Rep. Massie Blasts Trump's Iran Warning:Â "We Have Problems At Home"
Rep. Massie Blasts Trump's Iran Warning:Â "We Have Problems At Home"
First it was over the White House's Venezuela policy, but now conservative and contrarian libertarian-leaning firebrand Rep. Thomas Massie is lashing out at President Trump over his https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/trump-says-us-will-intervene-if-iran-kills-protesters-adding-fuel-irans-protest-fire
and ultimatum.
Amid the nearly weeklong economic and anti-government protests in Iran, Trump added fuel to the fire on Friday, stating on Truth Social that if Iran shoots and "violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue."
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This sounded to many like threat of regime change in another Middle East capital - though Trump might be thinking of other 'options' such as more sanctions and efforts to further isolate the Islamic Republic on the world stage.
Massie on Friday in response listed three points as a counter to and critique of Trump: "We have problems at home and shouldnât be wasting military resources on another countryâs internal affairs," Massie wrote on X.
He said that second, "Military strikes on Iran require Congressional authorization." He followed with the final criticism of, "This threat isnât about freedom of speech in Iran; itâs about the dollar, oil, and Israel" - while reposting Trump's original message.
Massie has long been a thorn in the side of Trump's latest foreign policy adventures, and the Republican from Kentucky along with Sen. Rand Paul has a significant following among Trump's MAGA base.
He indeed gives voice to the growing viewpoint that Trump should stick to his campaign promises and not allow the United States military to be the "police force of the world".
Journalist Glenn Greenwald has meanwhile also called out Trump for not being 'America First' enough, while highlighting Massie's commentary...
In case you're wondering why three fanatically pro-Israel oligarchs (Miriam Adelson, Paul Singer and John Paulson) are single-handedly funding the campaign to remove https://twitter.com/RepThomasMassie?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
from Congress, see below.
Too much America First. Can't have that: https://t.co/i7NwMmkNC1
â Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) https://twitter.com/ggreenwald/status/2007123264230072442?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
For many others, however, Trump's reviving a Monroe Doctrine concept of how foreign policy should work might sound promising and refreshing. But it does require Washington to lessen or remove its footprint from conflict theatres ranging from Eastern Europe to the Middle East, as well as perhaps a policy of much less provoking China over the hot button Taiwan issue.
* * *
And more shots fired from MGT to boot...
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Fri, 01/02/2026 - 14:40
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/rep-massie-blasts-trumps-iran-warning-we-have-problems-home
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani Revokes Orders Issued After Adams' Indictment
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani Revokes Orders Issued After Adams' Indictment
(emphasis ours),
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed an executive order on Jan. 1 that will undo orders his predecessor, Eric Adams, issued after being indicted on bribery and corruption charges in September 2024.
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The https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/01/executive-order-01
, which went into effect immediately, is among a series of executive actions Mamdani signed on his first day in office after being sworn in as the cityâs mayor on Jan. 1.
His office stated that the order would rescind executive actions issued by Adams on or after Sept. 26, 2024, when the outgoing mayor was indicted on bribery, campaign finance, and conspiracy offenses. It did not list the specific executive orders to be revoked.
Orders likely to be revoked include a directive Adams https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2025/12/mayor-adams-signs-executive-orders-prohibiting-mayoral-appointee
on Dec. 3, 2025, which barred agency staff and mayoral appointees from engaging in procurement practices that discriminate against Israel and Israeli citizens.
Another affected order, issued by Adams that same day, directed the New York Police Department commissioner to evaluate proposals for regulating protest activity near houses of worship to protect freedom of speech.
Mamdani told reporters on Jan. 1 that he intends to keep the Mayorâs Office to Combat Anti-Semitism, established by Adams in May 2025. Adams https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2025/12/mayor-adams-releases-first-annual-report-on-impacts-of-newly-cre#:~:text=In%20May%202025%2C%20Mayor%20Adams,and%20keeping%20New%20Yorkers%20safe.
the first mayoral report on anti-Semitism one day before Mamdani was sworn in, highlighting the need to tackle anti-Semitism in the city.
âThat is an issue that we take seriously, and itâs part of the commitment that weâve made to Jewish New Yorkers to not only protect them, but to celebrate and cherish them,â the new mayor said.
In his inaugural https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/01/mayor-zohran-mamdani-inaugural-address
, Mamdani emphasized that his administration would not âhesitate to use its power to improve New Yorkersâ lives.â
âThe only expectation I seek to reset is that of small expectations,â he said during his inauguration ceremony at City Hall. âBeginning today, we will govern expansively and audaciously. We may not always succeed. But never will we be accused of lacking the courage to try.â
The September 2024 https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/new-york-city-mayor-eric-adams-charged-bribery-and-campaign-finance-offenses
against Adams, the first against a sitting New York City mayor, alleged that Adams accepted illegal campaign contributions from foreign nationals during his 2021 mayoral campaign.
Adams was also accused of receiving improper benefits while serving as Brooklyn Borough president in 2014, including international travel from foreign businessmen and at least one Turkish government official.
He pleaded not guilty and denied any wrongdoing. A federal judge in April 2025 https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/judge-dismisses-criminal-case-against-eric-adams-5835517
the case with prejudice, meaning the charges cannot be brought again, after the Justice Department asked for the case to be dismissed.
The Epoch Times reached out to Adams for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.
Other executive orders Mamdani signed included measures to https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/01/mayor-mamdani-signs-eo-to-revitalize-mayor-s-office-to-protect-t
the Mayorâs Office to Protect Tenants and to establish two new task forces focused on leveraging city-owned land to accelerate housing development and removing bureaucratic and permitting barriers that drive up costs and delay housing construction.
Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/mamdani-elected-mayor-of-new-york-city-5940031
the Nov. 4, 2025, mayoral contest over independent candidate former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.
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Fri, 01/02/2026 - 14:20
Kremlin Makes Show Of Handing Evidence To US Side 'Proving' Ukrainian Attack On Putin Residence
Kremlin Makes Show Of Handing Evidence To US Side 'Proving' Ukrainian Attack On Putin Residence
The Kremlin has really made a big show for the cameras of handing over to American officials what it says is evidence that Ukrainian drones had attempted to strike Russian President Vladimir Putin's residence in the Novgorod region Sunday night into Monday morning.
The international community has asked for evidence Putin's residence was targeted, and Moscow has responded. Footage released by the Russian Defense Ministry on Thursday shows Igor Kostykov, head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Russian General Staff, meeting with the US defense attachÊ in Moscow and handing over what he identified as a "navigation unit" recovered from one of the drones shot down in Novgorod.
Russia has been on an information blitz, putting out images of downed drones and televised interviews of local Russian eyewitnesses to the drone waves early this week. But the 'evidence hand-over' to the US side is ultimately strong signaling aimed at President Trump.
Kostykov described that the "decryption of the content of the memory of the navigation controller of the drones carried out by specialists of Russiaâs special services confirms without question that the target of the attack was the complex of buildings of the Russian presidentâs residence in the Novgorod region."
MOMENT MoD hands over KEY data to US representatives
'Decryption of navigation controllers⌠unequivocally CONFIRMED that target of attack was Russian Presidentâs residence in Novgorod region'
Military Intelligence Chief Igor Kostyukov transfers info to America https://t.co/XTCEc08DyD
â RT (@RT_com) https://twitter.com/RT_com/status/2006776256109690908?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Putin had informed President Trump about the alleged incident on the day it occurred via phone call, and Trump initially appeared to accept Moscowâs version, expressing sympathy and saying he "wasn't happy about it." He followed by sharing a New York Post article which said Moscow "is the one standing in the way of peace."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow would not withdraw from peace talks with Washington, but would still adjust its negotiating stance and respond militarily, adding that potential targets had already been selected. "Such reckless actions will not go unanswered," he said.
What might this response look like? Author and geopolitical pundit Glenn Diesen writes the https://x.com/Glenn_Diesen/status/2007064691927879767
:
WSJ reports that Russiaâs attacks on Odessa (ports, bridges, etc.) are cutting Ukraineâs economic lifeline. This was a predictable Russian response after Ukraine/NATO began using Odessa to target Russian civilian ships.
It is equally predictable that Russia will annex Odessa if there is no peace agreement that restores Ukraineâs neutrality and prevents Odessa from being used as a NATO front line. Our political-media establishment should learn about the security dilemma instead of cosplaying a the 1930s.
Diesen ends with this apt conclusion: "NATO is not 'helping' Ukraine by intensifying attacks on Russia, it is sacrificing Ukraine in the hope of bleeding Russia."
Reporting in mainstream media indicates a US intelligence consensus which casts doubt on Ukrainian drones being intentionally sent against Putin's residence; however, there does seem to be acknowledgement that a drone wave was active in the general area.
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The below is conveyed from The Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/u-s-finds-ukraine-didnt-target-putin-in-drone-strike-615ce4be
:
U.S. national-security officials said Wednesday that Ukraine didnât target Russian President https://www.wsj.com/topics/person/vladimir-putin
or one of his residences in an alleged drone operation, challenging Moscowâs assertion that Kyiv sought to kill the Russian leader.
That conclusion is supported by a Central Intelligence Agency assessment that found no attempted attack against Putin had occurred, according to a U.S. official briefed on the intelligence. The CIA declined to comment.
The U.S. found that Ukraine had been seeking to strike a military target located in the same region as Putin's country residence but not close by, the official said.
The big question remains, if drones did target the residence, was the CIA involved in assisting with targeting information?
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Fri, 01/02/2026 - 14:00
Pretense, Staging, Expediency: The "Solutions" That Implode The Whole Shebang
Pretense, Staging, Expediency: The "Solutions" That Implode The Whole Shebang
Authored by Charles Hugh Smith via OfTwoMinds blog,
Slapdash quick fixes and policies share one characteristic: they eventually implode the whole shebang.
We all know how this works:Â the business is failing and the divorce papers have been filed, but the optics are ugly, so the couple waltzes in, all smiles and lovey-dovey, for who wants to explain how it all went wrong?
To paper over the inevitable reckoning, expediencies are deployed:Â money is borrowed but the loans are kept off the books, defaults are buried, the kids' college fund is raided, promises that can't be kept are made, and so on.
To maintain the illusion that all is well, everything is carefully staged. The failing business still churns out PR, the yard service keeps the front yard tidy, and the inability to pay the university tuition is explained away as a "gap year" as the eldest child seeks work experience to bolster their career opportunities, etc.
2026 is the year when all the "solutions" of Pretense, Staging and Expediency implode on every level: household, enterprise, local, state and national, for Pretense, Staging and Expediency are scale-invariant "solutions": cooking the books, staging and hiding debt works for the state and nation just as well as it does for the sole proprietor and bankrupt household.
The only difference is the depth of the deviousness. The larger the organization, the greater the resources available to throw into Pretense, Staging and Expediency. So banks extend a new loan to borrowers who defaulted so they can make minimal payments, an expediency that enables the bank to keep the non-performing loan on the books as an asset in good standing.
Conventional economists are paid truckloads of cash to conjure up gamed statistics and bogus projections that act as eye-catching facades hiding the rotting mansion awaiting collapse.
The problem is Pretense, Staging and Expediency are not actual solutions. Since there's no actual long-term plan to address the dire consequences of previous "solutions," Pretense and Staging are deployed along with increasingly destabilizing Expediencies to mask the unintended consequences of slapdash quick fixes.
Policies touted as "solutions" that lack any consideration of the consequences are in effect Expediencies, as the first-order effects of policies that affect the entire system are hard enough to anticipate, while the second-order effects (consequences generate their own set of consequences) only unfold over time and cannot be fully anticipated.
Semantic / narrative-control Pretense and Staging are popular but self-defeating, as calling the risk-choked Shadow Banking System "private credit" doesn't change the dominoes-falling house of cards nature of expediencies as they implode. (Thank you, correspondent Anthony A., for this example.)
Slapdash fixes / policies share one characteristic: they eventually implode the whole shebang when the failure of Pretense, Staging and Expediency to actually resolve structural problems becomes unavoidably obvious. Hope clings tenaciously to Pretense, Staging and Expediency, but when this faith in falsehoods and fakery finally expires, there's no outrunning the consequences.
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We'll know things are serious when those in charge are reduced to relying on lies as their last-ditch cover story.
Alternatively, we'll know things are serious when the AI chatbot declares all this is a fringe conspiracy theory and then three questions later, it's recommending survivalist strategies of the fringe conspiracy theory variety.
*Â *Â *
My new book https://amzn.to/48qqggX
Check out my updated https://www.oftwominds.com/books.html
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Fri, 01/02/2026 - 13:40
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/pretense-staging-expediency-solutions-implode-whole-shebang
Minnesota To Mandate Kâ12 Ethnic Studies Instruction In 2026
Minnesota To Mandate Kâ12 Ethnic Studies Instruction In 2026
In the coming weeks, school boards across the Land of 10,000 Lakes state will decide on curricula to meet ethnic studies mandates for the 2026â2027 academic year.
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There appear to be limited alternatives to the free instructional materials developed with taxpayer dollars and endorsed by the state teachersâ union.
That curriculum instructs 6th graders to learn the 13 guiding principles of the Black Lives Matter movement; 7th graders on how protesters have breached federal buildings; and higher schoolers to âidentify plans of action that people have used to resist, refuse, and create alternatives to oppressive systems,â according to the materials developed by the University of Minnesotaâs Center for Race, Indigeneity, Disability, Gender and Sexuality Studies https://cla.umn.edu/ridgs/ethnic-studies-initiative/lesson-plans
.
âStudents will be able to explain how race is socially constructed and how that social construction has been used to oppress people of color, specifically in relation to Jim Crow, segregation, and racial covenants,â reads the description for the 11th and 12th-grade Jim Crow of the North course.
The Center of the American Experiment, a Minnesota-based education policy https://www.americanexperiment.org/ethnicstudies/
that opposes partisan and race-based curricula, is helping districts find politically neutral alternatives that it says are more like traditional social studies and history electives and less like social justice advocacy guidance.
âThe words ethnic studies have been hijacked,â Catrin Wigfall, a policy fellow with the center, told The Epoch Times.
âBut boards [of education] have more power in this than they might think.â
Additionally, state laws allow parents to review a curriculum and opt their child out of any instruction they find objectionable, in which case the school is required to provide alternative materials, Wigfall said.
The https://education.mn.gov/MDE/dse/stds/EthnicStudies/
defines ethnic studies as an interdisciplinary area of instruction that âanalyzes how race and racism have been and continue to be social, cultural, and political forces, and the connection of race to the stratification of other groups.â
The state law requires public schools to incorporate ethnic studies lessons in mandatory social studies courses across all grade levels, in addition to offering a stand-alone ethnic studies elective course for high school juniors and seniors.
In 2023, the Minnesota Department of Education stipulated that the ethnic studies context is expected to be embedded in other subject areas, including math, physical education, and health, as courses are periodically revised.
The Center of the American Experiment argues that those standards habituate angry, inaccurate, and âidentity-firstâ ideological and political perspectives.
By definition, ethnic studies should focus on global histories, cultures, and religions, but the instruction pushed in Minnesota schools forces a polarizing and narrow political worldview, Wigfall said.
âItâs been a bait and switch campaign,â she said.
The center endorses the American Experience https://www.fairforall.org/american-experience-curriculum/
by the Foundation Against Tolerance and Racism, which Johns Hopkins has approved as a model for ethnic studies instruction, as a suitable alternative to the University of Minnesotaâs instructional materials.
In addition, the https://1776unites.org/our-work/curriculum/
free curriculum focuses on historical stories that âcelebrate black excellence, reject victimhood culture, and showcase African-Americans who have prospered by embracing Americaâs founding ideals,â according to its website.
Wigfall said her organization will work with school districts to navigate curriculum choices and the timetable for meeting state requirements across various subject areas.
The center isnât advocating litigation over the mandate, but local education leaders, under federal Title VI provisions, have legal recourse if they are forced to foster a hostile learning environment under state requirements.
âIt will be interesting to see what the rollout looks like,â she said. âWhen you emphasize tribalism, what does that do to knowledge development?â
Minnesota isnât the only place grappling with debates surrounding ethnic studies mandates.
The California Department of Education strongly recommends the curricula, but has yet to require them.
The Defending Education parentsâ organization recently https://defendinged.org/investigations/liberated-k-12-liberated-ethnic-studies-industrial-complex/
that Kâ12 districts in 22 states spent more than $17.5 million since 2017 on âliberatedâ ethnic studies instruction.
Mitch Siegler, founder of the https://thinc.org/
, which promotes Kâ12 curriculum transparency and is closely monitoring Californiaâs moves, said his situation is similar to Minnesotaâs in that consultants and content creators focusing on such ethnic studies collaborate with districts and teacher unions to âpromote the only game in town.â
THINC is developing alternative materials that emphasize civics and American history.
âWarts and all,â Siegler said in an email response to The Epoch Times. âAnd which teaches students to debate complex issues and disagree in an agreeable fashion. Thatâs a far cry from the ideological approach which the âliberatedâ consultants advocate for.â
The Epoch Times reached out to the Minnesota Department of Education and the University of Minnesotaâs Center for Race, Indigeneity, Disability, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.
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Fri, 01/02/2026 - 13:00
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/minnesota-mandate-k-12-ethnic-studies-instruction-2026
UBS Says Soaring Memory Chip Prices To "Turbo-Charge" Samsung Earnings
UBS Says Soaring Memory Chip Prices To "Turbo-Charge" Samsung Earnings
a sharp increase in DDR5 DRAM pricing, as evidenced by DRAMeXchange data, driven primarily by surging AI-related cloud computing demand and hyperscalers accelerating data center buildouts.
On day one of the new year, Samsung co-CEO Jun Young Hyun told employees in an https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/soaring-memory-costs-sink-nintendo-shares-goldman-says-selloff-buy-dip-opportunity
that customers have praised the differentiated competitiveness of its next-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips, or HBM4, saying, "It's even earning an assessment from customers that 'Samsung is back'." He noted that Samsung will also benefit from favorable memory market conditions this year, as demand for artificial intelligence chips has materialized much quicker than initially anticipated.
The other week, Goldman analyst Maho Kamiya https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/soaring-memory-costs-sink-nintendo-shares-goldman-says-selloff-buy-dip-opportunity
that mounting concerns about soaring memory prices posed new risks for Nintendo, which manufactures consumer electronics such as the popular Switch 2.
"Some investors think that Nintendo will be selling Switch 2 at a loss and gross profit falling into the red. While rising memory prices are a risk factor that could depress hardware margins, we think concerns are somewhat excessive," Kamiya told clients last week.
While end-use consumer electronics companies such as Nintendo may be pressured by higher memory costs, the same pricing surge is expected to "turbo-charge earnings" for Samsung's memory business, according to UBS analyst Nicolas Gaudois.
Gaudois explains why:
DDR and NAND contract pricing coming out higher than expected
With 4Q25 memory contract pricing negotiations now completed, we lift our forecast for DDR contract pricing to +35% QoQ (was +21%), and for NAND +20% (was +15%). We believe customers are trying to secure 1Q26 contract pricing in earnest, with further potential for upside. We now forecast blended DDR contract pricing to increase 29% QoQ (was +15%) and NAND +20% (was +10%) in 1Q26. From there on, we continue to forecast DRAM to remain undersupplied until 1Q27, and NAND 3Q26. We see the ongoing upside in conventional memory pricing as the main stock driver for Samsung. At 1.43x NTM book, we believe the stock is not yet discounting the strength and length of the upcycle ahead.
HBM shipments to catch up in 2026E
While we maintain our 2026 DRAM bit growth forecast of 15% YoY, we could see up to 2 pct pts upside depending on production yields / efficiency / mix. We continue to forecast HBM shipments to reach 7.5bn Gb in 2026, up 77% YoY. We continue to expect Samsung to provide HBM4 samples to Nvidia by February, which could lead to qualification by 2Q26 (with production starting earlier in 1Q). We believe Samsung remains first source for HBM for AMD and Open AI. Regarding Google, we believe Samsung is second source for TPU 7p, while Micron may be second source for TPU 7e (first source in both cases being SK Hynix).
Increasing forecasts well ahead of consensus on DDR/NAND ASP estimates
We increase our 4Q25 OP forecast to Won18.1tn from Won15.0tn (VA consensus: Won15.3tn) on the back of increased DRAM and NAND ASPs. We raise 2026E/27E OP to Won135.3tn/Won143.6tn (from Won101.2tn/Won109.5tn respectively), well ahead of consensus Won86.9tn/Won109.6tn respectively, and lift our 2026/27 EPS forecasts by 31%/29%. These changes are due to raised DDR/NAND ASPs as well as DRAM bit growth forecasts, which more than offset us lowering smartphone margins due to rising memory prices.
Valuation: lift price target to Won154,000 from Won128,000 â Buy
We value Samsung ordinary shares at 1.97x NTM book (was 1.79x) considering our 2026-30 average ROE estimate of 16.3% (was 14.6%) and CoE of 8.3% (was 8.2%). We also raise our Samsung GDR PT to US$2,610, from US$2,230, with the latest FX.
We've shown readers DDR5 DRAM pricing via DRAMeXchange...
Update: two months later https://t.co/Q4TPIrpzxV
â zerohedge (@zerohedge) https://twitter.com/zerohedge/status/2003102684296130864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
But now, take a look at DDR5 DRAM pricing on Amazon!
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As a reminder, AI workloads are built around memory.
ZeroHedge Pro Subs can view the full note in the usual place, which includes a https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/g3gspkawz7kxjj370xz21/Samsung-Memory.pdf?rlkey=l6i7bh0zyfvq9e08x5jjzk2pi&st=l38jxtk3&dl=0
.
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Fri, 01/02/2026 - 12:40
https://www.zerohedge.com/ai/ubs-says-soaring-memory-chip-prices-turbo-charge-samsung-earnings
10 Very Important Trends To Watch As We Enter 2026
10 Very Important Trends To Watch As We Enter 2026
Are we on the brink of a worldwide nightmare? Many have described what we are currently experiencing as a âperfect stormâ. We have been getting hit with one crisis after another as global events have greatly accelerated in recent months. But now it feels like the next chapter that we are entering is going to take things to an entirely different level.
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On New Yearâs Eve, something very unexpected happened at our most important landmark in the middle of the country. Â You will want to read all the way to the end of this article to see what I am talking about. Â This year is already off to a very unusual start, and I fully expect a lot more craziness in the months ahead.
The following are 10 very important trends to watch as we enter 2026âŚ
#1 The Price Of Silver
The price of silver is telling us that there is big trouble under the surface of the global financial system.  Even though there was https://michaeltsnyder.substack.com/p/in-a-desperate-attempt-to-stop-the
to suppress the price of silver this week, it was still up about 140 percent in 2025.
And the difference between the price of paper silver and the prices that physical silver is going for around the world https://thesilverindustry.substack.com/p/silver-price-in-tokyo-hits-130-per
âŚ
Silver at $130 in Japan, $106 in Kuwait, $97 in Korea, and â$71â on Western screens is not a market; it is a confession. The numbers read like a crime scene diagram: in the real world where bars change hands and coins disappear into safes, silver has quietly migrated into tripleâdigit pricing, while the supposed âglobal benchmarkâ in New York and London is still stuck in a fantasyland of leveraged promises.â
In Tokyo shops and Japanese bullion counters, you are not buying silver in the 70s; you are paying the equivalent of $120â130 an ounce because that is what it costs to replace inventory once you factor in tight wholesale supply, shipping, insurance, currency chaos, and the growing sense that the next shipment might not show up on time, or at all. Kuwait tells the same story in a different language: retail bars priced around $100+ an ounce are not a fat merchantâs greed; they are the marketâs answer to a simple questionâwhat will it really take to pry physical metal out of the pipeline in a world where everyone suddenly wants the same scarce asset at the same time.â
#2 The Affordability Crisis
In 2025, I wrote about the affordability crisis in the United States https://michaeltsnyder.substack.com/p/2-of-the-most-prominent-buzzwords
.
Sadly, at this stage approximately two-thirds of the entire U.S. population is struggling https://www.cbsnews.com/news/economy-2026-outlook-affordability-rates-jobs-markets/
âŚ
About 7 in 10 Americans polled by CBS News in December said they were struggling to pay for food, housing and health care, underscoring the affordability issues affecting millions of households.
#3 Israel And Iran
This is a big one.
Once Israel and Iran start fighting again, global events will go into overdrive.
Apparently a new round of airstrikes on Iran https://worldisraelnews.com/netanyahu-proposed-round-2-of-iran-war-in-2026-us-sets-conditions-for-support-report/
during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahuâs meeting with President Trump on Monday, and I am convinced that it wonât be too long before those airstrikes actually beginâŚ
On Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, during which the two leaders discussed efforts by Iran to reconstitute its nuclear program following the Israeli and American airstrikes in June, and to expand its ballistic missile arsenal.
During the meeting, Netanyahu shared with Trump details regarding Israelâs planning for a possible follow-up air campaign against Iran, should Tehran continue to refuse to halt its efforts to enrich uranium.
According to a US official and two other American sources, Israel is considering airstrikes in 2026.
#4 The War In Ukraine
Russian forces are steadily moving forward https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/putin-issues-big-warning-to-ukraine-says-russian-army-will-decide-to-course-of-war-zekenskyy-likely-to-accept-donald-trump-to/ar-AA1T8YDW
, and so the Russians will not be inclined to give the Ukrainians and our European allies what they are demandingâŚ
Russian President Vladimir Putin inspected a command post of the Russian Armed Forces
Putin received reports from Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov and the commanders of Russiaâs Center and East groupings of forces.
Russian commanders told Putin that their army has captured the cities of Mirnohrad, Rodynske, and Artemivka in Ukraineâs Donetsk region, as well as Huliaipole and Steponohirsk in the Zaporizhzhia region.
#5 Europe Preparing For War
Russia has made it very clear that it does not intend to attack any other European countries.
But for some reason, the Europeans are https://michaeltsnyder.substack.com/p/why-is-europe-feverishly-preparing?utm_source=publication-search
anyway.
all 18-year-old males to complete a compulsory survey about military serviceâŚ
Germany is stepping up preparations for war â starting with its teenage boys.
From this week, every German male will be legally required to answer questions from the army the moment he turns 18, as part of a sweeping new military service scheme approved amid mounting fears of a major conflict in Europe.
Tens of thousands of teenagers will be sent a compulsory 14-question survey by the Bundeswehr, asking not only how interested they are in joining the military, but how fit they are to fight and how quickly they could be ready for service.
Ignoring the form is not an option. Young men who refuse to complete the questionnaire â or repeatedly ignore follow-up demands from the army â face fines of up to âŹ1,000 (ÂŁ800), even though ministers insist the scheme falls short of full conscription.
#6 Venezuela
The Trump administration has been bombing drug boats, seizing oil tankers and threatening the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
This could put the U.S. on a collision course with China.
China does not intend to stop buying oil from Venezuela.  If the U.S. starts seizing Chinese oil tankers that approach Venezuela, that could cause a major international incident.  According https://www.newsweek.com/chinese-oil-tankers-challenge-us-blockade-venezuela-11282601
, there are two Chinese oil tankers that are expected to arrive in Venezuela very soonâŚ
Chinese oil tankers are pressing ahead with Venezuela-linked voyages despite a U.S. blockade and an escalating campaign of tanker seizures.
Two Chinese-flagged VLCCs are operating near Venezuelan waters, with the Thousand Sunny due to arrive in mid-January and the Xing Ye waiting off French Guiana, according to a new report by Lloydâs List.
Newsweek has reached out to the U.S. State Department for comment.
#7 Taiwan
The Chinese just concluded military exercises that practiced what a full-blown blockade of Taiwan would look like.
At this stage, tensions between China and Taiwan are higher https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/china-s-global-aggression-check-taiwan-tensions-military-posturing-and-us-response-in-2025/ar-AA1Tpn8x?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=6956bcd4a8294925b77c1f12b4bb9302&ei=44
âŚ
As 2025 ends, tensions between China and Taiwan are higher â and more overt â than at any point in recent years, fueled by expanded U.S. military support for Taipei, increasingly bold warnings from regional allies, and Chinese military drills that look less like symbolism and more like rehearsal.
Beijing has spent the year steadily increasing pressure on Taiwan through large-scale military exercises, air and naval incursions, and pointed political messaging, while Washington and its allies have responded with sharper deterrence signals that China now openly labels as interference.
#8 Pestilences
The bird flu continues to kill millions of birds all over the globe, various strains of mpox continue to circulate, and the pestilence that erupted in 2020 is still making people sick throughout the world.  Meanwhile, some U.S. states are seeing https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-15425109/super-flu-spreading-uncontrollably-new-york-h3n2.html
âŚ
The âsuper fluâ is exploding across the US, with some states seeing more cases than ever before.
The latest CDC data for the week ending December 20 shows positive flu tests are up 53 percent compared to the week prior. Positive tests are up nearly 75 percent from this time last year.
During the week ending December 20, the number of people hospitalized surged 51 percent, and the number already in hospital has nearly doubled compared to the same period last year.
It is just a matter of time before the next great global pandemic arrives, and scientists https://thebulletin.org/premium/2025-12/the-united-states-isnt-prepared-for-another-pandemic-heres-what-should-happen/
that it could come from a multitude of potential directionsâŚ
Scientists continue to discover viruses with worrisome characteristics (Chen et al. 2025). Some experts worry about the potential for a leak from pathogen research labs (Palacios, Garcia-Sastre, and Relman 2025), or AIâs ability, in the wrong hands, to help with the creation of a bioweapon (Tjandra 2025). Out in the open, H5N1 avian influenza continues to spread and infect a wide range of animal speciesâthe virus perhaps just a mutation away from becoming a human threat (Lin et al. 2024). Another pathogen, most likely an influenza or another coronavirus is waiting to break out.
#9 Seismic Activity Along The Pacific Ring Of Fire
Seismic activity along the Pacific Ring of Fire https://michaeltsnyder.substack.com/p/why-is-the-pacific-ring-of-fire-shaking
in 2025.
And as we enter 2026, the state of California is being shaken by significant earthquakes on an almost daily basis.
In fact, we just witnessed https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/magnitude-4-9-earthquake-northern-california-21269767.php
that really shook a lot of people upâŚ
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake was recorded near the town of Susanville in Lassen County on Tuesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake was centered around nine miles northwest of Susanville at 9:49 p.m. It was downgraded from an initial magnitude of 5.3.
#10 The Greatest Global Food Crisis In Modern History
We are in the midst of the greatest global food crisis in modern history.
But donât just take my word for it.
The following comes https://wfpusa.org/news/global-food-crisis-10-countries-suffering-the-most-from-hunger/
of the UNâs World Food programâŚ
Yes. Right now, there is a global food crisis â the largest one in modern history. Since the United Nations World Food Programâs (WFP) creation in 1963, never has hunger reached such devastating highs. From the eruption of new conflicts and the escalating impacts of the climate crisis to soaring food and fuel costs, millions of people are being driven closer to starvation each day.
Nearly 350 million people around the world are experiencing the most extreme forms of hunger right now. Of those, nearly 49 million people are on the brink of famine. Behind these massive statistics are individual children, women and men suffering from the dire effects of such severe hunger. Malnourished mothers give birth to malnourished babies, passing hunger from one generation to the next. Childrenâs physical and cognitive growth is stunted. Farmers are unable to grow enough food to provide for their families and communities. Entire towns are forced to leave their homes in search of food.
We really are living in https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F4DN45KX
.
