In just a few days we've witnessed (and are witnessing) some consequential elections - with the US Mid-term coming up in less than a week.
In Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva stunned the Right by picking up a victory in the second round of presidential elections. The Bolsonaro camp is crying foul but there are indications that many who sat out the first round decided to vote - not because they like Lula, but because they don't want to see another Bolsonaro in charge.
Romania and Spain were the last of the European nations to avoid a return to Right-wing politics. Spain spent decades under Franco and only returned to democracy in the late 1970's and early 1980's. Romania had been under fascist rule during World War II and then fell under communism for the duration of the Cold War. Since then it has emerged and while always battling corruption and other issues, the Right was kept at bay.
I found this interview with Barrett Brown somewhat entertaining as it took me back more than a decade to that period in time when Wikileaks was shaking the corridors of power, and revelations were made regarding state surveillance and the degree of illegality, cover-up, and government take-over of society's data. The culture of lies was at its height as Washington attempted to cover up its crimes and deceptions connected to the farcical War on Terror.
https://www.euractiv.com/news/armenia-to-start-eu-bid-in-near-future/
The struggle over Armenia and the Caucasus continues. The region has been caught in geopolitical wranglings since the fall of the Soviet Union thirty-five years ago.
https://smallwarsjournal.com/2024/12/19/how-memoirs-by-american-officials/
This article provides a quick summary of the facts connected to CIA operations in Burma and the various memoirs that omit this reality. Their reasons undoubtedly vary and are not always clear, but are (in themselves) food for thought.
The UK plan to outsource its immigration crisis to Rwanda collapsed and was cancelled by Keir Starmer. Despite this, Rwanda is still looking to sign up and receive European funds. And Paul Kagame has his takers as nations such as Denmark, Austria, Greece, and Germany have expressed interest.
https://www.trtworld.com/article/e176f6eb7b05
This TRT article caught my eye because while it seems to justify Right-wing narratives about either labs in China or perhaps a US-China collusion and Covid cover-up. The reality is the US has been engaged in this kind of research (and pernicious activity) for some time - and I'm not talking about a manufactured pandemic or even a Coved cover-up.
Meloni's Brothers of Italy (FdI) came to power in 2022 primarily because it was the party that refused to be part of Mario Draghi's Unity Government. This was also undoubtedly connected to some of the public anger over Covid and continued immigration.
The Transportation Security Administration or TSA was founded in the aftermath of 9/11 and though it would seem people have forgotten, it was quite controversial. It began a period of dehumanised public interaction with the state, and the degradation and humiliation of travellers. It was connected to the Patriot Act and the decimation of basic Constitutional rights. In other words if I was a patriot (which I am not) I would view TSA workers as traitors, enemies of the republic established by the US Constitution. I'm glad they're not being paid. They should go get real jobs and actually earn some honest money.
Keir Starmer has tried to distance himself from America's war and yet Britain is certainly the junior and subservient partner in the Atlanticist Anglo-American Empire. His government is struggling and he didn't want to risk alienating more Labour voters by supporting the Trump-Netanyahu war and so he tried to side-step the issue by suggesting that UK bases would only be used for 'defensive' purposes.
https://www.politico.eu/article/france-germany-next-generation-fighter-jet-project-collapse/
In the grand scheme of things this is a minor story but it points to some of the internal struggles within Europe, which in turn plays out within the larger political spectrum. With the departure of Angela Merkel and in light of Franco-German relations (such as the 2019 Aachen Treaty), Macron stood at the pinnacle of European politics. France was set to re-assert the leadership it believes itself entitled to.
https://www.dw.com/en/peru-ousts-interim-president/a-76013641
There is nothing too earth-shattering here other than to note how Peru's instability continues and how the nation is caught in a tug-of-war. It's one of the key fronts in Cold War II and the contest being Washington and Beijing.
https://www.democracynow.org/2026/1/20/minneapolis_minnesota_ice
One need not agree with all that Democracy Now stands for and certainly figures like Al Sharpton rightfully elicit scorn. We need not align ourselves with Renee Good or even the protesters who stormed a Southern Baptist congregation in protest of its ICE pastor. Nevertheless the reporting is pretty stark and damning when it comes to the character and conduct of ICE. I was particularly struck by the exchanges between ICE agents and an Native America/Indian woman with her nephew - harassed for having darker skin. The sheer terror in the woman's voice is disturbing - she's rightly in distress, fearing the ICE agents will kill her nephew.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/freeland-ukraine-economic-advisor-9.7033382
Toronto-area MP Chrystia Freeland is in the news once again. Her most recent high profile position was as Trudeau's deputy and she was viewed by many as the 'minister of everything' and almost the de facto prime minister. Having previously served as foreign secretary, and finance minister, her star has been rising for some time. In a sudden move that sent shock-waves throughout Ottawa and beyond, she resigned the cabinet at the end of 2024 - a move which helped to ultimately bring down Justin Trudeau's government the following month.
I must say Europe's hypocrisy regarding the Venezuela raid is pretty staggering. Apart from some tepid appeals to the integrity of international law, the leaders of the EU have more or less acquiesced to American banditry and naked aggression - and its public proclamation of colonial-style expropriation of resources.
The powers that be are ordained by God and clearly in God's Providence, it was time for Maduro of Venezuela to go. That said, the Old Testament clearly demonstrates that the nation that removed him can be (on another level) outside of God's will and motivated by its own wicked desires. One thinks of Assyria and Babylon - God's servants in the punishing of Israel and Judah. They were agents of Providence but wicked in their motivation. This paradox is also seen in the commentary offered in Matthew 26.24 by Christ concerning Judas Iscariot. What is written must be fulfilled but woe to that man who actually conducts the betrayal.
So it is with Trump and the American Empire.
https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Romanian-and-Moldovan-Orthodox-Christians-in-conflict-64314.html
I have previously reported on the contest within Eastern Orthodoxy over the question of Moldova - an episode that somewhat parallels events in Ukraine.
https://www.christiantoday.com/news/the-cautionary-tale-of-sophie-from-dundee
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-65174096
https://www.spiked-online.com/2025/08/30/sophie-of-dundee-and-the-online-rights-bs-machine/
Some of you will already be familiar with the scandal surrounding 'Sophie' from Dundee. In the wake of Charlie Kirk and Iryna Zarutska, this story has fallen by the wayside. But it has also faded away because it was (at least in part) a case of hype.
https://www.democracynow.org/2025/9/9/epstein_book
This segment will prove enlightening for those unfamiliar with certain aspects of Epstein's profile and just how he 'fit in' with the Capitalist ruling class or elite. The notion that Jamie Dimon (CEO of JP Morgan) was unaware of Epstein's relationship to the bank is absurd and obviously he's perjured himself. Why would he do this? Why would he do this with seemingly no fear of being held to account?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlZl-NkrdNk
Dina Boluarte spent years on the Far Left connected to Marxist movements within Peru and from 2021-2022 she served as a high-ranking official in the Castillo administration. Beset by political turmoil and an ongoing constitutional crisis - including attempts to impeach him, Pedro Castillo attempted to dissolve congress, seize control of the courts, and order a national curfew. He reached too far and did not have sufficient support - especially from the military. Even though she was his first vice president, Dina Boluarte did not support him or stand by him. Castillo's plan quickly collapsed leading to his arrest and impeachment in December 2022. He remains in detention as of this writing.
