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GOP analyst comes unglued over nonsensical Trump 'blood money' plan: 'Nefarious!'
A GOP analyst came unglued on CNN on Thursday while discussing President Donald Trump's plan to send "blood money" to Russia in exchange for a little diesel fuel. Marc Short, the former chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence, told CNN's Boris Sanchez that Trump's plan to import Russian diesel fuel in an attempt to offset high costs ahead of the midterms is as "nonsensical" as it is "nefarious." Short said Russia not only doesn't have the supply to make a difference in the oil market, but Russia will also use the money it earns from the sales to continue attacking Ukraine and arming America's enemies in the war against Iran. "So, economically it's nonsensical," Short said, noting Russia's capacity shortages. "But if they did and we were buying it, it's just blood money to Russia to kill more Ukrainians. Meanwhile, Russia is providing intel to Iran, which is using it against our men and women in uniform. So this whole policy makes no sense economically. But from a national security perspective, it's even more nefarious."Short's comments came at a time when Trump is struggling to keep his so-called "energy ceasefire" between Ukraine and Russia intact. Russia has repeatedly attacked Ukraine since the ceasefire was announced, and the U.S. secretly turned off Ukraine's access to its Starlink internet service, which paved the way for a massive Russian drone attack on a civilian area, according to reports.
Tech market sell-off deepens amid fears over US inflation and AI debt
Chip makers and tech investors such as Samsung and SoftBank plunge as potential interest rate hikes spook marketsBusiness news – live updatesLarry Elliott: the global economy is muddling through. But a storm is comingAn accelerating sell-off of AI-linked shares has hit global markets, as fears over rising inflation and future interest rate hikes spooked traders already wary of the heavily indebted sector.South Korea’s benchmark Kospi 200 index, which is heavily skewed towards the companies that make memory chips, fell more than 8% overnight to a six-month closing low, triggering circuit breakers that brought trading to a halt at various points. Continue reading...
'Floored' US allies were blindsided at Trump Russia plan meeting: report
President Donald Trump’s decision to approve Russia selling a substantial amount of diesel on the world market caught U.S. allies flat-footed, according to the Wall Street Journal.In a deep dive on growing U.S.-Ukraine tensions, the Journal reported that the deal has created a schism that has allies, and some Republican lawmakers, furious.Senior Ukrainian and European officials flew to Miami on Oct. 9 to meet Trump negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff in a bid to revive peace talks, the Journal reported. During the six-hour meeting, Kushner and Witkoff said the president was considering a diesel deal with Russia. The Ukrainian and European officials were “floored,” people familiar with the matter told the paper.That same day, Trump held a 90-minute phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and announced the deal shortly after hanging up, the Journal said. Treasury then issued a temporary license allowing Russian diesel into the global market, according to ABC affiliate WJLA.“Lower prices for Americans, especially our Great Farmers, Ranchers, and Truckers, is my Greatest Priority,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called it “a weak decision, unfortunately, a weak decision by strong partners.”The Journal reported that Trump "had increasingly soured on Zelensky" over the previous month. Since a discussion between the two, it said, the U.S. "had asked Ukraine about a half dozen times to halt strikes" on Russian energy. Ukrainian officials said they would agree to any energy truce, but Russia refused, so they didn’t pull back. Trump was annoyed that Ukraine was using U.S. resources to target Russia’s energy exports in a way he thought could hurt American consumers, people familiar said.Several Republican lawmakers called the White House angry after the announcement, the Journal reported, saying the deal handed Russia a win without concessions and went against a 2022 law banning U.S. imports of Russian energy. Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) said: “It makes me a little bit nervous anytime we’re talking about relieving a sanction on Russia.”On Sunday, Trump declared on Truth Social that “there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine” effective immediately. “Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!” he wrote. Moscow had not confirmed it, the Journal reported while adding, Zelensky said Russia struck multiple Ukrainian power plants that day, including one in Kharkiv.
Pakistan school roof collapse kills at least 34 children and teacher
Another three pupils from al-Khair school in Peshawar in critical condition after search for survivorsAt least 34 schoolchildren and a female teacher have died after the roof of a school collapsed during morning classes in the northern Pakistani city of Peshawar.As panicked parents and relatives thronged the site of the privately run al-Khair school to search for their loved ones, rescue workers spent hours pulling children from the rubble. Continue reading...
LGBTQ+ people go into hiding in Senegal as hundreds are arrested
At least 320 people detained for ‘acts against nature’ after law criminalising homosexuality toughened, HRW reportsMass arrests, forced HIV testing and barriers to legal representation are part of an escalating crackdown against LGBTQ+ people in Senegal, according to a new report.More than 320 individuals have been arrested and detained on allegations of “acts against nature” since February, according to HIV Justice Network, an organisation quoted in the Human Rights Watch (HRW) report. Among these, at least 84 were charged with “voluntary HIV transmission”, solely on the basis of their HIV status. Continue reading...
