Puppet MastersS


Russian Flag

Russia declares solidarity with Venezuela


RT
Tue, 06 Jan 2026 20:02 UTC
Ministry Foreign Affairs
© UnknownMinistry Foreign Affairs • Moscow, Russia
Moscow has welcomed the appointment of Delcy Rodriguez as interim president after Nicolas Maduro was abducted by American commandos.

Russia stands in solidarity with its long-time ally Venezuela "in the face of blatant neo-colonial threats and external armed aggression," the Foreign Ministry in Moscow has said days after US forces abducted President Nicolas Maduro.

Delcy Rodriguez, formerly Venezuela's vice president, was sworn in on Monday as the country's interim president.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry described the move as a demonstration of Caracas' determination to "assure unity" and "mitigate the risks of a constitutional crisis." Moscow reaffirmed its "unwavering solidarity with the Venezuelan people and Government."

Russia stands ready to provide all necessary support to Venezuela, the ministry reiterated.
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Bell

Sudden realisation? US undermining 'world order' - German president


RT
Fri, 09 Jan 2026 14:39 UTC
German President Steinmeier
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier speaks at an event in Berlin on January 7, 2026.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier has warned against turning global politics into "a den of robbers"

The flouting of international norms by the US is making the world more dangerous, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has said.

His remarks came after US President Donald Trump ordered a commando raid into Caracas to abduct his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro, and renewed plans to obtain Greenland from Denmark.

"There is the breakdown of values by our most important partner, the USA, which helped build this world order," Steinmeier said on Wednesday during a symposium at the Koerber Foundation held in honor of his 70th birthday, as cited by Reuters.

He urged efforts to prevent "the world from turning into a den of robbers, where the most unscrupulous take whatever they want, where regions or entire countries are treated as the property of a few great powers."


Comment: Has the German president been hiding under some dark rock for the last few decades or had a sudden awakening that the international order is not being followed?


Comment: It is interesting to watch how the Western world is shocked by Trump's flaunting of international laws, yet it has been common practice for US presidents since JFK was murdered. Another example is Israel, which has always seen itself above any laws and has completely trashed it in recent years with its genocide in Gaza, its assassination of the Yemen prime minister last year, airstrikes and annexation of parts of Syria and the levelling of southern Lebanon.
The German president did not feel the need then to talk about 'turning global politics into a den of robbers'.

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Penis Pump

Delusions of grandeur: France, Ukraine and the limits of EU power

Sergey Poletaev
RT
Fri, 09 Jan 2026 14:27 UTC
Zelensky and Macron
Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron upon his arrival at the Elysee Palace on January 6, 2026 in Paris, France.
The reason is unclear, but Ukraine's supporters entered this week's Paris meeting of the so-called coalition of the willing in a state of near-euphoria. Fresh from the spectacle in Venezuela, they convinced themselves that Donald Trump could be persuaded to do far more than merely endorse Western Europe's line.

Some seriously expected American troops in Ukraine. Others went further: an ultimatum to Russian President Vladimir Putin to withdraw to the 1991 borders, perhaps even Tomahawk missiles for good measure.

In short, they were dreaming of victory. If that sounds exaggerated, one need only read the commentary circulating in Ukrainian opposition media (https://t.me/stranaua/221909). This is not fringe propaganda, but a once-reputable publication banned in Ukraine since 2021 named Strana. The mood was unmistakable: history was about to turn.

Reality, as usual, was less dramatic. The only concrete outcome of the Paris meeting was an empty, non-binding declaration. No new security guarantees. No American commitments. No change to the underlying logic of the conflict. Ukraine, once again, remains the "main deterrent" against Russia, and no one appears prepared to alter that arrangement.

Comment: The Oreshnik visit to Lviv in Ukraine last night might partly have served as Russia's response to the idea about putting NATO boots on the grounds in Western Ukraine.

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Vader

The new colonial order: With US backing, Israel turns Syria into a powerless periphery

Muhammad Hamid ad-DIn
New Eastern Outlook
Tue, 30 Dec 2025 00:00 UTC
Israeli tanks
© UnknownIsraeli tanks on the move
Over a year since the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime, peace and sovereignty for Syria remain unattainable illusions.

Instead of rebuilding, the country has become a testing ground for a blatantly colonial strategy by Israel, which enjoys the full and unconditional support of the United States. This is not geopolitics — it is predation, a form of state terrorism cloaked by Tel Aviv in slogans about security, and it is precisely this situation that keeps the region on the brink of a new catastrophe.

