9-10-25 DailyBriefs.info archive  GoogleExplainer.com 

welcome to the Lenny and Maria Sanchez AUDIO AND VIDEO podcast series.

Today, we delve into a series of impactful reports, each offering unique insights into the ongoing transformations across global finance, technology, health, and geopolitics. We will explore developments from the upcoming Global Trade Finance Expo, the potential implications of a world currency, the recent disruptions to Red Sea internet cables, the shifting global order, a critical look at oral health practices, the UK's move towards digital identity, China's recent military parade, and an analysis of global trade and the US dollar, alongside a controversial take on AI chatbots and a multi-faceted news update.

Discussion of "Global Trade Finance Expo to explore blockchain, AI and ESG – a match made in hell - The Expose"

The Global Trade Finance Expo 2025 is scheduled for November and is set to discuss a range of significant topics, including blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria, supply chain resilience, cybersecurity, and digital payments. A notable sponsor of this event is UMCA Technologies, a company specializing in AI fraud prevention solutions.

UMCA’s AI-based platform has the capability to block bank accounts in real-time by analyzing user behavior and geolocation. The article highlights that UMCA’s interests are central to the Expo's opening keynotes. A significant concern raised is that UMCA’s AI platform has the potential to become the foundation of a social credit system linked to bank accounts.

Blockchain technology, though widely recognized for its role in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, has extensive applications beyond that, including creating immutable records for financial data, product inventories, state identifications, and property deeds. It is also utilized for central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and digital identities, and the specific purpose of its discussion at the Expo will only become clear during the event itself. The Global Trade Finance Expo aims to gather senior decision-makers from various sectors such as banks, traders, exporters, corporates, underwriters, Export Credit Agencies, and Development Finance Institutions to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange. Biometric Update notes that the event provides "the perfect opportunity to engage with senior decision-makers in global trade and investment". Furthermore, the event's website states it is "where global trade leaders meet to share insights, forge partnerships, and explore the future of international finance," with sessions covering trade compliance, cross-border payments, and innovative financing models, positioning it as one of the most influential financial services events in the Middle East region.

UMCA Technologies provides an AI-based solution that assists financial institutions in reducing and blocking fraudulent financial transactions and preventing account takeovers in real-time. Their fraud detection and prevention engine offers real-time capabilities across multiple channels, including payments, credit cards, debit cards, and ATMs. This platform utilizes behavioral analytics and machine learning to identify anomalies and unusual patterns in customer behavior and transactions. Cybersecurity Intelligence, a news outlet, describes UMCA's services as a real-time fraud detection and prevention engine.

However, the article raises critical points regarding AI, noting that artificial intelligence is not truly intelligent; it is a computer program that makes mistakes and incorporates the biases of its programmers. UMCA acknowledges these mistakes, boasting a 78% reduction in "false positive alerts". The article questions the practical meaning of "78% reduction," emphasizing that even a single erroneous bank account blockage, termed a "false positive alert" by UMCA, can have significant negative consequences for an individual. A key concern is that UMCA’s fraud detection services are dependent on what its programmers or controllers define as "fraud". This implies a risk that if arbitrary rules are set, such as a limit on cash withdrawals, individuals could have their bank accounts blocked due to an AI mistake.

UMCA's Aurora platform incorporates three layers of fraud prevention: a comprehensive rule engine that allows back-office staff to manage complex rules for transaction limits and block merchants, algorithms for geolocation checks and sequence of events analyses designed to detect specific types of fraud, and AI-powered fraud detection that monitors and analyzes financial transactions in real-time. The core features of the platform include continuous real-time transaction monitoring, geospatial analysis to detect location-based fraud patterns from high-risk areas, behavioral analytics for unusual customer patterns, and dashboards for assessing and scoring risk associated with customers, transactions, and entities. Predictive models are used to assign risk scores to transactions and customers, which then help prioritize alerts and focus investigative efforts. The UMCA platform is omnichannel, supporting various financial transactions, including international money transfers and debit and credit card payments. If fraud is detected, the system immediately flags the transaction and can block it in real-time, depending on severity and configuration. The article concludes by suggesting that, given its capabilities, UMCA’s platform appears ready for use as a social credit system linked to bank accounts, and its role as a sponsor of the Global Trade Finance Expo Dubai 2025 is highlighted as significant. The Expo's agenda confirms that blockchain, artificial intelligence, and machine learning are key discussion points.

Discussion of "How Would it Impact Global Finance a World Currency? - LewRockwell"

The introduction of a common world currency, if implemented without also removing existing border controls and trade barriers for goods, capital, and labor, is predicted to have disastrous effects on global finance. Such a scenario would likely lead to a state of macroeconomic disequilibrium for most countries, characterized by very high unemployment in some regions and very high inflation in others, primarily due to asymmetric economic shocks.

A single currency would necessitate that all participating countries relinquish control over their money supply and interest rates, effectively transferring their monetary policy authority to a hypothetical World Central Bank. This World Central Bank would then control the global money supply and interest rates for the new common currency, distinguishing it from institutions like the World Bank, which provides development loans. Monetary policy involves managing the money supply and interest rates, while fiscal policy pertains to government finances, including tax rates and spending. The exchange rate is the currency’s value against others; in a global monetary union, this refers to the nominal value of the common currency.

A key concept for understanding currency unions is the "Optimum Currency Area (OCA)," which refers to a cluster of countries that can form a currency union without significant negative economic consequences. Robert Mundell, a Nobel laureate economist, theorized that successful currency unions require a high level of labor and capital mobility. The article illustrates this with an example: if two countries (A and B) share a currency and country A experiences a negative asymmetric shock, its exchange rate would ideally depreciate to restore competitiveness, but in a union, this won't happen fully. This leads to country A's exchange rate being overvalued, causing unemployment, and country B's exchange rate being undervalued, causing inflation. To restore equilibrium, labor and capital would need to move from country A to country B.

The Eurozone, despite its high level of integration, open borders, and common factor markets, still suffers from insufficient labor mobility due to factors such as differences in pension schemes, language barriers, and issues with qualification acceptance. The global context, with numerous barriers to the movement of factors of production, is far from having sufficient labor and capital mobility. Therefore, a world currency implemented under the current system of independent nation-states and borders would result in most countries being in a permanent state of disequilibrium.

Moreover, the world is too susceptible to asymmetric shocks to be considered an OCA, particularly for commodity-exporting countries, which experience sharper shocks to commodity markets. In such a union, individual countries would lose their ability to use monetary policy to address economic shocks, such as adjusting interest rates to counter inflation or unemployment. They would be compelled to use fiscal policy, but differing national approaches and economic cycles could lead to negative impacts on other nations. This loss of control over interest rates and money supply would also make many countries more vulnerable to sovereign default, potentially leading to severe economic downturns, akin to "Greek-like disasters," especially in nations with poor fiscal discipline.

The experience of the Eurozone suggests that a successful currency union is almost impossible without a fiscal union and transfers, effectively requiring a federal entity with a common government. The McKinnon Criterion further indicates that to minimize asymmetric shocks, countries in a currency union should engage in a high level of trade with each other, a condition not met by the world as a whole due to geographical distances, as explained by the Gravity Model of trade.

Conversely, common currency areas do tend to see an increase in trade. This is because a common currency reduces the costs associated with exporting and importing and lessens the exchange rate uncertainty faced by export-industry firms. This, in turn, boosts investor and bank confidence in these firms, lowers their cost of obtaining finance, and increases production, thereby expanding exports. Some economists propose that the creation of an OCA can be an endogenous outcome of forming a currency union, as increased trade brings the union closer to an OCA. The introduction of the Euro, for example, made wage-setting more economically sound and firms more competitive by eliminating the option of currency devaluation to offset high wages, thereby fostering competition among workers across different countries.

In summary, under the current global status quo, a world currency union would predominantly lead to economic disequilibrium. For it to function even marginally, it would necessitate at least a common world government with strict fiscal rules, or ideally, a world federation. Even with such structures, asymmetric shocks would likely persist. The article briefly mentions that a global currency union combined with the removal of all barriers to movement of goods, capital, and labor, along with a common government, would present a more complex and interesting scenario beyond its current scope.

Discussion of "Major Red Sea undersea cables have been cut - The Expose"

Recent reports indicate that two major undersea cable systems in the Red Sea, specifically SMW4 and IMEWE, have been severed, leading to widespread internet disruptions across parts of Asia and the Middle East, affecting countries such as India, Pakistan, the UAE, and Kuwait. The precise cause of this damage remains unknown, although speculation points to potential sabotage by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, despite their denials of responsibility. The Houthis have been linked to other attacks in the region.

The disruptions commenced on September 6, 2025, significantly impacting global data traffic that is routed through this crucial corridor. SMW4, known as South East Asia–Middle East–Western Europe 4, is operated by Tata Communications, while the IMEWE cable, which stands for India-Middle East-Western Europe, is managed by a consortium overseen by Alcatel Submarine Networks. In addition to these, Kuwaiti authorities have confirmed that the FALCON GCX cable, also running through the Red Sea, was cut, contributing to the broader service interruptions.

The Times of India reported that the Houthis’ al-Masirah satellite channel acknowledged the outages but did not claim involvement, while Yemen’s internationally recognized government alleged that the cable cuts "cannot be isolated from the series of direct attacks carried out by the Houthi militia". Breitbart noted that while accidental damage from ships dropping anchors near cables or destructive underwater natural events are non-sinister explanations, deliberately dropping and dragging anchors to damage them is also a convenient means of sabotage. Fears of Houthi attacks on internet cables in the Red Sea have been present since the Gaza war began in October 2023, given the Houthis' frequent use of drones and missiles against ships in the area to support Hamas.

According to Tom’s Hardware, these are not just any cables; they represent two of the main long-haul systems connecting Asia to Europe, carrying essential traffic for both consumer internet and hyperscalers like Google and Meta. The loss of even one of these critical pathways can lead to an overload of alternate routes, increased latency, and a rise in packet loss across various cloud-dependent applications, such as multiplayer gaming and large file downloads. Consequently, Microsoft Azure has experienced increased latency for traffic routed through this region. While Azure remains operational, enterprises relying on cross-region connectivity between Europe, South Asia, and the Middle East should prepare for slower connections.

Repairing these undersea cables is a complex and time-consuming process. Dr. Sarath Raj, project director of the satellite ground station at Amity University in Dubai, estimated that internet coverage in the Emirates could be disrupted for up to six weeks. He explained that specialized ships are required to locate the exact fault, lift the damaged cable from the seabed, splice it, and then test it before service can be restored. This entire process can take anywhere from two to six weeks, depending on factors such as location, weather conditions, and ship availability.

Discussion of "The End of the Unipolar World Order – A Tectonic Shift Away from the West - LewRockwell"

The article asserts that the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, held in Tianjin, China, from August 31 to September 1, 2025, marked "a tectonic shift" in the conventional world order. This summit is seen as fulfilling President Xi Jinping's vision from 2024. China’s Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Bin described the 2025 SCO event as "one of China’s most important head-of-state and home-court diplomatic events this year". The Economist is quoted stating that "a new reality is taking hold". This "new reality" is not inherently anti-US or anti-West, but rather represents a separation of Western unipolar aspirations from a newly emerging multi-polar, or multi-block, world, where countries aim for peaceful cooperation and shared benefits.

The SCO was founded in 2001 by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. It has since expanded to ten member-states, including India, Iran, Belarus, and Pakistan, with its headquarters in Beijing. Collectively, SCO members account for 23% of the world’s GDP and 43% of the world’s population. The summit also saw attendance from high-level government officials from Myanmar, Egypt, Cambodia, Nepal, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Maldives, as well as the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Kao Kim Hourn, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. This year’s summit clearly established the SCO as the guiding light for the Global South, which encompasses the 11 BRICS countries and 10 additional BRICS partners from the October 2024 Kazan summit.

The article notes that Western leaders, including former President Trump, felt "snubbed" and "left out" by China from this pivotal world-shifting event in Tianjin. Trump's last-minute request for "military talks" with President Xi on the eve of the summit was rejected by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, citing "a lack of mutual understanding between the two countries". The author criticizes the European Commission's "aggression" and "undimplomatic thinking and acting," such as visiting Beijing to discuss tariffs while simultaneously insinuating that China should distance itself from Russia. This approach, combined with increased military spending, is seen as leading to an accelerating downfall of the European Union. Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz's strong condemnation of Russian leadership is also highlighted as an example of Western rhetoric.

The article argues that it is time for the "Real World," or the Global South, to distance itself from Western "warmongers and war-makers," a process being catalyzed by the 25th SCO Summit. This new awakening is characterized by a spirit of peace, cooperation, and working towards a future of shared benefits. The traditional Western economic model, rooted in the 1989 "Washington Consensus" and institutions like the Federal Reserve, IMF, and World Bank, is described as having "subdued" developing nations through debt to gain control of their natural resources. This is framed as abusive exploitation and neocolonialism, with the Bretton Woods Conference of 1944 being the origin of this disequilibrium, where the World Bank and IMF were created under Washington's veto-dominated control.

A significant development from the SCO Summit is the decision to create an SCO Development Bank, which aligns with China’s Asian Infrastructure and Investment Bank (AIIB). This initiative, along with a potentially "newly furbished" BRICS New Development Bank, is viewed as enabling the Global South to develop on its own sovereign and independent terms. These institutions aim to move away from neoliberal Western financial institutions that profit from "exploiting socioeconomic development" rather than fostering it. The new approach emphasizes cooperation over conflict, utilizing comparative advantages for tariff-free trade among member states, in contrast to "protective" tariff systems.

President Xi Jinping's opening speech at the summit underscored humanity's choice between "peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, and win-win outcomes; or zero-sum games". This declaration signifies a growing chasm between the East's pursuit of peaceful constructive development and the West's adherence to a "destructive economic model, wars and killing for a growing military complex and a tech-world that goes hand in hand with the agenda of transhumanization and destruction of humanity". The successful SCO Summit was deliberately timed before China’s Grand Military Parade on Tiananmen Square, marking 80 years since the end of World War II, to demonstrate "silently but visibly" to the West that a new epoch of Peace and a new "World Order" is commencing.

Discussion of "Toxic Sesame Oil Is Worthless For Oral Health. Use Coconut Oil And Bicarbonate Instead! - Joachim Bartoll Official"

This source presents a critical view on the use of sesame oil for oral health, particularly in the practice of "oil pulling." A randomized controlled trial, as summarized by Examine.com, investigated the effects of oil pulling with sesame oil versus rinsing with distilled water in 40 adults with gingivitis over an 8-week period. The participants were instructed to rinse their teeth with either sesame oil or distilled water for 15 minutes every morning.

The findings indicated that using sesame oil was as ineffective as using distilled water in reducing dental plaque and gum bleeding. In fact, the full paper revealed that after four weeks, the reduction in dental plaque was slightly less with sesame oil (10.71%) compared to distilled water (11.51%), and after eight weeks, sesame oil resulted in a 13.99% reduction while distilled water achieved 14.25%. Similarly, for gum bleeding, after eight weeks, the reduction in the Gingival Bleeding Index was 2.38% in the sesame oil group versus 2.98% in the distilled water group, again showing distilled water to be marginally more effective.

The article suggests that any small decrease in dental plaque and gum bleeding observed in both groups was likely due to the mechanical action of swishing liquid for 15 minutes, which can break up small parts of plaque, rather than any specific property of sesame oil. It also notes that if individuals spend 15 minutes rinsing, they might spend less time brushing, which could impact gum bleeding.

Crucially, the study found no "significant" reductions in microbiological results, or bacterial species. Some bacterial species even increased in the sesame oil group, leading the author to conclude that "toxic oil residues in the mouth fueled some bacteria". The author strongly asserts that sesame oil, and indeed any other seed or vegetable oil, is "toxic garbage" and should be entirely avoided by humans.

From Examine.com’s perspective, the logical conclusion is that regularly swishing with any liquid can break up dental plaque and improve gum health, with no added benefit from using oil over water. However, the author argues that simply swirling liquid is far inferior to using coconut oil and bicarbonate.

The author advocates for a "species-appropriate diet," specifically a raw carnivore diet, stating that it has significantly improved his oral health and makes frequent teeth brushing unnecessary. In a fully carnivore state, one might only need to rinse their mouth occasionally if food gets stuck, as animal-based edibles are considered "totally harmless to the teeth". In contrast, plant-based edibles like starches, carbohydrates, and fiber are deemed to be damaging to teeth. For individuals who are not yet fully animal-based or are in a transitional phase, the recommendation is to use a natural toothpaste composed of coconut oil and bicarbonate, or optionally charcoal and a pinch of sea salt, which can also be used for oil pulling.

Discussion of "UK government’s digital wallet plus digital ID is the digital prison - The Expose"

The United Kingdom is moving towards a digital identity system, with plans to launch a digital ID app called 'GOV.UK Wallet' by the end of 2025. This app is designed to allow users to store government-issued documents, such as veteran cards and digital driver's licenses. The government's policy dictates that by 2027, all UK government services that issue physical credentials must also offer a digital alternative.

