[ZeroHedge] Trump wins again - or rather, Europe caves again. On Friday UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer was forced into an abrupt and humiliating retreat after his plan for the Chagos Islands detonated backlash in Washington.
Starmer had been preparing to ram the controversial legislation through the House of Lords on Monday, only for the bill to be yanked late Friday on growing fears it could unravel a 60-year-old US-UK treaty, which is the foundational Cold War-era deal that allows the US to operate the Diego Garcia military base on the Chagos Islands, or what's known as the British Indian Ocean Territory.
The chain of events this week kicked off early Tuesday with President Trump's Truth Social onslaught. Among several geopolitical-related messages, mostly on Greenland, he went after the Starmer government.
Trump took aim at the proposed new deal under which London would surrender sovereignty (to Maritius) while leasing back the strategically critical military base on the islands, including Diego Garcia - where US forces also have a strategic Indian Ocean base, which has been used especially for Middle East operations going back decades.
Trump attacked the plan to hand sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius as an act of "great stupidity" and "total weakness." He further took the opportunity to say the move underscored exactly why he wants the United States to take control of Greenland.
"The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY, and is another in a very long line of National Security reasons why Greenland has to be acquired. Denmark and its European Allies have to DO THE RIGHT THING," Trump wrote as his concluding sentence in the message.
The Telegraph late Friday is confirming the U-turn:
Sir Keir Starmer has been forced to pull his Chagos Islands bill in the wake of a US backlash over the deal.
The legislation was expected to be debated in the House of Lords on Monday, but was delayed on Friday night after the Conservatives warned it could violate a 60-year-old treaty with the US that enshrines British sovereignty over the archipelago.
The Foreign Office has been engaged in some last minute scrambling to verify if Trump's Truth Social message did in fact reflect active US policy:
Asked last night if Mr Trump would be willing to tear up the 1966 treaty and allow the transfer of Chagos to go ahead, the US state department referred back to the president’s criticism on Tuesday when he said: “The UK giving away extremely important land is an act of GREAT STUPIDITY.”
Still, The Telegraph notes that some confusion among British officials remains: "Much depends on whether Mr Trump’s position on the Chagos deal has genuinely changed or – as Sir Keir has claimed – that this was only being used to force a change in Britain’s Greenland stance."
Why not both?
"If Downing Street tried to press ahead without Washington’s approval, it could face a bruising battle with the US state department," the report concludes.
Starmer addressed the House of Commons on Wednesday and asserted it was Trump who flipped his policy. "I made out my position on Greenland absolutely clear on Monday and a moment ago. President Trump deployed words on Chagos yesterday that were different to his previous words of welcome and support when I met him in the White House," he said.
That was a year ago.
"He deployed those words yesterday for the express purpose of putting pressure on me and Britain in relation to my values and principles on the future of Greenland," he added.
You don’t have values and principles, sir.
From a British political commentator: "It is, I admit, a humiliating thing for Britain that the final decision should be in the hands of our American allies. We ought to have put a stop to the whole business ourselves."
Conservatives are still warning that rushing the deal for the UK to yield control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius risks violating international law, with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch having condemned the agreement outright, warning it "cannot progress while this issue remains unsolved." He has bluntly stated this week, "President Trump is right." Also, Reform's Nigel Farage praised the American president for "vetoing" it.
#1
"It is, I admit, a humiliating thing for Britain that the final decision should be in the hands of our American allies. We ought to have put a stop to the whole business ourselves."
Britain's biggest humiliation was when Keir Starmer was elected PM.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
01/24/2026 13:52 Comments ||
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#2
There is the curious case of the three Ukrainian rent boys and their totally mysterious arson campaign - a car, two houses- against Starmers property. Worth following.
[Breitbart] President of PeruJosé Jeri this week vowed that he will not resign from his position amid the ongoing scandal over his undisclosed meetings with a Chinese businessman known as “Chifagate.”
“One would resign if one had something to hide, and I have not lied to the country, I have not done anything illegal. I will not allow anyone to distort the facts about me, which is why I will voluntarily attend the Oversight Committee and make myself available to the Prosecutor’s Office,” Jeri said during an interview with Peru’s Canal N.
“I did not lie to the country. Rather, the situation is being exploited to attack the presidency beyond my mistake, which I have already acknowledged, and also to affect the electoral process, which I have a duty to ensure is budgeted, transparent, and impartial,” he continued in another part of the interview.
Jeri is the eighth president Peru has had in the past ten years. He took office on October 2025 after the Peruvian Congress impeached his predecessor Dina Boluarte, a highly unpopular leftist former president, citing a “permanent moral incapacity.”
