December 31, 2025
Happy New Year! Blwyddyn Newydd Dda! Glückliches Neues Jahr! Bonne année ! Feliz Ano Novo! ¡Feliz Año Nuevo! ! سنة جديدة سعيدة
Deutschland: Was sich 2026 für Verbraucher ändert
December 30, 2025
Cryptocurrency Slump Erases 2025 Financial Gains and Trump-inspired Optimism
THE GUARDIAN: Last few months of the year have seen $1tn in value wiped from the market, despite all-time-high price of bitcoin
As 2025 comes to a close, Donald Trump’s favorable approach to cryptocurrency has not proven to be enough to sustain the industry’s gains, once the source of market-wide optimism and enthusiasm. The last few months of the year have seen $1tn in value wiped from the digital asset market, despite bitcoin hitting an all-time-high price of $126,000 on 6 October.
The October price peak was short-lived. Bitcoin’s price tumbled just days later after Trump’s announcement of 100% tariffs on China sent shockwaves across the market on 12 October. The crypto market saw $19bn liquidated in 24 hours – the largest liquidation event on record. Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency, saw a 40% drop in price over the next month. Eric Trump’s own crypto company endured a similar drop in its value in December. » | Johana Bhuiyan | Monday, December 29, 2025
As 2025 comes to a close, Donald Trump’s favorable approach to cryptocurrency has not proven to be enough to sustain the industry’s gains, once the source of market-wide optimism and enthusiasm. The last few months of the year have seen $1tn in value wiped from the digital asset market, despite bitcoin hitting an all-time-high price of $126,000 on 6 October.
The October price peak was short-lived. Bitcoin’s price tumbled just days later after Trump’s announcement of 100% tariffs on China sent shockwaves across the market on 12 October. The crypto market saw $19bn liquidated in 24 hours – the largest liquidation event on record. Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency, saw a 40% drop in price over the next month. Eric Trump’s own crypto company endured a similar drop in its value in December. » | Johana Bhuiyan | Monday, December 29, 2025
‘Be Fearful When Others Are Greedy’: Warren Buffett’s Sharpest Lessons in Investing
THE GUARDIAN: As the billionaire retires, he leaves memorable advice from his annual letters that include pithy takes on bubbles, discipline and long-term goals
Warren Buffett, the billionaire investor who is retiring at the end of 2025, has entertained and educated shareholders in his Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate for many years with his pithy annual letters outlining the firm’s performance.
Every year since 1965 he has updated his investors on the journey as Berkshire morphed from a “struggling northern textile business” with $25m of shareholder equity when he took over, to an empire worth more than $1tn.
Here we pick out some of the choicest turns of phrase from the departing Sage of Omaha. » | Graeme Wearden | Tuesday, December 30, 2025
Warren Buffett, the billionaire investor who is retiring at the end of 2025, has entertained and educated shareholders in his Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate for many years with his pithy annual letters outlining the firm’s performance.
Every year since 1965 he has updated his investors on the journey as Berkshire morphed from a “struggling northern textile business” with $25m of shareholder equity when he took over, to an empire worth more than $1tn.
Here we pick out some of the choicest turns of phrase from the departing Sage of Omaha. » | Graeme Wearden | Tuesday, December 30, 2025
Donald Trump's Tariffs Cause Bankruptcies to Soar to 15-year High
Chlorinated Chicken Is Back and Starmer Is Letting It Happen
Oh God! We beseech Thee to spare us the pain of Farage as our prime minister. The man has already done untold damage to the British economy with his ridiculous Brexit. Please don't let him finish the job and totally destroy it.
Moreover, let Americans enjoy their inferior quality foodstuffs, their chlorinated chicken and their hormone-injected beef. WE DON’T WANT THEM.
Starmer needs to grow a backbone and stop pandering to the Orange One. That goes for our royal family too. We Brits are Europeans, and our place is in Europe. We should also be able to enjoy the wonderful array of European foodstuffs. If we take just cheese alone, the variety of European cheeses can be counted in the several thousands. France alone produces nearly 1,800 cheese varieties. America simply cannot compete. For the gourmet, it has to be Europe, not America. — © Mark Alexander
Protests Erupt in Iran as Currency Plummets to Record Low | DW News
December 29, 2025
Steve Rosenberg: "Russian Industry Has Entered a Perfect Storm" Warns Russian Paper.
December 28, 2025
Michael Lambert: The West Takes It Easy Whilst China Plans Decades Ahead
Dec 28, 2025 | As we close out 2025, the sense of global anxiety is at an all-time high. From the re-election of Donald Trump to the structural decline of the UK and EU economies, it feels like the Western world is stuck in a loop of short-term thinking and bureaucratic failure.
Meanwhile, China continues its relentless rise. In this year-end reflection, I break down why our politicians are failing us, why the "HS2 mentality" is destroying UK infrastructure, and what we need to do to find a sustainable way forward in 2026. …
Meanwhile, China continues its relentless rise. In this year-end reflection, I break down why our politicians are failing us, why the "HS2 mentality" is destroying UK infrastructure, and what we need to do to find a sustainable way forward in 2026. …
December 27, 2025
December 26, 2025
Merry Christmas! Nadolig Llawen! Fröhliche Weihnachten! Joyeux Noël ! ¡Feliz Navidad! Buon Natale! ! عيد ميلاد مجيد
Mark Alexander
Mark Carney Year-end Interview with Global's Dawna Friesen
Dec 26, 2025 | Global News National Anchor and Executive Editor Dawna Friesen sat down with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney for an end of year interview to discuss a plethora of topics concerning Canadians ranging from affordability, U.S. trade, to climate change.
