https://www.sott.net/category/16-Puppet-Masters Signs of the Times: The World for People who Think. Featuring independent, unbiased, alternative news and commentary on world events. en-us Original content Copyright 2026 by Signs of the Times/Sott.net. For other content, see our Fair Use Policy at www.sott.net. Sun, 27 Sep 2026 19:25:11 +0000 https://www.sott.net/images/sottlogo_rss.jpg SOTT.net https://www.sott.net https://www.sott.net/article/508616-The-day-after-at-the-White-House-USA-and-Xi-Jinping The summit has stabilized Sino-American relations without stabilizing the Gulf - and regarding the Gulf, Beijing has offered words, not leverage. Agreements at no cost Xi Jinping left Washington on Friday, September 25, bid farewell by a 21-gun salute and the administration's top officials lined up at the airport. A three-day state visit organized with a level of attention to detail that the White House rarely reserves for a systemic rival: the welcome at the foot of the aircraft stairs, a three-hour meeting in the Oval Office, the state dinner, tea with the spouses, and a visit to the National Archives. A Schramsberg was chosen for dinner - the same winery that provided the wine for the 1972 toast between Nixon and Zhou Enlai. At the table sat half of the American business community: Musk, Jensen Huang, Zuckerberg, Tim Cook, Bezos, Pichai, Dimon, Fink, as well as three Supreme Court justices, the Federal Reserve chair, and half the Cabinet. Then there is the real conversation,... https://www.sott.net/article/508616-The-day-after-at-the-White-House-USA-and-Xi-Jinping Sun, 27 Sep 2026 19:23:24 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508615-Trump-told-Zelensky-to-meet-with-Putin-in-Moscow-Bloomberg The suggestion was reportedly made during a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. US President Donald Trump reportedly urged Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky to travel to Moscow for peace talks with President Vladimir Putin, Bloomberg reports, citing sources close to Zelensky. Russia has said Zelensky can visit Moscow any time. The US president made the suggestion during a meeting with Zelensky on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly this week, the outlet reported. The Ukrainian leader rejected the idea, people familiar with the conversation told Bloomberg, adding that Trump's proposal "upset him." Zelensky was visibly irritated by journalists outside UN headquarters on Wednesday. Pressed about when he might visit Moscow, he replied: "On a f**king missile!" https://www.sott.net/article/508615-Trump-told-Zelensky-to-meet-with-Putin-in-Moscow-Bloomberg Sun, 27 Sep 2026 19:22:57 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508614-US-backs-Musks-X-in-legal-battle-with-EU The tech mogul is contesting a €120 million fine imposed by the Brussels bloc under its DSA censorship laws. The US government has joined Elon Musk's appeal against an EU fine imposed on X, accusing Brussels of "regulatory overreach" and escalating a transatlantic clash over its regulation of US tech firms. The European Commission fined X €120 million ($136.51 million) for alleged violations of its 2022 Digital Services Act, the first such penalty under the bloc's Digital Services Act (DSA), a vast legislative censorship and media control apparatus. Brussels accused the platform of breaching rules on transparency, advertising, and data access, as well as using a deceptive blue-tick system for verified accounts. Musk, who has claimed the EU's tech regulations stall technological progress and equated the bloc to a "Fourth Reich" over them, appealed the decision in February, seeking to overturn the fine. https://www.sott.net/article/508614-US-backs-Musks-X-in-legal-battle-with-EU Sun, 27 Sep 2026 19:22:21 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508610-The-war-pigs-are-coming-for-our-children The brainwash is intensifying. My son's class recently went on a school trip to London. Subtle psychological war indoctrination was slipped in. In TrendCompass on Monday, I wrote about the sudden lust for war against Russia that's gripped European ruling establishments like a fever, with a handful of notable superspreaders doing the rounds of TV panels and interviews as they try to convince the public that war is inevitable, that the people must step up and do their duty and enlist in the military to defend "our nations" and our way of life. It all feels as though the decision that Europe will be going to war against Russia has already been made. As Mr. Pompous, Jacob Rees-Mogg put it: "... If we face a war, we will need people who will join the armed services and who will go out and do their duty. We may even face circumstances where people have to die to save their country..." One of the most enthusiastic war promoters, former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently had... https://www.sott.net/article/508610-The-war-pigs-are-coming-for-our-children Sun, 27 Sep 2026 17:44:45 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508598-Netanyahu-just-incited-genocide-in-his-UN-speech-Heres-what-you-missed At the end of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's unhinged rant at the UN, he recited a seemingly obscure Bible verse. But it's actually a dog whistle for genocide. Benjamin Netanyahu spoke at the UN General Assembly yesterday in New York. Hundreds of protesters blocked access roads to the UN, and about a hundred were arrested for demanding Netanyahu's arrest — among them actors Susan Sarandon, Hannah Einbinder, and Debra Winger. Inside the hall, as Netanyahu took to the stage, a walkout of many dozens ensued for about 1.5 minutes, as Israel's cronies chanted "Am Yisrael Chai" ('the nation of Israel lives'). The speech itself was a potpourri of lies and incitement, vacillating between condemnations of Zohran Mamdani and Hassan Piker to recounting Israel's standard October 7 atrocity propaganda and shamelessly repeating the line about Israel having the "most moral army in the world." But then, the Israeli Prime Minister chose to end his speech with a seemingly obscure verse... https://www.sott.net/article/508598-Netanyahu-just-incited-genocide-in-his-UN-speech-Heres-what-you-missed Sat, 26 Sep 2026 18:11:43 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508597-Trump-wants-to-colonize-Brazil-Lula-campaign A TV ad has accused the US president of meddling in the country's upcoming election to gain control of its natural resources. US President Donald Trump wants to "colonize" Brazil and gain control of its natural resources by interfering in the country's upcoming presidential election, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's campaign has said. Meta blocked the advertising account used by Lula's campaign on Facebook just days before the first round of the presidential election on October 4 in which left-wing incumbent Lula is seeking a fourth term against his main rival, right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro. Recent polls have put the two candidates in a tight race, with a runoff scheduled for October 25 if neither wins more than half the vote. https://www.sott.net/article/508597-Trump-wants-to-colonize-Brazil-Lula-campaign Sat, 26 Sep 2026 18:10:30 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508596-The-world-is-just-enough-Ursula-von-der-Leyen-goes-Bond-villain Leave it to a German to get EU-Europe properly encircled As a historian who also happens to be German, that was my spontaneous reaction