Sadly, many in the western world donât seem to understand this since we donât have war or famine on our own soil.
But for those that are watching carefully, it is exceedingly clear that we have arrived at a truly unique chapter in human history.
So many incredibly strange things are occurring all around us.
On New Yearâs Eve, https://dnyuz.com/2026/01/01/meteor-streaks-over-st-louis-iconic-gateway-arch-on-nye-hard-to-beat-that-timing/
dramatically flew past the most important landmark in the center of the United StatesâŚ
A shimmering meteor was spotted cutting across the sky over the famed Gateway Arch in Missouri hours before revelers rushed to a New Yearâs Eve celebration at the monumentâs base.
âHEY LOOK, itâs⌠A meteor saying hi to the Gateway Arch on New Yearâs Eve!â The St. Louis Gateway Archâs X account wrote in a post shared with the breathtaking video.
In the six-second clip, a small white speck appears over one end of the arch. It grows into a green blaze that pulses once before disappearing back into the dark obscurity provided by the predawn sky â right as it reaches the archâs peak.
The viral video was captured on an Earth Cam situated at Malcolm Martin Memorial Park in east St. Louis. The camera is angled directly towards the cityâs skyline all day, every day.
That is something that you donât see every day.
Of course so many weird things have been happening in the heavens over the last couple of years, and most of the population simply doesnât care.
Most of us have an unbreakable addiction to entertainment at this point, and getting people to focus on anything other than entertainment is becoming exceedingly difficult.
Most people are just going to continue to stare at their screens as the world falls apart all around them, and that is extremely unfortunate.
Michaelâs new book entitled https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F4DN45KX
.
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3 Key Supreme Court Cases To Watch In Early 2026
3 Key Supreme Court Cases To Watch In Early 2026
The Supreme Court will resume oral arguments the week of Jan. 12, taking on https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_calendars/MonthlyArgumentCalJanuary2026.pdf
dealing with girlsâ athletics, gun laws, and the presidentâs attempt to fire a member of the Federal Reserve.
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Here are the top cases to watch.
1. Girlsâ Sports
The Supreme Court on Jan. 13 will hear arguments in two casesâWest Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecoxâthat focus on West Virginiaâs and Idahoâs laws barring males from competing in female sports. The eventual ruling is expected to tackle key questions about how federal law and the Constitution treat sex and gender.
Both states faced hurdles in federal appeals courts, which held that their laws classified individuals based on their sex and âtransgender status.â They also indicated that those types of classifications violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, which generally directs states to apply the law equally to everyone regardless of particular characteristics.
While courts have sometimes allowed states to treat certain groups of people differently, legal classifications based on sex and other characteristics have also been rejected. Thatâs because when courts determine whether to uphold a state law, they weigh certain factors, such as whether the state has an important enough interest in using certain characteristics to classify individuals.
In both West Virginiaâs and Idahoâs https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24/24-38/374543/20250912154628466_Hecox%20Merits%20Opening%20Brief.pdf
, the states have acknowledged that they classify people based on sex but that doing so is justifiedâspecifically because they further important government interests in protecting equality in sports.
âOn average, men are faster, stronger, bigger, more muscular, and have more explosive power than women,â Idaho told the Supreme Court. âFor female athletes to compete safely and excel, they deserve sex-specific teams.â
West Virginiaâs https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24/24-43/374548/20250912160050839_West%20Virginia%20v%20BPJ%20Opening%20Brief.pdf
against West Virginia in 2024.
That decision was wrong, West Virginia told the Supreme Court, because Title IX was focused on unequal treatment between the sexes rather than eliminating all sex-based distinctions.
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U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) speaks following the passage of the âThe Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act,â outside the U.S. Capitol on April 20, 2023. The Supreme Court on Jan. 13 will hear arguments in two cases that focus on West Virginiaâs and Idahoâs laws barring males from competing in female sports. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
Heather Jackson, whose male child was barred from participating in girlsâ cross country and track teams, argued that West Virginiaâs law was unreasonable. Part of Jacksonâs argument is that puberty-delaying drugs have prevented her child from developing physiological, athletic advantages over girls.
Meanwhile, the student challenging Idahoâs law has attempted to withdraw from the dispute while pledging not to participate in womenâs sports. The Supreme Court has deferred deciding on this attempt until after oral argument.
Beyond sex-based distinctions, the appeals courts raised a separate question about whether Idahoâs and West Virginiaâs laws classify individuals based on âtransgender status.â In other words, do the states target individuals based on that purported status rather than solely based on their sex?
So far, the Supreme Court hasnât offered a definitive ruling on this issue, but multiple justices https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/23-477_2cp3.pdf
in June that someoneâs âtransgender statusâ shouldnât receive extra protection under the Constitution. Justices Samuel Alito and Amy Coney Barrett both said, among other things, that âtransgender statusâ lacked the type of immutable characteristic held by other protected classes, such as race.
2. Hawaiiâs Gun Law
The Supreme Court will hear arguments on Jan. 20 in Wolford v. Lopez, which challenges Hawaiiâs restrictions on concealed carry but also invites the court to clarify the role of American history in upholding gun laws.
In a landmark https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/20-843_7j80.pdf
in 2022, Justice Clarence Thomas said that state laws should be consistent with the nationâs historical tradition of firearm regulation.
Since then, lower courts have tried applying the decision in that case, known as New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen, to state laws such as Hawaiiâs. The Hawaii law https://law.justia.com/codes/hawaii/title-10/chapter-134/section-134-9/
concealed-carry permit holders from carrying weapons in privately owned public spaces unless given âexpress authorization of the owner, lessee, operator, or manager of the private property.â
When the Ninth Circuit https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2024/09/06/23-16164.pdf
the law, it said those restrictions fell âwell within the historical tradition.â The appeals court pointed to a New Jersey law from 1771 and a Louisiana law from 1865 that it said were âdead ringersâ for Hawaiiâs restrictions.
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A man carries a gun before a hearing where four gun control bills passed the Senate Judiciary Committee at the Virginia state Capitol in Richmond, Va., on Jan. 13, 2020. The Supreme Court will hear arguments on Jan. 20 in a case challenging Hawaiiâs concealed-carry restrictions that also asks the justices to clarify how history should factor into gun laws. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times
Those two were relevant because one was enacted just before the Second Amendmentâs ratification, while the other came just before ratification of the 14th Amendment, which extends the Second Amendment to states.
Jason Wolford, a Hawaii resident who sued with other plaintiffs, is https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24/24-1046/384821/20251117164215781_24-1046%20Merits%20Brief%20of%20Petitioners%20with%20Statutory%20Appendix.pdf
the Supreme Court to reverse the Ninth Circuitâs decision on the basis that it erred in analyzing the older laws. More specifically, his attorneys argued that historic laws couldnât merely be similar to the one passed by Hawaii.
Instead, the Supreme Courtâs decision in Bruen required that the laws needed to serve similar purposes, the petition says.
Louisianaâs law was too different from Hawaiiâs, Wolford said, because it not only focused on land that was barred to the public but also came as part of the stateâs âblack codesâ intended to deprive former slaves of civil rights. He also argued that the New Jersey law was intended to control poaching on enclosed lands and was therefore different from Hawaiiâs law.
Hawaii, meanwhile, https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24/24-1046/387778/20251217162555763_25.12.17%20Wolford%20response_final.pdf
its law as following numerous founding-era and Reconstruction-era laws in vindicating the rights of property owners to exclude certain people from their property.
3. Trumpâs Fed Firing
On Jan. 21, the Supreme Court will examine the presidentâs authority to remove members of the Federal Reserve. The https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/25a312.html
, Trump v. Cook, follows another case heard in December over the presidentâs ability to fire a member of the Federal Trade Commission.
Both cases focus on laws Congress passed restricting the presidentâs ability to fire officials. Trump v. Cook is a bit different, however, in that it focuses more on the purported cause Trump cited in firing Federal Reserve Board of Governors member Lisa Cook.
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Lisa Cook, member of the Board of Governors of the U.S. Federal Reserve, departs the Federal Reserve Board headquarters in Washington on Oct. 9, 2025. On Jan. 21, the Supreme Court will examine the presidentâs authority to remove members of the Federal Reserve. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
The issue arose after Trump sent a https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115092130707196133
in August accusing Cook of mortgage fraud.
Cook and Trump have differed over whether alleged fraud was the type of âcauseâ that Congress allowed the president to use as a basis for firing board members. While the Federal Reserve Act allows presidents to fire members âfor cause,â it doesnât offer much indication as to what that means. Trump, meanwhile, has argued that courts shouldnât be able to second-guess his determination that a sufficient cause existed for firing someone such as Cook.
Many of the arguments surround how much protection Cook deserves under the Fifth Amendment, which says people canât âbe deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.â
A federal judge in Washington reinstated Cook on the basis that she had a property interest in her position but wasnât given due process before losing her job. That due process, the judge said, should include some kind of meaningful notice and an opportunity to be heard.
Trump appealed to the Supreme Court, telling the justices that tenure-protected officers didnât have a property right to their positions and that reinstatement was outside of judgesâ authority.
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Fri, 01/02/2026 - 11:40
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/3-key-supreme-court-cases-watch-early-2026
Fighting Breaks Out On Saudi Border In Oil-Rich Yemen Region
Fighting Breaks Out On Saudi Border In Oil-Rich Yemen Region
Yemen continues to be a major headache and security risk for the Saudis, and rare fighting has emerged just on the kingdom's border. Looming over the crisis is the deepening rift between Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Saudi warplanes carried out fresh airstrikes on sites near the Saudi-Yemeni border in Yemen's Hadramout province on Friday, as https://english.news.cn/20260102/52b73ae722184557b99b1cafb1fd602c/c.html
between forces loyal to the Saudi-backed provincial governor and fighters affiliated with the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC).
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The STC has for years called the secession of a proposed federal "State of South Arabia" from the rest of the country, and is backed in this current conflict by the UAE.
At lease seven air raids along the border occurred Friday, according to local officials. The STC's leader in Wadi Hadramout, Mohammed Abdulmalik, has said that the strikes killed seven people and injured more than 20 others.
Saudi-backed authorities have this week moved to reassert control over military installations in the province. Hadramout borders Saudi Arabia and thus whichever group controls the area gains great influence and strategic importance, also given it is an area rich with crude.
Earlier on Friday, Yemen's Saudi-backed government formally announced the launch of a military operation targeting the STC in Hadramout. Speaking in a televised address from Riyadh, the province's governor said the campaign was intended to reassert state authority and secure key institutions in the oil-producing region.
In response, STC forces said they were fully prepared to confront any military escalation following the governor's announcement.
Al Jazeera's Ali Hashem has explained of the geopolitical pressures which led to the new https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/1/2/live-fighting-breaks-out-in-eastern-yemen-along-border-with-saudi-arabia
:
The opportunity here for the Southern Transitional Council (STC) is to go towards separation, to have a southern state, which has been its dream for decades.
Itâs a different moment and itâs instrumental in recalibrating the region. Israelâs war on Gaza war has changed everything â it changed the perception of national security within major states in the region. It changed also the way small players are regarding the possibilities and potential they can build on.
The UAE-backed STC has long rivaled Yemenâs internationally recognized government for influence in the south. However, both sides have at times coordinated against the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in an "enemy of my enemy is my friend" kind of way.
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While media cameras have for years focused on the dominant Houthis in Yemen, friction between Saudi-supported and Emirati-aligned forces has increasingly flared into armed confrontations.
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https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/fighting-breaks-out-saudi-border-oil-rich-yemen-region
RFK Jr. Stops Requiring Doctors To Report Patient Vaccine Status
RFK Jr. Stops Requiring Doctors To Report Patient Vaccine Status
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has stopped mandating health care providers report the immunization status of patients.
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Kennedy decided to stop requiring doctors to list vaccinations children have received, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) https://www.medicaid.gov/federal-policy-guidance/downloads/sho25005.pdf
in a Dec. 30, 2025, letter to state health officials.
Doctors participating in Medicaid and the Childrenâs Health Insurance Program were previously required to report how many children received specific vaccines by their second birthday, and other shots by the time they turn 14 years old.
Kennedy also eliminated a requirement that doctors report the immunization status of pregnant women, according to the notice.
âGovernment bureaucracies should never coerce doctors or families into accepting vaccines or penalize physicians for respecting patient choice. That practice ends now,â Kennedy, head of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), of which CMS is a part, https://x.com/SecKennedy/status/2006454741061038214
in a post on X. âUnder the Trump administration, HHS will protect informed consent, respect religious liberty, and uphold medical freedom.â
Federal law requires that doctors report certain measures while caring for the approximately 78 million people on Medicaid or the Childrenâs Health Insurance Program, and that states convey that data to CMS. The reporting was voluntary when first implemented. It began being mandated in fiscal year 2024.
CMS did not respond to a request for comment. In the letter, the agency noted that Kennedy has authority under the law to make changes to the required measures âto improve and strengthenâ the reporting requirements, and that pursuant to that authority, CMS was removing the immunization reporting requirements.
The agency said that providers can choose to voluntarily provide the information moving forward âto allow CMS to maintain a longitudinal dataset while exploring alternative immunization measures.â
It also said that starting in 2026, officials would be exploring the development of new measures that would âcapture information about whether parents and families were informed about vaccine choices, vaccine safety and side effects, and alternative vaccine schedules.â
Officials plan to talk with states, providers, and other stakeholders about those measures.
âCMS will also explore how religious exemptions for vaccinations can be accounted for in the data and the subsequent measures,â the letter states.
âCMS does not tie payment to performance on immunization quality measures in Medicaid and CHIP at the federal level. While states have flexibility and discretion to use quality measures in state developed value-based purchasing and payment incentive fee for service or managed care programs, CMS strongly discourages states from using immunization measures in payment arrangements.â
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https://www.zerohedge.com/medical/rfk-jr-stops-requiring-doctors-report-patient-vaccine-status
NPR's CEO Refused Internal Demands To Resign "For The Good Of Public Media" Before Loss Of Funding
NPR's CEO Refused Internal Demands To Resign "For The Good Of Public Media" Before Loss Of Funding
reports that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) called on National Public Radio (NPR) CEO Katherine Maher to resign before all federal funding for both the CPB and NPR was cut off. As in the past, Maher and the NPR board chose their own agendas over the interests of their institution and public radio.
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I have long been a critic of Maher since her inexplicable selection by the NPR board to lead the media organization. Despite years of objections to NPRâs overt bias, many critics genuinely wanted NPR to reverse course and adopt more balanced coverage. That is why, when NPR was searching for a new CEO, I encouraged the board to hire a moderate figure without a history of political advocacy or controversy.
Instead, the board selected Katherine Maher, a former Wikipedia CEO widely criticized for her highly partisan and controversial public statements.
She was the personification of advocacy journalism, even declaring that the First Amendment is the ânumber one challengeâ that makes it âtrickyâ to censor or âmodifyâ content as she would like.
Maher has supported âdeplatformingâ anyone she deems to be âfascistsâ and even suggested that she might support âpunching Nazis.â
She also declared that âour reverence for the truth might be a distraction [in] getting things done.â
As expected, the bias at NPR only got worse. The leadership even https://jonathanturley.org/2021/08/01/why-have-advocacy-journalism-when-you-can-have-just-advocacy/
barring journalists from joining political protests.
One editor had had enough. Uri Berliner had watched NPR become an echo chamber for the far left with a virtual purging of all conservatives and Republicans from the newsroom. https://www.thefp.com/p/npr-editor-how-npr-lost-americas-trust
that NPRâs Washington headquarters has 87 registered Democrats among its editors and zero Republicans.
Maher and NPR remained dismissive of such complaints. Maher attacked the award-winning Berliner for causing an âaffront to the individual journalists who work incredibly hard.â She called his criticism âprofoundly disrespectful, hurtful, and demeaning.â
after noting how Maherâs âdivisive views confirm the very problems at NPRâ that he had been pointing out.
In her https://jonathanturley.org/2025/03/31/nprs-ceo-just-made-the-best-case-yet-for-defunding-npr/
before Congress, Maher sat next to PBS CEO Paula A. Kerger and dismissed criticism. What was not disclosed is that PBS agreed with some of us that, if Maher truly wanted to save federal funding and protect NPR, she would resign.
According to the Times, our calls for her resignation were being repeated internally. Instead, the board that made the foolish choice of hiring Maher chose their ideological and personal agendas over the interests of their institution . . . again.
In the meantime, Maher and others were going public, bewailing the threat to journalism and calling on citizens to do everything that they could to protect NPR. The only thing that they were not willing to do was admit their own failure.
We have seen the same pattern in academia.
The fact is that this academic echo chamber may be killing educational institutions, but the intolerance still works to the advantage of faculty who can control publications, speaking opportunities, and advancement with like-minded ideologues.
We have watched the same perverse incentive in the media where outlets are seeing plummeting readers and revenue. https://jonathanturley.org/2023/02/01/objectivity-has-got-to-go-news-leaders-call-for-end-of-objective-journalism/
as touchstones of journalism.
It does not matter that this advocacy journalism is killing the profession. Reporters and editors continue to saw at the limb upon which they sit due to the same advantage for academics. For reporters, converting newsrooms into echo chambers gives them more security, advancement, and opportunities.
Recently, the new Washington Post publisher and CEO William Lewis was brought into the paper to right the ship. He https://jonathanturley.org/2024/06/04/lets-not-sugarcoat-it-people-are-not-reading-your-stuff-post-reporters-outraged-after-publisher-drops-truth-bomb/
the staff âletâs not sugarcoat itâŚWe are losing large amounts of money. Your audience has halved in recent years. People are not reading your stuff. Right. I canât sugarcoat it anymore.â
The response from reporters was to call for owner Jeff Bezos to fire Lewis and others seeking to change the culture. The Post has been eliminating positions and just implemented https://www.wsj.com/business/media/washington-post-to-lay-off-a-quarter-of-staffers-from-software-unit-a2808659
to address the budget shortfalls.
In the meantime, https://jonathanturley.org/2024/05/02/poll-majority-of-americans-distrust-in-the-media/
â paralleling the polling on higher education. The result is the rise of new media as people turn to blogs and other sources for their news.
At NPR, the board and Maher have led the organization into a complete and utter meltdown, resulting in the loss of millions in funding and a shrinking audience. However, it does not matter. CPB called on Maher to resign âfor the good of public media.â It was not, however, good for her or her board.
Socially and personally, these individuals are praised and promoted as ideological champions on the left. They were even willing to see the death of CPB to remain faithful to the agenda.
So, CPB died, NPR lost all funding, but Maher kept her job⌠and her agenda.
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Fri, 01/02/2026 - 10:20
"Then It Is War": Elon Musk Responds After Somali TikToker Threatens His Life
"Then It Is War": Elon Musk Responds After Somali TikToker Threatens His Life
A Somali TikToker (account now defunct), first highlighted by https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/2006429047514075557
, mocked Americans about alleged Somali-linked fraud in Minnesota and pushed dangerous rhetoric suggesting Elon Musk was "about to die." Such statements fit a broader alarming pattern surrounding the Democratic Party's normalization of assassination culture against Musk and President Trump supporters.
"I wouldn't worry too much about him. He [Musk] about to die," TikToker "dowza.z" stated in a short 30-second clip. The account has since been taken down, and it remains unclear whether the TikToker deleted the account or whether the dangerous rhetoric directed at Musk violated the platform's terms of service.
The somali tiktoker who mocked Americans had a meltdown over Elon Musk and appeared to threaten his life:
âI wouldnât worry too much about him. He about to die.â
. https://twitter.com/FBI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
â Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2006782977855070590?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Musk responded on X to DogeDesigner's reposting of the video, saying, "Then it is war."
Then it is war https://t.co/KdlKDW6f61
â Elon Musk (@elonmusk) https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/2006957461144760757?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Musk's comment comes as the current political climate, characterized by increasingly hostile rhetoric from the Democratic Party, has significantly amplified threats and the spillover of inflammatory left-wing propaganda into real-world security risks. Historical precedent supports this assessment, including the role of dark-money-funded NGOs backing anti-American activist networks, what https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/new-report-reveals-soros-open-society-funneled-80-million-pro-terror-groups
has described as the "protest industrial complex," which coordinated protest activity and other pressure campaigns targeting Musk, Tesla, President Trump, and anything 'America First'. These efforts coincided with radical left groups, including firebombing terror incidents at Tesla showrooms. Taken together, this pattern of threats from the left and their supporters has translated into real-world consequences. Just look at what happened to Charlie Kirk, which reinforces the urgency for Musk to ramp up his political activity this year.
"America is toast if the radical left wins. They will open the floodgates to illegal immigration and fraud. Won't be America anymore," Musk wrote on X.
Musk was quoting a report that he is reportedly going all-in on funding Republicans for the midterm election cycle.
America is toast if the radical left wins.
They will open the floodgates to illegal immigration and fraud.
Wonât be America anymore. https://t.co/9lppGuSyAV
â Elon Musk (@elonmusk) https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/2006832891024781722?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
This is just day two of the new year.
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Fri, 01/02/2026 - 10:00
Tesla Q4 Deliveries Fall 16% As Investors Pivot Toward Robotaxi, Optimus
Tesla Q4 Deliveries Fall 16% As Investors Pivot Toward Robotaxi, Optimus
Tesla delivered 418,227 vehicles in Q4 2025, below Wall Streetâs expectation of roughly 426,000 deliveries, according to https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/02/tesla-tsla-q4-2025-vehicle-deliveries.html
. Production totaled 434,358 vehicles. For the full year, Tesla delivered 1.64 million vehicles in 2025, down 9% from 2024 and marking the second consecutive annual decline in deliveries.
Shares are now down about 10% from recent highs, despite the stock holding relatively firm given the disappointing numbers so far today.
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On December 29, the company publicly released its own analyst delivery consensus for the quarter via a press release on its investor relations website â a significant departure from its normal practice. Tesla typically compiles these estimates but only shares them privately with a select group of analysts and major investors.
The decision to publish the consensus suggested the automaker was trying to manage expectations ahead of what it appeared to anticipate would be a disappointing report.
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That internal survey of 20 analysts projected 422,850 deliveries for the quarter, far below the broader public consensus at the time, which ranged from roughly 440,000 to 450,000 vehicles. Even Teslaâs lowered benchmark proved too high.
Fourth-quarter deliveries declined 16% from a year earlier, when Tesla delivered 495,570 vehicles. Production fell 5.5% from the 459,445 vehicles the company built in the same period last year.
EV blog electrek https://electrek.co/2026/01/02/tesla-tsla-releases-q4-delivery-results/
in response to the numbers:
"This is pretty much exactly what we expected: a 15% drop year-over-year and a quarter-over-quarter as Tesla loses incentives in the US and its decline in Europe and China continues. Tesla did report of 14.2 GWh of energy storage deployment, a new record. Itâs a silverlining, but it wonât be enough to compensate for the significant drop in electric vehicle deliveries.
Tesla will end 2025 with a second consecutive year of decline in revenue and earnings despite being a âleaderâ in the globally booming EV market. Thereâs room for concern: unless you 100% believe in Muskâs pivot to AI. Then, you have nothing to worry about."
The companyâs deliveries peaked at 1.81 million vehicles in 2023 before its growth began to stall amid intensifying global competition and an aging vehicle lineup.
Teslaâs fourth-quarter breakdown showed 406,585 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles delivered, along with 11,642 deliveries from its other models, for a total of 418,227.
The pressure on Teslaâs core auto business has become especially visible in Europe. While the company does not provide geographic delivery data, figures from the European Automobile Manufacturersâ Association show Teslaâs registrations in the region fell 39% in the first 11 months of 2025, even as overall battery-electric vehicle adoption increased. During the same period, Chinese rival BYDâs European registrations surged 240%.
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Tesla now faces fierce competition from a growing list of global automakers, including BYD, Xiaomi and Geely in China, Hyundai and Kia in South Korea, and Volkswagen in Europe. At the same time, political controversies surrounding CEO Elon Musk have contributed to consumer backlash in both Europe and the United States, further weighing on the brand.
The companyâs energy business offered a bright spot. Tesla said it deployed 14.2 gigawatt-hours of battery energy storage products in the fourth quarter, up from a record 12.5 GWh in the prior period. The division supplies large-scale systems to utilities and data centers as well as backup batteries for homes.
Some analysts believe Teslaâs newly introduced lower-priced Model Y standard, launched in October, could help stabilize sales in coming quarters, particularly in emerging markets such as Brazil, Thailand and Vietnam. Still, Tesla enters 2026 facing its most uncertain growth outlook in more than a decade, as investors increasingly weigh Elon Muskâs ambitious long-term vision for robotaxis and humanoid robots against the near-term realities of slowing vehicle demand.
Tesla is scheduled to report its full fourth-quarter financial results on Jan. 28.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Fri, 01/02/2026 - 09:45
Magnitude 6.3 Earthquake Strikes Near Mexico City
Magnitude 6.3 Earthquake Strikes Near Mexico City
A powerful magnitude 6.3 earthquake was just detected 13 miles northwest of Ayutla de los Libres, Mexico, or about 220 miles from Mexico City.
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"Not sure what the damage is yet, but a pretty big earthquake just hit Acapulco. My building shook for a good 10 seconds here in Mexico City, about 190 miles away," one X user said.
Not sure what the damage is yet, but a pretty big earthquake just hit Acapulco.
My building shook for a good 10 seconds here in Mexico City, about 190 miles away. https://t.co/l9GQAAOCrx
â BowTiedPassport (@BowTiedPassport) https://twitter.com/BowTiedPassport/status/2007091718513197130?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Footage:
Mexico
Earthquake
Mexico city
Temnlorhttps://twitter.com/hashtag/earthquake?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
â Shikha Panchhi (@ShikhaPanchhi) https://twitter.com/ShikhaPanchhi/status/2007090105983668467?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Strong earthquake shakes Mexico- 6.5 in San Marcos, Guerrero - video from center of Mexico City https://t.co/fuHIIAWQqK
â Andalalucha (@Andalalucha) https://twitter.com/Andalalucha/status/2007092274178801759?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
A happy new year earthquake in Mexico City.
Just got woken up by the earthquake alarm and a short sharp skake⌠https://t.co/JeKmy5hVwj
â Ioan Grillo (@ioangrillo) https://twitter.com/ioangrillo/status/2007092040048513123?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Mexican President Sheinbaum's presser was disrupted.
WATCH: Moment earthquake triggers alarm during Mexican President Sheinbaumâs conference, reporters rushed out https://t.co/3CNd8jweTW
â Rapid Report (@RapidReport2025) https://twitter.com/RapidReport2025/status/2007093061411836147?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
*DevelopingâŚ
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Fri, 01/02/2026 - 09:21
https://www.zerohedge.com/weather/magnitude-63-earthquake-strikes-near-mexico-city
SBA Suspends 7,000 Minnesota Borrowers Over "Suspected Fraudulent Activity"
SBA Suspends 7,000 Minnesota Borrowers Over "Suspected Fraudulent Activity"
Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler announced late Thursday that nearly 7,000 Minnesota borrowers have been suspended over suspected fraud. The move follows a bombshell report last week by citizen journalist Nick Shirley, who detailed alleged large-scale fraud tied to daycare centers operated by Somali-linked networks. The revelations sparked national outrage, with many Americans angered that their taxes are funding what appears to be industrial-scale migrant welfare fraud.
"Over the last week, SBA has reviewed thousands of potentially fraudulent pandemic-era PPP and EIDL loans approved in Minnesota," Loeffler said Thursday on X.
She continued:
Today, our agency took action to suspend 6,900 Minnesota borrowers amid suspected fraudulent activity. In total, these borrowers were approved for 7,900 PPP and EIDL loans worth approximately $400M. These individuals will be banned from all SBA loan programs, including disaster loans, going forward.
We will also refer every case, where appropriate, to federal law enforcement for prosecution and repayment.
After years, the American people will finally begin to see the criminals who stole from law-abiding taxpayers held accountable, and this is just the first state.
Over the last week, SBA has reviewed thousands of potentially fraudulent pandemic-era PPP and EIDL loans approved in Minnesota.
Today, our agency took action to suspend 6,900 Minnesota borrowers amid suspected fraudulent activity. In total, these borrowers were approved forâŚ
â Kelly Loeffler (@SBA_Kelly) https://twitter.com/SBA_Kelly/status/2006893291241980325?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Early in December, Loeffler announced a full investigation into "the network of Somali organizations and executives" implicated in Covid-era fraud schemes in the corrupt Democratic-run state.
Tim Walz's state has been in the spotlight over allegations of industrial-scale fraud, with US Attorney Joe Thompson recently warning that the total could top $9 billion across 14 Medicaid programs.
The scandal began at nonprofit Feeding Our Future, based in Minnesota, which was accused of stealing from the Federal Child Nutrition Program by falsely claiming to distribute meals during the Covid pandemic.
A Christopher F. Rufo report alleged that some of the welfare fraud was funneled into an https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trump-ends-tps-somalis-minnesota-after-explosive-report-reveals-welfare-fraud-network
...
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of what appeared to be "empty" day care and autism centers run by Somali operators only suggests possible front companies to maximize extraction from taxpayer programs while minimizing detection.
In response, as we coined "https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/nick-shirley-effect-sparks-calls-crowdfunded-citizen-journalist-grant-program-expose
).
The Somali "daycare manager" appears to be wearing $2,500 glasses. https://t.co/MeIx3wDQPu
â Nathan Hansen (@nathanmhansen) https://twitter.com/nathanmhansen/status/2006500405438746638?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
By late week, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that it https://www.zerohedge.com/political/hhs-freezes-childcare-payments-nationwide-after-bombshell-somali-linked-daycare-fraud
, citing mounting reports of suspected fraud.
"MN mom" panics after seeing "fraud is bad" in her script https://t.co/EaV2Ptjssh
â End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/2006469776936456603?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The nation has been shocked this week, not just because corporate media tried to downplay and discredit Shirley's report, which led to https://www.zerohedge.com/political/msm-panics-after-nick-shirley-bombshell-cbs-pledges-start-reporting-real-news
, but also because average folks, swamped by taxes, overregulation, and elevated costs of living, all leftovers from disastrous "Bidenomics," now see their tax dollars funding the lives of migrants milking the welfare system in what could be one of the largest welfare schemes in years.
Americans are reaching a breaking point.
Fraud fatigue is now a very real thing.
People are not only questioning the system, but are completely done with the system and considering not even paying taxes.
Why should we? It only gets sent to Somali Pirates, and fraudsters and⌠https://t.co/9kAumrr7Cx
â AmericanPapaBear⢠(@AmericaPapaBear) https://twitter.com/AmericaPapaBear/status/2006366899710632312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Americans are reaching a breaking point. Fraud fatigue is real.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Fri, 01/02/2026 - 09:15
Ărsted Sues Trump Administration Over Project Suspension
Ărsted Sues Trump Administration Over Project Suspension
A joint venture of Ărsted, the worldâs largest offshore wind developer, https://orsted.com/en/media/news/2026/01/revolution-wind-llc-to-file-preliminary-injunction-1473856511
in court the Trump Administrationâs lease suspension order to halt work on the Revolution Wind offshore wind project off the U.S. East Coast.
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Revolution Wind LLC, a 50/50 joint venture between Global Infrastructure Partnersâ Skyborn Renewables and Ărsted, filed a supplemental complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, challenging the lease suspension order issued on December 22, 2025 by the U.S. Department of the Interiorâs Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), to be followed by a motion for a preliminary injunction.
