'I Am Your Champion': Nigel Farage Makes Case For UK Crypto Reform

Authored by Mat Di Salvo via Decrypt.co,

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said Monday that the digital asset space needs better regulation in Britain. 

Speaking at the Digital Asset Summit 2025 in London, Farage said that there is no regulated market for crypto in the UK right now.

He called for "sensible regulation, not the ludicrous regulation we now have on equities and elsewhere" in the country. 

"This whole area of digital assets and crypto just isn't being talked about at all," Farage said.

"We've got no regulated market. You need some regulation—a sensible level of regulation."

He added:

"My deep frustration—despite one speech by [ex-UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak] on this, the government of today has done nothing in this area."

The former leader of the Conservative Party Rishi Sunak, who was PM from 2022 to 2024, said back in 2022 that he wanted the UK to be "a global crypto asset technology hub." 

Despite this, not a single major party mentioned crypto in their manifestos ahead of the 2024 elections in the UK. 

The co-founder of UK lobbying firm Athena Technologies, Conrad Young, in 2024 told Decrypt that this was "a significant missed opportunity."

Crypto is a key battle ground in the U.S. presidential election. But as the UK general election heats up, no major political party has taken a stance on the industry. Last week, the two major political parties in the UK published manifestos outlining their vision of the future. Across the combined 222 pages, there was not a single mention of crypto, blockchain, or CBDCs. In fact, broadening the search to include the three largest alternative UK political parties there is only one mention of thes...

Farage, an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, is now pushing for a crypto-friendly framework in the country—and similarly is presenting himself as an advocate for crypto investors and builders in his country as he makes his case to potentially be future UK prime minister.

"Whether you like or dislike many of the political positions I've taken over the past three decades is frankly irrelevant: When it comes to your industry, when it comes to growth in this industry, then I am your champion," he said.

"I make things change."

Widely known as the mastermind of Britain's decision to leave the European Union, Farage and his Reform UK party are currently popular in the polls. 

The former member of the European Parliament got his account with British bank Coutts closed in 2023. Since then, right-winger Farage has argued that crypto can solve "debanking"—again echoing comments from President Trump and his sons.

"I am the most famous case of being debanked in this country. Here is personal sovereignty—you've got your own money, you're in charge," Farage said Monday.

"The reason that I was the first prominent person in British politics to adopt crypto, to talk about crypto, to try and legitimize crypto… I could see this is the way it was going."

In May, Farage said at the Bitcoin 2025 conference that he'd slash crypto capital gains taxes and force the Bank of England to establish a Bitcoin reserve if elected.

Tyler Durden Tue, 10/14/2025 - 07:45

Stocks Surge, Small Caps Erase All Losses Post-Trump As USTR Says Trump-Xi Meeting Still 'Scheduled'

Update (1145ET): US Trade Representative Lamieson Greer told CNBC that "there is a scheduled time for that,” when asked about the possibility of a Trump-Xi meeting, even as Trump has cast doubt on whether the meeting will take place because of China’s new export controls.

Greer also noted that China has now “realized they have overstepped” with its rare earths export controls that he says came “out of nowhere.”

“We’ve been pretty successful in finding a path forward with them in the past, so we think we’ll be able to work through it,” Greer says

That helped extend gains in stocks, pushing Small Caps all the way up to unchanged since President Trump's initial China 'hostile' tweet from Friday...

It appears the China rhetoric overnight has quickly been forgotten.

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Global equity futures slipped on Tuesday after China vowed to "fight to the end" in its trade war with the U.S., following President Trump's threat last week to impose 100% tariffs on Chinese goods. Despite Washington's attempts to soften its tone over the weekend, tensions are intensifying into the new week: both countries are imposing new docking fees on each other's vessels, signaling deepening Sino-US relations ahead of Trump-Xi talks. Adding to the flaring tensions, Beijing sanctioned five U.S. subsidiaries of South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean, while U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused China of deliberately undermining the global economy.

Trump's move last Friday to threaten Beijing with an additional 100% tariff on Chinese goods, in response to China's sweeping new export controls on rare earths and ahead of a planned Trump-Xi meeting later this month, signals that both sides are trying to gain as much leverage as possible before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in South Korea. 

The Chinese Commerce Ministry condemned the Trump administration's tactics, calling them incompatible with dialogue. "If you wish to fight, we shall fight to the end; if you wish to negotiate, our door remains open," a ministry spokesperson said.

"The United States cannot simultaneously seek dialogue while threatening to impose new restrictive measures. This is not the proper way to engage with China," the ministry said.

On Sunday, Trump walked back his rhetoric in a Truth Social post that said "it will all be fine", adding that the U.S. wants to "help" China. This relief sent global equities soaring on Monday, yet the outlook darkened on Tuesday after the ministry sanctioned South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha. 

China's Commerce Ministry wrote in a statement that Hanwha Ocean's five U.S. subsidiaries, Hanwha Shipping LLC, Hanwha Philly Shipyard Inc., Hanwha Ocean USA International LLC, Hanwha Shipping Holdings LLC, and HS USA Holdings Corp, are sanctioned over "assisting and supporting the U.S. government's probes and measures against Chinese maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors. China is strongly dissatisfied and resolutely opposes it." 

Earlier Tuesday, Beijing confirmed it had begun imposing additional port fees on vessels linked to the U.S., while clarifying that Chinese-built ships would be exempt from the new charges. This tit-for-tat followed the U.S. decision to impose on Chinese vessels at U.S. ports.

Also, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told the Financial Times that Beijing is trying to damage the global economy with its export controls on rare earths and critical minerals, sending some global supply chains into snarled conditions. 

"This is a sign of how weak their economy is, and they want to pull everybody else down with them," Bessent said on Monday, adding, "Maybe there is some Leninist business model where hurting your customers is a good idea, but they are the largest supplier to the world. If they want to slow down the global economy, they will be hurt the most."

Bessent added, "They are in the middle of a recession/depression, and they are trying to export their way out of it. The problem is they're exacerbating their standing in the world."

There's been a flurry of developments on the U.S.-China front. UBS analyst Joe Dickinson broke down the past 24 hours, removing the noise to explain market impacts:

EStoxx fell 20bp to start, following U.S. futures lower. Commentary from both the U.S. and China on Trade was conciliatory overnight. China's commerce ministry indicated working-level talks were held Monday, Treasury Secretary Bessent confirmed that Trump and Xi are still expected to meet at the APEC Summit at the end of the month.

But price action in Asia is cautious and weaker again. Nikkei cash dropped 2.8% while futures were down 1.7%. China reopens lower in the afternoon session, with CSI300 down 80bp after China's Ministry of Commerce announced curbs on five U.S. units of Hanwha Ocean in response to U.S. probes against Chinese maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding industries, as well as reports that China has started charging port fees for U.S. ships. Note that Samsung slid 4% post earnings.

S&P 500 futures are down a little more than 1% while Nasdaq 100 contracts fell 1.5%. 

Sea of red across global equity futures. 

Bitcoin's rebound losing momentum. 

WTI futures tumbling. 

Treasuries bid. US10Y tags 4%. 

Now we wait to see whether the Trump administration doubles-down on their tit-for-tat-ing or steadies the ship again?

Tyler Durden Tue, 10/14/2025 - 07:26

Steve Jobs Vs Tim Cook: How The Tenures Of Both Apple CEOs Compare

From a scrappy garage startup to the world’s most valuable company, Apple’s journey is closely tied to the legacies of its two most influential CEOs: Steve Jobs and Tim Cook.

This visual, created by Made Visual Daily via Visual Capitalist, compares the two eras side by side. It highlights key milestones, product launches, and the company’s market capitalization growth.

The data comes from publicly available sources.

Under Steve Jobs, Apple’s market cap surged from $2.5 billion to $350 billion, driven by iconic releases like the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Meanwhile, Tim Cook has overseen a staggering $3.1 trillion increase in value, with the company reaching $3.7 trillion in 2025, bolstered by services, AirPods, Apple Silicon, and even the Apple Vision Pro.

