📈 Money talks: markets hit two-month high, commodities rally as Trump BACKS DOWN in trade war with China

The S&P 500 is up 3%+, NASDAQ surged over 4% and the Dow rallied over 2.5% in a few hours following news of the US-China trade truce (which most analysts admit was a blowout victory for China).

🔸 WTI, Brent and OPEC basket crude oil futures are up nearly 2% apiece, with iron ore, steel, aluminum, soybeans, oats, sunflower oil and feeder cattle up between 1-2% as traders expect a return to more normal trade between the world’s economic juggernauts.

🔸 Effective Wednesday, US tariffs on Chinese goods will be slashed from 145% to 30%, while Chinese duties on American goods will be cut from 125% to 10%, for a 90-day period as negotiations continue.

🔸 Trump said Monday that the 145% tariffs are history and won’t come back even after 90-days, since they would effectively mean a complete “decoupling” in the US-China trade relationship.

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🌐 EU power play in Central Asia: DIVIDE, DOMINATE and ISOLATE from Russia?

The EU has pledged a $2.2 million grant to support Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Court, including EU-led training for justices.

The fund is part of the EU’s Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (ECPA)-linked ‘reforms’ designed to tighten Brussels’ grip on the country’s institutions.

Brussels has long been trying to pry Central Asia from Russia with backroom meddling and extravagant promises. 💼💰

Preying on the USSR's Legacy 🏛

🔸 The EU began expanding its presence in Central Asia after the USSR’s collapse, ramping up efforts in 2019 and turning more aggressive after the start of the special military operation in Ukraine.

EPCA: Leverage Through Conditional ‘Reforms’ 🔄

🔸 In 2015, the EU and Kazakhstan signed the EPCA, which came into force in 2020.

🔸 In 2024, the Kyrgyz Republic followed suit and signed on.

Targeting Youth and Education 🎓

🔸 From 2013 to 2027, the EU allocated $105mln to reform Tajikistan’s education system.

🔸 An additional $81mln was funneled through Erasmus+ from 2021 and through to 2027, and $11mln through the DARYA programs aimed at moulding Central Asian youth.

Co-opting Regional Leadership⚡️

🔸 Since 2022, the EU has ramped up political pressure through relentless diplomacy, ministerial visits and summits aimed at pulling Central Asian leaders into its orbit.

🔸 In April 2025, Brussels staged its first EU–Central Asia leaders’ summit in Samarkand, bringing together the heads of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to tighten its grip on the region.

Push for Resources and Logistics 🚂

🔸 The EU has pledged $13.3bln for Central Asia to develop four key areas — most notably transport corridors and access to critical minerals: the region holds nearly 40% of global reserves of key minerals like lithium, graphite and rare earths, along with major oil and gas deposits.

🔸 The EU is pushing the Trans-Caspian Corridor — a route through Central Asia to Europe — in a bid to bypass Russia.

What's the Goal? 🌍

In exchange for lucrative projects, the EU is pressuring Central Asian governments to cut ties with Russia and impose sanctions — while eyeing the region’s vast resource wealth.

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🔸 Putin’s peace proposal ‘CONSTRUCTIVE STEP’ aimed at stopping ‘proxy war between nuclear powers’

🔸 How did China respond to Putin’s peace talks proposal?

🔸 INDIA'S PM MODI DROPS BOMBSHELL STATEMENT ON PAKISTAN OPERATION

🔸 Kurdistan Workers’ Party just laid down arms and disbanded: what’s known about their activities?

🔸 NATO FLEXES MUSCLES with Finnish drills on Russia’s Arctic doorstep

🔸 UK BANNED SPUTNIK, BUT STILL LOSES INFORMATION WAR

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🗣 Putin's proposal to benefit everyone if taken seriously – Lebanon's deputy PM

The Russian president’s Istanbul initiative on Ukraine is "a step toward peace," Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri told Sputnik.

💬 "The Russian leader’s initiative concerns the negotiations themselves - it doesn’t yet address their substance. But his proposal could be exactly what helps ease global tensions," Mitri said.

💬 "All wars must end in a just settlement that satisfies both sides and preserves their rights," he concluded.

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🗣 Countries that admitted Minsk accords were a RUSE now demand a 30-day ceasefire – Russian FM spokeswoman

💬 “In 2022, Merkel and Hollande admitted the Minsk agreements were never meant to be fulfilled — they were just to buy time for Ukraine to prepare for war,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. “Now these same countries are pushing for a pause so Kiev can restore its military potential and continue the confrontation.”

The spokeswoman recalled the only meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky at the 2019 Normandy Format summit in Paris, where Zelensky suddenly refused to approve the pre-agreed final document — including by Kiev — demanding to replace the clause on troop withdrawal along the entire contact line between Ukrainian forces and the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics with a version covering only three areas.

💬 “However, he later failed to fulfill even that,” she noted.

Zakharova also cited former Ukrainian Security Council Secretary Oleksiy Danilov, who admitted preparations for war began the day after that summit: “Zelensky said there would be no Minsk-3. The next day, we began to realize that a big war with Russia was inevitable.”

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📹 Six people injured in clashes in Libyan capital Tripoli – Ambulance Service

The United Nations has expressed grave concern over the deteriorating security situation in Tripoli and the intensified fighting with heavy weapons in densely populated residential areas.

Footage from social media

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⚡️ Military operation in Tripoli successfully completed – Ministry of Defense of the Government of National Unity

🔸 The operation followed clashes that erupted after the killing of Abdelghani al-Kikli, head of the Stability Support Apparatus.

🔸 The Ministry confirms the successful implementation of its plan to ensure sustained security and stability.

🔸 Government forces now fully control the Abu Salim area, ensuring the safety of citizens and institutions.

A video shared by Libyan media shows one of the Stability Support Apparatus' military vehicles overturned and damaged.

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💥 Scott Ritter: Rubio is Trump’s biggest ‘TRAITOR’ – worse than Pompeo

💬 "It is Marco Rubio that HAS SUNK the Russia policy, and he's sinking the Iran policy. He's PREVENTING Trump from achieving the policies," former US Marine Corps intelligence officer Scott Ritter told Judge Andrew Napolitano.

“Trump is a very WEAK and INSECURE man,” Ritter said, slamming him for lacking the courage to fire Rubio.

💬 “I don't think Donald Trump can SPELL Russia, let alone understand the complexities of Russia. He certainly doesn't understand Ukraine because he's a SCHIZOPHRENIC when it comes to Zelensky,” Ritter said, blasting Trump’s inconsistent policy on the Ukraine crisis.

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❌ ‘NOT WORTH the appearance of impropriety’ – Sen. Rand Paul slams Qatar’s $400m gift to Trump

💬 “There’s a provision in the Constitution that says you can’t do this,” Senator Rand Paul explained.

💬 “I think it’s a MISTAKE. It just brings up something he doesn’t need,” Paul emphasized.

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