to Ursula von der Leyen's annual grand - and always grandiloquent - "state of the union" address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg. It's not really a "union," of course, and not really a "parliament," either: technically, the EU is a confederation messed up by the ideological construct of "supranationalism"; and the parliament has no independent legislative power, but let's not dwell on the obvious. At the head of her Commission (read: over-reaching Central Committee) of career bureaucrats, von der Leyen is the unelected de-facto leader and personification of the Frankenstein wanna-be-super-state that has long gobbled up idealistic dreams of European unity. Once, those dreams may have been about democracy, sovereign equality, prosperity for all, and peace. But real-existing EU-Europe is very different: the European dream has come true as a... https://www.sott.net/article/508596-The-world-is-just-enough-Ursula-von-der-Leyen-goes-Bond-villain Sat, 26 Sep 2026 18:09:41 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508595-For-the-Left-there-is-no-Republican-too-moderate-to-target-with-Lawfare Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, has earned a reputation as one of the Senate's most bipartisan and moderate members. But not even that willingness to work across the aisle spared the longtime senator from being ensnared by the left's lawfare machine. Leftist propaganda outlet ProPublica dropped a hit piece on Tuesday suggesting Collins and her 2020 Senate campaign were caught up in a Biden-era FBI investigation that probed allegations of a pay-to-play and bribery scheme. While Collins' team rejected claims of wrongdoing and denied that the senator's campaign was ever the subject of the inquiry, the left-wing-funded "news" organization nonetheless attempted to paint Collins and her allies as nefarious players in the debacle. It further portrayed President Trump as a willing accomplice who "stacked the Department of Justice with his personal lawyers" and "eviscerated" "specialized FBI and DOJ teams handling public corruption investigations." https://www.sott.net/article/508595-For-the-Left-there-is-no-Republican-too-moderate-to-target-with-Lawfare Sat, 26 Sep 2026 18:09:05 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508589-LIHOP-NY-Times-confirms-Haaretz-report-that-Netanuyahu-was-warned-about-Hamas-attack-before-Oct-7 As Israelis prepare to vote next month, the question of who bears responsibility for failing to prevent the Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7, 2023 has become a dominant issue in one of Israel's most consequential campaigns in history. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, seeking an unprecedented seventh term, has placed the blame on national security officials, while his critics have said he must personally answer for the failures. When Haaretz, an Israeli newspaper, reported earlier this month that Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed, the president of the United Arab Emirates, had given Mr. Netanyahu a secret warning that Hamas was planning a major attack, the question took on even greater urgency. Mr. Netanyahu has denied the report. But a person who said they had spoken with Sheikh Mohammed and another person who said they had been briefed by someone on the call between the two leaders told The New York Times that the Emirati leader had secretly reported to Mr. Netanyahu that Hamas was... https://www.sott.net/article/508589-LIHOP-NY-Times-confirms-Haaretz-report-that-Netanuyahu-was-warned-about-Hamas-attack-before-Oct-7 Fri, 25 Sep 2026 21:46:54 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508588-Iran-offers-Trump-deal-before-US-election Tehran says it could reopen the Strait of Hormuz within days if Washington lifts its blockade and returns to a ceasefire framework. Iran has offered the US a new deal aimed at ending the months-long conflict before the midterm election in November, directly challenging President Donald Trump's claim that Tehran is deliberately waiting until after the election to reach an agreement. Trump claimed in a speech at the UN on Tuesday that Iran is deliberately stalling the talks to see how Republicans perform in the November 3 midterm election, and predicted that Tehran would make a deal "right after" the vote. He also threatened to "annihilate" the Islamic Republic if negotiations fail. "We don't want it to get to the midterm elections," Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told reporters on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday. "We wish Americans to return to the MOU before the midterms," he said, referring to the memorandum of understanding reached by the US... https://www.sott.net/article/508588-Iran-offers-Trump-deal-before-US-election Fri, 25 Sep 2026 20:53:09 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508587-Iran-and-the-Houthis-could-redraw-the-global-energy-map The world is discovering that Iran and the Houthis do not need to control the world's oil fields to exercise enormous influence over the global economy; they only need to control, or constrain access to, the narrow waterways through which that oil must pass. A War That Has Reached the Energy Arteries The Strait of Hormuz has become the central economic pressure point of the US-Israel war with Iran. Commercial traffic through the waterway has been severely reduced, while the conflict has pushed oil prices higher and injected a new risk premium into global energy markets. The significance of Hormuz is straightforward: it is the principal maritime gateway for oil and gas exports from the Persian Gulf. But the story is no longer confined to Hormuz. Thousands of kilometres away, the Yemeni Houthis are consolidating their position along the Red Sea coast. Their presence around the Bab al-Mandab Strait gives them growing influence over another of the world's most important maritime... https://www.sott.net/article/508587-Iran-and-the-Houthis-could-redraw-the-global-energy-map Fri, 25 Sep 2026 20:51:59 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508586-Kiev-deliberately-destabilizing-global-energy-markets-Lavrov-tells-Rubio The top diplomats have discussed the Ukraine conflict and US-Russia relations on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York Ukraine's deliberate attacks on energy and cross-border infrastructure are destabilizing global markets, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has told US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Lavrov and Rubio met on Wednesday on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, where they held an extensive discussion on Ukraine, bilateral relations, and a range of international issues. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Lavrov drew Rubio's attention to what it described as close coordination between Kiev and its European backers and raised Ukrainian strikes on civilians and "cross-border infrastructure facilities," which Russia said are deliberately contributing to instability in global energy markets. The issue has increasingly drawn attention in Washington as diesel prices have surged to record highs, topping $6.50 a gallon nationally... https://www.sott.net/article/508586-Kiev-deliberately-destabilizing-global-energy-markets-Lavrov-tells-Rubio Fri, 25 Sep 2026 20:49:48 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508584-Nepal-calls-it-at-the-UN-Flawless-logistics-for-war-and-broken-logistics-for-food-as-PM-mocks-world-system Balendra Shah told the UN that poorer countries struggle to secure essential supplies even as weapons are moved efficiently across borders Nepalese Prime Minister Balendra Shah has slammed the current global system, saying it allows weapons to be moved efficiently but leaves poorer countries struggling to secure food, fuel, and other essentials for their populations. "We have built a world with flawless logistics for war and broken logistics for food," Shah told the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday. The rapper-turned-politician pointed to the shortages his country has faced amid conflicts and geopolitical tensions disrupting supply chains, saying farmers have struggled to obtain fertilizer, road projects lacked bitumen, and families faced shortages of cooking fuel. https://www.sott.net/article/508584-Nepal-calls-it-at-the-UN-Flawless-logistics-for-war-and-broken-logistics-for-food-as-PM-mocks-world-system Fri, 25 Sep 2026 20:41:11 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508581-Cocaine-addict-Zelensky-tells-the-world-he-has-a-cure-for-Russian-disease The Ukrainian puppet leader's behavior at the United Nations this week shows an alarming degeneracy. The degeneracy is not just about Vladimir Zelensky the individual. It is about the whole Western warmongering system and its lying media that promote the likes of Zelensky for their nefarious ends. This character's corruption is becoming too obvious to conceal, as is the corrupt system that casts him. It is well known - outside the Western media bubble, that is - that Zelensky is on drugs. His substance of choice is cocaine, which he snorts up his nose in copious amounts. We know this from many sources, including his former press secretary, Iuliia Mendel. In an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson earlier this year, Mendel recounted how her boss had to habitually take 15 minutes in the bathroom before press conferences and then emerge high as a kite in effervescent performance mode. (See our editorial last week on why, notably, Mendel was banned from speaking at the... https://www.sott.net/article/508581-Cocaine-addict-Zelensky-tells-the-world-he-has-a-cure-for-Russian-disease Fri, 25 Sep 2026 20:08:59 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508580-Xi-Dada-explains-the-facts-of-life-to-a-sociopath GUANGZHOU - Chinese President Xi Jinping made the ask directly in the Oval Office. The "deciding mode" President - who's mulling whether to commit nuclear genocide against Iran, as he revealed in the UN podium - did not say yes. Xi told Trump directly that China favors an immediate U.S. return to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) - yes, the famous dead cat. Negotiations should resume "as soon as possible," leading to a comprehensive agreement that includes the nuclear issue. No breakthrough though. The White House issued no readout of its own. Trump deflected all questions on the substance of his 3-hour meeting with Xi. It's fascinating how the explosive Iran file was managed out of the summit rather than into it. In parallel, what we could call the New York channel survived, and might be converging on a phased trade. Negotiators are exploring a staged exit: Iran reopens the Strait of Hormuz; the U.S. simultaneously lifts the Trump naval blockade; and frozen assets... https://www.sott.net/article/508580-Xi-Dada-explains-the-facts-of-life-to-a-sociopath Fri, 25 Sep 2026 19:58:41 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508576-Professor-Robert-Papes-escalation-trap-is-built-on-a-war-Russia-never-planned Thanks to Yves Smith of Naked Capitalism who flagged a recent interview that Professor Robert Pape did with Mario Nawfal. During the interview, Pape argued that Vladimir Putin is caught in an "escalation trap." In his telling, Russia launched a preventive war in February 2022 to seize Kyiv and roughly 60 percent of Ukraine. That plan collapsed, and the fallback, betting that NATO would break, is now producing the European counterbalancing coalition Moscow most feared. It is a tidy theory. It also rests on a premise about Russian intentions that the record does not support, and once that premise goes, the trap goes with it. What the force tells you about the objective Start with arithmetic, the kind any planner of military operations does before anything else. Russia invaded with roughly 150,000 to 190,000 troops, including separatist forces. The standard rule of thumb for occupying a hostile population, from James Quinlivan's RAND work, is about 20 troops per 1,000 inhabitants. For... https://www.sott.net/article/508576-Professor-Robert-Papes-escalation-trap-is-built-on-a-war-Russia-never-planned Fri, 25 Sep 2026 19:25:07 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508571-Chaos-agents-Roughly-60-percent-of-polled-Democrats-would-support-a-military-coup It appears that nothing says "saving Democracy" like a good old-fashioned military coup. A new survey from the Center for Strategic Politics found that 59 percent of Democrats would favor a military coup to remove President Donald Trump from office. All it took was four years out of power for these Democratic voters to embrace a coup d'état to negate the results of the last election. What is particularly chilling is that many of these voters still portray themselves as defending democracy by calling for a military takeover. It is akin to supporting drive-by shootings to combat gun violence. That is not the only shocker in this survey. According to the Center, roughly six in 10 (59%) Democrats polled said they would feel "very positive" or "somewhat positive" if the US military removed Trump and seized control of the American government. The vast majority, of course, would be happy if Trump were impeached and removed from office (87%) or ousted by his cabinet via the 25th Amendment... https://www.sott.net/article/508571-Chaos-agents-Roughly-60-percent-of-polled-Democrats-would-support-a-military-coup Fri, 25 Sep 2026 18:17:05 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508564-German-opposition-Merz-government-wants-secret-police German lawmakers have warned that sweeping new powers for intelligence agencies would undermine fundamental rights Germany's opposition lawmakers have accused Chancellor Friedrich Merz's government of seeking to create a "secret police" by dramatically expanding the powers of the country's intelligence agencies. The accusations came during the first parliamentary debate on the reform on Thursday, with lawmakers from the Alternative for Germany (AfD), the Left and the Greens raising concerns over surveillance and fundamental rights. The government argues that the changes are needed to counter growing security threats. Under a reform approved by the cabinet last month, the BND foreign intelligence agency and the BfV domestic security service would gain broader operational powers, allowing them to move beyond primarily gathering and analyzing information. https://www.sott.net/article/508564-German-opposition-Merz-government-wants-secret-police Fri, 25 Sep 2026 16:35:28 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508560-Saudi-Arabia-is-nearing-the-point-of-no-return-and-Israel-is-waiting-for-it Secretive intelligence cooperation against the Houthis could draw Riyadh into an anti-Iran coalition and transform the balance of power across the Middle East. In the past few days, Israeli media has been actively talking about contacts between Saudi Arabia and Israel, facilitated by the US