Jobs: The Product Visionary

Jobs returned to Apple in 1997 during a time of crisis. Over the next 14 years, he delivered breakthrough products that redefined industries—from the original iMac and iPod to the game-changing iPhone and iPad. These weren’t just gadgets—they reshaped how people interact with technology.

The launch of the App Store in 2008 also set the foundation for Apple’s massive software and services ecosystem, now a major profit center for the company.

Cook: The Scaler and Strategist

When Cook took over in 2011, many questioned if Apple could continue innovating. But Cook’s operational acumen allowed the company to scale globally, optimize margins, and diversify revenue streams. Under his leadership, Apple launched the Apple Watch, AirPods, Apple Pay, and custom silicon (M1 chip), while significantly expanding its services segment.

Today, Apple’s ecosystem includes hardware, services, entertainment, and finance. Cook has successfully shepherded the company into new growth areas, helping it weather challenges like supply chain crises and slowing smartphone growth.

The Longevity of Leadership, and the Question of What’s Next

Cook has now led Apple longer than Jobs. His quiet, operational style has proved durable, weathering global disruptions while continuing to expand Apple’s footprint in China, health, and AI.

But with his tenure entering its twilight, attention is turning toward succession. Some analysts point to COO Jeff Williams or SVP of Services Eddy Cue as likely candidates, while others speculate that rising stars like John Ternus or Craig Federighi could take the reins.

As Apple’s next chapter unfolds, the bar remains high: Cook took the world’s most innovative company and turned it into one of its most valuable ones. The next leader will have to chart a path for both growth and reinvention.

As noted in this 2023 CNBC profile, Cook emphasizes collaboration and expects innovation from every level of the company. Whoever takes the reins next will need to balance Apple’s culture of secrecy with a rapidly evolving tech landscape—from AI to augmented reality.

For how many years was Apple the most valuable company in the U.S. between 1995 to 2025? Find out in this nifty visualization on Voronoi.

Tyler Durden Tue, 10/14/2025 - 06:55

Russia Accuses Ukrainian Intelligence Of Using ISIS For Assassination Plot

Via The Cradle

The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) stated on Monday that its officers foiled a terrorist attack in Moscow that was planned by ISIS under the direction of Ukrainian intelligence.

ISIS operatives sought to target a high-ranking Russian Defense Ministry official using an explosive device in a densely populated area of the capital city, the agency said in a statement.

Via Associated Press

"The FSB has prevented a sabotage and terrorist act against one of the senior officers of the Russian Defense Ministry, organized by Ukrainian special services in coordination with leaders of the international terrorist organization Islamic State (banned as a terrorist organization in Russia)," the FSB statement said.

Four suspects connected to the plot were detained, including a native of a Central Asian country. The FSB alleged that the plan was developed by Ukrainian intelligence and would have been carried out by a suicide bomber recruited by an ISIS member named Saidakbar Gulomov.

“On instructions from Ukrainian handlers, S. Gulomov remotely directed the perpetrator's actions from Ukraine and several Western European countries using multiple foreign messaging applications,” the FSB added.

Gulomov allegedly provided the attacker with funds, information about the target, and materials for assembling explosive devices smuggled into Russia by Ukrainian intelligence using drones.

According to the FSB, Gulomov was also involved in the killing of Russian Lieutenant General Kirillov, commander of the Russian Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Defense Troops, in December 2024.

The FSB claims the attack on Kirillov was also orchestrated by Ukrainian intelligence. Monday's foiled terror attack “once again demonstrates the close coordination between the Kiev regime and international terrorist organizations,” the Russian intelligence service stated.

In March 2024, four gunmen attacked a concert hall near Moscow, opening fire on the more than 5,000 people gathered to watch the Russian rock group Piknik. At least 145 people were killed in the attack.  

Russian authorities blamed the ISIS affiliate in Afghanistan, ISIS-Khorasan, for the attack, while also accusing Ukrainian intelligence of orchestrating it.

“The investigation has concluded that the terrorist act was planned and organized by the security services of an unfriendly state in order to destabilize the situation in Russia,” stated the Russian Investigative Committee, which was tasked with determining who was responsible. “Members of an international terrorist organization were recruited to carry it out.”

Tyler Durden Tue, 10/14/2025 - 06:30

Majority Supports Social Media Ban For Children

Australia passed a social media ban for teenagers and children under the age of 16 in December, which applies to companies including Instagram, X and TikTok. The measure is intended to reduce the “social harm” done to young Australians and is set to come into force on December 10, 2025. Tech giants will be up against fines of up to A$49.5 million ($31 million) if they do not adhere to the rules.

The new law was approved on November 28, 2024, with support from a majority of the general public. However, the blanket ban sparked backlash from several child rights groups who warn that it could cut off access to vital support, particularly for children from migrant, LGBTQIA+ and other minority backgrounds.

Critics argue it could also push children towards less regulated areas of the internet.

The new legislation is the strictest of its kind on a national level and comes as other countries grapple with how best to regulate technology in a rapidly-evolving world.

As Statista's Anna Fleck shows in the chart below, using data from an Ipsos survey fielded in August 2025, it’s not just Australians who support a full ban of social media for children and young teens.

You will find more infographics at Statista

An average of seven in ten respondents across the 30 countries surveyed said the same.

In France, an even higher share of adults (85 percent) held the view that children under the age of 14 should not be allowed social media either inside or outside of school.

This belief was far less common in Germany (53 percent). Consensus has been growing in countries around the world, with a growing number of respondents agreeing that such bans should be put in place across almost all countries surveyed, except for in India, Thailand and Hungary, where the opposite was true.

Sentiments on smartphone use differed by generation. Where 39 percent of Gen Z said they would support a ban on smartphones in schools, the figure was far higher among older generations (69 percent of Boomers, 61 percent of Gen X and 57 percent of Millennials.)

Tyler Durden Tue, 10/14/2025 - 05:45

Saudi Arabia's Debt Surge: Cementing Reliance On International Funding

Authored by Nick Smallwood via BondVigilantes.com,

The increasing liquidity squeeze in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) financial system has been causing heightened levels of debate for some time.

A growing economy and the financial demands of the mega-projects that are under way are hoovering up cash faster than the domestic system can supply it. For context, recent reports suggest that the new city of NEOM could cost $8.8tn to build, which is around 25 times KSA’s annual budget.

Until recently, the Saudi business complex was able to meet its financial needs by raising money locally, generally via bank loans or by issuing sukuks into the strong domestic investor base (often private banks managing the wealth of high-net-worth individuals). However, the system has become too stretched. Credit growth has outstripped deposit growth for several years, while local investors buying financial assets must withdraw money from their bank accounts to do so, meaning that financial investments cause a reduction in banks’ deposit funding as local funding is cannibalised.

On top of that, deliberate oil production cuts and weaker oil prices have reduced oil revenues from SAR 857bn in 2022 to a projected SAR 608bn in 2025, contributing to a swing in the national budget from a surplus of 2.2% of GDP to a projected deficit of 4% over the period (using IMF numbers). The deliberate attempt to diversify away from oil therefore comes at a budgetary cost, at least for now, meaning that the country needs to attract more external funding.

If domestic liquidity is challenged, the logical step for a highly-rated country to take is to seek funding from abroad, which is precisely what has occurred. International debt issued by KSA and its large banks/corporates has surged in recent years. KSA sovereign and quasi-sovereign issuances now account for 5.1% of the most widely used EM sovereign bond index (JPM EMBI), meaning that it is now the largest issuer in that index. Its corporates now account for 4.3% of the corporate version of that index (JPM CEMBI), in which it has become the fourth-largest constituent. That represents a stunning change in its international market presence.

A glance at financial sector balance sheets shows that the need for international funding is structural – it is here to stay. Overall bank loans have grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14% since 2019, with deposits growing by just 8% over the same period. In cash terms, loans have doubled from SAR 1.5tn in 2019 to SAR 3.0tn as at end-2024, while deposits have increased much less, from SAR 1.8tn to SAR 2.7tn. In 2019, therefore, the financial system had more than enough deposits to fund the economy’s credit needs; by 2024, this is patently no longer the case. In fact, the system’s loans/deposits ratio has weakened from 86% to 110% over the period. The conclusion is simple: banks are now dependent on wholesale funding if the current rate of credit growth is to be maintained.

