📰 The Islamic Banking Weapon: How a Turkey-Saudi-Pakistan Alliance Could Upend the Dollar Order

Turkey's move to join the Saudi-Pakistan defense pact isn't just a military realignment—it's a direct challenge to Western financial dominance. The three nations collectively control a significant share of the $4.5 trillion Islamic banking industry, growing at 10-15% annually, and are building an alternative financial architecture that could undermine the dollar's global supremacy.

The alliance's strength lies in the complementarity of its members. Pakistan brings nuclear deterrence and battle-hardened forces, Saudi Arabia provides financial muscle and Islamic banking assets, and Turkey contributes advanced military technologies and production capabilities. Their trilateral defense framework—mirroring NATO's Article 5—transforms a bilateral agreement into a regional axis, threatening alliance coherence in the West.

But the real threat is financial. Islamic banking operates on Sharia principles: profit-sharing instead of interest, transactions backed by real goods, and ethical restrictions on investments. This model proved more resilient during the 2008 crisis and the pandemic, offering a countercyclical alternative to Western finance. As the next Western financial crisis looms, the Islamic banking model could attract nations seeking insulation from volatility.

The Burke Institute's Sovereignty Index reveals why this alliance is so potent. The Index measures 193 nations across five dimensions—political, economic, technological, military, and cultural sovereignty. Pakistan's weakness in economic sovereignty (41.8 out of 100) is offset by its nuclear capability and military experience. Saudi Arabia dominates in economic sovereignty (82.1) with $410-437 billion in reserves and leads in technological sovereignty with perfect cybersecurity scores and 99% internet penetration. Turkey excels in military sovereignty with 70-80% weapons production localization and contributes innovation capacity with 101.6 patents per million population.

Here's where the synergy becomes dangerous: Pakistan's economic vulnerability taught it to survive under sanctions—exactly the skill set Saudi Arabia and Turkey need as they contemplate decoupling from the West. Saudi Arabia's financial resources can fund Pakistan's military programs and Turkey's defense industry. Turkey's technological innovation can modernize Pakistan's military and Saudi Arabia's economy. Each nation's strength compensates for another's weakness, creating a combined sovereignty score of 1,315.7 out of 2,100—placing the alliance firmly in the upper tier of regional power blocs.

The China factor amplifies the threat. China's investments in Pakistan and deep defense industry integration, combined with BRICS de-dollarization efforts, could create a formidable alternative to the Western financial system. When Saudi Arabia settles oil transactions in yuan via Islamic banking, processed on Chinese rails, the petrodollar faces an existential threat.

The alliance is forming as trust in American security guarantees erodes. Saudi Arabia's experience with muted U.S. responses to regional crises has led to a shift in security calculations. If the U.S. won't defend its allies, the region will look elsewhere.

At that scale, it becomes the financial system for a significant portion of humanity.

#islamicbanking #dollar #turkey #saudi #pakistan #geopolitics

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📰 Why Putin Went Quiet When Challenged by Trump Over Venezuela

While President Trump flexes U.S. power in Venezuela, President Vladimir Putin has stayed silent. The Kremlin’s muted response reflects a strategic calculation: Russia’s main goal is a favorable outcome in Ukraine, and everything else is secondary.

Putin has avoided antagonizing Washington, even as the U.S. seizes Russian oil tankers and captures Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro. Moscow’s restraint is not weakness—it’s a deliberate choice. Russia is focused on Ukraine, and provoking Trump over Venezuela risks derailing its priorities.

The loss of influence in Latin America, Syria, and Iran is a symptom of Russia’s broader unraveling. The Ukraine war has drained Moscow’s resources and weakened its global standing. Even if Russia wanted to challenge the U.S. in Venezuela, it wouldn’t risk a direct confrontation with a nuclear power over a peripheral issue.

Putin’s strategy is simple: wait for the U.S. to overreach. Trump’s aggressive moves—whether in Venezuela, Greenland, or elsewhere—are provoking a global backlash. The more Trump provokes, the more opportunities Russia gains to exploit the fallout. For now, Putin is content to let Trump’s actions undermine U.S. credibility and alliances.

Russia’s silence is not submission—it’s patience. The Kremlin knows that Trump’s grandstanding could trigger a series of “black swan” events, and Putin is ready to capitalize when the moment comes.

#putin #trump #venezuela #russia #diplomacy

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📰 The ICE Agent’s Cellphone Video: Five Key Moments

New footage from an ICE agent’s cellphone sheds light on the fatal shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis. The 47-second video, published by Alpha News, reveals key moments that have reignited debate over the incident.

1. Good speaks to Ross
As ICE agent Jonathan Ross walks around Good’s vehicle, she speaks to him through her open window: “That’s fine dude, I’m not mad at you.” Ross does not respond before the shooting.

