "WAVE OF RECONCILIATION"

In March of 2023 Wang Yi,China's top diplomat had said that a Chinese-mediated detente between Iran and Saudi Arabia was driving a "wave of reconciliation" in the Middle East and pledged to firmly support Tehran on "issues concerning core interests".

Wang Yi,the Chinese foreign minister made the comments during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Sunday,August 29 according to China's Xinhua news agency.

Wang told Amir-Abdollahian that Beijing appreciated Iran's recent steps to improve ties with Saudi Arabia,including his meeting with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah.

Wang also pledged to "continue to support countries in the Middle East in exploring a development path that suits their own national conditions,strengthening communication and dialogue,adhering to unity and self-improvement,and realising good-neighbourliness and friendship",Xinhua said.

The surprise detente between Iran and Saudi Arabia,brokered by China in March,followed years of bitter rivalry that had destabilised several Middle Eastern countries,including Iraq,Syria,Lebanon,Yemen and Bahrain.

Officials in Tehran and Riyadh have said the two countries' deteriorating relations with the United States was one of the main reasons for their shift in policy.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei wanted to end the political and economic isolation pushed by the US after it withdrew from a landmark deal curbing Tehran's nuclear programme,and saw new relations with Saudi Arabia as a way to do so,Iranian officials have said.

Saudi Arabia had,meanwhile,lost confidence in any US commitment to shared regional security concerns and wanted to bolster ties with China,which has retained good relations with Iran.

Since the detente,the two countries have moved towards reopening diplomatic missions in each others countries and Prince Mohammed has accepted an invitation from Amir-Abdollahian to visit Tehran,according to Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Iran's foreign minister, during his call with Wang on Sunday,"expressed sincere gratitude to China for the constructive role it played in promoting the normalisation of relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia".

He also briefed Wang on the latest progress on Iran's talks with the US on the nuclear deal,known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

For his part,Wang called for "the full and effective implementation of the JCPOA" to resolve the nuclear issue, Xinhua said.

However,earlier this month,Iran moved five Americans imprisoned in the country into house arrest and,according to media reports,may eventually release them as part of a deal under which $6bn in Iranian funds in South Korea would be unfrozen.

On 26 July 2023,a coup d'etat occurred in Niger when the country's presidential guard detained President Mohamed Bazoum,and Presidential Guard commander General Abdourahamane Tchiani proclaimed himself the leader of a new military junta,shortly after confirming the coup a success.

This was the fifth military coup d'etat since the country gained independence from France in 1960,and the first since 2010.

The coup was condemned by the United States and France, and by the West African regional bloc ECOWAS,the latter of which threatened military intervention against the junta, leading to the 2023 Nigerien crisis.

Much of the natural resources from Niger was used to benefit and keep the lights on in Paris while many of the people in Niger lived in the dark for much of the day.

Disruption within Niger following the coup has continued,with demonstrations,censorship of broadcasts and interruptions to power supplies,as well as evacuations of foreign nationals.The situation eventually escalated into a serious international crisis that has led to threats of military intervention by ECOWAS and heightened tensions and military mobilization in Niger.

On 10 August,the junta declared a new government,naming 21 ministers led by Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine in an announcement on Tele Sahel by "secretary-general of the government" Mahamane Roufai Laouali.Three Generals who were members of the CNSP were named to head the Interior, Defense and Sports ministries.

The heavy pressure from the international community and ECOWAS to hand over power,has prompted the junta to seek support from like-minded regimes in the region.

 On 2 August,a junta delegation headed by General Salifou Mody traveled to Bamako,Mali and then to Ouagadougou,Burkina Faso.

On 12 August,a delegation from the putschists,led by General Moussa Salaou Barmou,visited Conakry to ask Guinea for support and was received by the head of the Guinean junta Mamadi Doumbouya.

On 13 August,the junta announced that it would prosecute Bazoum for "high treason" and "undermining the country's security".

On 20 August,Tchiani promised to return Niger to civilian rule within three years after meeting ECOWAS mediators in Niamey.

On 22 August,the African Union suspended Niger from the bloc and told its members to avoid any action that might legitimize the junta.The junta gradually reopened Niger's borders,starting with crossings to Algeria,Burkina Faso,Mali, Libya and Chad on 1 August,followed by its airspace on 4 September.

On 24 September,French President Emmanuel Macron announced France was pulling its troops as well as diplomatic staff,including its ambassador Sylvain Itte,from Niger by the end of 2023.Prior to this,Itte had defied the junta's demand for his expulsion,which led to a total blockade of the French embassy in Niamey.

CANADIAN PARLIAMENT APPLAUDS NAZI WAFFEN SS VETERAN

2023 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS 

The 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs was the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League (NHL) for the 2022-23 season.The playoffs began on April 17, 2023,three days after the end of the regular season,and concluded on June 13, 2023,with the Vegas Golden Knights winning their first Stanley Cup in franchise history,defeating the Florida Panthers four games to one in the Stanley Cup Finals.

The Boston Bruins made the playoffs as the Presidents' Trophy winners after setting the league record for the most wins and points in a single regular season.The Pittsburgh Penguins failed to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2005-06 NHL season,ending the NHL's and Major North Amercian Sports longest active playoff streak at sixteen consecutive seasons.The new playoffs streak in Major North American Sports belongs to the MLB's Los Angeles Dodgers who made the playoffs every year since 2013 (2013 MLB Postseason).The longest active streak moved to the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs at seven consecutive seasons after the Nashville Predators and Washington Capitals also had their eight-season playoff streaks end.As a result, this is the first time since 1976 that the longest active playoff streak was less than ten consecutive seasons.The Seattle Kraken became the second fastest NHL expansion team since 1991 to qualify for the playoffs,after the Vegas Golden Knights,and the first to clinch their inaugural playoff appearance in their second season in the league since the Quebec Nordiques in 1981.The Kraken also became the first NHL exclusive expansion team to make their first playoff appearance in their second season since the Atlanta Flames in 1974.All three New York metropolitan area teams (the Devils, Islanders and Rangers) made the playoffs in the same year for the first time since 2007.For the first time since 1990 and second time since entering the NHL as expansion teams in the 1967-68 NHL season,both Pennsylvania-based teams (the Flyers and Penguins) missed the playoffs in the same season.

This postseason marked the second consecutive and fourth time overall that the league played 50 or more games in the opening round of the playoffs since this round was changed to a best-of-seven format in 1987.In addition,visiting teams in the first round went 31-19 overall to set a new league record for the most road wins in a single round.Among these opening round road victories,the Florida Panthers overcame a 3-1 series deficit to upset the Presidents' Trophy-winning Boston Bruins in seven games,the Seattle Kraken defeated the defending champion Colorado Avalanche in seven games to win their first playoff series,and the Toronto Maple Leafs eliminated the Tampa Bay Lightning on the road in game six to win their first series since the 2004 Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

For the fourth consecutive year,a Florida-based team reached the Stanley Cup Finals.For the first time, the conference finals consisted exclusively of teams located in the Sun Belt, with the Florida Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference final, and the Dallas Stars and the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference final. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_Stanley_Cup_playoffs