Posted originally on CTH on October 4, 2025 | Sundance
Sanae Takaichi, 64, won the Liberal Democratic Party leadership election on October 4, 2025, positioning her as Japan’s likely first female prime minister.
Takaichi is a conservative ally of the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and supports revising the pacifist constitution, boosting defense spending, and imposing stricter immigration policies. Her victory was unexpected and now she will face parliamentary confirmation potentially becoming Japan’s first female Prime Minister.
TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s governing party on Saturday elected former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi, a hard-line ultra-conservative and China hawk, as its new leader, making her likely to become the country’s first female prime minister.
In a country that ranks poorly internationally for gender equality, the 64-year-old Takaichi makes history as the first female leader of Japan’s long-governing conservative Liberal Democratic Party. Takaichi is one of the most conservative members of the male-dominated party.
An admirer of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Takaichi is a protege of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ‘s ultra-conservative vision and a regular at the Yasukuni Shrine, seen as a symbol of Japan’s wartime militarism, which could complicate Tokyo’s relations with its Asian neighbors. (read more)
Posted originally on Jul 15, 2025 by Martin Armstrong |
The Ukraine Recovery Conference 2025 (URC) on July 10-11 in Rome concluded with joint agreements to provide Ukraine with 3.55 billion euros for reconstruction. “We received a clear message from Ukraine’s friends and partners: they are ready to invest in our recovery,” Oleksii Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for the Restoration of Ukraine and Minister for the Development of Communities and Territories stated. There is false hope that Ukraine will exist after this prolonged conflict.
The Ministry approved of five agreements worth over 370 million euros during this conference. The Italian Foreign Ministry agreed to offer 100% insurance coverage for banks on export loans up to 1.5 billion euros. If a bank lends money to support exports to Ukraine but the borrower fails to repay, the government-backed institution will take the loss. The claim is that the guarantee will safeguard Italian companies so that they may continue exporting goods and services to Ukraine. Ukrainian buyers will also have access to credit, and with the 100% insurance guarantee, banks may lower credit standards to otherwise risky borrowers. The potential for fraud is enormous. Worse, the Italian government and therefore the Italian people will be on the hook for 1.5 billion euros amid a highly unstable environment where repayment is not guaranteed.
The European Union and development banks also signed 10 agreements worth 929.3 million euros at the Rome conference. The World Bank through in $200 million as well for good measure. “Rebuilding Ukraine is not just about our country. It’s also about your countries, your companies, your technology, your jobs,” Zelensky said. Quite contrary as these government programs are selling out domestic policy in favor of a foreign government. The people do not benefit in any meaningful way as Europe has never relied on Ukraine for trade. Europe was more beholden to Russia before this ongoing war, which is precisely why they are experiencing a worsening energy crisis.
We need a Marshall Plan-style approach, and we should develop it together,” Zelensky stated, referring to the $13 billion (over $150 billion today) deal that the US granted to 16 European nations after World War II. The scale cannot be compared. The United States needed to stabilize Europe after the war to ensure that capital could continue to flow back to the States. No one is relying on Ukrainian capital. The US was also attempting to quell the spread of communism during this time and had a plethora of motives for assistance, none of which were purely charitable.
Western leaders are sacrificing countless funds for a nation that was never a strategic partner prior to the war. They believe the true jewel will be conquering Russia, whereas Ukraine is merely their stepping stone to enter the resource-rich, unconquerable land. Countless issues could be avoided if decision makers used history as their guide.
Posted originally on CTH on July 1, 2025 | Sundance
If my data alignment points are accurate, now that the BBB is passed through the Senate we are likely to see some very major geopolitical changes come rushing to the surface.
Keep watching and let’s see if things happen the way we expect.
WASHINGTON DC – The Pentagon has halted shipments of some air defense missiles and other precision munitions to Ukraine due to worries that U.S. weapons stockpiles have fallen too low.
[…] In a statement following the publication of this story, White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said that the decision “was made to put America’s interests first following a DOD review of our nation’s military support and assistance to other countries across the globe. The strength of the United States Armed Forces remains unquestioned — just ask Iran.”