Simultaneously, the Labour government is reportedly considering a proposed mandatory, universal digital identity system known as the BritCard, which is advocated by the think tank Labour Together. The BritCard would function as a free digital credential, stored on a smartphone via the GOV.UK Wallet app, and its primary purpose would be to verify an individual’s right to live, work, and rent in the UK. The GOV.UK Wallet has already begun its phased deployment with public sector bodies in May 2024, with a broader rollout anticipated throughout 2025.

The article expresses significant concern, framing this development as a "digital prison". Critics argue that this is the culmination of a "control grid" that has been quietly under construction for decades, threatening constant surveillance and locking humanity into a permission-based digital system. The proposed system could evolve into a comprehensive "one-stop shop" for various government services, potentially holding extensive personal information and records, including medical records, vaccination status, carbon credit scores, police records, and even social media activity.

Concerns are raised that if digital ID systems become linked to financial accounts, healthcare access, and travel permissions, or even online speech, they could grant unprecedented power to authorities or corporations. Critics warn that this could enable individuals to be denied access to money, medical treatment, or freedom of movement "at the press of a button". This potential for control is precisely why opponents describe it as a "digital prison". They argue that compliance, often driven by fear or convenience, risks not only individual autonomy but also the future freedom of subsequent generations, who might never know life without constant surveillance.

While proponents of digital ID systems argue that they can help combat fraud, simplify cross-border travel, and streamline interactions with government and businesses, pointing to examples like the upcoming EU Digital Identity Wallet and existing systems in India and Estonia, the article emphasizes that the dangers far outweigh any purported convenience. Critics view the introduction of digital ID as an "irreversible" shift that would fundamentally alter the relationship between individuals and the state, creating a "papers, please" society and posing significant risks to privacy and data security. A centralized digital ID system could also become a prime target for hackers.

The Labour Together think tank has estimated that the BritCard system would cost up to £400 million to build and approximately £10 million annually to administer as a free-to-use app. The article urges the public to resist and refuse the BritCard, explaining its dangers to others, emphasizing that it is currently a concept and not a legal requirement. It also questions why fundamental democratic principles like privacy are being casually abandoned, especially given the risks of uploading vast amounts of personal information to a potentially "leaky centralised system". The COVID-19 pandemic is cited as a "testing ground" that revealed the extent to which populations could be controlled under the pretext of safety, accelerating plans for digital IDs.

Discussion of "What message is China sending during the September 3 Beijing military parade, by Hua Bin - The Unz Review"

On September 3, 2025, China held a significant military parade in Beijing to commemorate the defeat of Japan during World War II. This event was attended by President Xi Jinping, President Putin, Kim Jong Un, and various other heads of state from countries including Indonesia, Malaysia, Iran, Vietnam, Belarus, Pakistan, and Kazakhstan. The primary message conveyed through the display of newly unveiled high-tech weapon systems was unequivocal: China is prepared to counter Western provocation and bullying with force, asserting a military capability that surpasses what the West, particularly the US, can muster.

The author, who closely follows Chinese military technology, expressed astonishment at the sheer number and technical sophistication of the newly revealed weapons, many of which were previously unknown. Crucially, Beijing announced that these weapon systems are already "in service," not mere prototypes or concepts, indicating their immediate deployment readiness. For instance, the aerial parade deliberately excluded the two six-generation fighter jets (J-36 and J-50) that had previously garnered significant military interest, suggesting even more advanced capabilities are being reserved. The article highlights that China is now ready to define future warfare, with high-tech weapons, ranging from hypersonic missiles to extra-large unmanned underwater vehicles (XLUUVs), already actively deployed.

An incomplete list of noteworthy weapons showcased includes:

• Four new hypersonic and supersonic anti-ship missiles: YJ-15, YJ-17, YJ-19, and YJ-20. The YJ-17 is identified as a ship- and air-launched variant of the renowned DF-17 land-based "waverider" hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) missile, which employs a scram-jet engine to achieve a Mach 10 cruising speed and is considered virtually impossible to intercept.

• Six new unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), including three tailless full-stealth models, designed to operate alongside manned fighter jets as AI-powered loyal wingmen.

• Five models of 5th-generation fighters: J-20, J-20S, J-20A, J-35, and J-35A, a greater variety than the four models currently in US service.

• Two XLUUVs, the HSU100 and AXJ002, described as super-sized unmanned submarines intended for deep-sea surveillance, patrol, and attack, drawing comparisons to the Russian Poseidon system.

• Assorted unmanned weapons: These ranged from unmanned battle tanks, drones, and robotic dogs to unmanned surface combat ships and submarine-hunting helicopters.

• Three directed energy weapons (DEWs): The LY-01 shipborne air defense laser, a truck-mounted laser weapon for drones and missiles, and a microwave weapon system designed against drone swarms.

• Three layered air defense systems: HQ-9B, HQ-19, and HQ-29, with the HQ-29 being a long-range anti-ballistic missile and anti-satellite interceptor capable of reaching altitudes up to 1500 km into space.

• The 4th-generation main battle tank, Type 100, featuring an uncrewed gun turret, full anti-drone capabilities, and equipped with gallium nitride (GaN) AESA radars, which represent the most advanced radar technology globally.

• For the first time, China also displayed its "nuclear triad", comprising air-launched JL-1, submarine-launched JL-3, road-mobile DF-61 and DF-31BJ, and silo-based DF-5C ICBMs, all capable of striking the entirety of the continental US.

The absence of many prominent weapons from China's 2019 military parade underscores the rapid and continuous advancements in its weapon system upgrades. China is actively accelerating its military-technological leadership in hypersonics, stealth, unmanned systems, and related fields. This rapid progress is supported by heavy investment in critical underlying core technologies applicable to both civilian and military sectors, such as material science, communication technologies, radar systems, AI, and robotics. These technological advances serve as a common foundation for developing weapons across various domains and mission types, with more classified systems expected to be introduced in the future. China holds a significant lead in missile technology, particularly in hypersonic capabilities, enabling it to neutralize enemy carrier groups and military bases within and beyond the "second island chain" (including Guam). These hypersonic weapons are deemed exceptionally difficult to defend against.

China’s military industrial base is characterized by a proven track record of fast product iterations, low-cost prototyping, extensive manufacturing capacity, and large-scale, low-unit-cost mass production. This allows the Chinese military to potentially "overwhelm any adversaries with vast quantitative and qualitative advantages" when its state-owned industrial base is fully mobilized. In contrast, the article notes that the US military-industrial complex is privately owned and primarily driven by profit maximization, which leads to prolonged development cycles, limited production capacity, high unit costs due to "cost plus pricing," small production batches, and elevated operating and maintenance costs (referred to as "life-time value").

Beijing's display of force is directed at both the US military and its political leadership, conveying several clear messages:

• China has developed a multi-layered, redundant "kill web" designed to deny access to its shores. If the US were to intervene in a conflict concerning Taiwan or the South China Sea, China possesses the arsenal to inflict "massive blows" to US naval and air assets not only along the first island chain (Japan and the Philippines) but also beyond the second island chain (Guam).

• China's air and naval warfare technology is considered on par with or superior to what the US can field, and it is innovating at a faster pace. China's industrial strength means it can vastly outproduce the US in a war scenario. The era of the US prosecuting wars against less equipped opponents is declared over.

• China has achieved the same level of nuclear deterrence against the US as Russia, possessing sufficient secondary strike capability to ensure mutually assured destruction (MAD). This renders China invulnerable to nuclear blackmail and allows it to escalate conflicts as necessary.

• The article explicitly states: "There is no safety for the US homeland." It argues that a primary reason for US military adventurism has been its geographical distance from conflict zones, allowing its ruling elite and population to avoid the direct costs of aggression. However, China has demonstrated its capability to conduct long-range conventional and nuclear strikes on the US homeland if the US wages war against Chinese territory, thereby ending this historical immunity. The implication is that a "bully" becomes more reasonable when it is vulnerable to retaliation.

The article dismisses Western media's "coping narratives" that emerged after the parade, such as arguments about China's lack of war experience. It highlights that US war experiences since Vietnam have primarily been against "inferior and often impoverished enemies," and its track record against "worthy" foes is not stellar. The US military's focus on insurgencies for the past two decades is seen as a liability in a high-intensity war with a peer military power. Moreover, the Chinese military, fighting to protect its homeland, would possess higher morale and willingness to sacrifice compared to US forces fighting to uphold hegemony.

Regarding "untested weapons," the article points out that Chinese-made J-10C fighter jets and PL-15 air-to-air missiles proved highly capable against India's "experienced" Rafale jets in a recent conflict with Pakistan, demonstrating that "untested" does not mean ineffective. It draws parallels with the rapid rise of Chinese civilian technology, such as BYD cars surpassing Tesla and China's space station enduring longer than the ISS, to argue that Chinese weapons should be expected to perform to their specifications.

The narrative also challenges the notion of US alliances, suggesting that many "vassals and clients" would be hesitant to join a war against China that would result in their own countries being attacked in retaliation. Countries like Japan and the Philippines are described as "easily within reach of Chinese missile salvos". The article asserts that a national consensus of 1.4 billion Chinese exists to protect sovereignty and reunite Taiwan, willing to pay any price. It concludes that a "hot war" with China would "virtually assuredly" lead to a "debilitating defeat" for the US and the "end of the US empire". The September 3 military parade, therefore, is portrayed as a loud and clear message that while China does not seek war, it is fully ready for it.

Discussion of "Why Donald Trump’s Tariff War Is Not Working - LewRockwell"

The article from LewRockwell.com presents a critical analysis of Donald Trump’s tariff policies, stating that his "ill-advised scheme to tariff the world" will be viewed as one of the most self-destructive acts by a US president. The author utilized AI engines, GROK and Perplexity AI, to examine US trade statistics and those of the BRICS countries for 2024.

According to GROK, the top ten countries exporting to the United States in 2024, by import value, included Mexico, China, Canada, Germany, Japan, Vietnam, South Korea, Taiwan, India, and Italy, totaling approximately $2,147.85 billion, or 64.1% of total US goods imports. Perplexity AI presented a similar list, replacing Italy with Ireland, and calculating the top ten's share at 68.5% of total US import value, totaling $2.3 trillion. These discrepancies between AI sources, while noted, do not detract from the broader trade patterns observed.

The analysis reveals that only China, Vietnam, and India from the BRICS group are among the top ten US import partners, collectively representing about 30% of total US trade with these three countries. Furthermore, in terms of US exports, only China and Brazil are among the top ten recipient countries, accounting for merely 9.4% of all US exports. This indicates that the BRICS nations, as a whole, do not have substantial trade ties with the United States.

The article then examines the top ten trading partners for exports of the founding BRICS members in 2024:

• China's top export partners included the United States, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, India, Russia, Germany, Malaysia, and the Netherlands.

• Russia's top export partners were China, the Netherlands, Germany, Turkey, Belarus, Italy, South Korea, Japan, Kazakhstan, and surprisingly, the United States, despite sanctions.

• India's top export partners included the United States, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, China, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Germany, and Italy.

• Brazil's top export partners were China, the United States, Argentina, the Netherlands, Spain, Singapore, Mexico, Chile, Canada, and Germany.

• South Africa's top export partners included China, the United States, Germany, Mozambique, the United Kingdom, Japan, India, Botswana, the Netherlands, and Namibia.

A key observation is that Germany and the Netherlands are the only countries globally that trade with all five founding BRICS members. This implies that imposing tariffs on BRICS nations is likely to cause more significant economic problems for Germany, whose economic growth for 2025 is projected to be very low, and for the Netherlands, with slightly better but still modest forecasts.

The article emphasizes a crucial point: China stands out as the only BRICS member with significant and substantial trade relations with the US. Despite numerous threats from Donald Trump, he has reportedly been "pulling back from imposing punishing sanctions on China". This is attributed to the US's reliance on critical products from China, suggesting that severe tariffs could trigger significant economic blowback on the US economy itself.

The article concludes by highlighting "the dawn of a new international financial order." It notes a critical development where developing countries are shifting away from US dollar-denominated debts and are increasingly turning to currencies with lower interest rates, such as the Chinese renminbi and the Swiss franc. This trend is driven by the high interest rates and steep US Treasury yield curve, which have made dollar financing more onerous. Additionally, emerging market companies are issuing more bonds in euros, with the amount reaching a record $239 billion as of July, contrasting with the $2.5 trillion stock of dollar-denominated emerging market corporate bonds.

The author states unequivocally that "the era of the US dollar as the reserve currency is ending," and this transition is occurring "more rapidly than many financial experts anticipated". This shift is predicted to elevate the roles of India, Russia, and China in the global economic and political landscape, and the United States is deemed unable to stop this process "short of starting a nuclear war and ending civilization".

Discussion of "You Can’t Worship God and Money - LewRockwell"

This article critically examines the increasing use of biblical interpretations by the Trump administration and its "theological apologists" to justify political actions, often in ways that are perceived as morally warped and supportive of "American imperial power" while simultaneously punishing the poor. The author, a biblical scholar, highlights a trend that intensified three decades ago with the 1996 Welfare Reform Act, where scriptures were used to defend cuts to social programs.

Fast forward to the Trump administration, and this practice has become "even more devastating". Examples include the Department of Homeland Security using the Isaiah quotation, "Here I am, Lord. Send me," to recruit agents for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, a role that comes with a substantial signing bonus due to Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill". A former pastor of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth went further, asserting that the Bible supports ICE raids and does not require "wealthy Christian nations to self-immolate" for having a flourishing economy, nor does it permit the state to "steal money from its citizens to pay for foreign nationals to come destroy our culture".

President Trump himself, during a speech announcing the bombing of Iran, invoked God to bless America's bombs, its military, the Middle East, Israel, and America. In another instance, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Republican congressional representatives formed a prayer circle before codifying a bill that threatens to cut millions of Americans off from life-saving food and healthcare, which the author contrasts with Jesus’s acts of feeding the hungry and providing healthcare.

The article focuses significantly on tech mogul Peter Thiel, co-founder of Palantir, who is identified as a central figure behind much of what is happening in Washington. Thiel’s version of Christianity and his "enigmatic religious beliefs" are seen as grimly complementing his political views. He is noted for questioning the compatibility of democracy and freedom, advocating for a system where power is concentrated among experts to drive "progress" – a modern interpretation of "survival of the fittest". This worldview is presented as starkly contrasting with the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus prioritizes the poor and advocates for "bottom-up strategies".

Thiel is positioned "right in the middle of the Republican Party," serving as Trump’s liaison to Silicon Valley during his first term and supporting a new cohort of conservatives, including Vice President J.D. Vance, Michael Anton, David Sacks, and Elon Musk, who reportedly spent a quarter of a billion dollars to help elect Trump a second time. Thiel is also linked to Curtis Yarvin, who "jokingly" suggested that poor people are no longer needed in American society and should be converted into biofuel—a perspective deemed "incompatible with Christianity’s core tenets".

Furthermore, Thiel’s connections extend to Joe Lonsdale, co-founder of Palantir and founder of the Cicero Institute, a right-wing think tank behind a coordinated attack on the homeless across the nation. This connection highlights a direct link between Thiel and President Trump’s demand for the immediate removal of homeless encampments from the capital, reinforcing laws that criminalize sleeping or breathing outside without a home. The Cicero Institute and its founders are also held responsible for faith leaders being arrested and fined for supporting unhoused communities on religious grounds.

The author expresses dismay that Thiel is offering an "oversold four-part lecture series on the 'antichrist'" through a nonprofit called ACTS 17 collective. News stories about this collective tend to focus on Christians in Silicon Valley who prioritize salvation through Jesus over personal success or charity for the poor. Michelle Stephens, founder of ACTS 17 collective and wife of Trae Stephens (a Palantir associate and Thiel’s venture capital partner), articulated this view, stating that "the rich, the wealthy, the powerful need Jesus just as much" as the meek and marginalized. She further explained that those who center Christ's message on the poor risk making that message "more prominent than our innate need for Jesus to save us," a statement that echoes decades of theological pushback against social justice.

The article points out that this "battle for the Bible" is not new in America. Historically, in the 1700s and 1800s, slaveholders used scripture to justify slavery, while during the Gilded Age, the "prosperity gospel" extolled industrial capitalism. Later, segregationists used biblical verses to support Jim Crow practices, and the Moral Majority helped mainstream Christian extremism in national politics.

In recent decades, biblical references have intensified to justify "law and order" and the punishment of the poor. Examples include Attorney General Jeff Sessions defending family separation at the border by citing Romans 13 on obeying government laws, and White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders asserting that it is "very biblical to enforce the law". Speaker Mike Johnson also echoed Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, stating that "God is the one who raises up those in authority".

Republican politicians have continued to misuse biblical passages to justify cutting aid to the poor. Representative Jodey Arrington (R-TX), in rebutting a Jewish activist referencing a Leviticus commandment to feed the hungry, quoted 2 Thessalonians 3:10—"if a man will not work, he shall not eat"—to justify increasing work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This passage has also been used by other representatives to cut food stamps. Representative Mo Brooks (R-AL) used similar religious language to categorize people as "deserving and undeserving" to argue against healthcare plans protecting those with pre-existing conditions, insisting that only those who "lead good lives" and keep their bodies healthy should receive reduced healthcare costs.

