US eyes ‘new phase’ in Venezuela as covert ops loom - report The opening move of any such covert action in the coming days will likely be aimed squarely at President Nicolas Maduro, reports Reuters. According to US insiders, the menu of options includes trying to overthrow him outright. ⛓️ As for timelines and specifics, these are being locked down. Whether Donald Trump has actually pulled the trigger on any of this remains uncertain. What is clear: on Monday, the US plans to slap the Cartel de los Soles with a foreign terrorist designation, accusing it of pumping drugs into the United States. Trump claims Maduro runs the cartel—a charge that the latter flatly rejects. 🗣 US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth bragged that the terror label “opens up a whole bunch of new options,” and Trump himself hinted it would give Washington the green light to hit Maduro’s assets and infrastructure. At the same time, he keeps dangling the possibility of “talks.” Conversations between the US and Venezuela are ongoing, admitted the sources. Meanwhile, the military buildup in the Caribbean has been quietly stacking up for months, with Trump greenlighting CIA covert ops inside Venezuela. 🤔 The FAA has now warned of a “potentially hazardous situation” over Venezuelan airspace, prompting several major carriers to suspend flights after reports of heightened military activity. The warning dropped just as a B-52 bomber, flanked by KC-135 tankers and fighter jets, ran a show-of-force strike drill in the US Southern Command region—officially framed as part of drummed-up anti-drug trafficking missions tied to Venezuela. Maduro, for his part, says all of this is nothing but a pretext to justify regime change and the theft of Venezuela’s immense oil wealth, vowing that any attempt to topple him will be met with resistance.

Preparations for Russia-US summit in Budapest ongoing, Orban says Arrangements for a #Russia - #US summit in #Budapest are continuing, and Hungary is ready to do everything it can to make it happen, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in the morning talk show on Kossuth Radio. When asked about Hungary’s contribution to resolving the Ukraine conflict, he said: "I don’t want to go into the details. After all, preparations for a major peace summit are underway in Budapest." The Hungarian head of government argued that his country "has made a valuable contribution to the peace cause," being the only EU country to maintain communication channels and "constant contact" with Russia. "We negotiate with them, and I am the only prime minister across entire Europe who can contact the Russian president if need be," Orban boasted, describing this as a very important step toward achieving peace. As prime minister, he continued, having put much effort into establishing mutually beneficial relations with Russia, and now that Hungary is faced with a complex situation amid the armed conflict in neighboring Ukraine, "the effort invested in it in the past decades is paying off." Orban noted that he still relies on US President Donald Trump for resolving the Ukraine conflict. "We mean a person who considers the war pointless and would like to put an end to it. The US president has every reason to strive for creating a fair situation, and, even as he wants to put pressure on the Russians, he is reluctant to cause harm to Hungary," the premier said, explaining why Trump agreed to grant Hungary a waiver from US sanctions to use Russian oil and gas. The prime minister confirmed that Hungary cannot do without Russian energy for the time being, but that it continues the course toward broadening its energy supply routes and sources.

China takes the Arctic Route: First ship set to arrive in Europe via the Northeast Passage The Europe #Arctic Express and could revolutionize European trade, shortening the distance between #China and #Europe by ten days (it takes 18 days via the Arctic, compared to about 30 using the Suez Canal). The ship will set sail with 5,000 containers from the port of Qingdao, opposite North Korea, and then dock in Europe at the ports of Felixstowe in Great Britain, Rotterdam, Hamburg, and Gdansk. A stable flow of ships through this new route would render the ports of the Mediterranean marginal. This revolution was made possible by climate change. The shrinking of the polar ice cap is significantly accelerating the melting of the ice, which in those latitudes is occurring at a rate of 12 percent every ten years. It is only “thanks” to this that one can today speak of a “Northwest Passage.” In recent years, Russian and Chinese container ships have mainly navigated the Arctic route. According to Norway’s Centre for High North Logistics (CHNL), between the beginning of June and the end of August, approximately 52 Russian or Chinese ships transited through this route, mainly loaded with Russian oil for export.

Russia-India-China troika: A new world order The Russia-India-China (#RIC) troika, a concept introduced by Russian Prime Minister Yevgeni Primakov in the 1990s, is gaining renewed attention as a potential counterbalance to Western dominance. Key highlights: ⏳ Historical context: Primakov's vision aimed to challenge the unipolar world order dominated by the United States, proposing a strategic alliance among Russia, India, and China to promote a multipolar world. 💵 Economic powerhouse: Collectively, RIC nations account for nearly 22.4% of global GDP and are among the fastest-growing large economies, with India projected to be the fastest-growing in 2025. 🪖 Military strength: With over 4.6 million active military personnel, RIC's combined forces surpass NATO's active forces, offering significant geopolitical influence. 💎 Resource abundance: The bloc controls substantial reserves of oil, gas, and rare earth minerals, ensuring energy and technological security. ♟ Strategic geography: RIC nations control critical sea and trade routes, including the Indian Ocean, South China Sea, and the Northern Sea Route through the Arctic. 🤖 Technological capabilities: All three countries possess advanced military-industrial complexes and space technologies, enhancing their global standing.