Source: SAMA

We can see the scale of the change in issuance of international bonds, which has soared in the past few years. In 2023, KSA banks issued $2.0bn of bonds, accounting for around 6% of total issuance from the Saudi complex. In 2024, this grew to $6.8bn (14% of total), while so far this year banks have already issued $14.9bn of bonds, comprising 27.4% of all Saudi issuance. And it’s not just the banks that are issuing more debt internationally. KSA’s funding needs mean that it is issuing through every vehicle at its disposal, including cash-rich Aramco and its sovereign wealth fund (PIF). Total Saudi debt issuance ballooned from $36bn in 2023, equating to around $3bn per month, to $54bn year-to-date or around $6.4bn per month.

Source: Bloomberg

It is very clear where all this leads: the KSA complex is structurally increasing its reliance on international debt markets. Banks are taking an ever-greater share of Saudi issuance, which also seems to be a persistent trend. KSA is therefore increasingly dependent on international investment to fund its domestic priorities, while the abundance of supply and the prevalence of more price-sensitive foreign investors in its investor base means that Saudi bonds may struggle to perform for a while. We wrote previously that the technicals of the sukuk market would generally assure tight spreads and strong performance (see here). The times, they are a-changin’ – that model no longer applies.

Tyler Durden Tue, 10/14/2025 - 05:00

Another Nuclear Warning From Medvedev, This Time Over Tomahawks

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has issued a nuclear warning in the face of reports that Washington may authorize transferring US long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine.

President Trump's latest remarks weighing in on the issue saw him veil his intentions in usually cryptic wording. Aboard Air Force One while traveling to the Middle East earlier Monday he had said Tomahawks are a "very offensive weapon," noting, "honestly, Russia does not need that."

Via The Guardian/Shutterstock

Headlines throughout the say said he 'might' approve of sending them. These are missiles capable of hitting Moscow. This is also as last month Trump surprised observers by claiming that Ukraine could still 'win' the war and actually regain territory.

Medvedev's chilling response on Monday spelled out that this "could end badly for everyone … most of all, for Trump himself," according to a translation of his Telegram post.

"It's been said a hundred times, in a manner understandable even to the star-spangled man, that it's impossible to distinguish a nuclear Tomahawk missile from a conventional one in flight," Medvedev, who serves as the Russian Security Council Deputy Chair, further noted.

Medvedev here is alluding to Russian strategic doctrine. In a scenario where Moscow leaders believed or suspected a nuclear payload had been launched at Russia, its military would have the right to respond in kind, with nukes.

The past couple months have seen Trump and Medvedev direct threatening messages at each other, particularly related to Trump proclaiming that he had deployed a pair of nuclear submarines somewhere near Russia.

Thankfully it has all so far been confined to social media barbs, and not any clear instance of either side's strategic forces being placed on emergency alert.

But Medvedev's latest message is meant as a clear 'red line' warning to Washington - that things could rapidly and uncontrollably escalate in Ukraine if the US sends Tomahawk missiles to use against Russia.

BREAKING:

Trump:

“If this war isn’t m going to get settled, I’m going to send them (Ukraine) Tomahawks. It’s an incredible, very offensive weapon” pic.twitter.com/9kpfoJfc8u

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) October 12, 2025

President Zelensky has meanwhile sought to make clear he won't target anything but military sites with them, in an effort to convince Washington these long-range missiles can be deployed 'responsibly'.

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Tyler Durden Tue, 10/14/2025 - 04:15

Germany's Auto Summit: Spectacle Over Substance, Economy At Risk

Submitted by Thomas Kolbe

Politics is the art of the possible, as Otto von Bismarck famously said. The auto summit at the Chancellery shows that, in Germany, nothing seems to work anymore. Politics refuses any gradual departure from the eco-socialist course.

Thursday was an eventful day—at least from the federal government’s perspective. No sooner had Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his deputy Lars Klingbeil given the bottomless pit of “citizens’ income” a new label than they turned to the next crisis hotspot of the republic: the collapsing automotive industry.

At the auto summit convened by the Chancellor, government members, state premiers of affected regions, business representatives, and unions gathered to discuss the future of eroding automotive production.

Dramatic Situation

The situation was clear—and dramatic. Since 2018, the German automotive sector has suffered a 25 percent production decline. In just the past twelve months, 50,000 jobs have been lost. One of the pillars of the German economy is eroding—unstoppably.

The reasons are obvious: a homegrown energy crisis due to the exit from Russian gas and nuclear power, the politically forced transformation to electric mobility, and relentless competition from China. All of this makes life hell for manufacturers.

This diagnosis applies to the entire German economy. Energy-intensive production under current regulatory and energy-policy conditions is simply no longer competitive. Around 250,000 industrial jobs have been cut since 2018—well-paid skilled workers are losing their positions—so much for the supposed skills shortage.

Logic in Exile

The obvious consequence—hundreds of thousands of jobs at risk in the coming months—would be a radical course correction: the end of the ideologically ossified Green Deal, which has turned Europe into a high-risk zone for international capital.

But what counts as “normal” in German politics or in Brussels offices anymore? As with the citizens’ income, the auto summit is less about solutions than about spectacle. Willingness to reform is faked, competence feigned—while the system that created the crisis remains untouched. Illusion over substance, show over content.

The economy’s quiet grumbling over energy costs and the electric-vehicle dead end was dispersed by Merz, Klingbeil, and co. in the usual way: a new, multibillion-euro subsidy for electric cars is supposed to bring the turnaround. An instrument that recently failed has now been resurrected, as the new special fund seems to make politics’ horizons infinite.

To appease criticism within their own ranks regarding the combustion engine ban, the Chancellor floated an extension for plug-in hybrids and range extenders. But fundamentally, the combustion engine ban remains, following the SPD line, which essentially mirrors the green hardline ideology that has driven the economy to collapse. Everything else is window dressing to make the political slogan of technological openness appear meaningful.

Media Games and Hardline Ideology

Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil of the SPD also spoke, harmoniously and in agreement with the substance. He endorsed pragmatism and flexibility—in plain terms: We recognize that automotive production in Germany may soon belong to the past. But essentially, that does not bother us, since we trust it will no longer be needed in eco-socialist Europe under Brussels anyway.

According to the Berlin bubble’s political vision, family cars and second vehicles will soon be relics. The future of mobility should be green, just not individual. It is based on a confused plan for state-operated public transport.

The few electric cars approved in the distant future are likely to be privileged status symbols, rarely owned, usually rented for short periods. Green revenge on the long-resisting German citizen.

To be clear: this auto summit called by the Chancellor was nothing but a political show. A carefully staged media event, fitting seamlessly into the PR games Merz treats as a form of politics. Consider the “Made for Germany” coffee klatsch, which faked an investment offensive, or the almost embarrassing rebranding of citizens’ income into basic security.

Regardless of the coalition constellation over recent years, the goal has always been the same: to consistently push the restructuring of the economy into an eco-socialist foundation in key sectors of industry and energy.

Predictable End

The ruling political ideology’s preferred solution—and the one that applies to all economic misdevelopments today—is predictable: new subsidies and another electric car purchase bonus. The summit ends as no one should be surprised. The long-dried subsidy channels of the green favored economy are flooded with fresh state credit. True to the stock-market motto: the tide lifts all boats.

Anyone following the bond markets closely can see that this policy is bound to end in fiscal, economic, and ultimately societal fiasco. About three years ago, secular shifts away from increasingly risky government bonds began, making financing of political grandiose dreams more difficult in the future. The end of this policy will come when the bond market finally lowers its thumb. Until then, we can look forward to the next summit.

 

* * * 

About the author: Thomas Kolbe, a German graduate economist, has worked for over 25 years as a journalist and media producer for clients from various industries and business associations. As a publicist, he focuses on economic processes and observes geopolitical events from the perspective of the capital markets. His publications follow a philosophy that focuses on the individual and their right to self-determination.

