Last week at the Barclays 11th Annual Eat, Sleep, Play, Shop Conference in New York City, fast-food chain Wendy's Co.'s top executives participated in a fireside chat. They offered a clearer view of the consumer environment backed by Wendy's own proprietary data, only to reveal yet more evidence of the https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/goldman-spots-intensifying-k-shaped-consumer-bessent-signals-brighter-2026

.

?itok=F9cZd3Ya

Ken Cook, the interim chief executive officer and chief financial officer, Suzie Thuerk, the chief administrative officer and head of financial planning and analysis, and Aaron Broholm, the head of investor relations at Wendy's, offered no update on formal guidance. However, they emphasized the persistent weakness among customers earning less than $75,000 per year.

Here are the main takeaways from the fireside chat:

Low-income Weakness a Persistent Theme: Wendy's continues to see consumer pressure, particularly at the low end of the income spectrum. The company has invested in more rigorous data analysis that will allow for greater segmentation of its consumer base, but for now the view is comprised of sub-$75k and $75k+ household incomes. While the beginning of 2025 was very noisy with weather-related issues, Wendy's has observed a persistent decline in lower income traffic since March. Specifically, low-income traffic has been down in the high single-digit to low double-digit range, while higher-income traffic is up y-y. This is consistent with what other peers in the quick-service segment have publicly acknowledged.

As for the underlying issue with low-income consumers, Wendy's believes the restaurant industry is battling the cumulative impact of Food Away From Home inflation over the past few years post pandemic, though interestingly, today the gap between FAFH & FAH inflation has narrowed to "a couple of points." Notably, Wendy's has not taken as much price as the competition, which sets the brand up "fairly well" for a rebound, as consumers are still willing to pay for quality and experience. As for the most discernible area of weakness within its business, Wendy's noted the breakfast daypart is the first area of pullback when consumers shift to FAH. This is not surprising given a host of readily available (and affordable) substitutes.

This granular view of consumer behavior confirms what readers have long known: the existence of a K-shaped economy. It's worth noting that Wendy's customer base is primarily young adults aged 18 to 34, with household incomes between $40,000 and $75,000.

Related:

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/goldman-spots-intensifying-k-shaped-consumer-bessent-signals-brighter-2026

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/corporate-america-sounds-alarm-squeezed-consumer

A Tale Of Two Consumer Worlds - Captured In A Survey

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/tale-two-consumer-worlds-captured-single-chart

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/early-warning-indicator-signals-sharp-sentiment-deterioration-among-low-income-consumers

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/worst-consumer-sentiments-decades-goldman-goes-defcon-1-imploding-us-consumer

Let's not forget who created the worst inflation crisis that doomed a generation of young people ...

?itok=i7UHNJD4

Affordability will be front and center in the midterm election cycle. The Trump administration has already begun https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/operation-affordability-trump-prepares-tariff-cuts-trade-deals-lower-food-prices-ahead

.

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Mon, 12/08/2025 - 15:40

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/wendys-data-pinpoints-when-working-poor-customers-ditched-daves-single-burger

The United States is now the most OnlyFans-obsessed country on the planet, according to a https://onlyguider.com/blog/onlyfans-wrapped-2025/#block-bcd53046-3aa2-4d88-8ec5-afc9a0ed479f

, names the U.S. as both the biggest market overall and home to the most intensely engaged cities anywhere in the world.

While Americans spent an estimated $2.6 billion on OnlyFans in 2025, the report says the country’s dominance is most striking at the city level. Fifteen of the top 20 global cities for per-capita spending are in the U.S., led by Atlanta and Orlando. The report comes days after OnlyFans and TikToker Sophie Rain https://esports.gg/news/entertainment/sophie-rain-onlyfans-50-million-earnings/

now earned over $50 million from her content.

Atlanta ranks #1 worldwide, spending $525,476 per 10,000 residents—almost double the national average. In total, the city’s users spent just over $26 million last year. Orlando follows at #2, while Miami, Washington, D.C., Minneapolis, Denver, Seattle and Las Vegas all rank within the global top ten.

?itok=h1XIwwcB

Even the country’s most populous city stands out. New York City alone spent $87.2 million, an amount higher than the annual totals of entire small nations measured in the report.

Sam Pierce, CEO of OnlyGuider, said the data leaves no doubt that the U.S. dominates the platform: “If you look at per-capita spend, the global OnlyFans map is basically a cluster of American cities. Atlanta, Orlando, Miami, DC — they’re not just high, they’re world-leading outliers.”

However, the U.S. is no longer the fastest-growing market. U.S. spending growth rose just 2% year over year, compared to 19% in Mexico, 15% across Europe, and 28–32% in emerging markets like parts of Asia and Latin America, suggesting the platform’s next wave of expansion may come from abroad.

The full data set also includes breakdowns for North and South America, along with state, county and city-level numbers. The complete 2025 OnlyFans Wrapped report can be accessed via OnlyGuider’s website.

To determine where the $7.2 Billion OnlyFans economy actually lives, https://onlyguider.com/blog/onlyfans-wrapped-2025/#block-bcd53046-3aa2-4d88-8ec5-afc9a0ed479f

that triangulates search intent, traffic quality, and audited revenue.

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Mon, 12/08/2025 - 19:40

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/americans-spent-26-billion-onlyfans-2025

The Washington Post dropped a bombshell last week, claiming Secretary of War Pete Hegseth ordered a second missile strike on a drug boat in September to make sure survivors were killed. “Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave a spoken directive, according to two people with direct knowledge of the operation. ‘The order was to kill everybody,’ one of them said,” WaPo https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/11/28/hegseth-kill-them-all-survivors-boat-strike/

, relying entirely on anonymous sources.

?itok=Wymv8CR6

Hegseth promptly denied the report in ahttps://x.com/SecWar/status/1994552598142038358

on X.

“As usual, the fake news is delivering more fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory reporting to discredit our incredible warriors fighting to protect the homeland,” he wrote. “As we’ve said from the beginning, and in every statement, these highly effective strikes are specifically intended to be ‘lethal, kinetic strikes.’ The declared intent is to stop lethal drugs, destroy narco-boats, and kill the narco-terrorists who are poisoning the American people. Every trafficker we kill is affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organization.”

Hegseth also argued that the country is finally seeing the difference between weak leadership and real enforcement, adding that Biden administration used “kid gloves,” and let millions of people pour into the country - including “dangerous cartels and unvetted Afghans,” which brought chaos into communities. He contrasted that with Trump’s approach, noting that “the Trump administration has sealed the border and gone on offense against narco-terrorists,” and drove the point home with his blunt line: “Biden coddled terrorists, we kill them.”

He stressed that current missions in the Caribbean follow the law, explaining that operations are “lawful under both U.S. and international law” and cleared by top military and civilian attorneys. He closed by praising the men and women of SOUTHCOM, saying they risk everything to keep the country safe from narco-terrorists and declaring he will “ALWAYS have their back.”

Despite the denial, Democrats pounced on the report.

“I served on active duty as a JAG for four years, and then an additional 21 years in the reserves. And let me be very clear: Killing shipwrecked survivors is a war crime,” Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.)https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5630106-ted-lieu-hegseth-drug-boat-strikes-war-crime/

reporters on Monday.

?itok=jlhjoM-2

“The Department of Justice must conduct an investigation into the war crime and hold all of those accountable — including Sec. Hegseth. He allegedly said, ‘Kill them all,’” Lieu, the vice chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, continued. “If the Trump administration does not hold the people accountable, I guarantee you a future administration will do so. Because there is no statute of limitations for war crimes.”

The problem, however, is that the story is false. The New York Times investigated and https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/01/us/hegseth-drug-boat-strike-order-venezuela.html

The Washington Post’s claim.

According to five U.S. officials, who spoke separately and on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter that is under investigation, Mr. Hegseth, ahead of the Sept. 2 attack, ordered a strike that would kill the people on the boat and destroy the vessel and its purported cargo of drugs.

But, each official said, Mr. Hegseth's directive did not specifically address what should happen if a first missile turned out not to fully accomplish all of those things. And, the officials said, his order was not a response to surveillance footage showing that at least two people on the boat survived the first blast.

Admiral Bradley ordered the initial missile strike and then several follow-up strikes that killed the initial survivors and sank the disabled boat. As that operation unfolded, they said, Mr. Hegseth did not give any further orders to him.

The Times stopped short of calling the Post's reporting a fabrication, but they couldn't find even one anonymous source to back up the claim that Hegseth watched survivors clinging to wreckage and then ordered them killed.

Administration tracking shows roughly 80 narcoterrorists killed in the Caribbean and Pacific since early September. After the September incident, protocols shifted to focus on capturing survivors. In an October strike, two survivors were detained and transferred to Ecuador and Colombia. U.S. officials told the Times they intercepted communications tying at least one survivor to traffickers. Lawmakers have asked for the execution order, but the administration hasn’t handed it over.

The White Househttps://www.axios.com/2025/12/02/hegseth-boat-strikes-venezuela-cabinet-meeting

it has launched 21 operations since September 2, with 83 fatalities. And with major outlets contradicting each other on claims about kill orders, Washington stays locked in outrage mode rather than grappling with a more mundane operational reality.

"We've only just begun striking narco-boats and putting narco-terrorists at the bottom of the ocean because they've been poisoning the American people," War Secretary Hegseth said Tuesday during a Cabinet meeting.

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Tue, 12/02/2025 - 17:20

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/new-york-times-busts-wapo-over-bogus-hit-piece-hegseth

A Hoover, Alabama zoning commission unanimously rejected a rezoning request Monday that would have allowed a Muslim K-12 academy to relocate to an office building in the Birmingham suburb, capping a contentious public hearing that packed roughly 170 residents into the room and erupted with heated testimony over concerns of growing Islamification of the area, https://1819news.com/news/item/denied-hoover-planning-and-zoning-to-recommend-city-council-deny-islamic-academy-of-alabama-and-muslim-prayer-center-zoning-request

reports.

?itok=9dckKUXo

The Islamic Academy of Alabama, which has operated in neighboring Homewood since 1995 serving approximately 260 students, sought to move to a larger facility in Hoover's commercial corridor. The proposal was voted down 7-0 to sustained applause from the crowd of concerned residents.

The town's commissioners pointed to vehicular congestion in an already-strained commercial corridor and lingering questions about the property's long-term compatibility as grounds for denial.

John Padgett, whose residential property sits closest to the proposed location, challenged the traffic study's conclusion that the school would have zero impact on current conditions.

"I see the traffic backed up every morning already," Padgett reportedly told commissioners. "When they start, if you add a few hundred cars to that, it's gonna be backed up past the stop sign."

Padgett recounted a recent incident at an Airbnb next door to his home, carefully prefacing his remarks.

"I want to be very sensitive and careful in the way I say this," he began, noting that he didn't want to seem as though he was attacking a particular religion. "They weren't supposed to have any kind of big parties, but they had an Islamic wedding there."

Padgett described returning from a trip to find videos from neighbors showing dozens of cars—30 or 40, he estimated—parked throughout the neighborhood, including in his own driveway without permission, blocking his vehicles.