Included among the items being pulled back are missiles for Patriot air defense systems, precision artillery rounds, Hellfire and other missiles that Ukraine launches from its F-16 fighters and drones.
The losses will surely be felt on the ground as Ukraine continues to beat back fresh assaults by Russian forces. (read more)
In related news not getting attention, French President Emmanuel Macron had a two-hour phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin today. [LINK] Also, Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the president of Azerbaijan today, an ally of Putin [LINK]. Azerbaijan is to Russia as Mexico is to the United States.
Posted originally on Jun 25, 2025 by Martin Armstrong
The neocons would never permit a true ceasefire. The war in the Middle East must continue in order to broaden the West’s conflict with Russia. Russia is not permitted to remain neutral, despite Putin’s insistence. Follow the money—NATO has assembled $40 BILLION to prolong aggression against Russia.
“Let’s not forget, Iran is heavily involved in the fight of Russia against Ukraine by, for example, their drone deliveries, which are killing innocent Ukrainians every day, in cities, in communities, without any respect for life,” Rutte said. Russia has paid Iran for defense and drones throughout the conflict in Ukraine, and therefore, the neocons believe Russia should be held responsible for the war in the Middle East.
Russia has successfully fended off NATO and the weaponization of Ukraine by the West. The messaging put forth by NATO aligns with Socrates’ predictions—the worst is yet to come and we have mass panic cycles occurring in nearly every major economy in 2026. The reason cannot be provided by the computer, but historically, we only see such an uptick in activity during times of global conflict.
“You will see important language about Ukraine, including connecting the defense spending up to 2035 to Ukraine, and the need for Ukraine to stay in the fight,” Rutte said. “This is a clear commitment by allies.” They likely expected Russia to fold earlier, but they will not give up their battle. Rutte specifically mentioned that Europe and Canada, and not the United States, are aligned in their unwavering financial support for Ukraine. “And we have – I can announce that now – new estimates showing that our European and Canadian Allies have stepped up and have already pledged – where we originally would have been able to announce €20 billion over the first three months of this year, it is now they will provide over €35 billion ($40.6 billion) in additional security assistance to Ukraine for the year ahead.”
Rutte said that Ukraine’s path to NATO is “irreversible.”
The next player up to bat is China. The neocons WILL find a method to break Beijing’s neutrality. It matters not that everyone is a trade partner; the specific trade deals that displease the neocons will be highlighted as a reason for war.
“The most significant and direct threat facing this Alliance remains Russia. Moscow continues to wage war against Ukraine with the support of North Korea, Iran, and China as well as Belarus.” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
China will partner with Russia when they are forced out of neutrality. The West has never desired diplomatic relations with China as it has always been an enemy nation. China’s growing global influence is a direct threat to the West’s power and those moving the chess pieces genuinely believe that NATO can decimate Russia, China, and Ukraine. Our computer does not agree with them.
Posted originally on Jun 25, 2025 by Martin Armstrong
Spain will be unable to meet NATO’s new 5% of GDP membership requirement. In the latest round of a nation rebuking a globalist entity that dampens its sovereignty, Spain has broken step with the European Union and NATO by admitting that Russia poses no immediate threat.
NATO is set to meet for the first time since Donald Trump’s re-election and Rutte is insistent that member nations up their contributions to appease the bloc’s largest contributor. Trump has repeatedly warned that the US would reduce or pull funding from NATO if other nations failed to meet their 2% of GDP requirement. Trump declared that Russia posed no immediate threat to the US and accused Europe of over-relying on America for protection.
Rutte would now like to raise that 2% target to 5%, which is a significant increase. The new budget proposal will allot 3.5% of spending on military expenditure,s and 1.5% will be spent on defense-related items like cybersecurity and military mobility.
Spain contributes the least to NATO in terms of GDP compared to other members, spending an estimated 1.28% of its GDP. Spain is the fourth-largest economy in the Eurozone, and other members do not believe it should get a free pass. Spain’s economy grew by 3% last year, far surpassing the Eurozone average of 0.08%. Yet, the government sees no value in spending on NATO when the war is isolated to Ukraine.