 

Tyler Durden Tue, 10/14/2025 - 03:30

Africa Is Home To 16 Of The World's 20 Fastest Growing Populations

At current rates, it will take 133 years for America’s population to double given aging demographics and low fertility rates.

By contrast, several countries in Africa and the Middle East are set to double in a quarter century. For instance, Kinshasa, in the DRC, is forecast to be among the most populous cities worldwide by 2080 given rapid population growth.

This graphic, via Visual Capitalist's Dorothy Neufeld, shows the fastest-growing populations in the world, based on data from the United Nations.

Years for the Fastest Growing Populations to Double in Size

Below, we show countries with the fastest annual doubling rates at current projections:

As we can see, Oman and Syria are set to double their population in just 20 years.

Overall, the population of Arab states are projected to double in 36 years, supported by average fertility rates of 3.2 births per women. Yemen and Afghanistan each are set to double in size in 24 and 26 years, respectively.

In Africa, the Central African Republic and Somalia are set to reach this milestone in 21 years, making them the fastest-growing populations on the continent. Perhaps even more strikingly, the DRC, with a population of 112.8 million in 2025, could double by 2047.

Going further, the DRC is set to become the fifth-most populous country in 2100, up from 15th in 2025. Meanwhile, Nigeria is set to the fourth-largest by population after India, China, and Pakistan.

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the fastest shrinking countries in the world.

Tyler Durden Tue, 10/14/2025 - 02:45

Is Ukraine Training Drug Cartel Mercenaries From Latin America?

Authored by Liz Heflin via Remix News,

Recent reports highlight that some individuals, including those with criminal connections, have come to Ukraine to gain experience with drones, learning advanced tactics and hoping to take that knowledge back to their criminal bosses.

It has been well documented that many foreigners, including Latin Americans, have gone to fight in Ukraine. Some go for the paycheck, others for the cause — Ukrainian independence. 

Some apparently were not prepared for all-out war. “There have been instances where, after facing intense combat, some Colombians decided to leave,” reads a CEPA article from October 2024. 

That same article does note one Colombian who told CEPA “he has heard from home that the cartels in Colombia have already taken lessons from the war in Ukraine, and are using First Person View (FPV) drones to strike at the army and police.” 

Rumors that Ukraine directly recruits mercenaries from drug cartels in Latin America have others crying disinformation, although they admit there have been “isolated cases.”

French outlet Intelligence Online, cited by a Russian website, The Insider, reported in July that Mexican intelligence had warned its Ukrainian counterpart that cartel members from Mexico and Colombia had signed up to serve in Ukraine to gain specialized drone training to take back home and use for “foreign criminal organizations.”

They also mention a Mexican and Colombian company by name, one of which popped up in Polish customs reports; both are linked to drug trafficking. Investigation into this report is supposedly ongoing. 

As to such reports being disinformation, a website linked directly to the Russian military does not help dispel this claim. The content appears to be all AI-generated, complete with a byline photo for several articles that looks almost identical (middle-aged White man in dark suit) and with a similar vanilla American name (John Baker, William Moore, Fred Turner). The brief piece linked above from September pushes the line that Ukraine is actively recruiting from criminal groups. 

Hector Bernal, a military instructor, poses for a photo in La Mesa, Colombia, Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024. Bernal, a retired combat medic who runs a center for tactical medicine outside Bogotá, says that in the last eight months he’s trained more than 20 Colombians who later went on to fight in Ukraine. He says that a professional soldier who has six years in the army doesn’t make more than $600 a month in Colombia, but in Ukrain,e the soldiers are being paid $3,000 to $4000 a month. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia)

“Former Colombian officer says Ukraine enlists mercenaries from cartels and guerrilla groups like FARC and ELN, seeking combat training to aid criminal networks,” the lead reads. 

This line was parroted by a Bulgarian site, which went on to say that Colombian President Gustavo Petro had urgently called for a law banning mercenary activity, effectively joining the 1989 convention that prohibits and punishes the recruitment, use, financing, and training of mercenaries. 

Petro did make such a proclamation. But it was in response to Colombian mercenaries serving in Sudan’s notorious RSF, with these Colombians reportedly even being involved with training child soldiers. Oddly, and somewhat embarrassingly for Colombia — and Petro — Colombia reportedly already knew about their citizens in the RSF and issued a formal apology to Sudan for their involvement back in December 2024. 

Petro did just a few days ago call for Colombians to return home from Ukraine and to be allowed to do so in the wake of accusations that volunteers were being forced to sign contracts they did not understand (as they were in Ukrainian) and that they are being held against their will. 

“They have practically kidnapped us. They are armed. They have taken photos of us for the police. They don’t want to let us go,” one soldier told Colombia Reports. These volunteer soldiers, which the portal calls “mercenaries,” are claiming to have suffered “the worst humiliation at the hands of the people we came to help.”

President Petro himself posted on X just last week about the situation: “Ukrainians treat Colombians as an inferior race. I ask the Colombian mercenaries, who are being handled like cannon fodder, led by companies guided from Miami, to return to the country immediately.” 

Los ucranianos tratan a los Colombianos como raza inferior. pido a los Colombianos mercenarios,, que los están manejando como carne de cañón, llevados por empresas guiadas. desde Miami, que regresen de inmediato al país pic.twitter.com/gGlDnGMMy9

— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) October 8, 2025

FRANCE 24 Observers team indicated in November 2024 that Ukraine was posting on social media, including in English and Spanish, to attract soldiers from abroad. It also relayed stories of missing Colombian soldiers and distraught families back home. According to their research at the time, 57 Colombians had been killed in Ukraine and 77 were missing at the time. 

This site also notes that Colombia had “proposed legislation that would ban Colombian citizens from fighting in foreign wars” in August of 2024, whereas Petro only posted about it this past August. 

This is unfortunate timing for Zelensky supporters over in Europe, given the EU–CELAC Summit in Colombia next month. Just a couple of days ago, Petro posted photos of his meeting with Ursula von der Leyen, where they were all smiles and full of hope regarding future deals to be done. 

Esperaremos al mundo europeo en Santa Marta. Espero que está inmensa reunión entre América Latina y Europa sea un encuentro de culturas y una alternativa de Nueva Alianza.

Energías limpias, conocimiento, turismo y fibra óptica.

Esperamos al pueblo de Santa Marta en el gran acto… https://t.co/YXQgNOJZzQ

— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) October 10, 2025

Ukraine is actively recruiting, as proven by its military’s own recruitment site. But their pitch isn’t exactly “free drone training for narco bosses.” Instead, it attempts to inspire Latin Americans to see the Ukrainian cause as their own.

The site claims that thousands of Latin American volunteers have joined the war effort and proceeds to give stories of three Ukrainians “whose names are inscribed in the history of various Latin American countries.”

“Now heroic volunteers from various countries of South America have inscribed their names in the history of Ukraine and are writing a new, perhaps the most important, page in the history of Ukrainian-Latin American relations,” it reads. 

This is a far cry from any direct recruitment from drug cartels. And it certainly does not scream any sort of active collaboration or deal between Ukraine and criminal organizations to help get them drone training or technology. 

FILE – In this May 3, 2020, file photo, Venezuelan security forces guard the shore and a boat in which authorities claim a group of armed men landed in the port city of La Guaira, Venezuela, calling it an armed maritime incursion from neighboring Colombia. A judge in Colombia sentenced three Venezuelan men on Tuesday, May 18, 2021, to six years in prison for helping organize the ill-conceived plot to remove President Nicolás Maduro involving former American Green Berets. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix, File)

Unfortunately, for those who do sign up, whether they are official mercenaries for drug lords or simply looking to join the cause, the risks don’t stop once they leave Ukraine — if they leave alive. In the summer of 2024, two Colombians on their way home from Ukraine were detained by Venezuela, where they had a layover. They were immediately sent to Moscow, highlighting Putin’s close alliance with Maduro, where they were charged by Russia for serving as mercenaries fighting against Russia. 

