Catching Up isn't Hard to Do

After a week away from the news, I thought it might be a challenge to catch up to the current cycle. I'm reminded of a line from John Prine's "Hello in There"...all the news just seems to repeat itself like some forgotten dream that we've both seen. Russia continues to advance in Ukraine, the Palestinians are still being starved and killed (despite Bibi's denial), Tariffs are being used like sanctions to try to control other countries and impact BRICS+, the US continues to harass Iran and China...the only thing new was the Thai-Cambodia conflict which seems to have calmed down. The US (and global) economy seems to be a ticking time bomb designed to usher in "Stablecoins".

Let's start with some news from East Asia...
China Will NOT Be Bullied Into US Trade Deal + Thailand-Cambodia Conflict Explained| Carl Zha

(35 min) After two days of trade talks, Beijing says the U.S. and China have agreed to extend their tariff truce, but now U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is saying, “our Chinese counterparts have jumped the gun a little,” and insisting it’s still up to President Trump to decide whether to go back to triple-digit tariffs.
Carl Zha noted that while Trump wants to bully every country into a trade deal, he’s not going to be able to do that with China, especially when Beijing has the rare earth minerals the U.S. Military needs (and both sides know it).
(@ ~ 11 min) We also discussed the recent border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia, as China and Malaysia lead the ASEAN group’s push for peace, and the latest conflict in Southeast Asia is much more complicated than it seems.

Tucker had a few interesting interviews this week...
Before each one I'll include an excerpt to see if you want to watch the longer interview...

Richard Werner Exposes the Evils of the Fed & the Link Between Banking, War, and the CIA
(2.7 hours) Time stamp links under the link above...
Chapters:
0:00 How Werner Predicted the Japanese Financial Crisis
14:16 How Banks Create Money From Nothing
24:09 You’re Being Lied to About the Bank’s Role in Economics
33:59 The Evils of the Federal Reserve
38:51 Why Are Banks Allowed to Create Money?
57:12 Was Leaving the Gold Standard a Mistake?
1:09:30 The Difference Between Banks and Central Banks
1:24:26 How Society and Culture Are Impacted by Banks
1:33:11 Did the US Purposely Destroy the Japanese Economy?
1:35:42 The Central Bank’s Attempt to Blacklist Werner
1:39:03 The CIA’s Threat to Werner
1:47:24 Why Werner’s Research on Credit Creation Scared the Central Banks
2:03:55 The Link Between Central Banks and Warfare
2:18:02 Where Is the US Economy Headed?
2:29:49 The World Bank’s Debt Trap to Exploit Developing Countries
2:35:34 The Dark Truth About Central Bank Digital Currency
2:40:19 Where Can People Learn More About This?

Let's move on to geopolitics with a focus on Ukraine and Israel...
13 min teaser...

John Mearsheimer: The Palestinian Genocide and How the West Has Been Deceived Into Supporting It
Chapters:
0:00 An Update on the Ukraine/Russia War
5:13 The West’s Ridiculous Russophobia
15:47 Why Do We Still Have NATO?
25:29 The Growing Threat of China and How the US Empowered Them
39:30 The US Puppet Called Zelensky
41:48 Donald Trump’s Biggest Challenges With Ending the War
48:14 Why the US Foreign Policy Establishment Is So Hawkish on Middle Eastern Wars
51:10 Why the US Puts Israel’s Interests First
56:13 The Palestinian Genocide
1:05:32 The Zionist Mission for Greater Israel
1:11:24 The Power of the Israel Lobby
1:20:53 The Attempts to Shut Down Criticism of Israel
1:32:58 Why Are Christians in the West Supporting Israel’s Killing of Christians in the Middle East?
1:38:10 The Growing Opposition Towards Israel Among Young People
1:42:45 Why Don’t We Know the Death Toll of Any of These Wars?
1:53:27 The Authoritarianism That Has Infected Israel
1:55:25 Will Israel Rebuild the Third Temple?
1:58:22 What Is Being Hidden in the 9/11, Epstein, and JFK Files?
2:01:07 The Future of the Global Stage
2:08:26 Will There Be a US/China War Over Taiwan?
Here again time stamp links are below the clip at the link.

One more interview from Tucker, this one on the horrors in Gaza...
Here is a 10 minute taste of the longer interview

US Green Beret Veteran Tony Aguilar Details the Shocking War Crimes He’s Witnessing in Gaza
(85 min) Part one of our interview with retired Green Beret Lt. Col. Tony Aguilar, who says he witnessed war crimes in Gaza. Next week, his detailed response to the attacks against him.
Chapters:
0:00 What Is the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation?
8:52 Aguilar Details the Atrocities Taking Place in Gaza
12:03 To What Extent Is the US Involved in the Destruction of Gaza?
14:39 Is Israel Providing Any Aid to the Palestinians?
20:34 What Is the Death Toll in Gaza?
24:31 How Are People in Gaza Getting Food?
29:20 Who Is Johnnie Moore?
32:36 Who Is Funding the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation?
38:10 How Is Aguilar Treated by the IDF?
43:17 How Does the IDF Treat Palestinian Civilians?
46:04 The Killing of Palestinians at Aid Distribution Sites
56:47 The Killing of Amir
1:07:12 The Attempts to Discredit Aguilar
1:13:30 What Should the Trump Administration Do About This?