The conversation aired on December 25, 2025. When asked what about being prime minister has surprised him the most, Carney briefly touched on his previous experience working with Stephen Harper as a civil servant. “I had a sense that the job is 24/7, 365 days a year. It’s one thing to have that sense, it’s another thing to live it.”
While discussing trade negotiations with the U.S., Carney stood firm in his belief that Canada should not rush itself into an unfavourable deal. “Every week that goes by, the more that we are developing our economic strategy at home, the more we're developing those relationships abroad, the stronger we get.”
Friesen highlighted the cost-of-living crisis affecting many Canadians and pressed Carney on what his message to those who are struggling. Carney emphasized the scale of the issue is enormous and that it fundamentally comes down to facilitating economic growth. “We are doing a series of things,” Carney said, referring to cutting taxes while preserving critical public services, “and we’ll continue to look for others that help bridge over that period of time, but at the core is we have to grow this economy.”
The conversation aired on December 25, 2025. When asked what about being prime minister has surprised him the most, Carney briefly touched on his previous experience working with Stephen Harper as a civil servant. “I had a sense that the job is 24/7, 365 days a year. It’s one thing to have that sense, it’s another thing to live it.”
While discussing trade negotiations with the U.S., Carney stood firm in his belief that Canada should not rush itself into an unfavourable deal. “Every week that goes by, the more that we are developing our economic strategy at home, the more we're developing those relationships abroad, the stronger we get.”
Friesen highlighted the cost-of-living crisis affecting many Canadians and pressed Carney on what his message to those who are struggling. Carney emphasized the scale of the issue is enormous and that it fundamentally comes down to facilitating economic growth. “We are doing a series of things,” Carney said, referring to cutting taxes while preserving critical public services, “and we’ll continue to look for others that help bridge over that period of time, but at the core is we have to grow this economy.”
December 24, 2025
Gold knackt am Heiligen Abend neuen Rekord: Hält der Rausch an?
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Gold ist zu Weihnachten gefragt wie nie. Die Feinunze überspringt die 4500-Dollar-Marke. Mehr als 50 Rekorde markierte das Edelmetall dieses Jahr. Experten sagen, wie es 2026 läuft.
Gold ist am Heiligen Abend in Rekordlaune: Die Feinunze, das sind 31,1 Gramm, notiert bei 4525 US-Dollar. Das sind umgerechnet gut 3830 Euro. Damit hat sich das gelbe Metall in diesem Jahr um rund 65 Prozent verteuert. An 53 Tagen sprang der Goldpreis 2025 auf ein neues Rekordhoch. Damit erlebt das Edelmetall ein außergewöhnlich gutes Jahr.
Goldanlegern bescherte die Feinunze zuletzt in den frühen 1970er Jahren eine so hohe Rendite. Damals hob US-Präsident Richard Nixon die Goldbindung des US-Dollars auf, um mehr Schulden aufnehmen zu können. Heute sind die Treiber des Gold-Höhenflugs geopolitische Unsicherheiten, Zoll- und Handelsrisiken, der schwächelnde Dollar und aktuell die jüngsten US-Konjunkturdaten, die Anleger auf eine weitere Zinssenkung der US-Notenbank Fed hoffen lassen. » | Rüdiger Stumpf | Mittwoch, 24. Dezember 2025
Gold ist am Heiligen Abend in Rekordlaune: Die Feinunze, das sind 31,1 Gramm, notiert bei 4525 US-Dollar. Das sind umgerechnet gut 3830 Euro. Damit hat sich das gelbe Metall in diesem Jahr um rund 65 Prozent verteuert. An 53 Tagen sprang der Goldpreis 2025 auf ein neues Rekordhoch. Damit erlebt das Edelmetall ein außergewöhnlich gutes Jahr.
Goldanlegern bescherte die Feinunze zuletzt in den frühen 1970er Jahren eine so hohe Rendite. Damals hob US-Präsident Richard Nixon die Goldbindung des US-Dollars auf, um mehr Schulden aufnehmen zu können. Heute sind die Treiber des Gold-Höhenflugs geopolitische Unsicherheiten, Zoll- und Handelsrisiken, der schwächelnde Dollar und aktuell die jüngsten US-Konjunkturdaten, die Anleger auf eine weitere Zinssenkung der US-Notenbank Fed hoffen lassen. » | Rüdiger Stumpf | Mittwoch, 24. Dezember 2025
December 23, 2025
Reagan ‘The Man Who Sold the World’
Sep 17, 2025 | Ronald Reagan is remembered as the "Great Communicator," the man who brought optimism back to America. But behind the smile was a ruthless counter-revolution.
This episode, the (tentatively) final in the series A History of Economic Tyranny, exposes how Reagan dismantled the New Deal, busted unions, exploded the deficit, and built the foundations of mass incarceration and extreme inequality that still haunts us today.
From the PATCO strike to the War on Drugs, from deregulation to the Savings & Loan crisis, Reagan's neoliberal project wasn't just policy: it was a political realignment. Both parties absorbed his philosophy, and for forty years America has lived in the house Reagan built.
Today's homelessness crisis, stagnant wages, racialized mass incarceration, climate inaction, and billionaire dominance are not accidents. They are Reagan's legacy. He didn't just win two elections. He won the next forty years and cursed us for several generations.
