Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba suggests that former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov is positioning himself politically alongside powerful global tech figures such as Elon Musk, Alex Karp, and potentially Peter Thiel.

He calls them a trio of “evil global geniuses,” arguing that while their technological achievements are undeniable, their views on society and the state are highly unorthodox and “inclined toward some new form of technological totalitarianism.”

Kuleba clarifies that he does not believe Fedorov himself “seeks to build totalitarianism as a politician.”

Iranian MP Ebrahim Rezaei:

The best response to Trump's escalation of the economic war is to withdraw from the NPT.

Taiwan plans to raise 2027 defense spending by 18% to a record T$1.12 trillion ($31.4B), exceeding 3% of GDP.

The increase will fund drones, missiles, and military modernization as China steps up military pressure around the island, but the proposal still faces resistance from Taiwan’s opposition-controlled parliament.

Source: Reuters

IRGC Spokesperson:

The destructive power of the warheads used in the IRGC’s missiles is far greater than those used in previous wars.

If a war begins, our weapons will be completely different from the past in every respect.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi:

They claim Iran is on the brink of collapse and hanging by a thread, yet they beg all their allies to help them!

The problem is the wrong calculations that, each time to cover them up, they’re forced to create a bigger failure for themselves.

The military war didn’t yield results, so now they’ve named the next failure “economic war.”

UAE-funded mercenary Abraham Golan ran a covert surveillance operation in London in 2016 targeting British-Iraqi activist Anas Altikriti, whom Abu Dhabi viewed as aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood through his think tank, the Cordoba Foundation.

Golan, who had previously carried out assassination operations in Yemen for the UAE, gathered detailed intelligence on Altikriti’s home, workplace and movements and discussed potentially killing him.

Secret records show Golan was being paid by the UAE during the operation, although it cannot establish whether the Emirati government directly ordered the London plot.

Source: ITV News

Iran today executed a foreign national, Qaem Hosseini, over charges linked to January’s nationwide protests.

Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar:

Britain itself still controls colonial territories thousands of miles from its shores. It is absurd for Britain to lecture the Jewish people about where they may live in their historic tiny homeland, when the Jewish people’s connection and right to this land is the most extensively documented of any people in human history.

The UK Government’s decision to damage the relationship between our countries is deeply unfortunate. But Israel will not be a passive victim of this policy.

Evergrande founder Hui Ka Yan was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to eight charges including fraud, bribery and misuse of funds.

The court also fined Evergrande $1.3 billion, confiscated Hui’s assets and sentenced five other executives to prison, marking the dramatic end of one of China’s biggest property empires.

Source: NYT

Germany’s Bundeswehr is using Döner bags in Berlin as recruitment ads, with camouflage-colored packaging and QR codes linking to its careers website.

The kebab shops get the branded bags for free, while the Bundeswehr says the campaign targets young people, career changers and skilled workers, though its direct impact on applications is difficult to measure.

Source: Berliner Kurier

South Korea Backs Trump’s Drill Cuts as Path to North Korea Talks

President Lee Jae Myung welcomed Donald Trump’s decision to shorten joint military exercises, arguing that reduced tensions could reopen dialogue with Pyongyang while pledging to raise South Korean defense spending to 3.5 percent of GDP.

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Harry and Meghan Plan Extended UK Stay Without Royal Roles

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will reportedly return to Britain with their children this autumn but have no intention of resuming duties as working members of the royal family.

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UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband:

Britain will not stand back and accept the destruction of the two state solution.

Hind Rajab’s Family Rejects Israeli Probe, Demands International Justice

The Israeli military has admitted that its forces fired on the vehicle carrying five-year-old Hind Rajab after previously denying any presence at the scene, but her family says an army investigating itself cannot deliver justice.

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Turkish MoD:

We state that there was no Turkish military delegation present at the Abu al-Duhur Air Base prior to or during Israel’s attack on the base.

For the peace and stability of both Syria and the region, it is imperative that Israel cease such reckless attacks and comply with its obligations under international law.

WATCH: A humanoid robot preparing for the “Robot Olympics” in Beijing runs too fast to stop, crashes into a safety cushion, and breaks its waist.

Turkish MoD Says No Troops Were Present at Bombed Syrian Airbase

Ankara’s Ministry of National Defense explicitly confirmed no Turkish military personnel were deployed at Syria's Abu al-Duhur Air Base prior to or during recent Israeli airstrikes.

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WATCH: A robot appears to suffer a seizure at the World Robot Conference in Beijing after its remote control stops working and the operators struggle to shut it down.

Senior Iranian MP Ebrahim Azizi:

We are watching your every move. Any further mistake or miscalculation will carry consequences far greater than before.

End your presence in the region immediately, before it is too late, and accept Iran’s new regional order.

🛢️ Brent crude hit ~$94 per barrel, up over 4% for the week, with WTI near $86.

Both are up roughly 35-38% year-over-year.

Trump's freeze on Iran talks and continued naval blockade are keeping the war premium elevated.

Prices remain highly sensitive to any change in Hormuz traffic or diplomatic signals.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on Lebanon:

I have a son who is now going in and out of Lebanon with his reconnaissance unit, and I’m telling you: he and his friends deserve for us to bomb Beirut, for us to crush them.