Indonesia fights fire with dry ice as toxic haze spreads across region
Having tried cloud seeding and water bombing, one pilot project will see dry ice dispersed by plane across the province of South SumatraAs fires ravage Indonesia, emitting a toxic smoke that has drawn the ire of regional neighbours, the government is testing an unusual new approach to tackle the haze: dry ice.Having tried cloud seeding, water bombing and sending in army personnel to fight the fires, Indonesia’s coordinating security minister said dry ice would be dropped on the province of South Sumatra on Thursday. Continue reading...
Guinea-Bissau denies it has approved controversial vaccine trial in newborns
Health minister says government ‘did not authorize’ Danish-led hepatitis B trial in babies backed by RFK JrGuinea-Bissau has not approved the controversial hepatitis B study in newborns that would be funded by the US government and private partners, the African country’s minister of health said on Tuesday.The study, which would not investigate the safety or effectiveness of vaccines but would instead track “nonspecific” health outcomes like overall mortality or neurodevelopmental conditions, has been championed by Robert F Kennedy Jr, secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and a longtime anti-vaccine activist. Continue reading...
Fury as Trump accused of sabotaging Ukrainian military with jaw-dropping move: reports
Outrage poured in Wednesday after Elon Musk’s SpaceX abruptly limited Starlink services in Ukraine, jeopardizing Ukrainian combat drone missions without warning, while critics suspected President Donald Trump may have been behind the mysterious move.Serhiy Beskrestnov, an adviser to Ukraine’s defense minister, said Ukrainian defense forces “did not receive a warning” about the abrupt limitation to Starlink services, which have helped guide their longer-range drone strikes, Reuters reported. Furthermore, he suspected the disruption was connected to Trump’s ongoing spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which has flared up in recent days.Trump has increasingly pressed Zelenskyy to give up territory to Russia as part of an agreement to end the Russo-Ukraine war. Zelenskyy has responded with defiance, drawing a threat from Trump to cut Ukraine off from U.S. intelligence. Trump has also demanded that both Ukraine and Russia halt attacks on energy infrastructure, a demand that has repeatedly gone ignored by both parties.“It’s clear that this action cannot be a coincidence and is connected to the current political situation,” Beskrestnov said Wednesday, The Guardian reported.Beskrestnov wasn’t the only notable figure connecting the Starlink disruption to Trump. Serhii Sternenko, a prominent Ukrainian military adviser and activist, said SpaceX “likely took these measures at the request of the Trump administration,” according to Ukrainian news outlet Ukrainska Pravda.“It is clear that Trump is furious that Zelenskyy has refused to surrender and give away eastern Ukraine, and now Trump is trying to break Ukraine’s resolve by actively supporting Russia,” alleged the progressive media organization MeidasTouch in a statement published Wednesday on social media.“He seems to take that refusal as a personal insult, an attack on his image as the dealmaker who can end the war. Once again, Trump is blaming his own failures on others. This time, the consequences are deadly.”???? BREAKING: Ukrainian military sources are reporting that Elon Musk’s SpaceX abruptly restricted Starlink satellite communications during Ukrainian military operations overnight, disrupting critical missions as Russia unleashed a massive missile and drone barrage against Kyiv.Ukrainian activist Serhii Sternenko reports that Starlink connections began dropping when terminals were moving faster than 100 mph (160 km/h), causing multiple missions to fail.Ukrainian military communications expert Serhii “Flash” Beskrestnov says the restrictions were imposed WITHOUT WARNING.Sternenko suspects SpaceX acted at the request of the Trump administration, though that allegation has not been independently confirmed.It is clear that Trump is furious that Zelenskyy has refused to surrender and give away eastern Ukraine, and now Trump is trying to break Ukraine's resolve by actively supporting Russia.He seems to take that refusal as a personal insult, an attack on his image as the dealmaker who can end the war. Once again, Trump is blaming his own failures on others. This time, the consequences are deadly.— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) October 14, 2026
'Big escalation' hits Trump as oil flow sees 'enormous drop off' ahead of midterms: expert
With the midterms 20 days away, the Trump administration was confronted Wednesday with a “big escalation” in its war against Iran, geopolitical expert Brett Erickson warned, one that could soon send oil prices skyrocketing.Early Wednesday, Tehran claimed that it had sunk a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz after it had struck a naval mine, the Associated Press reported, the first such instance of a sinking by sea mine. Erickson called the development a “big escalation,” while also flagging new data that suggested an oil price surge may be imminent.“Data from Kpler published today shows an ENORMOUS drop off in the amount of oil transiting Hormuz per day, with the last three days only moving 10M barrels of oil COMBINED,” Erickson wrote Wednesday in a statement published on social media.“While these numbers will likely be revised upwards over the coming days… There’s certainly been a sharp decline in volume as a result of Iran’s strikes on TWENTY SEVEN vessels in the months of October alone. This includes the container vessel struck earlier today.”The significant reduction in oil flow through the strait was corroborated by Al Jazeera, which in a Wednesday report noted that “only 2.9 million barrels of oil were carried through the waterway on Oct. 11, the lowest level this month.” The shift marked a dramatic reversal of recent trends, with Middle East crude exports nearly rebounding to pre-Iran war levels in early October.The 2.9 million barrels transiting the Strait of Hormuz Sunday stood in stark contrast to the pre-war daily average of 17.1 million barrels, with oil prices already climbing Wednesday morning by 89 cents over Tuesday, according to Al Jazeera.