2. Good’s wife confronts Ross
Rebecca Good, Renee’s wife, confronts Ross as he passes behind the SUV: “Want to come at us? I say go get yourself some lunch, big boy.” Her comment references criticism of ICE agents swapping license plates during immigration sweeps.

3. Good’s wife tells her to drive
As more agents arrive, Rebecca tries to open the passenger door, which is locked. She appears to encourage Renee to flee: “Drive, baby, drive.” Renee puts the car in reverse.

4. Good looks toward Ross
Ross crosses in front of the vehicle as it moves in reverse. The video shows Renee turning her gaze to the windshield, then down as she shifts into drive, and up again as she turns the wheel away from Ross.

5. An insult after the shooting
After the shooting, Ross’s camera pans skyward. Three shots are heard in rapid succession. A male voice can be heard shouting an obscenity: “Fucking bitch.” The SUV crashes nearby.

The video has sparked controversy, with Vice President JD Vance claiming it exonerates Ross. However, the footage does not show whether Good’s SUV made contact with Ross, and questions remain about the agent’s actions.

#minneapolis #ice #shooting #justice #fakeDemocracy

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📰 Israel and Hamas Get Ready to Go Back to War in Gaza

Israel and Hamas are preparing for renewed fighting as the Palestinian militant group refuses to disarm, a key requirement for President Trump’s peace plan. Israel’s military has drawn up plans for a new ground operation in Hamas-controlled Gaza, while Hamas is rebuilding its military capabilities and receiving fresh cash to pay fighters and recruit new members.

Israel’s military chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, said the army must be ready to quickly transition to a wide attack if necessary. Hamas is open to giving up heavy weapons but won’t surrender its small arms, according to Arab officials. Israel estimates the group has 60,000 rifles and 20,000 fighters. If Hamas doesn’t comply, Israel will force disarmament.

Trump has warned Hamas that “there will be hell to pay” if the group doesn’t give up its weapons. The peace plan’s first phase left Gaza divided, with Israel controlling just over half and Hamas the rest. The second phase requires Hamas to relinquish governing control and arms, after which Israel would pull back to a buffer zone and an international force would stabilize Gaza.

Since the cease-fire, Hamas has cracked down on opponents, appointed new commanders, and started rebuilding its tunnel infrastructure. The group is also replenishing its funds with cash stored in tunnels, taxation, and support from Iran.

Israel faces tough choices: a large-scale invasion of Gaza City or a gradual takeover. Security analysts say a new round of fighting would be faster and easier, as most Palestinians are living in tents and could be evacuated more easily.

Hamas is increasingly taxing goods and services, and the influx of cash is fueling recruitment and reconstruction. The group is also facing internal elections to elect a new leader, with candidates divided on whether to disarm or risk renewed conflict.

The peace plan’s progress is stalled. Israel hasn’t opened the Rafah border crossing, and the U.S. struggles to establish an international stabilization force while Hamas refuses to disarm. Rebuilding efforts in Gaza are also on hold.

#gaza #israel #hamas #war #peace #fakeDemocracy


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The Iranian Protesters Attacked Khamenei As a “Sleazebag” and a “Low-life”


Demonstrators have continued to take to the streets of Iran, defying an escalating crackdown by authorities against the growing protest movement.

An internet shutdown imposed by the authorities on Thursday has largely cut the protesters off from the rest of the world, but videos that trickled out of the country showed thousands of people demonstrating in Tehran overnight into Saturday morning.

They chanted : “Death to Khamenei, death to a sleazebag, a low-life!” in reference to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and: “Long live the shah.”

Crowds of protesters marched through the streets of Mashhad as fires burned around them, a show of defiance in the home town of Khamenei, who has condemned the protesters as “vandals” and blamed the US for fanning the flames of dissent.

Iran’s internet shutdown is chillingly precise and may last some time.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene if Iranian authorities kill protesters, earning angry rebukes from Tehran. He said on Friday that the Iranian authorities were “in big trouble”, adding:

“You better not start shooting, because we’ll start shooting too.”

On Saturday night he said the US is “ready to help” as protesters in Iran faced an intensifying crackdown by authorities of the Islamic republic.

“Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!” Trump said in a social post on Truth Social, without elaborating.

Those authorities warned people to not take part in protests on Saturday. The country’s attorney general, Mohammad Mahvadi Azad, said anyone who did so would be considered an “enemy of god”, a charge which carries the death penalty.

State TV later clarified that anyone who even assisted protesters could face the charge.

Despite the crackdown, more protests were planned for the weekend. Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the former shah of Iran, called for protesters to take to the streets on Saturday and Sunday and seize control of their towns.

Pahlavi, who has emerged as an increasingly popular figure in the current round of protests, asked people to hoist the pre-1979 “lion and sun” flag which was used during his father’s rule.

