Half of ICE's Assault Charges Against Protesters Have Collapsed in Courts

A comprehensive review indicates many of the assault charges filed by the Trump administration against individuals allegedly impeding immigration agents have collapsed in court.

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Turkish Deputy FM Levent Gümrükçü on Türkiye's F-35 jets:

This time we really feel closer. We feel that we might be able to resolve this issue and leave that problem behind ourselves.

I would say, because for the first time ever, really for the last 10 to 15 years, we have full confidence in the United States administration that when we reach a deal, they're going to deliver their part of the deal as well.

And it's not only about selling F-35s or returning Türkiye to the F-35 program, as we used to be a part of.

Of course, it is about forging a much deeper defense industry cooperation between the United States and Türkiye, taking into account our comparative advantages, taking into account the importance of this issue.

So that is what makes us more hopeful than anything else.

Turkish Deputy FM Levent Gümrükçü:

When you remember how we ended up by buying the S-400, I'm going to put it into context there as well.

The whole process of us acquiring an air defense system started in 2010. We opened many tenders—I think three or four tenders were opened in the first seven years or so—and every time the U.S. offer turned out to be the most expensive.

That's understandable because Patriot systems are the best on the market right now. But they also turned out to be the least cooperative in terms of offsets, possibilities for technology sharing, or co-production of any of the components.

More importantly, they turned out to be the least reliable as well, because every time we discussed with our U.S. colleagues whether they could guarantee the delivery of these urgently needed air defense systems, they said they were a democratic country with congressional oversight and there was no way they could guarantee delivery within a certain period of time.

They also said that Türkiye's image in Congress was not good and that we had to work not only with the administration but with Congress as well.

Turkish Deputy FM Levent Gümrükçü:

When we found ourselves in 2016–2017, especially after the failed coup attempt in Türkiye, some of our allies decided to redeploy their Patriot systems that were deployed in Türkiye.

We found ourselves in 2016–2017 with a very urgent need to fill an immediate gap in our air defense architecture.

That's why we were compelled to buy this S-400 as an immediate gap filler.

But in no way did that mean that our quest for an air defense system stopped there. As I mentioned, this is a one-off procurement. This is an immediate gap filler.

Our commitment is, and will continue to be, to procure the air defense system that will be interoperable with the rest of the Alliance.

French President Macron offered Germany co-production on the SAMP/T NG air defense system as a European alternative to the US Patriot.

SAMP/T NG is currently Europe's only air defense system capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, using the new Aster 30 B1 NT missile.

Germany currently relies on US Patriot with PAC-3 MSE — but delivery times are long, production is only in the US and Japan, leaving Berlin dependent on Washington.

Also on the table: France, Germany, and the UK will explore deep precision strike cooperation, including a 2,500 km-range ballistic missile from ArianeGroup.

Source: hartpunkt

Zelensky on Ukrainian strikes targeting Russia's biggest online retailer, Wildberries:

Today our long-range sanctions worked in three directions on Russian territory, on our temporarily occupied land, and at sea.

In response to Russian strikes on our civilian infrastructure, our cities and communities, two major logistics sites were hit — in the Moscow and Tambov regions, over 500 and about 700 km from the front line.

They were being used by the aggressor to supply sanctioned components for drone production and navigation equipment.

An oil facility was also struck.

Ukrainian midstrikes also hit targets in the Sea of Azov, the Black Sea, and in temporarily occupied Crimea.

Ankara Assured F-35 Impasse Will Be Resolved

A high-level Turkish delegation has concluded positive defense talks in Washington, expressing absolute certainty that the F-35 fighter jet dispute and S-400 sanctions will be resolved.

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Dan Scavino posted a vague video of US B-2 stealth bombers and F-22 Raptor jets flying over snow-capped mountains, scored to Puccini's "Nessun Dorma" ("None Shall Sleep").

Iran said it has suspended its commitments under the Pakistan-brokered memorandum of understanding (MoU), accusing the US of violating the agreement.

"The US has violated and suspended all its commitments within the framework of the Islamabad MoU," Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said.

"We have also suspended our commitments... and we are busy defending the country," he added.

Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski:

You know, we are in Europe sometimes castigated as a declining civilization.

But in Europe, we think that allowing people to go bankrupt for the sake of medical bills is not how a good society should be treating itself.

Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski:

By the end of the decade, we'll have an army that, even if we are alone, I don't think Putin would touch.

Taiwan will acquire 25 sea drones and 2 underwater drones for its Coast Guard, partnering with a U.S. defense firm to strengthen maritime security against China's increasing naval and coast guard activity.

The drones are part of Taiwan's asymmetric defense strategy, though some experts argue the island needs hundreds, not dozens, to effectively deter Beijing.

Source: Nikkei Asia

Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski:

We are already the EU's fifth-largest economy. We've just become the 20th economy in the world.

For the first time in 300 years, more Poles are coming back to Poland than emigrating, which is nice. We are issuing more and more passports to Americans.

Actually, the places where we issue the most new passports—new Polish citizens—are the United States and Israel.

And so I think by the end of the decade, within ten years, we will be a regular Western country—perhaps even more dynamic than some.

Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski:

We no longer buy energy from Russia, which is Russia's loss.

Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski:

Russia has been waging hybrid war against us, the West, for ten years.

This hybrid war has many facets. There are cyberattacks, which can be very dangerous.

If you block the emergency line of a hospital, people may die. They also target financial institutions and tax collection systems.

They also plant worms inside our systems to be activated in case of something more serious.

They interfere in politics by supporting radicals of both the left and the right during elections.

They use Telegram to recruit one-time saboteurs, paying €2,000 for taking photographs of targets and €20,000 for setting fire to them. We've had dozens of arson attacks, including huge shopping malls and entire districts of cities.

They've even tried to set fire to a home owned by the current Prime Minister of Britain. We've had assassinations, state terrorism, railway sabotage, flammable materials placed in DHL parcels, incursions by ballistic and cruise missiles, and Russian drones.

This is all part of Russia's ongoing hybrid war.

Overnight US strikes hit critical transport infrastructure in southern Iran.

Damage:

— Shahid Mirzaei Tunnel (Glogah) — blocked in both directions.

— Two bridges beyond the gorge — bombed.

— Outbound Minab intersection bridge — struck.

— Shur River bridge on Bandar Abbas–Sirjan route — destroyed.

At least 3 killed, 8 wounded in Hormozgan province.

This is night 7 of US strikes systematically cutting road links between Bandar Abbas, Minab, Rudan, and Sirjan — isolating the Strait of Hormuz coast from inland supply routes.

WATCH: NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he is in "an active conversation" with the city's Law Department about whether he has the authority to order the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits New York for the U.N. General Assembly.

"I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague," Mamdani said, calling him "a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court."

He added, "Whatever the law allows me to do in New York City, that's what we will do, but we won't be writing our own laws to that end."

Source: NYT

Rector of Türkiye’s National Defense University, Erhan Afyoncu:

We are one of the only two countries in the world giving drone training in military academies.

There is no such thing in European war colleges or NCO schools.

Our policy is this: every military graduate will leave our academies knowing how to use a drone the way they use a rifle.

The rifle will never disappear, but it will never replace the drone.

Zohran Mamdani:

I believe that we can raise taxes a little bit more on the wealthiest New Yorkers to ensure that everyone can afford life in this city.

Source: NYT

Zohran Mamdani:

I think we have to go beyond the typical indicators of what makes a strong economy. I think we also have to measure whether a working person can breathe.

And yes, it's the wealthiest city and it's also a city where one in four are living in poverty.

So, I will always celebrate continued investment in this city. And I'll also look to ensure that more and more New Yorkers can be a part of those benefits.

Source: NYT

Zohran Mamdani:

It's hard to explain to a New Yorker why their needs are not even being discussed. And yet we have billions of dollars to kill civilians halfway across the world.

Earlier we were talking about the World Cup and we'll be watching the games here, and then you'll look to the news and you'll find that even someone who had gone to Gaza on a relief mission to set up watch parties was then killed by the Israeli military.

There is no respite from a genocide, no matter—even in a moment of joy for the entire world.

Source: NYT