Central Command (CENTCOM). Reportedly, Riyadh is seeking intelligence from Israel to counter the Houthis. The very fact that such contacts are taking place raises a question: is Saudi Arabia preparing to take an even more significant and risky step, one that could alter the balance of power in the Middle East? Escalating tensions with Yemen's Houthis are compelling the Saudi leadership to seek help where it can be found. The Houthis have missiles and drones, enabling them to strike Saudi Arabia's energy infrastructure and threaten shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. For Riyadh, this presents a military, economic, and reputational challenge. This new phase of the conflict jeopardizes oil... https://www.sott.net/article/508560-Saudi-Arabia-is-nearing-the-point-of-no-return-and-Israel-is-waiting-for-it Thu, 24 Sep 2026 20:45:16 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508559-Tehran-dictates-terms-for-talks-as-Trump-issues-new-threats-at-UN Tehran demands an end to war on all fronts, the lifting of the naval blockade, and the release of its frozen assets before diplomacy can resume Iran issued its conditions for a return to diplomacy with the US through Qatari mediation in New York, on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). Baghaei stated that Tehran is demanding an end to the fighting on all fronts, a halt to US acts of aggression, the lifting of Washington's naval blockade, an end to its economic war on Iran, and the release of Iranian assets. "The interaction that took place was through Qatari mediation. In fact, the Iranian delegation conveyed its views and conditions to the American side very clearly and explicitly through the mediators." Baghaei added that Iran had relayed its terms in recent weeks as well, including its position on the security of the Strait of Hormuz, while a source told IRIB... https://www.sott.net/article/508559-Tehran-dictates-terms-for-talks-as-Trump-issues-new-threats-at-UN Thu, 24 Sep 2026 20:44:28 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508558-The-politics-of-faking-success As a politician, Donald Trump has always been almost unmatched in his ability to direct and steer the media in ways that benefit him. Throughout his first term, Trump was excellent at making sudden policy reversals and grand, out-of-the-blue announcements that would leave the legacy media scrambling to keep up and therefore keep news consumers from looking too closely at his actual actions for too long. He would completely make up accomplishments and great political victories and operate as if they were real. And he would frequently post purposefully provocative tweets that would take an overwhelmingly popular position and word it in the perfect way to generate a complete meltdown from progressive and establishment opponents. With that last strategy especially, Trump was able to turn what was, on the surface, a profoundly negative relationship with the legacy press into a persistent political advantage. In truth, the media, which enjoyed a massive "Trump bump" in engagement and... https://www.sott.net/article/508558-The-politics-of-faking-success Thu, 24 Sep 2026 20:43:35 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508557-Surprise-MSM-show-60-Minutes-airs-misleading-report-on-Trump-pardons When Bari Weiss was hired to lead CBS News last year, many of the network's star reporters feared the centrist founder of The Free Press news site would turn the network into a mouthpiece for the Trump administration. Longtime "60 Minutes" correspondent Scott Pelley was fired after he accused Weiss of "murdering the show." If the season premiere of 60 Minutes is any indication, progressives have little to complain about. In a segment titled "The Pardon Economy," veteran CBS reporter Lesley Stahl alleges that Trump has upended the way U.S. presidents have dispensed pardons for "100 years or more" by creating a "new system" that involves lobbyists and high-priced "pardon brokers." Stahl's report suggests that Trump has replaced the normal order - in which pardons typically go through an apolitical review by the Justice Department's Office of the Pardon Attorney- with a scheme that looks like "pay-to-play." It has already led Democrats to vow they will investigate the issue if they... https://www.sott.net/article/508557-Surprise-MSM-show-60-Minutes-airs-misleading-report-on-Trump-pardons Thu, 24 Sep 2026 20:18:18 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508556-Cannon-fodder-no-more-South-Korea-rejects-Trumps-pressure-to-join-his-criminal-war-on-Iran This is a pivotal moment in history as South Korea tells Trump it is done with being a vassal for American imperialist wars. KJ Noh notes in this interview for Strategic Culture Foundation that South Korea's defiance of U.S. power is resonating with growing resistance among other nations towards Washington's bullying and warmongering. President Lee Jae-myung of South Korea gave a televised nationwide address last week declaring that his country would not be deploying military forces to the Strait of Hormuz. That announcement followed weeks of speculation that South Korea would cave to pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been arm-twisting Seoul and other allies to send military support for his seven-month war on Iran. A war that is plunging the global and American economy into turmoil and could derail his presidency in the U.S. mid-term elections. Geopolitical commentator KJ Noh says the public rejection of Trump's appeal by South Korea is a major blow to Washington's... https://www.sott.net/article/508556-Cannon-fodder-no-more-South-Korea-rejects-Trumps-pressure-to-join-his-criminal-war-on-Iran Thu, 24 Sep 2026 20:18:08 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508555-Britains-elites-want-you-ready-to-die-for-a-war-they-keep-imagining As the warnings about Russia grow louder, the public is being told to fear more, question less and prepare for war. Great Britain is going through a war scare. Or to be precise, its combined political and media establishment is subjecting its people to a relentless propaganda (in up-to-date NATO-speak "cognitive warfare") campaign to create a sense of impending war against Russia. As you would expect, that war is, of course, framed as strictly defensive. In propaganda textbook manner, the message is both very simple and very repetitive: The UK is in great danger of a Russian attack, and its whole population must prepare itself to withstand and resist it. It goes without saying that Moscow's repeated declarations of having no such intention make no difference. Britain is certainly not alone in its establishment-induced hysteria. Much of NATO-EU Europe is undergoing, in essence, the same treatment. In France, for instance, President Emmanuel Macron has called a theatrical... https://www.sott.net/article/508555-Britains-elites-want-you-ready-to-die-for-a-war-they-keep-imagining Thu, 24 Sep 2026 20:10:35 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508553-Geranium-apocalypse-Courtesy-of-the-CIA Europe has apparently found its next Russian horror story: drones hidden aboard merchant ships, sailing quietly into the Mediterranean before suddenly striking Spain, France or Italy. And right on cue comes the CIA, with El Mundo reporting that US intelligence has "warned" European governments of precisely such a Russian plan. One small problem: even Italy's defence minister says the supposed alert has not been confirmed. The bigger question is