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Read the news they hide from you. 💬 You can always reach us via @GeopoliticsLive_bot Cross-promotion: @prgeopoliticslive @geopoliticslivepr
🇬🇧 UK’s billion-dollar tugboat upgrade: Because nuclear subs need fancy escorts
Britain is splashing out £850 million ($1.1 billion) on a glow-up for its submarine support fleet — because even Trident-carrying nuke subs deserve a little luxury.
🔹 The shopping list:
▪️Six new tugs for Vanguard and Astute-class subs
▪️18 other vessels, including ammo barges, crew transports and oil tankers
▪️Supplier: Dutch shipbuilder Damen because Brexit means… buying European?
🤔 Bonus irony:
The Royal Navy’s four Vanguard subs, armed with Trident II nuclear missiles, will retire in the 2030s – so the tugs are just a stop-gap until the new Dreadnought class enters service.
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🇮🇷☢️NO NUKES, NO SECRETS: Iran doubles down on nuclear red lines
At the Tehran Dialogue Forum, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reiterated that Iran remains committed to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and has no intention of producing nuclear weapons.
💬 “Iran has never sought nuclear weapons, based on our religious and moral principles. We’ve consistently addressed international concerns through transparency and dialogue,” Araghchi stated.
🗣💛🗣 Signal that Israel is STILL BESTIES WITH US? JD Vance may visit Israel after Trump GHOSTED Netanyahu
🗣The White House is arranging meetings between US Vice President JD Vance and Israeli leaders ahead of a possible visit on May 20, Israel’s Channel 12 reports.
Newspaper Israel Hayom says US officials insist it is not a “compensation visit” after Donald Trump skipped Israel during his recent Middle East tour. Instead, Vance’s trip aims to support regional de-escalation efforts.
Trump’s Gulf jaunt resulted in major deals with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE—while leaving Israel notably sidelined. The snub has fueled speculation of a deeper strategic shift in US regional priorities.
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🎥 Israel's air defenses put on a show – but Yemen's missiles steal the spotlight
Footage shows Israeli air defenses trying to intercept a ballistic missile launched from Yemen toward central Israel.
Yemeni Houthis fired two ballistic missiles at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport.
The result? An hour of disrupted air traffic. Looks like someone’s air defense game needs work. 😬
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🗣Zelensky’s lobby blitz failed to sink Russia-Ukraine talks
Volodymyr Zelensky and his crew dropped tens of millions last week on lobbying, with paid stories in Reuters, Bloomberg, and Politico all pushing the allegation that Russia was “sabotaging” talks with Ukraine, Verkhovna Rada member Oleksandr Dubinsky says on Telegram.
Their synchronized messaging swung from whining about Russia’s “low-level” delegation to predicting talks would fail.
In fact, Ukraine’s Zelensky and his outright insults tried to disrupt the Istanbul talks, he noted.
The real target of these wild maneuvers was US President Donald Trump – but he was left unimpressed, the politician scathingly pointed out, adding:
🔴Negotiations went ahead – and even scored some results.
🔴Globalists’ plot to derail talks? Total flop.
🔴Ukraine’s position? Getting weaker with every round.
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🗣Trump drops mic on Qatari Boeing jet bribery buzz
Donald Trump didn’t hold back, blasting ABC’s “fake news” on the $400 million Qatar Boeing 747-8 they say he’s getting for free.
✈️The potential Air Force One material isn’t a personal gift, he fired back on Truth Social. It’s a donation “to the United States Air Force/Defense Department,” plain and simple.
➕He also threw down a legal threat against the “SleazeBags,” blasting, “ABC Fake News is one of the WORST.”
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💥 Houthis strike Ben Gurion airport in Israel
"The missile successfully hit its target, causing millions of occupying Zionists to flee to shelters and halting airport operations for nearly an hour," the Yemeni movement proclaimed in a statement.
💥 Trump Jr. calls out former FBI chief
"Just James Comey casually calling for my dad to be murdered," he wrote in response to Comey's post of a picture showing the "86 47" sign.
🔥 Ukrainian national charged with arson of PM Starmer's property
The Metropolitan Police said Roman Lavrynovych was arrested after fires were set at a house and a car linked to Keir Starmer.