Jeri was the head of Congress at the time and assumed the presidency after Boluarte’s impeachment, since she had not appointed a vice president. Boluarte herself took office on December 2022 at a time when she served as vice president for Pedro Castillo, a Marxist who unsuccessfully attempted to stage a coup and dissolve Congress and the judiciary. Castillo was impeached and arrested, then sentenced to 11 years in prison in November 2025.
Over the past weeks, Jeri, who has only been in office for roughly three months, has been embroiled in an ongoing scandal known as “Chifagate” that broke after it was recently revealed that, in the late night hours of December 26, he held a clandestine meeting with Chinese businessman Zhihua Yang at a “Chifa,” a local slang term for a Chinese-Peruvian restaurant. The Argentine outlet Infobae described Yang, who reportedly owns the restaurant where the encounter took place, as an individual linked to Nicanor Boluarte, brother of Dina Boluarte, who is presently undergoing a probe on corruption allegations.
Footage published by local and international outlets showed Jeri exiting from an official vehicle wearing a white hoodie and entering the restaurant escorted by security personnel. The private meeting was not logged by the Peruvian presidency, instantly raising questions and speculation about transparency and possible conflicts of interest involving Jeri and the Chinese businessman — particularly after local outlets reported that Jeri and Yang may have allegedly discussed a proposed $30 million contract for installing security surveillance cameras in 8,000 public transportation buses.
Jeri personally confirmed to reporters that the meeting was not registered by the presidency but denied any improper motives behind the encounter, claiming that the meeting was in response to an invitation to coordinate the upcoming February 1 “Peru-China Friendship Day.” Yang also denied having “requested favors” from Jeri during the encounter through a statement in which he claimed that “various malicious statements” allegedly sought to create a narrative “about acts of favoritism or corruption between him [Jeri] and myself.”
In response to the scandal, the Peruvian president published a pre-recorded video last week apologizing to Peruvian citizens for his unregistered meeting with Yang and “admitting his mistake,” admitting the way he entered the restaurant wearing a hood “led to suspicion and doubts about my behavior.”
Hours after the video was published, local outlets revealed that Chinese national Ji Wu Xiaodong met with Jeri at the Peruvian presidential palace three times between December 2025 and January 2026 — despite the Chinese man presently living under house arrest for his links to an illegal logging organization known as “The Hostiles of the Amazon.”
This week, the Peruvian Prosecutor’s Office announced the start of a preliminary probe on the encounters between Jeri and his Chinese contacts. The revelation of Jeri’s encounters with the two Chinese men prompted the nation’s congress to present three motions of censure against the Peruvian President in his capacity as head of the parliament.
Jeri reportedly attempted to downplay the controversy over his encounters with Ji by claiming that the Chinese man “does not speak much Spanish.” However, court documents published by local television revealed that Ji testified before a 2022 hearing against illegal logging that he is “fluent in Spanish and works as a translator registered with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
Peru is slated to hold a presidential election on April 12, with a prospective runoff election scheduled for June 7 should no candidate obtain enough votes to win in the first round. José Jeri’s term is slated to conclude on July 28 at a time when he will be succeeded by the winner of the upcoming election. As of December, there are 36 different presidential candidates hoping to become president. Jeri is not running in the election. So, gotta get that boodle NOW
Jeri reportedly said during the Canal N interview that he “acknowledged his mistake” in holding those meetings but asserted that some people “want to take advantage of the situation to complicate the electoral process next April.”
The Peruvian president also stated that he no longer has any communication with Zhihua Yang since the scandal broke out under grounds that “directly or indirectly” attempts have been made to undermine the presidency.
“I’ve eaten at the Chinese restaurant several times, I’ve been to the store several times, it’s a normal habit to go eat there,” Jeri said.
[Just The News] Former President Joe Biden paused liquified natural gas exports while the Energy Department completed a study to see if increased exports were in the public interest. The study, released over a year ago, predicted exports would drive up domestic prices. The exact opposite has happened.
The Trump administration had its one-year anniversary Tuesday, and the White House marked the occasion with a list of 365 actions that the administration has taken — what it calls "wins" — since President Donald Trump assumed office.
Among these are the nearly three dozen actions the administration took to unleash "American Energy Dominance." Among the lists of "wins," Trump took credit for record-high increases in LNG exports. The U.S. is the first country in history to export more than 100 million metric tons of LNG in a single year, the White House noted.
Two years ago, the Biden-Harris administration announced it was pausing LNG exports while it conducted a study to see if it was in the public interest to increase exports. Climate activists had pushed the administration to stop LNG export expansion, arguing it would increase domestic prices and make global warming worse.
Then-Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm released a study the following December, and its conclusions were in line with what activists had wanted to see. The study found that "unfettered" exports of LNG would increase wholesale domestic natural gas prices by more than 30%, costing the average American household well over $100 more per year by 2050.