even simpler — why would Russia risk turning civilian shipping into disposable drone platforms when it already possesses far more effective ways of hitting anything it actually wants to hit? The headline practically writes itself: CIA reveals Moscow's secret plan to attack Europe from the sea. Read beyond it, however, and the whole thing starts looking like dollar store propaganda. According to the reporting, small Russian Gerbera drones could supposedly be concealed inside shipping containers aboard commercial vessels, carried into the... https://www.sott.net/article/508553-Geranium-apocalypse-Courtesy-of-the-CIA Thu, 24 Sep 2026 19:40:31 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508537-The-calm-before-the-showdown The only art that the Prince must totally master it's the art of war — Machiavelli The Supreme Warrior Wins Without Fighting — Sun Tzu This was supposed to be the calm before the storm. Where the Epstein Syndicate would schmooze the Global South gathered in New York for the - comatose - UN General Assembly and seduce them with assorted "gifts", wooing them away from the impending Great Debacle and deflecting attention from the breathtaking speed of the collapse of Pax Americana. Cut to Wednesday, when we have Day One of the UN General Assembly Debate, with Neo-Crassus/Neo-Caligula/Goldfinger/Psycho Toddler supposed to deliver a speech. On the same day, he meets with the Gulf petro-sheiks for what could become some sort of suicidal pact. And then on Friday, Xi Dada in person comes to the U.S. on an official state visit. (Invisible) sparks are guaranteed to fly. All that would guarantee that the nearly inevitable New Demented Offensive on Iran and the Axis of Resistance might be... https://www.sott.net/article/508537-The-calm-before-the-showdown Wed, 23 Sep 2026 21:19:35 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508535-Inside-Israels-agent-factory-How-Mossad-cultivates-betrayal Israeli intelligence recruits through money, ideology, coercion, and years of calculated grooming - only to discard its agents once their usefulness expires. Israel's intelligence community is closely associated with advanced technology, secretive agencies, and the rivalries that intensified after Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. Behind this apparatus, however, agent recruitment remains a patient human enterprise, built on vulnerability, access, and dependence on an Israeli handler. In its early years, Israeli intelligence relied heavily on Jewish operatives for both routine and sensitive missions. As its reach expanded into hostile environments, more collection work was entrusted to recruited agents inside Arab and Palestinian societies, while Jewish operatives continued to provide logistical and operational support abroad. Technological expansion later shifted the balance, with Israel investing heavily in cyber capabilities, signals intelligence, artificial intelligence (AI), and... https://www.sott.net/article/508535-Inside-Israels-agent-factory-How-Mossad-cultivates-betrayal Wed, 23 Sep 2026 20:13:58 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508534-The-Carpathian-Eight-An-alliance-in-the-mountains-or-a-supply-route-for-the-next-war Ukraine's new regional initiative has turned the Carpathians into a test of how far its neighbors will follow Kiev's lead The inaugural summit of the new Carpathian Eight (C8) cooperation format, initiated by Ukraine with EU support, took place on September 18-20. Leaders and representatives from eight countries in the Carpathian region were invited to discuss security, energy, logistics, and cross-border cooperation. The initiative - intended to unite nations, some of which do not officially supply weapons to Ukraine but wish to foster "good-neighborly relations" - has turned into a zero-sum game. Yielding no significant economic benefits and failing to address real economic challenges, it only serves to isolate the region from pan-continental logistics corridors. Is the Carpathian Initiative a Ukrainian or European project? The foundation for the Carpathian Initiative was laid by Ukraine back in 2001-2003, when it acted as the primary initiator and depositary of the Framework... https://www.sott.net/article/508534-The-Carpathian-Eight-An-alliance-in-the-mountains-or-a-supply-route-for-the-next-war Wed, 23 Sep 2026 20:12:49 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508533-The-Dictator-of-Kiev-needs-the-war-Closing-Russian-skies-to-stay-in-power On September 1, 2026, Volodymyr Zelensky declared that Russian airspace is "becoming completely dangerous." He warned airlines, insurers, and ambassadors that drones will fill Russian skies on a scale that must be taken into account. "The safe days in Russia's skies are over." This was not an operational communication. It was a declaration by a man who needs the war to continue and expand. Ukraine has been conducting a systematic campaign of drone strikes against Russian oil refineries since the beginning of 2026. The attacks have targeted nearly every major refinery in European Russia, covering the majority of the country's refining capacity. Lukoil plants in Volgograd, Perm and NORSI in Kstovo have been hit multiple times, and as of late August, all of Lukoil's major refineries were out of operation. Oil processing has dropped significantly. Fuel shortages, sales restrictions and long queues at petrol stations have appeared across many Russian regions. Zelensky had previously... https://www.sott.net/article/508533-The-Dictator-of-Kiev-needs-the-war-Closing-Russian-skies-to-stay-in-power Wed, 23 Sep 2026 20:12:41 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508532-The-Danes-lied-the-most-Whats-really-in-the-text-of-Trumps-landmark-deal-with-Greenland US To Establish Two New Military Bases In Greenland The United States plans to open two new military bases in Greenland, an expansion made possible by a new security agreement between the US, Denmark, and the semi-autonomous Danish territory of Greenland. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, and Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen signed the new security agreement during a trilateral ceremony at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The "agreement," which amends a 1951 defense treaty, allows the US "to establish an additional Defense Area at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig in accordance with modalities and technical details to be mutually agreed by the Parties," which is where the two new military bases will be created. Narsarsuaq hosted the US Bluie West One military base in the 1940s and 1950s. Mestersvig is a current military outpost used by the Danish special forces unit called Sirius Dog Sled Patrol. The agreement also... https://www.sott.net/article/508532-The-Danes-lied-the-most-Whats-really-in-the-text-of-Trumps-landmark-deal-with-Greenland Wed, 23 Sep 2026 20:11:55 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508531-Changing-the-rules-of-the-game-Britain-and-Israel-at-a-crossroads Britain's relationship with Israel is entering a new phase as the E1 settlement dispute collides with wider struggles over the Red Sea, Gaza's energy resources, IMEC, intelligence technology and post-Brexit influence. As London pressures Israel while maintaining strategic cooperation, the question is whether Britain is changing the rules of the relationship-or preparing for a deeper geopolitical shift. For decades, Britain and Israel have maintained strong relations. Israel-Palestine issue has always tensed the relations, but both have preserved their relations for broader strategic gains. Once again, both are at a crossroads due to the same Israel-Palestine conflict. Britain has banned trade with Israel after Israel announced the E1 settlement project. This project will lead towards a two-state agenda. Britain, on humanitarian grounds, has raised its voice for Palestinians. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said, "This Israeli Government's publication of a tender for the E1 settlement... https://www.sott.net/article/508531-Changing-the-rules-of-the-game-Britain-and-Israel-at-a-crossroads Wed, 23 Sep 2026 20:07:41 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508528-The-US-wants-to-ban-Iranian-airlines-worldwide-can-it United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has announced that all Iranian airlines could in effect be shut out of international operations from Wednesday as he warned companies against providing services to the country's carriers. "On September 23, all the Iranian airlines will be shut down around the world," Bessent said on Monday. He warned that the sanctions are not only aimed at airlines but also at the operations chain. "If they land, you cannot provide them with fuel, you cannot provide them with landing services, you cannot sell them tickets or you will be knocked out of the dollar system," he said. The announcement marked a step up in US President Donald Trump's "Operation Economic Outcast" to squeeze Tehran's already battered economy. So how can the US ground Iranian airlines? And what does it mean for millions of travellers in the Middle East? https://www.sott.net/article/508528-The-US-wants-to-ban-Iranian-airlines-worldwide-can-it Wed, 23 Sep 2026 17:53:19 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508526-Trump-administration-dives-into-U-N-Secretary-General-race The next leader of the United Nations could, for the first time, be a woman. But first she'll need Trump's approval. This year, for the first time in its 80-year history, the United Nations may select a woman to serve as its secretary general. Of the eight candidates nominated so far for the position, five are women, and many U.N. members argue that it's finally their turn. But as the U.N. Security Council undertakes its months-long, ultrasecret selection process, hopefully making its choice before Portugal's António Guterres reaches the end of his five-year term on Dec. 31, other factors are at play beyond gender. The Trump administration, which has veto power on the council, is working overtime to ensure that the new leadership is in sync with its plans to continue cutting the U.N. budget and workforce. Beyond long-standing funding concerns, it wants to effect fundamental change across the global body, in particular the way it handles the three "pillars" of its charter — peace... https://www.sott.net/article/508526-Trump-administration-dives-into-U-N-Secretary-General-race Tue, 22 Sep 2026 20:27:13 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508525-Trump-signs-off-on-Russia-sanctions-from-hell-Who-could-get-hit US President Donald Trump has signed into law a sweeping expansion of sanctions against Russia, giving Washington new powers to target Moscow as well as major buyers of Russian energy. The legislation authorizes tariffs of up to 100% on goods from certain countries purchasing Russian oil and gas, while imports from Russia could face duties of up to 500%. The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act also expands restrictions on Russian officials, financial institutions and other entities linked to the government. The White House has said the legislation is intended to increase economic pressure on Moscow over the Ukraine conflict while giving the president broad discretion over waivers and the eventual termination of sanctions. RT examines the law's key provisions, who could be affected and what the measures could mean for Russia's trade partners. https://www.sott.net/article/508525-Trump-signs-off-on-Russia-sanctions-from-hell-Who-could-get-hit Tue, 22 Sep 2026 20:24:44 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508524-US-proposes-AI-alert-system-with-China The US has proposed creating an alert system with China to notify each other when artificial intelligence incidents become serious enough to threaten national security. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the proposal after talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in New York on Sunday, ahead of a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Washington this week. Bessent told reporters: "We want a shared vision of common goals and common threats. We think that just like any cross-border activity, that moving from opaque to more transparency between the No. 1 and the No. 2 AI powers in the world is very important." The proposed mechanism could cover serious incidents such as AI-enabled cyberattacks or major model failures, according to experts cited by AP. Chinese researchers have also pointed to risks to critical infrastructure including electricity, telecommunications, finance and transportation. https://www.sott.net/article/508524-US-proposes-AI-alert-system-with-China Tue, 22 Sep 2026 20:24:06 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508523-Meloni-Italy-set-to-ban-face-coverings-in-school-limit-foreign-students-per-class Italy is moving to ban face coverings in schools and limit the number of foreign students per class, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced at a youth event on Sept. 19. The event was hosted by her political party, Brothers of Italy. It marks a push by her government to respond to the continuing influx of non-European immigrants, especially those from the Islamic world, with the goal of ensuring these children can better assimilate into Italian society. "For us, anyone who comes to Italy and wants to build their future here must learn our language, understand our culture, and respect our rules," she said to a standing ovation. "It is the only serious way to welcome them." One major element of this education reform will be making learning Italian mandatory. "If there is only one child in a class who doesn't understand Italian, that child will likely be able to learn the language and integrate quickly with the help of classmates and teachers," she said. "However, if the number of... https://www.sott.net/article/508523-Meloni-Italy-set-to-ban-face-coverings-in-school-limit-foreign-students-per-class Tue, 22 Sep 2026 20:22:37 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508522-James-Corbett-This-week-in-world-warfare There are decades where nothing happens and there are weeks where decades happen. This was one of those weeks. Yes, if you've been keeping track of the unfolding geopolitical drama over the past week, you'll already know what I'm talking about. And if you haven't been keeping track of that drama, strap in and get ready, because you're about to get a data dump on the latest news about the world of warfare. From the 5th-generation war on everyone to the series of escalating regional wars that are threatening to merge into a full-scale, global WWIII, the latest news has something for everyone! https://www.sott.net/article/508522-James-Corbett-This-week-in-world-warfare Tue, 22 Sep 2026 20:17:08 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508520-Give-Peace-a-Chance The Drums of War are sounding loudly. It's time to sing a