Prologue Journal – Page 32722 – Understanding current events through the lenses of the past and future.

Iran racing against time to launch large refinery in south

Disclaimer: PressTV is affiliated with the state broadcasting agency of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and is not a reliable news source. Iran expects to launch a large refinery next year amid efforts to meet rising demand for gasoline. https://presstv.ir/Detail/2023/05/20/703782/Iran-Mehr-refinery-construction-diesel-demand

China’s Chen Wenqing to visit Russia on May 21-28 — Chinese foreign ministry

Disclaimer: TASS is Russian government propaganda, and not a reliable news source. Member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPC and Secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission will attend the 11th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues and hold the 8th meeting of the China-Russia law-enforcement and…

Former Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe visits front line in Ukraine

Washington Post After visiting the front line where his convoy came under fire, ex-Governor Terry McAuliffe said he was more convinced than ever that the United States must help Ukraine. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/05/20/terry-mcauliffe-ukraine-visit-governor/

DeSantis asks that judge be disqualified from Disney’s free speech lawsuit

Fox News Gov. Ron DeSantis is asking that a federal judge be disqualified from the First Amendment lawsuit filed by Disney against the Florida governor and his appointees, claiming the jurist’s prior statements in other cases have raised questions about his impartiality on the state’s efforts to take over Disney World’s governing body. DeSantis ‘attorney…

Zelensky admits supplies of Western fighters will take time

Disclaimer: TASS is Russian government propaganda, and not a reliable news source. Ukrainian President said that he was very happy, when commenting on the West’s announcement of sending warplanes to Kiev, though https://tass.com/military-operation-in-ukraine/1620627

Bakhmut Exposes Feud Between Russian Officials and Wagner’s Prigozhin

New York Times Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, once a caterer for the Kremlin, has made capturing the city a personal obsession. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/20/world/europe/bakhmut-ukraine-russia-wagner-prigozhin.html

Armed Forces of Ukraine say Prigozhin wants to flee Bakhmut because Wagner Group is broken

Pravda Ukraine Serhiy Cherevatyy, spokesman for the Eastern group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, says the reason Yevgeny Prigozhin is claiming to have completely captured Bakhmut is because the Wagner Group leader intends to withdraw its mercenaries from the ruined city, which may be surrounded by Ukrainian defenders, as soon as possible. https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2023/05/20/7403124/

Russian aircraft eliminate about 20 Ukrainian troops on island near Kherson

Disclaimer: TASS is Russian government propaganda, and not a reliable news source. Militants of the Ukrainian armed forces had occupied civilian constructions, a spokesperson for the regional emergency services says https://tass.com/military-operation-in-ukraine/1620625

Iran’s annual inflation rate rises 1.8% to 47.6% in April

Disclaimer: PressTV is affiliated with the state broadcasting agency of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and is not a reliable news source. Iran’s annual inflation rate rose 1.8% to 47.6% in the calendar month to late April. https://presstv.ir/Detail/2023/05/20/703778/Iran-inflation-rate-figures-SCI-April

GOP rejects White House offer to freeze spending in debt ceiling talks

Washington Post Talks broke down on Friday but resumed later that night. A deadline to raise the borrowing cap is fast approaching. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/05/20/gop-rejects-white-house-offer-freeze-spending-debt-ceiling-talks/