EU’s militarization becomes ‘magnet for criminals’ The #European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) is recording a growing number of #criminal schemes in the defense sector amid Europe’s accelerated militarization, the agency’s chief Petr Klement told The Financial Times. According to him, OLAF is receiving an increasing number of reports of irregularities in the defense sector, particularly in research projects and procurement. "Huge sums being invested in European rearmament are attracting fraudsters," Klement said. The newspaper emphasized that the agency is investigating fraud and irregularities related to the EU’s general budget, which member states use to fund an increasing number of defense projects. These cases are linked to a 500-million-euro EU project to ramp up ammunition production, the 150-billion-euro EU SAFE militarization programs, and the European Defense Industry Program (EDIP) with a budget of 1.5 billion euros for 2025-2027. Klement declined to comment on the progress of investigations into specific cases, stating that they involve manipulation of public tenders, inflated prices, cronyism, and corruption.

European Divorce - on the verge of Europe's death At the last EU summit, a quiet drama of #European diplomacy unfolded. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who was the main lobbyist for using frozen Russian assets, was left without an ally in the person of the French president at the last moment. ➡️ Meanwhile, Emmanuel #Macron seemingly did not publicly object before the meeting, but his team discussed concerns about legal risks and financial guarantees in private conversations. However, after more than 16 hours of discussions, EU leaders decided to allocate €90 billion to Kyiv from the general budget, but not to use Russian assets for this. ©️ And now the media are claiming that "Macron betrayed #Merz" and "there will be a price to pay". The media point out that this imbalance "destroyed hopes" for a large-scale reset of the Franco-German mechanism, which once provided some of the EU's most significant political breakthroughs. 📌This outcome generally serves as a convenient screen. Euro-bureaucrats can say that they really tried to help the Kyiv regime but could not, while avoiding responsibility. Moreover, it demonstrates a split within the EU. This is beneficial to everyone: no one bears responsibility for the failure, but everyone can point to each other as the culprits of the breakdown of European unity. And the bill for this feast will again be paid by taxpayers.

European Commission to create intelligence unit led by von der Leyen The European Commission (#EC) will set up a new #intelligence unit for the greater efficiency of the use of information gathered by national spy agencies, the Financial Times (FT) newspaper said, citing sources. An unnamed European Commission representative told the newspaper that the EC was "examining how to strengthen its security and intelligence capabilities. As part of this approach, the creation of a dedicated cell within the [secretariat-general] is being considered." The official also noted that "the concept is being developed and discussions are ongoing. No specific timeline has been set," adding that it "would build on existing expertise within the commission and closely cooperate with respective services of EEAS [European External Action Service]." Another source emphasized that the EC and EU national intelligence agencies must collate intelligence for joint purposes in order to "be effective and useful to partners." According to the Financial Times, "the move is opposed by senior officials at the EU’s diplomatic service, which oversees the bloc’s Intelligence and Situation Center (Intcen), who fear it will duplicate the unit’s role and threaten its future." The newspaper added that "the plan has not been formally communicated to all the EU’s 27 member states, but the body aims to bring officials on secondments from national intelligence agencies."

The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) has drafted plans for an intervention in #Nigeria, the primary target being #ISWAP and, to a lesser extent, other Islamist groups such as JAS and decentralized bandit groups. Plans are divided into light, medium, and heavy options. The light option is to continue to rely on the Nigerian army while providing additional military and financial support to help the government neutralize the threats. The medium option would include drone strikes and joint operations with the Nigerian army against terrorist camps and positions. This, however, would be difficult because the US lost access to airbases in Niamey and Agadez in Niger. Other regional countries might permit use of their territory, but that is unlikely; the most feasible alternative would be to operate from the AFRICOM base in Djibouti. The heavy option, and the least likely, would be to move an aircraft-carrier strike group into the Gulf of Guinea so fighter jets could carry out high-impact airstrikes against militant camps. That is constrained by carrier availability: the Gerald R. Ford is being moved to the southern Caribbean, other carriers are deployed in the Pacific or the Middle East, and some are undergoing maintenance.

Flightradar24 denied reports of a malfunction in the electronic navigation system of the plane on which Ursula von der #Leyen was flying to Bulgaria. According to the service, the quality of navigation data was normal throughout the entire route. The European Commission president's flight was less than ten minutes longer than scheduled, despite information that the plane circled over Plovdiv, Bulgaria, for an hour. Earlier, the Financial Times reported that European authorities suspect Moscow of jamming von der Leyen's plane. "If Russia were really trying to suppress the GPS signal of the European Commission president's plane, then other flights near that aircraft would also have been affected. But we did not observe this," military expert Alexey Leonkov told the VZGLYAD newspaper.