This is the story of the man who sold the world.
Ronald Reagan, who was “affectionately” known as ‘The Old Gipper’ was, given the perspective of time, a man who was full of BS. Just like his sister across the Pond, Margaret Thatcher. We were all taken in by their bullshit. If ‘The Old Gipper’ was the man who sold the world, then Margaret Thatcher was the woman who sold the United Kingdom TO the world! She sold off ALL our ASSETS. (And we are still, to this day, paying a very high price for her MISTAKES and her FOLLY.) — © Mark Alexander
This episode, the (tentatively) final in the series A History of Economic Tyranny, exposes how Reagan dismantled the New Deal, busted unions, exploded the deficit, and built the foundations of mass incarceration and extreme inequality that still haunts us today.
From the PATCO strike to the War on Drugs, from deregulation to the Savings & Loan crisis, Reagan's neoliberal project wasn't just policy: it was a political realignment. Both parties absorbed his philosophy, and for forty years America has lived in the house Reagan built.
Today's homelessness crisis, stagnant wages, racialized mass incarceration, climate inaction, and billionaire dominance are not accidents. They are Reagan's legacy. He didn't just win two elections. He won the next forty years and cursed us for several generations.
This is the story of the man who sold the world.
Ronald Reagan, who was “affectionately” known as ‘The Old Gipper’ was, given the perspective of time, a man who was full of BS. Just like his sister across the Pond, Margaret Thatcher. We were all taken in by their bullshit. If ‘The Old Gipper’ was the man who sold the world, then Margaret Thatcher was the woman who sold the United Kingdom TO the world! She sold off ALL our ASSETS. (And we are still, to this day, paying a very high price for her MISTAKES and her FOLLY.) — © Mark Alexander
December 22, 2025
Revealed: How Big Businesses Are Rolling Back Public Support for Pride
THE GUARDIAN: Guardian analysis of 20 major companies in UK and US shows mentions of Pride on social media have fallen substantially in past two years
The UK’s biggest businesses are rolling back their public support for Pride celebrations, Guardian analysis suggests, prompting warnings that “clear signals” are needed in the face of growing global LGBTQ+ hostility.
Analysis of social media posts by the country’s biggest companies found mentions of Pride had plummeted by 92% since 2023, mirroring a trend seen in large American firms.
The findings come after the US president, Donald Trump, signed a series of executive orders in 2025 that overturned federal government diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes, leading companies on both sides of the Atlantic to rebrand, scale back and even scrap fairness policies.
The Guardian analysed the main customer-facing social media accounts of the 10 biggest UK-listed or headquartered companies, and the 10 biggest US companies by market capitalisation.
Among the British brands were the technology company Arm Holdings, the pharmaceutical firms AstraZeneca and GSK, the nicotine products company British American Tobacco, HSBC bank, the chemicals company Linde, the defence and engineering company Rolls-Royce, the oil company Shell and the food conglomerate Unilever. » | Chris Osuh, Raphael Boyd and Geneva Abdul | Monday, December 22, 2025
The slide backwards for LGBT rights is all because of the corrupt dude in the White House. You know, the convicted sex offender, the one who likes pussy. It’s okay for him to “grab women by the pussy”, but it’s not okay for gays to fall in love with people of the same sex, for them to fall in love with, and be attracted to, people of the same sex, the way God created them. Strange that! In Trump’s America, there are different standards for different kinds of people. There are different standards for the rich and for the poor, and different standards for heterosexuals and different standards for homosexuals. There are even different standards for homosexuals, depending on whether they are haves or have-nots. We know this, because there are plenty of people near the top of Trump’s regime who are queer. What a disgusting man Trump is! He’s turning the clocks back to yesteryear. What poor judgment Americans have in choosing their presidents! That companies are following Trump’s lead into darkness shows us all only just how weak and fawning these so-called titans of the business world really are. Perhaps the best thing is to boycott their products wherever and whenever possible. The pink pound and pink dollar are mighty. — © Mark Alexander
The UK’s biggest businesses are rolling back their public support for Pride celebrations, Guardian analysis suggests, prompting warnings that “clear signals” are needed in the face of growing global LGBTQ+ hostility.
Analysis of social media posts by the country’s biggest companies found mentions of Pride had plummeted by 92% since 2023, mirroring a trend seen in large American firms.
The findings come after the US president, Donald Trump, signed a series of executive orders in 2025 that overturned federal government diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes, leading companies on both sides of the Atlantic to rebrand, scale back and even scrap fairness policies.
The Guardian analysed the main customer-facing social media accounts of the 10 biggest UK-listed or headquartered companies, and the 10 biggest US companies by market capitalisation.
Among the British brands were the technology company Arm Holdings, the pharmaceutical firms AstraZeneca and GSK, the nicotine products company British American Tobacco, HSBC bank, the chemicals company Linde, the defence and engineering company Rolls-Royce, the oil company Shell and the food conglomerate Unilever. » | Chris Osuh, Raphael Boyd and Geneva Abdul | Monday, December 22, 2025
The slide backwards for LGBT rights is all because of the corrupt dude in the White House. You know, the convicted sex offender, the one who likes pussy. It’s okay for him to “grab women by the pussy”, but it’s not okay for gays to fall in love with people of the same sex, for them to fall in love with, and be attracted to, people of the same sex, the way God created them. Strange that! In Trump’s America, there are different standards for different kinds of people. There are different standards for the rich and for the poor, and different standards for heterosexuals and different standards for homosexuals. There are even different standards for homosexuals, depending on whether they are haves or have-nots. We know this, because there are plenty of people near the top of Trump’s regime who are queer. What a disgusting man Trump is! He’s turning the clocks back to yesteryear. What poor judgment Americans have in choosing their presidents! That companies are following Trump’s lead into darkness shows us all only just how weak and fawning these so-called titans of the business world really are. Perhaps the best thing is to boycott their products wherever and whenever possible. The pink pound and pink dollar are mighty. — © Mark Alexander
The Economy Survived 2025, but Many Americans Are Reeling
THE NEW YORK TIMES: A feared recession didn’t materialize, but unemployment rose, wage growth slowed and affordability challenges are mounting.