The author criticizes these "Christian" politicians for consistently misusing biblical passages to blame the impoverished for their condition, while notably never attributing blame to the wealthy who allegedly "stolen people’s wages and engorged themselves by denying them healthcare". The article asserts that these interpretations are damaging to everyone except the super-rich and fundamentally contradict the Bible’s main themes, which possess an "arc of justice" rooted in anti-poverty programs. This arc begins with manna in Exodus, signifying a system where everyone's needs are met, and God's plan for society to release slaves, forgive debts, pay fair wages, and distribute funds to the needy. The prophets further insist that honoring God involves uplifting the poor and marginalized, while condemning those in power who mask oppression with religious rhetoric.

The author's own moral roots lie in welfare rights and homeless union survival movements, which challenged Christianity to embody Christ's teachings. Reverend Yvonne Delk’s declaration at the 1992 "Up and Out of Poverty Survival Summit" that "poor people are not sinners, but poverty is a sin against God that could and should be ended" is cited. Beulah Sanders, a leader of the National Welfare Rights Organization, also articulated in 1972 the expectation for Christian churches to support the struggle for "bread, dignity, and justice for all," stating that if this struggle fails, "Christianity will have failed". In a world where Christian extremism is becoming normalized, the article stresses the importance of not forgetting these words and building a theological vision of "everybody-in-nobody-out" to create a faith-powered capacity for justice.

Discussion of "Chatbots are redundant technology and AI is the biggest scam ever - by Miles Mathis"

This article, written by Miles Mathis, presents a strong critique of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly chatbots, labeling them as "redundant technology" and "the biggest scam ever". The central argument revolves around the idea that AI is primarily a mechanism to justify escalating energy bills for the middle class, which are already "skyrocketing" nationwide.

The author points to the enormous investments made by major tech companies. In 2025 alone, Google, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft are projected to spend over $350 billion on AI data centers. However, Mathis asserts that these companies, like Elon Musk's SpaceX, are heavily subsidized by taxpayer dollars, effectively meaning that the public is footing the bill for these data centers. He draws a parallel between these AI data centers and historical projects such as the Manhattan Project, nuclear reactors (like Three Mile Island), the Apollo program, and the Mars Lander and Artemis programs, all of which he claims were "fake" or "conjobs". He suggests that these new data centers might be nothing more than "big buildings filled with blinking lights," or even "empty warehouses," designed to create the illusion of complex operations and justify billing the public for services they "didn't ask for, don't need, but can't refuse". The author states that once the buildings are constructed and the public is billed, the "con is done," and what actually happens inside becomes irrelevant.

From a user perspective, AI is described as an "intangible" technology residing in the "cloud," where a question yields an answer without revealing the underlying machinery or the energy consumption involved. The article argues that AI chatbots perform functions that existing search engines were already capable of doing years ago. For instance, previously, typing a question into a search box would provide a list of results from which a user could choose to find an answer. Now, with AI, the initial answer is often truncated, followed by sublisted sites, which the author views as a "useless extra step" and an unnecessary insertion of AI into the search process. Mathis frequently bypasses AI answers because he finds them to be a "further level of gatekeeping" and "almost always wrong". He states that "AI" requires "zero intelligence" since it merely scrapes the internet, a function already performed by search engines.

The author also claims that AI "short-circuits" the original purpose of listing search results by popularity. Previously, search results were algorithmically ranked based on the number of hits sites received, reflecting "human social action". However, to facilitate the rise of AI, search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo reportedly abandoned this method years ago, beginning to steer users towards "approved sites" and censoring "against-the-mainstream" content. This level of gatekeeping was deemed insufficient, leading to the introduction of AI bots that "toplist" information, explicitly instructed to "ignore numbers altogether and to promote once again mainstream propaganda".

Despite being presented as an improvement, the author contends that this new system is "much worse". AI chatbots are marketed as "your friend," with features like customization and the ability to share personal information. However, Mathis views this as primarily a "fraud" or, at best, a "repackaging of what you already had". The core motivation, he argues, is financial: while search engines only charged users in a few ways (computer cost, internet fees, advertising), AI has introduced several more avenues for charging the public. This includes subsidizing "fake and unnecessary data centers" and effectively "doubling your electricity bills". The author concludes by questioning when the public will "wake up and smell the fraud," suggesting that the human-like interfaces given to AI (like Siri or Alexis) are merely a deceptive tactic.

Discussion of "☕️ REALITY ITSELF ☙ Wednesday, September 10, 2025 ☙ C&C NEWS 🦠"

This multifaceted news update from Jeff Childers covers several significant events and critiques as of September 10, 2025.

First, in World News and Commentary, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced federal charges against Decarlos Brown Jr., in a statement titled, "Justice Department Charges Light Rail Attacker with Federal Crime". Brown is being removed from the Mecklenburg County Judicial System’s jurisdiction. The single federal charge of causing a death on mass transportation is potentially eligible for the death penalty, with Attorney General Pam Bondi vowing that prosecutors will seek the "maximum criminal sentence" to ensure Brown "will never again see the light of day as a free man". This action follows the emergence of a "gruesome security video" showing Brown attacking and fatally slashing the throat of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee and art restoration degree holder, on Charlotte's public light rail. After the attack, Brown was reportedly heard repeatedly crowing, "I got that white b-tch!". Democrats, however, "instantly denied any racial aspect to the crime" and suggested more funding for mental health services. The article asserts that Democrats were the "actual proximate cause" of Zarutska's death, blaming their "marxist, anti-civilizational playbook". Corporate media reportedly covered the story belatedly, 18 days after the fact, due to a "groundswell of outrage" on social media. The President issued a video statement, and the White House held a press conference regarding the charges. Republicans have demanded the firing of Mecklenburg Magistrate Teresa Stokes, who released Brown without bond despite not being a lawyer. Magistrates, as defined by local law, handle less demanding judicial workloads under judicial supervision, but in practice, their courtrooms can be unpredictable. Mecklenburg's magistrates, earning between $56K and $100K, often lack legal qualifications for their roles, as exemplified by Ms. Stokes, a mental-health services activist who has a law degree but could not pass the bar. The author notes a "volcanically erupting" discussion on social media about systemic reverse racism.

Secondly, the article highlights a significant development in pharmaceutical advertising. Politico reported that President Trump announced a crackdown on pharmaceutical advertising. This is described as the "first shot HHS is firing against Big Pharma". The new directive targets the "adequate provision loophole" in drug advertising, which currently allows drugmakers to omit many drug risks in advertisements as long as they direct consumers to more information, such as a website address. President Trump's order directs HHS and the FDA to close this loophole, meaning future ads will need to include all known side effects. A senior administration official confirmed plans for regulatory action. Immediately, HHS began sending out approximately 100 cease and desist enforcement letters and "thousands" of warning letters to companies, signaling an intent to enforce existing regulations. Only two countries globally—New Zealand and the United States—permit direct-to-consumer advertising for prescription drugs, and research indicates this type of advertising increases the number of drugs prescribed by doctors. The article suggests that the requirement to include all known side effects in advertisements may render most pharma ads impractical or useless, effectively banning them. This approach is characterized as Secretary Kennedy’s "lingchi strategy"—a "death by a thousand pharmaceutical cuts"—rather than a single legislative showdown. The "Overton Window has shifted" to a point where "nobody is even trying to defend pharma’s ads anymore," indicating widespread public disdain.

Thirdly, the article covers what it deems one of the day’s "least reported stories" concerning Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP). NBC reported on a dramatic video shown at a House UAP hearing, which appears to depict a missile fired at an object near Yemen. In the grainy, gray-tinted video from military instrumentation, MQ-9 Reaper drone operators observe an unidentified orb, launch a Hellfire missile directly at it, and then witness it sail off with smaller orbs in its wake, as the missile breaks apart. The orb seemingly absorbed or deflected the blast, remaining unfazed, in defiance of conventional physics. Congressional representatives present at the hearing expressed bewilderment and questioned why information about such phenomena is being withheld. Representative Anna Paulina Luna of Florida emphasized the need for answers "in the name of science and in the name of national security". The author notes the surreal nature of congressional hearings on UFOs and the apparent disinterest from major corporate media platforms, despite the story's potential to combine elements of aliens, active combat, national security, and conspiracy. The tangible outcome of these hearings is a "deepening distrust in the institutions," as the government previously denied having any evidence of non-human objects. Possible explanations for the obfuscation by Pentagon officials include prior knowledge of UFO evidence, covert advanced technology, or undisclosed serious threats from Russia or China. The article concludes that these events contribute to a "crisis" not just about "aliens," but about "reality itself," where long-held trust in institutions has eroded since the pandemic, making the concrete edifice of consensus crumble.

thank you for listening to another session of the Lenny and Maria Sanchez AUDIO AND VIDEO podcast series produced and archived at the website DailyBriefs.info

Briefing Document: Global Geopolitical, Technological, and Economic Shifts

Executive Summary

A profound transformation of the global landscape is underway, marked by a convergence of geopolitical, technological, and economic realignments that challenge established world orders. A new multipolar, or multi-bloc, world is emerging, with Eastern-led coalitions like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and BRICS actively creating alternative financial and cooperative frameworks. This geopolitical shift is underpinned by significant economic trends, including the steady decline of the U.S. dollar's dominance as the global reserve currency and the demonstrated ineffectiveness of U.S. tariff policies as a tool of statecraft against these new blocs.

Concurrently, the rapid integration of advanced technologies is reshaping the foundations of finance, governance, and personal autonomy. The deployment of AI-powered financial monitoring systems and government-mandated digital identities, particularly in the UK, is fueling significant concerns about the rise of a "digital prison"—a permission-based control grid enabling unprecedented surveillance and social credit-style restrictions. This technological push is not without its critics, who argue that developments like AI represent a redundant and costly "scam" designed to further centralize control and extract wealth from the public.

This era is also defined by a clear power rebalance, exemplified by China's display of military-technological superiority. Recent showcases reveal a formidable arsenal, particularly in hypersonic weapons, unmanned systems, and layered air defenses, signaling an end to uncontested Western military hegemony. This dynamic unfolds amid a deepening crisis of trust in Western institutions, exacerbated by events such as official hearings on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs) that contradict decades of government denial, and the pervasive use of religious scripture to justify political agendas that are seen as antithetical to their core tenets. These converging crises are leading to fundamental questions about the nature of power, control, and "reality itself."

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I. The Tectonic Shift in the Global Order

The established unipolar world order is being fundamentally challenged by the rise of coordinated Eastern blocs and a corresponding shift in global economic power, rendering old paradigms and tools of influence obsolete.

A. Rise of the Multipolar World: The SCO and BRICS Ascendancy

The 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China, is identified as a pivotal event marking a "tectonic shift" toward a multipolar world. This new reality is described not as anti-Western, but as a deliberate separation from Western unipolar ambitions to pursue a model of peaceful cooperation and shared benefits for the Global South.

• SCO Composition and Scale: Founded in 2001, the SCO now comprises ten member-states, including China, Russia, India, Iran, and Pakistan. The organization represents 23% of the world's GDP and 43% of its population.

• A Vision of Cooperation: The summit's ethos was captured by China's President Xi Jinping, who stated, "Humanity is again faced with a choice of peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, and win-win outcomes; or zero-sum games."

• Alternative Financial Architecture: A key outcome was the SCO's decision to create an SCO Development Bank. This move, along with the BRICS New Development Bank and China's Asian Infrastructure and Investment Bank (AIIB), signals a clear intent to break free from the "Washington Consensus" framework of the IMF and World Bank, which is characterized as having used debt to exert control over developing nations.

B. Economic Realignment and the Decline of the Dollar

Donald Trump's tariff war is characterized as a "self-destructive act" that fails to recognize the new trade realities. Analysis indicates that U.S. trade ties with most BRICS nations are not substantial enough for tariffs to be an effective punitive measure.

• Limited U.S. Trade Leverage: Only three BRICS countries (China, Vietnam, India) are among the top ten exporters to the U.S., while only two (China, Brazil) are top destinations for U.S. exports, accounting for just 9.4% of the total. Hitting China with severe tariffs is considered high-risk due to U.S. economic dependency on critical Chinese products.

• De-Dollarization: A critical trend undermining U.S. influence is the move by developing countries away from dollar-denominated debt. Citing high U.S. interest rates, these nations are increasingly borrowing in currencies with lower rates, such as the Chinese renminbi and the Swiss franc. The stock of emerging market corporate bonds in euros has also risen to a record $239 billion. This trend marks the accelerated end of the U.S. dollar's era as the sole dominant reserve currency.

C. The Inviability of a Single World Currency

A theoretical implementation of a single world currency under the current global structure would be "fairly disastrous." The concept fails to meet the criteria for an Optimum Currency Area (OCA), as established by economist Robert Mundell.

• Lack of Mobility: An OCA requires high levels of labor and capital mobility to absorb asymmetric economic shocks. The world, with its border controls and barriers, lacks this mobility. Even the highly integrated Eurozone suffers from this deficiency.

• Loss of Monetary Policy: Nations would cede control over their money supply and interest rates to a hypothetical World Central Bank, losing a critical tool for managing their economies.

• Inevitable Disequilibrium: The result would be a permanent state of disequilibrium, with some nations experiencing high unemployment and others suffering high inflation, potentially leading to a series of "Greek-like" sovereign default disasters. A world currency could only function, and even then only "slightly," under a global federal government with fiscal union and transfers.

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II. China's Ascendant Military-Technological Power

A September 3rd military parade in Beijing to commemorate the end of World War II served as a clear and unambiguous message to the West, particularly the United States, of China's readiness to counter any provocation with technologically superior and overwhelming force.

A. Unveiled Advanced Weapon Systems

The parade showcased a stunning array of advanced weapons systems, many previously unknown to outside observers, which were announced as being actively in service and deployed.

Weapon Category

Examples and Details

Hypersonic & Supersonic Missiles

Four new anti-ship models (YJ-15, YJ-17, YJ-19, YJ-20). YJ-17 is a ship/air-launched version of the Mach 10 DF-17 HGV.

Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles

Six new UCAVs, including three tailless, full-stealth models designed to serve as AI-powered "loyal wingmen."

Fifth-Generation Fighters

Five distinct models were displayed: J-20, J-20S, J-20A, J-35, and J-35A.

Unmanned Underwater Vehicles

Two Extra Large UUVs (HSU100, AXJ002), described as super-sized unmanned submarines for deep-sea operations.

Directed Energy Weapons (DEWs)

Three systems shown: a shipborne laser (LY-01), a truck-mounted anti-drone laser, and a microwave weapon for drone swarms.

Air Defense Systems

Three layered systems, including the HQ-29, an anti-ballistic and anti-satellite interceptor with an altitude up to 1500 km.

Nuclear Deterrence

China showcased its "nuclear triad" for the first time, including air-launched, submarine-launched, road-mobile, and silo-based ICBMs.

B. Strategic Implications

The parade dispels several Western narratives and establishes a new military reality.

• Access Denial: China has developed a multi-layered, redundant "kill web" designed to deny U.S. naval and air assets access to its shores, extending beyond the second island chain (Guam).

• Technological and Industrial Superiority: The display indicates China's military technology is at par with or superior to that of the U.S. and is innovating faster. Its state-owned industrial base is capable of overwhelming adversaries with both quantitative and qualitative advantages in mass production.

• Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD): China has demonstrated sufficient secondary-strike capability to make it invulnerable to nuclear blackmail, establishing a deterrence level on par with Russia's. The U.S. homeland is no longer considered immune from conventional or nuclear strikes.

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III. The Integration of Technology, Finance, and Governance

The rapid fusion of digital technology with core societal functions is creating powerful new systems for control, prompting concerns over surveillance, censorship, and the creation of a "digital prison."

A. The "Digital Prison": UK's Digital ID and Wallet

The United Kingdom is moving forward with a comprehensive digital identity framework that critics argue is the linchpin of a future surveillance state.

• GOV.UK Wallet: A mobile app scheduled to launch by the end of 2025 for storing digital versions of government-issued credentials like driver's licenses. A phased rollout began in May 2024.

• The "BritCard": A proposed mandatory, universal digital ID, advocated by the think tank Labour Together, which would be stored on the Wallet app to verify an individual’s right to live, work, and rent. It is estimated to cost up to £400 million to build.

• Concerns over Control: Critics warn this system could create a "permission-based digital system" linking financial accounts, healthcare, travel, and online speech. This would give authorities unprecedented power to restrict an individual's life, effectively creating a "digital prison" from which there may be no escape once implemented.

B. AI-Powered Finance and the Specter of Social Credit

The Global Trade Finance Expo 2025, sponsored by UMCA Technologies, highlights the integration of powerful AI into the financial sector, with features that mirror those of a social credit system.

• UMCA's "Aurora" Platform: This AI-based fraud prevention solution offers real-time monitoring and analysis of financial transactions. Its core features include:

    ◦ Behavioural Analytics: Detects anomalies in customer behavior and transaction patterns.

    ◦ Geospatial Analysis: Monitors geolocation and identifies transactions from "high-risk areas."

    ◦ Comprehensive Rule Engine: Allows financial institutions to set and instantly roll out complex rules for transaction limits, blocked merchants, and more.

• Real-Time Control: If the system detects what it defines as fraud, it can flag and block transactions in real-time across all channels (cards, ATMs, transfers). This capability is seen as a ready-made foundation for a social credit system linked directly to bank accounts.