On December 22, the U.S. Department of the Interior https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/US-Pauses-Offshore-Wind-Leases-over-National-Security-Concerns.html
for five offshore wind projects, due to national security concerns, said Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum.
The projects Vineyard Wind 1, Revolution Wind, CVOW â Commercial, Sunrise Wind, and Empire Wind 1Â https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/trump-administration-protects-us-national-security-pausing-offshore-wind-leases
by the U.S. Administration, which threw another curveball to developers of offshore wind projects, many of which are in advanced stage of development.
Revolution Wind, which secured all required federal and state permits in 2023, following extensive reviews, is currently about 87% complete and has already installed all offshore foundations and 58 of 65 wind turbines.
Sunrise Wind LLC, a separate project and wholly-owned subsidiary of Ărsted that also received a lease suspension order on December 22, continues to evaluate all options to resolve the matter, including engagement with relevant agencies and stakeholders and considering legal proceedings, the Denmark-based offshore wind giant said on Friday.
Last week, Norwayâs Equinor https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Equinor-Suspends-Work-on-3-Billion-Offshore-Wind-Farm.html
on the Empire Wind 1 project following the stop-work order issued by the U.S. Administration.
The Trump Administration has made no secret of its attitude to wind energy, and especially offshore wind. Since President Trump took office, the federal government has clamped down on wind energy projects through stop-work orders and subsidy removals.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Fri, 01/02/2026 - 08:55
https://www.zerohedge.com/energy/orsted-sues-trump-administration-over-project-suspension
Futures Blast Off On First Day Of 2026 With Europe, Asia At Records
Futures Blast Off On First Day Of 2026 With Europe, Asia At Records
Stocks are set to break a four-day losing streak as markets start the new year with a bang across global markets, boosted by the same drivers that dominated much of 2025.As of 8:00am ET, S&P 500 futures were 0.6% higher with Nasdaq 100 contracts rallying 1% outperforming on renewed optimism around artificial intelligence.Nvidia rose 1.6% in premarket trading to lead gains among the Magnificent Seven, which were all green in premarket trading. Trading is likely to remain much lighter than usual, with many market participants not returning to their desks until Monday. As BBG notes, the setup has a familiar feel: Europe is green across the board and on course for a record high, while Asian stocks already hit a record, driven by gains in AI and chipmakers. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index is up 0.1% while the Aussie dollar is the best G-10 performer, rising 0.3% against the greenback; the euro underperforms and falls 0.3%. Treasuries inch higher, pushing US 10-year yields down 1bp to 4.15%. European yield curves bear steepen. Silver and gold are resuming their march higher, and copper is extending gains as miners in Chile go on strike. Aluminum touched $3,000 a ton for the first time in more than three years on expectations of tighter supply. And the dollar, following its worst year in eight, remains lackluster. US economic calendar includes December final S&P Global US manufacturing PMI at 9:45am. No Fed speakers are scheduled.
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In premarket trading, Mag 7 stocks are all higher (Nvidia +1.6%, Tesla +1.3%, Alphabet +1.1%, Amazon +0.9%, Meta +0.6%, Apple +0.5%, Microsoft +0.4%)
Shares in RH (RH) gain 4.4% and Wayfair (W) advances 2.4% after President Donald Trump delayed tariff increases on upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets and vanities.
ASMLÂ ADRs (ASML) gain 4.8% as Aletheia Capital double upgrades the chip equipment makerâs European shares to buy from sell due to investment expansions and capacity upgrades.
Baidu ADRs (BIDU) jump 11% after the company submitted a proposal to Hong Kongâs exchange to list its artificial-intelligence chip unit Kunlunxin.
NIO Inc. US-listed shares (NIO) rise 4.7% after the EV-maker reported deliveries for December that showed 33% growth month-over-month.
Outlook Therapeutics (OTLK) falls 60% after the FDA issued a complete response letter to the ONS-5010/LYTENAVA (bevacizumab-vikg) biologics license application resubmission, indicating that it cannot approve the application in its present form for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration.
Sable Offshore (SOC) jumps 19% after the company gets a go-ahead to restart a controversial California pipeline.
Vertiv Holdings (VRT) gains 4.3% as Barclays upgrades the power equipment company to overweight from equal-weight, saying its shares currently offer a good entry point following recent volatility.
Chinaâs BYD met full-year sales targets and likely surpassed Tesla to become the worldâs largest electric-vehicle maker in 2025. Its shares rallied 3.6% in Hong Kong.
In other corporate news, First Brands founder Patrick James said heâd likely plead his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination if compelled to answer questions from Jefferies at an upcoming deposition, citing a federal criminal investigation into the bankrupt auto parts supplier.
Fridayâs upbeat mood is defying historic trends after the S&P 500 recorded declines on the first trading days of the previous three years. Since 1953, the S&P 500âs median change to kick off a new year has been a 0.3% drop, with gains less than half the time, according to a note by Bespoke Investment Group.
A strong debut in Hong Kong for chip designer Shanghai Biren Technology helped to set the buoyant tone early in the day. Baidu rallied after its AI chip unit confidentially filed for an IPO. Meanwhile, DeepSeek published a paper outlining a more efficient approach to developing AI. Tech and AI were among the dominant themes for stock investors in 2025, helping power the S&P 500 to a third year of double-digit gains. Forecasts signal more of the same for 2026 despite lingering wariness over already stretched valuations and fears that vast amounts of capital expenditure could fail to pay off.
âWhat we are seeing today is a continuation of the run higher in equities, with AI and tech again at the forefront,â said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade. âTraders are still in a buying mood, with many of the bullish themes from 2025 carrying forward into 2026.â
At Barclays, strategists are warning equity markets could get choppy as they enter 2026 at record highs that are âover reliant on AI success.â But the team still expects further gains this year, thanks to resilient corporate earnings and a favorable trade off between growth and monetary policy.
âThe first trading day has been an incredibly poor guide in recent times to how the rest of the year plays out,â wrote Deutsche Bank AG strategists including Henry Allen. In fact, â2022 saw an all-time high on the first day, before the index fell into a bear market and its worst year since 2008. Whatever happens today, we really shouldnât overegg the day one moves.â
The strategists noted that several key themes apart from AI will shape markets in 2026, including new developments in US trade policies and specifically a Supreme Court case that will rule on the legality of levies. The Fed will be another major focus, with President Donald Trump expected to name a successor to Jerome Powell early in the year.
âThe scope for further gains driven purely by valuation expansion in 2026 may be limited,â wrote Linh Tran, an analyst at XS.com. âShocks related to interest rates, earnings, or policy could therefore trigger faster and more pronounced corrections than in earlier phases of the cycle.â
In Europe, the Stoxx 600 is up 0.4% and on course for a record close. Technology stocks are leading gains as they did in Asia after a fresh burst of optimism around artificial intelligence. Miners also outperform as metals rise across the board. The FTSE 100 earlier crossed 10,000 for the first time.  Here are some of the biggest movers on Friday:
ASMLÂ shares gain as much as 3.9% in Amsterdam, the most since late November, as Aletheia Capital double upgrades the chip equipment maker to buy from sell and boosts its price target to a Street high due to investment expansions and capacity upgrades.
Vestas gains as much as 4%, reaching the highest since June 2024, as JPMorgan says the firm is set to deliver orders above expectations in the fourth quarter, supporting view that fundamentals for the wind industry are improving.
Munters shares gains as much as 11% after the Swedish industrial ventilation and cooling company received from the US its largest data center technologies order ever.
Bumech shares jump as much as 26% after a Polish government pledge offering support and job guarantees helped to end a workersâ strike at the machinery firmâs Silesia mine.
BE Semiconductor shares climb as much as 9.8%, the most since October, following a rally in Asian chipmakers and artificial intelligence-related stocks.
BATÂ shares fall as much as 2.7% after its Indian subsidiary ITC dropped in response to the governmentâs move to sharply raise excise duty on cigarettes.
Asian equities also advanced, led by gains in tech-heavy markets such as Taiwan and South Korea, as most regional markets reopened after a holiday. Hong Kong stocks also moved higher. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index advanced 1.1%, marking its best start to the year since 2012. Tencent, Samsung Electronics and TSMC were among the biggest contributors to the benchmarkâs advance. Equities in South Korea and Hong Kong each climbed more than 2%. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index gained more than 2.8%, posting its best start to a year since 2018. At the start of the year, investors rotated back into familiar leaders in artificial intelligence and technology, pushing the sectorâs sub-index to a record high. Markets in Japan, mainland China, New Zealand and Thailand remained closed. Asian markets are edging higher today, but thin liquidity is exaggerating moves as many investors remain on the sidelines, Dilin Wu, a strategist at Pepperstone said.
âWe are seeing a continuation of the run higher in equities, with AI and tech again at the forefront,â said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade Global. âAsian indices delivered the goods in terms of gains in 2025, and there is reason to believe that this momentum will carry forward into the new year.â
In FX, the Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index is up 0.1% following its worst year in eight, while the Aussie dollar is the best G-10 performer, rising 0.3% against the greenback. The euro underperforms and falls 0.3%.
In rates, treasuries inch higher, pushing US 10-year yields down 1bp to 4.15%. US yields are richer by up to 2bp in intermediate sectors, steepening 5s30s spread by around 1bp on the day. 10-year is near 4.155% after peaking at 4.19% during London morning. European bonds lag Treasuries, with bunds and gilts cheaper by around 3bp and 3.5bp in the 10-year sector
In commodities, spot silver climbs 4% to above $74/oz while gold and most base metals are also green. Aluminum touched $3,000 a ton for the first time in more than three years on expectations of tighter supply. Oil, which suffered its steepest annual loss for five years in 2025, gave back early gains. This weekend, OPEC and its allies are expected to confirm plans to pause supply hikes. Oil traders are also watching developments in Venezuela, Ukraine and Iran. Trump says the US will ârescueâ protesters if Iran shoots or kills them, according to a post on Truth Social.
Treasuries hold small gains, leaving yields slightly richer across the curve, after erasing declines that occurred during Asia session, when Australiaâs bond market was hit as traders positioned for the possibility the Reserve Bank of Australia will raise rates to quell inflation. Scheduled events during Fridayâs US session include only S&P Global US manufacturing PMI revision.
Bitcoin is on a firmer footing and holds just short of the $90k mark, with Ethereum also posting gains above $3k.
The US economic calendar includes December final S&P Global US manufacturing PMI at 9:45am. No Fed speakers are scheduled. Tesla is expected to report that it delivered about 440,900 vehicles in the fourth quarter, down 11% from a year earlier.
Market Snapshot
S&P 500 mini +0.6%
Nasdaq 100 mini +1%
Russell 2000 mini +0.7%
Stoxx Europe 600 +0.4%
DAX little changed
CAC 40 +0.2%
10-year Treasury yield -1 basis point at 4.16%
VIX -0.1 points at 14.83
Bloomberg Dollar Index little changed at 1204.54
euro -0.3% at $1.1716
WTI crude little changed at $57.37/barrel
Top Overnight News
Trump threatens Iran over protest crackdown as deadly unrest flares: RTRS
Threat of California Billionaire Tax Draws Criticism From Ultrawealthy: WSJ
The Next Class of Senators Wonât Be Able to Dodge the Social Security Crunch: WSJ
European factory activity ends 2025 in deeper contraction: RTRS
Tesla Closes Out Brutal Year in Europe With Sales Declines: BBG
U.S. Slashes Proposed Tariffs on Italian Pasta: WSJ
Russia says it can prove that Ukraine tried to strike Putin residence: RTRS
The Condo Market Hasnât Been This Bad in Over a Decade: WSJ
Maduro suggests serious talks between Venezuela and US: RTRS
Venezuelan Exiles Root for U.S. Military Action. Those Left Behind Oppose It: WSJ
Bezos, Catz, Dell Cashed Out Billions as Top Insider Sellers of 2025: BBG
Zelenskiy offers chief of staff post to military intelligence boss: RTRS
Ozempic Users Actually Spend More Dining Out. Smart Restaurants Are Adapting; BBG
China taxes condoms, contraceptive drugs in bid to spur birth rate: RTRS
How Kraft Heinz Lost Its Lock on Mac and Cheeseâand American Shoppers: WSJ
China AI chipmaker Biren soars in Hong Kong debut as IPO wave builds: RTRS
Oil steadies after biggest annual loss since 2020: RTRS
Trade/Tariffs
US President Trump signed a New Yearâs Eve proclamation titled âAMENDMENTS TO ADJUSTING IMPORTS OF TIMBER, LUMBER, AND THEIR DERIVATIVE PRODUCTS INTO THE UNITED STATESâ. This included a delay in tariff increases on upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets and vanities for a year, which keeps the tariff levels for the aforementioned goods at 25%, instead of raising it to 30% for upholstered furniture and 50% for kitchen cabinets and vanities, citing ongoing trade talks, according to Associated Press.
Italy's Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday that the US sharply lowered the proposed duties on several Italian pasta makers from the additional 92% duty proposed in October, with the tariff for La Molisana set to 2.26% and for Garofalo set to 13.98%, while 11 other producers will face tariffs of 9.09%.
US granted TSMC (2330 TT) an annual licence to import US chipmaking tools for its facilities in China's Nanjing.
Chinaâs Ministry of Commerce called the EUâs carbon border tax unfair and discriminatory, while it vowed to take countermeasures to defend the countryâs interests, according to a statement on Thursday cited by Bloomberg.
China set quotas on beef imports as it seeks to protect domestic farmers and producers, in a blow to Brazil and other major shippers, including Australia and Argentina, while shipments exceeding the limits will be subject to a 55% duty, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
India extended tariffs on steel imports for three years with import levies of 11%-12% proposed for some products, according to Bloomberg. It was also reported that India imposed anti-dumping duties of USD 60.89-130.66/ton on low-ash met coke imports for six months.
A more detailed look at global markets courtesy of Newsquawk
ASX 200 posted mild gains of 0.2% in quiet trade, with hefty losses in gold miners hampering the gains from Energy and Financials. KOSPI jumped about 2% to a fresh record high, helped by a roughly 6% rise in Samsung Electronics, after reports said customers praised its HBM (high memory bandwidth) chips. Hang Seng surged ~2.6%, with gains led by education stocks, while AI chip designer Shanghai Biren gained in excess of 100% following a HKD 5.58bln Hong Kong IPO, which was said to be heavily oversubscribed.
Top Asian News
Chinese President Xi said in his annual New Yearâs Eve speech that the year 2025 marked the completion of China's 14th Five-Year Plan for economic and social development, while he added that they have pressed ahead with enterprise and fortitude, and overcome many difficulties and challenges. Xi added that they met the targets in the Plan and made solid advances on the new journey of Chinese modernisation, as well as noted that economic output has crossed thresholds one after another, and is expected to reach CNY 140tln for the year. Furthermore, he said their economic strength, scientific and technological abilities, defence capabilities, and composite national strength all reached new heights, while he also vowed to reunify China and Taiwan.
Chinaâs State Council said it studied measures for facilitating cross-border trade, while it will promote green and cross-border e-commerce. Furthermore, it will speed up the review and approval of breakthrough therapeutic drugs, as well as boost investment in water network projects.
Chinaâs industrial hubs are to lower power prices to support the economic recovery, with the eastern province of Jiangsu, which surrounds Shanghai, to cut rates by 17% vs 2025, while the southern province of Guangdong had recently announced to reduce power prices by 5%.
Chinese automakersâ market share of Europeâs electric-vehicle market in November reached a record 12.8%, despite the cost of European Union tariffs, according to Bloomberg.
South Korean President Lee plans to discuss economic ties and peace efforts in the Korean Peninsula during his upcoming summit talks with Chinese President Xi scheduled for early next week.
Japanese PM Takaichi and US President Trump may hold talks, via telephone on Friday night at earliest, according to Kyodo News citing sources.
European bourses (STOXX 600 +0.6%) began the session around the unchanged mark before rising to session highs soon after the cash open, without a clear driver. Since, indices have dipped off best levels, paring some of the earlier upside. European sectors hold a positive bias, led by Basic Resources (+1.7%), Technology (+1.8%), and Energy (+1.7%). The former is supported by higher metal prices, with gains in gold and copper. On the downside, Food Beverage & Tobacco (-0.3%), Real Estate (-0.3%) and Construction (-0.1%) lag.
Top European News
UK PM Starmer promised to "defeat the decline and division offered by others" in his new year message and insisted that people would feel a "positive change" in their lives in 2026, according to BBC.
French President Macron called for unity, strength and hope during his New Year's Eve address, while he pledged to work until the 'last second' of his mandate and guard the 2027 presidential election from foreign interference.
FX
DXY resides closer to the upper end of a tight 98.14-98.42Â in early European hours, following a rather subdued APAC session.
In terms of today's trade, price action has been relatively muted as volume returns to the market from the holiday period. AUD and NZD outperform amid the broader risk-on sentiment, with the AUD also underpinned by a rebound in gold amid a myriad of geopolitical factors, including US President Trump's warning to Iran this morning that the US is "locked and loaded and ready" to rescue peaceful protesters if Iran opens fire on them. Elsewhere, JPY is flat in a narrow 156.77-157.00 intraday range. Meanwhile, EUR and GBP saw little immediate move from their respective final Manufacturing PMIs.
2025 recap: 2025 proved a tough year for the index, which saw its sharpest annual drop in eight years, whilst most majors rallied. The JPY saw gains of under 1% over 2025, in a year rattled by political instability, fiscal woes, BoJ hawkish bias and haven flows. Antipodeans saw the AUD climb nearly 8% over 2025 (best since 2020) and the NZD gained almost 3% to snap a three-year losing streak. The EUR was up 13.5% in 2025 and GBP +7.7% (both their strongest yearly gains since 2017).
Fixed Income
A softer start for fixed benchmarks.
Bunds and USTs lower by 20 and a tick, respectively. Specifics are fairly light aside from Final PMIs which, thus far, have not had any real impact. USTs in the red but at the upper-end of a 112-05 to 112-13 band. If a move into the green occurs, resistance factors at 112-25. A similar picture for Bunds, in the red but just off highs in 127.08-49 parameters. Resistance at 127.57 and 127.83.
For Gilts, a softer open but the benchmark has since climbed off lows and is, as above, towards highs in 90.74-91.33 parameters. 91.37 would take Gilts back to unchanged on the day, thereafter resistance at 91.47.
Commodities
WTI and Brent trades slightly lower, with prices towards the lower ends of USD 57.08-57.93/bbl and USD 60.51-61.38/bbl, respectively. Focus for the complex lies more on oversupply risks as opposed to any geopolitical risks from the above, with traders also setting sights on this weekend's OPEC+ confab. OPEC+ is expected to reaffirm its production pause through Q1, maintaining the halt to further supply increases, according to Bloomberg sources. The stance reflects concerns over a looming global oversupply backdrop, with crude prices sharply lower over 2025 and forecasters warning of a potential glut in 2026. Delegates indicate little appetite to resume hikes at this stage, according to reports. Recent SaudiâUAE geopolitical tensions have generated headlines, but are widely viewed as noise rather than a threat to OPEC unity, with no expectation that they will spill over into production policy.
Spot Gold kicked off 2026 on the front foot, with spot prices currently +1.5% intraday towards the upper end of a 4,326.28-4,397.84/oz range at the time of writing. The yellow metal printed a record high at ~USD 4,550/oz on Dec 26th before declining in the subsequent three sessions to a USD 4,274.03/oz trough on 31st Dec, with a near-USD 250/oz drop seen on Dec 29th.
Geopolitical updates have kept the precious metals complex underpinned, with US President Trump's warning to Iran this morning that the US is "locked and loaded and ready" to rescue peaceful protesters if Iran opens fire on them. Further, tensions flared between OPEC members Saudi Arabia and the UAE, primarily due to an open military and diplomatic confrontation in Yemen, with the two nations now actively backing rival factions and engaging in direct hostilities. In terms of Russia-Ukraine, Ukrainian President Zelensky said they are 10% away from a deal to end the war with Russia, but not at any cost, according to The Independent. That being said, Ukrainian authorities in Zaporizhzhia on the morning of January 2nd noted over 700 Russian attacks on the territory of the province.
North Sea Buzzard oil field recommenced production on 1st January 2026, according to CNOOC.
Rail line in Australia used by Glencore (GLEN LN) requires a significant repair job.
Geopolitics: Ukraine
Ukrainian President Zelensky said they are 10% away from a deal to end the war with Russia but not âat any costâ, according to The Independent. Zelensky also announced that a meeting with national security advisors âfocused on peaceâ will be held on January 3rd, and there will be meeting with the military chiefs of general staff on January 5th where the main issue is security guarantees for Ukraine, while he said there will be a meeting with European leaders and the leaders of the Coalition of the Willing on January 6th.
Ukrainian President Zelensky denied allegations made by Russia that Ukraine launched a drone attack on one of Russian President Putin's residences last Sunday, and accused Moscow of trying to derail peace talks. Furthermore, Russia recently handed over to the US what it claimed was proof of the attempted strike on Putinâs residence, although it was separately reported that US officials determined that the Russian allegation that Ukraine targeted Putin in a drone strike is false, according to WSJ.
Ukraine's military said on Thursday that it struck Russia's Ilsky oil refinery and the Almetevskaya oil preparation facility, while Ukraine also announced that a Russian drone attack damaged power infrastructure, according to Reuters.
Russian-installed governor of Ukraineâs Kherson region said at least 24 were killed and over 50 were injured from a Ukrainian drone strike on a hotel and cafe during New Year celebrations, according to Reuters.
US envoy Witkoff said on Wednesday that he held a âproductive callâ with European allies on the next steps in the peace process, while he said they âalso spent time on the prosperity package for Ukraine â how to continue defining, refining and advancing these concepts, so Ukraine can be successful, resilient and truly thrive once the war is overâ.
Ukrainian authorities in Zaporizhzhia on January 2nd noted of over 700 Russian attacks on the territory of the province "in the past hours", according to Al Jazeera.
Geopolitics: Middle East
US President Trump posted "If Iran shots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go. Thank you for your attention to this matter!".
Israeli Defence Minister Katz urged the IDF to be ready for a potential âOct.7-styleâ mass attack on West Bank settlements and called for the reestablishment of northern West Bank military bases which were evacuated as part of a US-backed deal, according to Times of Israel.
Iranâs defence export agency offered to sell ballistic missiles, drones and other advanced weapons systems to foreign governments in exchange for cryptocurrency and barter, according to FT.
UAE announced on Tuesday that it was pulling out its remaining forces in Yemen, after Saudi Arabia bombed the Yemeni port city of Mukalla following accusations that two ships from the UAE had delivered weapons and combat vehicles to separatist forces. It was separately reported that Yemenâs government imposed restrictions on flights between Yemen and the UAE to mitigate the ongoing escalation in the country, according to a Saudi source cited by Reuters.
Geopolitics: Others
US Treasury Department announced new sanctions related to Venezuela, targeting crude oil tankers.
Russia requested that the US stop pursuing an oil tanker identified as Bella 1, which was headed to Venezuela and was fleeing the US Coast Guard in the Atlantic Ocean, according to The New York Times on Thursday.
Taiwanese President Lai vowed to defend the nationâs sovereignty in his New Yearâs speech days after China fired dozens rockets towards the island and deployed warships and aircraft near Taiwan as part of military drills and a show of force, while he stated that 2026 is a very critical year for Taiwan and that they must stand shoulder to shoulder with democratic countries.
China's Taiwan Affairs Office said Laiâs New Year's address was riddled with 'falsehoods and reckless assertions, hostility and malice', while it was also reported that China's Defence Ministry said the PLA's drills are completely justified and necessary.
US Event calendar
9:45 am: Dec F S&P Global U.S. Manufacturing PMI, est. 51.8, prior 51.8
DB's Jim Reid concludes the overnight wrap
Happy new year and hope you all had a relaxing break. Weâll shortly look at whatâs coming up in 2026, but as we usually do at the new year, weâve just released our review looking at how markets fared in 2025. It was a strong year overall thanks to continued economic growth, optimism around AI, and more central bank rate cuts. So that meant global equities, bonds, credit and EM assets all advanced for the most part. However, those headline gains masked huge volatility, particularly in April when the Liberation Day tariff announcements sparked the 5th biggest two-day slump for the S&P 500 since WWII. Meanwhile, Germanyâs fiscal stimulus announcement in March saw the biggest daily jump for the 10yr bund yield since German reunification in 1990. See the full review here for more details on the year just gone.
In terms of the last week-and-a-half whilst weâve been away, itâs been a story of two halves for markets. Just before Christmas, the S&P 500 moved up to record highs on both Dec 23 and Dec 24, aided by some very strong US data. That included the Q3 GDP print, which was delayed because of the government shutdown, and showed the US economy grew at an annualised pace of +4.3% (vs. +3.3% expected). That was the fastest quarterly growth in two years, and the so-called âcore GDPâ measure of real final sales to private domestic purchasers was up by a robust +3.0% as well. So that led to a lot of optimism about the economyâs momentum into next year, and the Atlanta Fedâs GDPNow measure for Q4 currently stands at +3.0%.
However, after Christmas the tone became more negative, with the S&P 500 posting four consecutive declines thatâs left the index -1.25% beneath its Christmas Eve record. So that took a bit of the shine off the full-year performance, with the index ending the year up +16.4% (and +17.9% in total return terms), falling short of the gains above +20% seen in 2023 and 2024. Meanwhile, thereâs been some huge volatility in precious metals, with silver prices up +10.30% on Dec 26, marking their biggest daily jump since September 2008 in the week of Lehman Brothersâ collapse. And after the weekend, they then slumped by -9.00% on Dec 29, the biggest loss since 2020, before there were further swings of more than 5% each way on Dec 30 and Dec 31. That caps off a huge surge in precious metals prices over 2025, with both gold and silver experiencing their strongest annual gains since 1979, up +65% and +148% respectively.
This morning in Asia, markets have got 2026 off to a decent start in the places they've reopened. For instance, the KOSPI (+1.87%) is currently on track for a record high, whilst the Hang Seng (+2.18%) has also surged. Moreover, US equity futures are pointing to a strong start as well, with those on the S&P 500 (+0.43%) and the NADAQ 100 (+0.65%) both higher this morning. However, we shouldnât extrapolate too far, as the first trading day has been an incredibly poor guide in recent times to how the rest of the year plays out. Indeed, 2023-25 each started with a negative session for the S&P 500, before the index then saw a double-digit annual gain. By contrast, 2022 saw an all-time high on the first day, before the index fell into a bear market and its worst year since 2008. So whatever happens today, we really shouldnât overegg the day one moves.
When it comes to the year ahead, several themes will be high up the agenda for markets in 2026. First, there are still lots of tariff developments yet to come, most notably with the US Supreme Court case, who are set to rule on the legality of the tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). As a reminder, roughly half of the tariff increases under Trump have used IEEPA authority, and the legal challenges so far have been successful in the lower courts, but were appealed by the Trump administration. So weâre now awaiting the ruling from the Supreme Court. Our US economists think thereâs a reasonable possibility the IEEPA powers are struck down, but they also expect that if they are, then the administration would pursue other legal avenues to impose its tariff policies. For instance, the sectoral tariffs under section 232 (e.g. to steel and aluminium) arenât covered by this court challenge. Or another option could be Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act, which permits temporary 15% tariffs for 150 days. So there are several options the Trump administration still have.
Aside from the court case, there are also a couple of other 2026 trade deadlines. One is the scheduled review of the USMCA agreement, six years after it first came into force in July 2020. The other is the US-China trade truce, which was extended by a year after the meeting between Presidents Trump and Xi back in October. So as it stands, the current US tariff reduction on China only runs until November 10, 2026. Nevertheless, there have been a few tariff reductions in recent weeks, particularly as concerns about affordability have risen up the agenda. So weâve already seen exemptions for products like coffee and beef, and it was also announced on New Yearsâ Eve that higher tariffs planned on Jan 1 for upholstered furniture and kitchen cabinets were being delayed by a year until Jan 1 2027. Remember as well that the midterm elections are happening in November, so the political incentive to keep inflation down will rise as they approach.
Second, another key theme for 2026 will be the Federal Reserve, and Trump said on Monday that thereâd be an announcement on Chair Powellâs replacement in âJanuary sometimeâ. For reference, Powellâs term as Chair concludes in May, so the new Chair would be in place by the June FOMC decision, and futures are pricing in another 57bps of rate cuts by the December meeting. In terms of who the new Chair will be, the Polymarket odds continue to have NEC Director Kevin Hassett as the frontrunner (42%), followed by former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh (33%) and current Governor Christoper Waller (15%). Otherwise, the Supreme Court are also set to hear arguments on January 21 about President Trumpâs attempt to remove Governor Lisa Cook from the Fedâs Board of Governors. So itâs a big year ahead for the Fed.
Third, weâve got lots happening on the fiscal side in 2026, as weâll see the fiscal impulse from the German stimulus, as well as from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in the United States. All this comes at an interesting time, as 2025 saw periodic market flareups over loose fiscal policy, with sovereign bonds repeatedly seeing large losses before recovering again. That happened in May around the time of the US credit rating downgrade by Moodyâs, which pushed the 30yr Treasury yield above 5%. And it was a similar story in Europe too, with a sharp selloff for UK gilts last summer when the government U-turned on welfare cuts, alongside losses for French OATs after PM Bayrou left office and new PM Lecornu resigned after 26 days, before he was reappointed again. So bond markets have been jittery across the board, and last year even saw the biggest jump for Japanâs 10yr yield since 1994 as the BoJ kept hiking rates and the new government under PM Sanae Takaichi announced a further stimulus package.
Fourth, on the political side we have a few elections to look out for. The biggest we know about is probably the US midterm elections, although theyâre not until November 3. That will see the full House of Representatives up for election, along with a third of the Senate, and currently on Polymarket, the Democrats are the 81% favourites to retake the House. That would be in keeping with the historic pattern (link here), whereby the incumbent Presidentâs party tend to lose House seats in the midterm votes. Meanwhile in the Senate, the Republicans are 66% favourites on Polymarket to keep control. However, the new Congress doesnât come into office until January 2027, so in policy terms, thatâs more of a story for next year.
Here in the UK, we also have a large set of local elections on May 7, which will be one of the most important midterm electoral tests for the political parties. Although that wonât change the government, PM Starmerâs position has been under increasing pressure, so these elections will be a crucial benchmark for whether he might face a challenge from within the Labour Party. Then in France, the presidential election isnât until April 2027, but we know that 2026 will be the year that campaigning begins in earnest, with candidates announcing, so weâll get a much better sense of the state of that race. And over in Japan, a general election isnât due until 2028, but speculation has been rising about a potential snap election given PM Sanae Takaichiâs approval ratings.
Finally of course, itâs not a single event, but ongoing developments around AI will be critical for the path of markets in 2026. After all, as Jim has written previously, the concentration of the Mag 7 group in US equities means that global markets are incredibly sensitive to their performance. And we shouldnât forget that AI developments have already led to big reactions in 2025, with the NASDAQ down over -3% on the day that markets reacted to DeepSeekâs new AI model last January. So any loss of momentum or signs that a bubble is bursting risk unwinding the positive wealth effects weâve seen, as well as the wider surge in capital expenditures thatâs helped to support growth.