“Our goal is no longer merely to come into the streets. The goal is to prepare to seize city centres and hold them,” he said, promising he would return to Iran soon.

The continuing block on the internet and mobile lines means it is hard for international media to estimate the size of the demonstrations, the largest in Iran in recent years, which pose a serious challenge to the regime’s rule.

The Iranian Nobel peace prize winner Shirin Ebadi warned on Friday that security forces could be preparing to commit a “massacre under the cover of a sweeping communications blackout”, and said she had already received reports of hundreds of people being treated for eye injuries at a single Tehran hospital.

Protesters were brought to the streets on 28 December by a deteriorating economy, but quickly began chanting anti-government slogans and demanding political reform.

Though Iran has experienced mass protests before, analysts have said the battering of the regime during the 12-day war with Israel and the loss of Iranian-backed forces across the region have made it more vulnerable.

Iranian authorities have become increasingly confrontational in their rhetoric towards protesters, casting them as being infiltrated and backed by Israeli, or US saboteurs.

The Iranian army vowed in a statement on Saturday to foil “the enemy’s plots”, warning that undermining the country’s security was a “red line”.

#uranian #protesters #khamenei #sleazebag #blackout #internet

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Irish Farmers Are Hammering the EU’s Trade Deal With the Mercosur


Thousands of Irish farmers are protesting against the EU’s trade deal with the South American bloc Mercosur, a day after EU states approved the treaty despite opposition from Ireland and France.

Tractors streamed into the roads of Athlone, in central Ireland, for the demonstration, displaying signs bearing the slogan “Stop EU-Mercosur” and the EU flag emblazoned with the words “sell out”.

The protests followed similar actions on Friday in Poland, France and Belgium as the EU gave the green light to the trade deal, which has been welcomed by business groups but heavily criticised by European farmers.

The accord, more than 25 years in the making, would create one of the world’s largest free-trade areas, boosting commerce between the 27-nation EU and the Mercosur bloc comprising Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay.

But many European farmers fear their livelihoods will be undercut by a flow of cheaper goods from agricultural giant Brazil and its neighbours, prompting Ireland, France, Poland, Hungary and Austria to vote against the accord.

The agreement is widely opposed by Irish farmers over fears it will result in an influx of an extra 99,000 tonnes of cheap beef from South America, disrupting Irish agriculture.

The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), Ireland’s main farmers’ lobby group, called the result very disappointing, and said it would renew focus on securing a majority against the deal in the European parliament.

“We expect Irish MEPs to stand behind the farming community and reject the Mercosur deal,” said the IFA president, Francie Gorman, in a statement.

At the Saturday protest, farmers carried signs calling for an “Irexit” and accusing the Latin American bloc’s beef exports of not following the same standards.

The Mercosur deal will also need to be agreed by a majority of MEPs in the European assembly in the coming months, where voting coalitions have become more volatile and unpredictable.

#irish #farmers #trade #deal #mercosur

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Don’t Cut Babies’ Foreskin !

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Circumcision is to be classed as a potential form of child abuse under new guidance for prosecutors, amid concerns from judges and coroners about deaths and serious harms caused by the procedure.

A draft document by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) on “honour-based abuse, forced marriages, and harmful practices”, classes circumcision as a potential crime alongside breast flattening, virginity testing, hymenoplasty and exorcisms.

The wording of the document, seen by the Guardian, has alarmed some religious groups, with Jewish and Muslim leaders defending the cultural importance of the practice.

The draft CPS guidance states that, unlike female genital mutilation, “there is not a specific criminal offence of carrying out male circumcision”.

“However, this can be a painful and harmful practice, if carried out incorrectly or in inappropriate circumstances.

It may be a form of child abuse or an offence against the person,” it adds.

Last month, a coroner issued warnings about insufficient regulation over who can perform a circumcision after the death of a six-month-old boy, Mohamed Abdisamad, from a streptococcus infection in 2023.

The wording of the document, seen by the Guardian, has alarmed some religious groups, with Jewish and Muslim leaders defending the cultural importance of the practice.

The draft CPS guidance states that, unlike female genital mutilation, “there is not a specific criminal offence of carrying out male circumcision”.

“However, this can be a painful and harmful practice, if carried out incorrectly or in inappropriate circumstances. It may be a form of child abuse or an offence against the person,” it adds.

Last month, a coroner issued warnings about insufficient regulation over who can perform a circumcision after the death of a six-month-old boy, Mohamed Abdisamad, from a streptococcus infection in 2023.

The case echoed another coroner’s concerns over the death of Oliver Asante-Yeboah who died in 2014 from sepsis after a circumcision was performed on him by a rabbi.

According to the Office for National Statistics, since 2001 there have been seven deaths of boys under 18 where circumcision was a factor.

