With arrest warrant looming, Netanyahu lands in Budapest—exposing a growing alliance between embattled leaders and illiberal democracies

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu visits Hungary in defiance of ICC arrest warrant, highlighting his deepening ties with Viktor Orbán as both leaders face mounting domestic and international pressure.

An Autocrats’ Embrace: Netanyahu’s Budapest Visit Defies ICC, Emboldens Orbán

Benjamin Netanyahu’s four-day visit to Hungary is more than just a diplomatic pit stop—it’s a calculated snub to international justice and a revealing glimpse into the new safe zones emerging for embattled leaders who operate on the fringe of liberal democracy.

Landing in Budapest, the Israeli Prime Minister sought refuge in one of the few European capitals openly defying the International Criminal Court. Since the ICC issued an arrest warrant in November over alleged war crimes in Gaza, Netanyahu has carefully avoided travel to ICC-signatory countries—until now.

But Hungary under Viktor Orbán is no ordinary ICC member. Orbán was among the first to denounce the ICC’s move against Netanyahu, branding it “cynical and unacceptable.” It’s a diplomatic shield the Israeli leader eagerly accepted—at a time when his international movements are under unprecedented legal constraint.

While the official schedule touts ceremonial visits and photo ops, the real draw is Budapest’s geopolitical utility. It offers Netanyahu something rare: a platform to operate like a normal prime minister while under the shadow of an arrest warrant. More crucially, Hungary provides a discreet backchannel for foreign policy maneuvering, shielded from the watchful eyes of ICC-enforcing states.

But this visit is also deeply symbolic. It highlights the troubling axis forming between right-wing illiberal regimes: leaders who dismantle judicial independence, curtail press freedoms, and now, openly thumb their noses at international law. Netanyahu and Orbán are not just political allies—they are co-architects of a world order where accountability is optional, and democratic backsliding is masked as nationalism.

Their shared struggle for political survival—Netanyahu amid mass protests and deep war fatigue, Orbán under rising domestic opposition—makes this meeting more than ceremonial. It’s a transactional alliance of convenience, reinforcing the narrative that the rules-based international system is breaking down.

This visit might win Netanyahu a temporary reprieve from isolation, but it also exposes the shrinking map of democratic allies willing to host him. And as Orbán continues to cozy up to global outliers like Putin and Xi, Hungary’s embrace of Netanyahu becomes not just a diplomatic gesture, but a strategic alignment—one that should unsettle defenders of both international justice and liberal democracy.

Macron slams Trump’s tariff blitz as “brutal and unfounded,” calls for EU-wide retaliation and suspension of major French investments in the U.S.

French President Emmanuel Macron has called on European firms to freeze U.S. investments in response to Trump’s sweeping tariffs, escalating transatlantic economic tensions and threatening multibillion-dollar deals.

Tariff War Escalates: Macron Urges Freeze on U.S. Investments, Threatens EU Retaliation

In a sharp escalation of the transatlantic economic standoff, French President Emmanuel Macron has called on European companies to immediately suspend planned investments in the United States, following President Donald Trump’s aggressive rollout of reciprocal tariffs on global trade.

“Investments to come or investments announced in recent weeks should be suspended until things are clarified with the United States,” Macron declared on Thursday, sending shockwaves through both European boardrooms and Washington’s economic circles.

The move directly targets high-profile French commitments such as CMA CGM’s $20 billion U.S. port infrastructure plan and Schneider Electric’s $700 million expansion to support America’s AI-powered energy needs. Trump himself had championed these deals just days earlier as evidence of a booming U.S. industrial revival — a narrative Macron now seeks to unravel.

The French president didn’t stop at corporate caution. He signaled the EU might deploy its anti-coercion mechanism, a potent tool designed to counter trade bullying, while hinting at countermeasures in digital services and U.S. financial interests. “The response this time,” Macron warned, “will be more powerful than what we did after the steel and aluminum tariffs.”

Calling Trump’s tariffs “brutal and unfounded,” Macron framed the White House’s move as a direct assault on the rules-based international order. “This is a shock to global trade,” he said, pledging that Europe would respond industry by industry, deal by deal.

The clash marks a critical juncture in U.S.-EU economic relations, with billions of euros in corporate commitments hanging in the balance. And it’s not just France watching nervously — European leaders now face a defining choice: comply, retreat, or retaliate.