After a chaotic year filled with trade wars, market gyrations and the longest government shutdown in history, the U.S. economy has, once again, proved more resilient than many forecasters feared.
But “resilient” isn’t quite the same thing as “good.”
Many Americans are entering 2026 worried about their jobs, stressed about their finances and unconvinced that things will improve in the new year.
The flow of official economic data resumed last week after a prolonged delay caused by the government shutdown. The reports were muddled by technical quirks related to the shutdown, but on balance they suggested the economy remained stuck in the same uneasy limbo it was in before the data blackout began.
Job growth was decent in November, but unemployment rose. Retail sales were solid, but wage growth slowed. Inflation cooled, but remains elevated. » | Ben Casselman and Colby Smith | Monday, December 22, 2025
When it comes to economics, Donald Trump is incompetent. There is one very important fact that Trump never learned. It is this: a well-run economy should work for ALL, not just for the SELECT FEW, for the WORKER as well as for the BOSS, for the POOR as well as for the SUPERRICH. — © Mark Alexander
After a chaotic year filled with trade wars, market gyrations and the longest government shutdown in history, the U.S. economy has, once again, proved more resilient than many forecasters feared.
But “resilient” isn’t quite the same thing as “good.”
Many Americans are entering 2026 worried about their jobs, stressed about their finances and unconvinced that things will improve in the new year.
The flow of official economic data resumed last week after a prolonged delay caused by the government shutdown. The reports were muddled by technical quirks related to the shutdown, but on balance they suggested the economy remained stuck in the same uneasy limbo it was in before the data blackout began.
Job growth was decent in November, but unemployment rose. Retail sales were solid, but wage growth slowed. Inflation cooled, but remains elevated. » | Ben Casselman and Colby Smith | Monday, December 22, 2025
When it comes to economics, Donald Trump is incompetent. There is one very important fact that Trump never learned. It is this: a well-run economy should work for ALL, not just for the SELECT FEW, for the WORKER as well as for the BOSS, for the POOR as well as for the SUPERRICH. — © Mark Alexander
December 21, 2025
How Peter Thiel Is Destroying Democracy
"Divorced from Reality": Economist Dean Baker Fact-checks Trump's Primetime Speech
Democracy Now! can be supported here.
December 20, 2025
December 19, 2025
December 17, 2025
Erst Drogen, jetzt Öl: Was will Trump von Venezuela wirklich?
Dec 17, 2025 | Die USA erhöhen den Druck auf Venezuela. US-Präsident Donald Trump hat eine Blockade aller sanktionierten Öltanker vor Venezuela angefordert und brachte nun die US-Militärpräsenz vor der venezolanischen Küste mit den Erdölvorkommen des Landes in Verbindung. Ging es ihm also schon immer um das Öl?
Bisher hat Donald Trump immer von einem Drogenkrieg gegen Venezuela gesprochen. Er erklärte, er wolle den Drogenschmuggel von Venezuela in die USA stoppen. Nun hat der US-Präsident in den sozialen Medien geschrieben, Venezuela habe den Vereinigten Staaten Öl, Land und andere Vermögenswerte gestohlen und er fordere die sofortige Rückgabe. Trump drohte zudem damit, die USA könnten weitere Schiffe in der Region beschlagnahmen. Venezuelas Regierung sprach von einer grotesken Drohung und bezeichnete sie als einen schwerwiegenden Verstoss gegen das Völkerrecht.
Was hat es mit Trumps Aussagen auf sich? Und was für eine Rolle spielen Venezuelas grosse Erdölvorkommen im Konflikt?
Bisher hat Donald Trump immer von einem Drogenkrieg gegen Venezuela gesprochen. Er erklärte, er wolle den Drogenschmuggel von Venezuela in die USA stoppen. Nun hat der US-Präsident in den sozialen Medien geschrieben, Venezuela habe den Vereinigten Staaten Öl, Land und andere Vermögenswerte gestohlen und er fordere die sofortige Rückgabe. Trump drohte zudem damit, die USA könnten weitere Schiffe in der Region beschlagnahmen. Venezuelas Regierung sprach von einer grotesken Drohung und bezeichnete sie als einen schwerwiegenden Verstoss gegen das Völkerrecht.
Was hat es mit Trumps Aussagen auf sich? Und was für eine Rolle spielen Venezuelas grosse Erdölvorkommen im Konflikt?
Scams, Schemes, Ruthless Cons: The Untold Story of How Jeffrey Epstein Got Rich
THE NEW YORK TIMES: For years, rumors swirled about where his wealth came from. A Times investigation reveals the truth of how a college dropout clawed his way to the pinnacle of American finance and society.