According to TASS, both have pleaded guilty and face up to 15 years in prison.. 

Read more here...

Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ZeroHedge.

Tyler Durden Tue, 10/14/2025 - 02:00

These Are America's Most Dangerous Cities, According To Citizens

Where do American’s feel the least safe?

To answer this question, Visual Capitalist's Marcus Lu visualized the results of Numbeo’s Crime Index, which reveals how people perceive safety in their own city as of mid-2025.

Unlike FBI or police statistics, this index reflects public sentiment through crowdsourced surveys.

Data & Discussion

Numbeo’s Crime Index uses a scale from 0 (very safe) to 100 (very dangerous), based on residents’ self-reported experiences and perceptions. The survey covers various aspects of crime, including:

• General perception of crime levels

• Perceived safety during day and night

• Concerns about specific crimes (mugging, robbery, car theft, physical attacks, etc.)

• Severity of property crime (burglary, theft, vandalism)

• Severity of violent crime (assault, homicide, sexual offenses)

Overall, this index provides an alternative lens on urban safety that is shaped more by everyday life than by crime reports. Here’s how to interpret the results:

• Very Low Crime: 20 and below

• Low Crime: 20.01-40

• Moderate Crime: 40.01-60

• High Crime: 60.01-80

• Very High Crime: above 80

Rank City State Crime Index 1 Memphis TN 78.0 2 Detroit MI 73.1 3 Baltimore MD 72.7 4 Albuquerque NM 71.7 5 Saint Louis MO 69.7 6 Oakland CA 68.7 7 New Orleans LA 66.9 8 Milwaukee WI 66.7 9 Chicago IL 66.1 10 Philadelphia PA 65.8 11 Atlanta GA 64.6 12 Houston TX 63.2 13 San Francisco CA 60.9 14 Indianapolis IN 60.2 15 Washington, DC DC 60.2 16 Kansas City MO 58.1 17 Portland OR 57.1 18 Jacksonville FL 56.6 19 Las Vegas NV 55.9 20 Minneapolis MN 55.6 21 Tucson AZ 54.8 22 Seattle WA 54.2 23 Los Angeles CA 53.9 24 Phoenix AZ 53.0 25 Miami FL 52.7 26 Dallas TX 51.2 27 New York NY 51.0 28 Columbus OH 49.6 29 Orlando FL 49.5 30 Sacramento CA 49.4 -- National Index Score -- 49.2 Memphis Leads the Rankings

At the top of the list, Memphis, Tennessee registers the highest crime index score at 78, marking it as the city Americans perceive as the most unsafe in 2025.

Residents often cite issues with violent crime and property theft, contributing to its elevated perception of risk.

While Memphis has historically suffered from high crime rates, recent data shows safety is improving. In 2024, total crime in Memphis dropped by roughly 13.3%, with homicide down about 30% and motor vehicle theft down nearly 39%.

Rust Belt and Legacy Crime Centers

Detroit (73.1) and Baltimore (72.7) continue to rank among the top three most dangerous cities in the index.

Since 2008, both cities have struggled with the loss of key industries and jobs, eroding their economic base (and tax revenues). This fuels an increase in poverty rates, reduces the city’s capacity to respond, and destabilizes communities.

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Organized Crime Hot Spots Around the World on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Tyler Durden Mon, 10/13/2025 - 23:00

A Hint Of Opium Wars: Trump's Campaign Against The Fentanyl Epidemic

Submitted by Thomas Kolbe

The United States is waging a desperate fight against the killer drug fentanyl. Beyond Chinese producers and Mexican drug cartels, the northern neighbor Canada has now come under the American government’s scrutiny. The U.S. finds itself caught in a vise of drug money and asymmetric warfare.

In recent weeks, the U.S. Coast Guard made headlines with two spectacular operations: On September 2, 2025, the U.S. Navy sank a suspected Venezuelan drug boat in the southern Caribbean – according to President Trump, a speedboat operation by a “narco-terrorist” group. Eleven people on board died.

The latest incident occurred on October 3, 2025: another boat was destroyed near the Venezuelan coast, four people killed, large quantities of drugs seized. Two events that highlight a topic that has nearly been drowned out by customs policy noise, the Gaza war, and government shutdowns – the fentanyl epidemic, America’s silent war on the home front.

Echoes of the Opium Wars

The fentanyl crisis in the U.S. has taken monstrous proportions in recent years – documented in countless shocking videos of literally zombified streets in the country’s drug capitals such as Los Angeles or Philadelphia.

Approximately 110,000 people die annually from drug use. Around 75,000 deaths – nearly 200 per day – are attributed to the killer drug.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, roughly 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Even tiny amounts can be lethal, making it the global fuel of a new drug epidemic – cheap to produce, easy to smuggle, deadly. Its characteristics make it an ideal instrument to undermine an external enemy from within and disrupt parts of their social fabric.

As during the Opium Wars of the 19th century – when British opium was used as a geostrategic weapon in the struggle for trade surpluses against China, and Beijing’s resistance was exploited by Western powers to escalate – today’s situation feels like a replay: instead of sailing ships, containers transport industrial precursor chemicals; instead of colonial ambitions, geopolitical interests play a decisive role.

President Trump does not mince words in this conflict and already commented on the situation in February: “The continued supply of synthetic opioids has profound consequences for our nation, including the deaths of about 200 Americans per day. The Chinese Communist Party subsidizes and supports Chinese chemical companies that export fentanyl and precursor chemicals, which are sold to manufacture synthetic opioids illegally trafficked in the U.S.”

Geopolitical Dynamite

These are unmistakable words from the U.S. president. They cast Washington’s harsh trade policy in a new light: this is not merely economic power politics. It is undeniably a response to an industrially organized drug war, whose raw materials – according to allegations – originate in China, pass through Mexico, and ultimately flood American streets as a deadly final product.

Following Trump’s argument, a chilling picture emerges: the state-sponsored Chinese export model implies a diabolical, geopolitically aggressive strategy, coldly calculated and orchestrated by a system that combines economic power with lethal effect.

Against this backdrop, U.S. tariffs on China seem almost restrained – as if Washington wants to lull the opponent into a false sense of security before the big strike.

Shift of Focus to Canada

Looking north, at the Canadian border: journalist Sam Cooper recently highlighted in an interview that Canada has become a money-laundering hub for Chinese and Mexican drug cartels over the years.

He refers to the so-called Vancouver model, which in four years facilitated cumulative money laundering from U.S. drug trade exceeding $300 billion. Cooper criticizes the Canadian legislature for failing to effectively deploy the rule of law against these cartels. Moreover, the country has itself become a net producer of fentanyl, with Vancouver as a central hub of activity.

Here too, President Donald Trump is intensifying measures and directly linking a tough trade policy against Canada with the fentanyl crisis. Trump repeatedly hints that parts of Canada – especially the resource-rich province of Alberta – could one day switch sides and possibly become a new U.S. state – a provocation sending a clear message: we know what you are doing. And we will not yield without a fight.

The Enemy in the North

Canada appears in this light as a hostile state to the north of the United States, installed by the British after the lost War of Independence in 1776. Here again are the protagonists of the 19th-century Opium Wars.

Canada remains part of the Commonwealth of Nations and is formally represented by the English crown. A particularly curious case is the appointment of current Prime Minister Mark Carney: holding both British and Canadian citizenship, he was previously Governor of the Bank of England – an institution acting as a sort of clearinghouse for the City of London, one of the central players on the global financial chessboard.

In general, Carney is a problematic case. Like Mario Draghi (2021), Boris Johnson (2019), Rishi Sunak (2022), and Keir Starmer, he was selected through an obscure, democratically unaccountable process and placed in parliament as prime minister.

The divide between the new, conservative-patriotic, market-oriented U.S. government on one side, and the increasingly paternalistic-centralist forces of London and Brussels on the other, is widening politically and administratively.

Carney’s repeated alignment with European interests makes clear where the geopolitical front lies.

Both Europe and Canada should brace for further harsh responses in trade disputes with Washington. Provocations like the EU digital surveillance or the questionable punishment of American companies under the Digital Services Act will be met with direct sanctions.