#1
Joe had two departments, the Department is Stupidity and the Department of Grift. It was confusing because both departments seemed to be in control of his energy policy.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
01/24/2026 9:38 Comments ||
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[ZERO] In the run-up to the 2016 Democratic Party convention, FBI Director James Comey gained access to at least eight thumb drives containing large volumes of former Secretary Hillary Clinton’s sensitive State Department emails—as well as some from President Obama—that appeared to have been compromised by foreign hackers.
Instead of investigating the explosive new batch of evidence revealed in recently declassified documents, Comey rushed ahead to close an investigation into whether Clinton improperly transmitted and received classified material from a private, unsecured server she kept in her basement. Comey also took the extraordinary step of bypassing the attorney general and personally exonerating Clinton of wrongdoing during an unusual press conference on July 5, 2016.
Just hours later, Obama invited Clinton—who would be formally nominated as the Democrats’ standard bearer three weeks later—aboard Air Force One to help launch her multicity campaign tour, during which he officially endorsed Clinton as his preferred White House successor. "I’m ready to pass the baton," Obama declared, as he stumped for her for the first time.
Comey’s decision to remove the cloud of scandal over Clinton’s campaign, allowing the president to get on with the business of campaigning for her, is just one avenue of investigation the Justice Department is pursuing in wide-ranging probes whose targets include a figure largely unscathed by his era’s scandals: former President Barack Obama.
#1
The "classified documents" piece would have required an extremely high level of "scandal removal" approval. It now appears that is precisely what took place.
#2
^^^^
The breadth and depth of the IC and Chicago's Lightbringer involvement are entwined in the massively deep and complex story of the war on Trump by great swathes of DC power. The CTH posting linked below is a fascinating and clearly well researched and insider-supported examination. It is work to absorb, epic in the span it details, and would be far more meaningful to those with some closer knowledge of the players and events than this decrepit old observer. But the depth of the betrayal and the wickedness of players like Shiff, Comey and Brennan still gives a whiff of looming brimstone and acid reflux from the effort to digest.
[WAVE] Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes faced backlash from the Arizona Police Association for her comments regarding the potential legal justification for shooting ICE agents under the state’s 'Stand Your Ground' law. In a January 20, 2026, interview, Mayes indicated that unidentifiable, masked federal officers could create dangerous situations where individuals might feel justified in using lethal force. The Police Association condemned her remarks as reckless and irresponsible, emphasizing that as the chief law enforcement officer, Mayes should focus on de-escalation rather than inflaming tensions. The controversy raises concerns about public safety and law enforcement interactions, highlighting the need for clear identification of officers. The situation continues to evolve as stakeholders respond to Mayes' statements and their implications for law enforcement conduct.
Dive Deeper:
During her interview, Mayes highlighted the broad scope of Arizona's 'Stand Your Ground' law, which permits lethal self-defense if individuals believe their lives are in danger in specific circumstances.
She specifically mentioned that masked federal agents often lack clear identification, raising questions about how individuals can distinguish between law enforcement and other persons.
The Arizona Police Association's executive director, Joe Clure, stated that Mayes' comments could endanger law enforcement professionals and undermine their safety.
In her interview, while urging protesters to remain peaceful, Mayes shifted focus to self-defense laws, which led to concerns about the potential for violence against law enforcement officers.
The controversy follows a broader national discussion on law enforcement practices and the implications of self-defense laws, particularly in interactions with federal officers.
[MSN] The Supreme Court on Thursday gave California Democrats a week to respond to the California Republican Party’s request to block the new Democrat-drawn congressional district maps from being used in November.
The request for a response, issued by Justice Elena Kagan, who is handling the emergency-injunction request for the court, surprised many court watchers.
Given that the justices allowed Texas Republicans’ gerrymandered map to stand, most thought the Supreme Court would allow the Los Angeles district court’s ruling earlier this month validating California’s new map to stand as well. California Republicans, however, argue that the new maps violate the Voting Rights Act because at least one of the districts was written to favor Latino voters.
The California Republican Party, joined by the Justice Department, Tuesday filed an emergency application at the Supreme Court in hopes of blocking the state from using the newly approved district maps, which target four to six Republican members of Congress, in the 2026 elections.
The request for a response is just that, however. The Supreme Court could still decline to take up the case. The high court is already deliberating over a voting rights case in Louisiana, the decision in which could impact its decision on the California map. In October, arguments concluded in a landmark voting rights case, Louisiana v. Callais that will determine whether Louisiana’s 2024 congressional map, which includes a second majority black district, is an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. A high court decision is expected any day.
Posted by: Frank G ||
01/24/2026 07:40 ||
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Link ||
[1765 views]
Top|| File under: Tin Hat Dictators, Presidents for Life, & Kleptocrats
#1
Given that the justices allowed Texas Republicans’ gerrymandered map to stand, most thought the Supreme Court would allow the Los Angeles district court’s ruling earlier this month validating California’s new map to stand as well.
