United States

S&P futures rose alongside European stocks as Asian shares posted modest declines. The euro set a new six-month high and European bourses rose as PMI data from Germany and France signaled that the ECB will have to tighten soon as Europe's recovery remains on track, with the German Ifo business confidence printing at the highest level on record, and hinting at a GDP print in the 5% range. Oil declined after the Trump budget proposal suggested selling half the crude held in the US strategic petroleum reserve.

Tensions stemming from last week's massive brawl, caught on video, between pro-Kurdish protesters and Turkish President Recep Erdogan's security detail, escalated on Monday after, paradoxically, Turkey lodged a formal complaint with John Bass, the U.S. ambassador in Ankara, over purportedly "aggressive" actions taken by American security personnel. The complaint accused U.S. law enforcement of failing to quell an "unpermitted" and "provocative" demonstration, and demanded a "full investigation of this diplomatic incident," according to WaPo.

Authored by Federico Pieraccini via The Stratgic Culture Foundation,

Authored by Paul Street via The Strategic Culture Foundation,

Americans are routinely told by politicians and corporate media pundits and talking heads that Russia is their enemy – an “adversary state.”  The assertion has been normalized.  It passes without challenge or justification.

Authored by Simon Black via SovereignMan.com,

On May 31, 1866, John C. Ringling was born in Iowa to German immigrants in what felt like an extremely bleak year.

The chaos and devastation from the Civil War that had ended in 1865 were still keenly felt, and the US economy was in the midst of a deep recession

The country was still shaken from the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

And the new President, Andrew Johnson, was embroiled in a major political crisis with Congress that would soon lead to his impeachment.