Looking at the day ahead, thereâs not much happening, but data releases include the December manufacturing PMIs from the US and Europe, along with the Euro Area M3 money supply for November.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Fri, 01/02/2026 - 08:41
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/futures-blast-first-day-2026-europe-asia-records
"Locked & Loaded": Trump Says US Will Intervene If Iran Kills Protesters
"Locked & Loaded": Trump Says US Will Intervene If Iran Kills Protesters
President Trump has just become the first sitting US President to explicitly warn that the United States stands ready to directly intervene in Iran if Tehran authorities begin killing peaceful protesters, as he wrote Friday that Washington "will come to their rescue".
In a brief early morning post on Truth Social, he wrote: "We are locked and loaded and ready to go." He gave no further details what course of action this might take, but it's a pretty clear and provocative message to Iranian leadership - or comes very close to saying something akin to the 'Ayatollah must go'.
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Trump's full message is as follows: "If Iran shots [sic] and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue."
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei did respond in very short fashion, with a senior aide from his office saying Trump should "be careful" if he intervened, warning of unleashing more chaos in the region.
"Trump should know that US interference in this internal matter would mean destabilizing the entire region and destroying America's interests,"Â Khamenei adviser Ali Larijani stated.
The economic protests which have been raging since Sunday, and have spread from the marketplaces to the universities, have turned deadly. International monitors and media have https://www.newsweek.com/iran-protests-currency-war-2026-live-updates-11293581
six have been killed.
However, Iranian officials https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/iran-grinds-halt-several-killed-wounded-including-irgc-member-amid-raging-protests
at least one of these deaths and many among the injured are security forces. The slain officer was said to be a member of the Basij - a paramilitary force linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC). In several locales Basij members have been observed supporting local police forces, as is typical whenever major anti-government protests flare up.
đŽđˇ| Unprecedented: Iranians from cities where riots took place last night, have come in protest AGAINST the rioters
Iranians from Hamedan, Kavar, and other cities have come en masse to denounce and condemn the behaviour of rioters.
They condemn vandalism, destruction of⌠https://t.co/AYAAbDhohv
â Arya - آعŰا (@AryJeay) https://twitter.com/AryJeay/status/2007057797704253938?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Newsweek reviews of the violence so far in the country of over https://www.newsweek.com/iran-protests-currency-war-2026-live-updates-11293581
:
Deaths were reported in Lordegan, Kuhdasht, and Isfahan, though casualty figures vary between state media and rights groups.
The Revolutionary Guards said one member of its Basij paramilitary unit was killed in Kuhdasht, with 13 others wounded.
Rights group Hengaw identified the man as a protester, contradicting official claims.
Demonstrations spread to Marvdasht in Fars province, while arrests were reported in Kermanshah, Khuzestan, and Hamedan.
Most of the protest deaths have come in the West of the country, and mounting casualties from the unrest has been confirmed in Iranian state media - though few details have been given in some instances on whether these are police or protesters.
The initial response from leadership in Tehran:
With the statements by Israeli officials and https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
â Ali Larijani | ŘšŮŰ ŮاعŰ؏اŮŰ (@alilarijani_ir) https://twitter.com/alilarijani_ir/status/2007022780529664359?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Trump in openly siding with the protests may have just done one of two things: either he has just supercharged the protests and will given people in the streets motivation to provoke security forces even more - after some government buildings have already been broken into, or else his words serve to quash the protests fairly quickly.
After all, Iranian authorities have already warned against outside interference and meddling, at a moment they are eager to brand rioting youth in the streets as Israeli or American agents. But now they can be branded by officials as doing to bidding of Washington and of President Trump. The people in the streets are unlikely to want to be branded as in America's corner, given it's been the US all along decimating their economy through years of brutal sanctions.
Signs of pro-government and nationalistic 'counter-protests' have emerged:
Huge crowds are marching toward the resting place of General Soleimani in Kerman to mark the sixth anniversary of his martyrdom.
Follow: https://t.co/mLGcUTSA3Q
â Press TV đť (@PressTV) https://twitter.com/PressTV/status/2007001066890821993?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
It should also been questioned whether the United States actually cares about the 'Iranian people'. Did Washington actually care about Syrians while fueling a decade-long plus proxy war by arming the hardline jihadi anti-Assad insurgency? Definitely not.
Iran's military responds:
Iranâs Defence Minister dismissed Trumpâs remarks, saying Tehran would retaliate decisively against any attack and insisting its military strength has grown since the last 12-day conflict.
âIf any threat targets our country, we will respond with full force. Without hesitation,â⌠https://t.co/12SeqoWQSe
â Open Source Intel (@Osint613) https://twitter.com/Osint613/status/2007056558362878049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Trump's new words just added heavy fuel to the fire, and this portends possibly the same Syria playbook applied to Iran.
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Fri, 01/02/2026 - 08:20
Germany's Economic Collapse: 2025 In Review And What Lies Ahead
Germany's Economic Collapse: 2025 In Review And What Lies Ahead
Submitted by Thomas Kolbe
Germanyâs economy has endured a terrible 2025. Chancellor Friedrich Merzâs government has set the course for further decline in the coming year.
If German politiciansâ salaries were linked to private sector growth, lawmakers would likely have to take out loans in the deeply recessive year of 2025 and compensate citizens for parliamentary inaction and ideological foolishness.
Although the term diät derives from the Latin dieta, loosely meaning âcompensation,â in the context of Germanyâs collapsing industry it more accurately reflects the German meaning: deserved frugality and material austerity. Economically, Germany is now facing the end of the illusion of prosperity, which follows the catastrophic policies of the government.
Shrinking Private Sector and Rising State Burden
After eight months under Chancellor Merz, the record is not just meagerâit is pitiful. Assuming a 50% state quota and calculating real https://www.destatis.de/DE/Presse/Pressemitteilungen/2025/04/PD25_N021_81.html
of 0.2% with net new debt over 4%, the net result for 2025 is a roughly 3.8% contraction of the private sector compared to the previous year.
What is scarcely known in Berlinâlikely a form of economic esoterica not taught in party seminars or union coursesâis that only the private sector produces the goods and services people actually consume. It is no surprise that heavy regulation and crushing taxesâGermany is surpassed only by Belgium in the OECD in fiscal extractionâstrangle private enterprise.
Investment fell roughly 6.5% below long-term averagesâa quantum leap in the wrong direction, deeply impacting labor markets, public budgets, and social security. While Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil attempts to mask deficits and exemptions as mere cosmetic fixes, municipalities face a âŹ35 billion shortfall this year.
Crisis Becomes Visible
At the lowest levels of the state, in cities and towns, the bill for decades of political mismanagement is now arriving first.
The trigger is collapsing business tax revenue, a direct result of a record number of corporate https://www.creditreform.de/aktuelles-wissen/pressemeldungen-fachbeitraege/news-details/show/insolvenzen-in-deutschland-jahr-2025
: 24,000 companies will have exited the market in 2025.
The labor marketâs seeming stability is misleading. Hundreds of thousands of new public sector jobs and age-related retirements obscure the collapse of the real economy in official statistics. Merz executed the debt brake with the outgoing Bundestag in April, catapulting Germany into a debt spiral with a âŹ500 billion special fundâa clear indication that policymakers knowingly ran the economy into a wall.
Neither the green âart economyâ nor the heavily subsidized military sector will adequately fill freed industrial capacity. Core sectors such as chemicals operate at just 70% capacity, 10% below break-evenâa stark signal that the creeping productivity erosion and economic depression since 2018 will worsen, regardless of state credit funneled into centrally planned subsidies.
Welfare State and Refusal to Reform
Berlin has fully submitted to Brusselsâ dreadful climate-socialist doctrine and now faces the challenge of hiding its ideological failure. Merz and his team continue the known media-political strategy: as with migration, a continuous camouflage is maintained.
When it comes to deceiving the public, party headquarters show remarkable creativity, leaving no lie too bold. A deportation flight may be staged for optics, while borders remain wide open, family reunification is promoted, and German passports are handed out freely. The aim is to cultivate new voter bases and apply a âdivide et imperaâ strategy to erode cultural and traditional societal cohesion.
Time is bought and the course maintainedâjust as in climate policy. Pseudo-reforms, such as the ostensible end to the combustion engine phase-out, serve only to give the struggling auto industry an illusion of technological openness while creating a new bureaucratic monster, ultimately fulfilling Brusselsâ objective: halting German automotive production.
From the Eurocratsâ perspective, the results are impressive if the goal was deindustrialization. Around 300,000 industrial jobs were cut in the last five years. And when a nation loses its industrial core, much of its value creation disappears with it.
In 2025, https://www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Branchen-Unternehmen/Industrie-Verarbeitendes-Gewerbe/_inhalt.html
hovered about 20% below the 2018 peak. An economic and social catastrophe looms, whose consequences seem intellectually incomprehensible to functionaries and eco-centric elites with regard to social cohesion.
Collision with Reality
If 2025 was already catastrophic, the coming year will likely be a collision with reality for many Germans. Social contributions and taxes must rise sharply to sustain social security amid migration and demographic pressures.
Merzâs government continues the legacy of Angela Merkel and Olaf Scholz: a Brussels-bound green central planner in the guise of the Ludwig-Erhard party, a political scarecrow devoted solely to consolidating power in Brussels.
The German people, particularly the shrinking class of economic achievers in the middle market, will face an accelerated decline after a dreadful 2025âone the governmentâs media games can no longer conceal.
Merzâs illustrious âMade for Germanyâ entrepreneur cafĂŠ was a media fake; âMade in Germanyâ increasingly belongs to the past. The bitter truth: Germany is done
* * *
About the author:Â Thomas Kolbe is a German graduate economist. For over 25 years, he has worked as a journalist and media producer for clients from various industries and business associations. As a publicist, he focuses on economic processes and observes geopolitical events from the perspective of the capital markets. His publications follow a philosophy that focuses on the individual and their right to self-determination.
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Fri, 01/02/2026 - 08:05
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/germanys-economic-collapse-2025-review-and-what-lies-ahead
CEO Says "Samsung Is Back" In Rare Remark, Sparks Stock Surge
CEO Says "Samsung Is Back" In Rare Remark, Sparks Stock Surge
Samsung shares in South Korea jumped the most in nearly 6 years to a record high after co-CEO Jun Young Hyun quoted customers as saying, âSamsung is back.â
In a New Year's memo to employees, Jun said customers have praised the differentiated competitiveness of its next-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips, or HBM4, saying, "It's even earning an assessment from customers that 'Samsung is back'."
Samsung has lost high-bandwidth memory market share to SK Hynix in recent years and hopes its next-generation HBMs will fuel a turnaround this year.
The memo noted that Samsung will also benefit from favorable memory market conditions this year, as demand for artificial intelligence chips has materialized much quicker than initially anticipated.
Memory prices have surged (https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/soaring-memory-costs-sink-nintendo-shares-goldman-says-selloff-buy-dip-opportunity
).
Update: two months later https://t.co/Q4TPIrpzxV
â zerohedge (@zerohedge) https://twitter.com/zerohedge/status/2003102684296130864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Samsung shares on the Korea Exchange closed up 7.4%, the largest daily increase since March 2020. The stock surged to record highs, delivering a strong start to the year as AI tailwinds lifted stocks in Asia and Europe, with US futures firmly in the green.
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UBS analyst Marisa Vethanayagam commented on the strong start for Asia and European markets, led by technology...
European equities trade off the early highs, with the Euro Stoxx 50 (SX5E) up 35bp as volumes begin to pick up at the start of the new year. Broadly, Cyclicals outperform Defensives by about 50bp, and consensus longs lead shorts similarly by some 50bp. Tech is the market leader on Friday (SX8P up 2%), led by Semis (UBXESEMI up 4%) after a strong Asian handover (positive sentiment from Samsung, Baidu, and IPO Biren). In contrast, UK Real Estate is one of the worst-performing sectors (UBXEUKRL down 1%) following a 0.4% m/m decline in UK house prices versus the expected +0.1%. The desk is much better for sale overall 78/22, mainly driven by long only, while hedge funds are better to buy. The busiest sectors are Financials, Industrials, and Tech, all better for sale.
In a separate note, UBS analyst Nicolas Gaudois said "conventional memory pricing expected to turbo-charge earnings" for Samsung.
"We see the ongoing upside in conventional memory pricing as the main stock driver for Samsung. At 1.43x NTM book, we believe the stock is not yet discounting the strength and length of the upcycle ahead," Gaudois said.
Tim Waterer, chief market analyst, told Bloomberg, "What we are seeing today is a continuation of the run higher in equities, with AI and tech again at the forefront," adding, "Traders are still in a buying mood, with many of the bullish themes from 2025 carrying forward into 2026."
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Fri, 01/02/2026 - 07:45
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/ceo-says-samsung-back-rare-remark-sparks-stock-surge
US, Israel Set Firm 2-Month Deadline For Full Hamas Disarmament
US, Israel Set Firm 2-Month Deadline For Full Hamas Disarmament
Israeli media is reporting that Israel and the United States have reached an understanding to give Hamas a two-month ultimatum to finally and fully disarm. The https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/source-us-israel-set-deadline-111025497.html
the agreement came immediately after an overnight meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago at the start of the week.
The move is being described as a fixed deadline rather than an opening for negotiations. Israeli and US teams are already reportedly working simultaneously to determine what they describe as "practical disarmament." This after Hamas has effectively been defeated since it launched the brutal Oct.7, 2023 terror assault on southern Israel.
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Another key focus is the dismantling of Hamasâs underground tunnel network throughout Gaza, which Israeli officials consider a core element of the groupâs military strength.
Hamas has throughout the Gaza war proven itself effective in guerilla and insurgency tactics, utilizing small teams to maneuver quickly in and out of the tunnels, even at times taking out IDF tanks with IEDs. Sometimes bombs are even attached to Israeli armor vehicles by hand in these ambushes, after which a Hamas militant darts back into an underground tunnel, as has been demonstrated in various videos.
Sources quoted by Israel Hayom said Israeli officials doubt Hamas that would be willing or able to relinquish most of its weapons or military capabilities within the two-month window.
From the perspective of Hamas leadership, the moment it fully gives up its weapons means the group is effectively dead and will have no more influence to govern in the future.
But this is also exactly what the US-Israeli plan and the ceasefire calls for: the effective end of Hamas rule in governance in the Gaza Strip forever.
PM Netanyahu while giving media interviews during his December US trip described that Hamas still possesses "around 60,000" Kalashnikov rifles and "hundreds of kilometers" of tunnels.
He has vowed that Hamas disarmament can be achieved "the easy way" or the hard way - that is through military force. But as of last summer, Hamas was insistent that it will never give up its weapons.
There's also the possibility that Hamas leadership won't be able to induce all of its fighters and 'ground troops' to give up their weapons - again, as they would fear being tracked down and killed by Israeli forces.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Thu, 01/01/2026 - 19:45
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/us-israel-set-firm-2-month-deadline-full-hamas-disarmament
Watch: TSA Whistleblowers Expose Somali Cash Smuggling Operations At US Airports
Watch: TSA Whistleblowers Expose Somali Cash Smuggling Operations At US Airports
Former TSA agents are sounding the alarm on Somali men routinely flying out with suitcases crammed full of cash, undoubtedly linked to massive taxpayer-funded fraud schemes that could be funneling money to terrorist groups overseas.
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A former agent from Minnesota described witnessing âSomali men flying out of Minnesota with suitcases filled with cashâ amounting to â$1 billion over 5 years,â including one instance of a suitcase âfilled with brand new passports.â
These groups were âalways waived through,â with a clear âtrailâ leading back to implicated parties, the former agent claims.
WHAT
Former TSA agent says she saw Somali men flying out of Minnesota with suitcases filled with cash.
$1 billion over 5 years
They also once had a suitcase filled with brand new passports.
They were always waived through.
Thereâs a trail https://twitter.com/SecDuffy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
â Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2006192432463970780?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Recent reports from independent outlets like Alpha News highlight these claims, where a former TSA agent at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport recalled seeing âsuitcases filled with millions of dollars of cash, and the couriers were always Somali men traveling in pairs.â
I just received a message from a TSA agent in Phoenix who tells me a Somali man with a Minnesota DL flies through Pheonix every 7-10 days with a suitcase of around $250k cash. He told agents that families in Minnesota send cash back home to Sudan and Somalia through Dubai and he⌠https://t.co/UEV8y23LF6
â Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2006293915561775175?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
She connected the dots to broader fraud, noting an âobvious connection to billions of dollars of fraudâ in the state.
Another whistleblower from Phoenix reported a Somali man with a Minnesota driverâs license flying through every 7-10 days with around â$250k cashâ in a suitcase.
He claimed to be a âregistered courierâ sending family remittances to Sudan and Somalia via Dubai. The agent even offered the passengerâs name for investigation by authorities like the FBI or USDOT.
These revelations tie directly into ongoing exposes of Somali-linked fraud in Minnesota, where citizen journalists have uncovered millions in questionable taxpayer payouts to seemingly inactive daycares and care facilities.
The FBI is treating these cases as the âtip of the iceberg,â networks of shell companies appear designed to siphon funds, with one investigation alone spotting $110 million in dubious payments.
But where does this money ultimately end up? A source told City Journal: âThe largest funder of Al-Shabaab is the Minnesota taxpayer.â
Al-Shabaab, a Somali-based Islamic terrorist group affiliated with al-Qaâida, has killed more U.S. citizens than any other affiliate and stands as its wealthiest branch.
This a real quote a source gave City Journal:
âThe largest funder of Al-Shabaab is the Minnesota taxpayer.â
Al-Shabaab is a Somali based islamic t*rrorist group who has kiIIed more U.S. citizens than any other al-Qaâida affiliate and is also al-Qaâidaâs wealthiest component. https://t.co/kc87S00v43
â Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2006195226143006823?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Citizen journalists nationwide are now replicating these probes, visiting facilities in states like Washington to document empty or non-operational sites receiving hefty government funds.
Washington State Attorney General is now accusing journalists of âharassmentâ for investigating fraud and fake daycares
Democrats donât want us uncovering fraud because theyâre the ones committing it and benefiting from it https://t.co/3ssudjHQa5
â Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2006269611294220658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Yet, instead of gratitude, theyâre facing backlash. Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson has accused these investigators of âharassmentâ for scrutinizing fraud in fake daycares, claiming Democrats âdonât want us uncovering fraud because theyâre the ones committing it and benefiting from it.â
Source: https://t.co/idrONh42Ud
â Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2006206051985584206?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The pushback escalates further with outright cover-up attempts. Washington State Senator Lisa Wellman has pre-filed legislation to conceal information about daycares and their operators from public view, effectively shielding potential fraudsters from scrutiny.
Democrats are now using their positions of power to actively cover up their fraud schemes https://t.co/rRc8dtumhL
â Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2006262778516943188?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
This pattern reeks of a system rigged to protect insiders while American taxpayers foot the bill for schemes that undermine national security.
With billions vanishing into thin airâor worse, into terrorist coffersâitâs high time for federal probes to dismantle these networks and restore accountability before more âwaived throughâ suitcases slip away.
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
Thu, 01/01/2026 - 19:00
"Not White Supremacy To Investigate Fraud": Citizen Journalists Flood Democratic Cities
"Not White Supremacy To Investigate Fraud": Citizen Journalists Flood Democratic Cities
Citizen journalists are descending on corrupt, Democratic-run cities this week to investigate taxpayer-subsidized daycare centers, signaling a new form of crowd-driven oversight. Think of it as a localized DOGE-style effort aimed at investigating alleged welfare fraud linked to Somali communities and others who steal from taxpayers.
As we correctly noted on Monday, the so-called "https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/nick-shirley-effect-sparks-calls-crowdfunded-citizen-journalist-grant-program-expose
" appears to be taking hold nationwide, with citizen journalists investigating taxpayer-subsidized daycare operations in Minneapolis, Washington, Ohio, Philadelphia, and other Democratic-run cities.
Citizen journalists like Nick will eventually put mainstream media out of business.
All you need is a camera and the guts to go to the source.
Protect this man. đđ˝ https://t.co/tqwDS82IRt
â Patrick Bet-David (@patrickbetdavid) https://twitter.com/patrickbetdavid/status/2004761852350509194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Initial Democratic Party counter-messaging to combat Shirley's bombshell report has defaulted to labeling citizen journalists as "white nationalists" or "racists," but this familiar response from an increasingly unhinged party is losing effectiveness, as on-the-ground reporting reveals countless examples of daycare centers that are either empty or not functioning at expected capacity during peak hours, raising mounting questions over whether some may simply be front companies to extract taxpayer funds.
Itâs not "white supremacy" to investigate fraud. This attack no longer works. https://t.co/5JUKtkFfqB
â Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) https://twitter.com/ScottJenningsKY/status/2006119558420033641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Pretty much.
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By Tuesday, Muckraker founder Anthony Rubin's investigation into https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/citizen-journalist-descends-ohio-immediately-finds-first-signs-massive-potential-somali
in Columbus, Ohio, went viral.
FIRST SIGNS OF MASSIVE POTENTIAL SOMALI FRAUD IN COLUMBUS, OHIO
The first Somali-affiliated daycare facility that we knocked after landing in Columbus, Ohio today did not answer.
A neighbor across the street told us, âIâve never seen nobody come out the building or go in the⌠https://t.co/zywy9lPDMw
â Muckraker.com (@realmuckraker) https://twitter.com/realmuckraker/status/2005828188010684545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Later in the day, citizen journalists from across the country posted their findings on X:
I went to 4 more Somali childcare locations today.
Two told me they werenât childcares despite receiving hundreds of thousands of tax payer dollars.
One which claimed they werenât a childcare received over $800,000 since 2023.
Itâs all on camera. It will be uncovered. https://t.co/D7aTuaatxK
â Cam Higby đşđ¸ (@camhigby) https://twitter.com/camhigby/status/2006167454548992240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Seattle Washington - Investigating Somalian Daycares
Somalians Call Police & LIE Saying: "He Has A Gun"đĽhttps://twitter.com/iamfreeauditing?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
â TheUnquirer (@unquirer) https://twitter.com/unquirer/status/2006205325406294496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
EXPOSED: Alpha News reporters visit autism, adult day care centers as Medicaid fraud concerns mount
Prompted by a flood of tips from readers about facilities that tipsters say do not appear to be providing services, Alpha News reporters Liz Collin and Jenna Gloeb visited more⌠https://t.co/jdDikiXblX
â Alpha News (@AlphaNews) https://twitter.com/AlphaNews/status/2006098572387987894?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
We all need to become citizen journalists. I bet this is going on in almost every state! https://t.co/H3E5C24dvT
â Michelle Maxwell ⢠(@MichelleMaxwell) https://twitter.com/MichelleMaxwell/status/2006187911423590768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
đ¨SOMALI FRAUD IN WASHINGTON: https://twitter.com/choeshow?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
and I spent yesterday investigating Somali daycares in WA.
âDhagash Childcareâ has received over $210,000 just this year. People living at the address claim there has never been a daycare there.
We lay out the facts in this teaser âŹď¸ https://t.co/KNkmJfV2Ss
â Cam Higby đşđ¸ (@camhigby) https://twitter.com/camhigby/status/2006098414660980899?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Citizen journalists are now exposing fraud in Democratic run cities across America.
Here's another phony daycare center in Philadelphia that received $23 million in taxpayer funds. https://t.co/l0XnnImUgx
â Vince Langman (@LangmanVince) https://twitter.com/LangmanVince/status/2006341493028802680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Meanwhile...
Politicians are literally attempting to use legislation to cover up the fraud, rather than fix it. https://t.co/VXvzhSWffK
â Cam Higby đşđ¸ (@camhigby) https://twitter.com/camhigby/status/2006273506049483213?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
What's clear is that citizen journalists like those mentioned above will put corporate media out of business. Most mainstream media outlets remained silent for days after Shirley's bombshell investigation into empty Minneapolis daycare centers receiving millions of dollars in taxpayer funds.
I'm not sure the viral critique of Minnesota day cares is totally accurate.
I am certain that *according to the government, there's no fraud in this government-funded program* is the farthest thing from journalism. https://t.co/cZHGXerblJ
â Tim Carney (@TPCarney) https://twitter.com/TPCarney/status/2006342009297289513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
A war is coming: it's mainstream media outlets against citizen journalists...
A decade ago corporate journalists were knocking on the doors of old ladies' houses and calling them Russian agents for posting memes, but knocking on the door of a business that is ostensibly open to the public is beyond the pale and means you should get killed https://t.co/cY4iAQVE2r
â Confirmed Miscer âď¸đđŤ (@ManDaveJobGood) https://twitter.com/ManDaveJobGood/status/2006049682842104191?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
It's worth noting that the average episode of CBS 60 Minutes draws around 8 to 8.5 million viewers per broadcast in its current season, based on recent Nielsen data. Meanwhile, Shirley's video has received 131 million views in just a few days.
Breaking the Democratic Party's propaganda matrix machine, which involves mainstream media outlets and dark-money NGOs, requires a flood of citizen journalists into corrupt Democratic-run cities.
A note from Bill Ackman:
Even assuming there was no fraud, none of this makes sense. How is it that we have been funding billions of dollars of daycare for Somali immigrants in Minnesota 81% of which (according to Gemini) are on welfare? In other words, if mom and dad donât work, why the need for child care? Perhaps you could say the welfare statistics include some subsidies for working parents, but still in this case, the child care does not appear to be needed as the daycare centers are empty. Furthermore, why is Federal funded childcare provided to recent immigrants on welfare versus long-standing American working families who are not on welfare? How does this make sense?
Even assuming there was no fraud, none of this makes sense.
How is it that we have been funding billions of dollars of daycare for Somali immigrants in Minnesota 81% of which (according to Gemini) are on welfare?
In other words, if mom and dad donât work, why the need forâŚ
â Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) https://twitter.com/BillAckman/status/2006177236496298172?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Is California next? Chicago? Baltimore? https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/nick-shirley-effect-sparks-calls-crowdfunded-citizen-journalist-grant-program-expose
? SPAC King Chamath Palihapitiya has pitched the idea.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Wed, 12/31/2025 - 09:25
Latvia Hails Completion Of 175-Mile Fence Along Russian Border
Latvia Hails Completion Of 175-Mile Fence Along Russian Border
Latvia has finally finished building a long anticipated nearly 175-mile fence along its border with Russia, according to regional media on Tuesday, which cited the state-linked company responsible for managing the project.
The fence cost an equivalent of nearly $20 million, and so at that price points to it being defensively minimal and low-tech, however some additional work is still underway on supporting infrastructure - which is expected to include support items such as footbridges over marshy terrain, observation towers, and engineering installations.
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The country's Interior Minister Rihards Kozlovskis said Latvia is now deploying advanced surveillance and monitoring systems along the frontier for an eventual "modern border security system" on the European Union's eastern edge.
This will also complement the previously erected 90-mile fence along Latvia's border with Belarus, which has been a partner of Moscow in the Ukraine war.
A little over a year ago, Latvia had reached 80% completion of the border wall with Russia. It represents the general attitude of the Baltic neighborhood - that Russia can't be trusted and is an 'aggressor' state bent on expansion.
There's also been a rise in Baltic armies hosting war games, and exercises which are integrated with NATO, which is fast becoming a https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/dueling-military-drills-might-become-new-normal-central-eastern-europe
.
Other countries in both eastern and northern Europe are racing to construct their own walls. For example Finland has committed $143 million to a greatly expanded fence along its southeastern boundary.
Helsinki has further announced plans for additional defensive structures, including bunkers and shelters designed to withstand direct artillery or missile attacks.
Poland too has erected electronic surveillance barrier along its border with Russia's Kaliningrad exclave, and recent reports have said it is reintroducing land mines after long being part of an international ban on the controversial weapons.
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Polish authorities have also wanted to reduce the risk of migration pressure, pointing to the launch of flights to Kaliningrad as well as Belarus from the Middle East and Africa.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Wed, 12/31/2025 - 02:45
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/latvia-hails-completion-175-mile-fence-along-russian-border
'Bribes For Votes' Scheme Uncovered In Ukraine Parliament Involves Members Of Zelensky's Party
'Bribes For Votes' Scheme Uncovered In Ukraine Parliament Involves Members Of Zelensky's Party
Ukraineâs anti-corruption authorities have announced charges against members of an organized crime group that operated in the Verkhovna Rada.
Among the suspects are five members of parliament from Volodymyr Zelenskyâs party, reports https://dorzeczy.pl/swiat/825812/afera-korupcyjna-na-ukrainie-podejrzani-poslowie-z-partii-zelenskiego.html
.
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The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutorâs Office (SAP) announced that the charges were filed regarding bribes paid for votes in parliament.
According to investigatorsâ findings, MPs were paid to influence decisions made in the legislative chamber in a persistent and well-organized manner.
In an official statement posted on Telegram, NABU announced that, in cooperation with SAP, an undercover investigation had identified an organized criminal group that included serving members of Ukraineâs parliament.
The investigationâs findings indicate that members of this group accepted illegal benefits in exchange for votes in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
The bureau also emphasized that these activities are part of a broader strategy to combat corruption at the highest levels of government.
On Saturday, the website Ukrainska Pravda revealed that the suspects are members of parliament from President Volodymyr Zelenskyâs party, Servant of the People: Yevhen Pyvarov, Ihor Nehulevsky, Olha Savchenko, and Yuri Kisel. The website also reported the name of Yuri Koryachenkov.
According to the investigationâs findings, the group had a hierarchical structure and a clear division of roles. It included current Ukrainian deputies and officials from the Chancellery of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine."
"The groupâs activities were coordinated by one of the deputies,â the report reads.
The Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported that âwhen organizing the votes, group members sent instructions with the numbers of bills in a specially created WhatsApp group.â
âFollowing the votes, payments were systematically transferred to individual deputies,â the report added.
The news comes after the https://rmx.news/article/biggest-corruption-scandal-in-ukraine-bundles-of-cash-and-even-a-gold-toilet-discovered-after-zelenskys-cash-wallet-flees-ukraine-before-police-raid/
rocked Ukraine just months ago, and which led to the arrest of top ministers in Zelenskyâs government and the arrest of Zelenskyâs top aide.
In addition, a long-time business associate of Zelensky fled to Israel after receiving a tip-off just hours before a NABU raid on his residence.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Wed, 12/31/2025 - 02:00
Nick Shirley Effect Fuels Calls For Crowdfunded Citizen Journalist Grant Program To Expose Democrat Fraud Nationwide
Nick Shirley Effect Fuels Calls For Crowdfunded Citizen Journalist Grant Program To Expose Democrat Fraud Nationwide
The Democratic Party entered Monday morning facing a massive firestorm following the viral spread of citizen journalist Nick Shirley's on-the-ground bombshell investigation into alleged https://www.zerohedge.com/political/network-mapping-nick-shirleys-empty-minnesota-daycares
siphoning taxpayer funds and operating as apparent front companies.
Shirley's exposĂŠ earned 111 million views on X within three days, significantly increasing public awareness of what appears to be large-scale welfare fraud in Minnesota. The magnitude of the alleged welfare fraud suggests systemic failures in Democrat-run government oversight, with a high probability that irregularities occurred at the local, county, and potentially state levels.
The Democratic Party's propaganda machine would usually be firing on all cylinders in corporate media outlets at about now to counter the welfare fraud narrative, labeling anyone who investigated or even questioned the suspiciously run Somali-linked child daycare, adult and autism care, home health care, and non-emergency medical transportation industries raking in taxpayer funds as "racists" and "fascists."
Well, Forbes appears to have received its marching orders.
Truly amazing headline work here https://twitter.com/Forbes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
â Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) https://twitter.com/WesternLensman/status/2005473613940428945?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Continued silence from much of the corporate media only reinforces what we already know: MSM acts less as news organizations and more as de facto public relations firms for Democrats.