So MSN is admitting the CA moves are just gerrymandering.
Brian, a mental ill democrat who was worried about losing his X account pulled his car into his garage and then sealed the doors and windows the best he could.
He got back into his car, rolled up all the windows, selected his favorite playlist and started the car.
Brian, a mental ill democrat who was worried about losing his X account pulled his car into his garage and then sealed the doors and windows the best he could.
He got back into his car, rolled up all the windows, selected his favorite playlist and started the car.
2 days later, a worried neighbor looked through the garage window and saw Brian in the car.
She called 911 and the emergency services came out. They broke into Brian's garage and pulled him from the car.
A little sip of water and surprisingly he was in perfect condition, but his Tesla had a dead battery.
Brian is a registered democrat who voted for Kamala.
[JTN] Last July several Democrats left the state to meet with the governors of Illinois and California to look for ways to oppose a Congressional redistricting effort underway in Texas. Gov. Abbott ordered them to return to Austin.
[JTN] The governor said California is now the first and only state to join WHO's Global Outbreak Alert & Response Network, which is designed to rapidly detect, verify, assess, and respond to emerging public health threats.
Because of its lethality and epidemic potential, Nipah has been classified as a priority pathogen by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which has called for urgent research and development, including work on animal and human vaccines.
#5
#2 - November, from Gov office. 2028 from the political scene
Posted by: Frank G ||
01/24/2026 12:05 Comments ||
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#6
WHO told everybody to wear masks and stay home for covid but Newsom did not wear a mask when he took family and friends to dine at the French Laundry in Napa. Given WHO's track record and CCP's influence over it, I'm glad to hear that American health officials can find our own way to deal with deadly new bat-borne viruses. I'll take their advice instead of Newsom's. But, yes DV, I'll be forced to pay Newsom for his.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
01/24/2026 13:04 Comments ||
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[FoxNews] DeSantis blasts the federal requirement as 'something you'd expect in Orwell's 1984' after Massie's amendment fails
Fifty-seven Republicans voted with the vast majority of Democrats on Thursday to keep a Biden-era mandate enabling government remote control of vehicles, drawing backlash from conservatives like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The group voted to defeat an amendment proposed by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., that would have rolled back government requirements for the development of a "kill switch" to disable the cars of impaired drivers.
That amendment failed by a 164-268 vote.
If successful, the amendment would have been folded into a much larger bill to fund the departments of War, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation and Health and Human Services. That larger package went on to pass the chamber in a bipartisan 341-88 vote on Thursday.
DeSantis, who has championed small-government policies in the Sunshine State, blasted the amendment vote in a post to X on Friday morning.
"The idea that the federal government would require auto manufacturers to equip cars with a ‘kill switch’ that can be controlled by the government is something you’d expect in Orwell’s 1984," DeSantis said, referring to the fictional novel by George Orwell warning readers against totalitarianism.
DeSantis’ frustration echoed that of other lawmakers who were left concerned.
Massie included his amendment to counter language under current law that requires the development of the kill switch technology.
A provision included in the Biden-era Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act directed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to develop new standards for car manufacturers to restrict impaired driving.
HOUSE ADVANCES $1.2T PACKAGE WITH ICE FUNDING AFTER REPUBLICANS OVERCOME INFIGHTING
It would "passively monitor the performance of a driver of a motor vehicle … and prevent or limit motor vehicle operation if impairment is detected," according to the law’s text.
Although Biden’s Infrastructure Act required the development of that rule in November 2024, NHTSA has not yet issued such a requirement. In a report to Congress, NHTSA explained that it was working "diligently" to develop a reliable kill switch.
"NHTSA is continuing to review technology for the ability and potential to detect driver impairment. The agency is working closely with industry partners as technology continues to be developed to passively and accurately detect impairment," the agency wrote.
NHTSA said difficulties remain in parsing out drunk driving from drowsy or distracted behavior.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment on the vote or on whether Republicans should consider some stand-alone piece of legislation to repeal the kill-switch requirement.
#1
My gauge on whether a bill is bad is whether my congressman, David Joyce joins the Dems in supporting it. I measure how heinous it is based on how many other of his ilk emerge like meerkats of corruption to cast an aye in solidarity with whatever special interest has bid for their services this vote.
Posted by: Super Hose ||
01/24/2026 7:48 Comments ||
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#2
OTOH__ think of the economic uptick from a new cottage industry for disabling the disabler.
(On the Third Hand, disabling Congress might work better)
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
[Just The News] Former President Joe Biden paused liquified natural gas exports while the Energy Department completed a study to see if increased exports were in the public interest. The study, released over a year ago, predicted exports would drive up domestic prices. The exact opposite has happened.