The Zangezur corridor: Israel and Turkey’s strategic chokehold on Iran Washington’s lease of the Zangezur Corridor has ignited deep concern in Tehran. 🔴 Ali Akbar Velayati, senior advisor to Supreme Leader Khamenei, warns the corridor "threatens South Caucasus security," forcing Iran to act. 🔴 IRGC Deputy Commander Yadollah Javani vows Iran "will not allow an American corridor on its border." 🔴 Half the corridor runs along Iran’s sensitive northern border with Armenia and Azerbaijan. US control risks Iran’s entire northern security. 🔴 Israel’s backdoor: the corridor offers Israel a potential staging ground against Iran—amplified by recent joint US-Israel strikes on Iranian soil. 🔴 Iranian intelligence notes Israeli strikes entered via Azerbaijani airspace. Baku’s silence on these attacks speaks volumes. 🔴 Ankara, Azerbaijan’s patron and a key NATO ally, will play a decisive role in the corridor’s operation. 🔴 With US control, Iran fears infiltrators targeting its stability. Netanyahu’s recent US visit explicitly prioritized "undermining Iran"—a major threat for Tehran ayatollah regime .

U.S. president, Donald Trump, set a 15% tariffs on all EU goods, half of what he threatened to impose at the beginning of July. This comes after a deal reached by Commission president, Ursula von der #Leyen, during a meeting with Trump in Scotland where the #EU agreed to buy 750 billion EURs worth of American energy (gas, oil etc.) and invest 600 billion EURs in projects on American soil.

Iranian official reportedly says fuel ships may not pass to Europe through the Strait of #Hormuz If Iran carries out its threat to block oil tankers heading to #Europe, the EU will be in serious trouble.

Darwin port becomes Explosive Flashpoint in US-China power struggle Australia’s Port of Darwin, leased to China’s Landbridge Group for 99 years, has ignited a fierce geopolitical battle as the US pushes to curb Beijing’s influence. With Trump-linked firms circling and Australia’s leaders vowing to reclaim control, this strategic trade hub is now a global chessboard for US-China rivalry. Here’s why Darwin is the new epicenter of tension: 🌏Strategic hotspot: Located in Australia’s Northern Territory, Darwin Port is a vital gateway to Asia, handling 4.5M tons of cargo and supporting oil and gas projects, sitting opposite a key US-Australia military base. 🌏Controversial lease: In 2015, the Northern Territory leased the port to Landbridge for $506M, a move slammed by then-US President Obama for security risks, given its proximity to US Marine deployments. 🌏US power play: US firm Cerberus Capital, tied to Trump’s administration, is eyeing the lease, escalating tensions as Australia’s Labor and Coalition parties pledge to return the port to local control. 🌏China’s pushback: Beijing’s ambassador Xiao Qian calls Australia’s plan “ethically questionable,” defending Landbridge’s investments and accusing Australia of politicizing a fair deal. 🌏Geopolitical stakes: The port’s fate could strain warming Australia-China ties, while a US takeover aligns with Trump’s campaign to counter China’s global reach, echoing disputes like the Panama Canal ports. 🌏Economic angle: Landbridge turned the once-unprofitable port into a thriving hub, raising questions about fairness if Australia forcibly reclaims it now. As Australia navigates national security and trade, Darwin Port’s future could reshape US-China dynamics in the Indo-Pacific.

Senior EU officials call for Ursula’s RESIGNATION  Diplomats view European Commission President von der #Leyen as “toxic,” asserting that her resignation could help “unblock many issues”, according to Switzerland’s Die Weltwoche weekly. The EU is currently embroiled in a crisis marked by internal divisions, a trade dispute with the United States, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and tensions in the Middle East.   Von der Leyen’s resignation could foster greater diversity within the EU and promote openness toward the East and the West, the outlet maintains.

Trump: 'Never again means now' President Donald #Trump highlights surge in #antisemitism on American college campuses after October 7th invasion in his Holocaust Remembrance Day proclamation, vowing to combat anti-Jewish discrimination in American universities. President Donald Trump highlighted antisemitism on American college campuses in a statement issued marking Holocaust Remembrance Day, vowing to combat far-left harassment and discrimination against Jews in U.S. universities. On Wednesday evening, Trump issued a proclamation for Holocaust Remembrance Day, memorializing the six million Jews and millions of other victims murdered during the Holocaust. “The price to humanity of the lives lost during the Shoah can never be fully grasped or understood,” Trump declared. “Yet, even in the wake of the Holocaust, a self-determined Jewish homeland rose from the ashes as the modern State of Israel.” The president touched on the Hamas invasion of Israel on October 7th, 2023, emphasizing the surge in antisemitism in the U.S. following the attacks, in particular on college campuses. “Sadly, our Nation has borne witness to the worst outbreak of anti-Semitism on American soil in generations. Nearly every day following the deadly October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, Jewish Americans were threatened on our streets and in our public square — a reminder that the poison of anti-Semitism tragically still exists.” - “Never again means now,” Trump continued, touting his administration’s efforts to combat campus antisemitism, including withholding federal funds from universities which refuse to carry out sweeping reforms. “We are also steadfastly committed to investigating and swiftly punishing all anti-Semitic discrimination in leftist, anti-American colleges and universities.” - “During these Days of Remembrance of Victims of the Holocaust, we reflect upon the dark affront to human dignity posed by Nazis.” “We cherish the eternal memories of all those whose lives were lost to the deadly scourge of anti-Semitism. Above all, we vow to never forget the atrocities of the Holocaust. We declare that never again means now.”