Alastair had some interesting insights on the situation in Western Asia.

(25 min) Alastair Crooke : Is the Trump Mystique Broken?
What do you think? Has the Donald lost his mojo? Sure seems much of his base is not happy with his decisions of late.

What do you think about the talk of recognizing Palestine? Seems a day late and a dollar short to me
Macron, Starmer, Carney and Palestine recognition
13 minutes from the Duran

Pepe was the first analyst I heard describe Trump's tariffs and sanctions as a war on BRICS+

(27 min) Pepe Escobar : Trump Foolishly Takes on BRICS.

One more from Pepe...
Exclusive: Pepe Escobar on the Future of BRICS! (43 min)
BRICS 2025 Summit shocked everyone! Pepe Escobar reveals exclusive insider intel on BRICS future, de-dollarization breakthroughs, NDB transformations, and geopolitical game-changers that surprised skeptics worldwide.
00:00 - Introduction and welcome to Think BRICS
00:45 - Reflections on the BRICS Summit in Rio and early skepticism
01:35 - Success of the summit and key pre-summit engagements
02:53 - BRICS Business Day and global participation
04:00 - Discussions on BRICS investment and networking
05:15 - Major announcement: NDB to bypass SWIFT
06:42 - The role of Dilma Rousseff and NDB challenges
08:05 - Importance of the Rio Declaration and its geopolitical impact
09:10 - De-dollarization and BRICS economic strategy
10:33 - Lula’s renewed leadership role at BRICS
12:46 - Anwar Ibrahim’s impactful speech and ASEAN connection
13:55 - Malaysia’s diplomatic leadership in ASEAN
16:16 - Key takeaways: Trade in national currencies and geopolitical coordination
17:12 - Hybrid war threats and regional destabilization
18:33 - Leadership dynamics: Anwar Ibrahim’s role and BRICS unity
19:30 - Proposal for an intra-BRICS media alliance
21:01 - Guancha, Sputnik, and Brazil247 media collaboration
22:30 - The need for decentralized media across the Global South
23:00 - Examples of BRICS-aligned media initiatives
24:10 - Audience reach of Guancha and Think BRICS' growth
25:25 - NDB’s second golden decade and expansion plans
26:30 - Importance of NDB’s visibility and future growth
27:45 - Reflections on the Rio summit’s improvisational success
28:56 - On Xi Jinping's absence and Modi’s central role
30:35 - Xi’s strategy and Brazil-India cooperation
31:48 - Major Chinese investments in Brazil are already underway
34:42 - India’s growing influence in BRICS and global outreach
36:28 - BRICS support for Iran and final declaration diplomacy
38:15 - Iran’s vocal participation and united BRICS stance
38:55 - Tensions between India and China within BRICS
39:55 - The importance of Iran and Indonesia as key BRICS members
40:55 - Looking ahead to India’s BRICS chairmanship
42:45 - Conclusion and future outlook

Trump's BRICS anger and ephemeral deals

(45 min)

De-Dollarization Is Real – Brazil Just PROVED It (10 min)
The U.S.-Brazil relationship is under pressure—and a digital payment system called Pix is at the center of the storm. In this video, we break down why Washington is concerned about Brazil’s Pix platform, how it threatens the dominance of the U.S. dollar, and why this could mark a major turning point in the global financial order.
Pix, launched by Brazil’s central bank, is fast, free, and doesn’t rely on the U.S. dollar. It's already used by over 76% of Brazilians, empowering unbanked citizens while challenging U.S.-based financial systems like Visa and Mastercard. But is Pix just about financial inclusion—or something much bigger?
In this video, we cover:
Why the U.S. fears Pix
Lula’s push for dollar independence
U.S. tariffs and sanctions on Brazil
Pix vs. Visa & Mastercard
Rise of BRICS Pay and alternative finance systems
The future of global currency multipolarity

US President Trump has rattled Washington’s ties with New Delhi to an unexpected degree. Countries, including, India were prepared for rough diplomatic weather after Trump won his second term, but did not anticipate the kind of onslaught he has unleashed on the global system and diplomatic norms. Trump’s latest attack on India and the BRICS countries explains this underlying dynamic. The BRICS aspire to play a greater political, economic and financial role in global affairs. This aspiration is based on shifts of economic and concomitant political and financial power towards the so-called emerging powers or middle-income countries. BRICS countries have already begun to use their national currencies in trading with each other as much as possible. The use of draconian financial sanctions on Russia by the West has accelerated this process.