"They drove through my yard. Waving Islamic flags, out the window, and screaming things in Arabic," he said.

Several attendees brandished signs reading "Give an inch — Dearborn Michigan" and "Stop the 100 year plan"—pointed references to demographic shifts in Dearborn, Michigan, which is home to the largest Muslim population in the United States.

"You're going to have real problems with this community, I'm just telling you now," resident Bruce Davis warned commissioners. "There's going to be an influx of other people that are going to create a problem for this community and we might as well just face it."

The final public commenter drew applause as the unidentified woman recounted travels through the United Kingdom and issued stark warnings about parallel risks facing the United States. The female speaker described witnessing "the land that gave us the King James Bible, supposedly a Christian nation, overwhelmingly being taken over," according to 1819 News.

"The Muslims did not assimilate," she continued. "In fact, the Brits bent backwards to accommodate their demands over and over again, to the level of feeling the second-class citizens in their own country."

"The citizens could not even voice their grief because it was immediately associated with that type of phobia," she added. "They gave in an inch and were soon taken for rides, miles away, with no hope of landing back to familiarity."

Hoover Commission Chairman Mike Wood cut her off, steering the discussion back to zoning criteria. "We are here to look at whether this school was appropriately placed," he interjected. "We're not here for that. I'm sorry. We're not going to listen to that." The interruption sparked objections from the audience.

Lucas Gambino, who presented the case for the school, pushed back against the city's objections.

"We're not here to mislead anybody or trick anybody," Gambino said, addressing questions about the evolving scope of what was variously described as a community center, prayer center, or auxiliary facility.

Gambino argued against forcing the developer to wait indefinitely for an idealized tenant.

"The idea that holding these 200,000 square feet buildings hostage for a tech buyer to come in and occupy those buildings, when you have a developer that owns those buildings, that's paying significant carrying costs, on a monthly basis, for those buildings," Gambino explained. "It's gonna be asked to sit back and wait for a tech buyer to come in and occupy those buildings."

Initially, a motion to send the request to the city council without a recommendation was made, but it failed to receive a second. A motion to move the proposal forward with a recommendation to deny it then passed unanimously. The decision now moves to the Hoover City Council, which will likely take up the matter at its first January meeting.

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Tue, 12/02/2025 - 19:40

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/alabama-zoning-commission-rejects-proposal-muslim-school-after-town-erupts-fury

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-netanyahu-visits-soldiers-occupied-syria-faces-troops-blurred

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Israeli soldiers in occupied Syria on Wednesday, where the faces of the troops were blurred out in photos and videos to protect them from the risk of legal action over allegations of involvement in war crimes.

Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, Eyal Zamir, the Israeli military chief of staff, and several other security officials toured military positions in the buffer zone area unilaterally seized by Israel in December.

?itok=h2-naooG

Israel, which has already occupied Syria’s Golan Heights in contravention of international law since 1967, expanded its territory in southern Syria following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government. It seized all of a UN-patrolled buffer zone which had previously separated Israeli and Syria forces in the Golan Heights.

Addressing Israeli soldiers at the outpost on Wednesday, Netanyahu said: "We attach immense importance to our capability here, both defensive and offensive, safeguarding our Druze allies, and especially safeguarding Israel and its northern border opposite the Golan Heights."

He added: "This is a mission that can develop at any moment, but we are counting on you."cEarlier this year, the Israeli military placed new restrictions on media coverage of soldiers on active combat duty because of growing concern about the risk of legal action.

In response to the visit, Syria’s foreign ministry condemned the visit as "illegal".

"Syria firmly condemns the illegal visit of the Israeli prime minister, defense and foreign ministers, along with other occupying officials, to the south of the Syrian Arab Republic. This constitutes a clear violation of Syria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and relevant UN Security Council resolutions," it said in a statement.

The ministry said it was part of Israel's "ongoing policy of aggression and continued breaches against Syrian territory" and that all actions by Israel in southern Syria were "null, void, and legally invalid under international law".

Ibrahim Olabi, Syria's ambassador to the United Nations, told the UN Security Council on Wednesday that it should halt Israeli violations, and enforce relevant resolutions including the 1974 disengagement agreement which followed the 1973 Middle East war.

Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, said the "very public visit" by Israeli officials was "concerning, to say the least". Dujarric said that UN Resolution 2799, which was recently passed by the Security Council, "called for the full sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity of Syria".

During the Security Council meeting this week, Israeli ambassador Danny Danon spoke about Syria but did not address Netanyahu's visit.  "Show us that Syria is moving away from extremism and radicalism, that the protection of Christians and Jews is not an afterthought but a priority. Show us that the militias are restrained and justice is real and the cycle of indiscriminate killings has ended," Danon said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu illegally toured areas in Syria beyond the designated ceasefire line, visiting Israeli troops and inspecting the site. Syria condemned the visit, calling it “a serious violation of Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity” https://t.co/KeKnC6tT0c

— TRT World (@trtworld) https://twitter.com/trtworld/status/1991218731683344731?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Olabi hit back: "The proving, Mr Ambassador, tends to be on your shoulders. You have struck Syria more than 1,000 times, and we have responded with requests for diplomacy… and responded with zero signs of aggression towards Israel." He added: "We have engaged constructively. and we still await for you to do the same."

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said recently Israel had conducted over 1,000 air strikes in Syria since December 8 2024, when Assad's government collapsed. Last week, Sharaa https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/sharaa-confirms-syria-direct-talks-israel-says-withdrawal-must-deal

that his country was in direct talks with Israel on reaching a new security agreement.

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Fri, 11/21/2025 - 03:30

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/netanyahu-visits-israeli-troops-inside-southern-syria-provocative-first

The tests took place in Nevada from August 19 to 21, https://www.newsweek.com/us-tests-b61-12-nuclear-bomb-11053024

F-35 fighter jets deploying and releasing dummy versions of the bomb. The effort was conducted in partnership with the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).

?itok=uDInguU1

The tests were deemed successful as they demonstrated that inert B61-12 gravity bombs could be transported and released by an F-35, seen as an important step in assessing the weapon system's capabilities.

The press release notes another milestone, as for the first time a joint test assembly underwent thermal preconditioning specifically for F-35 carriage before release, important for confirming that the B61-12 meets its environmental performance requirements under combined real-world conditions.

This latest testing comes soon after the NNSA completed a program to extend the service life of the aerial bombs by 20 years in late 2024. Defense News https://www.defensenews.com/air/2025/11/14/watch-the-us-air-force-load-inert-nuclear-bombs-in-f-35-for-tests/

:

The B61 family of nuclear gravity bombs are deployed from U.S. Air Force and NATO bases and have been in the U.S. arsenal in one form or another for more than 50 years.

The test predates President Trump's late October statements announcing the resumption of US nuclear testing. He had written on Truth Social at the time, "Because of other countries’ testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis," the president stated. "That process will begin immediately."

This had apparently https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/kremlin-walks-back-nuclear-test-claims-trump-orders-us-atomic-weapons-testing

to President Putin touting new nuclear tests, but the Kremlin has made clear these were not detonations, but simply nuclear-powered weapons systems which are capable of delivering nuclear warheads.

🇺🇸 The United States has completed a series of B61-12 nuclear bomb flight tests using an F-35 at the Tonopah Test Range in Nevada.

The trials, conducted from 19 to 21 August, involved the safe carriage and release of inert B61-12 units and confirmed overall system reliability.… https://t.co/wqUET7RSS5

— Defence Index (@Defence_Index) https://twitter.com/Defence_Index/status/1989621088054342064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

As for whether Trump actually plans to carry through with atomic explosions, which the United States has not done since 1992, his precise intentions remain ambiguous.

Also there have been recent reports that administration officials are urging him not to do this, as Russia would likely respond with its own mirror tests, upping the nuclear ante among superpower rivals.

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Sat, 11/15/2025 - 14:35

https://www.zerohedge.com/military/us-tests-thermonuclear-bomb-without-warhead-nevada-desert

Capping a week in which he faced a https://www.zerohedge.com/political/democrats-shutdown-distraction-morphed-exploding-cigar-posts-vanish

by Democrats and allied journalists working to implicate him in the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein, President Trump had a social media meltdown Friday night, lashing out at two GOP representatives who both enjoy deep national support among conservatives. Trump withdrew his endorsement of one and stooped to ridiculing the other for re-marrying 15 months after the death of his wife. It's likely no coincidence that both reps -- Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie -- were among four Republicans who signed a discharge petition to force a floor vote on a bill that would compel the DOJ to release all its Epstein files. Trump and GOP leaders on Capitol Hill have opposed that effort.

?itok=ty-en762

Massie isn't just a signatory of that petition, but its principal champion, having introduced it this summer along with Democratic California Rep. Ro Khanna. When Speaker Mike Johnson finally brought the House back into session this week after nearly two months of idleness, Massie secured the required 218th signature on the Epstein-file discharge petition, a parliamentary avenue that overrides Johnson's ability to determine which bills are voted upon. When the vote on Massie's bill takes place on https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/14/house-epstein-files-vote-00652964

, rather than face subsequent attacks for voting to keep the Epstein files under wraps.

?itok=OjyGzYYl

Posting on his Truth Social account, Trump's first attack targeted Massie, whom the president has repeatedly denigrated going back to his first administration. The twice-divorced and alleged-repeat-philanderer Trump suggested Massie remarried too quickly after his wife died in June 2024; the libertarian-minded Kentuckian https://x.com/MassieforKY/status/1985217960076542156

a former Rand Paul staffer last month. Trump implied the marriage was hurting Massie's 2026 political prospects, claiming "polls" give Massie "less than an 8% chance" of being re-elected. ZeroHedge was unable to find a published poll that aligns with that characterization. Massie won his last three primaries handily, amassing more than 75% of the vote in each one.

?itok=6lXQ47IA

Not long after his Massie post, Trump dropped a nearly-300-word rant assailing "Wacky Marjorie," and announcing he was withdrawing his "support and endorsement" of Greene. Trump claimed that Greene's complaints about Trump's policies spring from when Trump sent her a poll "stating that she should not run" for governor or the Senate, adding that he's heard Greene is "upset that I don't return her phone calls anymore." The president said he stands ready to give the "right" Republican primary challenger of Greene his "Complete and Unyielding Support."

?itok=1OaISt8o

Greene quickly fired back with https://x.com/RepMTG/status/1989518703507963940?s=20

, saying, "President Trump just attacked me and lied about me. I haven't called him at all." She said that, earlier on Friday, she'd sent Trump text messages urging him to "lean into" the release of the Epstein files, telling him that Bill Clinton appeared on Epstein's flight logs "like 26 times," and that "Epstein was the spider that wove the web of the deep state." Greene included screen shots of her text messages, and added:

"Of course he’s coming after me hard to make an example to scare all the other Republicans before next weeks vote to release the Epstein files. It’s astonishing really how hard he’s fighting to stop the Epstein files from coming out that he actually goes to this level. But really most Americans wish he would fight this hard to help the forgotten men and women of America who are fed up with foreign wars and foreign causes, are going broke trying to feed their families, and are losing hope of ever achieving the American dream. That’s what I voted for.