Not CBS
Not PBS
Not CNN
Not ABC
Not MSNBC
Not Fox News
Not 60 Minutes
Not New York Times
Not Washington Post
Not Associated Press
But an independent Journalist on đ, exposed millions of Fraud with a hoodie and a camera
KEEP GOING NICK SHIRLEY https://t.co/40RX4wW3go
â MAGA Voice (@MAGAVoice) https://twitter.com/MAGAVoice/status/2005011311756017964?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Shirley's exposĂŠ was a left-field event for Democrats, as it exposed state-level fraud - something Elon Musk and DOGE had been attempting to uncover and dismantle at the federal level. Instead, recall that earlier this year, Democrats mobilized the https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/new-report-reveals-soros-open-society-funneled-80-million-pro-terror-groups
of dark-money-funded NGOs against Musk and Tesla. There was even alarming left-wing terrorism against Tesla showrooms.
Let's not forget what happened here...
Remember when a Tim Walz appointee murdered the only lawmaker who tried to stop the fraud in Minnesota?
Is it starting to make sense now? https://t.co/q4NBuUUNfD
â Bruce (@Bpeters1558) https://twitter.com/Bpeters1558/status/2005411202944655788?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
What America First is beginning to understand is that the success of exposing welfare fraud in Minnesota through a citizen-journalist model needs to be replicated across blue states in a coordinated blitz campaign that overwhelms whatever narrative control the Democratic Party's propaganda machine still retains.
SPAC King Chamath Palihapitiya on X wrote, "I trust @Cernovich instincts here. If he thinks a grant program can unlock tens of investigative journalists to uncover the breadth and scale of California, many people will support it."
Palihapitiya's response was directed at an X user's idea about a crowdfunding grant program to support citizen journalists who expose fraud in California.
I trust https://twitter.com/Cernovich?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
instincts here. If he thinks a grant program can unlock tens of investigative journalists to uncover the breadth and scale of Californiaâs fraud, many people will support it.
Cerno? https://t.co/yoWfLMV8Lb
â Chamath Palihapitiya (@chamath) https://twitter.com/chamath/status/2005364804870140074?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
What could soon emerge is an early, crowdfunded, DOGE-like network of citizen journalists - funded by tech bros, supported by private investigators, guided by tips and prior research, and aimed at systematically exposing and documenting alleged Democratic Party fraud across blue states. Such an effort could flood the news cycle with so many egregious fraud cases that Democrats would face immense difficulty mounting any compelling counter-narrative. This is info war gearing up before midterm election cycle.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Mon, 12/29/2025 - 12:40
Oh Crap: Over-The-Counter Medicines, Other Items Recalled Over Feces Contamination
Oh Crap: Over-The-Counter Medicines, Other Items Recalled Over Feces Contamination
(emphasis ours),
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) late last week announced that a distributor is recalling its FDA-regulated products because of the presence of bird and rodent feces at a Minneapolis facility.
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Minneapolis-based Gold Star Distribution Inc. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/gold-star-distribution-inc-issues-recall-certain-fda-regulated-products-three-states-including-drugs
over-the-counter cold and flu medications, dietary supplements, pet foods, cosmetics, medical devices, and foods that were distributed in locations primarily in Minnesota.
The reason for the action is âpotential Salmonella contamination, presence of rodent and avian contamination, and insanitary conditions during the storage process,â the FDA said in a description of the recall.
According to a statement from Gold Star, people who consume or handle the products may become ill because of âadulteration from pests, including rodents, birds and insects.â The FDA found that the company facilities harbored ârodent excreta, rodent urine, and bird droppings in areas where medical devices, drugs, human food, pet food, and cosmetic products were held.â
âThese conditions create a significant risk that products held at the facility may have been contaminated with filth and harmful microorganisms,â it said.
No illnesses have been reported so far, according to the FDA notice.
Health authorities say Salmonella infections may cause fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain. Salmonella can sometimes enter the bloodstream, causing more significant illnesses such as endocarditis, arthritis, and arterial infections.
In rare cases, the bacterial infections can be fatal. Young children, older people, and individuals with compromised immune systems are particularly at risk of developing severe illness.
Officials also say that individuals who may be sick with the bacterial infection should call their health care provider right away if they have more severe symptoms, including a fever higher than 102 degrees Fahrenheit in combination with diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, or diarrhea for more than three days without signs of improvement
Other serious symptoms include excessive vomiting or signs of dehydration such as dry mouth, dry throat, less frequent urination, and feeling dizzy or lightheaded when standing. Antibiotics are often used to treat people with severe Salmonella infections, and patients with diarrhea are advised to drink more fluids.
Recall Includes Medication
The recalled products include over-the-counter cold and flu medications, according to the FDA and the company, including some Tylenol, Advil, Benadryl, DayQuil, NyQuil, Excedrin, Alka-Seltzer, and Motrin products.
A number of other products are affected by the recall. A full list of the items can be https://www.fda.gov/media/190382/download?attachment
on the FDAâs website.
People who have any questions can contact Gold Star at 612-617-9800 or report any adverse reactions to the FDA via its https://www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch-fda-safety-information-and-adverse-event-reporting-program/reporting-serious-problems-fda
.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Mon, 12/29/2025 - 10:20
Judge Blocks Trump Admin From Deporting 'Anti-Disinformation' Activist Under Visa Ban
Judge Blocks Trump Admin From Deporting 'Anti-Disinformation' Activist Under Visa Ban
A federal judge granted a temporary injunction on Dec. 25 to block the Trump administration from detaining and deporting Imran Ahmed, an activist among those recently subjected to visa https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/us-imposes-visa-bans-on-former-eu-commissioner-activists-over-alleged-censorship-5962477
by the State Department for alleged censorship.
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Ahmed, CEO of U.S.-based Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), is a British citizen and a legal permanent resident of the United States.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the visa bans on Dec. 23 while condemning the EUâs Digital Services Act (DSA), naming several former EU officials, as well as prominent activists who had a part in formulating the DSA.
The announcement followed the EU opening formal https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_6709
against X under the DSA, alleging âdissemination of illegal content.â U.S. officials decried the move as censorship.
on Dec. 24 in a bid to stop deportation proceedings, naming Rubio, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Todd Lyons, acting Field Office Director of the New York ICE office Judith Almodovar, and Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers in the complaint.
Rogers had accused Ahmed of collaborating âwith the Biden Administrationâs effort to weaponize the government against U.S. citizensâ in a social media https://x.com/UnderSecPD/status/2003567950541058394
on Dec. 23, writing that his organization published the âinfamous âdisinformation dozenâ reportâ that spurred a campaign to de-platform those questioning the safety of COVID-19 vaccines.
âLeaked documents from CCDH show the organization listed âkill Muskâs Twitter,â and âtrigger EU and UK regulatory action' as priorities,â Rogers wrote.
âThe organization supports the UKâs Online Safety Act and EUâs Digital Services Act to expand censorship in Europe and around the world.â
Ahmed argued in his complaint that the sanctions were political retaliation and violated the First Amendment.
âImmigration enforcementâhere, immigration detention and threatened deportationâmay not be used as a tool to punish noncitizen speakers who express views disfavored by the current administration,â the complaint said.
âMr. Ahmedâs effort to protect children from social media dangers and harmful hate speech does not present âserious foreign policy consequencesââany more than do the actions of the United Kingdom and European Union legislators who voted to pass the laws that Secretary Rubio apparently does not like,â the plaintiff argued in a separate court filing.
Ahmed is also arguing a violation of his due process rights under the Fifth Amendment, a violation of immigration laws by tying his speech and views to a cause for deportation, and that the executive branch has exceeded its jurisdiction. The complaint reaffirmed CCDHâs support for the DSA.
U.S. District Judge Vernon Broderick has set a hearing in the case for Dec. 29.
âThe Supreme Court and Congress have repeatedly made clear: the United States is under no obligation to allow foreign aliens to come to our country or reside here,â a State Department spokesperson said.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Fri, 12/26/2025 - 11:20
White House Orders Venezuelan Oil "Quarantine" As Gunboat Diplomacy Drives Dark Fleet Tanker Into Atlantic
White House Orders Venezuelan Oil "Quarantine" As Gunboat Diplomacy Drives Dark Fleet Tanker Into Atlantic
The Trump administration has ordered the U.S. military to enforce a two-month "quarantine" of Venezuelan oil, signaling an intensification of gunboat diplomacy aimed at fostering regime instability in Caracas, with potential spillover effects that could ripple across the Caribbean into Cuba.
"While military options still exist, the focus is to first use economic pressure by enforcing sanctions to reach the outcome the White House is looking (for)," a U.S. official told https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/white-house-orders-us-forces-focus-quarantine-venezuela-2025-12-24/
on Wednesday afternoon, speaking on condition of anonymity.
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The U.S. Coast Guard has already intercepted two Venezuelan crude tankers this month and is prepared to seize another dark fleet tanker, but the vessel Bella-1 was chased away.
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Sources familiar with the sanctioned Bella-1 told https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-12-24/us-chased-oil-tanker-away-from-venezuela-as-blockade-continues
that the tanker retreated into the Atlantic after being pursued by U.S. Coast Guard forces. The tanker failed to comply with instructions to move to calmer waters for boarding.
Bella-1's decision to evade closely monitored Venezuelan waters underscores how the Trump administration's U.S. blockade, widely viewed as https://www.zerohedge.com/military/us-shifts-additional-stealth-jets-troops-caribbean-gunboat-diplomacy-itensifies
Trump's gunboat diplomacy.
According to analytics firm Kpler, Caracas has shipped nearly 900,000 barrels per day this year and relies on 400 dark-fleet tankers to transport the crude, much of which is bound for China.
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"The efforts so far have put tremendous pressure on Maduro, and the belief is that by late January, Venezuela will be facing an economic calamity unless it agrees to make significant concessions to the U.S," the U.S. official told Reuters.
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this week, the Trump administration continues to expand its large military presence in the Caribbean, with more than 15,000 troops, an aircraft carrier, multiple warships, and stealth fighters staged across the region.
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As we have repeatedly noted, this all reflects a significant reposturing of the U.S. military toward so-called Western hemispheric defense, effectively a Monroe Doctrine 2.0.
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Thu, 12/25/2025 - 07:50
Intel Slides After Nvidia Halts Tests Of 18A Tech, White House Signals Chip Giant Not "Too Strategic To Fail"
Intel Slides After Nvidia Halts Tests Of 18A Tech, White House Signals Chip Giant Not "Too Strategic To Fail"
After President Donald Trump publicly attacked Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan in August, writing, âThe CEO of INTEL is highly CONFLICTED and must resign, immediately,â Intel rushed to arrange a White House meeting that became a turning point for the struggling chipmaker which was on the verge of failure, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/how-silicon-valley-dealmaker-charmed-trump-gave-intel-lifeline-2025-12-24/
.
Tan, a veteran venture capitalist with a long history of investments in China, prepared for the meeting, seeking support from influential allies including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.
The roughly 40-minute Oval Office meeting included Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and focused on how Tan would stabilize and rebuild Intel at a moment when US semiconductor policy had become a central national priority.
During that meeting, Tan agreed to the proposal which was already reported and which saw the US government receive equity in Intel in exchange for additional CHIPS Act funding. The agreement delivered $5.7 billion in cash, made the U.S. government Intelâs largest shareholder, and conferred on the company what many investors now describe as a âtoo-strategic-to-failâ status.... although maybe not.
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After the deal, Tan pledged to âmake Intel great again,â which Lutnick posted under the caption, âThe Art of the Deal: Intel.â The governmentâs involvement quickly helped "improve" Intelâs standing with potential partners and customers eager to align with the administrationâs industrial strategy.
Sure enough, since Tan became CEO in March, but really since the deal with the Trump admin, Intelâs stock has climbed about 80%, far outpacing much of the broader market. The new momentum helped secure major investments, including $5 billion from Nvidia and $2 billion from SoftBank.
Technology lobbyist Adam Kovacevich called the government deal a âlifelineâ for Intel, suggesting the companyâs leadership and strategic direction might have been in jeopardy without it. At the same time, Tan began a sweeping internal restructuring, cutting roughly 15% of Intelâs workforce, flattening management layers, and pushing for faster, more engineering-driven decision-making across the organization.
That's the good news. The bad news is that, well, despite the optics little has changed.
As Reuters notes, despite the improved deal flow (or at least perception thereof) and the political backing (in exchange for a pound of flesh equity), Intelâs core manufacturing challenges remain and the Commerce Department appeared to make it clear that they are not a guaranteed priority, and in fact more dilutions for the benefit of taxpayers may be on deck.
Intel is not "too strategic to fail" one official told Reuters refuting the prevailing market mantra which assumes the opposite, adding that "Secretary Lutnick talks to all parties rather than prioritizing calls for Intelâs sake."
And while the company claims that its advanced chip process is âprogressing well,â there was more bad news - which apparently never rose to the level of 8K importance - after Nvidia recently tested Intelâs 18A manufacturing technology and chose not to proceed. Even after investing billions, Nvidia made no commitment to manufacture its chips at Intel, and Tan acknowledged the limited scope of the partnership, saying, âRight now we are focused on collaborations."
But now that the forced deal "honeymoon" period is over and the stock is once again drifting lower, Tan may want to consider focusing on delivering results because the goodwill that the CEO bought by going in bed with Trump is almost over.
In response to the Reuters report, INTC stock dropped as much as 4%, and down almost 20% from its recent high at the start of the month. It still has a long way to fall to the low $20 where it traded before the company announced its "tactical alignment" with the US government.
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Wed, 12/24/2025 - 12:25
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/how-lip-bu-tan-turned-trump-rebuke-intels-biggest-break
Malicious Actors Impersonating Senior US Officials, FBI Warns
Malicious Actors Impersonating Senior US Officials, FBI Warns
Malicious actors are impersonating government officials to secure sensitive information and steal funds, the FBI said in an https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA251219
on Dec. 19.
âActivity dating back to 2023 reveals malicious actors have impersonated senior U.S. state government, White House, and Cabinet-level officials, as well as members of Congress to target individuals, including officialsâ family members and personal acquaintances,â the alert said.
âIf you receive a message claiming to be from a current or former senior U.S. official, do not assume it is authentic.â
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, the threat actors have sent text messages and artificial intelligence-generated voice messages as part of their impersonation campaigns.
In the scheme, criminals contact a target by impersonating a U.S. official and briefly engage in conversation on a topic the target is well-versed in, the agency said. They then request that the communication be taken to an encrypted mobile messaging application. In most cases, the initial contact is made via SMS, and the conversation is then moved to an app such as Telegram, WhatsApp, or Signal.
Once this communication channel is set up, they inquire about events such as bilateral relations, current affairs, and trade and security policy negotiations, according to the FBI.
The malicious actor then suggests setting up a meeting between the target and the U.S. president or other high-ranking officials. They also lie that the target is being considered for nomination to the board of directors of a company.
According to the FBI, targets have been asked to take certain actions, including providing an authentication code allowing the fraudsters to sync their device with the contact list on the targetâs phone, supplying personally identifiable information and copies of personal documents, and wiring funds to a financial institution located abroad under false pretenses.
The Dec. 19 alert is an update to an earlier https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA250515
issued by the FBI on May 15, which warned that once a target is lured into a messaging platform, he or she may be presented with malware or hyperlinks designed to steal log-in information, such as user names and passwords.
The malicious actors may use voice phishing tactics, which involve audio generated by artificial intelligence to impersonate public figures or personal relations to boost the believability of the scheme.
In the latest alert, the FBI issued guidance to help identify suspicious messages. It advised people to verify the identity of the person contacting them and to listen closely to the tone and word choice during a call or voice message to assess whether it is AI-generated.
It asked people to refrain from sharing sensitive information with those they have only met online or by phone and to not send money or assets to such individuals.
According to the 2024 https://www.ic3.gov/AnnualReport/Reports/2024_IC3Report.pdf
from the FBIâs Internet Crime Complaint Center, there were 17,367 government impersonation complaints filed last year, more than the 11,554 complaints filed in 2022.
Meanwhile, losses from such complaints jumped from roughly $240 million to more than $405 million during this period.
People aged 30â39 filed the highest number of government impersonation complaints in 2024, followed closely by those in the 40â49 age group.
AI Impersonation, Social Security Warning
In September, the FBI and the American Bankers Association https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/ai-backed-deepfake-impersonations-are-getting-harder-to-detect-fbi-warns-5911598
that AI-backed deepfake impersonation scams were getting harder to detect.
âImposter scams in particular are on the rise. ... Criminals are using deepfakes, or media that is generated or manipulated by AI, to gain your trust and scam you out of your hard-earned money,â the agency said.
Deepfake content can include altered audio, video, or images. The scammers can impersonate public figures, such as celebrities or the targetâs family and friends, the FBI said.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) also https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/ssa-watchdog-warns-about-new-government-imposter-scam-5944119
a warning in November about a new government scam targeting Social Security recipients via fake emails, texts, or letters.
The scam involves criminals threatening beneficiaries that their Social Security numbers will be suspended within 24 hours and that their cases will be referred for criminal prosecution, urging them to contact the OIG using the provided number.
When victims call the number, the scammer impersonates an SSA employee and requests the targetâs personal information.
âScammers continue to exploit fear and confusion by using official-looking letters and real SSA employee names to threaten you and convince you theyâre legitimate so that you will respond and provide them with your personal information and money,â acting Inspector General Michelle L. Anderson said.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Mon, 12/22/2025 - 19:40
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/malicious-actors-impersonating-senior-us-officials-fbi-warns
Military Jet Performs 'Headbutt' On Plane Intruding Into Mar-a-Lago Airspace
Military Jet Performs 'Headbutt' On Plane Intruding Into Mar-a-Lago Airspace
(emphasis ours),
Fighter jets intercepted a civilian aircraft that violated restricted airspace over President Donald Trumpâs Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, on Dec. 21, military officials said.
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The aircraft entered restricted airspace at about 9:20 a.m., prompting an F-16 fighter jet to conduct what is called a âheadbutt maneuver,â in which the jet flies directly in front of a civilian plane to get the pilotâs attention, the North American Aerospace Defense Command said in a news release.
NORAD, which oversees the airspace of the United States and Canada, did not specify the type of aircraft involved or its point of origin or destination.
Temporary flight restrictions went into https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_5_0160
at 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 19 ahead of Trumpâs arrival in Palm Beach later that night for his annual Christmas and New Yearâs visit to Mar-a-Lago. The restrictions, issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), are set to remain in place until 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 4, 2026.
Under the restrictions, most flights are prohibited within a 10-nautical-mile radius, or about 12 miles, around Mar-a-Lago. A larger outer ring extending to 30 nautical miles, or roughly 35 miles, allows more limited aircraft movement, according to the FAA.
When an aircraft violates the restricted airspace, air traffic controllers would try to contact the pilot and instruct them to exit the area. If the pilot does not respond, NORAD may dispatch fighter jets to intercept the aircraft. Intercepting pilots may fly alongside the plane, tip their wings, release flares, or perform other maneuvers to attract the pilotâs attention.
Pilots who violate temporary flight restrictions may face penalties ranging from warnings and fines to suspension or revocation of their pilot certificates, the FAA said.
Since Trump was elected to a second term, he has made multiple weekend visits to Palm Beach County, triggering flight restrictions each time he is in town.
In early March, less than two months into Trumpâs second presidency, NORAD https://x.com/NORADCommand/status/1898808341440455075
it had already intercepted 20 civilian aircraft for violating temporary flight restrictions near his Palm Beach residence.
A more recent incident https://www.dvidshub.net/news/552570/norad-intercepts-aircraft-violating-temporary-flight-restrictions-over-palm-beach-florida
on Nov. 30 during the Thanksgiving weekend, when NORAD dispatched F-16s after a civilian aircraft entered restricted airspace. In that case, fighter jets released flares before escorting the plane out of the restricted zone, officials said.
NORAD advised pilots to carefully review all Notices to Airmen and temporary flight restrictions before they take off.
âNORAD employs a layered defense network of radars, satellites, and fighter aircraft to identify aircraft and determine the appropriate response,â officials said in the Dec. 21 statement.
âThe identification and monitoring of aircraft demonstrates how NORAD executes its aerospace warning and aerospace control missions for the United States and Canada.â
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Mon, 12/22/2025 - 19:15
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/military-jet-performs-headbutt-plane-intruding-mar-lago-airspace
Citizens In Eastern Ukraine Will Not Be Allowed To Vote, Zelensky Says
Citizens In Eastern Ukraine Will Not Be Allowed To Vote, Zelensky Says
President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed that Ukraine and Washington are in talks about holding elections, after earlier this month he much belatedly said while under pressure from Trump that he's ready to allow national elections, so long as they can be done fairly and freely.
Zelensky indicated current discussions also hinge on the US and other partners helping set the conditions so Ukrainians can vote in safety. He previously stated the country could hold a vote within 60 days - but only if there are security guarantees.
Already over the weekend he erected more barriers to holding a vote, stipulating that citizens in Eastern Ukraine would not be able to participate.
"Any election in Ukraine can not be held in Russia-occupied parts of the country," Zelensky has been quoted in international press https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/elections-cannot-be-held-in-russian-occupied-parts-of-ukraine-zelensky-says/
, and he once again added that a proper voting process can take place only if security is ensured.
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He has also lately said that Ukraine's foreign minister had started the initial work on the infrastructure needed for Ukrainians living abroad to participate.
The four oblasts that President Putin has called "our four new regions" and "our citizens forever" include Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions - and were annexed after a popular referendum during the first year of the war.
Putin has blasted Zelensky's rule as illegitimate given the canceled elections based on enacting a state of martial law, and President Trump has expressed increasing agreement with this perspective.
Still, Zelensky's new 'openness' with holding an election has been coupled with plenty of caveats and likely immense barriers. For example last week he https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20251211-live-ukraine-gives-revised-peace-plan-to-us-readies-for-more-talks-with-allies
--
...that a ceasefire with Russia must be in place before elections can be held in Ukraine, "at least for the duration of the election process and voting". Ukrainian law forbids wartime elections but US President Donald Trump is pressuring Zelensky, whose term ended last year, to hold a vote.
But Trump this month finally put some real pressure on him, it appears. Given Zelensky had put the brakes on the US-proposed pace plan by https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/zelensky-definitively-shuts-door-trump-peace-plan-wont-cede-territory
the territorial concessions aspects to the document, the US president's assessment in a recent Politico interview was blunt and highly critical, going so far as to basically call Ukraine not a democracy.
"They havenât had an election in a long time," Trump said. "You know, they talk about a democracy, but it gets to a point where it's not a democracy anymore."
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Sun, 12/21/2025 - 13:25
Target Harasser Issues Forced Apology Amid Job Threat And Police Probe
Target Harasser Issues Forced Apology Amid Job Threat And Police Probe
Michelea Ponce, the leftist caught on video unleashing a tirade against an elderly Target employee for daring to wear a âFreedomâ shirt featuring Charlie Kirk, has issued a public apology. But with her job on the line and police involved, many see it as a desperate bid to salvage her reputation rather than genuine remorse.
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This comes after the video exploded online, exposing the kind of unhinged intolerance conservatives face daily from those who preach âkindnessâ but deliver harassment.
The incident unfolded in a Chico, California Target store, where Ponce confronted 72-year-old employee Jeanie Beeman over her shirt. As we previously reported in our coverage of the meltdown and the subsequent police investigation, Ponce labeled Beeman as âracistâ and âignorant,â escalating into a public spectacle that left the senior worker shaken.
Ponce, an employee at Enloe Health, filmed the encounter herself, apparently seeking viral clout. Instead, it backfired spectacularly, drawing widespread condemnation for bullying an innocent woman simply expressing her support for conservative values.
The Chico Police Department also investigated the incident after it went viral but determined Ponceâs actions did not constitute criminal conduct.
In their official statement, they noted: âWhile the interaction was tense and inappropriate, it did not rise to the level of criminal conduct. The customerâs actions, though discourteous, were protected under the First Amendment as freedom of speech. As a result, there are no criminal charges appropriate to file in this case.â You can read the full statement https://www.facebook.com/ChicoPoliceDepartment/photos/viral-video-investigation-update-the-chico-police-department-was-made-aware-of-t/1341104111395320/
.
While no charges were filed, the probe underscored the fine line between free speech and outright harassment, a reminder that conservatives often endure such attacks without legal recourse.
In her âapologyâ statement, Ponce wrote: âI want to take full responsibility for my actions and say clearly and sincerely that I was wrong. I behaved badly, and I regret it deeply.
âI want to directly apologize to Jeannie. I am truly sorry for approaching you at your workplace and putting you in an uncomfortable and unfair position. You did not deserve that, and my behavior was wrong,â the statement continues.
Ponce adds, âI also apologize to Jeannieâs family for the stress and attention my actions caused. I apologize to Target as her employer, I apologize to Enloe, and I apologize to the Chico community. I understand that what I did reflected poorly on myself and disrupted a sense of safety and respect that should exist in a workplace and in our community.â
âI did not handle the situation the way I should have. I allowed my emotions to take over instead of choosing restraint and empathy. That was my failure, and I own it,â She further claims.
The statement concludes, âI regret my actions, and I am genuinely sorry for the harm they caused. I wish I can go back and undo what happened, but I can acknowledge it honestly, learn from it, and commit to doing better moving forward.â
The apology surfaced via a post on X, sparking immediate skepticism. Critics pointed out its polished, almost scripted tone, with one user calling it âfake as Fâ and another dismissing it as insincere, saying Ponce is only âregretting the consequences of her actions.â Many echoed that sheâs not sorry for the act but for getting caught, especially with her employment in jeopardy.
?BREAKING: Michelea Ponce, who harassed an elderly Target employee, Jeanie Beeman, over her wearing a Charlie Kirk âFreedomâ t-shirt. Issues an apology.
"I behaved badly, and I regret it deeply." https://t.co/0reb89Bzln
â The Patriot Oasis⢠(@ThePatriotOasis) https://twitter.com/ThePatriotOasis/status/2001606823283994728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Enloe Health, Ponceâs employer, faced massive backlash, including over 6,000 calls demanding action. CEO Mike Wiltermood addressed the controversy in a video statement, condemning the behavior but refusing to disclose if Ponce had been terminated, citing privacy concerns.
Enloe Healthâs CEO, Mike Wiltermood, just spoke out following a video that went viral yesterday of their employee, a vile, hateful and toxic liberal woman named Michelea Ponce, who verbally accosted and harassed an elderly Target employee, Jeanie Beeman, over her wearing a⌠https://t.co/SYI43nluWj
â Based Bandita (@BasedBandita) https://twitter.com/BasedBandita/status/2001436246271242486?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
A follow-up statement from Enloe reiterated their disapproval but again stopped short of confirming her status. Rumors swirled on social media that she may have been fired, but as of now, itâs unconfirmed. This opacity has fueled calls for transparency, with users insisting that someone with such evident bias shouldnât be in healthcare, where vulnerable patientsâincluding conservativesâdeserve unbiased care.
Approximately 2 hours ago, rumors on social media began to spur that Michelea Ponce lost her job at Enloe Health. While it's unclear if it's true, Enloe coincidentally issued another statement online condemning Ponce 2 hours ago and saying they couldn't say anything else. https://t.co/OWyylG9JfW
â Greg Hoyt (@GregHoytLET) https://twitter.com/GregHoytLET/status/2001467870472237347?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
In a heartening update, Jeanie Beeman spoke out, showing remarkable forgiveness. âTwo wrongs donât make a right. She wronged me, but I donât want to wrong her. I really wouldnât want to see her lose her job over it,â she said in a video interview.
NEW: Ms. Jeanie Beeman speaks out after being harassed over her Charlie Kirk shirt at Target and says she does not want her attacker fired.
âTwo wrongs donât make a right. She wronged me, but I donât want to wrong her. I really wouldnât want to see her lose her job over it.â⌠https://t.co/FZumZoSjd9
â David J Harris Jr (@DavidJHarrisJr) https://twitter.com/DavidJHarrisJr/status/2001540807397105787?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
This honorable stance highlights the difference between conservatives, who often extend grace even to their tormentors, and the intolerant left, quick to attack but slow to reflect. Beemanâs response embodies the spirit of resilience and dignity.
The online community rallied around Beeman, launching a GiveSendGo fundraiser to give her a well-deserved vacation. At time of writing, it has raised over $230,000, far surpassing initial expectations.
This outpouring stands in sharp contrast to the hate Ponce unleashed, proving that freedom-loving Americans stick together against bullies.
Incidents like this expose the deep-seated bias against conservatives in everyday life. Ponceâs apology, whether sincere or not, wonât erase the damage, but it does spotlight the need to protect free expression from those who weaponize âtoleranceâ as a tool of control.
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
Sat, 12/20/2025 - 21:00
Trump Admin Launches Retaliatory Strikes In Syria, Hours After Officially Repealing Sanctions
Trump Admin Launches Retaliatory Strikes In Syria, Hours After Officially Repealing Sanctions
Update (1700ET): Just hours after officially repealing sanctions on the country, the US military began a large-scale attack against Islamic State targets in Syria as the Trump admin retaliated for the death of three Americans last week.
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The Wall Street Journal reports that a U.S. military official said Friday that dozens of targets were being struck by U.S. F-15 and A-10 warplanes, Apache attack helicopters and Himars rockets.
The operation is being dubbed âHawkeye Strikeâ in honor of the Iowa National Guard soldiers who were killed and wounded in an ambush the Trump administration has blamed on ISIS.
The gunman that ambushed the Americans was killed in the attack.
But President Trump on Sunday vowed to take military action against the group.
âThere will be a lot of damage done to the people that did it. They got the person, the individual person, but there will be big damage done,â Trump said at the time.
Syrian authorities last week blamed the ambush on a member of Syriaâs security forces who they said was set to be fired for holding extremist views.
*Â *Â *
Syria is celebrating after President Trump https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/19/world/middleeast/syria-trump-repeal-sanctions-caesar-act.html
a law on Thursday officially repealing the brutal economic sanctions imposed on the country under legislation known as the Caesar Act, which was designed to topple the government of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.
The sanctions have for many years effectively strangled millions of innocent people, and even impacted access to medicines, hospital equipment, fuel, and unleashed runaway inflation - sending prices for basic staples like eggs and meat soaring.
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Sanctions have been on Syria going all the way back to the 1970s, with more piled on over the decades, especially after 2011, and then the most far-reaching, the Caesar sanctions, took effect in 2019 at a time that Assad was winning the war.
Coupled with the sanctions was a long-running CIA and Gulf-spearheaded proxy war, which flooded jihadist groups with weapons and cash - all for the sake of eventually installing a more pliant client ruler.
Now, one year after Washington accomplished its regime change, and with Bashar al-Assad in Moscow, has Washington chosen to remove the sanctions.
As Beirut-based https://thecradle.co/articles/trump-officially-repeals-caesar-act-sanctions-on-syria
observes, "Trump removed the sanctions in an effort to help Syriaâs new government, led by former Al-Qaeda commander Ahmad al-Sharaa, to attract foreign investment, foster economic growth, and rebuild infrastructure after 14 years of war."
Some Congressional leaders are still calling for strict monitoring of the new Sharaa regime's behavior, especially following prior months of massacres of Syrian Alawites, Christians, and https://www.foxnews.com/politics/130-house-republicans-demand-assurances-us-eases-syria-sanctions
:
More than 100 House Republicans are demanding increased oversight of Syria as the U.S. prepares to repeal longstanding sanctions against the country.