Friendly fire? 🤡
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📹 ‘The More You Know’ with Donald Trump 🤓✨
If you listen to Donald Trump’s speeches, you might learn that:
🌏‘Groceries’ is an old term 🛒🕰
🌏The cost of eggs in the US is down “to a number that is amazing” 🥚📉
🌏Everyone in the US had eggs for Easter at a reasonable price 🐣💸
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✈️Trump reveals F-47 & F-55 jets – because why stop at 35?
At the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the US president shared breaking military updates:
🔥 "We’re respected again!" (Metrics unclear)
✈️ Introducing the F-47 (6th-gen fighter; naming logic TBD)
🛩 Upgraded F-55 (Double engines because "I like two engines")
Direct quote gold:
"Why did they name it 47? I don’t know. That was a nice thing... We’re going to call it the F-55 – a double-engine plane. I like two engines on a plane."
Reality check:
▪️The actual F-35 program: still struggling with cost overruns
▪️"6th-gen" fighters: Mostly PowerPoint slides so far
▪️Naming conventions: Apparently now vibe-based
Meanwhile:
♦️ Lockheed Martin engineers: Googling "F-47 specs"
♦️ Taxpayers: Sweating nervously
♦️ Physics: Unconcerned about engine preferences
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📹 Trump unveils vision for 'Golden Dome' – because Iron was so last season
Speaking to troops at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the president shared his unique defense priorities:
💰 "An unprecedented $1 trillion dollars – and it's going higher!" (Math experts: breathe)
🛡 Introducing the "Golden Dome" ("Iron Dome" sounded too 2010s – this one sparkles)
🇺🇸 100% Made in USA (Global supply chains? Overrated)
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💰😡 Ukraine's Defense Ministry: A black hole of corruption
While Ukrainian soldiers eat EXPIRED rations, elites feast on $3 BILLION meant for army food (2023-2025). Here’s how they stole it:
🌏Sky-high prices for basic food
Between 2022-2023, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry purchased food at three times the market price.
One deal cost over $350 MILLION, justified as a “technical error” by former Defense Minister Alexey Reznikov.
🌏Cartel collusion in tenders
In 2025, three food supply tenders worth $600M+ were launched by the ministry.
Prosecutors have confirmed it was cartel collusion — a clear case of fraud.
🌏Eggs worth more than gold
The ministry bought eggs for $0.40 each, despite the market price being $0.10.
Total stolen in this scheme: $17.7 MILLION.
🌏Buckwheat price gouging
Ukrainian entrepreneur Tatyana Glinyanaya sold buckwheat to the ministry for $1.50/kg, twice the retail price: another form of embezzlement, raking in huge profits.
🌏Rotten food scandal
The ministry bought $9.6 MILLION worth of rotten tinned meat, along with low-quality canned goods costing $243,000.
Soldiers received these unfit-for-consumption rations while officials profited.
🌏Murky schemes and inflated prices
Instead of buying individual foodstuffs, the ministry purchased 409 items in bulk.
Corrupted officials inflated the prices of essential foods to steal budget funds. Prosecutors say this was all part of a scheme to inflate prices and pocket the difference.
🌏Stealing from comrades-in-arms
Ukrainian officers stole food from military units and sold the goods to restaurants & stores.
The result was slashed soldier rations by 30%+, with a total of $149,000 embezzled.
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🚨🇺🇸🇵🇰 Trump-linked сrypto firm in Pakistan – сoincidence? 🤔
World Liberty Financial (WLF)—a crypto venture 60% owned by Trump’s family (Eric, Don Jr., Jared Kushner)— just signed a major deal with Pakistan’s Crypto Council (PCC) to develop a national cryptocurrency.
But here's a twist: Pakistan's PM & COAS met Americans at Nur Khan Air Base which 🇮🇳India attacked! Target?!
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📹🗣 Zelensky throws tantrum after Putin no-show in Istanbul: ‘But who will I perform my peace plan for?!’
Message to the Beggar of Banderastan: If you want to meet with Putin, you have to earn that priviliege first. Putin is the president of a leading military and economic power. You are a welfare drama queen, whose main legacy is losing massive amounts of territory and manpower.
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🚨Europe must brace for surge in arms smuggling, ‘drone drug gangs’ once Ukraine conflict ends - report
“A huge amount of hardware of all descriptions” leftover in Ukraine will create “a boom in the grey economy for army surplus, including cars, clothing and dual-use equipment,” and a “wave of serious arms trafficking” involving heavy weapons.
