“Iran Is Losing Its Grip On Hormuz”: Strait Traffic Explodes Nearly 400%
Shortly after President Trump declared the Strait of Hormuz “an American territory” on Friday evening, the New York Post published a new report citing UK Maritime Trade Operations data showing that commercial traffic through the critical waterway has rebounded sharply as more vessels use a US-backed route along Oman’s coast. This suggests that the US military presence and offensive operations in the region have degraded Tehran’s ability to fully control the waterway.
Iranian hackers shut down UK power plant, Telegraph reports
Hackers from Iran have managed to shut down a power plant in the UK this summer. The cyberattack is described by The Telegraph newspaper as the first successful one of its kind. According to The Telegraph, the unnamed power plant was out of operation for four days before staff were finally able to fix the problems.
China tells companies not to help with EU probe into JD.com
China’s justice ministry on Wednesday ordered companies and individuals not to assist an EU investigation into Chinese ecommerce giant JD.com. The move escalates a growing clash with Brussels over its scrutiny of Chinese state subsidies. In May, the European Commission opened a probe into the company, under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation, over concerns that state support gave JD.com an unfair advantage in the EU single market.
Volkswagen sounds the alarm
Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume warned Sunday that the carmaker was in a “more than critical” state as he prepared to meet employees and defend sweeping cost-cutting plans amid mounting pressure on Germany’s auto industry. In an interview posted on the company’s intranet and sent to AFP, Oliver Blume said Volkswagen and the rest of Germany’s car industry are facing “the biggest upheaval in their history” from global headwinds and Chinese competition. The carmaker is weighing up huge job cuts and in coming days Blume will meet with employees at Volkswagen’s HQ in Wolfsburg and sites in Zwickau and Emden to give updates on the company’s plans.
Two killed as severe storm batters Latvia and Lithuania
Two people have died in a severe storm that hit Latvia and Lithuania this weekend. Hundreds of thousands of households are without power. This appears to be the most serious storm in Latvia since 2005 in terms of its overall impact, says Andris Viksna at the Latvian Meteorological Centre. The storm, with strong winds and torrential rain, began on Saturday and continued overnight into Sunday.
Pakistan army chief Asim Munir to visit Tehran for talks on regional peace
Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir, who has taken part in Pakistani mediation efforts between Iran and the United States, is traveling to the Iranian capital, Tehran, in a likely attempt to resume talks. The announcement of the visit came from Defence Ministry spokesman Esmail Baqaei, who said the visit would strengthen bilateral relations.
Macron hosts Saudi crown prince for two-day visit spanning energy to Middle East
French President Emmanuel Macron Sunday welcomed Saudi crown prince and de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman for a two-day visit, hosting him at the Esports World Cup before a second day focused on bilateral deals and the situation in the Middle East. A French presidential official said several agreements, on health, transport and energy, will be signed on Monday alongside talks likely to focus on Iran. The event, which brings together the leading performers in esports ranging from computer games to chess and has been eagerly backed by Riyadh, is being held outside Saudi Arabia for the first time.
Humanoid robot breaks Usain Bolt’s 100m record in China
Faceless humanoids exceeded human records and delighted hundreds of spectators at the World Robot Games over the weekend in Beijing as China showcased its dominance in the industry. Dozens of humanoids and their human operators descended on Beijing’s Olympic speed skating arena Sunday to compete in events from athletics and boxing to football and martial arts. During Saturday’s opening ceremony, a Chinese robot broke Jamaican legend Usain Bolt’s record for the 100-metre dash, a feat splashed across headlines in Chinese state media.
Flock camera backlash adds fuel to midterm anti-AI frenzy
Flock cameras are joining data centers as a top midterm boogeyman, with members of Congress and congressional candidates trying to harness a sudden groundswell of grassroots anger over the AI surveillance tool. Why it matters: This blowup over the country’s massive network of license plate readers illustrates how rapidly AI has morphed from a peripheral issue in national politics toward the center of the midterm campaign. Now, surveillance cameras are opening a new front in the debate over AI.
Uncontained brush fire in Nevada triggered by human activity; inferno grows to 13K acr
The fast-moving brush fire that has scorched more than 13,000 acres outside Reno, Nevada, since erupting Saturday was caused by human activity, authorities said. Firefighters have yet to contain any part of the blaze, which is threatening roughly 1,000 homes and has prompted evacuations for roughly 42,000 residents. Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo declared a state of emergency for Washoe County as the Hawk Fire grew quickly throughout the day. Strong, gusty winds, low humidity and dry vegetation helped fuel the flames,
The Great Saudi NEOM to Newcastle, MBS’s Unlimited Checkbook Is Coming To an End
Mohammed bin Salman’s utopian city was undone by the laws of physics and finance. Even its designers warned that physics might not cooperate. Beneath the marina, engineers planned a high-speed rail station. Above the chandelier, another flourish: a 45,000-seat football stadium perched 350 metres above sea level, ready for Saudi Arabia’s 2034 World Cup. “ When construction began three years ago, The Line was meant to be a symbol of unstoppable momentum: transformative urban living without traditional streets or cars, powered by renewables, running uninterrupted from the Gulf of Aqaba to the Hejaz mountains.