C. Skepticism and Critique of the AI Revolution

A countervailing perspective posits that the current AI boom is "the biggest scam ever" and a form of "redundant technology" created to extract more wealth from the middle class.

• An Unnecessary Expense: The argument claims that AI chatbots are a "useless extra step" in internet searching that primarily serve to increase gatekeeping and promote mainstream propaganda.

• "Colossal Soaking of the Middle Class": The critique asserts that the massive investment in AI data centers (over $350 billion in 2025 by major tech firms) is subsidized by taxpayers and is being used as a justification to skyrocket public energy bills for a service that is not needed.

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IV. Crises of Trust and Reality in the West

A series of distinct events and trends are contributing to a profound and growing crisis of trust in Western institutions, leading to fundamental questions about truth and the nature of reality.

A. Institutional Distrust and Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs)

A hearing of the U.S. House Oversight Committee on UAPs featured official military drone footage that challenges public understanding and amplifies distrust in government.

• The Yemen Incident: Video presented at the hearing appeared to show an unidentified orb near Yemen being struck by a Hellfire missile. Instead of being destroyed, the orb seemed to absorb or deflect the missile and continued on its path, seemingly taking debris with it.

• Erosion of Credibility: This and similar disclosures are seen as proof that the government has been lying or "gaslighting" the public for decades about the existence of evidence for such phenomena. The lack of major corporate media coverage on the hearing further fuels this distrust, contributing to a sense that the "concrete edifice of consensus is crumbling."

B. The "Battle for the Bible": Theological Justifications for Political Agendas

There is a documented pattern of political and financial leaders using misinterpretations of Christian scripture to justify policies that benefit the wealthy and powerful while punishing the poor and marginalized.

• Policy Justifications:

    ◦ Immigration: Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions cited Romans 13 ("obey the laws of the government") to defend family separations at the border. The Department of Homeland Security used a quote from Isaiah ("Here I am, Lord. Send me") to recruit ICE agents.

    ◦ Social Welfare: Multiple Republican representatives have quoted 2 Thessalonians ("if a man will not work, he shall not eat") to justify cutting SNAP (food stamp) benefits.

    ◦ Militarism: President Trump was noted for asking God to bless America's bombs during a speech announcing the bombing of Iran.

• Peter Thiel's Influence: Tech billionaire Peter Thiel is identified as a central figure in promoting a brand of right-wing Christianity in Silicon Valley. His worldview, which questions democracy in favor of rule by "experts," is seen as directly contrary to Christian tenets. Thiel is also linked to the Cicero Institute, a think tank driving a nationwide legislative attack on the homeless.

C. Infrastructure Vulnerability and Geopolitical Tensions

The physical infrastructure of the global internet has been shown to be fragile and vulnerable to disruption, with significant geopolitical implications.

• Red Sea Cable Cuts: On September 6, 2025, a series of major subsea fiber optic cables (SMW4, IMEWE, FALCON GCX) were severed in the Red Sea near Saudi Arabia.

• Impact: The cuts caused widespread internet disruptions and increased latency across parts of Asia and the Middle East, including India, Pakistan, the UAE, and Kuwait. Services like Microsoft Azure were affected. Repair is estimated to take two to six weeks.

• Suspected Sabotage: While the cause is unknown, speculation persists about sabotage by Yemen's Houthi rebels, who have been active in the area, though they deny responsibility.

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V. Other Noteworthy Developments

• U.S. Domestic Affairs: The Department of Justice has filed a federal charge of causing a death on mass transportation against Decarlos Brown, the alleged attacker in the fatal stabbing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light rail train. The crime has ignited a national debate about crime, the justice system, and race.

• U.S. Regulatory Actions: The Trump administration, through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has initiated a crackdown on pharmaceutical advertising. By closing the "adequate provision loophole," regulators will now require drug ads to include comprehensive risk information, a move that may make most direct-to-consumer ads impractical. The strategy has been described as a "lingchi" (death by a thousand cuts) against Big Pharma.

• Health and Diet Discourse: An article critiques a scientific study on the oral health benefits of "oil pulling" with sesame oil, labeling the oil as "toxic garbage." The author dismisses the study's finding that sesame oil was as effective as distilled water, arguing both are useless. Instead, the author advocates for using coconut oil and bicarbonate and ultimately promotes a "species-appropriate carnivore diet" as the solution to oral health issues.

I. Global Trade Finance Expo to explore blockchain, AI and ESG – a match made in hell - Rhoda Wilson

1. The Global Trade Finance Expo 2025 is scheduled to take place in November, discussing topics such as blockchain, artificial intelligence and ESG.
   
   Key topics to be discussed include blockchain, artificial intelligence (“AI”), environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) criteria, supply chain resilience, cybersecurity and digital payments.
   
   The Expo aims to bring together senior decision-makers from banks, traders, exporters, corporates, underwriters, Export Credit Agencies and Development Finance Institutions.
   
   

2. UMCA Technologies, a company specializing in AI fraud prevention solutions, is sponsoring the Global Trade Finance Expo.
   
   UMCA offers a real-time fraud detection and prevention engine that identifies and stops fraudulent transactions across multiple channels, including payments, credit cards, debit cards and ATMs.
   
   UCMA’s AI-based platform has the potential to be the foundation of a social credit system linked to bank accounts.
   
   

3. The article raises concerns about the reliability and potential misuse of AI-based fraud prevention systems like UMCA’s.
   
   Artificial intelligence (“AI”) is not intelligent; it is a computer programme that makes mistakes and also has the mistakes and biases of its programmers embedded into it.
   
   If the controllers of the AI programme decide that drawing more than £10 in cash is a fraud, then people will be subject to a “positive alert” and blocked from, perhaps, using that bank account.
   
   

4. UMCA Technologies boasts a 78% reduction in "false positive alerts," but the article questions the true meaning and impact of this statistic.
   
   “78%” isn’t very informative.
   
   Mistakes are okay if it means you put sugar in your tea when you don’t drink tea with sugar. But it’s not okay if you’re trying to pay for your weekly shop and your bank account is blocked because of an AI mistake, which UMCA calls a “false positive alert”.
   
   

5. UMCA’s Aurora fraud prevention system includes a comprehensive rule engine and algorithms that allow for managing complex rules and geolocation checks.
   
   The Comprehensive Rule Engine allows back office staff to manage complex rules for transaction limits, block merchants, merchant categories, etc..
   
   Algorithms include geolocation checks, card pin/tap monitoring, and sequence of events analyses.
   
   

6. The UMCA platform is omnichannel, supporting a wide range of financial transactions, including international money transfers and various card payments.
   
   It supports international money transfers, debit and credit card payments, internal transfers between accounts, and more.
   
   Its versatile infrastructure is designed to handle the vast majority of common financial operations, making it a comprehensive solution for various payment and transfer needs.
   
   

7. Blockchain technology will be discussed at the Expo, with its potential applications extending beyond cryptocurrencies to central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and digital identities.
   
   Blockchain technology has a wide range of applications beyond its initial use in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.
   
   It is worth noting, however, that blockchain technology is also used for central bank digital currencies (“CBDCs”) and digital identities.
   
   

II. How Would it Impact Global Finance a World Currency? - Milan Adams Preppgroup

1. How Would it Impact Global Finance a World Currency? - Milan Adams Preppgroup
   
   Assuming the whole world starts sharing a common currency whilst maintaining all existing border controls and barriers to trade and the movement of goods, capital and labour, there would be some fairly disastrous effects.
   
   Most countries would exist in a state of disequilibrium, with very high unemployment in some and very high inflation in others, due to asymmetric economic shocks.
   
   

2. A single world currency would necessitate all countries surrendering control of their monetary policy to a hypothetical World Central Bank.
   
   It means that all countries would give-up control of their money supply and interest rates (i.e.: monetary policy) to a hypothetical World Central Bank.
   
   This is NOT the same as the World Bank, which gives loans for development projects in countries – the World Central Bank instead would control the global money supply and interest rates for this new currency.
   
   

3. The concept of an "Optimum Currency Area (OCA)" is crucial for successful currency unions, requiring high levels of labour and capital mobility.
   
   An Optimum Currency Area (OCA) is a cluster/region of countries that can form a currency union without significant negative economic effects.
   
   Mundell theorised that currency unions need to have a high level of labour and capital mobility to work successfully.
   
   

4. The current global status-quo lacks sufficient mobility of labour and capital across borders, making a world currency union problematic.
   
   The world does not in any capacity have sufficient mobility of labour and capital across borders: there are way too many barriers to the movement of factors of production.
   
   A world-currency implemented under anything close to the status-quo idea of independent nation states and borders would result in most countries being in a permanent state of disequilibrium.
   
   

5. Countries in a global currency union would lose the ability to use monetary policy to correct economic shocks and would become more vulnerable to sovereign default.
   
   They would lose the ability to use monetary policy to correct economic shocks, that is, raising interest rates in times of high inflation and lowering them in times of high unemployment and low inflation.
   
   Many countries would become more vulnerable to sovereign default as they would have foregone control of interest rates and the money supply.
   
   

6. The Eurozone serves as an example of a currency union that struggles without fiscal union and transfers, suggesting a world currency would require a federal entity.
   
   The case of the Eurozone shows its almost impossible to make a successful currency union without fiscal union and transfers.
   
   To make a currency union work it needs to be federal entity with a common government.
   
   

7. Common currency areas generally lead to increased trade by reducing costs and uncertainty for exporting firms.
   
   Common currency areas DO see increases in trade as common currencies reduce the cost of exporting and importing.
   
   It also reduces the uncertainty export-industry firms face in what their foreign revenues will be, which without a currency union, would fluctuate depending on the exchange rate.
   
   

8. A world currency could enhance firm efficiency by removing mechanisms like exchange rate devaluation, which previously allowed unions to negotiate high wages without immediate competitive consequences.
   
   Pre-Eurozone, it was common for unions to negotiate high wages, which firms would accept, expecting the government to devalue the exchange rate to reduce the price of exports and make up for the lost competitiveness.
   
   The introduction of a common currency, the Euro, removed this mechanism, making wage-setting more economically sensible and firms more competitive, reducing prices.
   
   

III. Major Red Sea undersea cables have been cut - Rhoda Wilson

1. Major Red Sea undersea cables have been cut - Rhoda Wilson
   
   Two major undersea cable systems in the Red Sea were reportedly severed, causing widespread internet disruptions across parts of Asia and the Middle East, including India, Pakistan, the UAE and Kuwait.
   
   The disruptions, which began on 6 September 2025, are attributed to failures affecting the SMW4 and IMEWE cable systems, impacting global data traffic routed through this critical corridor.
   
   

2. The cause of the cable damage remains unknown, with speculation pointing to potential sabotage by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who have denied responsibility.
   
   The cause of the damage remains unknown, though speculation persists about potential sabotage by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who have denied responsibility despite being linked to attacks in the area.
   
   Yemen’s internationally recognised government, however, alleged the cable cuts “cannot be isolated from the series of direct attacks carried out by the Houthi militia”.
   
   

3. The FALCON GCX cable in the Red Sea was also cut, affecting internet connectivity in Kuwait.
   
   In Kuwait, authorities have confirmed the FALCON GCX cable running through the Red Sea was also cut, causing disruptions.
   
   This added to the series of subsea cable outages near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
   
   

4. These specific cables are critical long-haul systems connecting Asia to Europe, carrying traffic for consumer internet and hyperscalers.
   
   They’re two of the main long-haul systems connecting Asia to Europe, carrying traffic not only for consumer Internet but also hyperscalers like Google and Meta.
   
   Losing just one of these critical pathways can overload alternate routes, spike latency and increase packet loss across various cloud-dependent applications.
   
   

5. The Red Sea cable cuts have led to increased latency for Microsoft Azure traffic routed through the affected region.
   
   As a result of the cut cables, Microsoft Azure is experiencing increased latency for traffic routed through the region.
   
   Enterprises reliant on cross-region connectivity between Europe, South Asia and the Middle East should brace for slower connections.
   
   

6. Repairs for the damaged undersea cables are expected to be a lengthy process, potentially taking two to six weeks.
   
   Repairing these cables is not a quick process.
   
   Specialised ships must locate the exact fault, lift the damaged cable from the seabed, splice it and then test it before restoring service, a process that takes two to six weeks depending on various factors.
   
   

7. Non-sinister explanations for cable damage include accidental damage from ships or natural underwater events, though deliberate sabotage by anchoring is also a possibility.
   
   There are non-sinister explanations for damage to undersea cables, such as accidental damage from ships dropping anchor near them and destructive underwater natural events.
   
   Deliberately dropping anchor near the cables and dragging the anchor to damage them is also a convenient means of sabotage.
   
   

IV. The End of the Unipolar World Order – A Tectonic Shift Away from the West - Peter Koenig

1. The End of the Unipolar World Order – A Tectonic Shift Away from the West - Peter Koenig
   
   The 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China, from 31 August to 1 September 2025, caused a tectonic shift in the conventional world order.
   
   The “new reality” is not anti-US or anti-West; it is just separating the western unipolar aspirations from the newly created multi-polar, or perhaps better, multi-block, world, where countries aim at a peaceful cooperation towards a joint future with shared benefits.
   
   

2. The SCO, initially established in 2001 with six members, has grown to include ten member-states and serves as a guiding light for the Global South.
   
   The SCO was established in 2001 by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
   
   Today the SCO consists of ten member-states with headquarters in Beijing, including India, Iran, Belarus, and Pakistan, and acts as the guiding light for the Global South.
   
   

3. SCO members account for a significant portion of the world's GDP and population, indicating a shift in global power dynamics.
   
   SCO members account for 23% of the world’s GDP and for 43% of the world’s population.
   
   This influence underscores the shift away from western unipolar aspirations towards a multi-polar world.
   
   

4. President Trump felt snubbed by China's SCO event and attempted a last-minute intervention by requesting military talks with President Xi.
   
   President Trump felt snubbed by China, “left out” from the world shifting SCO event in Tianjin.
   
   He invented a last-minute opportunity to leave his mark by requesting President Xi literally on the eve of the SCO summit for “military talks,” a phone call between the two defense ministers.
   
   

5. China rejected Trump's proposal for military talks, citing a "lack of mutual understanding" and questioning the sincerity of such communication.
   
   The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that Beijing rejected the proposal, reasoning “a lack of mutual understanding between the two countries”.
   
   They asked a pertinent question: “Is there any sincerity in and significance of any communication like this?”.
   
   

6. The author criticizes the European Commission's aggressive and undiplomatic approach towards China, particularly its stance on Russia.
   
   A delegation of the EC, including Kaja Kallas, visited Beijing to discuss tariffs, but insinuated that China should distance herself from Russia.
   
   Such aggression and a war philosophy can only lead to an EU downfall, which is accelerating by the day.
   
   

7. The SCO Summit emphasized a future of shared benefits, contrasting with Western economic standards focused on exploitation and neocolonialism.
   
   A future with shared benefits is not possible by western economic standards and principles, that followed since 1989 the so-called Washington Consensus.
   
   This consensus was an un-stated agreement to “subdue” the “emerging and developing world” with debt, so as to get a hold of their natural resources.
   
   

8. The SCO's decision to create an SCO Development Bank, alongside China's Asian Infrastructure and Investment Bank (AIIB), signifies a move away from neoliberal Western financial institutions.
   
   The SCO decision at their Summit to create an SCO Development Bank bodes well with a new future of togetherness and cooperation.
   
   It is a vivid sign of pulling free from the neoliberal western financial institutions making their living by exploiting “socioeconomic development,” instead of enhancing it.
   
   

9. President Xi Jinping's opening speech at the SCO Summit highlighted humanity's choice between peace/dialogue and war/confrontation.
   
   “Humanity is again faced with a choice of peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, and win-win outcomes; or zero-sum games,” President Xi made this point clear.
   
   This clearly creates a growing chasm between East and West, with the former seeking peaceful constructive development.
   
   

V. Toxic Sesame Oil Is Worthless For Oral Health. Use Coconut Oil And Bicarbonate Instead! - Joachim Bartoll

1. Toxic Sesame Oil Is Worthless For Oral Health. Use Coconut Oil And Bicarbonate Instead! - Joachim Bartoll
   
   Coconut oil is effective for “oil pulling” and removing dental plaque and “bad bacteria” fueled by carbohydrates.
   
   However, some “scientists” continue to conduct trials on oils with zero health benefits and toxic properties, like sesame oil.
   
   

2. A randomized controlled trial found sesame oil pulling to be as ineffective as rinsing with distilled water for dental plaque and gum bleeding reduction.
   
   In this 8-week trial, participants using sesame oil or distilled water for rinsing saw no differences in effect on dental plaque, bacteria, and gum bleeding.
   
   After eight weeks, distilled water was slightly more effective than sesame oil in reducing full mouth dental plaque and gingival bleeding.
   
   

3. The author argues that simply swishing any liquid around the teeth can reduce plaque, but is inferior to using coconut oil and bicarbonate.
   
   A small decrease in dental plaque is simply from swishing liquid around the teeth for 15 minutes as it will break up small parts of any plaque.
   
   Still, that is a far cry from the effect you get from coconut oil and bicarbonate.
   