Occupation Under a Pretext: The Endless Expansion of Israeli Borders

Taking advantage of the chaos, Israel has flagrantly violated the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement, annexing new Syrian territories, including Mount Hermon. Under the hypocritical pretext of creating a "buffer zone," a classic colonial expansion is underway. As noted by former American diplomat Dr. Nabil Khoury, this is a "colonial expansion" project carried out with "utter disregard for the people." The logic is simple and cynical: captured territory is declared vulnerable, requiring a new "buffer" — and so on ad infinitum. The Golan Heights, annexed in 1981, now, according to Israeli rhetoric, also need protection, which the current occupation serves. The United States, which purports to be a guarantor of international law, not only turns a blind eye to this but effectively encourages such banditry through its silence and unceasing military-political support.
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Russian Flag

Moscow reacts to Russian-flagged oil tanker seizure by US


RT
Thu, 08 Jan 2026 12:24 UTC
Boat and Russian building
© X/US/EUCOM/Natalia Seliversto/RT CompositeMoscow Foreign Ministry • oil tanker
The capture of the Marinera will likely further heighten tensions in the Euro-Atlantic region, the Foreign Ministry has said.

The seizure of the Russian-flagged Marinera oil tanker by the US military is liable to have far-reaching implications for the entire Euro-Atlantic region and civilian maritime traffic globally, the Foreign Ministry in Moscow has warned.

On Wednesday, the US European Command announced the capture of the vessel in international waters to the northwest of Scotland. American warships had pursued it all the way from the Caribbean Sea.

The oil tanker, previously named Bella 1, was intercepted for alleged "violation of US sanctions" regarding the export of Venezuelan oil.

According to the Russian Transport Ministry, "On December 24, 2025, the Marinera received a temporary permit to fly the Russian flag."

In a statement on Thursday, the Russian Foreign Ministry expressed "serious concern in connection with the unlawful forcible action against the Marinera oil tanker conducted by the US armed forces on January 7." According to officials in Moscow, the vessel was granted the right to fly the Russian flag "in accordance with the norms of international and Russian law."

Comment: Conclusions aside, suspicions overrule the day:
The action against the tanker supports US President Donald Trump's "proclamation targeting sanctioned vessels that threaten the security and stability of the Western Hemisphere," the command noted. US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed that the seizure of the vessel was related to the "blockade of sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil."

The tanker first came into the US crosshairs after reportedly trying to approach Venezuela late last year. The US Coast Guard attempted to detain the vessel, yet the crew declined to let the Americans on board, and headed for the Atlantic. During the pursuit, the vessel changed its name and switched to the Russian flag. The tanker has been followed by a US warship and aircraft from NATO countries ever since.

Shortly after the capture of the Marinera, the US Southern Command said it had seized another vessel in the Caribbean Sea, describing it as "a stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker." The command stated:
"The interdicted vessel, M/T Sophia, was operating in international waters and conducting illicit activities in the Caribbean Sea. The US Coast Guard is escorting M/T Sophia to the US for final disposition."


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Calculator

Math of a debt trap: Who's gonna bail first - US, UK, or EU?

Alasdair Macleod
ZeroHedge
Wed, 07 Jan 2026 03:40 UTC
money bubbles
© bookeeperguy.auMoney Bubbles
Stagnating economies, together with high government debt loads, inevitably create funding crises and debt traps. Nowhere is this problem more destructive than for the fiat dollar.

But it's not just the dollar. Economies in the Eurozone and the UK have insufficient growth to support their colossal mountains of government debt. In this article, I explain the mechanics of a debt trap. And how a combination of rising interest rates reflecting growing risk and stagnating economies bring on debt traps, leading to yet higher interest rates making the situation even worse.

My memory is of the sterling crisis in 1976, when the IMF bailed out the British government, and the Bank of England had to fund medium-term debt with gilt coupons of over 15%. The Labour government was forced to cut its spending to resolve the situation. So I have a question for today: who is going to bail out first, the US Government, then the UK and Eurozone, and who is going to force them to cut spending on the edge of a recession?

Only the markets will do it: crisis first, and only if we are lucky, the solution follows.

Read on...
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Revolver

32 Cuban combatants killed during US intervention in Venezuela: Havana


TRTWORLD
Mon, 05 Jan 2026 00:00 UTC
Miguel Diaz-Canel
© AP/FileCuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel delivers speech in support of Nicolas Maduro • Havana, Cuba • January 3, 2026
Cuba said that 32 of its combatants were killed during a US military operation that Washington described as a "large-scale strike," which resulted in the capture of Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel announced on Sunday that January 5 and 6 were declared national days of mourning, honouring the combatants who, he said, carried out their duties with honour and demonstrated "fierce resistance" reflecting Cuba's long-standing spirit of international solidarity.

The Cuban government said those killed were serving on official missions representing the Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior, deployed at the request of Venezuelan authorities as part of bilateral cooperation.