Temporary Protected Status Ends For 13 Nationalities
A court on Aug. 18 effectively ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for the last of 13 nationalities that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) targeted during President Donald Trump’s second term. The 13 countries included Haiti, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, Cameroon, Nepal, Honduras, Nicaragua, Venezuela, South Sudan, Burma, Somalia, and Ethiopia. DHS and legal experts say the more than one million foreign nationals previously covered by TPS are now, technically, illegal aliens. After the Aug. 18 decision, DHS urged foreign nationals to self-deport – take a free flight home and a $2,600 check – or be removed.
WHO Says Pandemic Determinations Can Be Made Without ‘Evidence Of Illness’
The World Health Organization (WHO) says evidence that a person is actually sick is not required for a “laboratory-confirmed” human influenza infection with “the potential to cause a pandemic” to trigger mandatory international reporting. What? The statement raises an obvious question: If evidence of illness is not required to set off a chain of events that could trigger authoritarian international pandemic response, what evidence is required? The implications are difficult to ignore. If nobody has to be sick, and “laboratory confirmation” can ultimately rest on a fluorescence reading, what evidence of actual disease must exist before governments begin exercising pandemic powers?
Did Canada Just Sign Its Own Economic Death Warrant?
Canadian Prime Minister and WEF globalist Mark Carney has been a disaster for Canada since he entered office. There were many critics who believed the Trudeau regime could not be topped in terms of self destructive behavior, but one could easily argue that Carney is far more dangerous and far more devious. So basically, Carney is saying: Canadians will lose buying power, pay more for goods, and lose jobs, but it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make to save face with the “elbows up” crowd. … the Canadian government abandoned a nearly finalized trade deal with the US in the final hour of talks, leaving many analysts (and Canadians) bewildered. Carney has been pursuing trade deals with the EU and China in an attempt to “replace” US markets and save Canadian exports. These agreements are being hailed by the Davos crowd as a “New World Order” that decouples from the US economy. However, there are a number of problems.
Alfalfa Sprouts Linked To Bacterial Infections In 15 US States
A total of 55 people have been infected with E. coli and Salmonella across 15 states in an outbreak linked to alfalfa sprouts, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Of those 55 people, 46 were infected with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, or STEC, seven with Salmonella, and two with both pathogens, according to the FDA’s Aug. 21 update. Four people have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.
American Jews bore brunt of religion-based hate crimes in 2025, FBI data shows
ews were the target of 1,528 hate crime incidents in the United States in 2025, according to FBI data released this week, accounting for 63 percent of all religion-based hate crimes reported nationwide despite making up roughly two percent of the American population. The figures place Jews seven times ahead of the next most targeted religious group, Muslims, who were the victims of 205 hate crime incidents last year. Black Americans were the most targeted group overall, with 2,811 hate crimes recorded against them, though the FBI noted the Black population in the US is roughly six times the size of the Jewish population.
‘Where to kill Barron Trump?’ Iran places $10 million bounty on Trump’s son
Since the start of the war between the United States and Iran, Tehran has set several bounties on major American officials, in addition to U.S. President Donald Trump and other members of his family. Earlier, Tasnim News Agency, an outlet affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), made headlines after sharing a clip of tips on how to “assassinate U.S. First Lady Melania Trump”. Following the release of an IRGC-linked video tracking Melania Trump, IRGC media and State TV channel 3 have now leaked confidential location and movement logs for Barron Trump, son of Donald Trump, declaring him within striking range. A clip was posted by Iranian media and affiliated accounts featuring the title “Where to kill Barron Trump?”
The UN on the way to the unknown
As António Guterres, the United Nations secretary-general, will soon start clearing his desk and prepare for retirement, assessments of his tenure vary between “passable” and “mediocre.” The real issue, however, is the decline in the status and authority of what was once seen as the world’s highest diplomatic position.
State says alleged Somali gang members have agreed to stay away from Minnesota State Fair
“Why do we have to negotiate with terrorist gangs to be allowed to hold the State Fair?” asked Bill Glahn, a policy fellow at the Center of the American Experiment.
Iran weighs invitation to join Saudi-Turkey-Pakistan defense pact
Iran is considering an invitation to join a mutual defense alliance established this month by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan, an Iranian parliamentary news agency official said, potentially expanding the three-country security framework to include Tehran. Neither the Iranian Foreign Ministry nor any of the three countries that established the alliance has officially confirmed the invitation.
