Sixty years ago, on May 12, 1965, Germany and Israel established diplomatic relations after a long period of preparation. It was anything but a matter of course at the time: World War II had ended just two decades earlier, and the memory of Nazi Germany's genocide of the European Jews was present in both countries. Even now, 80 years after the end of the war, relations with Israel remain extremely important, but also difficult.

The British military is supplying Ukraine with flat-pack decoys designed to mimic real military hardware, The Times reported on Saturday, citing sources. The effort is aimed at deceiving Russian forces and exaggerating the amount of modern equipment on the front line.

At the heart of the effort are so-called “Ikea-style” kits resembling British-supplied tanks, artillery, and air defense systems that are designed to stretch Russia’s surveillance and strike capacity. “We haven’t gifted a huge amount of these, so anything we can do to make the quantities look greater on the front line is advantageous to us,” RAF Squadron Leader Lowri Simner told the paper.

French President Emmanuel Macron, saying goodbye to the head of the Kiev regime Vladimir Zelensky in In Kyiv, where he took part in a meeting of the "coalition of the willing", kissed him on the cheek.

The corresponding video was published by the telegram channel of the publication "Strana".

John Mearsheimer: Coalition of the Willing Have NO ANSWERS / Ukraine Paying the Price

The speaker criticizes ongoing Western military support for Ukraine, arguing that it prolongs the war without clear strategic goals or realistic assessments. Key points include:

The U.S. and Europe are providing large aid packages (e.g., $350 million for F-16s, $50 million in military aid), but this is seen as "feeding the monster" rather than solving the conflict.

Ursula von der Leyen promotes a "porcupine strategy" to strengthen Ukraine long-term and integrate defense industries under "Readiness 2030," suggesting the war may continue for years.

The speaker questions the feasibility of Ukraine holding out that long, citing Russia's superior troop recruitment and weapon production.

Australia’s Labor government was returned to office at last Saturday’s federal election in a landslide win.

Labor now holds 90 seats in the House of Representatives to the opposition’s 40, inflicting a devastating defeat on the conservatives. The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, a keen admirer of Donald Trump, lost his seat.

The conservative opposition in Australia has now been reduced to political irrelevancy in its present form, and – consumed by bitter infighting and recriminations – is destined to disappear as a major political force in the next few years.  

Here’s why no Western conservative can replicate Donald Trump

The current US president is a unique product of America’s political disfunction, and attempts to mimic him are foolish

By Graham Hryce

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1y7vMx-gHk

Former C.I.A. analyst Ray McGovern addressed the Znanie Youth Forum in Moscow on April 29 ahead of the celebration of the 80th Anniversary of Victory in Europe over the Nazis.

Ray’s Speech in Russia with English Subtitles
May 7, 2025
English subtitles are now inserted into Ray’s speech at Znanie Youth Forum, Moscow, Apr 29. Unbeknownst to Ray, former President Medvedev had spoken on Apr 28, and on Apr 30, President Putin also spoke there & held a typically interesting Q & A.

https://raymcgovern.com/2025/05/07/rays-speech-in-russia-with-english-subtitles/ 

Africa is rising, the days of colonialism are finished: This is the call being echoed around the world, from the masses of Burkina Faso and countries across Africa to Jamaica, Haiti and the whole Caribbean, to Paris, London and New York City. Millions of people have answered the call to defend Ibrahim Traoré, president of Burkina Faso, as well as the anti-imperialist governments of Mali and Niger — the three countries that make up the Alliance of Sahel States.

Defend Ibrahim Traoré and the Alliance of Sahel States!
By Arjae Red

I thought it might be third time lucky, but I was wrong again. I backed the wrong horse as pope!

When I awoke on Friday morning to learn that Robert Prevost, a dual US-Peruvian citizen had been elected, I was gobsmacked. But, on reflection, what a shrewd choice the cardinals have made. He is only the second natural-born English speaker elected pope. The first was Nicholas Breakspear, Pope Adrian IV (1154-1159).

Paul Collins

European leaders have urged Russia to agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire with Ukraine starting on Monday.

The call was issued at a meeting of the "coalition of the willing" in Kyiv. The leaders of France, Germany, the UK and Poland were hosted by Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, while others joined remotely.

They made the announcement after discussing the plan by phone with US President Donald Trump - who initially mooted an unconditional ceasefire. The leaders threatened Russia with "massive" sanctions if it does not comply. 

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the aim of the coalition of the willing was to show "that aggression will never prevail on our continent".

Russophobia is a way of turning specific pseudo-facts into essential one-dimensional values, barbarity, despotism, and expansionism in the Russian case in order to justify stigmatization and ostracism.

Russophobia: A “Will” of Peter the Great or a Polish “Memo” to Napoleon?

BY Tamer Mansour

Andrei Loginov’s Proposal

We have seen this play out before, the United States government relentlessly acting to control the government in a former Soviet Union republic bordering Russia and then proceeding to support that government in war against Russia. That course of action has led to devastation in Ukraine, including the deaths of hundreds of thousands of individuals, in a US proxy war against Russia.

    by Adam Dick

The leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Poland are on their way to the Ukrainian capital, according to a joint statement released late on Friday night.

Foreign exchange strategists at Westpac have revised their Euro (EUR/USD) and Pound Sterling (GBP/USD) forecasts higher against the US Dollar, citing structural US risks and stronger-than-expected growth in Europe and the UK. 

The bank now sees EUR/USD at 1.16 and GBP/USD at 1.36 by late 2026, up from current levels near 1.12 and 1.32, respectively.

Euro And Pound Sterling Forecasts Lifted As Dollar Weakness Deepens: Westpac

“The US dollar slipped into a 98.2–101.0 range... this move could be interpreted as predicting the US is simply returning to the pack after an exceptional period,” says Elliott Clarke, Head of International Economics at Westpac.

Johann Wadephul, the new German Foreign Minister, has arrived in Ukraine for his first visit on 9 May.

Source: European Pravda; Tagesschau, a German television news service

Details: Wadepful arrived in Lviv, where an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers will take place on 9 May. He posted a short video on his X feed on the evening of 8 May confirming his arrival in Ukraine.

Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States has been picked to be  the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church; he will be known as Pope Leo XIV.

Attention now turns to what vision the first US pope will bring.

Dennis Doyle