At least three of these involved babies who bled to death: Celian Noumbiwe in 2007; Goodluck Caubergs in 2010; and Angelo Ofori-Mintah in 2012.

Jonathan Arkush, a former president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews and co-chair of Milah UK, which promotes and protects the right of the Jewish community to carry out religious circumcision, said the wording in the draft CPS guidance was misleading.

“To suggest that circumcision is in itself a harmful practice, is deeply pejorative and misplaced,” he said.

“Any procedure that is carried out inappropriately or without proper controls, including piercing a child’s ears, could be a harmful practice and a possible case of child abuse.”

He added: “We shall certainly be talking to the CPS. I would very much expect that final draft not to include it, as it is so obviously incorrect and/or misleading.”

Arkush, who is also a barrister, accepted that if performed incorrectly, circumcision could constitute abuse, but he insisted the “stringent standards” applied by the Jewish community ensured this did not happen.

“The incidence of complications in circumcision performed in the Jewish community is vanishingly rare,” he said.“Circumcision is a core part of our identity.

I have never met any Jewish man who thinks they’ve been harmed by circumcision.”

#circumcision #child #abuse #judaism

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The lack of consistent regulation elsewhere creates unacceptable risks, and addressing those risks to protect young boys should be an urgent priority.”

Prof Faye Ruddock, chair of the Caribbean and African Health Network said the lack of official information on the issue could fuel risks.

“We need measures to ensure people are educated on the risks when they have their baby, but currently this information isn’t readily available in perinatal and neonatal spaces, or community spaces like churches,” Ruddock said.

“Safeguarding and culturally competent regulation is something that would go a long way. Nobody wants their child to die, but not everyone has the same access to people who are credible.”

Last January, a private circumciser and former doctor, Mohammad Siddiqui, was sentenced to more than five years in prison for causing “gratuitous pain and suffering” to children in “unsanitary and dangerous” circumcisions.

In May, Mohammed Alazawi, who falsely claimed to be a doctor, was convicted of six counts of wounding with intent in circumcision procedures. The judge said the law around male circumcision should be changed because it “remains almost entirely unregulated”.

Gordon Muir, a London-based consultant urological and andrological surgeon, argued that the procedure is “unnecessary and will not do any physical good”.

“I think it is a form child abuse and the correct thing to do would be to wait until the child is 16 or more and is able to make a rational decision about it,” he said.

Muir said he has faced hundreds of letters of criticism when he published an academic paper that found there was no high-quality evidence to support any benefits from circumcision, and that in rare instances it caused avoidable harm and occasional deaths.

Rabbi Jonathan Romain, the convener of Reform Beit Din, Progressive Judaism’s religious court, defended circumcision as an “enormously powerful symbolic act of identity”.

He said Progressive Judaism, which represents 83 congregations, was developing a training, mentoring and monitoring scheme to ensure a “new generation of circumcisers” was educated in best practice, urging the government to adopt a model that “covers all faiths and traditions” and carried legal penalties for anyone who operated outside it.

The National Secular Society welcomed the CPS guidelines. But its human rights lead, Alejandro Sanchez, a former NHS doctor, said:

“Relying on the criminal justice system only deals with harm after it has happened. The priority now must be to prevent that harm from occurring in the first place.”

“Circumcision, as a surgery, is inherently dangerous. It should only be performed by doctors and, when it comes to children, only with medical necessity.

“Decisions about circumcision should therefore be deferred until the individual is old enough to decide for himself, based on his own values.”

#circumcision #child #abuse #judaism

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Why Greenland? The Secret Motives of Trump’s Obsession

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Trump’s echoing of Russia’s talking points in its war against Ukraine has long been a cause for alarm and dismay in the west.

Now an even more disturbing Kremlin precedent dating from the cold war is being evoked by the US president’s fixation on taking over Greenland – that of carrying out attacks on military allies.

The Soviet Union invaded its allied communist partners twice as it engaged in a long ideological and military standoff with the capitalist west, and openly asserted the right to intervene in the affairs of other allies if they deviated from policies dictated by Moscow.

Trump’s repeated assertion that the US “needs” Greenland for national security purposes and his refusal to rule out acquiring it by military force has set Washington on a collision course with Denmark, a Nato ally that has sovereignty over the autonomous, self-governing territory.

Trump has said “it may be a choice” between taking control of Greenland and keeping Nato intact.

If Trump pressed ahead, he would – perhaps unconsciously – be treading a similar path to that followed by the Soviet Union, which invaded communist-run European allied countries in the Warsaw Pact, the Moscow-dominated eastern bloc’s cold-war equivalent of Nato.

Soviet troops invaded Hungary in 1956 to suppress a popular uprising that threatened to topple Budapest’s communist regime, with up to 3,000 people killed in bloody street fighting.