   

4. No significant reductions in bacterial species were observed, with some even increasing in the sesame oil group, suggesting toxic oil residues fueled bacteria.
   
   There were no “significant” reductions in microbiological results, as in bacterial species.
   
   Actually, some of them increased, especially in the sesame oil group, which simply shows that some toxic oil residues in the mouth fueled some bacteria.
   
   

5. The author, an animal-based nutritionist, claims that following a species-appropriate carnivore diet can eliminate the need for regular teeth brushing.
   
   Personally, I hardly brush my teeth at all as I follow our species-appropriate diet and there is nothing that can harm my teeth or benefit any “bad bacteria” and my oral health has improved significantly since going full raw carnivore in early 2018.
   
   If you are fully carnivore, you should not really need to brush your teeth.
   
   

6. Plant-based edibles, specifically starches/carbohydrates and fiber, are identified as harmful to teeth, unlike animal-based foods.
   
   Only plant-based edibles such as starches/carbohydrates and fiber will damage the teeth.
   
   Anything animal-based is totally harmless to the teeth.
   
   

7. For those not fully carnivore or transitioning, a natural toothpaste of coconut oil and bicarbonate, charcoal, or sea salt is recommended.
   
   If you’re still not fully animal-based or if you’re transitioning, opt for a natural tooth paste of coconut oil and bicarbonate, and or some charcoal and a pinch of sea salt.
   
   You can use that for oil pulling as well.
   
   

8. The author explicitly states that sesame oil and other seed oils are "toxic garbage" and should be avoided by humans.
   
   As for sesame oil, or any other seed oil, it’s toxic garbage and should never be touched by any human.
   
   Not good, considering how toxic and rancid any kind of seed/vegetable oil is.
   
   

VI. UK government’s digital wallet plus digital ID is the digital prison - Rhoda Wilson

1. UK government’s digital wallet plus digital ID is the digital prison - Rhoda Wilson
   
   The UK is planning to launch a digital ID app called ‘GOV.UK Wallet’ by the end of 2025.
   
   The Labour government is currently considering a proposed mandatory, universal digital identity system, called the BritCard, advocated by the think tank Labour Together.
   
   

2. The BritCard is envisioned as a free digital credential on smartphones, designed to verify an individual’s right to live, work, and rent in the UK.
   
   The Britcard will be a free digital credential stored on a smartphone via the GOV.UK Wallet app.
   
   It is designed to verify an individual’s right to live, work and rent in the UK.
   
   

3. Critics warn that this digital ID system could centralize identity, leading to a permission-based digital system and constant surveillance, effectively a "digital prison."
   
   Critics warn that a decades-long project to centralise identity could lock humanity into a permission-based digital system.
   
   Opponents describe this as a “digital prison,” where future generations may never know what it means to live outside constant surveillance.
   
   

4. The GOV.UK Wallet will eventually serve as a one-stop shop for government services, potentially holding extensive personal information.
   
   It could eventually serve as a one-stop shop for a range of government services whilst also holding information and records on you.
   
   This includes claiming benefits, ordering passports, storing medical records, vaccination status, carbon credit scores, and police records or social media activity.
   
   

5. The COVID-19 pandemic is seen by skeptics as a "testing ground" that revealed how far populations could be pushed in the name of safety, accelerating plans for digital IDs.
   
   Sceptics say the covid-19 pandemic was the testing ground.
   
   Emergency measures, restrictions and health passes revealed just how far populations could be pushed in the name of safety.
   
   

6. Concerns are raised that linking digital ID to financial accounts, healthcare, or travel could grant authorities unprecedented power to restrict access at will.
   
   Once linked to financial accounts, healthcare access, travel permissions, or even speech online, it could give authorities – or corporations – unprecedented power.
   
   At the press of a button, critics warn, people could be denied access to money, medical treatment or the ability to move freely.
   
   

7. Proponents argue that digital ID systems offer convenience, efficiency, and security, citing examples in the EU, India, and Estonia.
   
   Proponents of digital ID, by contrast, argue that it can help combat fraud, make cross-border travel easier and streamline interactions with governments and businesses.
   
   In the European Union, the upcoming EU Digital Identity Wallet is being promoted as a secure way for citizens to store documents and credentials.
   
   

8. Critics argue that a mandatory digital ID would fundamentally alter the relationship with the state, posing risks to privacy and data security due to centralization.
   
   Critics argue that a mandatory digital ID would fundamentally change the relationship with the state and create a “papers, please” society.
   
   A centralised digital ID could become a target for hackers and could lead to increased state surveillance.
   
   

9. The BritCard system is estimated to cost up to £400 million to build and £10 million annually to administer as a free app.
   
   The think-tank Labour Together has estimated the BritCard system would cost up to £400 million to build and around £10 million a year to administer as a free-to-use app.
   
   This financial outlay is part of the ongoing debate about its implementation.
   
   

VII. What message is China sending during the September 3 Beijing military parade, by Hua Bin - Hua Bin

1. What message is China sending during the September 3 Beijing military parade, by Hua Bin - Hua Bin
   
   The military parade held in Beijing on September 3rd to celebrate the defeat of the Japanese during WW2 was the biggest news out of China in the past month.
   
   The message is loud and clear, in a language that the West, especially the US, can understand: China is ready to counter western provocation and bullying with force.
   
   

2. President Xi Jinping was joined by several heads of state, including President Putin and Kim Jong Un, at the military parade.
   
   President Xi Jinping was joined by President Putin and Kim Jong Un as well as the heads of state from Indonesia, Malaysia, Iran, Vietnam, Belarus, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, etc..
   
   Their presence underscored the significance of the event and the alliances China is forging.
   
   

3. China unveiled a multitude of high-tech and technically sophisticated weapon systems, many of which were previously unheard of by military enthusiasts.
   
   The author was dumbfounded by the number and technical sophistication of the newly unveiled weapons.
   
   Like other Chinese military enthusiasts, the author hadn’t even heard of half the weapons on display.
   
   

4. A key takeaway is that these newly unveiled high-tech weapons are already in service and deployed for active duty, not just prototypes.
   
   Beijing has announced these weapon systems are in service today, not prototypes or concepts.
   
   This means the high-tech weapons, from hypersonic missiles to extra large unmanned underwater vehicles (XLUUV), are already deployed for active duty and will be used if a kinetic war breaks out now.
   
   

5. China showcased its "nuclear triad" for the first time, demonstrating its capability for long-range conventional and nuclear strikes on the US homeland.
   
   China also showcased its “nuclear triad” for the first time with the air-launched JL-1, submarine-launched JL-3, road-mobile DF-61 and DF-31BJ, and silo-based DF-5C ICBM.
   
   These nuclear ballistic missiles can cover the entirety of continental US.
   
   

6. China is rapidly advancing its military technology in areas such as hypersonics, stealth, and unmanned systems across all domains.
   
   China is accelerating its mil-tech leads in hypersonic, stealth, unmanned systems, and related fields.
   
   It is experimenting with a variety of combinations of such technologies in the air, sea, land and undersea domains (very likely also in space).
   
   

7. China's military industrial base possesses deep manufacturing capacity and the ability for scale-based, low-unit-cost mass production.
   
   China has a proven track record of fast product iterations, low-cost prototyping, deep manufacturing capacity, and scale-based low unit cost mass production.
   
   When the country’s state-owned military industrial base is mobilized, Chinese military can overwhelm any adversaries with vast quantitative and qualitative advantages.
   
   

8. The author refutes Western propaganda myths regarding China's lack of war experience and untested weapons.
   
   The US’s extensive war experiences since Vietnam are against inferior and often impoverished enemies, not peer-level opponents.
   
   While China’s arsenal has not been used in wars, they are tested in both labs and military drills, and the underlying technology works to spec.
   
   

9. China’s military demonstration sends a clear message that it can inflict massive blows to US naval and air assets beyond the first and second island chains if the US intervenes in conflicts near China's shores.
   
   China has developed a multi-layered, redundant kill web designed to deny access to its shores.
   
   If the US intervenes in a conflict around Taiwan or in the South China Sea, China has the arsenal to deliver massive blows to its naval and air assets not just along the first island chain (Japan and the Philippines) but beyond the second island chain (Guam).
   
   

10. The author asserts that China’s air and naval warfare technology is on par with or superior to that of the US, and China can innovate at a faster pace.
    
    China’s air and naval warfare technology is at par or superior to what the US can field.
    
    It is also innovating at a faster pace.
    
    

11. The article contends that the US ruling elite and population have historically been immune to the costs of war due to geography, an immunity China has now challenged.
    
    A main reason of US military adventurism has been its geography.
    
    China has demonstrated such immunity is over with its ability to conduct long-range conventional and nuclear strike on US homeland.
    
    

VIII. Why Donald Trump’s Tariff War Is Not Working - Larry C. Johnson Sonar21

1. Why Donald Trump’s Tariff War Is Not Working - Larry C. Johnson Sonar21
   
   Donald Trump’s tariff scheme is considered one of the most self-destructive acts by a president in US history.
   
   The author utilized AI engines, GROK and Perplexity AI, to understand US trade and that of BRICS countries, noting discrepancies in their data.
   
   

2. Despite multiple threats, Donald Trump is hesitant to impose punishing sanctions on China due to the US's reliance on critical products from China.
   
   China is the only member of BRICS with significant and substantial trade relations with the US.
   
   Hitting China hard carries a significant risk of economic blowback on the US economy.
   
   

3. The era of the US dollar as the global reserve currency is rapidly ending, moving faster than many financial experts anticipated.
   
   The era of the US dollar as the reserve currency is ending.
   
   It appears to be moving more rapidly than many financial experts anticipated.
   
   

4. Developing countries are increasingly moving away from dollar debts and borrowing in currencies with lower interest rates, such as the Chinese renminbi and Swiss franc.
   
   Developing countries are moving out of dollar debts and turning to currencies with rock bottom interest rates such as the Chinese renminbi and Swiss franc.
   
   By borrowing in currencies such as the renminbi and the Swiss franc, countries can access debt at much lower interest rates than those offered by dollar bonds.
   
   

5. Only a few BRICS countries appear in the top ten lists for US exports and imports, indicating insubstantial direct trade ties between BRICS nations and the US.
   
   Only three countries on the top ten list are BRICS countries: China, Vietnam and India.
   
   The only two BRICS countries on the list of top ten countries receiving US exports are China and Brazil, which account for 9.4% of all US exports.
   
   

6. China is a dominant trading partner for other BRICS founders, particularly Brazil and Russia.
   
   China is Brazil's top trading partner, accounting for 28.0% of its total exports in 2024.
   
   China is also Russia's top trading partner, making up 21.1% of its total exports in 2024.
   
   

7. Germany and the Netherlands are unique in their trade relations, as they are the only countries globally that trade with all five founding BRICS members.
   
   Germany and the Netherlands are the only countries in the world that trade with all five BRICS founders.
   
   This makes them particularly vulnerable to economic problems if tariffs are imposed on BRICS nations.
   
   

8. The emergence of a new economic and political world order will bring India, Russia, and China into more prominent roles, which the US cannot stop without extreme measures.
   
   We are witnessing the birth of a new economic and political world, one that will bring India, Russia and China into more prominent roles.
   
   There is nothing the US can do to stop this, short of starting a nuclear war and ending civilization.
   
   

IX. You Can’t Worship God and Money - Liz Theoharis TomDispatch.com

1. You Can’t Worship God and Money - Liz Theoharis TomDispatch.com
   
   The author was motivated to become a biblical scholar 30 years ago by political and religious leaders using scripture to justify cutting social programs.
   
   These leaders ignored biblical passages preaching "good news" to the poor, instead misinterpreting texts to support American imperial power and punish the poor.
   
   

2. The Trump administration and its theological apologists are accused of misusing biblical references to support immoral policies.
   
   Three decades later, the Trump administration and its theological apologists are working overtime, using Jesus’s name and the Bible’s contents in even more devastating rounds of immoral biblical (mis)references.
   
   Examples include using Isaiah to recruit ICE agents and a pastor justifying ICE raids by stating the Bible does not require wealthy Christian nations to "self-immolate".
   
   

3. Peter Thiel, co-founder of Palantir, is described as central to the "Christianization of Silicon Valley" and holds theological beliefs that grimly complement his political ones.
   
   Journalist Zoe Bernard emphasized the central role Thiel has already played in the Christianization of Silicon Valley.
   
   His theological beliefs grimly complement his political ones, as he questions the compatibility of democracy and freedom, advocating for concentrated power among experts.
   
   

4. Thiel is connected to a new cohort of conservatives who claim a right-wing Christianity, including figures like J.D. Vance, Michael Anton, David Sacks, and Elon Musk.
   
   Thiel has positioned himself “right” in the middle of the Republican Party.
   
   He has convened and supported a new cohort of conservatives, many claiming right-wing Christianity, such as Vice President J.D. Vance and Elon Musk.
   
   

5. Thiel is linked to a coordinated attack on the homeless through Joe Lonsdale and the Cicero Institute, conflicting with Christian core tenets.
   
   Thiel is close to Joe Lonsdale, co-founder of Palantir and founder of the Cicero Institute, a right-wing think tank behind a coordinated attack on the homeless now sweeping the nation.
   
   This worldview couldn't be more incompatible with Christianity’s core tenets, which demonstrate a preferential option for the poor.
   
   

6. Thiel is offering a lecture series on the "antichrist" through the ACTS 17 collective, which focuses on putting salvation through Jesus above charity for the poor.
   
   Thiel is offering an oversold four-part lecture series on the “antichrist” through a nonprofit called ACTS 17 collective that is to start in September in San Francisco.
   
   News stories tend to focus on Christians organizing in Silicon Valley and the desire to put salvation through Jesus above personal success or charity for the poor.
   
   

7. Michelle Stephens, founder of ACTS 17 collective, argues that seeing Christ’s message to the poor as the central pillar of the gospel is a mistake.
   
   Michelle Stephens describes how “we are always taught as Christians to serve the meek, the lowly, the marginalized… I think we’ve realized that, if anything, the rich, the wealthy, the powerful need Jesus just as much”.
   
   She writes, “Those who see Christ’s message to the poor and needy as the central pillar of the gospel make a similar mistake”.
   
   

8. Historically, the Bible has been misused to justify oppressive practices, from slavery and industrial capitalism to Jim Crow and punishing the poor.
   
   In the 1700s and 1800s, slaveholders quoted the book of Philemon to claim slavery was ordained by God, while ripping Exodus pages from bibles given to the enslaved.
   
   During the Gilded Age, churches preached a “prosperity gospel” extolling industrial capitalism, and later, segregationists used verses to rubber-stamp Jim Crow.
   
   

9. Republican politicians regularly misuse biblical passages, such as 2 Thessalonians 3:10, to justify work requirements for food assistance and blame the impoverished.
   
   Representative Jodey Arrington quoted 2 Thessalonians chapter 3:10 to justify increasing work requirements for people qualifying for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
   
   Such “Christian” politicians regularly misuse Biblical passages to blame the impoverished for their poverty.
   
   

10. The author emphasizes that the Bible's main themes and its arc of justice are counter to these interpretations, advocating for programs that uplift the poor.
    
    The whole of the Christian Bible, starting with Genesis and ending with the Book of Revelation, has an arc of justice to it.
    
    God’s plan was for society to be organized around meeting the needs of all people, including describing how political and religious leaders are supposed to release slaves, forgive debts, pay people what they deserve, and distribute funds to the needy.
    
    

X. Chatbots are redundant technology and AI is the biggest scam ever - Miles Mathis

1. Chatbots are redundant technology and AI is the biggest scam ever - Miles Mathis
   
   The author believes AI is a colossal scam, soaking the middle class, mainly through skyrocketing energy bills.
   
   Chatbots and their training require immense energy, leading to high utility costs for consumers for services they didn't request or need.
   
   

2. Major tech companies like Google, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft are spending billions on AI data centers, but the author claims these are government-subsidized fronts.
   
   In 2025 alone, Google, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft will spend over $350 billion on AI data centers.
   
   The author asserts these companies are government fronts, subsidized by tax dollars, drawing parallels to historical projects like the Manhattan Project and Apollo program.
   
   

3. The author questions the necessity and actual function of these data centers, suggesting they might be "empty warehouses" used to justify exorbitant billing.
   
   The author questions: FOR WHAT? What data are they talking about? What will these data centers be providing us for our billions?.
   
   He suggests they could be empty warehouses used to create a "con" by building large buildings and billing the public.
   
   

4. AI chatbots are seen as redundant, offering no new functionality beyond what traditional search engines already provided years ago.
   
   The author argues that AI is doing nothing the search engine wasn't already doing five or ten years ago.
   
   It requires zero intelligence to do that, since it is just scraping the internet, which the search engine was already doing.
   
   

5. AI is accused of introducing an unnecessary "extra step" and acting as a further level of gatekeeping and censorship in search results.
   
   The AI answer supplied a truncated answer, then sublisted the sites where it got its answer, which the author calls a "useless extra step".
   
   The author always skips the AI answer because it is a further level of gatekeeping and almost always wrong.
   
   

6. Search engines, influenced by AI, have moved away from popularity-based results to promote mainstream propaganda and censor against-the-mainstream sites.
   