Strategy Unfolded

While U.S. President Trump, on the foreign policy front, aims to cut off the sources of the drug war against the U.S. with clear messaging and tough tariffs, the White House also pursues a classic domestic strategy to tackle the fentanyl crisis. In July 2025, Trump signed the “HALT Fentanyl Act,” permanently classifying fentanyl and related substances as Schedule I drugs. The law mandates minimum sentences of ten years for possession of 100 grams or more.

Additionally, the administration tightened visa restrictions for suspected drug traffickers and their networks and is massively expanding border controls. Foreign policy-wise, Trump imposed punitive tariffs on China, Canada, and Mexico to pressure the main source countries, always with the unmistakable note of their role in the drug conflict.

Despite initial declines in death numbers, the fight remains complex: local resistance from radicalized leftists, alternative smuggling routes, and international entanglements require a multidimensional approach. Trump’s policy combines law enforcement, border security, and geopolitical pressure as the central pillars in the war against this epidemic.

The fact that Americans are now deploying heavy weaponry in their fight against the drug war – as in the Venezuelan boat case where military force was used – sends an unmistakable signal. Washington is taking the reins decisively and resolutely. The era in which external forces could destabilize the United States without major pushback is definitively over.

* * * 

About the author: Thomas Kolbe, a German graduate economist, has worked for over 25 years as a journalist and media producer for clients from various industries and business associations. As a publicist, he focuses on economic processes and observes geopolitical events from the perspective of the capital markets. His publications follow a philosophy that focuses on the individual and their right to self-determination.

 

Tyler Durden Mon, 10/13/2025 - 22:35

WA Teen Faces Civil Rights Complaint For Refusing To Play Basketball Against Male Athlete

Via American Greatness,

A high school basketball player in Washington state has been accused of bullying, harassment after she allegedly “misgendered” a male opponent who pretends to be a female.

The controversy began when an 18 year old biological male was allowed to play on a junior varsity team in the Tumwater School District, alongside 14 and 15-year-old female athletes.

15-year-old Frances Staudt noticed the obviously male athlete on the opposing team during her warm up for the final game of the season and asked the school’s athletic director whether the player was a male, but  was told that, in accordance with Washington state law, the school will not discriminate based on sexual identity.

Staudt then notified her coach that she was unwilling to play against a biological male opponent.

According to Staudt’s mother Aimee, Frances was so frustrated that, following the game, her daughter walked by the male player and told him, “You’re a man” prompting the school district to investigate Frances for ‘misgendering’ her opponent.

The state of Washington State:

- 15-year-old girl refuses to play basketball against 18-year-old man.

-15-year-old girl is charged with bullying, harassment, intimidation and “misgender*ng” him.

pic.twitter.com/JAErE4mPcO

— PNW Conservative (@UnderWashington) October 11, 2025

Aimee Staudt told Fox News that the school district could have avoided the situation, saying, “They knew, admittedly, that there was going to be this situation, and they had a meeting, the principal, the superintendent, and the athletic director to discuss the fact that this was a potential situation that was coming up.”

Aimee maintains that little controversy would have resulted if families had been notified of the situation beforehand, and players had been given the option to sit out the game.

Staudt said, “But they didn’t do that. They put the kids on the spot, and my daughter was the one that actually stood up in this situation, and… she was exposed… It was awful the way they handled it.”

The New York Post reports that the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) policy states that each athlete will participate in programs “consistent with their gender identity or the gender most consistently expressed,” and there are not even any medical or legal requirements.

Washington is one of a handful of Democrat-run states that have pushed back against President Trump’s executive order banning biological males from competing in women’s sports.

The school district released a statement last week stating, “As a district, we remain committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all students feel safe, supported, and valued.”

According to her mother, Frances received a letter late last week, stating that she had violated WIAA policy and that she could face further discipline if there are any further incidents.

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Tyler Durden Mon, 10/13/2025 - 20:05

Ukrainian Drones Spark Massive Blaze At Crimea's Largest Oil Terminal

Just a day after a major report in the Financial Times said that US intelligence has been helping Ukraine conduct long-range drone strikes on Russian oil facilities since at least July, major oil depot in Crimea caught fire overnight following a Ukrainian drone strike.

This marks the second time in a week that the the Feodosia facility has been struck and gone up in flames. Importantly, it is Crimea's largest oil storage and transshipment hub, with a capacity of around 250,000 tons.

Ukraine has hit a key Russian oil depot in Russia-occupied Crimea, causing massive fires. The key energy resource -- the largest oil storage and shipment hub on the peninsula -- sustained heavy damage, with multiple fires reported. pic.twitter.com/tg8EsqJnvT

— Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (@RFERL) October 13, 2025

Russian sources say that air defenses intercepted more than 20 drones targeting a fuel storage facility in the port city. The attack resulted in no casualties, amid a large emergency response to battle the blaze.

NASA’s fire monitoring system detected multiple active fires at the site, according to international reports.

In total Ukrainian forces sent some 40 drones to various areas of Crimea, and dozens more were sent against other targets in Russian territory.

Kiev and its Western backers have a clearly articulated objective to disrupt a key source of revenue funding Moscow's war effort - which has resulted in some success, given the reports of fuel and gasoline shortages, and rising prices across Russia.

Ukraine's military leadership has of late boasted that the operation over several months has cut Russia's oil refining capacity by 21%.

A source in Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) told the Kyiv Independent: "Drones hit at least five tanks. A large-scale fire is recorded on the territory of the oil depot," the source said.

Image: SBU

At a moment Russia's refinery woes are getting worse, the question of the US providing Tomahawks still remains an open one, and the Kremlin has said it would be "surprised" if the White House allowed such a serious and brazen escalation. 

International estimates are that thus far during the war Ukraine has struck at least 21 out of Russia's 38 refineries, some of them more than once, which has proven costly - also as sanctions have made it hard to find parts for quick repairs.

Tyler Durden Mon, 10/13/2025 - 19:40

Second Amendment Showdown: California Bans Glock Handguns In Major Challenge To Gun Rights

Authored by Jonathan Turley,

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed the long-anticipated “Responsible Gun Manufacturing Act,” Assembly Bill 1127, a law that may now trigger a major challenge under the Second Amendment. The law banned the Glock semi-automatic handguns that are a favorite of American gun owners, including former Vice President Kamala Harris.

The law constitutes one of the most ambitious gun bans since the Supreme Court ruled in District of Columbia v. Heller (2008) that gun ownership is an individual right.

At the time, Justice Antonin Scalia stressed that the Second Amendment protects all types of firearms “in common use at the time” for “lawful purposes like self-defense.”

Gun control advocates have been chipping away at this concept by arguing that a variety of popular weapons, such as the AR-15, cannot be considered “in common use at the time” of the ratification.

Scalia, however, joined Justice Clarence Thomas in 2015 in a dissent in the denial of certiorari in Friedman v. Highland Park, involving a local ban on semi-automatic firearms. Thomas wrote that “several Courts of Appeals… have upheld categorical bans on firearms that millions of Americans commonly own for lawful purposes” and that such rulings are  “noncompliance with our Second Amendment precedents.”

Thomas noted that such rulings suggested that states could ban “AR-style semiautomatic rifles” even though an “overwhelming majority of citizens who own and use such rifles do so for lawful purposes, including self-defense and target shooting. Under our precedents, that is all that is needed for citizens to have a right under the Second Amendment to keep such weapons.”

In the case of the AR-15, an estimated one in 20 Americans own such weapons. The Glock is even more popular. In 2021 alone, industry data shows that Glock produced 581,944 handguns with another 465,117 in 2022. It is also the weapon of choice for an estimated over 65 percent of law enforcement agencies.

Notably, we previously discussed how Vice President Kamala Harris made a less-than-convincing pitch to gun owners during her presidential run after years of calling for gun bans. She hailed her Glock as a cherished companion. As it became apparent that Harris was losing men generally, the campaign made ham-handed efforts to reinvent Harris. In a softball interview with Oprah, Harris declared that she is a gun owner and “if somebody breaks into my house, they’re getting shot.”