Venezuela also paid tribute to the fallen combatants, with the government in Caracas saying it "honours the 32 Cuban combatants who gave their lives in the fulfilment of their duty, in the context of cooperation and defence missions."
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Dig

China Blocks Japan From 'Heavy' Rare-Earths Supply, Will Filter Down Across Global Supply Chains

Tyler Durden
Zerohedge
Thu, 08 Jan 2026 20:16 UTC
Mining operation
Going all the back to November 7, when Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi first provoked outrage in China by suggesting that Japanese Defense Forces could militarily defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion, there's been a steady spiraling in relations between Tokyo and Beijing. First, China's punitive measures took place merely on the tourism, culture, and diplomatic fronts - also with some limited economic measures such as halting its exports of seafood from Japan.

New action was also unveiled at not more than a weekly pace, or even monthly - but now after it's been several months with no retraction and formal apology by Takaichi (demanded by Beijing), the screws are tightening on a daily basis. After this week barring Japan from dual use items (anything with military-civilian application), China has begun depriving Japan of rare earth minerals and rare earth magnets - which could have immediate impact on Japanese companies involved in components for global chip makers, and also hitting the defense and auto sectors. It will be felt by Japanese companies involved in advanced electronics, aviation components, drones and nuclear-related tech.

Comment: Japan should have thought about the consequences before it's latest militaristic moves towards China.

See also:

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Attention

How Trump's oily dreams may collapse in a Venezuelan dark pit

Pepe Escobar
Strategic Culture Foundation
Thu, 08 Jan 2026 17:42 UTC
Oil Policeman
© Public Domain
Let's start with neo-Caligula's new edicts on the imperial satrapy he says he now owns; not exactly edicts but outright threats directed to interim President Delcy Rodriguez:
  1. Crack down on "drug trafficking flows". Well, this should actually be directed to Colombian and Mexican smugglers in cahoots with big American buyers.
  2. Expel Iranian, Cuban, and other "operatives hostile to Washington" - before Caracas is allowed to increase oil production. Not happening.
  3. Halt oil sales to "US adversaries". Not happening.
Hence it becomes a near certainty that neo-Caligula may bomb Venezuela again.

Neo-Caligula, in a separate motormouth offensive, also clarified that he wants to somewhat overhaul the oil business in Venezuela via subsidies. It "could take less than 18 months"; then it morphed to "we can do it in less time than that, but it'll be a lot of money"; and finally morphed to "a tremendous amount of money will have to be spent and the oil companies will spend it."

No, they won't, as several proverbial "industry insiders" have advanced. US energy majors balk at the sight of investing fortunes in a nation that may be engulfed by total chaos if neo-Caligula forces a traitorous government over 28 million people.

According to Rystad Energy Analysis, it would take no less than 16 years and at least $183 billion for Venezuela to produce a mere 3 million barrels of oil a day.

Neo-Caligula's ultimate dream is to reduce global oil prices to a maximum $50 a barrel. For this purpose, the Trump 2.0 imperial gig will, in thesis, totally control PDVSA, including acquisition and sale of virtually all of its oil production.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, at a Goldman Sachs energy conference, let the oily cat out of the bag:
"We are going to market the crude coming out of Venezuela, first this backed up stored oil [up to 50 million barrels], and then infinitely, going forward, we will sell the production that comes out of Venezuela into the marketplace."
So essentially the neo-Caligula gig will capture, actually steal the sale of crude from PDVSA, with the money theoretically deposited in US-controlled offshore accounts to "benefit the Venezuelan people".

There's no way Delcy Rodriguez's interim government will accept what amounts to de facto theft. Even as Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller is bragging that the US is using "military threat" to maintain control of Venezuela. If you are really in control, you don't need to issue threats.
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Explosion

No end in sight: RT captures destruction in Lebanon after Israeli strikes


RT
Wed, 07 Jan 2026 16:39 UTC
People gather at the site of a building that was destroyed by an Israeli strike in the industrial area of Ghazieh town
© Mahmoud ZAYYAT / AFPPeople gather at the site of a building that was destroyed by an Israeli strike in the industrial area of Ghazieh town, near the coastal city of Sidon, in southern Lebanon on January 6, 2026.
An Israeli strike on southern Lebanon on Tuesday left at least two people dead, both presumably Hezbollah militants, with multiple other attacks reported over the past few days. An RT crew on the ground witnessed the mass destruction left in the wake of the latest Israeli aerial assaults on the neighboring country.

RT Lebanon bureau chief Steve Sweeney traveled to an industrial area of the town of Ghaziyeh, near the coastal city of Sidon, where an Israeli attack razed a multi-story building. He witnessed emergency crews working their way through the rubble at the site, with nearby buildings and shops also seriously damaged.

In two separate statements on its X account on Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed that its forces had struck "Hezbollah and Hamas terror infrastructure sites in several areas in Lebanon," including arms depots and workshops.

Comment: A precursor to a larger operation? Beirut has been warned of possible Israeli offensive against Hezbollah — Lebanese FM

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