One evening in early 1976, a bushy-haired Jeffrey Epstein showed up for an event at an art gallery in Midtown Manhattan. Epstein was a math and physics teacher at the city’s prestigious Dalton School, and the father of one of his students had invited him. Epstein initially demurred, saying he didn’t go out much, but eventually relented. It would turn out to be one of the best decisions he ever made.
At the gallery, Epstein bumped into another Dalton parent, who had heard tales of the 23-year-old’s wondrous math skills. The parent asked if he’d ever thought about a job on Wall Street, according to an unreleased recording of Epstein and a document prepared by his lawyers. Epstein was game. The parent dialed a friend: Ace Greenberg, a top executive at Bear Stearns. Epstein, the friend told Greenberg, was “wasting his time at Dalton.”
Greenberg invited Epstein to the investment firm’s offices at 55 Water Street at the southern tip of Manhattan. Epstein showed up in a turtleneck. Greenberg was impressed — even though the young man didn’t have the foggiest idea of how Wall Street worked. Greenberg had helped build Bear Stearns into one of the industry’s scrappiest firms by eschewing the traditional investment-banking practice of hiring Ivy Leaguers with M.B.A.s. He preferred what he called P.S.D.s: those who were poor, smart and had “a deep desire to become rich.”
Epstein fit the bill. He grew up in a working-class family in Coney Island. Friends described him as a math whiz and a piano virtuoso. And, as Greenberg and his colleagues would soon learn, he yearned for wealth. That trait had been apparent as early as ninth grade: A classmate told us that Epstein predicted to her that one day he would be very rich. » | David Enrich, Steve Eder, Jessica Silver-Greenberg and Matthew Goldstein | Tuesday, December 16, 2025
The reporters, who have been investigating Jeffrey Epstein since 2019, interviewed dozens of his former colleagues, girlfriends, business partners and others. They also dug through archives, reviewed photos, notes and emails and scoured thousands of pages of public records.
One evening in early 1976, a bushy-haired Jeffrey Epstein showed up for an event at an art gallery in Midtown Manhattan. Epstein was a math and physics teacher at the city’s prestigious Dalton School, and the father of one of his students had invited him. Epstein initially demurred, saying he didn’t go out much, but eventually relented. It would turn out to be one of the best decisions he ever made.
At the gallery, Epstein bumped into another Dalton parent, who had heard tales of the 23-year-old’s wondrous math skills. The parent asked if he’d ever thought about a job on Wall Street, according to an unreleased recording of Epstein and a document prepared by his lawyers. Epstein was game. The parent dialed a friend: Ace Greenberg, a top executive at Bear Stearns. Epstein, the friend told Greenberg, was “wasting his time at Dalton.”
Greenberg invited Epstein to the investment firm’s offices at 55 Water Street at the southern tip of Manhattan. Epstein showed up in a turtleneck. Greenberg was impressed — even though the young man didn’t have the foggiest idea of how Wall Street worked. Greenberg had helped build Bear Stearns into one of the industry’s scrappiest firms by eschewing the traditional investment-banking practice of hiring Ivy Leaguers with M.B.A.s. He preferred what he called P.S.D.s: those who were poor, smart and had “a deep desire to become rich.”
Epstein fit the bill. He grew up in a working-class family in Coney Island. Friends described him as a math whiz and a piano virtuoso. And, as Greenberg and his colleagues would soon learn, he yearned for wealth. That trait had been apparent as early as ninth grade: A classmate told us that Epstein predicted to her that one day he would be very rich. » | David Enrich, Steve Eder, Jessica Silver-Greenberg and Matthew Goldstein | Tuesday, December 16, 2025
The reporters, who have been investigating Jeffrey Epstein since 2019, interviewed dozens of his former colleagues, girlfriends, business partners and others. They also dug through archives, reviewed photos, notes and emails and scoured thousands of pages of public records.
December 15, 2025
A Continent of Power: Does Europe Know Its True Strength? | To The Point
December 14, 2025
A FREE WORLD NEEDS A STRONG AMERICA
THE NEW YORK TIMES — OPINION: ALGORITHMS AND AUTOCRATS HAVE
RATTLED GLOBAL STABILITY. / TO SAFEGUARD LIBERTY, THE U.S.
MUST REMAKE ITS MILITARY.
AS RECENTLY AS a decade ago, it would not have been hard to unite a broad majority of Republicans and Democrats around a shared idea of what America's military power should be for.
Defense of the homeland. Deterrence of would-be aggressors. Cooperation with treaty allies and protection of kindred democracies confronting common foes. Humanitarian aid and relief. The security of the global commons: sea lanes, air corridors, undersea cables, digital networks. Upholding the laws of war.
In sum, the ability to prevent war wherever possible and win it whenever necessary — all for the sake of a safer, more open, rules-based world.
The Trump administration brings a starkly different mind-set to the issue. Out with the Department of Defense; back to the Department of War. Well-established rules of engagement have yielded to blowing up small boats on the high seas. In place of standing with Ukraine’s embattled democracy against Russia’s invasion, the administration has adopted a course of moral equivalence between the two sides while seeking profits from the war through arms sales and mineral deals.
As for the kind of military alliance-building that typified American foreign policy for much of the 20th century, President Trump has reverted to threats of conquest more common in the 19th. And this is to say nothing of his efforts to deploy troops to American cities, impose political loyalty tests on senior officers or hamstring reporters at the Pentagon. » | The Editorial Board | Sunday, December 14, 2025
Donald Trump is not America’s friend, and he is most certainly not Europe’s. Trump’s best friend is himself and his second best friend is Putin.