   A few years ago, results to searches were based on how many hits those sites had gotten, reflecting human social action.
   
   However, search engines began steering users to approved sites and censoring against-the-mainstream sites, with AI bots now ignoring numbers to promote mainstream propaganda.
   
   

7. The author describes AI chatbots as a "fraud," a repackaging of existing technology designed to extract more money from consumers through various new charges.
   
   The author calls AI mostly a fraud, and to the extent it isn't, it is just a repackaging of what you already had.
   
   The "great idea" was to charge for it about five more ways, starting with subsidizing fake and unnecessary data centers, and ending with doubling electricity bills.
   
   

XI. REALITY ITSELF ☙ Wednesday, September 10, 2025 ☙ C&C NEWS 🦠 - Jeff Childers

1. REALITY ITSELF ☙ Wednesday, September 10, 2025 ☙ C&C NEWS 🦠 - Jeff Childers
   
   The Department of Justice charged Decarlos Brown with a federal crime, causing a death on mass transportation, which is death penalty eligible.
   
   This federal intervention follows public outrage over the gruesome murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on Charlotte’s public light rail, an event initially downplayed by corporate media and Democrats.
   
   

2. Democrats are criticized for denying any racial aspect to the crime and for blame-shifting, with the author attributing Iryna’s death to their "marxist, anti-civilizational playbook."
   
   Brown was heard repeatedly crowing, “I got that white b-tch!”, yet Democrats instantly denied any racial aspect to the crime.
   
   The author believes "Democrats were the actual proximate cause of Iryna’s death," advocating to "hang the Democrats’ marxist, anti-civilizational playbook".
   
   

3. HHS Secretary Kennedy is implementing new regulations to crackdown on pharmaceutical advertising, effectively ending most drug advertising.
   
   President Trump signed an order directing HHS and the FDA to close what Politico called the “adequate provision loophole” in drug advertising.
   
   The requirement to include all known side effects in ads may make most pharma ads impractical or useless, thereby effectively banning them.
   
   

4. The new pharmaceutical advertising strategy is likened to "lingchi" or "death by a thousand cuts," targeting easy, low-hanging fruit first.
   
   Secretary Kennedy is unveiling a "lingchi" strategy—death by a thousand pharmaceutical cuts.
   
   This approach is seen as a tactical move to enforce existing ad regulations and cut off the easy targets first.
   
   

5. A dramatic video shown at a House UAP hearing appeared to show a Hellfire missile failing to destroy an unidentified orb near Yemen, raising questions about physics and national security.
   
   Video shown at House UAP hearing appears to show missile fired at object near Yemen.
   
   A Hellfire missile hurtled directly toward the orb, but the orb appeared to absorb or deflect the blast, then glided away serenely.
   
   

6. Major corporate media platforms largely ignored the UFO story, despite its compelling elements of aliens, combat, national security, and conspiracy.
   
   None of the top corporate media platforms carried the story, which was especially weird since, before this year, you’d think this kind of thing would have been bigger news.
   
   It threads together multiple media-favorite storylines: Aliens, UFOs, active combat, unexplained phenomena, national security, overclassification, transparency, cover-ups, whiffs of conspiracy, and … I mean … aliens.
   
   

7. The UFO hearings are deepening public distrust in institutions, as evidence contradicts previous government claims of "zero evidence" of non-human objects.
   
   The one tangible outcome of these hearings so far is deepening distrust in the institutions.
   
   For years, the government has been repeatedly berated for claiming "zero evidence" of non-human objects, but now a constant trickle of evidence proves they were "lying or at least gaslighting us".
   
   

8. Possible explanations for the government's obfuscation include concealing UFO evidence, serious Russian or Chinese threats, or advanced secret technology.
   
   Pentagon officials are obfuscating like the UAPs were shipping mRNA to Wuhan or something.
   
   One possible explanation is they’ve long had at least some UFO evidence, but lied, or they know about serious Russian or Chinese threats, or they have developed highly advanced technology they’ve kept secret.
   
   

9. The confluence of events like the UFO disclosures, AI deepfakes, and questions about elections is causing the "concrete edifice of consensus" to crumble, leading to a crisis of "reality itself."
   
   The crisis isn’t just about “aliens,” but about reality itself.
   
   The concrete edifice of consensus is crumbling before our eyes, with questions arising about Pharma, UAPs, Elections, AI deepfake videos, and unbiased judges.
   
   

This C&C News roundup from September 10, 2025, covers several pressing societal issues, beginning with the federal charges against the "Mecklenberg Maniac", Decarlos Brown, for a brutal light rail attack. The article highlights the controversy surrounding his prior releases by unqualified magistrates and the political blame game, suggesting a deeper problem of "systemic reverse racism." It then pivots to Secretary Kennedy's new regulations targeting pharmaceutical advertising, interpreted as a strategic "death by a thousand cuts" against Big Pharma's influence, exemplified by the mandate to include all side effects in ads. Finally, the piece discusses congressional hearings on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), including a dramatic video of a missile failing to destroy an orb near Yemen, questioning the government's previous denials and ultimately suggesting a crisis in "reality itself" due due to eroding trust in institutions.

Key Topics

Justice System Issues

Pharmaceutical Advertising Reform

UFO Revelations

Declining Institutional Trust

Political Polarization

Discuss Justice System Issues.

Based on the sources, several issues within justice systems are discussed, ranging from the potential for digital control and surveillance to judicial system failures and the misuse of religious ideology in policy-making.

Here are the key justice system issues highlighted:

• Digital Surveillance and Control Systems:

    ◦ The UK government's planned 'GOV.UK Wallet' digital ID app and the proposed 'BritCard' are presented as a potential "digital prison"12. Critics warn this system could lead to unprecedented state and corporate surveillance, limiting individual autonomy and freedom through constant monitoring23. The digital ID could consolidate vast amounts of personal data, including medical records, vaccination status, carbon credit scores, police records, and social media activity, all of which could be accessible to employers or landlords4. This centralisation is feared to create a "permission-based digital system" where authorities could "at the press of a button" deny access to money, healthcare, or free movement3.... There is concern that this could fundamentally alter the relationship between citizens and the state, risking privacy, data security, and leading to arbitrary "anti-terrorism" laws67.

    ◦ AI-based fraud prevention solutions, such as those offered by UMCA Technologies, are identified as a foundation for a social credit system linked to bank accounts89. The article argues that AI, being a computer program, is susceptible to mistakes and the biases of its programmers10. This raises concerns about arbitrary blocking of bank accounts based on rules set by controllers, which could be as simple as withdrawing a certain amount of cash, leading to "false positive alerts" that prevent people from accessing their funds1112. This system uses complex rule engines, geolocation checks, and behavioural analytics to monitor transactions in real-time across various channels, including payments, credit cards, debit cards, and ATMs, with the power to block transactions instantly if deemed fraudulent9....

• Failures and Biases within the Judicial System:

    ◦ A specific case involving Decarlos Brown Jr., who fatally attacked a Ukrainian refugee, Iryna Zarutska, on a light rail, illustrates significant concerns1617. The article highlights problems with judicial decisions regarding violent criminals, noting that Brown, a "fourteen-time justice-involved individual," was released without bond by a Mecklenburg Magistrate, Teresa Stokes, who is reported to be unqualified for the role as she "couldn’t pass the bar"17.... This points to issues with the qualifications of magistrates and the impact of their decisions on public safety1819.

    ◦ The political response to the crime is also critiqued, with Democrats accused of denying racial aspects and deflecting blame by suggesting more funding for mental health services, while the author argues their "marxist, anti-civilizational playbook" was a "proximate cause" of the death1920. This suggests concerns about political influence and blame-shifting in discussions of criminal justice20. The ensuing social media outrage is noted as triggering a "systemic reverse racism" discussion19.

• Misuse of Religious and Political Power in Policy-Making:

    ◦ The Trump administration and its "theological apologists" are accused of using "immoral biblical (mis)references" to justify policies that "punish the poor" and support anti-immigrant actions21. Examples include the Department of Homeland Security using scripture to recruit ICE agents for duties like raids, which were justified by a pastor on biblical grounds2223.

    ◦ Policies like Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" are mentioned for threatening to cut off millions of Americans from food and healthcare24. Tech figures, such as Peter Thiel, are criticised for promoting a version of Christianity that appears to justify concentrated power among elites and contributes to a "coordinated attack on the homeless," contradicting core Christian tenets of aiding the poor25.... This has led to faith leaders being "arrested and fined for their support of unhoused communities"27.

    ◦ Historically, and in current Republican politics, biblical passages have been used to justify slavery, promote a "prosperity gospel," support Jim Crow laws, and rationalize cutting social assistance programs, often by blaming the impoverished for their condition28.... This illustrates a perceived systemic issue where religious doctrine is selectively applied to endorse social injustice and undermine human rights3233.

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Discuss Pharmaceutical Advertising Reform.

Pharmaceutical advertising reform is currently underway in the United States, driven by the Trump administration, with the goal of limiting the influence of direct-to-consumer drug advertisements12. This initiative is being led by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)2.

Key aspects of this reform include:

• Closing the "adequate provision loophole" This loophole previously allowed drugmakers to omit many drug risks in advertisements, provided they directed consumers to more information, such as a website address2. The new regulatory action aims to close this loophole2.

• Requirement to include all known side effects The reform requires all known side effects to be included in pharmaceutical advertisements3. This change is anticipated to make most pharma ads impractical or useless, effectively banning them3.

Currently, only two countries in the world, New Zealand and the U.S., permit direct-to-consumer advertising for prescription drugs4. Research indicates that such advertising increases the number of drugs prescribed by doctors4. Pharmaceutical ads often feature upbeat descriptions while listing serious side effects like "serious infections," "uncontrolled blinking," "hotdog fingers," "incontinence," "risk of suicide," and "sometimes fatal reactions"45.

The strategy behind these new regulations has been described as a "lingchi" strategy, or "death by a thousand pharmaceutical cuts," by Secretary Kennedy, focusing on cutting off "easy, low-hanging fruit" first13. The initial action included sending approximately 100 cease and desist enforcement letters and thousands of warning letters to companies to enforce existing regulations2.

The media coverage of this crackdown noted an absence of negative sources, such as trade groups, patient advocacy organizations, or free speech activists challenging the policy's practicality or legality6. This suggests that the "Overton Window" has shifted, and the public is widely "sick to death" of these ads3. These reforms are seen as potentially deepening public distrust in institutions if the government is perceived to have previously misled the public7.

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Discuss UFO Revelations.

Recent congressional hearings have brought forth significant revelations regarding unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), commonly known as UFOs, which are challenging public understanding of reality and trust in institutions1....

Key Revelations and Incidents:

• A dramatic video was presented at a House UAP hearing, showing an MQ-9 Reaper drone incident near Yemen1. In the video, drone operators fired a Hellfire missile at an unidentified orb, which appeared to absorb or deflect the blast and then glided away, trailing smaller orbs4. This incident, described as a "textbook 'unidentified anomalous phenomenon'," astonished observers, suggesting the object operates under its own physics45.

Implications and Public Response:

• Despite the compelling nature of these disclosures, major corporate media platforms have largely failed to cover the story, which is considered "especially weird" given its potential to thread together narratives about aliens, national security, and conspiracy67.

• Florida Representative Anna Paulina Luna emphasized the need for answers from a scientific and national security perspective, urging that these matters be taken seriously5. Representative Eric Burlison questioned why information regarding such incidents is being blocked from the public6.

• The consistent trickle of evidence, after years of government denials about non-human objects, is leading to a deepening distrust in institutions, with the source suggesting the government has been "lying or at least gaslighting us"2.

• Possible explanations for the government's obfuscation include possessing UFO evidence, knowledge of serious Russian or Chinese threats, or having developed highly advanced secret technology that could have significantly improved civilian life8.

• The revelations contribute to a broader crisis concerning "reality itself" and the crumbling of a concrete edifice of consensus, prompting questions about what is truly real amidst issues like AI deepfake videos and other societal uncertainties3.

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Discuss Declining Institutional Trust.

Declining institutional trust is a significant theme within the sources, touching upon government, media, and various systems, often linked to perceptions of deception, manipulation, and self-serving actions by those in power.

One tangible outcome of recent public hearings, particularly those concerning Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), has been a deepening distrust in institutions1. For years, the public was informed that the government had no evidence of non-human objects, but a constant trickle of evidence is now emerging1. This suggests that the government has been "lying" or "gaslighting" the public1. The situation is described as surreal, leading to questions about the nature of "reality itself," with the "concrete edifice of consensus crumbling" before people's eyes, affecting perceptions of issues like pharma, elections, AI deepfakes, and even the impartiality of judges2. There is a sense that "something isn't adding up," with Pentagon officials "obfuscating" regarding UAP evidence, possibly to cover up advanced secret technology or serious threats from other nations3. This has led to a situation where "long-held trust in the institutions has been flipped on its head" in just a few short years since the pandemic3.

Furthermore, the sources highlight issues with media and information institutions:

• "Your Government & Big Tech organisations" are actively attempting to censor information and "shut down The Exposé" to serve their own interests4....

• Independent media outlets like The Exposé rely solely on public support, stating that the government does not fund them to "publish lies and propaganda on their behalf like the Mainstream Media"4.

• Corporate media has been criticized for belatedly covering stories, such as the stabbing death of a Ukrainian refugee, only after a "groundswell of outrage" on social media, and then reporting it "resentfully"7.

• The evolution of AI in search engines is presented as a form of gatekeeping, where results are steered to "approved sites" and "mainstream propaganda" is promoted, overriding previous popularity-based algorithms89. This is framed as a "fraud" and a "repackaging of what you already had," but presented as "better"9.

Concerns also extend to governmental and financial systems:

• The UK's planned "GOV.UK Wallet" and a proposed mandatory "BritCard" digital identity system are viewed by critics as leading to a "digital prison" and a system designed to "monitor, restrict and ultimately control every aspect of our lives," posing risks to privacy and data security5.... This centralisation of identity is seen as potentially locking humanity into a "permission-based digital system"13.

• The Trump administration's "tariff war" is described as a "self-destructive act" that has not worked as intended, leading to economic problems for other nations like Germany1415.

• The "dollar system" itself is portrayed as a tool for the US to "suck wealth from the entire world" and finance what is termed the "western Cabal/Deep State," including military operations, intelligence services, and the European Union1617. This system is described as fostering "evil," including "wars, terrorism, mass murders, regime changes – and global oppression"18. The belief is that the US government is actively "hiding the bankruptcy of the country" through "money printing" and "faking inflation numbers"19.

• In Europe, there are expectations of increased censorship, arrests of dissenters, rigged elections, banning of political parties, and even political murders to maintain control over populations amidst social unrest and economic issues2021. This indicates a deep-seated suspicion of authoritarian tendencies within institutional power structures.

Finally, trust in religious and moral authority is also challenged:

• Political and religious leaders, particularly within the Trump administration, are accused of "misusing" and "twisting" biblical texts to justify policies that harm the poor, such as shutting down food programs, separating immigrant children, and cutting healthcare22.... This is seen as a "theological abomination" that prioritizes wealth and power over the "good news" preached to the poor22....

• The "prosperity gospel" and the use of scripture to justify practices like slavery and Jim Crow laws in previous centuries illustrate a long history of biblical "misinterpretations" used to prop up "American imperial power" and punish the poor2233.

Overall, the sources suggest a widespread and multifaceted decline in trust across various societal institutions, driven by perceptions of dishonesty, control, self-interest, and a fundamental disconnect from the public's well-being and established moral principles.

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Discuss Political Polarization.

Political polarization is evident both on a global scale, manifesting as a "tectonic shift" in the world order, and within Western nations, particularly the United States, through deep ideological and societal divisions.

Geopolitical Polarization: East vs. West and the Rise of a Multipolar World

The sources highlight a significant and growing "chasm between East and West"1, marking the end of a unipolar world order dominated by Western aspirations2.... This shift is characterized by:

• Divergent Worldviews and Aspirations: China's President Xi Jinping articulated a vision for a "peaceful cooperation towards a joint future with shared benefits" among the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and BRICS nations25. This stands in stark contrast to the West's perceived "unipolar aspirations," "destructive economic model, wars and killing for a growing military complex and a tech-world that goes hand in hand with the agenda of transhumanization and destruction of humanity"12.

• Military Posturing and Counter-Provocation: China's September 3rd military parade was explicitly designed to send a "loud and clear" message to the West, particularly the US, that China is prepared to "counter western provocation and bullying with force"6. This includes developing advanced weapon systems to deny access to its shores and deter US military adventurism, demonstrating that "there is no safety for the US homeland" from long-range conventional and nuclear strikes7....

• Economic and Financial Decoupling: The US has engaged in "ill-advised scheme[s] to tariff the world," which have backfired by unifying BRICS countries rather than dividing them1011. This trade strategy has caused economic problems for countries like Germany12. There is a rapid move away from the US dollar as the global reserve currency, with developing countries increasingly turning to currencies like the Chinese renminbi and Swiss franc due to lower interest rates413. This shift is seen as "the birth of a new economic and political world, one that will bring India, Russia and China into more prominent roles," which the US cannot stop short of nuclear war4.