I have supported President Trump with too much of my precious time, too much of my own money, and fought harder for him even when almost all other Republicans turned their back and denounced him. But I don’t worship or serve Donald Trump. I worship God, Jesus is my savior, and I serve my district GA14 and the American people. I remain the same today as I’ve always been and I will continue to pray this administration will be successful because the American people desperately deserve what they voted for."

In addition to her pursuit of the Epstein files in the face of Trump's insistence that it's all a Democrat

hoax," Greene has become increasingly critical of the Republican Party's performance on issues like the cost of living and government spending. Greene has become Congress's most outspoken Republican critic of US support of Israel, repeatedly opposing additional aid to what she calls the "https://x.com/Bannons_WarRoom/status/1933280134297235638?s=20

.

We need more representatives like Massie. https://t.co/1kgQOmACKj

— Joe Miller (@JoeFnMiller) https://twitter.com/JoeFnMiller/status/1988794974935347537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

With less-heated rhetoric, Massie has taken similar stances, which has made him a target of pro-Israel forces inside the United States. Earlier this year, the Trump team https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trump-team-launches-superpac-focused-solely-ousting-massie

who's running against Massie.

As you'd expect, Trump's attacks on Massie and Greene prompted commentary aplenty on X, much of it coming from conservatives exasperated by Trump's attacks on Massie, Greene and others who seem to best exemplify what the MAGA movement is supposed to be about...

This is a new level of stupidity. Go to war on Massie & MTG, while going to bat for Lindsay Graham. Trump is quickly torching away support from key parts of his base. https://t.co/SE7DEbxM4d

— Robert Barnes (@barnes_law) https://twitter.com/barnes_law/status/1989516042855723015?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Donald Trump just attacked Thomas Massie for getting re-married recently after his wife tragically passed away last year.

He then uses it as an attack on https://twitter.com/RepThomasMassie?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

to imply he is going to lose his next election.

This is actually disgusting.

Donald Trump has lost me. https://t.co/PwzXvdUiuM

— Evan Kilgore 🇺🇸 (@EvanAKilgore) https://twitter.com/EvanAKilgore/status/1989502999756968316?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

MTG has been America First from day one. Pro-Trump, pro-border, anti-woke. And now Trump turns on her, just like he attacked Thomas Massie. Not for betraying MAGA, but for not being Israel First. He’s showing who owns him, and it’s not the Christian American people. I’m out! https://t.co/f0qXyQykci

— Dr. Simon Goddek (@goddeketal) https://twitter.com/goddeketal/status/1989524706240659794?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

So now Ben Shapiro, Randy Fine and Lindsey Graham are considered MAGA, but Marjorie Greene, Tucker Carlson, and Thomas Massie are not?

Your Israel First “MIGA” movement is dead.

The America First Movement is the future.

— Nicholas J. Fuentes (@NickJFuentes) https://twitter.com/NickJFuentes/status/1989529138747601324?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Sat, 11/15/2025 - 07:35

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/friday-night-meltdown-trump-yanks-mtg-endorsement-mocks-massies-remarriage-after-wifes

Under US pressure to bolster its armed forces so as to deter supposed Russian aspirations to invade NATO countries, Germany is moving toward reinstating military conscription, with the initial steps centering questionnaires and medical exams that will feed a database detailing each young man's fitness, aptitude and willingness to serve. The plan was agreed upon by Germany's coalition government on Thursday, and now goes to parliament, where the ruling coalition has a slim majority of https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/berlins-answer-to-its-conscription-conundrum-a-massive-medical-database-5728dd42?mod=hp_listb_pos2

out of a 630 total.

If Germany reinstates conscription, holding a German passport means possibly fighting in a foreign war, while not holding a German passport means access to the welfare state.

The German government pays foreigners while contemplating sacrificing what is left of its native youth. https://t.co/a1NZ1gfd7y

— Ralph Schoellhammer (@Raphfel) https://twitter.com/Raphfel/status/1957869799494807586?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Today, the German armed forces -- the Bundeswehr -- has about 180,000 service members. The government said it was laying out https://www.dw.com/en/german-coalition-government-agrees-new-military-service-plan/a-74726370

.

Germany drafted men for military service from 1956 until 2011, when the country adopted the US model of a professional, voluntary force. Rather than abolishing conscription -- which would have required a constitutional amendment -- it was merely https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/01/world/europe/01germany.html

that year. Reinstating it would only require a simple majority of the parliament. However, unless the constitution is changed, women will remain exempt.

?itok=ZkizjAqU

For now, conscription will not be put to a vote, as the government hopes to achieve its enormous military expansion -- 44% growth in active-duty ranks -- via recruitment of willing volunteers.  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/13/germany-decides-against-conscription-to-replenish-post-cold-war-military

said Jens Spahn, parliamentary leader of the conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) party. “We want to win over as many young people as possible for the service for the fatherland.” If that fails, however, "we'll need to make it obligatory," he added. Without providing details, the government has said a lottery system would be employed. The Bundeswehr will report on its recruitment efforts every six months, ready to request the reinstatement of conscription to make up any shortfalls.

A recent poll for Stern magazine found that a slim majority of Germans favored reinstating the draft. However, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gpkerdn9qo

.

German defense minister Boris Pistorius https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gpkerdn9qo

.

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Sat, 11/15/2025 - 09:55

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/germany-marches-toward-reinstating-military-conscription-starting-fitness-database

https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/US-Steps-Up-Pressure-on-Hungary-to-Cut-Off-Russian-Oil.html

The U.S. is increasing pressure on Hungary to cut off its reliance on Russian oil imports and vows to work with Hungarian authorities and neighboring countries to help Budapest wean off Russian supply, a senior U.S. diplomat says.

?itok=TvLW143T

Matthew Whitaker, the U.S. Ambassador to NATO, rejected in a Fox News interview suggestions from Hungarian politicians that the U.S. is giving Hungary a pass to continue importing Russian oil.

“Hungary, unlike many of their neighbors, has not made any plans or made any active steps,” Whitaker told https://www.foxnews.com/video/6384097031112

in an interview.

“So we’re going to continue to work with them and we’re going to work with their neighbors like Croatia, and other countries that can help them wean themselves off,” the Ambassador added.

The U.S. official made clear that the United States expects Hungary to cut off Russian oil imports in the future and come up with a plan to do so.

“There’s a lot of planning that our friends in Hungary should do and we’re going to help them obviously, as a good ally, to make those plans and execute them to get them off of Russian oil and gas,” Whitaker told Fox News.

Hungary, whose top officials have remained in contact with Russia’s leadership including Putin, has https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Hungary-Slams-EUs-Energy-Policy.html

with its fellow EU member states over plans to ditch Russian gas by 2027 and cut off oil supply from Moscow as soon as possible.

However, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban suffered diplomatic setbacks last week after the U.S. called off a Trump-Putin meeting in Hungary’s capital city Budapest and sanctioned the two biggest Russian oil firms, Rosneft and Lukoil.

Orban https://www.politico.eu/article/hungary-viktor-orban-vows-to-circumvent-us-sanctions-on-russian-oil-titans/

that “The battle is not over yet” over Hungary’s choice of oil supply.

But the U.S. appears unfazed by the Hungarian pledges to find a way to work around the American sanctions and Whitaker told Fox News in no unclear terms that the United States expects Hungary to prepare a plan to wean itself off of Russia’s energy supply.

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Tue, 10/28/2025 - 05:00

https://www.zerohedge.com/energy/us-steps-pressure-hungary-cut-russian-oil

The Wall Street Journal has subsequently https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/u-s-sends-b-1-bombers-near-venezuela-ramping-up-military-pressure-f9514126?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqfbGUnPV8xY0ww861d3grZ0fNJ_0x8u19tZKf1c0NcVFnh_JRzIdmd3NE1moVY%3D&gaa_ts=68fa93f2&gaa_sig=oebsYRWRn6tBV0ki7OjXvi9JzTg-_fZELmklABFm6jWfHTh46xn-EdL43XOq6J7F_OUQg0MHz5b9f97xvPYAmw%3D%3D

Thursday afternoon, "Two B-1 Lancers took off from Dyess Air Force Base in Texas on Thursday and flew near Venezuela, though they remained in international airspace, according to a U.S. official and flight tracking data."

The Pentagon has stressed that the aircraft remained in international airspace the whole time, before turning around - based on flight trackers.

Given this comes amid an unprecedented military build-up in the Caribbean, the fresh bomber flights set off an avalanche of speculation that President Trump is preparing to launch imminent military action against the Maduro government, per the WSJ:

The U.S. has seldom flown bombers near South America in recent decades, usually carrying out just one planned training mission a year. But more missions involving bombers could be carried out soon, according to two defense officials.

Thursday’s flights signal “seriousness and intent,” said David Deptula, a retired Air Force general and Dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, an aerospace think tank. “You’re bringing an enormous set of capabilities…endurance, payload, range and precision,” he said.

Two U.S. B-1B Lancer bombers flew a Caribbean patrol today, entering Venezuela’s ADIZ and nearing within 80 km of the coast, briefly switching off transponders in what appeared to be a strike simulation.

The mission follows earlier B-52 and F-35 flights near Venezuela this… https://t.co/Sz3nQNlya2

— Clash Report (@clashreport) https://twitter.com/clashreport/status/1981431312951976176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Various flight path observers noted it appeared to be precisely a "strike simulation" - which may have involved aerial refueling tankers as well.

As for the question of tonight could be the night, or even next 24 or 48 hours - for some kind of US military action over Venezuela - it remains very unlikely, given the presence in the general area of Tropical Storm Melissa, which looks to become a hurricane is currently barreling down on the Caribbean.

Could tonight be the night?

Venezuela 🇻🇪 https://t.co/JYk4iEd2bG

— Thomas van Linge (@ThomasVLinge) https://twitter.com/ThomasVLinge/status/1981425921111515462?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

It would not at all be an optimal time for the Pentagon to launch any kind of military action in these waters, but looks to in fact be time to get US naval assets out of the path of the https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/weather/2025/10/23/hurricane-forecasts-melissa-category-5/86840734007/

:

Tropical Storm Melissa continues to meander in the central Caribbean Sea on Oct. 23, its future path and strength still confounding meteorologists, who are now raising alarms about how strong the storm could become.

"It goes without saying, this is a very challenging track forecast," the https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCDAT3+shtml/221455.shtml

. In addition, "the intensity forecast is also more uncertain than usual, in large part related to the track uncertainty."

And with the chances of a monstrous Category 5 storm still in play, the potential is there for Melissa to be "the most impactful storm of the 2025 season," said Houston-based meteorologist Matt Lanza in a Substack post on Oct. 22.

?itok=rc6cizCg

These bomber flights could be yet more of the Trump White House seeking to scare Caracas by flexing and carry a 'big stick' - hoping for total political compliance. There are reports that Maduro has already offered Washington unprecedented concessions related to crude oil and favored status to American companies, but apparently to no avail.