If Macron’s call catches momentum, it could spark the most serious economic rupture between Washington and Europe in over a decade — and send a chilling message to foreign investors weighing Trump’s “America First” doctrine against rising geopolitical risk.

Senate vote challenges Trump’s Canada tariffs, signaling GOP unease with “Liberation Day” trade crackdown. Is economic pain worth the political gain?

The U.S. Senate has narrowly voted to block Trump’s Canada tariffs, exposing cracks in GOP unity over his aggressive trade agenda and raising fears of economic fallout ahead of 2024.

Republican Cracks Widen as Senate Moves to Block Trump’s Canada Tariffs

In a late-night vote that amounts to a rare rebuke of President Donald Trump’s trade agenda, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution on Wednesday aimed at blocking his planned tariffs on Canadian imports. Though unlikely to survive the Republican-controlled House or Trump’s veto pen, the 51-48 vote exposes a growing rift inside the GOP — one that pits traditional conservatives against Trump’s economic nationalism.

Trump’s “Liberation Day” — a sweeping tariff offensive targeting dozens of U.S. trading partners — spared Canada for now, but the president continues to justify penalties on America’s closest ally by invoking the northern flow of fentanyl. Critics, however, say the argument is a smokescreen for an economic gamble that could backfire.

“This is not about fentanyl. It’s about tariffs — a national sales tax on American families,” said Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, who led the push against the Canada measures. He and others warn the fallout will be felt in industries from shipbuilding to grocery stores, with rising costs on aluminum, lumber, and food products that depend on cross-border trade.

Republicans Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, Mitch McConnell, and Rand Paul broke ranks, opposing what Paul called “taxes on the American people.” The Kentucky senator didn’t mince words: “Conservatives used to understand that tariffs are taxes.”

Collins raised alarm over a paper mill in Maine that relies on Canadian pulp, while Murkowski defended Alaska’s seafood industry from potential collateral damage. Even North Dakota’s Kevin Cramer, no stranger to Trumpian loyalty, admitted the tariffs were “a source of political anxiety.”

But Trump fired back on Truth Social, slamming dissenting Republicans for aiding Democrats and failing to support his push to penalize Canada for “unfair” trade and fentanyl trafficking — despite evidence that the overwhelming majority of fentanyl comes from the southern border, not the north.

With Trump eyeing tariffs as both economic lever and electoral rallying cry, the Senate’s revolt underscores the risk: If the economy slips before November, the backlash won’t just come from Democrats. It’s already brewing within Trump’s own party.

While Trump retreats, China plants its flag in Africa’s skies—building satellites, telescopes, and alliances to dominate space and surveillance.

As Trump guts foreign aid, China ramps up space partnerships across Africa, embedding surveillance tech and satellites that could shift the balance in the global space race—and military power.

Space for Sale: How China Is Colonizing Africa’s Skies as America Pulls Back

While the United States under President Trump slashes development aid and scales down soft power, China is quietly launching a space takeover in Africa—one satellite, telescope, and military-grade surveillance system at a time.

From a space lab outside Cairo to high-powered telescopes tracking orbital objects from Egyptian hilltops, China is embedding itself deep into Africa’s burgeoning space infrastructure. Beneath the banner of cooperation and development, Beijing is not just gifting technology—it’s harvesting data, expanding its global surveillance network, and establishing a strategic military and political footprint across the continent.

This is no secret to Washington. Intelligence veterans like Nicholas Eftimiades warn that China is “democratizing space to enhance its authoritarian capabilities”—a global dragnet cloaked in diplomacy. And it’s working. More than 23 African nations now partner with China on space ventures, from satellite launches and ground stations to a proposed joint moon base that openly rivals NASA’s Artemis program.

The Space City outside Cairo, where Chinese engineers outnumber locals, is emblematic. The “African-built” satellites launched there? Mostly assembled in China. Data ownership? Officially Egyptian—but insiders say Beijing still taps into the stream. It’s not just soft power—it’s hardware dominance with military consequences, including anti-satellite warfare readiness and real-time surveillance of joint U.S.-Egyptian exercises.

As China builds eyes in the sky, Trump’s America is going dark—cutting U.S. Agency for International Development funds and retreating from space diplomacy. Meanwhile, SpaceX’s Elon Musk races ahead in military-grade satellite networks, but there’s little sign of the U.S. competing with China’s ground-level infiltration across Africa.