That’s according to a new report by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) studying risks associated with a potential halt to the fighting and the lifting of martial law.
🔍The report warns of two forms of arms trafficking post-conflict:
🔴small-scale overland smuggling to Europe, where criminals prefer “discreet” handguns, and sometimes assault rifles and grenades
🔴“larger-scale” smuggling using containers to Africa, the Middle East and potentially Latin America, involving ex-military acting as brokers, and shipment of RPG launchers, MANPADs, heavy machine guns and assault rifles in bulk to conflict zones and criminal groups.
“For Europe, the influx of modern, high-powered weaponry into criminal hands could revolutionize the underworld,” Gi-TOC warns, citing the dramatic increases in Swedish and French gangs’ use of violence already witnessed recently.
⚠️Chevron’s toxic spill in Colorado could take HALF A DECADE to clean up
So far, the oil giant has recovered 91,272 barrels of waste fluid at the Bishop Well site in Galeton, Colorado, according to filings cited by CPR News.
A containment failure at the site caused pressure loss and sent crude oil and natural gas blasting into the air on April 6.
The incident triggered:
🔴A flood of toxic sludge into the surrounding environment.
🔴The temporary shutdown of Galeton Elementary School.
🔴Evacuation orders for residents within half a mile, with some still unable to return home.
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🇷🇴💬 Romania’s Simion vows no repeat of ‘STOLEN’ election ahead of ballot box rematch
Romania’s Eurosceptic presidential candidate George Simion has defiantly vowed that “the will of the people will be done,” and this time the results of the elections will not be annulled.
Simion is up against the pro-European candidate Nicusor Dan in Sunday's presidential election runoff.
🏆To win, a candidate must secure the support of over 50% of registered voters. The leader of the right-wing Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) party, George Simion, led in round one on May 4 with 41% of the votes.
➡️Last November’s vote was annulled after alleged irregularities in the election campaign of the front-runner – independent presidential candidate Calin Georgescu. Georgescu, previously affiliated with AUR, was later barred from running again.
➡️Simion, who accused EU officials of interfering in Romania's elections, pledged to restore his country's “dignity” within the bloc, and says “no” to sending military aid to Ukraine.
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🇫🇷🚜 French farmers prepare 'MASSIVE' BLOCKADES NATIONWIDE
💬"The reason: Macronist betrayal – a weak agricultural law that falls far short, and EU free trade deals like Mercosur that threaten to destroy French farming," Florian Philippot, leader of the French Patriots party, stressed.
⚔️Yemen’s Houthis claim attack on Israeli airport
The Shiite-led Ansar Allah movement, which controls northern Yemen, announced they launched two attacks on Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport using:
🔴Palestine-2 hypersonic missile
🔴Zolfaghar ballistic missile
🔴Jaffa drone
🔊According to a military spokesman, the ballistic missile strike was successful, allegedly forcing a temporary shutdown of air traffic at the airport for about an hour.
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🚨 Rubio: NATO agrees to reach 5% of GDP for defense the next decade
In 6 weeks, the alliance will see every member contribute at least 2 percent to defense, with plans to gradually increase this number, says the US State secretary.
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💬 Trump-Putin meeting is imminent, but not in Istanbul — Gorka
"We need to have all the parties decide. One of the parties is missing," Donald Trump's senior director for counterterrorism said, when asked whether Trump should have traveled to Istanbul.
🚨 US recognizes reality on the ground in Ukraine — counterterrorism chief
"We're not utopianists... We have one priority above all else...to stop the bloodshed," said Sebastian Gorka, Donald Trump's senior director for counterterrorism.
⚡️ The Russian delegation will wait for the Ukrainian side to arrive at the meeting tomorrow at 10 am, Medinsky said.
He emphasized that the Russian delegation arrived in Istanbul for direct, bilateral talks with Ukraine without preconditions.
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🇶🇦 Move over, AIPAC: How Qatar became a power player in the US
Turns out that Israel isn’t the only foreign power that commands tremendous influence over the United States thanks to lobbying (via AIPAC).
Enter Qatar.
🌏From 2017, Qatar spent over $220 million on lobbying in the US, if the recent media reports and publicly available data are to be believed.