“While the Iranian claims that this vessel struck a mine are unconfirmed, it DOES appear that the vessel is in fact sinking,” Erickson said, citing unverified photos of a cargo ship taking on water. “This marks a notable escalation.”Iran’s October escalation was predicted as far back as August by foreign policy expert Trita Parsi, who warned at the time that Trump’s strategy to “push the [Iran] conflict out of the minds of voters” would likely backfire, and that Iran would strategically escalate just ahead of the U.S. midterms.NEW: Data from Kpler published today shows an ENORMOUS drop off in the amount of oil transiting Hormuz per day, with the last three days only moving 10M barrels of oil COMBINED.While these numbers will likely be revised upwards over the coming days…There’s certainly been a sharp decline in volume as a result of Iran’s strikes on TWENTY SEVEN vessels in the months of October alone. This includes the container vessel struck earlier today.— Brett Erickson (@BrettErickson28) October 14, 2026
Trump boasts about his plans for 'our new and beautiful Greenland' in late-night post
President Donald Trump once again claimed ownership of Greenland in a late-night Truth Social boast.The post, at about 12:17 a.m. EDT Wednesday, described “Massive Oil, Gas, and Mineral Exploration” getting ready to begin in “our new and beautiful Greenland.” Greenland is a self-governing territory of Denmark, not a U.S. territory.Trump’s message read in full:“Massive Oil, Gas, and Mineral Exploration is getting ready to begin in our new and beautiful Greenland! There are Experts that are saying that the amount of easily available Oil is far greater than that of almost any land, anywhere in the World and, even more importantly, from a Security Purpose in the Defense and Offense of both the United States of America, and Europe, is second to none. Any future attack on the United States will have to come across Greenland, where our Defense will routinely knock down drones, missiles, or any other form of weapon not yet even conceived. It gives us time, location, and sightline, like nowhere else in the World! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”Trump did not name the experts or say which exploration projects he meant.Last month, Trump announced a security agreement with Denmark and Greenland, signed Sept. 22 at the United Nations, that expands the U.S. military presence on the island. Trump said it gives the United States “permanent control” over Greenland’s security. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the deal recognizes Danish sovereignty and Greenlanders’ right to self-determination. Danish and Greenlandic lawmakers must still ratify it, according to ABC News.
'Betrayal': Trump leaves GOP exposed with five-day 'gift to adversary'
President Donald Trump has spent the past five days doing favors for Russian President Vladimir Putin, but with the midterm elections just three weeks away, Republicans are left with the political fallout.The 80-year-old U.S. president is renewing his scandal-plagued relationship with the reviled Russian dictator as American voters begin casting early ballots, and Axios reported that his moves haven't gone over well on Capitol Hill, where GOP senators called the arrangement a “betrayal” and “a gift to our adversary.”After a phone call with Putin, Trump announced a deal Friday to let millions of tons of Russian diesel flow onto global markets, loosening sanctions meant to cut off Moscow’s war funding. The next day, he tore into Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over Kyiv’s strikes on Russian refineries and called for Ukraine to replace its leader.On Sunday, Trump caught Zelensky off guard by declaring an immediate “energy ceasefire.” Russia has kept hammering Ukraine’s power grid since then, with no visible consequences from Washington. On Monday, Trump brushed aside months of intelligence-based reporting that Russia had been giving Iran information on U.S. military assets, and on Tuesday, he doubled down on the diesel deal and waved off concerns that the money could fund Russia’s war machine.The White House stood by the deal, despite GOP skepticism.“The President’s diesel deal will help lower prices for farmers, truckers, and families across the nation as he simultaneously urges both sides of the Russia-Ukraine conflict to stop strikes against refineries, which are driving up costs and hurting American consumers,” spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement.Energy analysts doubt the deal will do much to lower fuel prices, which spiked because of the Iran war. Meanwhile, the U.S. is breaking from its NATO allies just as Russia steps up a campaign of sabotage, cyberattacks and drone incursions across Europe.A January YouGov poll found that 81 percent of Trump’s own 2024 voters view Putin unfavorably, but Trump stood by the Russian leader anyway on Monday. “I think, actually, Putin wants to make a deal more than Zelensky,” he told reporters.The timing is bad for a party already watching its polling numbers sink, and losing control of Congress could stall Trump’s agenda and open his administration to years of investigations and subpoenas.The president doesn’t seem worried. In a Truth Social post Tuesday, Trump wrote: “I’m not running in the Elections, I’ve already won, IN A MASSIVE LANDSLIDE.”
Leaders of India’s Cockroach party jailed for violating ban on protest site
Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das will spend spend five days in prison for entering Delhi’s Jantar Mantar – a historic protest site that has been closed by authoritiesWhy Indian voters are on the streetsTwo leaders of India’s youth-led Cockroach movement have been sent to jail for five days for violating a ban on protests at a site in central Delhi.A court ordered that Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, leaders of the Cockroach Janata party (CJP) movement, spend five days in Delhi’s Tihar prison for jumping over police barricades, holding up slogans and waving the Indian flag at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. Continue reading...