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Thu, 10/23/2025 - 16:40

https://www.zerohedge.com/military/pair-us-bombers-again-fly-close-venezuela-setting-speculation-imminent-attack

Australia passed a https://www.statista.com/topics/1164/social-networks/

, X and TikTok. The measure is intended to reduce the “social harm” done to young Australians and is set to come into force on December 10, 2025. Tech giants will be up against fines of up to A$49.5 million ($31 million) if they do not adhere to the rules.

The new law was approved on November 28, 2024, with https://au.yougov.com/politics/articles/51000-support-for-under-16-social-media-ban-soars-to-77-among-australians/

who warn that it could cut off access to vital support, particularly for children from migrant, LGBTQIA+ and other minority backgrounds.

Critics argue it could also push children towards less regulated areas of the internet.

?itok=kMA7ddAe

The new legislation is the strictest of its kind on a national level and comes as other countries grapple with how best to regulate technology in a rapidly-evolving world.

https://www.statista.com/chart/33603/should-children-under-14-y-o-be-banned-from-using-social-media/

from an Ipsos survey fielded in August 2025, it’s not just Australians who support a full ban of social media for children and young teens.

https://www.statista.com/chart/33603/should-children-under-14-y-o-be-banned-from-using-social-media/

You will find more infographics at https://www.statista.com/chartoftheday/

An average of seven in ten respondents across the 30 countries surveyed said the same.

In France, an even higher share of adults (85 percent) held the view that children under the age of 14 should not be allowed social media either inside or outside of school.

This belief was far less common in Germany (53 percent). Consensus has been growing in countries around the world, with a growing number of respondents agreeing that such bans should be put in place across almost all countries surveyed, except for in India, Thailand and Hungary, where the opposite was true.

Sentiments on smartphone use differed by generation. Where 39 percent of Gen Z said they would support a ban on smartphones in schools, the figure was far higher among older generations (69 percent of Boomers, 61 percent of Gen X and 57 percent of Millennials.)

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Tue, 10/14/2025 - 05:45

https://www.zerohedge.com/medical/majority-supports-social-media-ban-children

https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/trump-suggests-dropping-spain-from-nato-alliance-over-defense-spending-5927515?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=ZeroHedge

President Donald Trump suggested on Oct. 9 that Spain could be thrown out of NATO after Madrid declined to commit to boosting defense spending to 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).

?itok=vLIhd-ie

Trump made the https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/transcript/donald-trump-remarks-bilat-alexander-stubb-finland-october-9-2025/

during an Oval Office meeting with the leader of the defense alliance’s second-newest member, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, where the world leaders discussed NATO’s almost-universal pledge to increase defense expenditure.

The U.S. president said to his Finnish counterpart: “Well, we had to do it, and you were great about it. Spain has not been. Spain is the one that didn’t do it. And so, I think you people are going to have to start speaking to Spain. The only one that didn’t do it, the only NATO country that didn’t do it is Spain, and you'll figure what that’s all about, right?”

Trump said later during the exchange: “We had one laggard. It was Spain, Spain. You have to call them and find out why are they a laggard, and they’re doing well, too.

“They have no excuse not to do this, but that’s all right. Maybe you should throw them out of NATO, frankly.”

Responding, Spain reaffirmed its commitment to the alliance, with the country’s defense minister, Margarita Robles, saying that Spain delivers on its pledges.

“These statements were made in a specific context, but I know for a fact that the U.S. Armed Forces are well aware of Spain’s commitment,” Robles said.

The defense minister in July had spoken of Spain’s reliability in the alliance during a visit to NATO headquarters in Naples, Italy, where she said that “NATO can count on Spain.”

According to a Spanish government statement from July 18, Robles said that “there are no debates or speeches that can overshadow Spain’s commitment and reliability in terms of NATO, because our commitment is robust.”

5 Percent of GDP

On June 25, Trump joined the leaders of the 31 other NATO member countries at a summit in The Hague, the Netherlands, where the alliance endorsed a new defense spending target of 5 percent of GDP—more than double the 2 percent benchmark set during a summit in Wales in 2014.

The president had been pushing for an increase in spending to redress an imbalance between what the United States and its non-U.S. allies spend.

A https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_67655.htm

called Funding NATO on the alliance’s website points to this imbalance, stating:

“The combined wealth of the non-US Allies, measured in GDP, is almost equal to that of the United States.

“However, non-U.S. Allies together spend less than half of what the United States spends on defence.

“This imbalance has been a constant, with variations, throughout the history of the alliance and has grown more pronounced since the tragic events of 11 Sept. 2001, after which the United States significantly increased its defence spending.”

During his first term, Trump frequently brought up this disparity, and the subject reemerged during the 2024 presidential election.

In October 2024, Trump’s then-running mate and now vice president, JD Vance, https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-wants-us-to-stay-in-nato-but-others-need-to-do-more-vance-5749171

: “Donald Trump wants NATO to be strong. He wants us to remain in NATO. But he also wants NATO countries to actually carry their share of the defense burden.”

Spain’s Exemption

In the run-up to the June 25 summit, several countries had already backed Trump’s call to increase their pledges, including Poland, Lithuania, and Estonia.

However, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/spain-excluded-from-5-percent-nato-target-5876852

his country had made a deal with NATO to exclude itself from the increased target.

“Spain will, therefore, not spend 5 percent of its GDP on defense, but its participation, weight, and legitimacy in NATO remain intact,” Sánchez said in a televised address on June 22.

“We fully respect the legitimate desire of other countries to increase their defense investment, but we are not going to do it.”

He added that Spain could meet all of its commitments to NATO, in terms of staff or equipment, by spending only 2.1 percent of its GDP.

?itok=yM0l979O

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez speaks during a press conference after the plenary session at the NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands, on June 25, 2025. Markus Schreiber/AP

According to NATO’s latest estimates from June, Spain is one of the lowest spenders on defense, just hitting 2 percent of GDP.

Poland is the highest spender out of the alliance, at 4.48 percent, followed by Lithuania (4 percent), Latvia (3.73 percent), Estonia (3.38 percent), Norway (3.35 percent), the United States (3.22 percent), and Denmark (also 3.22 percent).

At a pre-summit press conference on June 23, a journalist https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/trump-accuses-spain-of-wanting-nato-free-ride-makes-trade-threat-5878139

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte how, given the exemption for Spain, he was going to make sure the 5 percent pledge did not become an empty promise.

Rutte replied, “Alluding to Spain, NATO has no opt-out, and NATO doesn’t do side deals.”

He https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/nato-chief-praises-trump-welcomes-german-defense-spending-commitment-5876838

countries within the alliance “have the sovereign right, and also the flexibility, to determine their paths for delivering on the NATO commitments.”

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Sat, 10/11/2025 - 09:20

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/trump-suggests-dropping-spain-nato-alliance-over-defense-spending

https://modernity.news/2025/10/07/democrat-claims-trump-crime-crackdown-is-the-very-same-thing-as-the-rise-of-third-reich/

Democrat Illinois gov JB Pritzker has declared that America is currently witnessing what the early days of the Third Reich resembled.

“In the early days of the Nazi regime, they started slowly but surely taking away people’s rights,” Pritzker babbled during an interview.

“And what we’re seeing now is the very same thing,” he further declared.

JUST IN: Illinois gov JB Pritzker says America is currently witnessing what the early days of the Nazi regime looked like.Just one week ago, Pritzker said it was dangerous for the Trump admin to call Democrats "fascists" as he now equates the Trump admin to Nazis."In the… https://t.co/6jHKP2i944

Pritzker’s remarks come just one week after he said it was dangerous for the Trump Administration to label Democrats as “fascists”

Yet now he is not just comparing the Administration to Nazis, but declaring they are “the same thing.”

When Trump began federal interventions in Chicago, https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/08/11/gov-jb-pritzker-again-makes-nazi-comparisons-after-president-trump-threatens-dc-like-takeover-in-chicago/

, likening the president’s vow to deploy the National Guard to the Nazis “tearing down a constitutional republic,” conveniently ignoring Chicago’s 2024 homicide tally, which topped 600 by year’s end.

JB Pritzker: I never called them NazisAlso JB Pritzker: OK, so maybe I called Trump Hitler and Republicans nazis on a dozen occasions…https://t.co/28MLpXvaec

As we earlier highlighted, Pritzker is also blaring all over leftist media that Trump is militarising cities in order to use troops to steal the midterm elections next year.

Trump’s crime crackdown continues undeterred with 300 troops now deployed to Chicago to protect federal officers and assets amid protests against immigration enforcement operations, such as those near ICE facilities.

In the face of brazen attacks on law enforcement, Pritzker has called the deployment an “un-American” overreach and sued alongside the city to block it, citing potential violations of laws like the Posse Comitatus Act that limit military involvement in domestic law enforcement.

Trump has said that he may also consider invoking the Insurrection Act, a rarely used federal law that empowers the president to deploy U.S. military forces domestically to suppress insurrections, rebellions, or domestic violence when local authorities are unable or unwilling to maintain order.

The Act bypasses typical restrictions on military use for civilian policing and has been invoked only about 30 times in U.S. history, most recently during the 1992 Los Angeles riots.

Trump has also multiple times in the past 24 hours called Democrats and their leftist foot soldiers “insurrectionists.”

🚨 HOLY CRAP! PRESIDENT TRUMP: “These Democrats, they’re like INSURRECTIONISTS!”“OK? They’re SO BAD for our country, their policies.”Cue the meltdowns. 🔥 https://t.co/YIQv6wm4AY

*  *  *

Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via https://pauljosephwatson.locals.com/support

.

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Wed, 10/08/2025 - 09:00

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/democrat-claims-trump-crime-crackdown-very-same-thing-rise-third-reich

Additionally, there's this fresh development previewed in https://www.newsweek.com/five-signs-possible-us-war-venezuela-10821751

: "a platoon of U.S. Navy SEALs—typically comprising 16 personnel—will conduct joint drills this month with approximately 40 Argentine tactical divers," according to a US Southern Command spokesperson.

The same publication lists five signs that possible war with Venezuela could be looming:

F-35B Jets in Puerto Rico

Pentagon Imagery

Cargo and Naval Deployments

Special Operations

US military units in the Caribbean

All of this also allowed The Washington Examiner to speculate in a major Thursday report, https://archive.is/C6oQP#selection-2901.0-2905.341

it "understands that military planners believe the assembled forces are now sufficient to seize and hold key strategic facilities such as ports and airfields on Venezuelan territory (the Washington Examiner is withholding some details for national security reasons)."

It adds: "US control over such locations would allow for the increased, sustained projection of U.S. military power into Venezuela from defensible positions."

Washington Examiner further notes that Pentagon maneuvers and potential conflict preparations have been an https://archive.is/C6oQP#selection-2901.0-2905.341

:

A Defense Department readout from late August https://archive.is/o/C6oQP/https://www.war.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/4294856/kentucky-air-guard-special-tactics-airmen-test-maritime-skill-in-caribbean/

how a training exercise off the U.S. Virgin Islands saw "six special tactics airmen parachuted into the Caribbean Sea with an inflatable boat, 3 miles off the shore. … Eleven more combat controllers and pararescuemen then jumped directly into [an airport] from the same aircraft, with both forces combining to take control of the airfield."