different tune. "All we are saying is give peace a chance." These words, sung by John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band, have resonated throughout the decades as a mantra embraced by well-meaning people around the world. The question remains, however: are we serious about actually giving peace a chance, or are we simply going to give lip service to a cause while being frog-marched by the powers that be toward a destiny we all can see, but refuse to acknowledge? Today the world is singularly focused on the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine as the most likely trigger for a future conflict between NATO and Russia. But this most likely is not the case — the Ukraine conflict is in its waning moments, with a Russian victory all but assured. Instead, the probable source of geopolitical ignition will come from a crisis that emerges in the Baltics and/or the Arctic regions, where a chastened Europe desperately looks for... https://www.sott.net/article/508520-Give-Peace-a-Chance Tue, 22 Sep 2026 19:40:51 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508519-EU-nation-detains-former-presidential-frontrunner-Calin-Georgescu The Romanian fraud case against Calin Georgescu was first revealed just before his 2024 victory was annulled in an unprecedented move Romanian right-wing politician Calin Georgescu, who won the first round of the country's 2024 presidential election before the result was controversially annulled, has been detained in connection with an alleged €1 million fraud scheme. Georgescu's surprise win on an anti-NATO platform was met with accusations from Brussels and Bucharest of fake online campaigning. He was disqualified from running when a new vote was held, despite revelations that the suspected digital campaign in question was run by a party opposing him. https://www.sott.net/article/508519-EU-nation-detains-former-presidential-frontrunner-Calin-Georgescu Tue, 22 Sep 2026 19:37:30 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508507-The-revenge-of-the-East-The-end-of-West-Germany-has-finally-come The establishment's defeats in eastern regional elections mark more than a party crisis. Occasionally, history does dish out poetic justice. It can also be exceedingly funny, if in a merciless way. Germany's well-known tragedy - or let's say, one of them - is that it suffers from a chronic deficiency of irony, so many Germans will fail to see the funny side of what has just happened. And yet, there is something very deserved as well as ironic about the recent catastrophe of the country's establishment parties in three turning-point regional elections - in Saxony-Anhalt, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Berlin. The stunning successes of the new-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in two of them (Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) have attracted most attention. And rightly so: For one thing, any remaining establishment delusions about marginalizing the AfD out of German politics using a "firewall" are now where they have belonged for a very long time: on the trash heap of... https://www.sott.net/article/508507-The-revenge-of-the-East-The-end-of-West-Germany-has-finally-come Tue, 22 Sep 2026 08:38:33 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508503-US-keeps-boasting-about-militarizing-space-60-years-after-Outer-Space-Treaty The intention remains the same as decades prior - militarize space under the guise of "defense". In recent days and weeks, the United States has openly started boasting about having orbital weapons, in direct violation of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty (OST), which effectively forbids the militarization of space. The mainstream propaganda machine has been trying to whitewash the Pentagon, claiming that this supposedly "ends decades of official ambiguity" about American military capabilities in space. However, many of my esteemed colleagues and I have been writing for years about US violations in space. According to US Air Force Secretary Troy Meink, Washington DC already has "on-orbit space control weapons" and that these are supposedly "intended to defend American forces against hostile action". The US Space Force claims that these systems are "able to deliver disruption, degradation and even destruction of an adversary". The Pentagon is yet to reveal details about the types of... https://www.sott.net/article/508503-US-keeps-boasting-about-militarizing-space-60-years-after-Outer-Space-Treaty Mon, 21 Sep 2026 20:14:18 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508502-Iran-sends-peace-terms-to-US Tehran is awaiting US President Donald Trump's response to its conditions for restarting negotiations. Iran has conveyed its peace terms to the US through Qatari mediators, the country's top security official, Mohsen Rezaei, has said, arguing that it is in America's interests to accept them. The 60-day period provided under the US-Iranian memorandum of understanding to negotiate a settlement expired last month without a deal, while disrupted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz continues to drive up energy prices. Rezaei wrote on X on Saturday: "Seven conditions set by Iran for the start of any negotiations have been conveyed to the US administration. Tehran's message is clear and unambiguous: If Washington wants to escape the predicament it has created for itself and avoid becoming further entangled in it, it has no choice but to recognize Iran's rights and accept its conditions." In an interview with Al Jazeera, Rezaei, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security... https://www.sott.net/article/508502-Iran-sends-peace-terms-to-US Mon, 21 Sep 2026 20:12:48 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508500-Clown-world-Unelected-EU-official-Kaja-Kallas-fumes-over-Russian-election The bloc's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, ignored the 1,600 drones launched by Ukraine as over 60 million people cast their ballots EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has lashed out at the results of Russia's parliamentary election, dismissing it as a "veneer of democracy." The senior EU official, a noted Russia hawk who was appointed, not elected, to her post in 2024, made no mention of the 1,600 drones Ukraine launched into Russia during the vote. Her claims of democratic dysfunction did not include Ukraine's own indefinitely suspended elections, but stuck to a vote whereby some 60 million people cast ballots across 11 time zones. In a post on X on Monday, Kallas targeted the three-day elections in which the ruling United Russia party retained a commanding parliamentary majority with nearly 58% of the party-list vote, well ahead of its rivals, according to preliminary results. Turnout exceeded 59% from 51.7% in 2021, according to Central Election Commission chief Ella Pamfilova. https://www.sott.net/article/508500-Clown-world-Unelected-EU-official-Kaja-Kallas-fumes-over-Russian-election Mon, 21 Sep 2026 20:03:15 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508497-US-shipment-of-F-35-jet-components-goes-MIA-in-shocking-detour-to-Hong-Kong Among the missing items is an F-35 canopy, a major part of the fighter jet that contains sensitive technology... Lawmakers and the Trump administration are investigating the odd disappearance of a U.S.