The result? A Cold War-style showdown in orbit, with Africa as the battlefield—and Trump’s retreat from development aid and soft power may have handed Beijing the launch codes for a new global order in space.

China isn’t just investing in Africa—it’s outsourcing its space program onto the continent, collecting data, projecting power, and rewriting the rules of 21st-century dominance. The moon may be next, but the race is already raging here on Earth. And right now, Beijing is winning.

Backing the GOP’s massive budget plan, Trump promises deep spending cuts, permanent tax breaks, and a full fiscal reset—with deficit hawks rallying to his call.

President Trump pledges full support for the Senate’s budget reconciliation plan, vowing to slash spending, cement tax cuts, and unify Republicans around a bold fiscal agenda to reshape the U.S. economy.

Trump Rallies Deficit Hawks Behind “One, Big, Beautiful Bill”

President Donald Trump is making it clear: when it comes to slashing spending and pushing his America First fiscal vision, the Senate’s budget hawks have his full-throated backing.

In a fiery post on Truth Social, Trump endorsed the Senate GOP’s budget reconciliation framework—branding it his “ONE, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL”—and called on every Republican in Congress to unify and pass it “IMMEDIATELY.” The plan promises sweeping permanent tax cuts, deep spending reductions, and historic investments in defense, energy, and border security—a direct pitch to the fiscal conservatives who have long demanded deficit discipline.

“This bill is the tool we need to right-size the budget and bring spending back under control,” Trump declared, backing the efforts of Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune.

Behind closed doors, Trump reportedly reassured Senate hardliners like Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) that a recissions package—designed to claw back excessive spending—would be on his desk quickly, further strengthening their resolve to support the resolution.

The reconciliation package, still in flux, aims to trim the federal deficit by $1.5 to $2 trillion, though a contingent of fiscal hawks is pushing for cuts as high as $6.5 trillion over the next decade. The GOP is betting that Trump’s influence will unify skeptical lawmakers and give the budget push momentum ahead of critical votes.

With Trump now front and center, Republicans are seizing the moment to reassert control over federal spending—and cement the 2017 tax cuts as a permanent fixture of U.S. economic policy. But the clock is ticking. Senate leaders hope to kick off voting before week’s end, testing whether Trump’s muscle can turn this sweeping fiscal plan into law.

As the nation stares down another debt extension debate, Trump’s message is unmistakable: cut now, unify fast, and reshape the budget—Trump style.

British spy agency MI5 lifts the curtain on its shadowy past, revealing gadgets, double agents, and Cold War betrayals in a rare public display.

Real Spies, Real Secrets: MI5’s Exhibition Reveals the Truth Behind Britain’s Espionage Legends

Move over, James Bond—the real spies of British intelligence have entered the room. For the first time in its 115-year history, MI5 is peeling back the layers of secrecy with a public exhibition that dives deep into its murky archives and infamous operations.

Titled “MI5: Official Secrets”, the new exhibition at The National Archives in London offers a rare glimpse into the real-world tradecraft of British intelligence. From lemon juice invisible ink to surveillance files on Soviet moles, the exhibit pulls no punches in showing how Britain’s security service battled foreign threats across two world wars and the Cold War.

One of the most jaw-dropping features? Newly released materials on the Cambridge Five—a ring of elite British insiders who betrayed their country by feeding secrets to Moscow. Their names—Kim Philby, Guy Burgess, Donald Maclean, Anthony Blunt, and John Cairncross—still send shivers through British intelligence circles, and their confessions, reports, and surveillance records are now on public display.

Ken McCallum, MI5’s director general, stressed that unlike the glamorous espionage of Bond or the grit of Slow Horses, real spy work is “ordinary people doing extraordinary things” in silence. Still, the lemon juice used by a German spy to write invisible messages during WWI? That feels very 007.

The exhibition runs through September and is designed to both educate and provoke reflection. In a world once split by East and West—and now again fractured by new threats—MI5’s unveiling of its past is not just history. It’s a subtle message: the spy game is far from over.

Somali Civil Aviation Authority suspends all Mogadishu-bound flights after UN plane crash at Aden Adde Airport; runway closed, global notification issued.

A UN aircraft crash at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde Airport has forced the Somali Civil Aviation Authority to suspend flights and shut down the runway. Emergency response underway as 22 UN staff escape disaster. 