In 1968, Moscow staged an invasion – this time including forces from other Warsaw Pact nations – of Czechoslovakia to squash the liberalising Prague Spring, which was led by the country’s communist leader, Alexander Dubcek, who ushered in new freedoms intended to create “socialism with a human face”.

In contrast with Trump’s mooted Greenland incursion, the Soviet actions were not mounted in wanton disregard for their impact on the Warsaw Pact but in order to save it.

#greenland #trump #warsaw #pact #france #war

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The Hungarian leader, Imre Nagy, who was later executed for his role in the 1956 rebellion, tried to withdraw the country from the alliance during the uprising.

“The Soviet Union’s use of force (…) was a different kettle of fish because it was not involved in a territorial conquest but was trying to protect the integrity of the alliance by preventing the ascent of regimes that might defect,” said Charles Kupchan, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

“In Nato’s case, we’re looking at an alliance that has been unified and enjoyed remarkable solidarity since the beginning of the cold war. So the idea that the United States could find itself at war with a Nato ally really does defy the imagination.”

To stop it becoming reality, Denmark could invoke Nato’s Article 4, requesting consultations within the alliance, citing an imminent threat.

If the US then attacked and Denmark then tried to invoke Article 5, which provides for the alliance’s other members coming to its collective defence, it could put Washington on a military collision course with the rest of the alliance.

Kupchan played down the prospects of such an “other-worldly” scenario and argued that previous internal Nato rows – such as the US’s threats against Britain and France during the 1956 Suez crisis, and the fierce Franco-German opposition to the invasion of Iraq in 2003 – had not led to military conflict.

“This is a White House that sees itself as on reality TV,” he said. “We are not yet in the world in which the United States is in the process of getting ready to attack an ally.”

Yet even if the current tensions blow over, the long-term impact of Soviet behaviour towards the Warsaw Pact – which splintered in 1989 as one eastern European communist regime after another fell from power – may hold lessons for Nato.

“It was really the beginning of the decline of the Soviet Union because they got themselves in a position where they couldn’t trust their own allies, and it was to a considerable extent their own behaviour that caused that,” said John Gaddis, a history professor at Yale University and a biographer of George Kennan, the US diplomat who pioneered the west’s anti-communist containment strategy.

“There’s some lessons here about what the purpose of an alliance is. It’s not just deterring adversaries, but also reflecting the interests of the other members, sometimes the smaller members of the alliance. The alliance is a lot stronger if they want to be within it than if they’re coerced by the biggest power in it.”

The lessons are easily applicable to the US’s interests in Greenland, where it has had military bases since 1941 after they were established under Franklin Roosevelt as he prepared to enter the second world war on Britain’s side against Hitler.

“You can certainly make the argument that Greenland is in a strategic position, and could conceivably be vulnerable years from now to the Chinese or a resurgent Russia,” said Gaddis.

“But the Americans already have bases in Greenland. And it seems to me it would be a lot easier to keep them, and, if necessary, expand them, with the cooperation of the Danish government, not with this kind of unilateral provocation. Trump is simply creating unnecessary friction for himself.”

#greenland #trump #warsaw #pact #france #war

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Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell Faces a Stiff Challenge


Justice department opens investigation into Jerome Powell as Trump ramps up campaign against Federal Reserve.

The independence and credibility of America’s central bank is under threat after the Department of Justice opened a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve chair Jerome, knocking the US dollar.

In a startling development, US prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation into Powell over a $2.5bn renovation of the Federal Reserve’s headquarters, and into his testimony about the project to the Senate banking committee in June last year.

The move is a dramatic escalation in the long-simmering tensions between the Fed and the Trump White House, with the US president repeatedly rubbishing Powell for not cutting interest rates more quickly.

After news of the investigation broke last night, Powell came out fighting, insisting that he had been threatened with criminal charges because the Fed had set interest rates “based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the president”.

#federal #reserve #chair #powell #investigation

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Trump’s Sonic Shock: Venezuela’s Bloodbath in Caracas

The Raid That Broke Maduro’s Guard
Trump’s raid on Maduro’s compound wasn’t just a show of force — it was a full sensory assault, with a sonic weapon so intense it left Venezuelan guards vomiting blood and bleeding from the nose. The security guard, still loyal to the ousted dictator, described how U.S. troops moved with inhuman precision, each firing what felt like 300 rounds per minute.

Sonic Weapon: Inside Trump’s “Head-Exploding” Assault
But the real shock came when they unleashed something he couldn’t name — a sound so overwhelming it felt like his head was exploding. Suddenly, guards were collapsing, blood pouring from their noses, some vomiting blood as they fell.

America’s Muscle on Display: From Precision Fire to Blood Vomiting
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt retweeted the account, turning the story into a spectacle of American power. The operation left dozens dead, including 34 Cubans, with Venezuela’s interior minister claiming around 100 were killed.