While the Trump administration has vowed to to not start new wars - and the president has of late been boasting of solving several conflicts - Washington has been reviving 'war on drugs' type imagery and a rationale for the military build-up. Meanwhile Friday saw another attack on an alleged smuggling vessel in regional waters:

US STRIKES ANOTHER VESSEL IN WATERS OFF VENEZUELAN COAST

USS San Antonio (LPD-17) San Antonio-class Amphibious Transport Dock @ Muelle de Ponce, 9:34AM 10/02/2025.

Photo credit - Sarabel Rosado https://t.co/hNtNXrXjBo

— Michael Bonet 🇵🇷 (@MichaelBonet8) https://twitter.com/MichaelBonet8/status/1973759509131899383?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Some observers have also taken note of the timing of Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth's big Quantico meeting earlier this week. Could the whole 'warrior ethos' speech have been cover for a direct convening of the generals and admirals for detailed war plans? Time could soon tell.

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Fri, 10/03/2025 - 20:10

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/unprecedented-us-military-build-near-venezuela-sign-possible-war

https://fountain.fm/episode/H5lo1HQmAk34SY3FDwe7

nostr:nevent1qvzqqqpxquqzplwy66nnu0rth0htp420rkm8dceh5uhnfmcw8h3d8mq4zmavhyp4cs7pyp

In reaction, the court condemned the new US sanctions, https://www.icc-cpi.int/news/icc-strongly-rejects-new-us-sanctions-against-judges-and-deputy-prosecutors

"These sanctions are a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution which operates under the mandate from 125 States Parties from all regions."

"They constitute also an affront against the Court’s States Parties, the rules-based international order and, above all, millions of innocent victims across the world," it continued.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has prepared arrest warrant applications for Israeli ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich on charges of apartheid.

However, ICC sources are concerned they will not submit them for fear of sanctions. https://t.co/wNq1wT4tfV

— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) https://twitter.com/MiddleEastEye/status/1956564263524323671?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Additionally she statement published to the ICC website said, "The Court calls upon States Parties and all those who share the values of humanity and the rule of law to provide firm and consistent support to the Court and its work carried out in the sole interest of victims of international crimes."

Trump intensified the effort shortly after resuming office in January 2025. Within days, he issued an executive order warning that sanctions would be imposed on anyone participating in ICC investigations concerning alleged war crimes by the US or Israel.

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Thu, 08/21/2025 - 19:40

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/trump-hits-international-criminal-court-2nd-round-sanctions

HUH? 🥴https://t.co/wsl4x4DNIq

— Lucas Sanders 💙🗳️🌊💪🌈🚺🟧 (@LucasSa56947288) https://twitter.com/LucasSa56947288/status/1957937397309796662?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Trump had elsewhere in the interview proclaimed, "I’ve settled six wars, and we did Iran, and I wiped out their total nuclear capability, which they would have used against Israel in two seconds if they had the chance."

But this of course ignores the fact that a significant chunk of Trump's base was outraged over the new and brazen US military adventurism targeting Iran - given he had long campaigned on not starting new wars in the Middle East, and Iran has not attacked the United States. Also, Trump has lately in effect given a greenlight for Israel to obliterate and decimate Gaza and the hundreds of thousands of civilians therein.

As for the 'war hero' comments, Trump himself has of course never served in the military. One prior report https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-avoided-the-military-draft-which-was-common-at-the-time-vietnam-war-2018-12

that "Donald Trump avoided the military draft 5 times, but it wasn't uncommon for young men from influential families to do so during the Vietnam War."

An additional irony is that all of this was said on Mark Levin's show - a pundit who for many years has presented on Fox News. In any other context whatsoever, Levin and his Fox neoconservative-leaning audience would rant and rage over 'stolen valor'... but of course this is Trump we're talking about, and so there's barely a whimper out of the mainstream Right - he gets a permanent pass, apparently.

To be fair, this is nothing new for the upper echelons of the political elite class. Remember last-action-hero Hillary Clinton claiming to have come under 'sniper fire' during a 90s visit to Bosnia?

"I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base," she said at the time. And then https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/mar/25/hillaryclinton.uselections2008

:

Hillary Clinton has been forced to admit she exaggerated claims of coming under sniper fire during a visit to Bosnia in the 1990s after video footage showed the then first lady walking calmly from her plane.

...The row centers on a comment she made during a campaign stop in Washington DC last week. Keen to talk up her experience, she spoke vividly about a harrowing and dangerous trip she made in March 1996 to Tuzla airport, in Bosnia.

?itok=Z_361q6g

We could also bring up Senator Richard Blumenthal to further illustrate the propensity for the political class, who make decisions to initiate acts of war on faraway foreign lands from posh air-conditioned offices and their hand-stitched leather chairs, to envision themselves as 'heroes' and as 'courageous'. From 2018 false claims about having https://www.newsnationnow.com/politics/exaggerated-politician-military-stolen-valor/

...

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said he had “misspoken” about his service in the Vietnam War. His admission came after The New York Times obtained his Selective Service Record showing he received five draft deferments before joining the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, according to a https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/richard-blumenthal-vietnam/

.

Trump's latest comments about himself and Netanyahu, while absurd and laughable, sadly stand in a long tradition of American politics.

Skin in the Game: Talk is Cheap

All of this is illustrative of a decline and illusions of empire which was aptly articulated by Nassim Nicholas Taleb in his book https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/537828/skin-in-the-game-by-nassim-nicholas-taleb/

:

But what we call "empty suits", of the kind you see in think tanks or large corporations – those who want to increasingly run our lives or intervene in Libya - look like actors playing the part, down to their vocabulary and the multiplicative meetings. Talk is cheap and people who talk and don’t do are easily detectable by the public because they are too good at talking.

Taleb continues with an explanation which now could just as easily apply to Trump's 'surprise' bombing of Iran this summer alongside Israeli jet raids - which killed many unsuspecting Iranian civilians - from https://www.amazon.com/Skin-Game-Hidden-Asymmetries-Daily/dp/042528462X

[emphasis ZH]:

Now some innocent people-Ezidis, Christian minorities in the Near (and Middle) East, Mandeans, Syrians, Iraqis, and Libyans - had to pay a price for the mistakes of these interventionistas currently sitting in comfortable air-conditioned offices. This, we will see, violates the very notion of justice from its prebiblical, Babylonian inception - as well as the ethical structure, that underlying matrix thanks to which humanity has survived. The principle of intervention, like that of healers, is first do no harm (primum non nocere); even more, we will argue, those who don’t take risks should never be involved in making decisions.

Further, We have always been crazy but weren’t skilled enough to destroy the world. Now we can. We will return to the “peacemaking” interventionistas, and examine how their peace processes create deadlocks, as with the Israeli-Palestinian problem.

?itok=VlhbGBEK

Taleb further emphasizes, "This idea of skin in the game is woven into history: historically, all war- lords and warmongers were warriors themselves, and, with a few curi- ous exceptions, societies were run by risk takers, not risk transferors." At this moment, Lindsey Graham is probably the absolute worst offender, simultaneously salivating over ramping up offensive actions https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/trump-set-crush-russia-economy-if-putin-evades-zelensky-sen-graham

, Gaza, and Iran. And then China (over Taiwan) will likely soon follow.

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Wed, 08/20/2025 - 18:00

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trump-netanyahu-war-heroes

https://modernity.news/2025/08/19/you-wont-believe-what-theyre-calling-nazi-propaganda-now/

The US Department of Labor and the National Guard have just released motivational ads drawing on American patriotism, so cue disturbed America-hating leftists calling it all fascist.

?itok=VoAFxGQX

The USDL ad is vintage ‘your country needs you’ type ad featuring a young blue collar worker.

Here it is:

We need YOU to help unleash the Golden Age of America.https://t.co/IuqkysM2kp

— U.S. Department of Labor (@USDOL) https://twitter.com/USDOL/status/1956845311143420186?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

But, hang on, white man + patriotic lingo = Nazi.

This is nazi propaganda https://t.co/P6IELa6iwH

— Organizermemes (@OrganizerMemes) https://twitter.com/OrganizerMemes/status/1956855014481367166?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Of course it is.

You may as well start posting in German. It'll feel more authentic ,,🙄

— ✙Woke AF Fella🇺🇸🇺🇦✙ (@PewPewPotatoe) https://twitter.com/PewPewPotatoe/status/1957838311797518473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

OMG, can you replicate Nazi Germany more? What a disgrace.

— jmcw (@jmwiebke) https://twitter.com/jmwiebke/status/1957833855584411863?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

This is literally Nazi style propaganda with an English translation. I hope all of you fucks burn in hell.

— Peripheral Brainslaughter (@Nealsoad) https://twitter.com/Nealsoad/status/1957833323130024070?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Literally Hitler.

Fuck off w your Nazi propaganda

— #RepubsHateWomen (@eventre75) https://twitter.com/eventre75/status/1957778113112199594?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

A fucking Nazi like the Orange Nazi in the White House. Get goose stepping.

— Jazzjam#6 (@kickoutthejam6) https://twitter.com/kickoutthejam6/status/1957672925475090539?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Holy Nazi propaganda, Batman

— Heywood Jay (@heyward12321) https://twitter.com/heyward12321/status/1957635032102613290?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Any ad featuring a white person is Nazi prop now?

— Moneymoves (@Comeonmomletsgo) https://twitter.com/Comeonmomletsgo/status/1957105381714362544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

If you’re a lunatic shit-lib, yep.

Why? Because it features a white male? Grow up.

— Renatta Michele Oxendine (@RenattaOxendine) https://twitter.com/RenattaOxendine/status/1957149651817070815?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

It’s all a coded dog whistle, you see.

https://t.co/IJ87IMeekv

— Right Wing Nevada (@GoonBoolder) https://twitter.com/GoonBoolder/status/1957123200539881596?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

No, THIS is Nazi propaganda. THAT is a recruitment poster for the DOL. If you don’t want the job, you’re free to move along. Do you see the difference? At all? Hello? Echo! https://t.co/DV4dXOJLpn

— Dan Quixote (@PsyChiGuy) https://twitter.com/PsyChiGuy/status/1957126182228615233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

These individuals really hate their own country.

Anytime somebody posts something motivational about our country it's Nazism

— American Cincinnatus (@OregonBlueDog) https://twitter.com/OregonBlueDog/status/1957164473829245351?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

The National Guard also released this ad that dares to depict America positively.

This mission reflects the D.C. National Guard's dedication to safeguarding the Nation's capital while upholding the trust of the https://twitter.com/hashtag/citizens?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

— District of Columbia National Guard (@DCGuard1802) https://twitter.com/DCGuard1802/status/1956869668230025279?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

And guess what…

National Guard is now posting Nazi style propaganda videos https://t.co/OqOYnLuDQ3

— Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) https://twitter.com/WUTangKids/status/1957232070104601018?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Did they even watch it?

Shhhhhh, stop confusing it with facts.

— J🌞e (@JerseyJoe74) https://twitter.com/JerseyJoe74/status/1957835414410056140?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Oh, yes. Very "Nazi style" propaganda video. 😂😂 https://t.co/vb69A9Ebz6

— NeoUnrealist (@NeoUnrealist) https://twitter.com/NeoUnrealist/status/1957454482486198663?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

“Everything I don’t approve of is a 1930’s German political party”

Screech more, Commies.

