Former MI6 Chief Richard Moore:

Without China, Russia would have lost. It’s as simple as that.

The thing that keeps Putin in Ukraine is Chinese support.

Former MI6 Chief Richard Moore:

Türkiye is a very consequential country.

It’s a very important country because of its geography. It’s always going to be utterly critical to all of us around it.

It’s a hugely consequential partner, and we all try to manage our relationship with this very important country to best effect.

Former MI6 Chief Richard Moore:

Over the last three years, we have seen played out on the battlefield in Ukraine just how dominant drones are.

I think it’s something like 80 or 90% of battlefield casualties are now caused by drones.

Drones are everywhere all over that battlefield space.

Pakistan FM Ishaq Dar will visit Washington on Friday to meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The talks will cover bilateral ties and regional issues, including Islamabad’s efforts to help negotiate a permanent end to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

Congress wants to delay the U.S. Navy’s new nuclear-powered Trump class battleship until its key weapons — including railguns and powerful laser systems — are proven reliable.

Lawmakers added the restriction to the draft 2027 defense bill, saying construction cannot begin until the Navy certifies the technology is mature enough.

Source: TWZ

JD Vance:

The Trump administration celebrates Marco Rubio’s birthday.

U.S. and Iranian negotiators agreed on the terms of a truce deal in Doha three days ago, but both sides are delaying a final announcement.

Iranian negotiators briefed their leadership, while the U.S. side is waiting for Trump’s final approval.

Source: NBC News

US and Iran reached a tentative deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and begin 60 days of nuclear talks, but both Trump and Iran’s Supreme Leader still need to approve it.

The draft would ease shipping restrictions and start negotiations over Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, though major issues remain unresolved.

Officials warned the agreement could still collapse, especially amid pressure on Trump from Republicans and Israel to avoid easing pressure on Iran.

Source: CNN

Peter Thiel has quietly relocated part of his life to Argentina, buying property in Buenos Aires and meeting frequently with President Javier Milei.

The billionaire sees Argentina as both an ideological fit and a potential “Plan B” outside the U.S.

People close to Thiel say he’s worried about America’s direction — especially higher taxes in California, political instability, nuclear conflict, and AI risks.

Argentina appeals to him because it’s geographically isolated and now led by Milei, whose libertarian, anti-tax politics closely align with Thiel’s worldview.

Source: NYT

Bessent:

Actually, oil prices are down about 10% in May.

Bessent:

The Strait of Hormuz has to have free transit navigations of the sea; the sea has to be free and open, as it was before.

Trump will make a great deal.

Reporter: Trump said he could "blow up" Oman. Are you guys making plans for a new war with Oman?

Bessent: I think Trump wanted to punctuate freedom of navigation in the strait.

The Omani ambassador assured me that there are no plans for tolling the strait.

Bessent:

Trump has done something that no other administration has been able to do.

We have gotten the Iranians to talk about their nuclear program and perhaps commit to not having one.

That has never happened before.

Reporter: Is sanctions relief for Iran on the table?

Bessent: Nothing is going to be on the table until we see the Strait of Hormuz open and the Iranians agree that they have to turn over the highly enriched uranium and that they can't have a nuclear program.

Bessent:

The economy is challenging now, but unemployment is still low, tax refunds were high, and consumer spending is still quite high.

Bessent on Iran:

We did not have regime change, but we changed the regime.

Bessent:

No one has done more sanctions than the Trump administration on Russian oil.

Iran-US deal text NOT finalized

A source close to Iran's negotiating team told Tasnim News that, contrary to Western claims, the draft memorandum of understanding has not been finalized.

Iran has not notified the Pakistani mediator of any conclusion, and will publicly announce a deal through official channels if one is reached.

The Russian tanker Universal, carrying 242,000 barrels of diesel for Cuba, has reversed course and appears headed to South America instead — a blow to the island already suffering under a U.S. fuel blockade imposed in January.

Cuba had been counting on the shipment. Its reserves are depleted, electricity runs only a few hours daily, and black-market fuel costs over $40 a gallon.

The tanker drifted in the Atlantic for a month — an unusual pattern also seen with a Chinese-owned ship earlier this year that ultimately turned back — before heading south this week.

Source: NYT

Canadian PM Mark Carney:

Russia's losing 35,000 troops a month.

22 to 23 thousand, depending on the month, of those troops are killed.

They're losing troops faster than they can replace them. They are not gaining territory.