When liberals like CBS’s Bill Whitaker expressed shock at her new gun-toting persona on the campaign trail, he asked if she actually fired it.  Harris then did her best Rooster Cogburn, who noted “Well a gun that ain’t loaded, ain’t much good for nuthin.”

When she was the San Francisco District Attorney, Kamala Harris was one of the signatories on the District Attorneys’ amicus brief in District of Columbia v. Heller, in support of the handgun ban.

It convinced no one.

The California law will now take effect on July 1, 2026, “[banning] the sale of new Glock-brand pistols and Glock-style clones.” In my view, it is unconstitutional under prior Supreme Court precedent.

Democrats previously called for banning “Glock switches” that can be affixed to the rear of a Glock slide to make the pistol shoot full auto. However, such switches are already unlawful. They are now going after the gun itself, confirming the objections of gun rights groups that such early bans were moves to lay the foundation to ban semiautomatic weapons generally.

That seems borne out by the language of the bill. The text of AB 1127 says:

“A ‘machinegun-convertible pistol’ as any semiautomatic pistol with a cruciform trigger bar that can be readily converted by hand or with common household tools into a machinegun by the installation or attachment of a pistol converter, as specified, and “pistol converter” as any device or instrument that, when installed in or attached to the rear of the slide of a semiautomatic pistol, replaces the backplate and interferes with the trigger mechanism and thereby enables the pistol to shoot automatically more than one shot by a single function of the trigger.”

The legislation makes repeated reference to any weapon that can be “equipped with a pistol converter.” Thus, even though the Glock switches are unlawful, criminals still use them and thus the gun itself falls under this category as a “machine-gun convertible” weapon.

The Supreme Court has fueled these laws by repeatedly turning down review of bans.  States like Illinois outlawed some of the most commonly used rifles and magazines in America. In Bevis v. City of Naperville, the Seventh Circuit overturned the district court’s preliminary injunction against enforcement of the ban on the basis that the plaintiffs were unlikely to prevail.

While various Supreme Court Justices have expressed disagreement with Bevis, the Court refused to take up the case. However, Justice Kavanaugh said that the Court is likely to grant certiorari “in the next Term or two.”

California may have just filled that pledge.

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Tyler Durden Mon, 10/13/2025 - 19:15

Watch Live: SpaceX Starship Prepares For 11th Test Flight With Heatshield Stress Test, Orbital Demos

SpaceX is targeting a one-hour test flight of its Starship megarocket, with the launch window opening at 7:15 p.m. ET. This marks the 11th test flight, expanding on the success of the previous mission with a focus on data collection, heatshield stress testing, and orbital demonstrations, such as deployment of eight Starlink simulators. 

Starship Flight 11 aims to build on the momentum from SpaceX's latest and most successful launch of the year in August. That mission, the fourth of 2025 and tenth overall since 2023, signals continued progress as Elon Musk's rocket company seeks to accelerate the development of the fully reusable megarocket designed to carry humans and cargo to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

On track for today’s Starship flight test. The launch window is from 6:15 p.m. CT - 7:30 p.m. CT. Live coverage starts ~30 minutes before launch https://t.co/TSvQZvzB8b

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 13, 2025

Here's a breakdown of Starship Flight 11:

Mission Goals: Build on Flight 10's success, focusing on:

• Data collection for the next-generation Super Heavy booster

• Heatshield stress tests

• Return-to-launch-site maneuver simulations

Flight Safety: SpaceX continues coordination with the FAA and international air traffic authorities to minimize disruptions. During Flight 10, affected airspace reopened within 7–9 minutes.

Super Heavy Booster:

• Reused from Flight 8, with 24 Raptor engines.

• Will perform a new landing burn configuration with 13 engines igniting, then shifting to five during the divert phase, and finishing with three center engines for hover and splashdown.

• The booster will not return to Starbase but instead splash down in the Gulf of Mexico to collect data on engine transitions and real-world dynamics.

Starship Upper Stage:

• Conducts in-space objectives, including deploying eight Starlink simulators (same size as next-gen satellites).

• Includes an in-space Raptor relight test.

• Tiles have been intentionally removed to stress-test unprotected areas during reentry.

• Will execute a dynamic banking maneuver and subsonic guidance test before a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

Ahead of launch, cryptocurrency-based prediction market Polymarket shows...

Watch Live 

. . . 

Tyler Durden Mon, 10/13/2025 - 19:00

Syria Set To Allow Russia To Keep Its Strategic Military Bases In Country

Since the fall of longtime Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in December of last year, which has since drastically changed Syria into a hardline Sunni state no longer aligned with Tehran or Moscow, Russia's military began slowly moving its military assets from the region, essentially packing up its bases. 

Moscow has been seeking to negotiate with the new regime regime in Damascus to keep its two historic bases on the coast, especially the naval base at Tartus, which was for decades Russia's only deep-water Mediterranean naval port.

Source: syria.mil.ru

Behind the scenes negotiations have seem stalled for months, with little news, however, on Monday Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov weighed in after being silent on the issue. Khmeimim Air Base has lately played host to thousands of Alawite and Christian refugees being persecuted by Sunni radicals, including by government Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) troops.

Lavrov made clear that the Sharaa government is looking favorably on allowing Russia to keep its military presence on the coast, but under the guise of a more humanitarian and logistics purpose.

"Syria would like to maintain Russian military bases in the country, but may repurpose them for different tasks amid new realities, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during a meeting with journalists from Arab countries," according to TASS.

"The Syrian side is interested in maintaining our military bases there. As our president has repeatedly said, we will be guided by Syria’s interests in this matter," he emphasized. "It is clear that under the new circumstances, these bases may play a different role, not just as military outposts," Lavrov added.

"In particular, given the need to establish humanitarian flows to Africa, these may be sea and air bases serving as humanitarian hubs for sending humanitarian cargoes there, including to the Sahara-Sahel zone and other countries in need," Lavrov specified.

Damascus and its new rulers may have come to the practical conclusion that it's better for Russia to have a foothold in the region, at a moment Israel has continued to bomb Syrian cities and military sites with impunity. 

Source: BBC

If nothing else, a superpower's military being on the ground, even if just on the coast, could prove diplomatically beneficial to Syria - at a moment it has no anti-air defenses to speak of.

Russia and Turkey could be seen as playing a balancing act in the region in the face of Israeli aggression. Russia still has its own powerful anti-air defenses which protect its coastal assets, also near Latakia.

Tyler Durden Mon, 10/13/2025 - 18:50

Peter Schweizer: Mamdani Family Is "Joined At The Hip" With Foreign Radical Powers

Government Accountability Institute President Peter Schweizer joined Fox News' Mark Levin just days ago, revealing that New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani and his family have deep financial ties to Qatar's royal family - the very same family that harbored 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

Schweizer told Levin: 

"What people have to understand is that this election for mayor in New York is really a dark echo of the 9/11 terrorist attack. And you wonder, what do I mean by that? Well, look at the family itself, the Mamdani family itself, they are joined at the hip with the royal family of Qatar, the Al Thani family. They have  sent them millions of dollars, they have funded their projects. So why does this family matter? It matters because, back in 1996, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who was the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, was granted sanctuary by this very royal family."

The investigative reporter continued: 

"He was given a no show job at the Ministry of Water in Qatar, and it was there that he started planning the 911 attacks. The FBI was looking for him, Mark, because he had been involved in the 1993 World Trade Center attack, as well as other terrorist attacks. So the FBI went to the royal family and said, we want this man for his involvement in terrorism. What did the family do? They hid him and helped him to escape. They tipped him off. And I would encourage a lot of people to go back and look at the statements that Louis Freeh made back in the day, saying, had they gotten, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, that would have prevented future terrorist attacks like 9/11. So this is the royal family of Qatar. Why do we care about him in the context of Mamdani? Well, first of all, there's a financial connection that we talked about. Millions of dollars bankrolling the Mamdani family. Second of all, this same family is now on social media around the world. And what are they doing, Mark? They're pushing Madame's campaign. They're pushing his policy positions. They're pushing his poll numbers. They're encouraging people to vote for him, to financially support him. So they're cheerleading for him."