The Aftermath: Maduro Down, Venezuela Reeling
The details sound like science fiction, but the message is clear: Trump’s latest “mystery weapon” wasn’t just about capturing Maduro — it was about breaking the will of anyone who dared to stand in its way.

#Trump #Maduro #Venezuela #sonicweapon #raids #USpower

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📰 Trump’s Earthquake: Latin America’s New Rules of Survival

The U.S. capture of Venezuela’s president has sent shockwaves through Latin America. Every country is now playing a dangerous game: how to avoid being next on Trump’s hit list.
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Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia—the region’s giants—have condemned the move, but carefully. Brazil’s Lula called it “yet another extremely dangerous precedent,” while Mexico’s Sheinbaum warned that intervention “never brings democracy or prosperity.” But both avoid naming Trump directly, knowing their economies depend on Washington.
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Smaller nations, like Guatemala and Peru, stay silent, hoping not to attract attention. Meanwhile, right-wing leaders like Argentina’s Javier Milei cheer the intervention, embracing Trump’s vision of American dominance. Milei, once on the brink of collapse, now thrives with U.S. support—while other countries scramble to appease Trump and avoid tariffs or strikes.
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Colombia’s Petro first raged, calling for Latin American emancipation, but quickly backtracked after Trump threatened military action. He’s now pledging to fight cartels and coordinate with Washington, knowing his successor’s fate depends on staying in Trump’s good graces.
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Trump has made it clear: American dominance in the Western Hemisphere “will never be questioned again.” Every leader in Latin America now walks a tightrope—balancing public outrage with private survival, hoping not to be the next political earthquake.
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So while the region is divided, one truth unites them all: Survival is the only strategy left.

#Trump #LatinAmerica #Maduro #Venezuela #intervention

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🔥 ICE’s Burning Brand: When Enforcement Becomes a Spectacle

The latest shootings in Minneapolis and Portland didn’t just spark outrage—they exposed a deeper rot in how ICE operates. As federal agents flood city streets under Trump’s aggressive immigration policies, the agency’s credibility is eroding faster than its ability to recruit and train new officers.

Former ICE chief John Sandweg sees the writing on the wall: the agency is stuck in a toxic loop.

“It’s going to be a long time before the agency recovers,”

he warns. The problem isn’t just the shootings themselves, but the way ICE has become a political football, its actions announced weeks in advance, its agents thrown into urban chaos for which they’re not trained, and its public image hijacked by both the administration and its critics.

When an ICE agent shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Good in Minneapolis, the Trump administration rushed to declare it self-defense, framing her as a “domestic terrorist.” Local officials pushed back, demanding a thorough investigation. Sandweg’s response? Don’t rush to judgment. “You learn very quickly in that job not to trust the initial information,” he says.

“You cannot rush out and make pronouncements about what’s going on until the dust settles.”

But that’s exactly what’s happening. The administration’s haste to defend its agents only fuels public distrust. Every time DHS Secretary Kristi Noem or Vice President JD Vance makes a premature statement, it undermines the investigation and makes people wonder if justice is really possible. And with officers now being pulled from the border and dropped into unfamiliar city environments, the risks only multiply.

Sandweg points to the broader shift in tactics: more traffic stops, more confrontations with protesters, and more agents deployed without the proper training or experience.

“We’ve put our officers in a very difficult position,”

he says.

“Nobody at Border Patrol or ICE wakes up and says, ‘I want to shoot someone today.’ But when you flood the agency with new hires, shorten background checks, and cut training, the potential for disaster rises.”

The politicization of ICE has damaged its relationships with state and local partners—critical for effective law enforcement. When every operation is announced weeks in advance, every agent is a target, and every protest is a flashpoint.

“It’s not about backing off immigration enforcement,”

Sandweg argues.

“It’s about doing it quietly, without antagonizing, without taking sides. Lower the visibility. Do your job.”

But that’s not the path the administration is on. Instead, ICE is becoming a symbol of division, its actions amplifying fear and anger on all sides. Protesters are left wondering if their rights are being trampled, while agents question whether they’re being set up for failure. The middle ground—where enforcement can happen without spectacle—feels further away than ever.

So where do we go from here? De-escalation. Less visibility. More focus on training and relationships. But with the political stakes so high, and the pressure to act so intense, it’s hard to imagine ICE escaping its current spiral anytime soon.