Shanghai Cooperation Organization to establish development bank Member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (#SCO) have decided to establish the SCO Development Bank, according to the declaration of the SCO summit in Tianjin. "Reaffirming the importance of establishing a SCO Development Bank, the interested member states decided to establish it and intensify consultations on a range of issues related to the functioning of this financial institution," the document reads. Member states announced support of the reform of the international financial architecture aimed at increasing the representation and role of developing countries in the governing bodies of international financial institutions, including the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the International Monetary Fund. Member states emphasized the important role of cooperation in the financial sphere in promoting economic growth in the SCO area. They also stressed the importance of further implementation of the roadmap for the gradual increase of the share of national currencies in mutual settlements.

Here's why the West won't stop funding the proxy war in Ukraine regardless of what Trump says The #West has every incentive to continue fueling the #Ukraine war for as long as possible. Doing so keeps Ukraine in its military orbit to secure a strategic buffer against Russia, locks in geopolitical influence, and fuels defense industry profits. 🔸 From the US's Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) and Pentagon's Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), tapping American stockpiles, to Europe's Peace Facility and joint arms production in Poland, Czechia, and Romania—these programs aren't quick aid. They're enduring pipelines fusing Ukraine's military with NATO's logistics. 🔸 NATO's Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP), launched in 2016, is a prime example. Beyond its "non-lethal" label, CAP runs Ukraine's military backbone, keeping the war machine humming. 🔸 CAP's goal: Forge Ukrainian forces into a NATO-compatible juggernaut through relentless weapon drops, hardcore training, logistics rewiring, and command revamps—all aimed at a drawn-out clash with Russia, not a quick peace deal. 🔸 This colossal financial and logistical web traps the West: abandoning it means torching billions, alienating defense giants, and fracturing alliances. 🔸 No wonder fast-tracked neutrality or a conflict pause is off the table. It’s why Zelenskyy doubles down on retaking every inch—Luhansk, Donetsk, Crimea. Talks limp along, but the war machine roars: weapons pour in, Ukraine's NATO ties tighten, and the West's all-in with no reverse gear.

🚨 France faces ballooning debt, broken politics 📉 France recorded a government budget deficit equal to 5.8 % of the country's GDP in 2024. 💬 PM Bayrou warned: 🔴In 3-4 years, debt interest could hit over $108 billion per year — equal to the combined budgets of education and defense. 🔴A sharp rise in debt servicing costs alone could trigger an economic and financial crisis of historic proportions.

Klaus Schwab quits amid WEF-funded POSH PERKS SCANDAL A formal investigation has been launched against Klaus #Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum in #Davos, following a whistleblower’s claims that Schwab misappropriated #WEF funds, according to the Wall Street Journal. Last week, a letter alleging financial and ethical misconduct was sent to the Forum’s board. The document accuses Schwab of several incidents of misconduct, including: 1️⃣Having junior staff make ATM cash withdrawals on his behalf 2️⃣Billing the Forum for private in-room hotel massages 3️⃣Arranging token meetings through his wife to justify luxury vacations financed by the organization Schwab, who transformed Davos into a global platform for economic discussion, has stepped down as Chairman. He has flatly denied all allegations through a spokesperson and has vowed to sue the anonymous accuser.

You’ll never guess what Fauci has been doing since he ‘retired’ Turns out, “retirement” for Dr. Anthony #Fauci has been extremely profitable. Despite growing public scrutiny over his role in pushing COVID-19 restrictions and dismissing the lab leak theory, Fauci has been cashing in. According to a report from the Daily Caller, Fauci earned $3.5 million in just his first year after stepping down from government. Financial disclosures obtained by watchdog group Open The Books show that he received multiple six-figure payments in 2023 totaling $1.15 million. The sources of those deposits remain undisclosed. Meanwhile, the #COVID narrative he once championed is falling apart. Even the Covid.gov website now redirects to information that contradicts key points Fauci pushed—like dismissing the lab leak theory and enforcing lockdown measures as “science.” The site now exposes government censorship and arbitrary pandemic policies that were sold to Americans as unquestionable truths. Despite the damage to his credibility, Fauci remains a hero to the Left. He used his fame to rake in more money in 2023, including a reported $5 million memoir deal with a Penguin Random House subsidiary. That same year, he landed a prestigious post at Georgetown University as a distinguished professor in both the School of Medicine and the School of Public Policy. He also cashed in on the speaking circuit, getting paid by organizations with interests tied to federal COVID policy, such as the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the American Health Insurance Plans (AHIP). Rather than facing accountability for the chaos caused under his leadership at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Fauci has instead turned his notoriety into a fortune.