Reps. Josh Brecheen, R-Okla., and Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., are leading 134 fellow GOP lawmakers in calling for guarantees that the Syrian government will adhere to terms in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that set the stage for repealing those sanctions, while warning the U.S. needs to be prepared to reverse that if Syria falters on its progress.
"Many Members of Congress, committed to seeking peace, prosperity, and tolerance for religious minorities in the region, worked with the Trump Administration and House leadership to secure assurances that snapback conditions regarding the repeal of Syrian sanctions would be enforced if Syria does not comply with the terms highlighted in the repeal language," their joint statement read.
Already, American and Gulf countries have signed deals with the new rulers in Damascus for oil and gas exploration, as well as rebuilding port infrastructure.
Syriaâs Al-Sharaa THANKS Trump as country marks first day âFREE OF SANCTIONSâ https://t.co/0nYNYkYnqX
â RT (@RT_com) https://twitter.com/RT_com/status/2002098458665365701?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
"Lifting the sanctions was the frontrunner in our mission to revive Syriaâs economy," Abdulkader Husrieh, Syriaâs central bank governor, said Friday in reaction to the news. "What has happened is nothing short of a miracle."
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Fri, 12/19/2025 - 17:20
Why Should Americans Die For European Tyranny?
Why Should Americans Die For European Tyranny?
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2025/12/why_should_americans_die_for_european_tyranny.html
After the European Commission levied a several-hundred-million-dollar fine on Elon Musk and his social media platform X earlier this month, journalist Michael Shellenberger wrote a damning https://x.com/shellenberger/status/1997083064141599102
in which he excoriated Europeâs rank censorship and state-sponsored propaganda.  He accused the commission of engaging âin a deception campaign aimed at confusingâ Europeans and Americans into thinking that European elitesâ âgoalâ is anything other than âto censor the American people.â
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Shellenberger pointed out that Muskâs fine came while European governments are demanding backdoor access to all private text messages (under the pretense of combatting the transmission of child pornography) and creating a so-called âDemocracy Shieldâ of government-funded âfact-checkersâ that enables âcensorship by proxy.â  He also noted that the European Commission announced the fine to coincide with the rollout of the Trump administrationâs new https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-National-Security-Strategy.pdf
, in which President Trump makes this promise: âWe will oppose elite-driven, anti-democratic restrictions on core liberties in Europe, the Anglosphere, and the rest of the democratic world, especially among our allies.â
Shellenberger put two and two together to make a provocative observation:
âThe EU is now in direct violation of the NATO Treaty,â which ârequires member states to have free speech and free and fair elections.  France and Germany are actively and illegally preventing political candidates from running for office for ideological reasons, namely their opposition to mass migration.  And the Romanian high court, with the support of the European Commission, nullified election results under the thin and unproven pretext of Russian interference, after a nationalist and populist presidential candidate won.â
As a parting shot, Shellenberger accused the European political class of betraying its own constitution, a document that purports to protect free speech:
âEveryone has the right to freedom of expression.  This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority.â
How can the European Commission pretend to defend its own charter when it seeks to eradicate the free exchange of ideas on X, censor Americansâ speech, spy on citizensâ private text messages, and create an army of government-funded NGOs to justify censorship and push the commissionâs propaganda?
Shellenbergerâs pointed observations reinforce Vice President Vanceâs recent https://x.com/CharlieK_news/status/1998441335213158407?s=20
of European censorship:
âGermanyâs entire defense is subsidized by the American taxpayer.  There are thousands upon thousands of American troops in Germany today.  Do you think that the American taxpayer is going to stand for that if you get thrown in jail in Germany for posting a mean tweet?â  Vance has explicitly warned European elites that America and Europe âdo not have shared values if youâre jailing people for saying we should close down our borderâ or canceling âelections because you donât like the result â and that happened in Romania.  You do not have shared values if youâre so afraid of your own people that you silence them and shut them up.â
When the leading candidate for the American presidency in 2028 and one of Americaâs pre-eminent journalists are both warning the European political class that its ongoing censorship activities are threatening the foundations of the Western alliance, the capitals of Europe should pay attention.
Unfortunately, it appears the paper tigers of Europe believe that their gentle purrs sound like ferocious roars and that their distorted shadows still convey strength.  As President Trumpâs emissaries work to deliver peace between Russia and Ukraine, there are https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/12/eu-globalists-threaten-dump-2-34-trillion-u/
on the continent that the European Commission is threatening behind somewhat closed doors to sell $2.34 trillion in U.S. Treasury holdings should the American government impose an âunsatisfactoryâ peace settlement or outright withdraw military and financial support from Ukraine.  Such economic warfare against the United States could trigger a financial crash more severe than what occurred in 2008.
The fact that European powers would consider destabilizing the global economy in order to prolong war on the European continent says a great deal about the Old Worldâs twisted priorities.  While tens of millions of illegal immigrants erase Western civilization and insane âgreen energyâ policies doom the economies of Europe, the aristocratic elites insist on censorship, government-approved propaganda, and perpetual war.  Brussels, London, Paris, and Berlin are so committed to total war with Russia that they will sacrifice every last Ukrainian and outlaw peace.  Better to remain master over a dominion of poverty, division, and bloodshed than to permit non-globalist political parties to win elections and defend their respective nationsâ sovereignties.
Given how ill prepared Europe is to fight its own battles without the assistance of Americaâs military machine, it is maddening to watch the deranged https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/why-europe-feverishly-preparing-world-war-iii
that âa nuclear strike on Britain is inevitable.â  Should the British people perhaps have a say in whether their political leadership will risk nuclear war over Russian-speaking territories in eastern Ukraine?
Meanwhile, the French government is not so quietly https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/europe/france-hospitals-war-europe-letter-russia-ukraine-b2819143.html
foreign policy pooh-bahs in Berlin that Europeans âmust be prepared for the scale of war our grandparents and great-grandparents endured.â  As far as Europeâs political elites are concerned, all signs point to World War III!
Is this really what Americans want?  Must we really permit Europeâs totalitarian political elites to recklessly provoke a U.S.-NATO-Russia War?  It is revealing that Europeâs speech police work so assiduously to censor social media posts that dare to question the ruling classâs apparent desire to transform a regional conflict between Russia and Ukraine into a battle royale involving the whole of the continent.  How duplicitous with regard to their motivations and desperate in their political calculations could Starmer, Macron, Merz, and Queen Ursula von der Leyen be if they feel compelled to silence every European commoner who prefers to keep his children safely away from exploding drones on the battlefield?
I go back to the questions that Michael Shellenberger and Vice President Vance have asked concerning Europeâs diminishing commitment to Western values.  What is the point of defending a royal court of unelected European aristocrats who cynically prattle on about the need to âdefend democracyâ while spying on fellow citizensâ private communications and silencing their online debates?  Why should Americans fight and die for European elites who conspire to prevent non-globalist politicians from holding office and summarily cancel elections whenever preferred globalists flat-out lose?  Why should Americaâs military defend a European ruling class that regularly censors American citizens?
If Brussels, London, Paris, and Berlin want war, let those socialists pick up a rifle and fight.  As for Americans, our cause should be to defend liberty.  And right now, unfortunately, liberty is of little concern to Europeâs political elites.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Fri, 12/19/2025 - 06:30
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/why-should-americans-die-european-tyranny
Has Orwell's 1984 Become Reality?
Has Orwell's 1984 Become Reality?
https://brownstone.org/articles/has-orwells-1984-become-reality/
To some readers it may seem like a rhetorical question to ask whether the narrative of George Orwellâs dystopian novel, https://www.planetebook.com/free-ebooks/1984.pdf
(or 1984), first published in Britain in 1949, has somehow left its pages and settled, like an ominous miasma, over the contours of social reality. Yet, closer inspection â which means avoiding compromised mainstream news outlets â discloses a disquieting state of affairs.
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Everywhere we look in Western countries, from the United Kingdom, through Europe to America (and even https://thepeoplesvoice.tv/starmer-praises-indias-expansive-digital-id-system/
, whose âOrwellian digital ID systemâ was lavishly praised by British prime minister Keir Starmer recently), what meets the eye is a set of social conditions exhibiting varying stages of precisely the no-longer-fictional totalitarian state depicted by Orwell in 1984. Needless to stress, this constitutes a warning against totalitarianism with its unapologetic manipulation of information and mass surveillance.
I am by no means the first person to perceive the ominous contours of Orwellâs nightmarish vision taking shape before our very eyes. Back in 2023 Jack Watson did, too, when he https://dailysceptic.org/2023/03/30/orwells-dystopian-vision-is-coming-true/
(among other things):
Thoughtcrime is another of Orwellâs conjectures that has come true. When I first read 1984, I would never have thought that this made up word would be taken seriously; nobody should have the right to ask what you are thinking. Obviously, nobody can read your mind and surely you could not be arrested simply for thinking? However, I was dead wrong. https://thenewconservative.co.uk/isabel-vaughan-spruce-the-crime-of-silent-prayer/
recently for silently praying in her head and, extraordinarily, prosecutors were asked to provide evidence of her âthoughtcrime.â Needless to say, they did not have any. But knowing that we can now be accused of, essentially, thinking the wrong thoughts is a worrying development. Freedom of speech is already under threat, but this goes beyond free speech. This is about free thought. Everybody should have a right to think what they want, and they should not feel obliged or forced to express certain beliefs or only think certain thoughts.
Most people would know that totalitarianism is not a desirable social or political set of circumstances. Even the word sounds ominous, but that is probably only to those who already know what it denotes. I have written on it https://brownstone.org/articles/why-totalitarianism-can-never-be-total/
, but it is now more relevant than ever. We should remind ourselves what Orwell wrote in that uncannily premonitory novel.
Considering the rapidly expanding and intensifying, electronically mediated strategies of surveillance being implemented globally â no doubt aimed at inculcating in citizens a subliminal awareness that privacy is fast becoming but a distant memory â the following excerpt from Orwellâs text strikes one as disturbingly prophetic, considering the time it was written (1984, Free Planet e-book, p.5):
Behind Winstonâs back the voice from the telescreen was still babbling away about pig-iron and the overfulfilment of the Ninth Three-Year Plan. The telescreen received and transmitted simultaneously. Any sound that Winston made, above the level of a very low whisper, would be picked up by it, moreover, so long as he remained within the field of vision which the metal plaque commanded, he could be seen as well as heard. There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment. How often, or on what system, the Thought Police plugged in on any individual wire was guesswork. It was even conceivable that they watched everybody all the time. But at any rate they could plug in your wire whenever they wanted to. You had to liveâdid live, from habit that became instinctâin the assumption that every sound you made was overheard, and, except in darkness, every movement scrutinized.
Before adducing compelling instances of the contemporary, real-world surveillance equivalents of 1984âs âtelescreen,â which have become sufficiently ânormalâ to be accepted without much in the form of protest, and to refresh your memory further, hereâs Hannah Arendt, in https://archive.org/details/hannah-arendt-the-origins-of-totalitarianism/page/436/mode/2up
(New edition, Harcourt, Brace Jovanovich 1979, p. 438):
Total domination, which strives to organize the infinite plurality and differentiation of human beings as if all of humanity were just one individual, is possible only if each and every person can be reduced to a never-changing identity of reactions, so that each of these bundles of reactions can be exchanged at random for any other. The problem is to fabricate something that does not exist, namely, a kind of human species resembling other animal species whose only âfreedomâ would consist in âpreserving the species.â
As Italian thinker Giorgio https://www.researchgate.net/publication/363166551_Beyond_Agamben's_'Homo_Sacer'_The_'pandemic'_as_final_reduction_of_humanity_to_'bare_life
would say: totalitarianism reduces every singular human being to âbare life;â nothing more, and after having been subjected to its mind-numbing techniques for a certain time, people start acting accordingly, as if they lack the capacity to manifest their natality (unique, singular birth) and plurality (the fact that all people are singular and irreplaceable). The final blow to our humanity comes when totalitarian ruleâs coup de grČce is delivered (Arendt 1979, quoting David Rousseton conditions in Nazi concentration camps,m p. 451):
The next decisive step in the preparation of living corpses is the murder of the moral person in man. This is done in the main by making martyrdom, for the first time in history, impossible: âHow many people here still believe that a protest has even historic importance? This skepticism is the real masterpiece of the SS. Their great accomplishment. They have corrupted all human solidarity. Here the night has fallen on the future. When no witnesses are left, there can be no testimony. To demonstrate when death can no longer be postponed is an attempt to give death a meaning, to act beyond oneâs own death. In order to be successful, a gesture must have social meaningâŚâ
Surveying the present social scene globally against this backdrop yields interesting, albeit disturbing results. For example, Niamh Harris https://thepeoplesvoice.tv/globalists-are-desperate-to-erect-totalitarian-surveillance-state-before-too-many-people-wake-up/
that German MEP Christine Anderson and British politician Nigel Farage have both warned that globalists are frantically trying to establish a fully fledged surveillance state âbefore too many people wake upâ to this state of affairs. Anderson â whose caution is echoed by Farage â points to the irony that people are waking up precisely because globalist efforts to hasten the installation of a totalitarian surveillance state are accelerating and becoming conspicuous. Hence, the more the process is ramped up, the louder critical voices become (and protests are likely to occur), and correlatively, the more anxious the neo-fascists become, to close the net around citizens of the world. She warns that:
âDigital identity [is] not so your life is easier. Itâs so government has total control over you.â
âDigital currency [is] the crème de la crème of all control mechanismsâŚWhat do you think is going to happen the next time you refuse to take an mRNA shot? With the flip of a switch, they just cancel your account. You cannot buy food anymore. You cannot do anything anymore.â
Given these warnings, a case in point concerns well-known globalist Tony https://thepeoplesvoice.tv/tony-blair-praises-amazing-benefits-of-merging-digital-id-with-facial-recognition-ai/
(quoted from Wide Awake Media on X):
âFacial recognition can now spot suspects in real time from live videoâŚ[It] helps identify suspects quickly in busy places like train stations and events.â âAI will go even furtherâspotting crime patterns, guiding patrols and streamlining decisionsâŚThis is where technology, like digital ID, becomes critical.â
Wide Awake Mediaâs laconic comment on Blairâs words (alluding to the already dystopian surveillance practices in the United Kingdom) says it all: âImagine this kind of system in the hands of a government that imprisons people for memes and jokes.â
It requires no genius to grasp that these examples of attempts at furthering the totalitarian agenda of complete surveillance, coupled with inescapable control mechanisms such as CBDCs, are rooted in the structural dynamics of the (no-longer-fictional) society of Big Brother, as evocatively depicted by Orwell more than 75 years ago. Except that â given the advent of the network society of electronically mediated actions and behaviour â such surveillance and control are at a level of efficiency and pervasiveness that Big Brother could only dream of. This is unmistakable when one peruses reports such as https://dailysceptic.org/2025/12/05/how-the-race-relations-act-turned-britain-into-a-totalitarian-anti-fascist-nineteen-eighty-four/
one, which alerts one to the fact that, in Britain today, surveillance technology enables the neo-fascist authorities to identify, arrest, and imprison individuals for so-called âcrimesâ which echo the thoughtcrimes of Orwellâs 1984, except that, by comparison, they seem trivial to the nth degree. As the article in question states,
Following a number of high-profile arrests for speech-related crimes, Britain is seen as far as the White House as a realm of tinpot, two-tier woke tyranny, where authors of errant tweets can expect to spend more time in prison than sex pests and paedophiles and which commentators and comedians should avoid â lest they be whisked straight from arrivals to a holding cell having offended Left-wing orthodoxies.
Lucy Connolly, a mother and childminder who received a 31-month prison sentence for âinciting racial hatredâ over a single (quickly deleted) tweet posted in the wake of the https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gweeq1344o
30 arrests per day for online speech offences, with many of these treated far more seriously than violent, sexual, or acquisitive crimes. Connollyâs was one of 44 convictions for âstirring up racial hatredâ last yearâŚ
Those, like Tony Blair, who are trying their best to justify surveillance as being âbeneficial,â even go as far as employing Orwellâs terminology to assuage the fears of the public who would be at the receiving end of such vaunted âprotection.â In this vein, in 2022 outgoing mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, was https://thepeoplesvoice.tv/nyc-mayor-says-you-will-learn-to-love-the-surveillance-state-big-brother-is-protecting-you/
as claiming that:
Americans will learn to love the Chinese-style surveillance state, according to New York City Democrat Mayor Eric Adams who responded to criticism over increasing the use of facial recognition technology by declaring, âBig Brother is protecting you!â
Adams made the disturbing comments in response to elected officials who expressed concerns that using such technology is turning society into an authoritarian surveillance state.
Not everyone was enamoured of the mayorâs reassurance, however:
Albert Fox Cahn, the head of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, responded by warning that facial recognition technology would be weaponized to crack down on âevery aspect of dissentâ in the city.
âThese are technologies that would be chilling in anyoneâs hands. But to give an agency with such a horrifying record of surveillance abuse even more power, at a time when they face dwindling oversight, is a recipe for disaster,â he said.
Part of the problem faced by freedom-loving citizens everywhere is the uncritical acceptance by many â although by no means all â people, that constantly changing technology is somehow self-justifying. It is not, as a simple thought-experiment confirms. If someone tells you that, compared to its 18th-century French Revolution precursor, today there is a much more efficient, âelectronic guillotineâ available, which terminates a personâs life quickly, humanely, and painlessly, and could solve the overpopulation problem by euthanising people over 60 years of age, should you agree?
Of course not. For one thing, older people have the same right to life as anyone else, and many of oneâs most productive, and enjoyable years come after 60. Hence, there is absolutely no ground for accepting or justifying new technology as âbeneficial,â simply because it is supposedly âmore efficient.â
Yet, everyone of globalist persuasion seems to believe that, to persuade the âsheepleâ to enter the corral of digital imprisonment, all they need to do is to glorify the technology involved â lying through their teeth, of course. But lest I forget, according to the 1984 playbook, which all and sundry among the globalist neo-fascists seem to have adopted (stupidly believing that no one would notice), everything we have been taught in the world that preceded the attempt to establish their vaunted New World Order, has been turned on its head, so that âfalsehoodâ (lying) has now become âtruth.â If this sounds far-fetched, take a look at the globalistsâ disingenuous pronouncements through the lens of 1984 (p. 6):
The Ministry of TruthâMinitrue, in Newspeakâwas startlingly different from any other object in sight. It was an enormous pyramidal structure of glittering white concrete, soaring up, terrace after terrace, 300 metres into the air. From where Winston stood it was just possible to read, picked out on its white face in elegant lettering, the three slogans of the Party:
WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
The âNewspeakâ of today does exactly the https://dailysceptic.org/2024/04/09/trudeaus-dystopian-online-harms-act-makes-margaret-atwood-and-george-orwell-look-like-amateurs/
, as anyone who frequents the alternative media easily discovers.
Hence, if those among us who cherish our freedoms wish to preserve them, we had better be wide awake to any and all the continuing attempts to impose terminal limitations, or should I say, permanent termination, on them, all in the name of putative âbenefits, safety, and convenience.â
If we donât, we shall have only ourselves to blame if legislators of various stripes succeed in imposing them on us by stealth.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Thu, 12/18/2025 - 16:20
https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/has-orwells-1984-become-reality
Europe Is About To Commit Financial Self-Immolation & Its Leaders Know It
Europe Is About To Commit Financial Self-Immolation & Its Leaders Know It
Italyâs decision to stand with Belgium against the confiscation of Russian sovereign assets is not a diplomatic footnote. It is a moment of clarity breaking through the fog of performative morality that has engulfed Brussels. Strip away the slogans and the truth is unavoidable: the seizure of Russian sovereign reserves will not change the course of the war in Ukraine by a single inch.
This is not about funding Ukraine, it is about whether sovereign property still exists in a Western financial system that has quietly replaced law with cult-like obedience. That is why panic has entered the room.
The European Commission wants to pretend this is a clever workaround, a one-off, an emergency measure wrapped in legal contortions and moral posturing masquerading as hysteria. But finance does not function on intentions, rage, or narratives. It functions on precedent, trust, and enforceability. And once that trust is broken, it does not return.
The modern global financial system rests on a single, unglamorous principle, that State assets held in foreign jurisdictions are legally immune from political confiscation.
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That principle underwrites reserve currencies, correspondent banking, sovereign debt markets, and cross-border investment. It is why central banks like Russiaâs (once) accepted euros instead of bullion shipped under armed guard. It is why settlement systems like Euroclear exist at all. Once that rule is broken, capital does not debate. It reprices risk instantly and it leaves.
Confiscation sends a message to every country outside the Western political orbit: your savings are safe only as long as you remain politically compliant.
That is not a rules-based order. It is a selectively enforced order whose rules change the moment compliance ends. What we have is a compliance cartel, enforcing law upward and punishment downward, depending on who obeys and who resists.
Belgiumâs fear is not legalistic. It is actuarial. Hosting Euroclear means hosting systemic risk. If Russia or any future target successfully challenges the seizure, Belgium could be exposed to claims that dwarf the sums being discussed. Belgium is therefore right to be skeptical of Europeâs promise to underwrite such colossal risk, given the blocâs now shattered credibility. No serious financial actor would treat such guarantees as reliable.
Italyâs hesitation is not ideological. It is mathematical. With one of Europeâs heaviest debt burdens, Rome understands what happens when markets begin questioning the neutrality of reserve currencies and custodians.
Neither country suddenly developed sympathy for Moscow. They simply did the arithmetic before the slogans.
Paris and London, meanwhile, thunder publicly while quietly insulating their own commercial banksâ exposure to Russian sovereign assets, exposure measured not in rhetoric, but in tens of billions. French financial institutions alone hold an estimated âŹ15â20 billion, while UK-linked banks and custodial structures account for roughly ÂŁ20â25 billion, much of it routed through Londonâs clearing and custody ecosystem rather than sitting on government balance sheets.
This hypocrisy and cowardice are not accidental. Paris and London sit at the heart of global custodial banking, derivatives clearing, and FX settlement, nodes embedded deep within the plumbing of global finance. Retaliatory seizures or accelerated capital flight would not be symbolic for them; they would be catastrophic.
So the burden is shifted outward. Smaller states are expected to absorb systemic risk while core financial centers preserve deniability, play a double game, and posture as virtuous.
This is anything but European solidarity. It is class defense at the international level.
The increasingly shrill insistence from the Eurocrats that the assets must be seized betrays something far more revealing than hysteria or resolve: the unmasking of a project sustained by delusion and Russophobic dogma, in which moral certainty did not arise from conviction, but functioned as a mechanism for managing cognitive dissonance, a means of avoiding realities that any serious strategy would already have been forced to confront.
Not confidence, but exposure. Exposure of a war Europe never possessed the power to decide, only the capacity to prolong. Exposure of a financial system discovering that money, once stripped of neutrality and weaponized, forfeits its credibility as capital. And exposure of a ruling class confronting the reality that performance, however theatrical, cannot substitute for power that has long since been exhausted â power Europe relinquished decades ago when it outsourced real sovereignty to Washington.
Looting Russian reserves will not shorten the conflict. It will not pressure Moscow into capitulation. It will not meaningfully finance Ukraineâs future. And this is not because Europe has miscalculated, it is because Europe has knowingly abandoned reality.
There is no serious actor in Europe who does not understand how wars are won. They know that Russiaâs war effort is driven by industrial throughput, manpower depth, logistics resilience, and continental scale and that on every one of these axes Russia has expanded its advantage while Europe has accelerated its collapse. Russia has retooled its defense-industrial base for sustained output, secured energy and raw materials at scale, reoriented trade beyond Western choke points, and absorbed sanctions as a catalyst for growth. This is not conjecture. It is observable fact.
This move will permanently accelerate reserve diversification away from the euro, expand bilateral settlement, hasten gold repatriation, and entrench non-Western clearing systems, and it will do so immediately.
What is being exposed here is not Russian vulnerability, but Western exhaustion. When economies can no longer compete through production, innovation, or growth, they turn to banditry. Asset seizure is not a sign of strength, but he terminal behavior of a rentier system that has exhausted surplus and begun consuming its own foundations.
This decision does not defend any lingering illusion of Western dominance. It advertises its expiry. The turn toward policing speech in Europe did not happen in a vacuum.
The Digital Services Act, platform intimidation, and the policing of dissent is all about pre-emptive damage control. European elites understand that the consequences of this policy will land squarely on households.
The people who will pay for this are not sitting in Commission buildings, they are the ones whose pensions, currencies, and living standards are being quietly offered up to preserve a collapsing illusion of power.
That is why dissent had to be neutralized before confiscation could be attempted. Not after. Criticism was pre-emptively reclassified as disinformation. Debate was recoded as existential danger. Speech itself was reframed as a security threat.
In their desperation to punish Russia, Europeâs leadership is handing Moscow something far more valuable than âŹ210 billion. They are validating every argument held by the Global Majority about Western hypocrisy, legal nihilism, and financial coercion. They are demonstrating that sovereignty within the Western system is provisional, granted conditionally, revoked politically.
Empires do not collapse because they are challenged. They collapse because they cannibalize the systems that once made them legitimate.
This seizure will not be remembered as a blow against Moscow. It will be remembered as the moment Europe told the world that property rights end where obedience begins.
Once that message is received, there is no reset.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Tue, 12/16/2025 - 07:20
Britain's New Spy Chief Warns Of 'Aggressive, Expansionist, And Revisionist' Russia
Britain's New Spy Chief Warns Of 'Aggressive, Expansionist, And Revisionist' Russia
Britainâs new intelligence chief warned on Dec. 15 that the UK is operating in an era when âthe front line is everywhere,â as she set out an assessment of global threats and described Russia as an âaggressive, expansionist, and revisionistâ power determined to export instability across Europe and beyond.
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Blaise Metreweli, who recently became head of the Secret Intelligence Serviceâcommonly known as MI6âsaid that Russiaâs campaign against Ukraine and its wider hybrid operations pose an acute and enduring danger to Britain and its allies, according to a https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mi6-chief-says-the-front-line-is-everywhere-in-first-speech-as-the-uk-faces-new-age-of-uncertainty
of her first public speech released by the British government.
âThe export of chaos is a feature, not a bug in the Russian approach to international engagement, and we should be ready for this to continue until Putin is forced to change his calculus,â Metreweli said.
âThe Front Line Is Everywhereâ
Speaking from MI6 headquarters in London, Metreweli said that as Russia and other hostile actors rewrite the rules of conflict through cyber operations, information warfare, and covert sabotage, the global threat environment is becoming increasingly complex and interconnected.
âThe front line is everywhere,â she said, warning that the UK faces a new âage of uncertainty.â
Metreweli said Britainâs support for Ukraine will remain firm and that pressure on Moscow will be sustained despite the length and cost of the war.
âPutin should be in no doubt, our support is enduring,â she said. âThe pressure we apply on Ukraineâs behalf will be sustained.â
NATO Warns Russia Could Target Allies Next
Her remarks come as European leaders have issued increasingly blunt warnings about Russiaâs intentions beyond Ukraine.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte https://www.nato.int/en/news-and-events/events/transcripts/2025/12/11/keynote-speech-by-nato-secretary-general-mark-rutte-and-moderated-discussion-with-the-minister-for-foreign-affairs-of-germany-johann-wadephul
last week that allied countries could become âRussiaâs next target,â saying that Moscowâs willingness to absorb massive losses in Ukraine demonstrated a readiness to confront the wider alliance.
âWe need to be crystal clear about the threat,â Rutte said. âWe are Russiaâs next target, and we are already in harmâs way.â
Rutte called for a rapid rise in defense spending to deter aggression and prevent the kind of wide-scale conflict that past generations experienced.
âRussia has brought war back to Europe, and we must be prepared for the scale of war our grandparents or great-grandparents endured,â he said.
âImagine it, a conflict reaching every home, every workplace, destruction, mass mobilization, millions displaced, widespread suffering, and extreme losses. It is a terrible thought, but if we deliver on our commitments, this is a tragedy we can prevent.â
In June, NATO allies agreed to raise defense spending targets to 5 percent of gross domestic product by 2035âmore than double the current 2 percent benchmark and in line with demands long made by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Sanctions and Diplomacy
Metreweliâs speech also follows a series of British and European actions aimed at countering Russian and Chinese influence operations.
The UK recently sanctioned multiple Russian entities accused of conducting information warfare, as well as two China-based companies linked to what the British government https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mi6-chief-says-the-front-line-is-everywhere-in-first-speech-as-the-uk-faces-new-age-of-uncertainty
as âindiscriminate cyber activitiesâ targeting Britain and its allies.
Separately, the European Union on Dec. 15 https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2025/12/15/russia-s-war-of-aggression-against-ukraine-council-sanctions-9-shadow-fleet-enablers/?utm_source=x.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=20251215-fac-meeting-sanctions-russia-shadow-fleet&utm_content=photo
fresh sanctions against individuals and companies supporting Russiaâs so-called shadow fleet, which transports oil and generates revenue for the war effort, as part of a broader effort to restrict Moscowâs ability to finance its military operations.
Metreweliâs remarks in London coincided with fresh talks in Berlin on Dec. 15 involving U.S. envoys, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and European officials aimed at securing peace and stability in Europe amid pressure from Russia.
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trumpâs son-in-law, held talks with Zelenskyy and other delegates on Dec. 14 in Berlin, as part of efforts to bring the Ukraine war to an end.
âRepresentatives held in-depth discussions regarding the 20-point plan for peace, economic agendas, and more,â Witkoff https://x.com/SEPeaceMissions/status/2000301101447516464?s=20
in an update on social media. âA lot of progress was made.â
Trump has pressed for a quick end to the nearly four-year war, but a compromise that both Russia and Ukraine would accept has been elusive.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Tue, 12/16/2025 - 05:00
Jordan Peterson Out Of Hospital But Still "Very Unwell", Daughter Says
Jordan Peterson Out Of Hospital But Still "Very Unwell", Daughter Says
(emphasis ours),
Canadian psychologist and public speaker Jordan Peterson is continuing to fight an uphill battle with his health but has returned home after spending several months in the hospital, his daughter says.
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Mikhaila Peterson shared an update on social media this weekâher first since Octoberâto announce her fatherâs return home after spending time in an intensive care unit this fall, where he was treated for pneumonia and sepsis. Those conditions appeared after mold exposure this summer led to a âsevereâ flare-up of a chronic illness he has been battling since 2017, she said.
Specialists are continuing to work on determining the underlying cause of his illness and are considering a complex array of possibilities from neurological, to autoimmune, to a mixture of both.
Mikhaila said no answers have emerged thus far and he remains âvery unwell.â
âIâm hopeful he will recover with time,â she said in a Dec. 9 video https://x.com/mikhailafuller/status/1998468119267090628?s=12&t=LR6b4UevEI8CZDeV7mpWpw
, I didnât know if he would recover at all. It was really scary and Iâm hopeful now, but itâs still early on.â
Her fatherâs prognosis remains uncertain, but Mikhaila said she is hopeful he is on the road to recovery.
âThings are really bad, but theyâre not as bad as they were a month ago or two months ago,â she said.
Mikhaila first announced her fatherâs health crisis in an August social media post, saying he had been forced to postpone his podcasts and reschedule his European tour due to a âsevereâ onset of symptoms she said is linked to chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS).
âJordan Peterson is taking some time off of everything,â she wrote in an Aug. 13 Xhttps://x.com/mikhailafuller/status/1955777019712819287?s=12&t=LR6b4UevEI8CZDeV7mpWpw
, saying he has a âgenetic predispositionâ that results in the immune systemâs inability to detect and detoxify mould or bacteria in indoor air.