BRICS+ rises the West declines, especially the EU. Jeff Sachs provides the history over the last 50 years...
The Price of Empire w/ Jeffrey Sachs (Live)

(66 min with Jeff) He has been enmeshed in this history that he relates with a focus on the failure of the west after the dissolution of the USSR to make friends with Russia. The UK wouldn't allow it to happen then, and is doing everything to keep the US from normalizing Russia/US relations now.

The Ukraine Proxy War with Russia...
The west has sacrificed Ukraine in their proxy war with Russia.

"They are ALL dead... 1.8 Million of them killed in Ukraine" Col. Douglas MacGregor
(23 min)

It isn't often I agree with one of Alabama's senators, but I agree with this...

(13 sec)

10 or 12 Days, Then What? (Larry Johnson)
Donald Trump made another move in his feckless game of global checkers today in Scotland, with the announcement that he is giving Russia a new, much shorter deadline of ten days to end the war in Ukraine. Trump warned that if President Vladimir Putin does not reach a deal by around August 7–9, the US will impose new sanctions and “severe tariffs” on Russia and countries supporting its war effort. Trump’s new deadline elicited a collective yawn in Moscow.

Putin's response to Trump's threats

(32 sec)

By now, it must be kind of obvious that Mr. Putin of Russia was staged-up into a demon for the convenience of Hillary Clinton — resulting in a decade of deformed US foreign relations that has dragged us to the edge of a third world war. Nice work, Democratic Party! I will proffer a harsh truth to you: the best outcome in Ukraine would be for Russia to win the war as expeditiously as possible, neutralize and disarm the place, change-out its illegitimate government, and let it revert to being the frontier backwater it was for eight decades previous, when it was not a problem for the other nations of the region. Mr. Putin has put up with our country’s psychotic nonsense with remarkable patience. The idea that he seeks to conquer western Europe was a preposterous confection of the neocon crazies in our State Department and Intel “community.”

In a bombshell development that should rattle every American, newly declassified documents confirm what conservatives have said all along: the Trump-Russia collusion narrative wasn’t just baseless; it was a deliberate political hit job that the highest levels of the Obama administration orchestrated, with Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign at the helm and the FBI eagerly playing along. But it gets worse. Buried in a classified annex to John Durham’s report, which is finally seeing the light of day after the Biden administration kept it under wraps, are explosive allegations that the FBI may have been doing George Soros’ bidding during Operation Crossfire Hurricane.

None the less the US keeps rattling their sabres.
Trump ‘Prepared’ For Nuclear War With Russia
Earlier on Friday, Trump announced in a post on Truth Social that he had ordered the deployment of two US nuclear submarines to what he called “the appropriate regions,” ...

President Trump said Friday he had ordered two nuclear submarines moved closer to Russia in response to “highly provocative statements” by a top Kremlin official.

Nuclear Sub warning to Russia. Trump informed Russia losing. Putin, Oreshniks ready. Ghislaine moved

(43 min)
0:00 - Discussion on firing the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics
0:34 - Video update from Lica, Cyprus
1:02 - Overview of the Trump Truth Social meltdown
1:30 - Meltdown in response to Medvedev's post on Telegram
3:01 - Trump's reaction and nuclear subs positioning
7:32 - Trump's controversial Truth Social post regarding nuclear submarines
10:02 - Discussion on US military capabilities and Trump's claims
12:15 - Points on Trump's previous statements regarding military actions
15:17 - Analysis of Trump's statements about casualties in the Ukraine war
19:27 - Trump's claims about the war being Biden's responsibility
22:01 - Critique of Trump's involvement in the Ukraine conflict
25:00 - Speculation on Trump's motives behind his statements
28:32 - Update on Ghislaine Maxwell's prison situation
36:06 - Discussion on India's continued purchase of Russian oil
39:54 - GOP's social media post featuring Trump with a Soviet car image
42:08 - Commentary on Yermak's wrestling-themed response to Trump's nuclear threats
43:15 - Conclusion and call to action for viewers

I wonder if the purpose of all these threats and actions are to mask the Epstein story. If so it isn't working...

Epstein EXPOSED: Trump, Mossad & The Elite’s Dark Secrets (14 min)

I'll close with another John Prine line...pretty good, not bad, I can't complain, but actually everything is about the same. I can complain about the news, but it will not accomplish a thing. Trump has NOT sought peace, in fact he's added to US aggression with stunts like bombing Yemen and Iran...and now sending more weapons and another 55 billion to Ukraine. Will he lose his base? I bet he loses many of them. I look for a midterm disaster for the GOP, but we'll see what we see... lots of water to pass under the bridge between now and then.

I hope you all had a good week. I played catch up on both the chores and the news. I'm sure I missed several stories which I hope you'll share in the comments below. Have a great Sunday!