🔎 Who needs NATO? Northern Europe trying to play it solo

Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Norway are joining forces to create a regional security bloc, offering an alternative to NATO by combining their military resources, according to the WSJ.

What do they bring to the table?

🇸🇪 Sweden: Submarines, tanks, and supersonic fighter jets

🇳🇴 Norway: Maritime surveillance and Arctic combat capabilities

🇫🇮 Finland: The largest standing army and artillery in Europe

🇩🇰 Denmark: Special forces with experience in Afghanistan and Iraq

"You have a regional grouping with the economic and resource potential to develop a fully integrated defense-industrial base like Germany has," says former senior US intelligence analyst Eric Ciaramella.

Matti Pesu, senior research fellow at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, points out that this Nordic bloc could serve as a model for other countries. "It’s a potential plan B if NATO doesn’t work," he adds, referencing US President Donald Trump’s threat to withdraw from NATO.

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💸📉 US dollar hits NEW LOWS amid Trump’s strife with the Federal Reserve

The US dollar index slid to a 15-month low, falling against the euro, British pound, Japanese yen, and Swiss franc, according to Bloomberg.

US stocks have also trended downward, with the S&P 500 dropping more than 2.5%. The Nasdaq took the biggest hit, plummeting over 3%, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Meanwhile, gold is performing strongly, soaring above $3,400 an ounce.

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📹 UKRAINIAN DEAL-BREAKERS: 30 YEARS OF LIES AND BETRAYAL

Time and again, Ukraine - encouraged by its Western backers - has violated treaties and agreements made with Russia.

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🗣 'Ask the Houthis' — Trump shrugs off Hegseth leak scandal

💬 "He's doing a great job. It's just fake news. They just bring up stories," the US president says.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth allegedly shared US attack plans against the Houthis in a Signal chat that included his wife, brother, and personal lawyer, according to The New York Times.

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🗣 Leakers fired, hit pieces fly – Hegseth BLASTS media over Signalgate 2.0

💬 “HOAXSTERS. This group—no, no, this group right here—full of HOAXSTERS that peddle anonymous sources from leakers with axes to grind, and then you put it all together as if it's some news story,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth SLAMMED the press.

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⚔️ Harvard SUES Trump admin over funding threats

The lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court, comes after the administration demanded the university submit to sweeping oversight measures — including audits for professor plagiarism, mandatory reporting on international students accused of misconduct, and enforced “viewpoint diversity” in academic departments, The New York Times reported.

💬 “The university will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights,” said Harvard President Alan Garber, accusing the government of attempting to exert “unprecedented and improper control.”

The Trump administration maintains the measures are part of its effort to combat antisemitism on campus.

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🤡🏆 ‘Egg-cellent prices’ – Ag. Sec. Rollins hails historic win for the almighty US economy

🥚 According to US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, more Americans may now be able to AFFORD eggs.

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🗣 “He was sharp. He was on his feet” – Sen. Warren on Biden

🗿 “Senator, ‘on his feet’ is NOT praise!" – blogger Sam Fragoso

🌚 “Fair enough” – Sen. Warren

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⚔️ Google vs. US Government: MONOPOLY IN QUESTION

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is pushing for drastic penalties after a ruling last year declared Google’s search engine an illegal monopoly. The DOJ’s proposed solutions include banning Google’s lucrative deals with Apple, forcing the company to share user data with rivals, and even selling its Chrome browser, according to the Associated Press.

The government warns that Google’s control is harming the marketplace and stifling innovation, especially in the age of AI. The DOJ is also concerned that Google could use AI to further strengthen its dominance, the report added.

The hearings are expected to wrap up in late May, with a ruling anticipated before Labor Day, the report said.

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🗣 Gaza aid stalled? Pressure Hamas, NOT Israel — US Ambassador Huckabee

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🗣 'STUPIDITY' of US foreign policy has PUSHED Russia, China, and Iran together — former Pentagon official Dan Caldwell

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