-bound shipment of F-35 fighter jet components from Australia, which were originally meant to be repaired on U.S. soil, according to new reporting by Politico. The report, published Friday and citing three anonymous sources, noted that an intermediary was transporting the equipment on behalf of American defense manufacturer Lockheed Martin through the Pacific Ocean before it was diverted to Hong Kong. The three unnamed sources suggested that neither the Pentagon nor Lockheed Martin knows why the shipment ended up in Hong Kong. https://www.sott.net/article/508497-US-shipment-of-F-35-jet-components-goes-MIA-in-shocking-detour-to-Hong-Kong Mon, 21 Sep 2026 19:46:54 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508495-The-Arctic-front-of-the-Wests-cordon-sanitaire-is-the-most-threatening-to-Russia The military-technical developments there aim to greatly mitigate Russia's nuclear second-strike capabilities via the Golden Dome in parallel with posing an unprecedented fifth-generation aerial threat via the F-35As that'll outmatch Russia's Su-57s by 10:1 without the US and 35:1 if it's included. RT reviewed the 2026 Russian Military Yearbook, which is sponsored by the state arms company and meant only for senior members of the national security apparatus. Their article can be read in full here, but the present piece will only focus on the part about "The Very Cold War". This is in reference to escalating NATO-Russian tensions in the Arctic. The Yearbook details NATO's large-scale military drills in the Arctic, its allies' arms build-ups, and their deep displeasure with Russia's Northern Sea Route. Most alarmingly, the Yearbook mentioned that Finland plans to acquire 64 F-35As while Canada will receive 88 of them. It was separately reported that Norway already has 52 F-35As,... https://www.sott.net/article/508495-The-Arctic-front-of-the-Wests-cordon-sanitaire-is-the-most-threatening-to-Russia Mon, 21 Sep 2026 19:03:14 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508489-Polish-diplomatic-security-chief-falls-from-third-floor-window Warsaw's officials refused to allow local Slovenian police to enter the diplomatic compound where the incident took place A senior Polish Foreign Ministry official has been critically injured after falling from a third-floor window at a building located within the country's embassy compound in Slovenia, local media have reported. The incident occurred at around 3 AM on September 13 but only came to light several days later. The man was identified by Polish outlets as the head of the Foreign Ministry's Diplomatic Security Bureau, which oversees the security of ministry facilities in Poland and the country's diplomatic missions abroad. He has remained in critical condition in a Slovenian hospital since the fall. The official had reportedly collected a diplomatic package and was expected to deliver it onward without a formal assignment. https://www.sott.net/article/508489-Polish-diplomatic-security-chief-falls-from-third-floor-window Mon, 21 Sep 2026 09:34:04 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508488-Germany-Merzs-DCU-party-hits-new-low-in-regional-election-disaster The chancellor's CDU is on course for its worst-ever state showing in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and trails the Left in Berlin German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has described his Christian Democratic Union's performance in Sunday's state election in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania as a "disaster," after preliminary results showed a historic low for the party. The CDU has fared better in Berlin, but its result there still appears to have dashed its hopes of leading the next government. The CDU received just 5.5% of the vote, according to an ARD exit poll, its worst results in a state election since the founding of the federal republic in 1949. This leaves the party just above the 5% threshold required to enter the regional parliament. https://www.sott.net/article/508488-Germany-Merzs-DCU-party-hits-new-low-in-regional-election-disaster Sun, 20 Sep 2026 21:27:14 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508487-Massie-explains-his-strategy-for-targeting-Hegseth-with-impeachment The non-interventionist D.C.-based think tank Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft has published an interview with the one Republican who has been most outspoken against Trump's Iran war. Trump had in turn starting last spring launched a political war of his own against Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, who has been in the hot seat, with his political future in question. But Massie has been unrelenting, even after being defeated for another term by the largely unkown Ed Gallrein, a Republican candidate backed by President Trump and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), and groups like the Republican Jewish Coalition. Massie, who has unveiled eight articles of impeachment against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, spoke to Responsible Statecraft about why he's gong after Trump's Pentagon chief - which appears focused on the his launching 'unauthorized' military actions in Iran, without Congressional approval. The argument as laid out below hinges on whether Hegseth was... https://www.sott.net/article/508487-Massie-explains-his-strategy-for-targeting-Hegseth-with-impeachment Sun, 20 Sep 2026 21:16:54 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508485-BRICS-shift-65-of-internal-trade-away-from-the-dollar Only 35 % of trades within BRICS remain denominated in US dollars. The greenback is increasingly losing ground within the BRICS alliance. Indeed, the use of local currencies in various commercial exchanges is now intensifying among the member states of the bloc. The reduction of their dependence on the dollar as well as the related costs of cross-border payments are the objectives thus set. This revolution then constitutes a new phase in the struggle for monetary sovereignty, while the US administration tries to safeguard the international power of its currency. The BRICS are gradually reshaping the global financial power relations, between dedollarization, sovereign digital currencies, and the American response. The BRICS trade flow report: the historic breakthrough of local currencies The timeline of dedollarization undertaken resolutely by the BRICS alliance since 2022 has just reached an important milestone in terms of international payments. In a report published by Pradip... https://www.sott.net/article/508485-BRICS-shift-65-of-internal-trade-away-from-the-dollar Sun, 20 Sep 2026 20:48:56 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/508484-Trump-extends-most-favored-nation-drug-pricing-model-across-state-Medicaid-Programs President Donald Trump announced that Medicaid programs in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico are moving into a federal model designed to cap participating prescription-drug costs at most-favored-nation prices through manufacturer rebates. President Donald Trump announced Friday that Medicaid programs nationwide are moving into his administration's most-favored-nation prescription-drug pricing initiative, expanding agreements reached with major pharmaceutical manufacturers to state programs across the country. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump announced the nationwide expansion of the pricing agreements to Medicaid programs in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. https://www.sott.net/article/508484-Trump-extends-most-favored-nation-drug-pricing-model-across-state-Medicaid-Programs Sun, 20 Sep 2026 20:48:21 +0000