— 🇺🇸 UltraMAGA Hillbilly 🇺🇸 (@TruthingtonPost) https://twitter.com/TruthingtonPost/status/1957339286245666956?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Nazis sure look different these days.

All those black Nazis 😅🤣😂 https://t.co/cXDqDdMPSw

— Dee Dee Weeks (@DeeDeeWeeks) https://twitter.com/DeeDeeWeeks/status/1957472071312671138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

So many black and brown nazis

— stargazer ✨ (@bronzeagrindset) https://twitter.com/bronzeagrindset/status/1957434099846545636?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

But, it’s the military, and Nazis were the military too… or something.

“Nazism is when the military does stuff”

— Ben (@AmericanaFan1) https://twitter.com/AmericanaFan1/status/1957543517137334391?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

This ‘everything is a nazi’ argument isn’t going to land them on the ‘right side of history’.

This isn’t the winning argument.

— WW (@the_urb) https://twitter.com/the_urb/status/1957279893462355994?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Keep going.

You guys are really trying hard to erase all meaning behind the word Nazi…

— Boomer-Tiro (@BoomerTiro) https://twitter.com/BoomerTiro/status/1957470639306019146?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again even though it doesn’t work.

Chill out with that logic dude, thats a Nazi thing.

— mcpeppers (@mcpeppers) https://twitter.com/mcpeppers/status/1957689829979799750?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

*  *  *

Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via https://pauljosephwatson.locals.com/support

.

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Wed, 08/20/2025 - 18:25

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/you-wont-believe-what-theyre-calling-nazi-propaganda-now

"I have to leave. They said it's a felony for me to do this. Apparently I can't be on the floor or in the bathroom." https://t.co/veshtYJ5gP

— FactPost (@factpostnews) https://twitter.com/factpostnews/status/1958249790912794828?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Collier snuck off to the Texas Capitol's bathroom to participate in the call as the state House moved forward with a vote on a GOP-friendly House map (that the Dems fled the state to try and block, only to return after their their paychecks were changed to in-person pickup).

Democrats who wanted to leave and come back to the Capitol in between House meetings could only do so after “agreeing to be released into the custody of a designated DPS officer appointment under the rules of the House,” according to Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R). They also have to sign a form saying they will come back to the state Legislature.

Collier declined to agree to the terms and instead has slept inside the state House in protest. -https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5462242-texas-democrat-lawmaker-felony-warning

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) called the incident "outrageous," adding "Rep. Collier in the bathroom has more dignity than Donald Trump in the Oval Office."

"That is outrageous. What they’re trying to do right there, is silence an American leader, silence a Black woman and that is outrageous."

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Wed, 08/20/2025 - 18:50

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/texas-dem-has-oh-sht-moment-after-felony-bathroom-call

https://modernity.news/2025/08/15/two-tier-uk-cut-throats-councillor-freed-while-mother-who-tweeted-still-in-prison/

A leftist councillor in the UK who called for “cutting the throats” of anti-mass migration protesters has been acquitted of all charges and set free, while conservatives who expressed anti-illegal immigration sentiment in tweets are still languishing in prison.

?itok=mSjWBOUb

Here’s the backstory:

“They are disgusting Nazi fascists,” asserted Labour councillor named Ricky Jones a year ago, adding “And we need to cut all their throats and get rid of them all,” while performing the cut throat gesture by running his finger across his neck.

“We’ve got to cut their throats & get rid of all of them” said Ricky Jones Councillor in Walthamstow

‘Not guilty’

But post a furious X post or shout at police dog or ‘other’ words of different opinions & prison time

Two Tier justice needs to be stopped

Insist Together https://t.co/19dUKpIZSh

— Alan D Miller (@alanvibe) https://twitter.com/alanvibe/status/1956346093391777945?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

The incident came amid unrest prompted by the horrific murder of three children in Southport by Axel Rudakubana, a 17-year-old born in the UK to Rwandan migrant parents.

Jones, a 57-year-old borough councillor in Dartford, Kent, and a full-time official for the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) union, made the inflammatory remarks at a counter-demonstration in Walthamstow, north London.

He was arrested the following day on suspicion of encouraging violent disorder. He was suspended by the Labour Party immediately after the video surfaced.

During his trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court, the prosecution argued that his words were “inflammatory and rabble-rousing,” amplified in a volatile setting where police anticipated potential clashes. A senior police officer testified that “any spark could have led to an incident or disorder occurring.”

In his defense, Jones claimed his comments were not directed at the contemporary far-right protesters but referenced historical acts by the National Front, a far-right group from the 1970s and 1980s, who allegedly left razor blades behind stickers on trains to harm unsuspecting people.

He stated “You’ve got women and children using these trains during the summer holidays. They don’t give a s*** about who they hurt.”

It’s an absolutely bizarre argument by Jones to claim he was calling for cutting the throats of people 40-50 years ago, but it has worked because he’s walked free.

Jones also cited neurodiversity, saying he has been diagnosed with ADHD, dyslexia, and dyscalculia, and stating it caused him to become distracted by a heckler in the crowd, leading to unprepared and misinterpreted remarks.

He reiterated a commitment to peaceful protest, saying, “I’ve always believed the best way to make people realise who you are and what you are is to do it peacefully.”

After a brief deliberation of just over 30 minutes, the jury cleared Jones of all charges, accepting his explanation and finding no intent to encourage violence. Outside the court, Jones expressed relief, calling the ordeal “the worst thing that ever happened to me” and vowing never to speak unprepared at a demonstration again.

The verdict drew sharp criticism from political figures, including former Tory home secretary James Cleverly, who called it “two-tier justice,” Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who labeled it “absolutely disgraceful,” and Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf, who highlighted the disparity in legal outcomes.

This case has intensified debates about inconsistencies in how the UK justice system handles inflammatory speech, particularly when compared to the treatment of Lucy Connolly, a 41-year-old childminder and wife of a former Conservative councillor.

On the day of the Southport stabbings, Connolly posted on X (formerly Twitter): “Mass deportation now, set fire to all the f***ing hotels full of the bastards for all I care… If that makes me racist, so be it.”

Her tweet, fueled by the same false rumors about the attacker’s identity, was deemed to incite racial hatred. Connolly pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 31 months in prison in October 2024. She later lost an appeal against the sentence in May 2025, with judges upholding the term despite arguments that it was excessive and raised free speech concerns.

Connolly’s case sparked a broader row over freedom of expression, with supporters launching a fundraiser that raised over $100,000 for her family. Critics argue her punishment reflects a heavy-handed approach to online rhetoric, especially when juxtaposed with Jones’s acquittal.

While Jones’s words explicitly called for violent acts like “cutting throats” in a public setting, he walked free after a jury trial. Connolly, however, faced swift conviction for a single social media post that did not directly advocate physical harm in the same graphic manner.

With anti-mass migration protests once again happening all over the country, serious questions persist about whether the legal system applies consistent standards or if ideological leanings influence outcomes. For now, Jones resumes his life without charges, while Connolly serves her sentence, highlighting a divide that continues to provoke public outrage.

*  *  *

Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via https://pauljosephwatson.locals.com/support

.

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Sun, 08/17/2025 - 07:00

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/two-tier-uk-cut-throats-councilor-freed-while-mother-who-tweeted-still-prison

Case in point:  UK officials are recreating their own catcall honey traps using undercover female officers jogging back and forth on busy streets.  If a man honks at them, looks at them too long or says something to them, they risk getting stopped by hidden patrol cars and chastised.  In some cases their vehicles have even https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13954489/police-seize-cars-from-men-for-catcalling-women-joggers-who-were-in-fact-undercover-female-officers-in-disguise.html

.

Female cops in the UK are jogging around in tight clothing, so they can arrest the men who catcall them. 😭https://t.co/IfTRzP3GRd

— Tiffany Fong (@TiffanyFong_) https://twitter.com/TiffanyFong_/status/1955691110384423390?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Keep in mind that this experiment is being operated in neighborhoods that are up to 90% majority white, native residents.  It's highly unlikely that UK officials would allow a similar trap to be run in areas populated by migrants.  This, of course, is a common double standard in European countries today.  Native citizens are heavily scrutinized for misbehavior while police and politician ignore the violence, rape, grooming gangs and murder common within migrant enclaves.

Yet another migrant who assaults a woman when she says no...

Mass deportation now! https://t.co/WwavP14nn4

— Grifty (@TheGriftReport) https://twitter.com/TheGriftReport/status/1941546114164908461?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Any attempt to jog a couple of attractive female officers through a neighborhood full of third-worlders would likely elicit an unpleasant experience in cultural exchange.

African migrant slaps white woman in the face after she refuses his perverted advances, another migrant then kicks her from behind. They all laugh. These are very sick people. https://t.co/kTr5xbfBAr

— iamyesyouareno (@iamyesyouareno) https://twitter.com/iamyesyouareno/status/1745703989331538224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

And what happens when women do report harassment and assault that is common when they come in contact with foreigners?  They get a lecture on politically correct speech.

A migrant attacked and spat at a British woman. She described him, understandably, to the police as a "filthy migrant".

She gets a lecture on her choice of language. https://t.co/NhUqcJnQCt

— David Atherton (@DaveAtherton20) https://twitter.com/DaveAtherton20/status/1833401077976215935?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

This is the reason why very few people take feminist claims of catcalling seriously - Because scrutiny and enforcement are highly selective.  Certain men are allowed to do whatever they want, while other men are portrayed as monsters simply for saying hello or giving a look.

Police admit that there are no specific laws against these behaviors, but UK politicians and authorities have been using color-of-law enforcement since before the pandemic mandates.  In other words, it doesn't matter what laws are written down, if they decide they don't like something you're doing they might threaten you or potentially arrest you regardless.

Numerous people in Britain have been arrested for posting memes, praying silently within the vicinity of abortion clinics, and even for flying British flags within the sight of migrants.  A widespread indoctrination campaign has been launched to demonize white males in particular, with many PSA commercials, TV shows and other media showing white men as the common perpetrators of harassment and assault.  Meanwhile, numerous crimes involving migrants (specifically crimes against women) are buried and the identities of the assailants are kept confidential.

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Sun, 08/17/2025 - 08:45

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/uk-government-deploys-undercover-police-catch-men-who-catcall

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Thu, 05/08/2025 - 17:20

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trump-urges-gop-raise-taxes-wealthy-fund-economic-agenda-report

Specifically, the CIA is establishing the Americas Counternarcotics Mission Center, combining its counternarcotics and Western Hemisphere teams to enable faster, more effective collaboration, CIA Deputy Director Michael Ellis (formerly Rumble general counsel) told https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/04/14/exclusive-cia-deputy-director-michael-ellis-cia-to-create-a-finely-tuned-machine-to-destroy-the-cartels/

, adding that the mission is to become a "finely tuned machine" to dismantle cartels, labeled foreign terrorists by the Trump administration. According to Ellis, the agency will leverage its 25 years+ of expertise in targeting jihadist networks to disrupt the cartels' international operations.