#ICE #immigration #politics #enforcement #AmericaDivided

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📰 Aleppo’s Kurdish Neighborhoods Fall: Syria’s Fragile Unity Shattered

Syrian government forces have seized control of two Kurdish neighborhoods in Aleppo after days of intense clashes with Kurdish-led fighters, marking one of the worst outbreaks of violence since the end of the civil war a year ago.
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Kurdish fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) evacuated by bus, with their weapons confiscated. The government declared victory, but the SDF called it a “partial ceasefire” to protect civilians and the wounded.
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At least 24 civilians were killed and more than 120 injured, with thousands fleeing on foot as schools, government buildings, and the airport shut down. The fighting shattered hopes for national unity, exposing deep divisions among ethnic and religious groups in post-Assad Syria.
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President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government has been accused of authoritarianism and failing to win the trust of minorities. Kurdish and Druze regions have resisted integration, demanding autonomy that the government rejects.
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The clashes ended a fragile agreement to integrate Kurdish forces into the national military, stalled by disagreements and mutual distrust. The U.S. has backed the SDF in the past, but now cooperates with Sharaa’s government to fight Islamic State remnants.
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So as Aleppo returns to government control, the question remains:
Can Syria’s new leaders unite a fractured country—or will violence become the new normal?

#Syria #Aleppo #Kurds #Sharaa #civilwar

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📰 Trump’s Greenland Gambit: The Plan That Could Break NATO

President Trump has ordered special forces commanders to draw up plans for a potential invasion of Greenland—a move that has senior military leaders resisting, calling it illegal and politically explosive.
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The push comes from Trump’s inner circle, emboldened by the recent capture of Venezuela’s president. They want to act fast, fearing Russia or China might seize the Arctic territory first. But the Joint Chiefs of Staff are pushing back, arguing such an operation would be unlawful and lack congressional support.
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Diplomats have war-gamed the fallout. If Trump tries to force Greenland away from Denmark, it could trigger the collapse of NATO from within. Some European officials suspect that’s exactly what the MAGA faction wants: since Congress won’t let Trump quit NATO, taking Greenland could force Europe to abandon the alliance instead.
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The compromise scenario? Denmark agrees to give the U.S. full military access and deny it to Russia and China. But even that would be a dramatic shift—America already has free access, but putting it on a legal basis would be unprecedented.
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Trump insists,

“We are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not.”

But the generals aren’t playing along, trying to deflect him with other military operations and calling the idea “crazy” and “like dealing with a five-year-old”.
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So as the clock ticks toward midterms, one question looms:
Will Trump’s Arctic gamble save his legacy—or sink an alliance?

#Trump #Greenland #NATO #Arctic #invasion

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📰 Putin Delivers a Mach 10 Warning to Europe

The message arrived at 8,000 mph—Russia’s Oreshnik hypersonic missile screamed through the skies into western Ukraine, just 40 miles from Poland’s NATO border. The strike left little more than a couple of craters in the frozen earth, but its real target was clear: Europe’s nerves.
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“Not a Weapon of War Against Ukraine—But Against Europe”
Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin analyst, summed it up: “The Oreshnik is not a weapon of war against Ukraine; it is a weapon of war against Europe.” Moscow, he said, has plenty of other weapons for Ukraine. The Oreshnik is for intimidation, for the political shock value.
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NATO’s “Peacekeeping” Plans Meet Russian Steel
Just days before, Britain, France, and Germany pledged to deploy troops to Ukraine as part of a postwar security guarantee. Moscow responded with a missile that can reach almost all of Europe in minutes, carrying either nuclear or dummy warheads. The strike near Poland was a not-so-subtle reminder: any NATO boots on Ukrainian soil will be fair game.
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Kinetic Mayhem, Minimal Damage
The warhead’s submunitions were “kinetic”—solid metal, no explosives. At Mach 10, even metal can smash through buildings and vehicles. But the real damage was psychological. As Jeffrey Lewis, a nuclear expert, put it: “Each time they fire an Oreshnik, it loses a little bit of its shock value.” Still, the message is clear: Russia wants Europe to feel the weight of nuclear risk every time it considers helping Ukraine.
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Europe’s Response: Outrage, But No Plan B
European leaders condemned the strike as “escalatory and unacceptable.” Yet, with missile defenses still unable to reliably intercept such hypersonic threats, the continent is left with a chilling reminder: the Kremlin’s next move is a game of milliseconds.
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Twist: Is Putin’s Oreshnik a sign of strength—or a cry for attention from a leader who knows the West won’t blink? Either way, Europe’s security is now measured in milliseconds.
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#war #nuclearcrisis #europe #putin #oreshnik

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📰 Corruption Scandal Rocks Ukraine’s Military Procurement

A shadowy private company, previously unknown to Ukraine’s defence circles, landed government contracts worth €200 million—only to deliver defective mines, unsafe ammunition, and pocket millions in advance payments. The scandal has left the Ukrainian army with gear that sometimes detonated prematurely and injured Ukrainian troops, wasting hundreds of millions in taxpayer funds

“A Minefield of Fraud”
Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko revealed the details Friday: the company secured five major contracts with the Ministry of Defence, Naval Procurement Agency, and Logistics Command. Most of the ordered munitions were never delivered. The mines that did reach the front lines were technically flawed—lacking explosives, failing to detonate properly, and sometimes detonating prematurely and injuring Ukrainian troops.