• "War Plans" by the West: The West is perceived as engaging in a "War plan I – BRICS" and "War plan II – Russia," aimed at neutralizing the threat against the dollar, fracturing BRICS nations through "military force, terrorism and regime change operations," and stealing resources11.... These plans suggest deep-seated antagonism and a struggle for global power.

• Historical Narratives and Grievances: The discussion surrounding China's military parade reveals starkly polarized historical interpretations. For instance, former CIA analyst Larry C. Johnson highlighted how US narratives about its role in defeating Japan in WWII often omit or minimize the "massive amount of support and 'blood' that The United States of America gave to China"17.... This leads to accusations of "ignorant bragging and bullying" by the US and deep-seated anger and desire for "payback" from China towards historical aggressors like Japan and Britain23....

Internal Political and Ideological Polarization in the West

Within Western nations, especially the United States, significant political and ideological divides contribute to a "crumbling ... edifice of consensus" and "deepening distrust in institutions"3031.

• Racial and Political Divides: The "Mecklenburg Maniac" incident, where a Ukrainian refugee was murdered, exposed deep racial and political polarization. Democrats were accused of denying any racial aspect to the crime and offering blame-shifting explanations, while social media erupted with a "groundswell of outrage" and discussions of "systemic reverse racism"3233. This points to conflicting narratives and partisan blame regarding social issues and justice.

• Religious and Moral Conflicts: The Trump administration and its "theological apologists" are criticized for "misusing biblical passages to blame the impoverished for their poverty" and justifying policies that harm the poor and immigrants34.... This creates a "battle for the Bible," where "Christian extremism is becoming the norm," contrasting sharply with biblical tenets of justice and care for the marginalized39.... Figures like Peter Thiel are noted for their "enigmatic 'religious' beliefs" that question democracy and advocate for concentrated power, further highlighting this ideological split45.

• Exploitation of Ideological Divides for Geopolitical Ends: In Europe, "ideological preparedness" is seen as a tool to cultivate public support for geopolitical conflicts. For example, "feminist brainwashing" in Scandinavian countries is described as generating "Russophobia" to make their populations "willingly" enter a war against Russia, demonstrating how internal ideological divisions can be harnessed for international confrontation46....

• Distrust in Institutions and "Reality Itself": The constant trickle of evidence regarding Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), following years of government denials, has led to "deepening distrust in the institutions" and a sense that the government has been "lying or at least gaslighting us"31. This contributes to a broader crisis where people question "reality itself" amidst issues like "AI deepfake videos" and other societal uncertainties, further fragmenting public consensus30.

In summary, political polarization, both global and internal, is a pervasive theme in the sources, manifesting through ideological clashes, military rivalries, economic competition, and a fracturing of trust in established narratives and institutions.

Here is a 10-page McKinsey-style report, extended, detailed, and comprehensive, drawing on the provided sources:

Navigating the Shifting Global Landscape: Technological Disruption, Economic Realignment, and Geopolitical Volatility

A Strategic Overview

Date: September 10, 2025

Prepared for: Global Decision-Makers

Executive Summary

The global landscape in late 2025 is characterized by an unprecedented convergence of technological advancement, economic reordering, and intensified geopolitical competition. Key themes include the dual-use nature of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and blockchain, which promise efficiency but raise profound concerns about surveillance and control. Simultaneously, the traditional unipolar world order is giving way to a multipolar system, marked by the ascendance of blocs such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and a significant move towards de-dollarization in global finance. This shift is underscored by China's rapid military modernization and assertive geopolitical messaging.

Economic interdependencies are being re-evaluated, as evidenced by the limited success of US tariff policies against BRICS nations and ongoing trade relationships despite sanctions. Infrastructure vulnerabilities, such as the Red Sea cable cuts, highlight the fragility of global connectivity and the potential for widespread disruption. Underlying these macro-trends are critical debates about data privacy, the ethical deployment of AI, and the fundamental nature of national sovereignty in an increasingly interconnected yet fragmented world. This report synthesizes these dynamics, offering insights into the complex challenges and strategic considerations for stakeholders navigating this evolving global environment.

1. Introduction: A World in Flux

The year 2025 marks a pivotal moment in global affairs, characterized by rapid and interconnected transformations across technological, economic, and geopolitical spheres. The traditional frameworks that have long governed international relations and commerce are being challenged, giving rise to new opportunities but also significant risks. This report provides a comprehensive analysis of these critical shifts, drawing on recent developments and expert perspectives to illuminate the underlying dynamics and their strategic implications.

From the burgeoning applications of AI and blockchain in global trade finance to the complex discussions surrounding a potential world currency and the palpable shift towards a multipolar global order championed by entities like the SCO and BRICS, the international system is undergoing profound changes. Concurrently, the proliferation of digital identity systems and infrastructure vulnerabilities like subsea cable cuts underscore the fragility and interconnectedness of modern society. Understanding these interwoven trends is crucial for any decision-maker aiming to navigate the complexities of the contemporary global landscape.

2. Emerging Technologies: Promise, Peril, and Control

The rapid evolution of technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and blockchain is reshaping industries, financial systems, and societal structures. While these technologies offer immense potential for efficiency and innovation, they also introduce significant challenges related to privacy, control, and the potential for misuse.

2.1. Global Trade Finance Expo 2025: Key Discussions

The Global Trade Finance Expo 2025, scheduled for November, is set to be a significant forum for senior decision-makers from banking, trade, and finance sectors. Key topics on the agenda include:

• Blockchain technology: Beyond its initial use in cryptocurrencies, blockchain is capable of creating immutable records for a wide range of transactions, including financial data, product inventories, state identifications, and property deeds. Its applications extend to central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and digital identities. The specific purpose of blockchain discussions at the Expo, however, will only become clear during the event itself.

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning: AI is a central theme, reflecting its growing impact across sectors.

• Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria: ESG factors are increasingly integrated into financial and trade decisions.

• Supply chain resilience: Addressing vulnerabilities and ensuring robustness in global supply networks.

• Cybersecurity: Protecting digital infrastructure and data from threats.

• Digital payments: Innovations and challenges in electronic transactions.

The Expo aims to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange among global trade and investment leaders, with sessions covering trade compliance, cross-border payments, and innovative financing models.

2.2. UMCA Technologies: AI Fraud Prevention vs. Social Credit System Concerns

A significant point of discussion and concern surrounding the Expo is the sponsorship by UMCA Technologies, a company specializing in AI-based fraud prevention solutions for financial institutions.

• Real-time Fraud Detection: UMCA's platform offers a real-time fraud detection and prevention engine that identifies and stops fraudulent transactions across various channels, including payments, credit cards, debit cards, and ATMs. It leverages behavioral analytics and machine learning to detect anomalies and unusual patterns in customer behavior and transactions.

• Claimed Efficiency vs. "False Positives": UMCA boasts a 78% reduction in "false positive alerts". However, critics argue that AI, being a computer program, can embed programmer biases and make mistakes. A "false positive alert" could lead to a bank account being blocked mistakenly, causing significant inconvenience.

• Potential for Social Credit System: A major concern raised is that UMCA’s AI platform, with its ability to manage "complex rules" for transaction limits, block merchants, and conduct geolocation checks, could form the foundation of a social credit system linked to bank accounts. The system's "predictive models assign risk scores to transactions and customers," which help prioritize alerts and investigative efforts. The flexibility of the "Comprehensive Rule Engine" allows back-office staff to manage rules that determine what constitutes "fraud". This raises fears that arbitrary criteria could lead to people being blocked from accessing their funds.

2.3. Digital Identity Systems (UK BritCard): Convenience vs. Surveillance

The United Kingdom is developing its own digital identity system, raising similar concerns about control and privacy:

• GOV.UK Wallet: The UK plans to launch a digital ID app called 'GOV.UK Wallet' by the end of 2025. This app will allow users to store government-issued documents like veteran cards and digital driver's licenses. By 2027, all UK government services issuing physical credentials must offer a digital alternative.

• BritCard Proposal: The Labour government is considering a mandatory, universal digital identity system called the BritCard, advocated by the think tank Labour Together. This free digital credential, stored on a smartphone via the GOV.UK Wallet app, would verify an individual's right to live, work, and rent in the UK.

• "Digital Prison" Concerns: Critics vehemently warn that such a system constitutes a "digital prison," enabling constant surveillance and potential control over every aspect of individuals' lives. The digital ID could eventually link to government records, holding information on benefits, passports, medical records, vaccination status, and even "carbon credit scores" and police records or social media activity, making it visible to employers or landlords.

• Precedent of COVID-19 Pandemic: Skeptics view the COVID-19 pandemic as a "testing ground" that revealed how far populations could be pushed in the name of safety, paving the way for accelerated digital ID plans.

• Loss of Autonomy: Concerns center on the potential for authorities or corporations to deny access to money, medical treatment, or freedom of movement at the "press of a button" if digital ID is linked to financial accounts, healthcare, or travel permissions. Critics argue this threatens autonomy and future freedoms, leading to a "papers, please" society and increased state surveillance.

2.4. Broader Critique of AI: Redundancy, Energy, and Control

Beyond specific applications, a fundamental critique of AI questions its true value and hidden costs:

• Redundant Technology and Scam: Some critics label AI as "redundant technology" and a "colossal scam" designed to extract wealth, particularly from the middle class through skyrocketing energy bills.

• Massive Energy Consumption: AI chatbots and their training require immense amounts of energy and water for data centers, which are often subsidized by taxpayer dollars. There's speculation that some data centers might even be "empty warehouses" serving primarily as a billing mechanism.

• Gatekeeping and Censorship: Rather than providing new utility, AI in search engines is seen as an "extra step" and a "further level of gatekeeping". It is argued that AI bots are instructed to ignore popularity and promote "mainstream propaganda," thereby censoring dissenting views.

3. Shifting Global Financial and Economic Orders

The global financial and economic landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, marked by debates over currency systems, challenges to the US dollar's dominance, and the rise of new economic blocs.

3.1. The World Currency Debate: Challenges and Prerequisites

The concept of a single world currency is fraught with complexities and potential "disastrous effects" if implemented without fundamental changes to the global political structure.

• Loss of Monetary Policy Control: All countries adopting a common currency would surrender control over their money supply and interest rates to a hypothetical World Central Bank. This would eliminate the ability of individual nations to use monetary policy (e.g., raising interest rates for inflation, lowering for unemployment) to correct economic shocks.

• Asymmetric Economic Shocks and Disequilibrium: A major challenge lies in asymmetric economic shocks that impact countries differently. Without national currencies, countries cannot depreciate their exchange rates to restore competitiveness, leading to macroeconomic disequilibrium—high unemployment in some regions and high inflation in others.

• Optimum Currency Area (OCA) Criteria: Economist Robert Mundell's theory of an OCA suggests that successful currency unions require high levels of labor and capital mobility across borders. The current global scenario lacks this, with numerous barriers (e.g., pension differences, language, qualification acceptance) hindering mobility. The world is also too vulnerable to asymmetric shocks, especially for commodity-exporting countries, to be considered an OCA.

• Need for Fiscal Union and World Government: For a world currency to even "slightly work," it would necessitate a common world government with fiscal rules and transfers, effectively forming a "federal entity". Without this, differing national fiscal policies could negatively impact other nations at different economic cycle stages.

• Benefits of a Common Currency: Despite the challenges, common currency areas do increase trade by reducing export/import costs and exchange rate uncertainty, which boosts investor and bank confidence in exporting firms. It can also foster efficiency, as seen in the Eurozone, by promoting more sensible wage-setting.

3.2. De-dollarization and the Rise of BRICS

The dominance of the US dollar as the global reserve currency is diminishing, driven by the emergence of new economic blocs and countries seeking "cost-effective options" for financing.

• Shift Away from Dollar Debt: Developing countries are increasingly moving away from dollar debts and opting for currencies with lower interest rates, such as the Chinese renminbi and Swiss franc. This trend is also evident in the rising stock of emerging market corporate bonds issued in euros.

• BRICS as a Counterbalance: The BRICS group (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) is gaining prominence, with an expanded membership and new financial institutions. This bloc, along with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), represents a "tectonic shift" away from a unipolar, Western-dominated world order. The SCO, established in 2001, now includes ten member-states (China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Iran, Belarus, and Pakistan) and accounts for 23% of global GDP and 43% of the world's population.

• New Financial Institutions: The SCO's decision to create an SCO Development Bank and the existing Chinese Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and BRICS New Development Bank signify a move to pull free from neoliberal Western financial institutions, aiming to foster development on sovereign and independent terms. This new framework could facilitate tariff-free trade among Global South countries based on comparative advantages.

• US Dollar's Declining Share: The US dollar's share of foreign exchange reserves has significantly decreased from over 85% in the 1970s to 59% today, indicating an active process of de-dollarization.

3.3. US Tariff Policies and Their Economic Impact

Donald Trump's tariff policies are viewed as "ill-advised" and "self-destructive," with limited success in reshaping global trade in favor of the US.

• Limited Impact on BRICS Trade: While China is a significant exporter to the US, other BRICS founders (Brazil, Russia, South Africa) have less substantial trade ties with the US. US trade with China, Vietnam, and India (identified as BRICS countries by one AI source, although Vietnam is not a founding member, but a partner or aligned state) represents approximately 30% of total US import trade.

• Key Trading Partners:

  • China's top export partners include the United States, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, India, and Russia.

  • Russia's top export partners include China, Netherlands, Germany, Turkey, Belarus, Italy, South Korea, and Japan. Notably, despite sanctions, several European countries and the US still trade with Russia.

  • India's top export partners are the United States, UAE, Netherlands, China, Singapore, and the UK.

  • Brazil's main export partners are China, the United States, Argentina, and the Netherlands.

  • South Africa's top export partners include China, the United States, Germany, Mozambique, and the United Kingdom.

• Interdependence and Blowback: Germany and the Netherlands trade with all five BRICS founders. Imposing tariffs on BRICS nations is likely to cause significant economic problems for Germany, which already faces low economic growth projections. The US depends on critical products from China, making "punishing sanctions" risky due to potential economic blowback.

4. Geopolitical Realignment and Conflict Dynamics

The global political landscape is undergoing a fundamental realignment, moving away from a unipolar order towards a more multipolar or multi-block system. This shift is accompanied by increased military assertiveness, regional instabilities, and a re-evaluation of international alliances.

4.1. End of Unipolarity: SCO's Growing Influence

The era of a unipolar world order, dominated by the West, is ending, with entities like the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) emerging as key players in shaping a new global reality.

• Xi Jinping's Vision: Chinese President Xi Jinping's 2024 vision of nations with "shared aspirations" being undeterred by distance was further realized at the 25th SCO Summit in Tianjin, China (August 31 - September 1, 2025).

• "Tectonic Shift": This summit is described as causing a "tectonic shift" in the conventional world order, fostering a "multi-polar, or perhaps better, multi-block, world" focused on peaceful cooperation and "shared benefits".

• Expansion of Influence: The SCO, founded in 2001 by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, has expanded to include India, Iran, Belarus, and Pakistan. Its summits also attract high-level officials from numerous Global South countries, including BRICS members and partners, and the UN Secretary-General.

• Rejection of Western Aggression: The SCO's agenda reflects a desire for the Global South to distance itself from "western warmongers and war-makers", opting instead for "Peace and Cooperation". China rejected a last-minute request from US President Trump for "military talks" due to a "lack of mutual understanding," signaling Western exclusion from this pivotal geopolitical event. This new approach contrasts sharply with the "Washington Consensus" of debt-based control and exploitation that characterized Western financial institutions since 1989.

4.2. China's Assertive Military Modernization and Message to the West

China's September 3rd military parade in Beijing showcased an array of advanced weapon systems, delivering a "loud and clear" message to the West, particularly the US, that China is prepared to counter provocation with force.

• Unveiled High-Tech Weaponry: The parade featured numerous "high-tech weapons" that are "in service" today, not prototypes. These include:

  • Four new hypersonic and supersonic anti-ship missiles (YJ-15, YJ-17, YJ-19, YJ-20), with the YJ-17 being a ship- and air-launched version of the "impossible to intercept" DF-17 hypersonic glide vehicle.

  • Six new unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), including three tailless stealth models designed to serve as AI-powered "loyal wingmen".

  • Five models of fifth-generation fighters (J-20, J-20S, J-20A, J-35, J-35A).

  • Two extra-large unmanned underwater vehicles (XLUUVs) for deep-sea surveillance, patrol, and attack.

  • Three directed energy weapons (DEWs), including shipborne air defense lasers and microwave systems against drone swarms.

  • Three layered air defense systems (HQ-9B, HQ-19, HQ-29), with the HQ-29 being a long-range anti-ballistic missile and anti-satellite interceptor.

  • A fourth-generation main battle tank (Type 100) with uncrewed gun turret and advanced radar.

  • A "nuclear triad" featuring air-launched, submarine-launched, road-mobile, and silo-based ICBMs capable of covering the entire continental US.

• Rapid Progress and Industrial Might: Many weapons displayed in the 2019 parade were absent, indicating "rapid progress in weapon system upgrades". China's "mil-tech leads" are accelerating in areas like hypersonics, stealth, and unmanned systems, backed by heavy investment in core technologies (material science, communication, radar, AI, robotics). The country possesses a "proven track record of fast product iterations, low-cost prototyping, deep manufacturing capacity, and scale-based low unit cost mass production," enabling it to "overwhelm any adversaries with vast quantitative and qualitative advantages".