Kushner’s extraordinary warning to Hamas
ared Kushner reportedly met Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya in Cairo after US intelligence indicated that some Hamas officials were planning to violate commitments to disarm. The negotiations with the Hamas terrorist organization in Cairo have reportedly entered a critical phase, with a direct warning delivered to Hamas’ leadership by the US. Jared Kushner… made it clear that any attempt to violate the agreement or conceal weapons would bring the diplomatic process to an immediate halt and leave Israel free to act militarily.
Syrian FM says expects talks on a security deal with Israel to restart soon
Damascus expects negotiations with Jerusalem to resume soon, in the hope of securing a security agreement that includes Israel’s withdrawal from Syrian territory, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said in an interview with Reuters on Saturday.
Promises To Cripple The Demonic Regime In Iran Are Politically Damaging If The Administration Doesn’t Follow Through
Repeated promises to cripple the “Death to America, Death to Israel” regime, only to follow those threats with renewed invitations to the negotiating table, appear neither to have deterred Tehran nor convinced Americans that success is approaching.
IRAN CRISIS DEEPENS: Food Prices Soar As Trump’s Economic Pressure Squeezes Regime
Iran’s economic crisis is worsening as food prices soar, the rial plunges to record lows and ordinary Iranians increasingly struggle to afford basic necessities, according to the Associated Press. Rice prices are now reportedly 60% higher than before the war, while meat prices have jumped roughly 150%. The Iranian currency has meanwhile fallen past two million rials to the U.S. dollar on the open market.
Mexican Governor Indicted By The US Seeks Leave Again After Contentious Return To Office
The embattled governor of Mexico’s Sinaloa state has reversed his decision to return to his post, bowing to an extraordinary backlash from his own ruling party over accusations by U.S. prosecutors he conspired with a powerful cartel to smuggle drugs into the United States.
AI-enabled deception threatens future operations, raises chances of large conflict, says Special Operations leader
Faster intelligence gathering and analysis enabled by AI is allowing special operators to pull off missions that would have been impossible years ago, U.S. Special Operations Command leader Adm. Frank Bradley, said Wednesday. But malign actors empowered by simple AI tools are undermining military and civilian leaders’ confidence in digital information, he said. That credibility decay, raising doubt about what is and is not true, will affect not just operations but the ability of the United States to “generate that unity of effort” to deter or defend against adversarial attack, he said. “If you weren’t part of the inside crew, you probably couldn’t tell the difference because of how capable AI is at creating deepfake content.”
Japan earthquake jolts Tokyo area, over 30 injured
An earthquake rattled eastern Japan on Sunday. 37 people were injured, most lightly. This follows a powerful quake last month that left tens of thousands displaced, killing 38 people and injuring 364. The quake had a magnitude of 5.9, and its epicenter was in the southern Ibaraki prefecture with a depth of 42 miles.
3 critical factors that will lead to reduced food production for rest of 2026 and entire year 2027
We’re in a historic global hunger crisis. The Iran war has significantly restricted fertilizer from the MidEast, which the UN admits will make food supplies much tighter. Eastern Europe’s war has escalated, resulting in severely reduced wheat exports. It’s projected the strongest El Niño will peak and cause continued hammering of crops globally.
Price of diesel hits 7 dollars a gallon in California, and massive trade war just erupted between US and Canada
As diesel prices spike, it puts pressure on about everything else’s cost. Considering that Canada is our largest trade partner, slapping a 50% tariff on Canadian goods will not help our cost-of-living crisis. The U.S. economy is bleeding jobs, and Americans filing for bankruptcy have risen to a frightening level. It’s starting to look a lot like 2008 again.
Chinese Christian Detained After Listening to the Bible in His Car
A Christian living in northwestern China was arrested after listening to the Bible with a USB device in his car. The unnamed believer was stopped at a checkpoint while driving with his family through a Muslim-majority part of China to visit other Christians.
Turkey & Israel on Brink of Military Clash After Israel Strikes Syrian Airbase
At a moment of the ongoing Iran conflict, Israel and Turkey are escalating their competing claims and rhetoric over Syria, to the point that full-blown war is being threatened.
Mossad chief, Syria FM hold positive de-escalation talks after Israeli airbase strike
The meeting comes after Shaibani said Israel has a ‘historic opportunity’ for diplomacy. The IDF struck a Syrian airbase last week, intended to prevent Turkish military presence. A meeting between Israeli and Syrian officials “went well” amid ongoing efforts to lower tensions between the two countries.
Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan invited Iran to join newly established Mecca defense pact
Iran has been invited to join the Mecca Agreement for Mutual Defense, the new security alliance established by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan earlier this month, Al Mayadeen reported on Saturday, citing a senior Iranian official.
US envoy Barrack reverses Golan comments, reaffirms Trump’s recognition of Israeli sovereignty
The US ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria and Iraq. Tom Barrack appeared to reverse his previous comments on the status of the Golan Heights in recent days, backing the US recognition of the area as Israeli territory in a statement to the Associated Press on Sunday.