She noted that her father has been battling CIRS since 2017, but the family didnât know what the problem was at the time. CIRS is a long-term condition triggered by exposure to biotoxins in water-damaged buildings that can result in a variety of debilitating symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, and changes in appetite,https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11623837/#:~:text=Chronic%20Inflammatory%20Response%20Syndrome%20is,Syndrome%20is%20the%20Shoemaker%20Protocol.
the National Library of Medicine.
She said his struggles with the condition had intensified over the past year but a recent large mould exposure while helping to clean out her grandfathersâ basement had pushed his symptoms over the edge.
He was taken to the hospital by ambulance later that same month and Mikhaila said in an October social media https://x.com/mikhailafuller/status/1974590350367875325?s=46&t=LR6b4UevEI8CZDeV7mpWpw
that her father had spent nearly a month in the ICU before being moved to âa less urgent floor.â
The family was unable to communicate with Peterson throughout the majority of September, his daughter said in a video accompanying the post. He was diagnosed with critical illness polyneuropathy (CIP) toward the end of his bout with pneumonia. CIP is nerve damage causing severe, symmetrical weakness in critically ill patients, a common complication from sepsis.
Petersonâs situation is further complicated by his inability to take most medications without experiencing âsevere paradoxical reactions,â thereby restricting his treatment options, his daughter said.
Stressful Time
Mikhaila said her fatherâs increased health issues came during a stressful period for her family after she struggled with a difficult pregnancy and then her infant daughter fell ill in June. The six-week-old Audrey suffered a nearly fatal episode of heart failure in June and was then hospitalized again just hours after her father was taken to the hospital in August.
The married mom of three said Audrey is now seven months old and doing âreally wellâ after suffering what now appears to be a âone off freak incident that hasnât repeated.â
Between her youngest daughterâs health scares and her dadâs condition the 33-year-old has been mostly offline for several months, saying she was feeling âtoo stressed outâ to keep up with https://open.spotify.com/show/2nPejuB9QOQX5YMJMNeXnj
âI wish things would just go back to normal, but theyâre not there yet,â she said in her most recent video update. âThank you so much for your prayers. We need them. I'll let you guys know as soon as I can if anything changes, hopefully heâs on the road to recovery.â
Peterson, professor emeritus at the University of Toronto in psychology, rose to fame through his YouTube lectures, his successful self-help book, â12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos,â and his criticism of the federal governmentâs Bill C-16, which added the protection of gender identity and expression to the Human Rights Code and Criminal Code. The bill received royal assent in June 2017.
The author announced last December his relocation to the United States due to his regulatory battles with the College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario (CPBAO), also citing the political climate in Canada. He and his wife settled in Arizona, where his daughter resides with her family.
The CPBAO, the governing body for psychologists in Ontario, ordered him in 2022 to undergo social media training for comments he made online about a plus-sized model, transgender actor Elliot Page, and a number of politicians.
The well-known authorhttps://www.theepochtimes.com/world/supreme-court-wont-hear-jordan-petersons-social-media-training-appeal-5702141
the collegeâs assertions, saying his comments were not expressed in his professional capacity as a clinical psychologist.
Peterson legally challenged the order but ultimately failed in his attempt after the Supreme Court of Canada chose not to hear his case last summer andhttps://decisions.scc-csc.ca/scc-csc/news/en/item/8018/index.do
earlier that year not only to dive into the social media training prescribed by the college if he lost the case, but to âpublicize every single bit of it.â
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Thu, 12/11/2025 - 21:45
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/jordan-peterson-out-hospital-still-very-unwell-daughter-says
Rep Massie Introduces Bill For US To Dump 'Cold War Relic' NATO
Rep Massie Introduces Bill For US To Dump 'Cold War Relic' NATO
Conservative and outspoken libertarian-leaning Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky introduced legislation Tuesday for the United States for formally withdraw from NATO. Sen. Mike Lee is also helping lead the charge, introducing companion legislation in the Senate.
The bill argues that the US military cannot be seen as the police force of the world, and that given NATO was created to counter the long-gone Soviet Union, which no longer exists, American taxpayersâ money would be better spent elsewhere.
"We should withdraw from NATO and use that money to defend our own country, not socialist countries⌠US participation has cost taxpayers trillions of dollars and continues to risk US involvement in foreign wars⌠America should not be the worldâs security blanket - especially when wealthy countries refuse to pay for their own defense," Massie said.
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That latter part is likely designed to gain Trump's attention and sympathy, given the president has been emphasizing this point all the way back to his first term.
The bill if passed would require the US government to formally notify NATO that it intends to end its membership and halt the use of American funds for shared budgets. Republican Senator Lee actually introduced similar legislation earlier this year, but it stalled in committee.
Of course, most Congress members have viewpoints which merely reflect the 'pro-NATO' established position of the vast majority of Western politicians generally, so it's very unlikely to ever be passed.
Massie wrote on https://x.com/RepThomasMassie/status/1998526052243746978/photo/1
, "NATO is a Cold War relic. The United States should withdraw from NATO and use that money to defend our country, not socialist countries. Today, I introduced HR 6508 to end our NATO membership."
"Our Constitution did not authorize permanent foreign entanglements, something our Founding Fathers explicitly warned us against," he said additionally.
The NATO Act:
Requires the President to formally notify NATO of U.S. withdrawal under Article 13 of the North Atlantic Treaty.
Concludes that NATOâs original Cold War purpose no longer aligns with current U.S. national security interests.
Finds that European NATO members have adequate economic and military capacity to provide for their own defense.
Prevents use of U.S. taxpayer funds for NATOâs common budgets, including its civil budget, military budget, and the Security Investment Program.
Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) has introduced companion legislation, S.2174, in the United States Senate. The text of the NATO Act is available at https://massie.house.gov/uploadedfiles/nato_act.pdf
.
"If you could snap your fingers and get us out of NATO today, would you?" Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, asked in a post on X.
"Yes," Massie replied.https://t.co/Nifjbtt7O1
â Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) https://twitter.com/RepThomasMassie/status/1884623805781319852?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Under pressure from Trump, NATO members agreed this year to gradually raise their defense spending to 5% of GDP, significantly above the old 2% guideline. European leaders were finally amenable to this, despite mocking it years ago during Trump's first term, due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the "threat" to Europe that they perceive.
Moscow has denied time and again that it has 'expansionist' ambitions - yet US and EU leaders continue to portray Putin as some who dreams of reestablishing an old empire, or else revive Soviet power and borders.
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Thu, 12/11/2025 - 04:15
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/massie-introduces-bill-us-dump-cold-war-relic-nato
Dem Senator Warner Joins Seditious Chorus: "Military May Help Save Us" From Trump
Dem Senator Warner Joins Seditious Chorus: "Military May Help Save Us" From Trump
Virginia Sen. Mark Warner has jumped aboard the Democrat bandwagon of undermining President Trump, declaring on MSNBCâs âMorning Joeâ that âthe uniformed military may help save us from this president.â
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The remark, captured in a clip shared widely on X, comes as leftists ramp up efforts to sow chaos in the ranks, painting Trump as a threat to the Constitution while ignoring their own history of politicizing the military.
Watch:
Sen. Mark Warner: "I think, in many ways, the uniformed military may help save us from this President."
They're now just openly calling for military coups against President Trump. https://t.co/JUHiWK0y1o
â Greg Price (@greg_price11) https://twitter.com/greg_price11/status/1996248087874896145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Warner made the inflammatory statement while discussing concerns over Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and an upcoming briefing by Admiral Bradley.
âIâm going to want to get answers on what did Pete Hegseth order? Why havenât we seen the whole unedited video if thereâs nothing inappropriate here? You could have cleared this up without the admiral coming in. Heâs got a great reputation, I respect him. I want to get the truth. And Iâm not sure weâve had the truth from Hegseth yet,â Warner said.
He then escalated, accusing the Trump administration of âunprecedented disrespectâ toward the military. âRemember, this is an administration that has treated the uniformed military with unprecedented disrespect when they were all brought to get a pep rally in front of Hegseth and Trump. This is an administration thatâs fired, you know, uniform generals from the head of the NSA, the head of the Defense Intelligence agency,â Warner claimed.
Wrapping up his rant, Warner added, âI think in many ways, the uniformed military may help save us from this president and his lame people like Hegseth, because I think their commitment is to the Constitution and obviously not to Trump. I expect Bradley to adhere to that.â
Fresh reporting from The New York Times has dismantled the overblown narrative pushed by The Washington Post about illegal strikes on a suspected drug boat.
According to five U.S. officials familiar with the matter, Hegseth did authorize a Sept. 2 strike intended âto kill the people on the boat, destroy the vessel, and eliminate its drug cargo.â However, his directive âdid not specifically address what to do if a first missile failed to fully accomplish these goals, and it was not based on surveillance showing at least two survivors after the initial blast.â
This directly undercuts WaPoâs sensational claim that Hegseth issued a blanket âkill everybodyâ order, with officials clarifying the action was to neutralize the threat, not hunt down survivors post-attack.
BREAKING â Pete Hegseth and Admiral Bradley are now being encouraged to pursue defamation charges against the Washington Post after the NYT revealed it blatantly lied about them ordering survivors to be killed, pushing Democrats to slander them as committing âwar crimes.â https://t.co/288gGEYkpe
â Right Angle News Network (@Rightanglenews) https://twitter.com/Rightanglenews/status/1995915735541887371?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reinforced that Hegseth simply âauthorized Adm. Frank M. Bradley to conduct kinetic strikes, ensuring the boat was destroyed and the threat eliminated,â exposing the leftâs smear campaign as another desperate hit job.
The clip of Senator Warner quickly drew backlash for promoting what critics call open sedition.
They are making these comments in greater numbers, partly because they believe that an overwhelming chorus of voices pushing the same message will normalize the calls and remove any consequences for seditious behavior and calls to break the chain of command.
â 21c Global Inclusion and Development Studies (@21cDevelopment) https://twitter.com/21cDevelopment/status/1996257524345925800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
They talk about democracy then try to overthrow elected leaders.
â AMIRAN ?? (@Amiran_Zizovi) https://twitter.com/Amiran_Zizovi/status/1996287530631622912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
So warner is calling for a military coup. Uhh that seems a bit worse than trespassing in the capital building?
â paul (@Paulroadglide) https://twitter.com/Paulroadglide/status/1996289511496503712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
That sounds a lot like treason. https://t.co/xp9vDBfogl
â ChurchsSermons (@churchs_sermons) https://twitter.com/churchs_sermons/status/1996287800824451415?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Warnerâs comments align with a broader Democrat push to erode trust in Trumpâs leadership of the armed forces. Just last week, we covered Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly doubling down on similar rhetoric during appearances on Jimmy Kimmel and Rachel Maddowâs shows.
Kelly, part of the so-called âSeditious Sixâ â a group of Democrat lawmakers who released a video urging troops to ignore âillegal ordersâ from Trump â insisted heâs ânot backing downâ despite a Department of Defense probe into his actions.
In that video, the six Democrats, including Kelly, warned servicemembers to prioritize the law over commands from the president, fueling accusations of inciting mutiny.
Kelly told Kimmel, âYou canât keep track of this guy and what he says. Iâll tell you this though, Iâm not backing down. We said something very simple. Members of the military need to follow the law. We wanted to say that we have their backs. His response, kill them.â
He continued, âMy oath and every member of the military took is loyalty to the Constitution, not to a person. He is trying to get some fear out there, and fear can be contagious, but what also can be contagious is courage and patriotism.â
Kelly and his seditious friends have all failed to name a single âillegal orderâ from Trump, reducing the stunt to empty fearmongering. On Maddowâs show, he even conceded Trump has âonly given âlawfulâ orders.â
Former CIA agents have flagged the Democratsâ video as a âhandlerâ-driven op straight from the CIA playbook. Air Force vet Buzz Patterson labeled it âtreasonous and seditious,â calling for prosecutions.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt accused Kelly of âintimidatingâ 1.3 million troops, warning, âYou canât have a functioning military if there is disorder and chaos within the ranks⌠They canât identify âillegalâ orders because there ARE NO illegal orders!â
Conservatives linked the rhetoric to the tragic D.C. ambush where an Afghan migrant killed U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and wounded U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe. Patterson raged, âWhat they did was treasonous and seditious⌠They are circumventing the chain of command.â Leavitt added, âThese officials are trying to sow chaos and distrust, which is a very dangerous thing to do within the militaryâs rank.â
The Pentagonâs review into Kelly signals potential accountability, but with Warner now amplifying the message, the push to politicize the military shows no signs of stopping. This isnât about protecting the Constitution â itâs a desperate bid to sabotage Trump before he drains the swamp.
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
Thu, 12/04/2025 - 14:25
Is A Bear Market A Good Thing?
Is A Bear Market A Good Thing?
https://realinvestmentadvice.com/resources/blog/bear-markets-are-a-good-thing/
One of my favorite writers for the WSJ is Spencer Jakab, who recently penned an article explaining why a bear market is not necessarily a bad thing. He starts with a quote from https://marketsam.cmail19.com/t/d-l-gjhwdt-jtykhjiyuh-u/
ââThese things gotta happen every five years or so, ten years. Helps to get rid of the bad bloodâŚbeen ten years since the last one.â
In todayâs markets, mentioning the âB-wordâ will get you thrown into the âpermabearâ camp, and everyone immediately assumes you mean the end of the world: death, disaster, and destruction. Unfortunately, even the Federal Reserve and the Government also believe bear markets âare bad.â As such, they have gone to great lengths to avoid bear markets and recessions through massive interventions and zero-interest-rate policies.
Yes, bear markets are indeed destructive, as they reverse the âwealth effect.â People lose their jobs as economic demand declines, weak companies go out of business, and consumer sentiment declines. However, sometimes destruction is a âhealthyâ thing, and there are many examples we can look to, such as âwildfires.â Like a bear market, wildfires are a natural part of the environmental cycle. They are natureâs way of clearing out the dead litter on forest floors, allowing essential nutrients to return to the soil. As the soil enriches, it enables a new, healthy beginning for plants and animals. Fires also play a vital role in the reproduction of some plants.
However, just as the Federal Reserve has tried to stop bear markets, California has had similar negative results from trying to prevent wildfires, as noted by https://www.technologyreview.com/2020/09/17/1008473/wildfires-california-prescribed-burns-climate-change-forests/
âDecades of rushing to stamp out flames that naturally clear out small trees and undergrowth have had disastrous unintended consequences. This approach means that when fires do occur, thereâs often far more fuel to burn, and it acts as a ladder, allowing the flames to climb into the crowns and takedown otherwise resistant mature trees.
Yes, bear markets have terrible short-term impacts, but they also allow the system to reset for healthier growth in the future.
As we discussed in https://realinvestmentadvice.com/resources/blog/full-market-cycles-half-bull-and-half-bear
markets thrive on cycles of expansion and contraction.
âThroughout history, bull market cycles are only one-half of the âfull marketâ cycle. This is because during every âbull marketâ cycle the markets and economy build up excesses that are then ârevertedâ during the following âbear market.â
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In other words, just as wildfires restore the balance to the forest, a bear market reverses the buildup of excesses from the previous bull market phase. When valuations accelerate unchecked, speculative excess proliferates. As shown in the chart below, when valuations rise unchecked, the market grossly exceeds its long-term exponential growth trend, eventually leading to a reversion.
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In the late 1990s, for example, the valuations of technology companies bore little relation to their actual profits, and leverage accumulated in non-bank financial sectors. Without a meaningful contraction, the excesses cumulated and amplified. A proper bear market forces participants to reâevaluate assumptions, rein in leverage, and ultimately restore alignment between price and fundamentals. It is no coincidence that the most significant financial calamities have followed periods of weak or absent corrections. The Dotâcom Crash (2000â2002) and the Global Financial Crisis (2007â2009) both came after long expansion phases with little meaningful reset. The crisis that followed those periods was far more damaging than the corrections themselves.
However, that is why a bear market can be beneficial.
Reducing the Risk of Major Crises
As investors, we should welcome normal bear market corrections (of 20% or more) as they help maintain the health of the market system. Research by Goldman Sachs identifies three kinds of bear markets: eventâdriven, cyclical, and structural. Each serves essentially as a purge of excess in different ways. In other words, bear markets are not âaccidentsâ to be feared exclusively, but mechanisms by which markets selfâcorrect.
More importantly, the Federal Reserve and the Government should NOT intervene during these corrective processes, as bear markets act as a âclearing mechanismâ of weak underpinnings. Bear markets ferret out weak companies, capital misallocations, and unsustainable business models. However, when the Federal Reserve or the Government intervenes to âbail outâ that weakness, it fosters an environment that leads to a more substantial crisis in the future. As legendary investor Warren Buffett said, âThe stock market is designed to transfer money from the active to the patient.â That patient capital works best when the speculative froth is stripped away.
In short, bear markets serve as a form of market hygiene. They remove the buildup of risk, correct structural mispricings, and pave the way for healthier expansions. In this way, they reduce the chances of a runaway boom and subsequent catastrophic bust. As noted above, the problem with letting expansions run unchecked is that risk accumulates, leverage becomes excessive, valuations become detached from earnings, and investor psychology becomes euphoric. We can see this now, given the amount of leverage and speculation currently in the market.
?itok=1suCqArt
Euphoria is dangerous. As Scott Bessent, U.S. Treasury Secretary, observed:
âCorrections are healthy. Theyâre normal. Whatâs not healthy is straight up, that you get these euphoric markets.â
Without a meaningful correction, the system grows brittle. Research shows that structural bear markets, the most severe type, tend to follow bull phases characterized by broad-based excess, speculative bubbles, and large-scale private-sector leverage.
A good example was the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. House prices soared, complex derivatives proliferated, and many investors believed that âthis time is differentâ. When the unwind began, the fall was severe, with markets plummeting by over 50% in the U.S. However, had the Federal Reserve taken some action to reduce more speculative lending by hiking reserve requirements or rates, such action would have likely caused a more moderate bear market earlier, which may have deflated the excess, avoided a systemic collapse, or at least reduced the scope of the damage.
By welcoming bear markets (or at least accepting their inevitability), markets allow weaker players to exit, capital to be reallocated, and valuations to reset before the next leg up. In effect, a bear market lowers the âtailâriskâ of a catastrophic event by forcing more minor corrections instead of one massive collapse. Scholars have found evidence of asymmetric causality: bear markets can cause recessions, but recessions do not always cause bear markets.
In practice, this means that the wiser investor should view a bear market not just as a risk, but as a protector of the system over the long term. It reduces the buildup of fragility. It deflates bubbles in a more controlled manner and mitigates the risk of a major meltdown. While such a process would lower equity market returns, the net effect is fewer largeâscale economic dislocations, even if the short term is painful.
Why Investors Should Welcome Bear Markets as an Opportunity
Although bear markets feel uncomfortable, they offer fertile ground for longâterm returns if youâre prepared. Data supports this: bear markets are a normal phase, and historically, investors who remain invested and buy quality assets at discounted prices have achieved outsized returns over time.
âWidespread fear is your friend as an investor because it serves up bargain purchases.â â Warren Buffett
That sums it up. In a deep market correction, quality companies often trade at irrational discounts. The unsophisticated sell in panic; the prepared buy selectively.
Moreover, bear markets deepen your discipline. Many younger investors and even many professionals today lack experience of a complete bear cycle. Shallow corrections have dominated the past decade, depriving markets of real stress testing. Without that testing, many young investors today fundamentally underestimate the risk they carry by chasing fads and misallocating capital. A bear market teaches humility, demands capital preservation, forces a reappraisal of business models and valuation, and separates the durable from the ephemeral.
In effect, bear markets give you two gifts if you play them well:
The chance to own highâquality assets at lower valuations, and
The ability to compound from a lower base into more substantial returns over time.
With markets overvalued, speculation elevated, and forward outlooks likely overly optimistic, investors should consider taking some actions today to navigate the current bull market environment.
Conduct a portfolio fundamentals review now. Ensure that the companies you hold have durable profitability, competitive moats, and manageable debt.
Maintain or build a liquidity buffer. You should have dry powder, cash, or equivalents, ready to deploy when valuations become compelling.
Define your âtargetâ valuations or business attributes ahead of time. Know what youâre willing to pay for quality companies when market fear arrives.
Resist chasing speculative themes when valuations are elevated. Validate earnings, balance sheets, and business models.
Set allocation controls. For example, determine in advance the percentage of your equity exposure you are willing to add in a downturn.
Stay invested rather than sell in panic. Exiting during a dramatic decline often locks in losses and misses the early recovery.
Be emotionally prepared. Bear markets test your nerve, not your cleverness. Discipline beats market timing.
Keep your horizon longâterm. Bear markets are chapters in multiâdecade investment journeys. The compounding value arises from staying engaged through the cycle.
Use a watch list of highâquality names youâd like to own if they drop significantly. Prep the list now so you move from reactive to proactive when the opportunity arises.
Monitor macro signals and valuations, but donât let them paralyze action. The market will not wait for perfect clarity.
By executing the checklist, you position yourself to benefit from a bear market rather than be overwhelmed by it. In the end, market downturns are part of the process of longâterm wealth creation, but you must remain disciplined.
Bear markets are a necessary mechanism for healthy financial markets. They reduce the risk of systemic excess and crises. They enable the wise investor to acquire high-quality assets at attractive valuations and participate more fully in the next growth cycle.
But you must prepare today to take advantage of and welcome the eventual and inevitable âbear market,â which is an opportunity, not a curse.
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Mon, 12/01/2025 - 14:40
Hassett Odds Soar As Trump Confirms He's Made Decision On Next Fed Chair
Hassett Odds Soar As Trump Confirms He's Made Decision On Next Fed Chair
President Donald Trump said on Nov. 30 that he has already decided on his pick to replace Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, adding that an announcement is forthcoming, but declining to identify his nominee.
âI know who I am going to pick, yeah,â Trump told reporters on Air Force One on his way back from Florida to Washington on Sunday.
When asked whether he would nominate National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, the current frontrunner to replace Powell according to betting markets, Trump smiled and replied, âIâm not going to tell you, weâll be announcing it.â
Hassett now has an 75% chance of getting the nomination according to prediction market Polymarket. Former Fed Gov. Kevin Warsh is at 12% with Fed Gov. Christopher Waller down to 8%.
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https://polymarket.com/event/who-will-trump-nominate-as-fed-chair?tid=1764096879245
Earlier Sunday, Hassett, on CBS' "Face The Nation," said the market's reaction to reports that Trump was close to a pick is a positive sign.
âOnce it became clear that the presidentâs getting closer to make a decision, the markets really celebrated, interest rates went down, we had one of our best Treasury auctions ever,â Hassett said on Fox.
âI think that the market expects that thereâs going to be a new person at the Fed, and they expect that President Trumpâs going to pick a new one. And if he picks me, I'd be happy to serve.â
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Hassett, who has strongly defended Trump's economic policies, including tariffs and interest rates, said he would be happy to serve as Fed chief if Trump nominated him.
âIâm really honored to be amongst a group of really great candidates,â Hassett told CBS.
âI think that the American people could expect President Trump to pick somebody whoâs going to help them, you know, have cheaper car loans and easier access to mortgages at lower rates.â
We do note that rates are higher this morning after Trump's comments (and the yield curve is steeper - policy error), but there are a lot of moving parts after the long weekend (from mixed manufacturing data to a hawkish BoJ) impacting markets.
Market-implied odds have soared to fully price in a rate-cut in December...
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Finally, we note that Hassett's financial disclosure reveals at least a sevenâfigure Coinbase stake and compensation for serving on the exchangeâs Academic and Regulatory Advisory Council, placing him unusually close to the crypto industry for a potential Fed chair.â
Still, crypto has been burned before by reading too much into âcryptoâliterateâ resumes. https://cointelegraph.com/news/house-republicans-could-probe-gary-gensler-s-deleted-texts
.â
A Hassett-led Fed might be more open to experimentation and less reflexively hostile to bankâcrypto activity. Still, the institutionâs mandate on financial stability means markets should not assume a oneâway bet on deregulation.â
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Mon, 12/01/2025 - 12:00
Trump Declares Airspace Above Venezuela "To Be Closed In Its Entirety"
Trump Declares Airspace Above Venezuela "To Be Closed In Its Entirety"
President Trump said on Saturday on X that the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela will "be closed in its entirety."
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"To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY. Thank you for your attention to this matter! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP," Trump wrote on X.
To all Airlines, Pilots, Drug Dealers, and Human Traffickers, please consider THE AIRSPACE ABOVE AND SURROUNDING VENEZUELA TO BE CLOSED IN ITS ENTIRETY. Thank you for your attention to this matter! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP
â Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1994760100376891748?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Earlier this month, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned pilots to "exercise caution" near Venezuela's airspace due to the "worsening security situation and heightened military activity.
The Pentagon has been deploying warships and other military assets in the Caribbean this year. The deployment centers around bolstering Hemispheric Defense, and the Trump administration has formally characterized NicolĂĄs Maduro as the head of a terrorist organization and considers his government illegitimate.
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Joint Special Operations Command has ordered numerous airstrikes on speed boats carrying narcoterrorists. The intent is to stop drugs, destroy narco-boats, and kill the narcoterrorists that are part of a sophisticated network pumping drugs into America, resulting in the drug death overdose crisis that kills 100,000 Americans per year - one that the Biden-Harris regime ignored by opening borders to the third world.
On Friday, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth dismissed fake news from corporate media about recent lethal kinetic strikes.
Hegseth explained:
As usual, the fake news is delivering more fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory reporting to discredit our incredible warriors fighting to protect the homeland.
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 narcoterrorists who are poisoning the American people. Every trafficker we kill is affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organization.
The Biden administration preferred the kid gloves approach, allowing millions of people â including dangerous cartels and unvetted Afghans â to flood our communities with drugs and violence. The Trump administration has sealed the border and gone on offense against narcoterrorists. Biden coddled terrorists, we kill them.
Our current operations in the Caribbean are lawful under both U.S. and international law, with all actions in compliance with the law of armed conflictâand approved by the best military and civilian lawyers, up and down the chain of command.
Our warriors in SOUTHCOM put their lives on the line every day to protect the Homeland from narcoterrorists â and I will ALWAYS have their back.
As usual, the fake news is delivering more fabricated, inflammatory, and derogatory reporting to discredit our incredible warriors fighting to protect the homeland.
As weâve said from the beginning, and in every statement, these highly effective strikes are specificallyâŚ
â Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/1994552598142038358?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Hegseth followed the post with, "We have only just begun to kill narcoterrorists."
We have only just begun to kill narco-terrorists.
â Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth/status/1994553202767700041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
What the U.S. airspace shutdown over Venezuela signals:
Pressure Maduro into stepping down
Or intent to collapse the Maduro regime
Expectation of Russian/Iranian pushback
Readiness to escalate militarily
Maduro and his circle would treat this as both an existential threat, and it remains to be seen how he would respond. We guess https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/trump-plans-hold-talks-venezuelas-maduro-report
.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Sat, 11/29/2025 - 12:15
https://www.zerohedge.com/military/trump-declares-airspace-above-venezuela-be-closed-its-entirety
Rockefeller Foundation Partners With MrBeast To Target Youth With "Next-Gen" Propaganda
Rockefeller Foundation Partners With MrBeast To Target Youth With "Next-Gen" Propaganda
Dr. Rajiv J. Shah - former USAID administrator and onetime head of agricultural development at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, now president of the Rockefeller Foundation - announced a "next-gen storytelling" partnership with the world's top YouTube creator, MrBeast.
?itok=LuAfU6Vp
"Proud to announce our partnership with @BeastPhilanthr, bringing together a storied history of improving billions of lives with next-gen storytelling that inspires action. With @MrBeast, we'll show that when kindness goes viral, big change is possible," Shah wrote on X, accompanied by a video featuring him and MrBeast founder Jimmy Donaldson.
Proud to announce our partnership with https://twitter.com/BeastPhilanthr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
â Dr. Rajiv J. Shah (@rajshah) https://twitter.com/rajshah/status/1992977245451768125?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
"Next-gen storytelling" is simply another way of saying an influence operation campaign aimed at targeting young audiences with far-left messaging.
đ˘ Weâre launching a new partnership with https://twitter.com/BeastPhilanthr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
, we will inspire young people to take action, and make big things happen.
Find out more about this exciting partnership. https://t.co/Qywwdx6Rxm
â The Rockefeller Foundation (@RockefellerFdn) https://twitter.com/RockefellerFdn/status/1992975737830142089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
MrBeast's demographic includes:
13â24 years old: ~55â60% (His largest, most engaged cohort.)
25â34 years old: ~22â25%
35â44 years old: ~10%
45+ years old: ~5â7%
Rockefeller Foundation president Dr. Rajiv Shah told AP News that MrBeast can emotionally connect with younger generations in ways that traditional philanthropy has failed to do.
The move signals Donaldson's sellout to globalists and dark-money-funded NGOs, as investigative researchers Peter Schweizer and Seamus Bruner of the Government Accountability Institute recently https://www.zerohedge.com/political/coup-dflat-billionaire-funded-no-kings-color-revolution-turns-white-liberal-boomer-parade
that the Rockefeller Foundation is one of a handful of major philanthropies bankrolling the anti-Trump permanent protest industrial complex.
đWe traced $294,487,641 to the official No Kings 2.0 partners & organizers...all funneled through the same âRiot Inc.â dark-money networks:
đ° Arabella network $79.7M+
đ° Soros network $72.1M+
đ° Ford network $51.7M+
đ°Tides $45.5M+
đ° Rockefeller $28.6M+
đ° Buffett $16.6M+ https://t.co/b6zFla79UP
â Seamus Bruner (@seamusbruner) https://twitter.com/seamusbruner/status/1978943052065464630?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The left is furious that Joe Rogan and other major podcasters have defected from their woke cult. Now the Rockefeller Foundation appears to be gearing up for a youth-focused propaganda operation ahead of next year's midterms and the 2028 presidential race.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Fri, 11/28/2025 - 22:40
Syria's Homs In Lockdown, Alawite Houses Set On Fire, Amid New 'Revenge' Killings
Syria's Homs In Lockdown, Alawite Houses Set On Fire, Amid New 'Revenge' Killings
AÂ Bedouin couple was https://www.thestar.com/news/world/middle-east/sectarian-tensions-flare-in-syrias-homs-after-the-killing-of-a-bedouin-couple/article_e049fa46-ba4c-5a0d-9887-53f7486759cd.html
in the town of Zaidal, on the outskirts of Homs, Syria. The two were members of the Bani Khaled tribe, and state media reported that "sectarian slogans" were found at the scene.
The tribe responded by https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2025/11/23/syria-homs-alawite-hts/
in the attacks.
?itok=B6gbODaE
Maj. Gen. Murhaf al-Nassan said that the attack in Zaidal https://thecradle.co/articles/bedouin-tribes-attack-alawite-neighborhood-in-syrias-homs-following-apparent-sectarian-killing
in the region, and the government has yet to identify who actually carried out the attack. The government declared a curfew in Homs in response to the violence.
One Syrian journalist noted that the https://x.com/ScharoMaroof/status/1992558227951640680
, because the Alawites have been disarmed and, in taking such visible credit for the attack, they would know that the retaliation would hit their community, as it indeed has.