When it comes to geopolitics, Trump is absolutely clueless, as are his acolytes. They are rich, but they are also clueless. Either that or they just don’t care.
Trump’s re-election to the presidency should show any right-thinking person proof of why one should be very wary of electing a businessman to high office. For a businessman, the bottom line is always gain and profit. He is always thinking of his bank balance. A cursory glance at Trump’s behaviour shows this to be true. But the fact is—and it’s a very important fact—that a country cannot be run and governed on a businessman’s principles. The leader of a country, even more so the free world, has far, far more important things to think about than profit. A man/woman who tries to lead his/her country on the profit principle is destined to fail. Trump’s miserable record will prove this to be so. History will not be kind to Trump. His legacy is bound to be tarnished. — © Mark Alexander
AS RECENTLY AS a decade ago, it would not have been hard to unite a broad majority of Republicans and Democrats around a shared idea of what America's military power should be for.
Defense of the homeland. Deterrence of would-be aggressors. Cooperation with treaty allies and protection of kindred democracies confronting common foes. Humanitarian aid and relief. The security of the global commons: sea lanes, air corridors, undersea cables, digital networks. Upholding the laws of war.
In sum, the ability to prevent war wherever possible and win it whenever necessary — all for the sake of a safer, more open, rules-based world.
The Trump administration brings a starkly different mind-set to the issue. Out with the Department of Defense; back to the Department of War. Well-established rules of engagement have yielded to blowing up small boats on the high seas. In place of standing with Ukraine’s embattled democracy against Russia’s invasion, the administration has adopted a course of moral equivalence between the two sides while seeking profits from the war through arms sales and mineral deals.
As for the kind of military alliance-building that typified American foreign policy for much of the 20th century, President Trump has reverted to threats of conquest more common in the 19th. And this is to say nothing of his efforts to deploy troops to American cities, impose political loyalty tests on senior officers or hamstring reporters at the Pentagon. » | The Editorial Board | Sunday, December 14, 2025
Donald Trump is not America’s friend, and he is most certainly not Europe’s. Trump’s best friend is himself and his second best friend is Putin.
When it comes to geopolitics, Trump is absolutely clueless, as are his acolytes. They are rich, but they are also clueless. Either that or they just don’t care.
Trump’s re-election to the presidency should show any right-thinking person proof of why one should be very wary of electing a businessman to high office. For a businessman, the bottom line is always gain and profit. He is always thinking of his bank balance. A cursory glance at Trump’s behaviour shows this to be true. But the fact is—and it’s a very important fact—that a country cannot be run and governed on a businessman’s principles. The leader of a country, even more so the free world, has far, far more important things to think about than profit. A man/woman who tries to lead his/her country on the profit principle is destined to fail. Trump’s miserable record will prove this to be so. History will not be kind to Trump. His legacy is bound to be tarnished. — © Mark Alexander
Putin’s Frozen Assets Could Bring Europe ‘to a Standstill’
Dec 13, 2025 | “If it were to fail, capital markets might come to a standstill.”
It would be risky for the Belgian securities depository Euroclear to seize Russian assets and give them to Ukraine to fund their war effort, as it could unbalance the European economy, says Belgian professor of financial law at KU Leuven University Veerle Colaert.
It would be risky for the Belgian securities depository Euroclear to seize Russian assets and give them to Ukraine to fund their war effort, as it could unbalance the European economy, says Belgian professor of financial law at KU Leuven University Veerle Colaert.
December 13, 2025
Trump Says that the US Economy Is A++++
Has Europe Got Any Influence over President Trump? | DW News
December 11, 2025
Trump Attacks Europe in Blunt Politico Interview | DW News
December 10, 2025
Why Did Trump Give America’s Struggling Economy an “A+++”?
Trump is a corrupt clown and his economy is sh**, except perhaps for the superrich. Kick the B out of the White House asap! — © Mark Alexander
Pleiten auf Rekordhoch, Haushalte verarmen – und Merz hat immer noch keinen Plan
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Während immer mehr Firmen kippen und Haushalte ins Minus rutschen, fährt die Industrie laut Ifo-Institut ihre Investitionen drastisch zurück. Wo ist Merz? Ein Kommentar.
Vor wenigen Tagen meldete das Jüdische Krankenhaus Berlin nach 260 Jahren Insolvenz in Eigenverwaltung an, ausgelöst durch Reformdruck, Sparbeschlüsse und explodierende Kosten. Kurz davor fiel in Thüringen die 116 Jahre alte Porzellanmarke Könitz, die zwei Weltkriege, die DDR-Planwirtschaft und die Nachwendezeit überstand, aber nicht mehr die Kombination aus Rechtsstreit und steigenden Produktionskosten.
Und nun rutscht mit Mocopinus auch ein traditionsreicher Holzverarbeiter in die Insolvenz – mit Sitz in Ulm und Standorten unter anderem in Leipzig. Und das ausgerechnet in einer Branche, die eigentlich boomt. » | Liudmila Kotlyarova | Mittwoch, 10. Dezember 2025
Vor wenigen Tagen meldete das Jüdische Krankenhaus Berlin nach 260 Jahren Insolvenz in Eigenverwaltung an, ausgelöst durch Reformdruck, Sparbeschlüsse und explodierende Kosten. Kurz davor fiel in Thüringen die 116 Jahre alte Porzellanmarke Könitz, die zwei Weltkriege, die DDR-Planwirtschaft und die Nachwendezeit überstand, aber nicht mehr die Kombination aus Rechtsstreit und steigenden Produktionskosten.