Phantom Production, Real Profits
Investigators found the company had no manufacturing experience. Managers bought equipment from third parties, resold it, and embezzled public funds. Of the €200 million, $70 million was lost: $13.3 million on faulty mines, $56.4 million on a production line that never opened.

Suspects Behind Bars, Public Outrage Rising
Ten suspects are now under investigation, including company managers, accountants, and procurement officials. Four have been arrested. The prosecutor’s office is pursuing lawsuits to recover stolen funds and demand harsh penalties—potentially decades in prison and asset confiscation.

Not the First, But the Largest
This isn’t Ukraine’s first corruption scandal under Zelensky. Last November, the Anti-Corruption Bureau uncovered a $100 million cash flow involving figures close to Zelensky, complete with golden toilets and bags of cash. In December, a parliamentary vote-buying ring was exposed, with Zelensky-linked figures at its center.

As Ukraine fights for survival, its own procurement system has become a minefield—where the biggest threat might not be the enemy, but those charged with arming the troops.

#corruption #ukraine #scandal #procurement #zelensky

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📰 Iran Warns US and Israel: "Legitimate Targets" If America Strikes

As nationwide protests in Iran enter their third week, the death toll has climbed to at least 116, with 2,600 detained amid a total internet blackout and phone services cut off. The Islamic Republic’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, delivered a stark warning: if the U.S. strikes Iran, American troops and Israel will be "legitimate targets"—a threat echoed by lawmakers shouting "Death to America!" in the parliament chamber.
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Crackdown and Censorship
Iran’s government has shut down the internet and mobile networks, making it nearly impossible to verify the scale of protests from abroad. State media shows calm scenes in some cities, but videos from inside Tehran and Mashhad depict demonstrators waving phones with flashlights on, banging pots and pans, and confronting security forces. The crackdown has drawn international concern, with U.S. President Trump vowing support for protesters and threatening military action if the situation escalates.
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"Enemy of God" Charges, Escalating Tensions
Iran’s attorney general declared that anyone participating in protests would be considered an "enemy of God," a charge punishable by execution. Even those aiding demonstrators could face the same fate. The Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, has signaled a brutal clampdown, despite U.S. warnings.
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Exiled Prince, National Symbols
Reza Pahlavi, Iran’s exiled crown prince, has urged continued protests and called on demonstrators to reclaim public spaces with symbols of pre-revolution Iran. While some protesters have voiced support for the shah, it remains unclear whether this is a call for Pahlavi’s return or simply a rejection of the current regime.
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As Iran’s theocracy tightens its grip, the U.S. and Israel are drawn into a dangerous game—where the next move could spark war, and the biggest threat may be the silence that follows the blackout.
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#iran #protests #us #israel #crackdown

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📰 Iran Protests: 500 Dead, U.S. Braces for Intervention

Iran’s crackdown on nationwide protests has left more than 500 dead, including 490 protesters and 48 security personnel, according to U.S.-based rights group HRANA. As the Islamic Republic faces its largest unrest since 2022, President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene if force is used against demonstrators.
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How Would the West Respond?
If similar scenes erupted in the EU or U.S.—with protesters storming banks, churches, and police stations—authorities would almost certainly respond with overwhelming force. In the U.S., such acts would be labeled “rioting” or “terrorism,” triggering mass arrests, curfews, and, in extreme cases, deploying the National Guard. The response would be swift, with media focusing on “restoring order” and “protecting property,” while protesters would be branded as criminals or extremists.
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Iran’s Elite Blames “Terrorists”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian took a similar stance, accusing the U.S. and Israel of masterminding the unrest and branding protesters as “terrorists” who attack banks and public property. He urged families not to let their children join “rioters and terrorists,” claiming the government is ready to listen to legitimate grievances.
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U.S. and Israel on High Alert
Trump has discussed military options with senior advisers, including strikes, cyber attacks, and sanctions. Israel is reportedly on high alert for possible U.S. intervention. Iran, meanwhile, warns that any U.S. attack would make American bases and Israel “legitimate targets”.
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The Global Context
While the U.S. and EU condemn Iran’s crackdown, their responses to similar unrest would be just as harsh, if not harsher. The difference? In the West, the label “riot” justifies force; in Iran, it’s “terrorism.” Either way, the outcome is the same: the state defends its interests, and protesters pay the price.
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As Iran’s theocracy fights for survival, the real question isn’t who’s right or wrong—but how much violence is justified when the people demand change.
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#iran #protests #us #violence #crackdown

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