The Alawites have been targeted repeatedly by other factions, and the government itself, with a https://news.antiwar.com/2025/03/10/syrias-hts-say-security-operation-against-alawites-over-more-than-1300-killed/
in the northwest of the country in March leading to low level violence against the religious minority ever since.
The scale of the violence is not yet known, as the government sent forces to the city to restore order, and imposed a curfew.
"Security personnel have been deployed in Alawite areas but the situation in Homs remains very sensitive," said a resident who works as a graphic designer and gave her name as Rawa. âhttps://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2025/11/23/syria-homs-alawite-hts/
Alawites are around 10% of Syriaâs population, and as former President Bashar al-Assad was an Alawite himself, they have been targets of opponents of the old regime, even though they note that under Assad they werenât generally treated better than anyone else.
Bedouins carrying out attacks on Alawite minority in Homs just like they did on the Druze in Suweida. Plausible deniability for the Jolani government while carrying out its wishes https://t.co/ncTjxyWoiq
â Lindsey Snell (@LindseySnell) https://twitter.com/LindseySnell/status/1992598497728827851?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
While the Islamist government has presented an idea of religious unity for Syria, they have also eagerly branded any clashes involving Alawites as âAssad remnantâ forces, and reacted harshly, while https://news.antiwar.com/2025/06/15/killing-of-alawites-continues-in-syria-civilians-are-asking-religion-at-checkpoints/
.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Mon, 11/24/2025 - 18:25
Brazilian Police Make 'Preventative Arrest' Of Jair Bolsonaro, Fearing He'll Flee
Brazilian Police Make 'Preventative Arrest' Of Jair Bolsonaro, Fearing He'll Flee
The plot thickens for the man once called the "Brazilian Donald Trump" as former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was detained on Saturday at his residence in Brazil's capital to prevent a possible "attempted escape" - police and court authorities have said.
He has been on house arrest, and the 70-year old politician is just days away from starting a stiff 27-year prison sentence - though appeals are expected - but he's now been taken to the headquarters of the federal police in Brasilia. What's being called a 'preventative arrest' warrant was reportedly requested by the police themselves and authorized by the Supreme Court, after which officers came to Bolsonaro's home to arrest him.
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Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has claimed that Bolsonaro's ankle monitor, which he has worn since mid-July, was tampered with or violated early Saturday morning.
"That information shows the intent of the convict to break the ankle monitoring to assure his escape is successful, which would be made easier by the confusion that would be caused by a demonstration organized by his son," the justice, who oversaw the case, said.
Further, "He said there was a chance of Bolsonaro fleeing to embassies in his neighborhood to request political asylum," according to the https://www.npr.org/2025/11/22/nx-s1-5617668/brazil-bolsonaro-arrest-order-supreme-court
. "The Supreme Court justice also mentioned other defendants in the coup case and political allies of the former president leaving Brazil to avoid jail."
Given the former Brazilian leader's chummy friendship with President Trump, who has frequently weighed in strongly on Bolsonaro's behalf and urged his release, his political opponents have feared he could seek the safety of the US once again.
Bolsonaro's lawyers starting Monday will present their case to appeal the arrest and dismiss the allegations he was trying to escape.
CNN has described that his political opponents have also feared that mass protests in support of Bolsonaro could be whipped up around his residence and used as a means of escape. Citing his son, the https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/22/americas/brazil-jair-bolsonaro-arrested-intl
:
Flåvio Bolsonaro described the vigil, initially planned for Saturday evening local time, as an opportunity to pray for his father following https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/16/americas/bolsonaro-hospitalized-sick-latam-intl
and âfor the return of democracy in our country.â
âAre you going to fight for your country or just watch everything on your phone on your couch at home?â he asked his followers in a social media video.
Brazilâs Supreme Court said on Saturday that it had received information about the âsummoning of supportersâ to the vigil which indicated a âhigh possibility of an attempted escape.â
The gathering could âreach a large scaleâ and last for several says, resulting in âunpredictable effects, developments, and consequences,â the court said.
Alexandre de Moraes has just ordered the arrest of Jair Bolsonaro. And he did so on the 22nd, the number that identified Bolsonaro on the ballot.
In his decision, Moraes says that the presence of supporters outside the former presidentâs home in a prayer vigil was actually a⌠https://t.co/J8BpB35Rdy
â David Ăgape (@david_agape_) https://twitter.com/david_agape_/status/1992209020636090567?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Bolsonaro has already been barred from running in future elections, and a lengthy appeals process which is still expected could push the proceedings closer to the 2026 presidential campaign - and all the while Bolsonaro has insisted he will be a candidate.
The Trump White House has chaffed at him being placed under house arrest, and has repeatedly publicly denounced the Lula government for a state 'witch hunt'.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Sat, 11/22/2025 - 12:15
Watch: Construction Sites In Charlotte Go Dark As Illegals Hide From ICE
Watch: Construction Sites In Charlotte Go Dark As Illegals Hide From ICE
Federal officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) began conducting large-scale raids across the Charlotte metropolitan area last weekend as part of https://www.zerohedge.com/political/ngo-backed-groups-train-obstruct-immigration-arrests-north-carolina
. The objective is to arrest and deport criminal illegal aliens.
Operation Charlotte's Web has given a partial understanding of just how many migrants have poured into the metro area since the Biden-Harris regime's nation-killing open border policy.
Footage from X shows construction sites of residential homes, commercial projects, and even stores empty this week as illegals flee and go into hiding to avoid being deported.
đ¨https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
: Hundreds of constructions sites are sitting completely empty in Charlotte NC today.
HUNDREDS of them. https://t.co/KqU0umYZ7g
â Matt Van Swol (@mattvanswol) https://twitter.com/mattvanswol/status/1991217481386520659?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
One of many construction sites in Charlotte that is completely empty. https://t.co/qsFMrLJXVM
â Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) https://twitter.com/JoeBrunoWSOC9/status/1991188987965255816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Report of hundreds of Charlotte construction sites now quiet amid Border Patrol operation.
This particular site had from 50 to 100 workers everyday and only 2 showed up yesterday.
That means thousands of construction jobs are being filled by illegal immigrants who are paid⌠https://t.co/kDyUQiaQmt
â I Meme Therefore I Am đşđ¸ (@ImMeme0) https://twitter.com/ImMeme0/status/1991307708289503630?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Uptown Charlotte North Carolina job sites reported empty due to ICE raids
Not a single worker is there, all workers were illegal
This is happening in all 50 states. Every time we see ICE raids come to a city, we see empty job sites
American jobs stolen for cheap illegal labor https://t.co/uQolEQpWzd
â Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) https://twitter.com/WallStreetApes/status/1991299012369215789?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Two women who work in Charlotte, North Carolina, say there are no customers ever since ICE surged in the area.
If businesses can only survive by having customers who are illegals then those businesses shouldnât be in business.
(thecharlotteobserver on TT) https://t.co/imZ47sRKqF
â Paul A. Szypula đşđ¸ (@Bubblebathgirl) https://twitter.com/Bubblebathgirl/status/1991144060522803574?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Charlotte, North Carolina ice cream shop says they are forced to close due to the ICE raids
He says as many as 90% of his customers are Latino and theyâre hiding from ICE
He canât risk his employees being detained so theyâre choosing to be closed
If his employees or his⌠https://t.co/OyDRC3r954
â Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) https://twitter.com/WallStreetApes/status/1991264943019291078?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Tacos El Nevado, frequently voted as one of Charlotteâs best places to get a taco, has decided to close due to the CBP operation https://t.co/TO9XoRlV5n
â Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) https://twitter.com/JoeBrunoWSOC9/status/1991197438904873077?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
1/6 of Charlotteâs population is foreign-born, not counting illegals.
Itâs not a âpolitical awakening,â itâs a foreign population with no loyalty to our country, heritage, or laws. https://t.co/EUZidiVW6R
â Harrison H. Smith â (@HarrisonHSmith) https://twitter.com/HarrisonHSmith/status/1991526855258829082?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
We reported earlier this week:
Data from the Carolina Migrant Network nonprofit estimates that there are 58,000 illegals are living in Mecklenburg County, and an estimated 325,000 in North Carolina.
What's increasingly clear is that we may never fully grasp how many illegals crossed into the U.S. under the Biden-Harris' open-border policies. But we get a sense of the scale when ICE sweeps turn parts of a major metro area into a ghost town overnight as illegals go into hiding.
The deeper issue is that this illegal population has become a net drain on public resources. Americans never voted for a nation-killing illegal alien invasion - yet when voters give Trump a mandate to restore national security and deport criminal illegals, Democrats and their corrupt globalist judicial allies move to obstruct the will of the people.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Fri, 11/21/2025 - 16:40
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/watch-construction-sites-charlotte-go-dark-illegals-hide-ice
Infighting Boils Over After Handful Of Democrats Vote To Reopen Government
Infighting Boils Over After Handful Of Democrats Vote To Reopen Government
How quickly the tone of the Democratic Party has changed in the past week. Only a few days ago they were boasting about a "blue wave" after winning a small number of elections that they were guaranteed to win regardless. Some even cited the ongoing government shutdown as a catalyst for their victories in NYC, New Jersey and Virginia. This might have emboldened a number of leftists to carry the shutdown further.
The Democrat strategy has been rather rudimentary: Create chaos, foment instability and mob violence, demand Republicans cave to their demands, rinse, repeat. It has worked many times in the past, so why wouldn't it work now. Except, Republicans didn't fold this time.
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Ten Senate Dems have realized the folly of their party's methodology and have decided to work with conservatives to reopen the federal government with, essentially, the same agreement that Republicans put on the table at the very beginning of the shutdown fight.
A clean bill with funding through September 2026. Federal workers fired during the shutdown will be reinstated. Retroactive pay for furloughed workers. No extension of ACA tax credits until a "possible" floor vote in December.
The vote in the Senate has sparked an angry fervor within the Democratic Party with many members realizing that they walked away empty handed. They thought (incorrectly) that they had Donald Trump at their mercy with their election wins, suggesting that Trump would be forced to capitulate before the Thanksgiving holiday. Other Democrats disagreed and set out to strike a deal.
Oddly, shutdown Democrats argue that constituents angry over the lack of a standoff victory should "blame Trump" and not party leaders for the embarrassing outcome. Dem leaders blame Trump for their failures even when Trump isn't around to cause them to fail.
Party members are calling for a changing of the guard in leadership, with some demanding that Chuck Schumer step down as Senate minority leader. Leftists are raging across social media after the ten breakaway senators agreed to a deal. Party members admit that the far-left progressive (woke) wing is running the Democrats at this time; one does not simply ignore the leftist hive mind and act individually.
Bernie Sanders described the event as "a very bad night" and said the promised December ACA vote was a "meaningless gesture." He claimed that abandoning demands made a "horrific situation even worse."
Gavin Newsom called the deal a "Capitulation and betrayal of working Americans", stating that "The American people need more from their leaders."
Numerous progressive groups called for Chuck Schumer's resignation.
It's true that Republicans got what they wanted, but Democrats are acting like this is a bad thing.
Cuts to ACA for illegal migrants (asylum seekers and non-citizens) start in 2026, which was what the fight was about all along. The point? Loss of government subsidies adds pressure for illegals to leave the US voluntarily as the system becomes increasingly more difficult for them to feed on. Approximately 1.1 million stand to lose ACA subsidies by January of 2027, which is necessary if you want to dissuade future migrants from falsely using asylum claims to get access to US tax dollars.
Again, a majority of Democrats were willing to shut down SNAP and other federally run programs going into the holiday season just to maintain ACA benefits for non-citizens. They also wanted to force Trump to reverse a number of cuts to federal programs implemented a the beginning of his term.
The more general debate over rising health insurance costs can't really be addressed without bringing the entirety of Obamacare into question. Dems want to blame Trump, but the average worker's yearly insurance premiums have increased by 40% for individuals and 64% for families since Obamacare was passed. Wasn't the program supposed to reduce medical care costs for everyone?
By every metric the ACA has made healthcare worse, not better. Yet another Democrat failure that they refuse to acknowledge.
Beyond this issue, the progressive game plan functions very similar to how it did in 2020 - Keeping the nation constantly on edge until elections roll in, and then blaming the tensions on Trump and conservatives.  The majority of the populace and the Electoral College voted for Trump's policies in 2024, but you wouldn't know it by looking at the incessant obstructions by Democrats over the last eleven months.
The shutdown process is not over yet and a number of hurdles remain, but the fact that at least 10 Dems broke from the party in order to end the madness exposes divisions within the progressive guard. Perhaps they are not as hive-minded as they used to be.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Tue, 11/11/2025 - 06:55
US Appeals Court Resurrects Trump's Attempt To Dismiss NY Criminal Conviction
US Appeals Court Resurrects Trump's Attempt To Dismiss NY Criminal Conviction
A U.S. appeals court on Thursday revived President Donald Trumpâs bid to dismiss his business records criminal conviction, ruling the president can move his case out of a New York state court.
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A panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca2.c95c060a-7c1c-465e-ad55-c66a4c162941/gov.uscourts.ca2.c95c060a-7c1c-465e-ad55-c66a4c162941.104.1.pdf
an order from a lower court judge, saying the judge had âbypassed what we consider to be important issues bearing on the ultimate issue of good cause.â
The panel of judges on the appeals court signaled that it did not weigh in on the merits of Trumpâs lawyersâ arguments to dismiss the conviction. His lawyers filed court papers earlier this year to try to move the case out of New York so he could seek a ruling from a federal judge on whether the U.S. Supreme Courtâs ruling on presidential immunity allows him to toss last yearâs Manhattan jury verdict convicting him of falsifying business records.
âWe leave it to the able and experienced District Judge to decide whether to solicit further briefing from the parties or hold a hearing to help it resolve these issues,â the appeals court judges wrote.
The panel further said the lower court âshould resolve Trumpâs motion for leave to file a second removal notice in any particular wayâ and said it should âconsider the motion anew in light of our opinion.â
In May 2024, a jury convicted Trump on 34 counts of falsifying business records. Trump pleaded not guilty, maintaining that it was part of a widespread attempt to subvert his 2024 presidential campaign.
Weeks after Trumpâs election victory in 2024, the judge in the case sentenced him to unconditional discharge, meaning that he faced no further penalties such as fines or jail time. The conviction, however, will remain on his criminal record.
Just days before Trump was inaugurated in January, Judge Juan Merchan https://www.nycourts.gov/LegacyPDFs/press/PDFs/People%20v.%20DJT%20Clayton%20Decision.pdf
in his order that the sentence was made with considerations of Trump being elected president.
Last year, U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca2.c95c060a-7c1c-465e-ad55-c66a4c162941/gov.uscourts.ca2.c95c060a-7c1c-465e-ad55-c66a4c162941.2.0.pdf
Trumpâs appeal. The judge maintained that Trump had ânot satisfied the burden of proof required to show the basis of removal.â
The petition to the U.S. appeals court is one of many appeals that Trump has filed to dismiss the criminal conviction.
Separately, Trump had filed court papers with the New York Supreme Courtâs Appellate Division of the First District, appealing the criminal conviction.
âTargeting alleged conduct that has never been found to violate any New York law, the DA [district attorney] concocted a purported felony by stacking time-barred misdemeanors under a convoluted legal theory, which the DA then improperly obscured until the charge conference. This case should never have seen the inside of a courtroom, let alone resulted in a conviction,â his lawyers https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/26198310/trump-hush-money-appeal-brief.pdf
in a filing in October.
Aside from the Manhattan case, criminal charges were also brought against Trump in Washington, Florida, and Georgia. The Washington and Florida cases, which were brought by former special counsel Jack Smith, were later dropped. The Georgia case, brought by the Fulton County District Attorneyâs office, was https://d3i6fh83elv35t.cloudfront.net/static/2024/12/trumpgaappealsopn121924.pdf
by a state appeals court on Jan. 17, three days before Trumpâs inauguration.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Thu, 11/06/2025 - 15:20
After Prez Urges 'TRUMP CARD', Mike Johnson Warns Democrats Will Wreak Havoc If GOP Kills Filibuster
After Prez Urges 'TRUMP CARD', Mike Johnson Warns Democrats Will Wreak Havoc If GOP Kills Filibuster
President Trump is pounding the table for Senate Republicans to âplay their TRUMP CARDâ - demanding they scrap the chamberâs 60-vote filibuster rule to push through a stopgap bill to end the government shutdown. But despite the former presidentâs fiery Truth Social post Thursday night, GOP senators - wary of detonating the so-called ânuclear optionâ - are crickets.
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Fresh off a trip to Asia, Trump said he faced questions overseas about why âpowerful Republicans allowedâ Democrats to shut down the government - and called on his party to act fast. âIt is now time for the Republicans to play their âTRUMP CARD,â and go for what is called the Nuclear Option - Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW!â https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115466450476422202
.
Under current Senate rules, most legislation, including funding measures, requires 60 votes to advance. Republicans hold just 53 seats, and while a few Democrats have occasionally sided with them on procedural votes, others, like Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), have defected in the opposite direction. That math leaves Trumpâs call a political long shot.
Johnsonâs caution: "If the shoe was on the other footâŚ"
At a Friday press conference, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) didnât directly break with Trump but made clear heâs wary of tampering with one of the Senateâs oldest guardrails.
?itok=w9gkadG0
âThe filibuster has traditionally been viewed as a very important safeguard,â Johnson said. âIf the shoe was on the other foot, I donât think our team would like it.â
Johnson warned that eliminating the rule could pave the way for Democrats to grant statehood to Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico - adding two likely Democratic senators - or ram through sweeping gun bans and other progressive priorities. He described Trumpâs Truth Social broadside as âanother expression of frustration, of the anger that has been felt, the anger by the President.â
Senate Republicans draw the line
Many Senate Republicans, especially veterans of the chamber, fear that once the filibuster is gone, thereâs no going back. They say the rule forces both sides to seek compromise â and protects whichever party ends up in the minority.
âThe filibuster forces us to find common ground in the Senate. Power changes hands, but principles shouldnât,â Sen. John Curtis (R-UT) wrote Friday, calling himself a âfirm noâ on eliminating it.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) - who has made preserving the legislative filibuster a central part of his leadership - also isnât budging. âLeader Thuneâs position on the importance of the legislative filibuster is unchanged,â a spokesman said Friday.
Thune has already faced pressure from the right, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), to cave to Trumpâs demands. But he and other Republicans insist that the short-term gain of reopening the government with a simple-majority vote isnât worth the long-term fallout.
Even if Thune wanted to change course, he likely lacks the votes. Several Senate Republicans have said they wonât go along with any effort to end the 60-vote rule through the nuclear option â a parliamentary maneuver that lets the majority change Senate precedent with a simple majority.
Advocates of the move claim it could be narrowly written to apply only to spending bills. But critics warn that in practice, any change to the Senateâs precedents would effectively kill the filibuster for all legislation - opening the floodgates to one-party rule whenever control flips.
âIt would be a drastic move for such a limited win as a stopgap spending bill,â one GOP aide told reporters.
Trumpâs long-running feud with the filibuster
This isnât the first time Trump has tried to âneuterâ the filibuster. During his first term, he repeatedly urged then-Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to nuke it. McConnell, who made masterful use of the rule to stall Democratic priorities for years, refused.
Democrats, for their part, tried to kill the filibuster themselves in 2022 to pass election-law changes - but failed when Sens. Joe Manchin ( D-West VA) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) joined Republicans in opposition.
For now, Trumpâs push appears to be more about political pressure than practical policy. Johnson and Senate GOP leaders are holding the line, warning that once the filibuster is gone, thereâs no putting the genie back in the bottle.
https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden
Fri, 10/31/2025 - 16:40
Truck Hauling COVID, Herpes-Infected Monkeys Overturns
Truck Hauling COVID, Herpes-Infected Monkeys Overturns
An aggressive monkey infected with COVID-19 and other diseases was on the loose in Jasper County, Mississippi, on Tuesday after a semi-truck carrying 21 primates overturned while transporting them from Tulane University to an out-of-state testing facility.
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All 20 of the other infected rhesus monkeys were destroyed after the accident, according to the Jasper County Sheriffâs Department.
âWe are continuing to look for the one monkey that is still on the loose,â the sheriffâs department reported on https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0j6W5Zz1srQubGAtez3exXn77aweGdaKbtzJyPax7pmm2V16YLMkmC5SjF7TYqrTEl&id=100064770154293
. âWe have been in contact with an animal disposal company to help handle the situation.â
The monkeys weighed about 40 pounds each. They also carried hepatitis C, herpes, and COVID, but are not infectious, according to authorities.
The accident occurred at about 2 p.m. local time on Interstate 59 near mile marker 117, about 86 miles east of Jackson, Mississippi, near Heidelberg. The truck was headed to Florida, according to officials.
The sheriffâs department warned residents living around the area of the accident to not approach the monkeys.
âThey do pose potential health threats and are aggressive,â the department posted.
The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks was on site with local law enforcement.
Tulane University was notified by authorities.
The university released a https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0p8Ch3JuuXkQXgfqVFGLeFZSmqF5TvF7K4KTszim4AhNRJncCxBuoqpQj1mT4vCLcl&id=100064770154293
Tuesday night, saying the monkeys were not infectious.
âNon-human primates at the Tulane National Biomedical Research Center are provided to other research organizations to advance scientific discovery,â Tulane University said in a statement. âThe primates in question belong to another entity and are not infectious.â
The sheriffâs office said the truck driver told authorities the monkeys were dangerous and posed a threat to humans.
âWe took the appropriate actions after being given that information from the person transporting the monkeys,â the sheriffâs office said Tuesday night. âHe also stated that you had to wear [personal protective equipment] to handle the monkeys.â
In 2020, the university received an anonymous https://medicine.tulane.edu/news/tulane-receives-1-million-assist-fighting-covid-19" rel="nofollow">$1 million gift to establish a fund for emerging research in infectious diseases. The money was meant to be used to support the institutionâs research and provide immediate impact in the race to find a vaccine for COVID, according to the universityâs school of medicine.
This is the second time research monkeys have escaped in the past year in the United States.
Late January saw the recapture of 43 monkeys that escaped from a South Carolina research facility. Residents were warned to secure their doors and windows until the monkeys were captured.
The animals broke loose from Alpha Genesis Primate Research Center in Yemassee, South Carolina. The last of them was https://apnews.com/article/escaped-monkeys-lab-south-carolina-alpha-genesis-3bb0de5db7ffd31d9f087a46fa8dab2f" rel="nofollow">recovered in January after living in the woods for two months. Rescuers tempted them back into captivity with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, according to authorities.
The research facilityâknown locally as âthe monkey farmââbreeds monkeys for medical research.
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Wed, 10/29/2025 - 13:00
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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy Warns Of Nationwide Flight Delays Amid Government Shutdown
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy Warns Of Nationwide Flight Delays Amid Government Shutdown
Flight delays throughout the country could increase as more and more controllers call in sick over their first full missed paycheck due to the ongoing government shutdown, officials warned on Tuesday.
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National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) President Nick Daniels also said that many air traffic controllershttps://www.theepochtimes.com/us/no-danger-of-strike-by-air-traffic-controllers-facing-no-pay-due-to-shutdown-union-president-5936059
, citing living expenses such as housing, child care, food, and gas as their primary concerns. That number will increase the longer the shutdown continues, he said.
âThis job is stressful enough,â Daniels said Tuesday at La Guardia International Airport in New York.
âWe go to work day in and day out and make thousands of decisions. We do it five days a week. Most of us actually do it six and five is hard enough, and we do it in 10 hours a day. Now, you add in the fact that we had a partial paycheck already and we missed a full paycheck.â
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)âalready https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/afn/offices/finance/offices/office-financial-labor-analysis/plans/controller-workforce.pdf
approximately 3,000 controllers who routinely work six-day, 10-hour shiftsâhas reported delays as a result of staffing gaps.
The FAA limits landings and takeoffs amid shortages, causing disruptions that last from 30 minutes to more than two hours long. Staffing shortages can even result in temporary ground stops.
Aviation data shows no sharp spike in overall delays, despite the government shutdown beginning Oct. 1.
Analytics firm Cirium determined that about 80 percent of flights at 14 major U.S. airports were on time this month, in line with historical patterns where approximately 20 percent of flights face delays longer than 15 minutes for various reasons.
Although a two-hour staffing-related ground stop at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Sunday caused numerous delays, Cirium data shows 72 percent of LAX flights departed on schedule that day.
Though Duffy and Daniels shared concerns over the overburdened workforce of about 30,000 air traffic controllers, they https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/no-danger-of-strike-by-air-traffic-controllers-facing-no-pay-due-to-shutdown-union-president-5936059
the risk of a strike.
âAir traffic controllers have to have 100 percent of focus 100 percent of the time,â Daniels https://www.youtube.com/live/hyRNeAvBPqM?si=JesCiUSDT_BkmV5N
.
âAnd Iâm watching air traffic controllers going to work. Iâm getting the stories. Theyâre worried about paying for medicine for their daughter. I got a message from a controller that said, âIâm running out of money. And if she doesnât get the medicine she needs, she dies. Thatâs the end.ââ
Controllers held demonstrations at 20 airports nationwide, distributing leaflets calling for an end to the shutdown.
âWeâre talking to our coworkers about how to get zero-interest loans,â Mike Christine, National Air Traffic Controllers Associationâs (NATCA) eastern regional vice president, https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/hundreds-air-traffic-controllers-take-second-jobs-shutdown-continues-2025-10-28/
Reuters.
New York-area controller Joe Segretto said the situation makes an already tough situation more difficult for trainees in a high-pressure line of work. The shutdown has disrupted hiring and training, contributing to the ongoing staffing shortage. The systems used by air traffic controllers are also dated, as the Government Accountability Office (GAO) underscores https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-107001
from aging ATC systems and sluggish modernization efforts in the sector.
âThe pressure is real,â Segretto said. âWe have people trying to keep these airplanes safe. We have traineesâthat are trying to learn a new job that is very fast-paced, very stressful, very complexânow having to worry about how theyâre going to pay bills.â
Daniels echoed this in a https://www.natca.org/2025/10/24/shutdown-update-on-day-24-a-message-from-natca-president-nick-daniels/
posted to the NATCA website on Oct. 24.
âThe shutdown is adding stress to air traffic controllers and their families,â he wrote.
Duffy also said that the shutdown, now in its 28th day, has led to students dropping out of the air traffic controller academy in Oklahoma City, adding that it will therefore be harder to close the staffing gap at airports. He said younger controllers might choose a different career path because they canât go without pay.
âThis shutdown is making it harder for me to accomplish those goals,â Duffy said.
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Wed, 10/29/2025 - 12:20
The Fragility Of The Digital Age
The Fragility Of The Digital Age
The outage is âcatastrophic.â So arrived the message from a server that hosts a service that is important to my life.
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Seemingly out of nowhere, the world came to an end for a full day until power was restored.
What was the reason?
I donât know the particulars but it is usually always the same. An update in one software was inconsistent with another. A line of code got through that didnât work as planned. Some third-party software stopped communicating with the main server. A cascade of effects followed that messed up everyoneâs lives.
This is becoming more and more common. Two days earlier, all the servers hosted by Amazon went down. This wrecked countless social sites, financial services, airline reservations, and banks. Whole industries ground to a halt, and for exactly the same reasons.
Everything about the digital age works great until it doesnât. Neither you nor I can fix it when it does break. We donât likely know people who can. We are all vulnerable. Our hands are tied. We can only sit and wait for the administrators of the services to kick the machines, tug on the wires, revert the codes, reboot this and that, and otherwise somehow find out whatâs wrong.
I was a server administrator in the early days so I have my experiences with outages. You are staring at black screens. So the mind begins to wander. The problem could trace to one of dozens of possible causes. Or maybe hundreds or thousands. Or millions.
The only way to get through it is to be very calm and rational. Itâs a process of elimination and that requires disciplined logic. And quiet.
Meanwhile, everyone around you is screaming for a fix. The boss is freaking out. Emails and phone calls are flying everywhere. Online communications are blowing up. Itâs like the world is ending. And yet you have to be the clear-headed one, even as the heat is on. When you find out the real issue, it seems perfectly obvious. Then people wonder what took you so long.
Here is the real problem we face. The whole of civilization embraced digital technology as the new shiny object. It seemed like the thing to do. Mostly it worked. But there has been a tremendous neglect of basic principles of engineering such as creating redundancy. When things go wrong, you need a backup plan. In principle, code architects know this. In practice, creating redundancy is the most neglected feature of the digital age, because doing so does not pay the bills.
Think of how centralized the Amazon servers are. Millions of businesses and connections rely on them, and they are mostly very reliable. Indeed, they have a near-perfect record. But the trick is the ânearâ part. You never know what part will break and when, and what the consequences will be.
The key problem is that the people most affected by breakage are powerless to do anything about it. We are completely at the mercy of the digital masters. And with artificial intelligence (AI) it is even worse. The digital masters are themselves machines that absolutely no one fully understands. When AI starts to break, we are going to rue the day that everyone and his dog threw themselves into this without so much as a thought.
Often I think back to when I was a kid. My brother and I took apart a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle. Yes, I was too young to participate much but I helped. Every piece of the car was disassembled, reassembled, and put back together again. True, it never really started well after that but you could roll it with your foot and give it a kick.
The point is that we were able to do it. That is not possible these days.
To be sure, that cannot be the whole standard by which we judge technology. The division of labor is real and meritorious. In a market society, we are always going to take advantage of the ability to cooperate with providers of goods and services that we cannot, even in principle, replicate.
That said, surely there is a balance here. Do we really want to live in a world where no one can fix anything? When all the services you need are down and there is no one to call?
Keep in mind that these digital systems control your ability to open your front door, start your car, heat your home, and have access to your money. When they go, you are without a home, transportation, and money. This is a terrifying reality and yet here we are.
More and more, it is not possible even to navigate the world around you without a cellphone. Personally, I cannot stand this. I will always ask for a real menu, use a printed out ticket, and even try to figure out directions to places without the aid of GPS (which is a serious challenge in my case). But doing all of this is essential now that the world is so fragile.
This is hardly my own opinion, by the way. Iâm not a lone crank. Iâve spoken at length with top engineers at major companies and universities. They express the same worries. The problem is that no one really knows what to do about it.
Meanwhile, outages are increasing even as systems are growing more complex, thus increasing the intensity of consequences. Our lives are ever more dependent on systems that no one controls. This happened recently at the airport when I had a physical ticket but the system listed me as not having fully checked in. Everyone in charge wanted me on the plane but the gods of technology said no. Guess who won the struggle: the machines. I had to miss my flight, leaving me stranded and missing appointments.
That was only the beginning of the problems on that trip. Every single one of them traced to the same source: technology that was not cooperating with the wishes of the employees and the managers of the system.
Everyone has stories like this. It is getting alarming. You take for granted that something works. Suddenly and seemingly out of nowhere, it does not work. You never quite recover your sense of security once you face this.
What can be done? Systems administrators can eschew total dependence on clouds and AI and adopt technology more slowly, building in redundancy at every stage. As consumers, we can be more attentive to preparing for the worst by reducing our reliance on digits. I will always choose analog over digital when possible.
A scene pops into my mind when thinking about this subject. It is the cobbler in my neighborhood who is still repairing shoes with machines made back in the 1920s. These machines have lasted 100 years and still get the job done. Nothing today is built this same way. We are on three-year cycles of buy and throw away. This is not a sign of genuine progress but the way the world ends.
Stock up on silver dimes and firewood. Meet some real farmers. Go back to physical locks. The time could come when you need them.
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Sat, 10/25/2025 - 11:40