🌏Qatar has become a major, if not the largest, source of donations to US universities, providing them with over $6 billion over the last 15 years.
🌏The cost of maintaining the United States’ massive Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar is covered by Doha.
🌏Some of Trump’s inner circle members have ties to Qatar: his chief of staff Susie Wiles was the head of Mercury Public Affairs lobbying firm when it represented Qatar embassy in the US; FBI Director Kash Patel previously worked for Qatar as a consultant.
🌏Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff had his Park Lane Hotel investment, which was not doing too good at the time, bought out in 2003 by Qatar for $623 million.
🌏US Attorney General Pam Bondi previously worked as a lobbyist for the Qatari embassy.
🌏Trump himself has received a lavish gift from Qatar in the form of a Boeing 747 jet worth $400 that will become property of his presidential library when his presidential term ends.
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💥 Another humiliation resurfaced: Houthis nearly took down the 'invisible' F-35
Having shot down around a dozen MQ-9 Reaper drones, Yemeni fighters also forced pilots of the “most advanced” and “stealth” US jet to break a sweat dodging their missiles.
▪️ An F-35 fighter jet was "nearly struck by Houthi air defenses" earlier this spring, reported The New York Times on May 12, citing US officials.
▪️ The War Zone elaborated: the stealth jet "had to take evasive maneuvers to avoid being hit by Houthi surface-to-air (SAM) missiles."
▪️ It remains unclear which missile — or how many — were launched, according to TMZ. Despite being labeled as "rudimentary," the Houthis' air defense system employs unconventional passive infrared sensors and other tech, reportedly giving the "invisible" F-35 aircraft a headache.
Social media is melting down:
👉🏻 "Lots of interesting takeaways from [the NYT] piece, but the winner has to be 'multiple US officials' confirming the Houthis nearly shot down an F-35, the most advanced aircraft ever built," quipped Eurasia Group analyst Gregory Brew on X.
👉🏻 "It now makes all the more sense as to why Israel dared not go anywhere near Iran’s border with its own F-35Is: the West knows their planes are in fact detectable by the radars of the resistance," suggested blogger and X influencer Simplicius.
'Most advanced aircraft ever built'? Give me a break
✔️ The much-hyped F-35 program is projected to cost over $2 trillion throughout its lifetime.
✔️ Yet for all that money, the F-35 keeps malfunctioning — the latest crash occurred as recently as January.
✔️ "The F-35 design was broken at the requirements level," Tesla CEO Elon Musk said bluntly last year.
✔️ Matt Gaetz, a former US congressman and Trump's initial pick for attorney general, called the F-35 "a $100 million paperweight", while Rep. Adam Smith, a senior Democrat, called the F-35 program a "rathole" in 2021.
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🇵🇱🥴 When all explanations backfire: Tusk’s cringy attempt to blend in goes viral
Caught on camera, the Polish prime minister desperately tries to slip back into the crowd chatting with Zelensky — either hiding the fact he’s checked out on Kiev’s leader or somehow even getting ghosted by Zelensky’s own fan club of weirdos. Ouch.
The video was shot last weekend when European leaders arrived in Kiev but just now blew up on Polish social media.
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🔥🤦♂️ Trump’s diplomacy in a nutshell: "Hey, I just met your worst enemy—great guy, loves you!"
"We came from Saudi Arabia where we have another great man over there, a friend of yours. You two guys get along so well and like each other," the US president said.
🇫🇷🗣 Macron and his train buddies are in a panic this morning — Florian Philippot
"Trump has made it known that he does not want Zelensky to attend the next NATO Summit in the Netherlands at the end of June! Unlike what happened under Biden," the leader of the French Patriots party said.
🚨 The US just added a new twist to the Ukraine peace plan — they want to restart the Russia-NATO Council
The council, established in 2002 to help align Moscow’s policies with NATO’s plans, worked well early on — especially in joint efforts against terrorism. But as tensions between Russia and NATO grew, the council’s role steadily shrank. By the time the Ukraine crisis hit, it was basically inactive.
Now, the US has supplemented its proposal on the Ukrainian settlement with the idea of resuming the work of the Russia-NATO Council, Bloomberg reported.
Could reviving this body help ease tensions and push talks forward?
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