“The drug trafficker is a savvy, sophisticated adversary,” the CIA official told the conservative publication. “[We’re] looking further upstream to identify those networks beyond our borders and dismantle them.”

“It’s a whole of government effort,” he added, before underscoring that the agency's operations may remain covert due to their sensitive nature.

As early as this week, the agency is preparing to launch the Americas Counternarcotics Mission Center, which will merge agency personnel who focus on counternarcotics and personnel who focus on the Western Hemisphere, for closer and faster coordination.

— Kristina Wong 🇺🇸 (@kristina_wong) https://twitter.com/kristina_wong/status/1911950180418564420?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

In February, the Trump administration officially https://apnews.com/article/gangs-cartels-sinaloa-aragua-trump-terrorist-organizations-b223f4eb513105fb8d965f80a6cecfeb

eight Latin American criminal groups as "foreign terrorist organizations," specifically targeting Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel, Venezuela's Tren de Aragua, and El Salvador's MS-13.

As part of its upcoming operations, the admin is considering drone strikes targeting Mexican cartels in a bold strategy to counter criminal organizations smuggling narcotics across the U.S. southern border, NBC News reports.

No decision has been made on whether the strikes have been approved.

“It’s their country, and obviously we believe in strong partnerships,” Acting DEA Administrator Derek Maltz said. “That said, at some point it’s about the safety of our kids.”

Maltz, speaking to https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/trump-administration-weighs-drone-strikes-mexican-cartels-rcna198930

, highlighted "historic, unprecedented action" in U.S.-Mexico drug enforcement collaboration during the early months of the Trump administration. Last month, Mexico deployed 10,000 troops to its northern border to inspect vehicles for fentanyl at crossing points.

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Tue, 04/15/2025 - 17:20

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/cia-unleash-finely-tuned-machine-destroy-mexican-cartels

https://archive.is/qU4am

nostr:nevent1qqsfw95rj42f9xs9zk42gr7vw3hvujyk8t4eyf5avqjlmwnlaqstnfgpupmhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduhj2v3swaehxw309aex2mrp0yhxumm5daeks6fwwa5kute9xgc8wumn8ghj7mn0wvhxcmmv9ujnyvrhwden5te0wfjkccte9eekjctdwd68ytnrdakj7ffjxpmhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuvrcvd5xzapwvdhk6te9xgc8wumn8ghj7mnxwfjkccte9eshqup0y5erqamnwvaz7tmjv4kxz7tjwvhxumm5daeks6fwwa5kute9xgc8wumn8ghj7un9d3shjtnwv4u8getj0ghxxmmd9ujnyvrhwden5te0vejkuunfwgkhxtnwda6x7umgdyh8w6tw2uc62g

https://www.eff.org/cyberspace-independence

we must be defending cyberspace independence at all costs, not bending the knee to authoritarian governments. what a bunch of spineless bootlickers.

nostr:nevent1qvzqqqqqqypzqwlsccluhy6xxsr6l9a9uhhxf75g85g8a709tprjcn4e42h053vaqy88wumn8ghj7mn0wvhxcmmv9uq3wmn0wd68yttfv33r5te0vdskx6r994ex2mrp0yqzqqqqlk57pls32l4vmug7ux407d0g3vmqn59dvdvtahkzg6wgj6wa49f58c

Defense Minister Israel Katz said Friday that the Israel Defense Forces https://www.ft.com/content/f31073b8-694a-43c0-b262-ebda774e3946

"seize additional territories [in Gaza], while evacuating the population" if Hamas doesn't sign on to revised terms of a hostage-for-ceasefire deal. "The more Hamas continues its refusal, the more territory it will lose and be annexed to Israel," Katz warned. He said it would start through the expansion of border "security zones" in order to bring them under "permanent Israeli control."

?itok=T34ixTXT

Katz is demanding for the first time that Hamas "release all the hostages, both living and dead, in advance and in two stages, with a ceasefire in between."

Hamas has blamed Israeli side for pulling out of the ceasefire which had been on for two months since January, before it was supposed to enter a phase two, with a path to permanent peace. The Israelis have grown impatient.

Crucially, Katz has referenced Trump's Gaza mass expulsion plan in announcing the potential for military annexation. He said the IDF will "intensify" operations against Hamas and use "all military and civilian pressure, including evacuation of the Gaza population south and implementing United States President Trump’s voluntary migration plan for Gaza residents."

The army has been instructed "to seize additional areas in Gaza, evacuate the population, and expand security zones around Gaza to protect Israeli communities and [Israeli army] soldiers," the defense chief was https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/21/israeli-forces-conduct-ground-operations-air-strikes-across-gaza-strip

in local media as saying further.

"The more Hamas persists in its refusal to release the hostages, the more territory it will lose, which will be annexed to Israel," he warned.

It looks like Israeli leaders are seizing the opportunity and initiative to push Palestinians out in the wake of Trump's previous comments on turning the enclave into the "Riviera of the Middle East".

But the administration has been somewhat quiet on the ultra-controversial plan of late, with Trump telling reporters most recently that "nobody is expelling any Palestinians" in response to a question on whether he still stands by his remarks which were tantamount to calling for ethnic cleansing of the enclave. "We’re working hard with Israel… to see [how] we can solve the problem," Trump had explained in the mid-March exchange.

The White House position on Gazans being expelled to other countries is based on the prior explanation that "Gaza is currently uninhabitable and residents cannot humanely live in a territory covered in debris and unexploded ordnance," in the earlier words of US National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes.

But even many Republicans see the plan as completely unrealistic and absurd, given that for starters it would ensure years more of brutal war, and the likelihood that conflict would spiral over into other Arab countries.

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Fri, 03/21/2025 - 10:00

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/katz-threatens-annex-territory-gaza-implement-trumps-voluntary-migration-plan

Amid heightened concerns over a series of undersea cable disruptions in the Baltic Sea—believed to be caused by https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/wapo-undersea-cable-damage-baltic-sea-result-accidents-not-russian-sabotage

—European security officials have been alarmed by the possibility of hybrid attacks targeting critical infrastructure by Russia or China. Adding to the unease, Britain's defense minister issued a warning on Wednesday about a Russian spy ship operating in UK waters.

UK Defence Secretary John Healey made clear to the House of Commons that a Russian spy ship, Yantar, had been detected in the English Channel and loitered over critical undersea infrastructure. This was first reported by the https://www.ft.com/content/8f0306f8-e006-4015-a52e-57df16743bd3

.

"Russia remains the most immediate and pressing threat to Britain ... and any threat will be met with strength and resolve," Healey said.

He said the Yantar spy ship had passed through the Strait of Dover and into Dutch waters.

?itok=ojzW7OOS

Healey noted that a Royal Navy submarine surfaced near the Yantar to warn the crew that its every movement would be tracked.

"I want President Putin to hear this message: 'We see you, we know what you're doing and we will not shy away from robust action to protect this country," the defense official told lawmakers.

He added: "We will continue to call out the malign activity that Putin directs, cracking down on the Russian shadow fleet."

In a statement to the House of Commons, Defence Secretary John Healey made clear that Russia is the most immediate threat to Britain. Watch here. https://t.co/RkjRUxaHuR

— UK Defence Journal (@UKDefJournal) https://twitter.com/UKDefJournal/status/1882057096591782064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Over the past 18 months, three alarming incidents have been reported in which commercial ships traveling to or from Russian ports are suspected of severing undersea cables in the Baltic region.

?itok=rrKtViTz

The question remains whether the three incidents were acts of sabotage or merely just accidents.

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Wed, 01/22/2025 - 09:40

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/uk-warns-russian-spy-ship-entered-waters-loitered-over-undersea-cables

https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/us-defense-contractor-to-build-hyperscale-weapons-manufacturing-facility-in-ohio-5793968?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=ZeroHedge&src_src=partner&src_cmp=ZeroHedge

(emphasis ours),

U.S. defense contractor Anduril Industries unveiled plans on Jan. 16 to build an advanced “hyperscale” manufacturing facility in Columbus, Ohio, aimed at increasing the scale and speed at which autonomous systems and weapons can be produced for both the United States and its allies.

?itok=9SuD1cn9

The Cosa Mesa, California-based defense technology company said in a https://www.anduril.com/article/anduril-building-arsenal-1-hyperscale-manufacturing-facility-in-ohio/

that it plans to begin constructing the manufacturing facility, called “Arsenal-1,” once state and local approvals are secured, after which manufacturing will begin in July 2026.

Anduril is investing nearly $1 billion into the development, which will span more than 5 million square feet (464,515 square meters) at full scale and will be located next to Rickenbacker Airport.

The factory is expected to create more than 4,000 direct jobs in Ohio, making it the largest single job-creation project in the state’s history.

Anduril said it chose to construct the facility in Ohio following an extensive, year-long search process that evaluated numerous locations across the country.

The company praised Ohio as being the “ideal” location for the weapons-making factory, citing its robust infrastructure, highly skilled and diverse manufacturing workforce, and history of advanced aviation.

It said the site’s development marks a “monumental and essential step” toward rebuilding America’s defense industrial base, bolstering warfighting capabilities, and enhancing deterrence amid rising global threats.

“Arsenal-1 represents a step forward in how we manufacture the autonomous systems and weapons that our nation and our allies need to remain secure” said Anduril CEO Brian Schimpf.

“By harnessing a world-class workforce and a scalable, software-driven approach to manufacturing, Arsenal-1 will set the standard for how we respond to the challenges of the future fight.”

Underpinning the facility is Arsenal, which Anduril said is a software-defined manufacturing platform optimized to mass-produce autonomous systems and weapons. The platform will allow Arsenal-1 to produce tens of thousands of military systems annually, according to the company.

Anduril noted that the decision to build the facility in Ohio is contingent upon state and local approvals of incentives, and other legal and regulatory matters.

According to its official website, Anduril Industries was founded in 2017 and supports operations with the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Australian Defence Force, the UK Ministry of Defence, and others.

The company mainly produces autonomous air and underwater systems, as well as rocket motors.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine welcomed the development, while praising Ohio’s history of advancing aviation, aerospace, and national defense, which began with the Wright brothers.

“At this critical moment in time, our country needs rapid technological innovation, which Anduril will deliver using Ohio’s skilled, hardworking labor force,” the governor said. “The future of American air power will be made in Ohio!”

Ohio is also home to the headquarters of aircraft engine supplier GE Aerospace and a new Joby Aviation manufacturing facility near Dayton. Joby is currently preparing to manufacture electric taxi—known as vertical takeoff and landing, or eVTOL—aircraft at the factory beginning this year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Sun, 01/19/2025 - 20:25

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/us-defense-contractor-build-hyperscale-weapons-manufacturing-facility-ohio

Mainstream Western media previously wrote several puff pieces on Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its US-designated terror leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/damascus-now-ruled-al-qaeda-suits-assads-whereabouts-unknown-curfew-imposed

, but now that same media is completely ignoring the atrocities taking place under Jolani's watch.

Various armed allied groups of HTS are rampaging through the central and northern countryside, attacking Christians and Alawites, in a developing ethno-religious genocide. It has only been one month since Assad was overthrown.