• Message to the US: Beijing's message is that it has a "multi-layered, redundant kill web designed to deny access to its shores," capable of inflicting "massive blows" to US naval and air assets beyond the second island chain. China's air and naval warfare technology is "at par or superior" to the US, and it has equivalent nuclear deterrence capability. The parade also conveyed that "there is no safety for the US homeland," challenging the US's historical immunity from direct consequences of its military actions. The overarching message is that China, while not seeking war, "is ready for war".

• Dispelling Western Propaganda: The source refutes Western "coping narratives" such as the argument that China lacks "war experience" (citing US failures against "inferior" foes and its focus on insurgencies), that its weapons are "untested" (citing successful deployment of Chinese-made fighter jets against Rafales and other technological achievements), and that US "alliances" provide a significant advantage (arguing that allies like Japan and the Philippines are "easily within reach of Chinese missile salvos" and unlikely to engage in a suicidal war with China).

4.3. Regional Instability: Red Sea Cable Cuts and Global Implications

The cutting of major undersea communication cables in the Red Sea highlights the vulnerability of global digital infrastructure and its far-reaching consequences.

• Widespread Disruptions: Two major undersea cable systems, SMW4 and IMEWE, were severed in the Red Sea, near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, causing "widespread internet disruptions" across parts of Asia and the Middle East, including India, Pakistan, the UAE, and Kuwait. The FALCON GCX cable was also cut, affecting Kuwait.

• Unknown Cause, Speculation of Sabotage: The cause remains unknown, though speculation points to potential sabotage by Yemen's Houthi rebels, despite their denials. The Houthis have been linked to attacks in the area, targeting ships in the Red Sea in support of Hamas. Deliberately dropping and dragging anchors is a "convenient means of sabotage".

• Critical Global Corridor: The affected cables are "main long-haul systems connecting Asia to Europe," carrying traffic for consumer internet and hyperscalers like Google and Meta. Their disruption can overload alternate routes, increase latency, and cause packet loss across cloud-dependent applications.

• Economic Impact and Repair Time: Microsoft Azure experienced increased latency for traffic in the region, affecting enterprises reliant on cross-region connectivity. Internet coverage in affected areas like the Emirates could be disrupted for "two to six weeks" due to the complex repair process involving specialized ships locating, lifting, splicing, and testing the damaged cables.

4.4. Western Strategic Responses and Internal Vulnerabilities

In response to these global shifts, Western nations are reassessing their strategies, but also face internal challenges and potential miscalculations.

• US Shift in Defense Strategy (Proposed): Pentagon officials are reportedly proposing a major shift in the National Defense Strategy to prioritize "protecting the homeland and Western Hemisphere" over countering adversaries like China and Russia. This would be a reversal from previous administrations' focus on China as a primary threat. However, skeptics doubt the sincerity of this shift, noting the US's historical reluctance to withdraw troops from abroad.

• Critique of US Foreign Policy: The US is described as maintaining its global empire through "money printing" which acts as an "indirect tax on the population" due to the dollar's reserve currency status. This system has allegedly financed "evil—all the wars, all the terrorism, all the mass murders, all the regime changes—and global oppression". Critics argue that the US military-industrial complex prioritizes "profit maximization, not winning wars," leading to inefficient weapon development.

• European Vulnerabilities and War Planning: Europe is depicted as being in a "desperate sewer," with leaders "despised abroad". Faced with the threat from BRICS and Russia, the West is planning two wars: one against BRICS and another against Russia. The EU faces "major crisis" in key countries, with potential social unrest and rigged elections. An "inside plan" focuses on maintaining internal control through increased censorship, arrests, and potentially using the military against the public. An "outside plan" involves a "war by attrition" against Russia, with European intervention in Ukraine and potential escalations in the Baltic/Finland region. Some Scandinavian countries are seen as "ideologically ready for mass sacrifice" due to extensive "brainwashing" and "consensus totalitarianism".

• Russia's Proactive Stance: Russia is seen as needing to move beyond deterrence and "proactive actions" to neutralize the EU as a constant threat. One proposed action is for the Russian Army to seize southwestern Ukraine up to the Romanian and Moldovan borders, creating a "physical route out of the EU gulag" for neighboring countries and potentially allowing them to join BRICS.

5. Strategic Implications and Recommendations

The intricate web of technological, economic, and geopolitical shifts presents a complex environment for all global stakeholders. Navigating this landscape effectively requires a multi-faceted strategic approach that acknowledges both the opportunities and profound risks.

5.1. Navigating Technological Transformation Ethically

The dual-use nature of technologies like AI and blockchain demands careful ethical consideration and robust regulatory frameworks.

• Policy Development for AI and Digital ID: Governments and international bodies must develop clear, transparent policies for the deployment of AI in financial systems and digital identity programs. These policies should prioritize data privacy, prevent algorithmic bias, and include strong safeguards against the misuse of such systems for mass surveillance or social control.

• Investment in Ethical AI Research: Support for research into ethical AI, focused on transparency, accountability, and human-centric design, is crucial to mitigate the risks associated with increasingly autonomous systems.

• Infrastructure Resilience: Given the vulnerabilities exposed by events like the Red Sea cable cuts, critical digital infrastructure requires enhanced protection and diversification to ensure global connectivity and economic stability.

5.2. Adapting to a Multipolar Economic Landscape

The decline of dollar hegemony and the rise of new economic blocs necessitate a recalibration of international financial and trade strategies.

• Diversification of Reserve Currencies and Trade Partners: Nations and corporations should actively diversify their foreign exchange reserves and cultivate trade relationships with a wider array of partners, including those within the BRICS and SCO frameworks. This can reduce dependency on a single currency or market.

• Support for New Financial Mechanisms: Exploring and supporting alternative financial instruments and institutions, such as the SCO Development Bank and the BRICS New Development Bank, can foster more equitable and resilient global financial architecture.

• Re-evaluating Trade Policies: Governments should critically assess the efficacy of protectionist measures like tariffs, considering their potential for economic blowback and their role in accelerating de-dollarization and the formation of alternative trade blocs.

5.3. Understanding Evolving Geopolitical Risks

The shift towards multipolarity and increased military assertiveness demands a nuanced understanding of geopolitical dynamics and potential conflict flashpoints.

• Dialogue and De-escalation: Despite growing tensions, maintaining open channels for dialogue and diplomatic engagement between established powers (e.g., US, Europe) and rising blocs (e.g., China, Russia) is paramount to prevent miscalculation and de-escalate potential conflicts.

• Comprehensive Risk Assessment: A thorough and unbiased assessment of military capabilities and intentions of all major actors is vital, moving beyond "propaganda myths" to understand true strengths and vulnerabilities.

• Regional Stability Initiatives: Supporting multilateral efforts to address regional instabilities, such as those in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, can help prevent localized conflicts from escalating into broader geopolitical confrontations.

5.4. Fostering Resilience and Diverse Partnerships

In a fragmented world, building resilience at national and organizational levels through diversified partnerships and robust internal structures is crucial.

• Promoting Citizen Autonomy and Privacy: Governments and institutions must reaffirm commitments to individual autonomy and privacy, ensuring that technological advancements serve human well-being rather than becoming tools for unprecedented control.

• Strategic Alliances and Coalitions: While traditional alliances are being tested, forming new, flexible coalitions based on shared interests and values can enhance collective security and economic stability in a multipolar world.

• Internal Cohesion and Informed Public Discourse: Addressing internal divisions and ensuring a well-informed public discourse are critical for nations to develop coherent and effective foreign and economic policies, and to resist potential external manipulations or "brainwashing" efforts.

Conclusion

The global environment in 2025 is defined by profound and interconnected transformations. The rise of advanced technologies, while promising efficiency, concurrently poses significant risks to individual freedoms and democratic governance. The economic order is being fundamentally reshaped by the decline of the US dollar's dominance and the ascendance of new economic powers, compelling a re-evaluation of trade and financial strategies. Geopolitically, the world is transitioning from a unipolar to a multipolar system, marked by increased assertiveness from non-Western powers and a heightened risk of regional conflicts.

Successful navigation of this complex future demands foresight, adaptability, and a commitment to ethical governance. Decision-makers across all sectors must actively engage with these interconnected challenges, fostering international cooperation while safeguarding national interests and individual liberties. The coming years will undoubtedly test the resilience and ingenuity of global leadership, requiring strategic responses that embrace complexity and prioritize long-term stability and shared prosperity over short-term gains or ideological rigidity.

The "Joachim Bartoll Official" website presents a highly opinionated perspective on health, nutrition, and oral hygiene, advocating for a "species-appropriate, species-specific natural diet" that is carnivore-based. The site dismisses mainstream nutritional science as "ideology" and extensively criticizes various health practices and dietary approaches, including veganism, as detrimental. A prominent theme, exemplified by the article "Toxic Sesame Oil Is Worthless For Oral Health," is the rejection of certain common health advice in favor of the author's alternative solutions, such as using coconut oil and bicarbonate for oral health and emphasizing that a fully carnivore diet can eliminate the need for traditional dental hygiene. The overall purpose appears to be to guide readers toward an animal-based diet and lifestyle, offering coaching and consultations as services. 

Discuss Oral Health Practices.

Regarding oral health practices, the sources primarily highlight the benefits of certain natural substances and dietary choices, while cautioning against others1....

Effective Oral Health Practices and Substances:

• Coconut Oil and Bicarbonate: These are considered quite effective for "oil pulling" to remove dental plaque and reduce "bad bacteria"25. A natural toothpaste made from coconut oil and bicarbonate, or a mixture including charcoal and a pinch of sea salt, is recommended6.

• Rinsing with Liquid: Simply swishing any liquid, like distilled water, around the teeth for 15 minutes daily can lead to a small decrease in dental plaque and gum bleeding, though it is less effective than using coconut oil and bicarbonate5....

• Species-Appropriate Diet: Adopting a natural, species-appropriate carnivore diet is suggested to significantly improve oral health, potentially making tooth brushing less necessary38. Animal-based foods are considered harmless to teeth, while plant-based edibles such as starches, carbohydrates, and fiber are believed to damage teeth and fuel "bad bacteria"6. For those on a fully carnivore diet, only rinsing the mouth if something gets stuck between teeth might be needed6.

Practices and Substances to Avoid or Use Cautiously:

• Sesame Oil: A study showed that oil pulling with sesame oil was as ineffective as rinsing with distilled water for reducing dental plaque and gum bleeding7. Furthermore, some bacterial species increased in the sesame oil group, indicating that "toxic oil residues" might fuel certain bacteria. Sesame oil, along with other seed oils, is labeled as "toxic garbage" that should be avoided45.

• Toothbrushing: Toothbrushes can potentially damage both tooth enamel and gums unless they are very soft and used only for approximately 30 seconds3.

• Mouthwash and Fluoride: Related posts within one source also mention concerns about mouthwash, suggesting it can cause tissue damage and increase oral cancer risk, and raise "dark truths" about fluoride9.

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Discuss Carnivore Diet.

The sources indicate that the Carnivore Diet is a dietary approach primarily discussed in the context of oral and dental health, with one author identifying as an animal-based nutritionist1....

Key aspects and claims related to the Carnivore Diet from the sources include:

• Species-Appropriate Diet The author, Joachim Bartoll, refers to it as a "species-appropriate diet" and a "natural species-appropriate carnivore diet"1.... He also references a concept of humans as "obligate hyper carnivores"5.

• Oral Health Benefits The author personally claims that his oral health has "improved significantly since going full raw carnivore in early 2018"1. He suggests that if one is "fully carnivore," there should be no real need to brush teeth, apart from rinsing the mouth if food gets stuck3.

• Protection Against Dental Damage According to the author, "anything animal-based is totally harmless to the teeth," while "only plant-based edibles such as starches/carbohydrates and fiber will damage the teeth"3.

• Healing Health Problems The diet is presented as a way for "any health problems," including oral and dental health, to "take care of themselves within time" and heal2.

• Coaching and Consultation Joachim Bartoll, who became an "Animal-based nutritionist since 2018," offers "Animal-based (carnivore) educational coaching" and consulting services on health and nutrition46.

The information about the Carnivore Diet is largely presented through the personal experiences and views of Joachim Bartoll, who frames it as a fundamental aspect of human health and well-being1....

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Discuss Nutrition Science.

According to Joachim Bartoll, "Nutrition Science is Nutrition Ideology"1. He expresses a critical view of what he refers to as "nutrition science," particularly when it involves "useless trials and studies on oils that have zero health benefits and properties and actually are toxic"2.

Bartoll, who identifies himself as an "Animal-based nutritionist since 2018," views his previous 17 years of studies in "Western 'Modern' Medicine and Pharmacology" as "wasted studies"3. He states that his health significantly improved, including healing cancer, failing organs, asthma, and allergies, since he adopted a "full raw carnivore" diet in early 2018, attributing this to his studies in Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, The Terrain Theory, and German New Medicine34.

He argues that the concept of "bad bacteria" is fueled by carbohydrates, and he criticizes the continued research into oils like sesame oil, which he considers toxic2. For example, he cites an 8-week randomized controlled trial on sesame oil pulling versus rinsing with distilled water for gingivitis, concluding that sesame oil was as ineffective as distilled water25. He notes that distilled water was even "slightly more effective" in reducing dental plaque and gum bleeding45. Furthermore, he claims that some bacterial species actually increased in the sesame oil group, suggesting that toxic oil residues fueled them6. He vehemently states that "sesame oil, or any other seed oil, it’s toxic garbage and should never be touched by any human"7.

In contrast to conventional dental care, Bartoll asserts that a toothbrush can damage enamel and gums if not used very softly and briefly4. He suggests that if one adopts a "natural species-appropriate carnivore diet," many health problems, including oral and dental health, will resolve, and there would be no need to brush teeth or worry about "bad bacteria"4.... He posits that only "plant-based edibles such as starches/carbohydrates and fiber will damage the teeth," while "anything animal-based is totally harmless to the teeth"9. For those who are transitioning or not fully animal-based, he recommends a natural toothpaste made of coconut oil and bicarbonate, or charcoal and sea salt, which can also be used for oil pulling9.

Bartoll emphasizes that his writings on his website are his "thoughts, views and speculations based on my experiences, knowledge and what I see daily," presented as "possibilities for you to consider"10. He offers coaching and consultation services focused on "Animal-based (carnivore) educational coaching, fat loss coaching, and consulting services on health and nutrition"11.

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Discuss Health Supplements.

The sources primarily discuss health within the context of dietary choices and natural substances, rather than providing an extensive overview of various health supplements. However, they do offer an overarching perspective that frames the role of supplements.

Key Themes Related to Health and Supplements:

• Species-Appropriate Diet: The "Joachim Bartoll Official" source categorizes "Nutrition, Supplements, and Our Natural Species-Appropriate Diet" and specifically lists "Sport- and 'Health' Supplements"1. The central tenet presented is that adopting a natural, species-appropriate carnivore diet can lead to significant improvements in overall health, potentially making other interventions, including supplements, less necessary23. This approach suggests that "any health problems will take care of themselves within time and you will heal"2.

• Critique of Nutrition Science: The source also features categories such as "Nutrition Science is Nutrition Ideology" and "Diet-, Nutrition Information and Scams"1. This indicates a critical stance towards conventional nutritional advice and potentially many commercial health supplements that may not align with the advocated species-appropriate diet.

• Plant-Based Foods and Artificial Vitamins: From this perspective, plant-based edibles like starches, carbohydrates, and fiber are believed to damage teeth and fuel "bad bacteria"3. Related content listed includes concerns about "The Extreme Dangers and Damage of a Fruitarian Diet (Even Short-Term)" and the assertion that "Only Inorganic Plant-Based And Artificial Vitamins Can Cause Damage And Disease"4. This implies a strong preference for animal-based nutrition and a skepticism towards many common plant-derived or synthetic supplements.

• Oral Health Context: In the specific context of oral health, coconut oil and bicarbonate are mentioned as effective natural substances for "oil pulling" and creating natural toothpaste5. This suggests a preference for natural, simple remedies over more complex or synthetic products.

While specific health supplements are not discussed in detail regarding their individual benefits or risks, the underlying message is that optimal health, and by extension, the reduced need for supplements, is achieved through a strict species-appropriate (carnivore) diet, and that many existing nutritional and supplement approaches are misguided or even harmful1....

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Discuss Weight Management.

The sources offer some perspectives on weight management primarily through the lens of a species-appropriate carnivore diet and the services offered by an animal-based nutritionist.

According to Joachim Bartoll, an animal-based nutritionist, his website categorizes topics such as "Gaining Weight/Muscle Mass" and "Fat Loss and Fasting"1. He asserts that by adopting a "natural species-appropriate carnivore diet," individuals can expect "any health problems [to] take care of themselves within time and you will heal"2.

Regarding specific practices for weight management, one caution mentioned is that "Acute Poisoning For Achieving Fat Loss Is Not Healthy Nor Very Smart"3.

For individuals seeking assistance with health problems or transitioning to an animal-based diet, Joachim Bartoll offers "Animal-based (carnivore) educational coaching, fat loss coaching, and consulting services on health and nutrition"4.

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