The Somali Civil Aviation Authority has officially suspended all incoming flights to Mogadishu after a United Nations plane carrying 22 passengers crash-landed at Aden Adde International Airport earlier today.

Director Ahmed Macalin Hassan confirmed that the UN aircraft, bound for Baidoa, suffered a catastrophic technical failure shortly after takeoff and was forced to return to the airport. In a high-stakes emergency procedure, the plane released its fuel into the sea to minimize the risk of explosion and managed a harrowing landing—one that sparked a small fire and resulted in the total closure of the capital’s only functioning international runway.

The immediate fallout? A shutdown that reverberated far beyond Somalia’s borders. A notice was sent to 193 countries alerting them of the airport’s closure. Flights en route were diverted or grounded, and the country’s fragile air transport network—already under strain—was brought to a standstill.

As of 5:00 p.m., the runway remains blocked by the damaged aircraft, and emergency crews are scrambling to remove the wreckage. While no fatalities have been reported, the incident has reignited concerns about Somalia’s overstretched and under-resourced aviation infrastructure.

This is more than a temporary closure. It’s a wake-up call. The crash, involving international personnel and requiring global notification, casts a spotlight on the dangerous vulnerabilities facing Somalia’s aviation sector. Aden Adde Airport is not just a gateway—it’s a geopolitical lifeline used by diplomats, aid workers, and military partners. Its temporary paralysis sends shockwaves through humanitarian operations and diplomatic engagements across the Horn of Africa.

The question now is whether this near-catastrophe will lead to serious reforms—or whether Somalia’s aviation system will continue flying on fumes.

China’s military stages aggressive joint drills surrounding Taiwan, simulating blockade and assault operations, as tensions soar over Trump’s Indo-Pacific pivot and renewed US defense commitments.

This wasn’t just another military drill. This was a political thunderclap — and the sound echoes all the way to Washington. China’s decision to unleash a surprise multi-pronged military exercise around Taiwan, involving air, sea, missile, and rocket forces, is Beijing’s clearest signal yet: it’s ready to test America’s resolve under President Trump’s Indo-Pacific realignment.

Officially, China calls it a “stern warning” to Taiwan. But let’s be honest — this isn’t about the island’s president Lai Ching-te, or some manufactured outrage over “separatism.” This is about Trump’s new doctrine — unapologetically hawkish, unabashedly transactional — and a signal to Beijing that the US isn’t backing down in the Pacific.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s recent tour through Asia was a clear flex of American military muscle: tightening alliances, bolstering deterrence, and sending a blunt message — China’s expansion ends here. Beijing responded the only way Xi Jinping knows how: with intimidation disguised as military exercises.

But make no mistake: this is a pressure campaign — not just against Taiwan, but against Washington itself.

The scope of the drills is staggering. Aircraft carriers, long-range missile units, rocket artillery — all surrounding Taiwan from north, south, and east. China isn’t just simulating a blockade; it’s rehearsing one. And its message couldn’t be more dangerous: “Taiwan is ours, and we’re prepared to take it — unless you stop us.”

And the propaganda? Even more toxic. China’s military released cartoons mocking Taiwan’s president as a “parasite.” That’s not deterrence — it’s psychological warfare aimed at undermining a democracy of 23 million people who have no intention of becoming another Hong Kong.

Yet amid this provocation, the Biden-era strategic ambiguity has ended. Trump’s administration has already dropped hints of a more decisive policy: closer intelligence cooperation, naval presence, and even plans for permanent missile deployments in the region.

The Chinese Communist Party views this tightening net as a threat. But it’s not just fear — it’s desperation. With US-China trade tensions mounting and allies like Japan, the Philippines, and even Vietnam hardening against Beijing’s aggression, the PLA’s saber-rattling looks more like a tantrum than a masterstroke.

Still, the stakes are higher than ever.

Taiwan is not just a flashpoint — it’s the domino that could collapse the entire Indo-Pacific balance. If China can choke an island democracy while the world watches, what message does that send to America’s partners from Seoul to Canberra?

Trump’s team knows this. Beijing knows this. And Taiwan, caught in the middle, is bracing for the fallout.

The world needs to understand: these aren’t just drills — they’re dry runs for a future no one wants to see. And whether it’s deterrence or disaster will depend on who blinks first.