?itok=HlHUizyr

Initially HTS and other factions, which includes foreign groups such as Chechens and Uyghurs, rounded up individuals and tortured or executed them under the guise that they were former "Assad regime agents".

Now, according to regional reports, the jihadists are https://x.com/LindseySnell/status/1877790859346825262

and are simply taking over Alawite villages. Serious problems and threats are also being reported in the historic 'Valley of the Christians' (or Wadi al-Nasara, which lies in Western Syria in Homs governate).

Various locations have seen jihadists seeking to impose public segregation of the sexes, Islamic head-coverings, and blanket bans on alcohol...

A group of young men and women are eating, drinking, and smoking shisha at a restaurant in Latakia, when an armed jihadist preacher walks in with an automatic rifle, lecturing them about the sinfulness of not covering their hair and smoking. Welcome to the new https://twitter.com/hashtag/Syria?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

— Greco-Levantines World Wide (@GrecoLevantines) https://twitter.com/GrecoLevantines/status/1877458513024168077?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Below is a machine translated report from Lebanon's major Al-Akhbar newspaper https://al-akhbar.com/arab/819088/%D9%82%D8%AA%D9%84-%D9%88%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%AC%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D9%88%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%87%D9%8A%D8%A8--%D9%85%D8%B3%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%8A%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%AD-%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%A9

[emphasis ZH]...

* * *

Today, the villages of Hama's northern and eastern countryside are witnessing liquidation operations based on identity. Local forces are not even using the excuse of saying that they are going after “regime remnants” or people who are “against the revolution” before ordering the killing.

They are terrorizing the residents of the Alawite sect, and pressuring them to evacuate their homes, especially in some eastern villages affiliated with Salamiyah.

This is changing the demographic face of this countryside and will continue so long as chaos continues and the new Syrian administration does not intervene to stop it. In the villages of Al-Zaghba, Mabatan, Maryoud, Al-Fanat and Ma'an in the eastern countryside, there are thefts and looting of property, while armed factions burn houses to ensure that residents do not return.

A resident of Al-Zaghba village confirmed to Al-Akhbar that "the militants present in the village prevent the return of the homeowners, and if the purpose of returning is to check on the house or bring some items and necessities from it, then the residents enter at their own risk."

ECONOMIC STRANGULATION OF CHRISTIAN AREAS BEGINS

🚨🇸🇾 VALLEY OF THE CHRISTIANS: After the disarming process in the Valley of the Christians was declared as finished yesterday, deforestation of forests & fields around the villages Tannourine, Mashta Azar & Jwar el-Afes has begun… https://t.co/wzPrhD0tmA

— OstensibleOyster (@Ostensiblay) https://twitter.com/Ostensiblay/status/1877447830018695548?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

The same scenario was repeated in the village of Maryoud, most of whose residents have been displaced. "The militants killed a civilian man from the village who returned to check on his house during the past two days. When we contacted the Commission to find out the affiliation of these killers, it responded that the area was outside the control of its factions.

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Sat, 01/11/2025 - 22:45

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/mainstream-media-ignoring-ethno-religious-genocide-under-syrias-new-rulers

https://modernity.news/2024/12/31/warnings-of-racist-attacks-targeting-migrants-in-germany-after-christmas-market-attack

Authorities in Germany reacted to the attack on a Christmas market in Magdeburg by a Saudi Arabian migrant by warning that it may not be safe for migrants to go out at night due to fears of racist attacks.

?itok=RedGdoS0

Yes, really.

The terrorist, named as Taleb A. by German authorities, used emergency exit points situated around the market to plough a vehicle into more than 200 people during the attack.

A 9-year-old boy and four women were killed while a further 40 victims were left with serious or critical injuries.

After a demonstration that was dubbed “far-right” took place in the city during which protesters held up a banner with the word “remigration,” authorities and lobby groups are now warning of racist attacks targeting migrants.

NEW - Migrant association concerned about "right-wing violence" and strongly advises "people with a migration history not to move through the city alone and in the evening hours" after an Arab attacked the Christmas market — BILD https://t.co/kD4HyOBc5p

— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1873801044947591292?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

The regional network of migrant organisations in Saxony-Anhalt (Lamsa) advised that “people with a migration background not to move around the city alone and in the evening hours.”

Calling for an increase in police patrols on New Year’s Eve, the group asserted that, “There were several racist attacks on migrants after the incident at the Christmas market in Magdeburg.”

The regional bishop of the Evangelical Church in Central Germany, Friedrich Kramer, is also warning, “Ever since the attack , migrants in our midst have been afraid of being attacked and do not dare to leave their houses these days – we must face up to the new violence.”

Eva von Angern, leader of the Left Party in the state parliament of Saxony-Anhalt, also insisted that migrants should not be made scapegoats, writing on X about an “increase in hostile treatment” and attacks on foreigners.

Similar warnings were noticeably absent when it was https://modernity.news/2024/05/08/foreign-migrants-account-for-nearly-6-in-10-violent-crime-suspects-in-germany/

that despite comprising roughly 14.6 per cent of the population, foreign migrants were responsible for 58.5 per cent of all violent crimes in Germany.

Apparently, people being mean to migrants is a far more serious threat than migrants who plough cars into people.

As we previously highlighted, before the attack, police were busy patrolling Christmas markets focusing on the real problem – grannies with pocket knives in their handbags.

*  *  *

Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via https://pauljosephwatson.locals.com/support

.

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Tue, 12/31/2024 - 08:45

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/warnings-racist-attacks-targeting-migrants-germany-after-christmas-market-attack

https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/telecom-providers-say-networks-are-secure-following-chinese-salt-typhoon-hack-5783279?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=ZeroHedge&src_src=partner&src_cmp=ZeroHedge

(emphasis ours),

AT&T and Verizon were targeted by China-backed hacking group Salt Typhoon, but their networks are now secure, the telecommunications companies said on Saturday in their first acknowledgement of the hacking.

?itok=DwKYWBEg

Meanwhile, Lumen Technologies, which owns CenturyLink, said on Sunday that it has no evidence of Chinese actors in its network.

It comes after the White House said on Friday that it had https://www.theepochtimes.com/china/us-adds-9th-telecom-victim-list-salt-typhoon-telecom-victims-5782739

a ninth U.S. telecom network that had been compromised by the wide-ranging espionage campaign, which began 2022, and that they are still accessing the scope of the breach.

Officials didn’t provide a full list of the compromised networks. Earlier this month, the FBI said malware from Salt Typhoon and two other Beijing-backed hacking groups, dubbed by Microsoft as Flax Typhoon and Volt Typhoon, were still https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/china-backed-salt-typhoon-hacking-group-remains-embedded-in-us-telecommunications-5774029

in some U.S. systems.

Verizon said in a statement to The Epoch Times that it has notified “a small number of high-profile customers in government and politics” who were targeted by the hackers.

The company said it has contained the threat, and that “an independent and highly respected cyber security firm” had confirmed the containment.

“Immediately upon learning of this incident, Verizon took several key actions to protect its customers and its network including partnering with federal law enforcement and national security agencies, industry partners, and private cybersecurity firms,” Verizon’s Chief Legal Officer Vandana Venkatesh said in a statement.

“We have not detected threat actor activity in Verizon’s network for some time, and after considerable work addressing this incident, we can report that Verizon has contained the activities associated with this particular incident.”

On Saturday, an AT&T spokesperson told Reuters the company detected “no activity by nation-state actors in our networks at this time.”

“Based on our current investigation of this attack, the People’s Republic of China targeted a small number of individuals of foreign intelligence interest,” the spokesperson said.

While only a few cases of compromised information were identified, AT&T was monitoring and remediating its networks to protect customers’ data and continues to work with authorities to assess and mitigate the threat, the spokesperson said.

A spokesperson for Lumen Technologies told The Epoch Times there’s no evidence of Chinese actors in its network.

“An independent forensics firm has confirmed Salt Typhoon is no longer in our network. In addition, our federal partners have not shared any information that would suggest otherwise. To date, there is no evidence that customer data was accessed on our network,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

Meanwhile, T-Mobile’s Chief Security Officer Jeff Simon said in a https://www.t-mobile.com/news/un-carrier/update-cyberattacks-targeting-us-wireless-companies?msockid=3b5f6980a5f6620f36d17cbba4db63a6

published on Friday that the operator stopped attempts to infiltrate its systems “within the last few weeks,” but could not definitively identify the attacker’s identity.

Government officials have previously said Salt Typhoon targeted a limited number of high-profile officials and politicians over a long time. Simon said that is “not the case at T-Mobile.”

Chinese officials have previously described the allegations as disinformation and said Beijing “firmly opposes and combats cyber attacks and cyber theft in all forms.”

The FBI and the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) confirmed in October that they were https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/chinese-linked-hack-breaches-us-telecom-sector-as-election-threats-mount-5748022

cyber threats linked to the Chinese regime following media reports of Salt Typhoon’s operation.

In November, the FBI and the CISA issued a joint statement, saying Chinese hackers had https://www.theepochtimes.com/china/china-linked-hackers-conduct-broad-and-significant-espionage-against-us-telecom-companies-says-fbi-5759632

commercial telecommunications infrastructure in a “broad and significant cyber espionage campaign,” in which they stole customer call records data, compromised private communications of government officials and politicians, and copied information “that was subject to U.S. law enforcement requests pursuant to court orders.”

Anne Neuberger, deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technologies, https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/china-linked-hackers-targeted-very-senior-us-political-figures-white-house-says-5772841

on Dec. 7 that the hackers had stolen a large volume of Americans’ metadata while targeting some “very senior political individuals.”

On Friday, Neuberger said it’s believed the hackers geolocated a large number of individuals in the Washington DC, Virginia area, and targeted “probably less than 100 on the actual individuals.”

Earlier this month, the CISA issued a guidance for “highly targeted” senior government officials and politicians, urging them to “use only end-to-end encrypted communications” and to adopt other measures to mitigate risks posed by Chinese hackers.

Reuters contributed to this report.

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Tue, 12/31/2024 - 11:40

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/telecom-providers-say-networks-are-secure-following-chinese-salt-typhoon-hack

"Today we received reports on several soldiers from North Korea, our warriors managed to capture them. But they were seriously wounded and could not be resuscitated," Zelensky had said in an https://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/korejskij-narod-ne-maye-vtrachati-svoyih-lyudej-u-boyah-v-ye-95269

.

"This is one of the manifestations of the madness dictatorships are capable of," he continued. "The Korean nation should not lose its people in the battles in Europe."

Zelensky also called on China to exert pressure on Kim Jong-Un to abandon the deployment in the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Beijing, however, has remained mum on the issue.

Kirby in his briefing had also vouched for recent South Korean intelligence figures: "Our estimate is that, to date, they have suffered more than 1,000 killed or wounded in this particular fighting in just the past week of them fighting on the front lines," he said.

https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden

Sat, 12/28/2024 - 16:55

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/us-says-putin-treating-north-korean-troops-expendable-amid-mass-casualties

Supreme Court allows White House to press social media companies to remove disinformation: https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/26/politics/social-media-disinformation-supreme-court-ruling/index.html