Und nun rutscht mit Mocopinus auch ein traditionsreicher Holzverarbeiter in die Insolvenz – mit Sitz in Ulm und Standorten unter anderem in Leipzig. Und das ausgerechnet in einer Branche, die eigentlich boomt. » | Liudmila Kotlyarova | Mittwoch, 10. Dezember 2025
December 09, 2025
Brics: Ende von Dollar-Dominanz und Sanktionen? Russland testet erstmals goldgedeckte Kryptowährung
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Die Brics kommen mit der Entwicklung einer Gemeinschaftswährung voran. Treibt Trump mit seinen Drohungen selbst skeptische Länder wie Indien aus dem Dollar-System?
Die westlichen Sanktionen gegen Russland, China und andere Staaten haben zahlreiche Regierungen dazu veranlasst, eine Alternative zum Dollar-dominierten Swift-Zahlungssystem zu suchen. Der Streit innerhalb der EU, wie mit den Milliarden an eingefrorenem russischen Zentralbankvermögen umgegangen werden soll, verdeutlicht, dass die Glaubwürdigkeit des westlich dominierten Finanzsystems auf dem Spiel steht.
Innerhalb der Brics-Gruppe – Brasilien, Russland, Indien, China und Südafrika – wird seit dem Beginn des Ukraine-Kriegs intensiv darüber diskutiert, wie die Dollar-Dominanz gebrochen und somit ein wirksamer Schutz gegen westliche Sanktionen eingeführt werden kann. » | Simon Zeise | Dienstag, 9. Dezember 2025
Die westlichen Sanktionen gegen Russland, China und andere Staaten haben zahlreiche Regierungen dazu veranlasst, eine Alternative zum Dollar-dominierten Swift-Zahlungssystem zu suchen. Der Streit innerhalb der EU, wie mit den Milliarden an eingefrorenem russischen Zentralbankvermögen umgegangen werden soll, verdeutlicht, dass die Glaubwürdigkeit des westlich dominierten Finanzsystems auf dem Spiel steht.
Innerhalb der Brics-Gruppe – Brasilien, Russland, Indien, China und Südafrika – wird seit dem Beginn des Ukraine-Kriegs intensiv darüber diskutiert, wie die Dollar-Dominanz gebrochen und somit ein wirksamer Schutz gegen westliche Sanktionen eingeführt werden kann. » | Simon Zeise | Dienstag, 9. Dezember 2025
Blood Money : Financial Secrets of the Third Reich - Episode 1 : How to Finance a War ? | PURE WW2
When Hitler seized power in 1933, war was already his endgame. Violence lay at the heart of Nazi ideology: the strong must dominate, the weak must fall. But there was a problem—Germany had no modern army, no weapons, and an economy worn down by years of crisis. Far from the myth of a thriving Reich, the country was a middling power, no stronger than a present-day regional state. The Nazi regime then launched one of the most audacious financial operations of the 20th century. Through secret debt schemes, industrial coercion and massive state manipulation, they rebuilt the economy by pouring resources into weapons production.
In 1939, Hitler finally plunged Europe into war — a war financed entirely on credit, using looted assets and anticipated spoils as collateral. A conflict born from a financial illusion that could only survive through expansion.
In 1939, Hitler finally plunged Europe into war — a war financed entirely on credit, using looted assets and anticipated spoils as collateral. A conflict born from a financial illusion that could only survive through expansion.
Democracy Now! New Yorker Mag Reveals Trump Family's Frenzy to Cash In on the White House
Aug 20, 2025 | How much is Trump pocketing off the presidency?" That's the question driving a major new investigation by journalist David D. Kirkpatrick in The New Yorker, which finds that the first family has been leveraging its place atop U.S. politics to rake in billions. According to Kirkpatrick, Donald Trump and his immediate family have made $3.4 billion from his time in the White House, including more than $2.3 billion from various cryptocurrency ventures alone.
"What really surprised me about all this is just how fast they're making this money. They seem to turn down no opportunity," says Kirkpatrick. "It really sharpens the question of what a buyer, so to speak, might be getting for that."
Democracy Now! can be supported here.
"What really surprised me about all this is just how fast they're making this money. They seem to turn down no opportunity," says Kirkpatrick. "It really sharpens the question of what a buyer, so to speak, might be getting for that."
Democracy Now! can be supported here.
December 08, 2025
Can America Survive Donald Trump? Has He Made It Great Again? Or Is It Collapsing Under Trumpism?
Dec 8, 2025 | This video breaks down a growing narrative of fear, corruption, and democratic decay under Donald Trump, as described by critics who argue that the country is experiencing unprecedented division, institutional collapse, and erosion of rights. From hostile press briefings and contradictory drug policies to allegations of money laundering, foreign influence, authoritarian policing, and economic manipulation, the criticism paints a picture of a nation shaken from the inside out. As America’s global alliances falter and domestic tensions rise, critics argue the country is sliding toward authoritarianism—while supporters insist these accusations are exaggerated or politically-motivated.
This video isn’t about partisan cheerleading—it’s an examination of the perspective, fears, and warnings expressed by those who believe the U.S. is experiencing a profound crisis.
ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.
Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ is doublespeak for ‘Make America White Again’. Fact is, however, America never was white! Before white man imposed themselves on America, America belonged to various American Indian tribes; but never to white man, or as they are referred to in literary terms as “pale-face”! I think Trump and his MAGA movement should read a little about American history. It would help clear up their misconceptions. — © Mark Alexander
This video isn’t about partisan cheerleading—it’s an examination of the perspective, fears, and warnings expressed by those who believe the U.S. is experiencing a profound crisis.
ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.
Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ is doublespeak for ‘Make America White Again’. Fact is, however, America never was white! Before white man imposed themselves on America, America belonged to various American Indian tribes; but never to white man, or as they are referred to in literary terms as “pale-face”! I think Trump and his MAGA movement should read a little about American history. It would help clear up their misconceptions. — © Mark Alexander
Sandra Navidi über die Preis-Explosion in Trumps Amerika
Brexit Supporting Journalists Admit It's Been a 'Failure' | LBC
Dec 3, 2025 | James O'Brien turns your attention back to the European Union as he considers whether the 'winds of change are blowing in the face of Brexit'.
Tory peer Lord Finkelstein writes in The Times, 'Logical step for Labour is to reverse Brexit'. This comes as Leave supporting columnists admit that Brexit has been a 'failure' as a respected economic body say it has reduced the UK's GDP per person by 6%-8%.
James takes aim at the Brexit-supporting media and argues that 'Project Fear' was not extreme enough.
This is where schadenfreude should kick in! But feeling that would be more than a little mean. So I shall refrain from revelling in it. I am, however, very pleased that I am, and always have been, on the right side of history when it comes to Brexit. I was dead nuts AGAINST Brexit from the very start. I said then that Brexit was MADNESS, and MADNESS it has proved to be.
The only relevant question now is this: How the hell are we going to be able to extricate ourselves from this ridiculous, stupid, and suicidal move. — © Mark Alexander
Tory peer Lord Finkelstein writes in The Times, 'Logical step for Labour is to reverse Brexit'. This comes as Leave supporting columnists admit that Brexit has been a 'failure' as a respected economic body say it has reduced the UK's GDP per person by 6%-8%.
James takes aim at the Brexit-supporting media and argues that 'Project Fear' was not extreme enough.
This is where schadenfreude should kick in! But feeling that would be more than a little mean. So I shall refrain from revelling in it. I am, however, very pleased that I am, and always have been, on the right side of history when it comes to Brexit. I was dead nuts AGAINST Brexit from the very start. I said then that Brexit was MADNESS, and MADNESS it has proved to be.
The only relevant question now is this: How the hell are we going to be able to extricate ourselves from this ridiculous, stupid, and suicidal move. — © Mark Alexander
Steve Rosenberg: “Trump’s Not Their Daddy Anymore.” Russian Paper on Europe, over New US National Security Strategy
December 06, 2025
Michael Lambert: Trump: Power, Chaos, and Collapse
Dec 6, 2025 | A presidency without restraint — surrounded by yes-men, making reckless decisions at home and abroad. From Venezuela to Ukraine, from economic turmoil to personal indulgence, this video examines the unfolding consequences of unchecked power.
Watch, reflect, and share if you believe truth and accountability matter.
Watch, reflect, and share if you believe truth and accountability matter.
Trump Lays Bare His Contempt for Europe in Blistering New National Security Plan
Trump has absolutely no understanding of geopolitics. America is no longer a responsible leader of the free world. — © Mark Alexander
King Charles Is Worth £1.8 Billion, Investigation Reveals | Norman Baker
December 04, 2025
Après avoir atteint son record absolu, les raisons de la chute aussi vertigineuse que brutale du bitcoin
LE FIGARO : DÉCRYPTAGE - Le plus célèbre des jetons numériques est tombé à 80 000 dollars le 21 novembre, effaçant près de 35 % de sa valeur. Il navigue désormais autour de 90 000 dollars.
La chute est aussi vertigineuse que brutale. Depuis son pic à 126 000 dollars, le 6 octobre, son record absolu, le bitcoin s’enfonce dans le rouge semaine après semaine. Le jeton numérique, qui fait office de boussole pour tout le marché des cryptos, est tombé à 80 000 dollars le 21 novembre, effaçant près de 35 % de sa valeur. Il navigue désormais autour de 92 000 dollars.
Les particuliers qui se sont rués sur le bitcoin ces derniers mois dans l’espoir de gains mirifiques, encaissent des pertes violentes. « Un certain nombre attendaient une porte de sortie autour des 140 000 à 150 000 dollars », rappelle Nicolas Chéron, analyste indépendant. Une zone de prix jamais atteinte. » | Par Jorge Carasso | mardi 4 décembre 2025
Réservé aux abonnés
La chute est aussi vertigineuse que brutale. Depuis son pic à 126 000 dollars, le 6 octobre, son record absolu, le bitcoin s’enfonce dans le rouge semaine après semaine. Le jeton numérique, qui fait office de boussole pour tout le marché des cryptos, est tombé à 80 000 dollars le 21 novembre, effaçant près de 35 % de sa valeur. Il navigue désormais autour de 92 000 dollars.
Les particuliers qui se sont rués sur le bitcoin ces derniers mois dans l’espoir de gains mirifiques, encaissent des pertes violentes. « Un certain nombre attendaient une porte de sortie autour des 140 000 à 150 000 dollars », rappelle Nicolas Chéron, analyste indépendant. Une zone de prix jamais atteinte. » | Par Jorge Carasso | mardi 4 décembre 2025
Réservé aux abonnés
December 03, 2025
Britain in a Changing World | LSE Event
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)