“Our threat is not Russia bringing its troops across the Pyrenees,” Sanchez said, referring to the mountain range dividing France and Spain. “When we talk about Russia it’s more a hybrid threat. It’s the threat of cyber attacks. So what we have to do is not just talk about defense, but fundamentally talk about security.” He admitted that he does not believe Putin has plans to conquer Europe, breaking from the ongoing EU neocon narrative.
Previously, nations would need to unanimously vote on new spending policies. “Of course, it is not our intention to limit the spending ambitions of other allies or to obstruct the outcome of the upcoming summit,” the Sánchez letter reads. It no longer matters what one member nation believes, as unanimity is no longer required among any centralized power, be it the European Union or NATO. All members must adhere to the plans of the unelected bureaucrats, and those plans clearly detail an escalation in warfare.
Posted originally on CTH on June 21, 2025 | Sundance
This is madness. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sends a twitter message as if he’s ordering coffee from the guy down the street, telling NATO members not to forget to send him his $40 billion in “budgetary support.”
Budgetary support means we pay for the operational cost of Ukraine government, including govt payrolls, pensions, healthcare services, welfare and social services for the people in Ukraine.
The crazy thing is, unless Trump stops it, our congress will give it to him. And even if Trump tries to stop it, congress will demand the payment as part of their appropriations process.
Maybe it’s just me, but the in-your-face hubris of it is, well, just off-the-charts. As if we don’t have important priorities here at home that could better use these taxpayer funds.
Posted originally on Jun 12, 2025 by Martin Armstrong
While domestic small businesses suffered under Biden-Harris, Ukraine saw a boost in their small business thanks to billions in grants that were paid for by the US taxpayer. USAID subsidized Ukrainian businesses through co-investment programs, interest rate compensation on loans, cashback incentives for leading equipment, and direct financial support. All in all, USAID’s “Investment for Business Resilience Activity” provided $100 million in investments.
The Bureau of Labor and Statistics was altering data on domestic jobs while other branches of the government were focused on maintaining Ukraine’s workforce. The aforementioned USAID program supported over 1,050 businesses and allegedly saved nearly 18,000 jobs.
USAID was working directly with Ukrainian banks to help lower borrowing costs to small and medium enterprises. Trump immediately halted this program in January 2025. The average person simply does not understand how much money the Biden Administration was sending to Ukraine.
US taxpayers supported the entire Ukrainian government. Over $30 billion was sent to Ukraine in a two-year period to pay for “essential government operations.” Americans were forced to pay for public servants’ salaries, pensions, healthcare, and more. None of this includes the tens of billions spent on military-related items or humanitarian aid.
Americans did not vote to use their public funds in this manner. The domestic economy was suffering from record inflation post-COVID. Domestic entrepreneurs could not secure business loans. There is a clear pattern of one political party prioritizing foreign entities over its own citizens.
Now, the Trump Administration announced that it needs to make additional cuts to Ukrainian assistance. “This administration takes a very different view of that conflict. We believe that a negotiated peaceful settlement is in the best interest of both parties and our nation’s interests, especially with all the competing interests around the globe,” US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth explained. The complete 2026 budget has not yet been released by the Pentagon, but Hegseth said it “provides a historic level of funding for military readiness, putting (U.S.) warfighters and their needs first.”
Using American funds to prioritize America—what a novel concept. This is why Trump and Vance had a shouting match with Zelensky during his failed Oval Office visit. Zelensky feels entitled to US funding after years of using US public funds as his personal ATM under Biden.
The European Union now funds around84% of Ukraine’s operations. It is expected that the bloc will spend around $40 billion on external financing needs in 2025. The Ukraine Facility instrument provides €50 billion in “flexible support” for Ukraine over a three-year period. They’re using frozen Russian assets to fund this account since the EU simply does not have the money to prop up a foreign government.
This has been an extremely expensive war and it is nowhere near over. I should add that US assistance was all provided outside the regular defense budget. This occurred during peacetime in a war that in no way involved the United States. This is what happens when a foreign nation blackmails the president of the world’s leading superpower.
Biden’s crime family received over $20 million from Ukraine in “influence peddling” schemes. Hunter Biden secured $11 million for his personal company through Burisma. FBI informant, Alexander Smirnov, said under oath that Burisma selected Hunter to “protect us, through his dad, from all kinds of problems.” The text messages stored on Hunter’s laptop revealed that he openly threatened people using his father’s name while his father was the vice president. Joe Biden accepted bribes and altered US policy to support his son and line his pockets. The CCP also had the Biden family in their pocket.
Decreasing, if not ceasing, funding for Ukraine is long overdue. Imagine if those funds were invested in the domestic economy rather than laundered through under-the-table deals. Americans are not responsible for subsidizing Ukraine.
Posted originally on Jun 1, 2025 by Martin Armstrong
The Trump Administration has stated that it was NOT informed in advance. Ukraine was putting out the fake news claiming that they had previously told the Trump Administration in advance. They were most likely trying to scare Putin to prevent him from retaliating, implying that Trump has his back. This was indeed Russia’s Pearl Harbor. Zelensky wrote on X on Sunday wrote:
“Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Maliuk delivered a report regarding today’s operation. An absolutely brilliant result. A result achieved solely by Ukraine. One year, six months, and nine days from the start of planning to effective execution. Our most long-range operation. Our people involved in preparing the operation were withdrawn from Russian territory in time.”
Note that Zelensky also goes out of his way to state another lie: “A result achieved solely by Ukraine.” There is absolutely no way Ukraine did this alone. All of the EU was involved, just as MI6 instructed Ukraine to invade with the Kursk maneuver. Claiming Trump was informed in advance but not NATO or the EU after Trump threw him out of the White House, and everyone I speak to on Capitol Hill lost respect for Zelensky after that staged attempt to embarrass Trump into keeping the funding going.
The ruthless Neocon who was the fake Republican on the January 6th Committee that tried to stop Trump from even running for president, Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, also wrote on X: “Important to note: the targeting of Russian bombers is COMPLETELY LEGAL and expected in a war. A response from Russia will target civilians and be a war crime. But it’s Russia. They bombed hospitals in Ukraine and Syria. They are…. A terrorist state.” This is the same guy who claimed NATO can take out Russia in three days.
Let’s make this very clear. These bombers were NOT being used in Ukraine. They were by no means an act of defense. This was an act of aggression – PERIOD!
This is indeed the Russian ‘Pearl Harbor.’ If I were Putin, this is the time to annihilate Ukraine and eradicate it from the face of Europe. Peace will NEVER happen. Putin should now destroy Ukraine to remove it as a proxy war client. Drop the leaflets and give the Ukrainian people 5 days to migrate to Europe. This is akin to Rome’s destruction of Carthage, which put an end to the Punic War and ensured that no city would ever rise there again. Only then will the EU be forced to come out of the closet and admit that it is the real enemy. The US engaged in WWII after Pearl Harbor. That is the magnitude of what Ukraine has done. I would expect Russia to now go on full nuclear alert against the EU.
DEFCON 3
I believe that Russia has now gone to DEFCON 3 out of 5. The wild card is Macron. My sources in Romania confirm that Macron was there for the election to ensure that the EU won and the people of Romania would be the next wave of pawns to die for the EU agenda led by Macron to vanquish Russia. They call Macron the Petite Napoleon. He is behind WWIII and is the leader pushing for war, as is now Germany’s Merz.
This is the picture of the German GDP. Germany could even be the first EU state to crumble. Note that June has been the primary target for the whole year. Look at the Volatility for July and August. Germany is 25% of the EU economy. Speaking to political sources, I am informed that it is now Germany really pushing hard for war against Russia using Ukraine. This is looking really bad with each market you review.
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This is a library of News Events not reported by the Main Stream Media documenting & connecting the dots on How the Obama Marxist Liberal agenda is destroying America
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