Schweizer noted that Qatari media actively promoted Mamdani's political campaign​​​​​. The socialist even appeared on Qatari TV discussing "verbal jihad"...

Here are the highlights from the remainder of the interview: 

• (03:44 - 05:26) Schweizer also alleges that Iranian and Hezbollah-linked media are praising Mamdani and projecting his future political prospects, including speculation about a role in Homeland Security.

• (05:46 - 06:37) He points to an imam (Wahaj) with family members convicted for involvement in a terrorist attack who supports Mamdani, and argues that Mamdani's campaign and ideology represent an existential threat.

• (07:01 - 07:39) Schweizer warns that Islamist strategy is incremental, seeking local power first (city, council, mayor)—and characterizes Mamdani as a "Marxist Islamist" who "hates America and hates Jews."

Watch 

Related:

• Schweizer Exposes Foreign-Linked Cash Funneled Into NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani's Campaign

By Sunday, The New York Post broke a story about how "Mamdani's campaign quietly took in nearly $13,000 in potentially illegal foreign donations — including one from his mother-in-law in Dubai." 

More and more, Mamdani appears to be a Manchurian candidate for Middle Eastern money.

 

Tyler Durden Mon, 10/13/2025 - 17:20

 

I am very excited to announce a RWM/Bloomberg event on November 18th in Washington, D.C., at The Phillips Collection, in the Mansbach Auditorium.

Samantha McLemore is Chief Investment Officer of Miller Value Partners, and founder & Managing Member of Patient Capital Management. Samantha McLemore is more than an investment expert; she is an advocate for “Optimizing Life Through Behavior Change.”

This is sure to be a fascinating evening with an extra special guest at a fireside chat:

Samantha McLemore is well known for her long partnership with famed investor Bill Miller, working closely with him for over 20 years, starting at Legg Mason Capital Management to co-managing the Opportunity Equity strategy at Miller Value Partners before assuming sole management in 2023.

Her investment approach is rooted in contrarian, long-term value investing, focusing on “time, not timing” to deliver differentiated client outcomes.​​

Samantha is a rockstar in her own right. She has received multiple accolades, including Sauren Gold medals for fund management (2019-2021) and has been featured in The New York Times, WSJ, Bloomberg, and Barron’s.​

Here are the details:

What: Bloomberg City Spotlight: DC

When: November 18th

Format: Podcast Taping in front of a Live Audience

Location: Phillips Collection

Seats are extremely limited — you must ask your RWM or Bloomberg contact for tickets.

For those people interested in learning about how RWM works with clients or information about the event, reach out to us at Info AT RitholtzWealth.com

Tentative Run of Show

4:45 PM – Doors open | Welcome drinks (Lower Level 2, Mansbach Auditorium Reception Space) 5:00 PM – Official invite start time 5:30 PM – Podcast taping (Mansbach Auditorium) — beverages permitted in Aud. – Including TBD Audience Q&A? 6:30 PM – Reception begins (space TBD after site visit) + gallery access to “Out of Many” 8:00 PM – Invite end time | Bar closes 8:30 PM – Event concludes

This is sure to be an extraordinary evening…

 

 

 

The post Coming to DC Nov. 18: Masters in Business Live with Samantha McLemore! appeared first on The Big Picture.

The Mighty Return Of Columbus Day

Authored by Jeffrey Tucker via The Epoch Times,

This weekend, gleeful people all around were wishing each other a happy Columbus Day. What a wonderful thing it is. Not even the schools can lecture students that it is really “Indigenous Peoples’ Day,” because it is no longer that.

It is back to being the revered day it always was, a day celebrating the glorious risk-taking and vision it took for the old world to discover the new.

The story of Christopher Columbus has been part of the legend and lore of America for hundreds of years, along with beautiful books for children and the unforgettable Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria, plus all the sufferings of that journey. It served as a constant reminder to be grateful for the sacrifices of our ancestors, to adopt a piety towards the past.

No story like this is without blemishes, of course.

The journey did bring the Spanish Empire to the Americas complete with exploitation of natural resources, the furtherance of the slave trade, and new strains of infectious disease (an issue that deserves a separate thoughtful treatment).

At the same time, the coming of the empire also brought technology, Christianity, human rights (eventually), civilized standards of law, jury trials, religious freedom eventually, and opened up half the world to development along with prosperity.

It’s a mixed record because history is complicated.

All history is complicated. In looking at large shifts in population movements and empires, we should give up looking for only saints or only demons. The real story of history is a mixture of both plus institutions and interests that provide mitigation and migration between the two.

The trouble with the anti-Columbus movement born decades ago is that it overvalorized native culture and then created a caricature of the colonial forces that expanded the reach of European culture and people. It did this on ideological grounds rooted in a conviction that all the achievements of the West are rooted in violence. This position was always unsustainable.

As for the indigenous peoples of what is called the United States today, they have never been called that name in all U.S. history. They were native Americans wrongly called Indians simply because Columbus had believed he had reached the East Indies, but he was actually at what was later called the Caribbean or West Indies. The name Indian stuck.

You can discern the dominant attitude toward the natives by looking at the lore of American history. Thomas Jefferson celebrated the culture of the Indians—their deep traditions of independence and bravery—and proudly displayed artifacts in his home. Our coinage also celebrated the Indians, and it remains true now that prominent people proudly brag if they detect even the slightest hint of American Indian.

Here too, the history is not one of good and evil but a mixture. My old family moved from a comfortable stability in New England in 1830 to settle Southwest Texas (it is still not “settled”). Doing so involved cooperative relationships with a huge diverse population that now included Spanish settlers, many and diverse native tribes, plus European migrants from Germany and elsewhere.

There were peaceful trading relations with the Karankawa and other tribes but wars and battles against the hated Apaches and Comanches. The settlers wanted a good life on land that was vast and unsettled, and sought only to protect their families and property against attack. Just as it is overly romanticized to see the settlers as peaceful humanitarians, it’s a stretch to see the savage violence perpetuated by ravaging natives as some kind of anti-colonial resistance.

Again, history is complicated. But in the big picture, what the European settlers achieved in the Americas gave birth to a civilization that built the modern world, wrote constitutions that restrained power, built the cathedrals and cities, brought high art and music, conceived of the idea of human rights, and finally ended slavery on moral grounds.

Is this worth celebrating? It certainly is.

Columbus Day? Absolutely.

It is now wholly and entirely back thanks to a bold Executive Order by Donald Trump. It comes at a time when elite culture in the United States and most of Europe and the UK has lost confidence in all the achievements of the past. A kind of self-loathing has taken over the highest ranks, an attitude born of ingratitude and ignorance toward the tremendous sacrifices made by their own ancestors.

The lack of confidence in the Western idea is obvious in all elite art trends. Today at the Canterbury Cathedral in London, you can see an exhibit of graffiti strewn throughout the cathedral. It’s meant to look like a subway or an urban street taken over by vandals. It was not done by street criminals but elite artists living on grants. This is supposed to be art, and it is fully approved by the dumbest ecclesiocrats ever to hold power.

The history of this cathedral traces to the 6th century, when St. Augustine built the first Christian church in that spot. The construction of the cathedral began in 1067, and took hundreds of years before it was complete. It is the oldest cathedral in London and the very embodiment of the sacrifice, diligence, and resulting magnificence of the Western idea, which boils down to an incredible confidence in the capacity of man, in obedience of God, to rise above the state of nature.

Now the elites are bringing back barbarism and calling it art. The curators are literally desecrating the sacred space and inviting the public in to view the results. Each time something like this happens, one hopes that this will be the last straw, the incident to wake up the masses as to what is really going on and the unfathomable corruption that traces to the top of the social hierarchy.

When the Cathedral of Notre Dame burned in 2019, as a foreshadowing of the hellish years that would follow, we worried that it would be reconstructed according to postmodern standards, with displays of impiety towards the past. That did not happen, thanks to a populist push and plenty of funding from philanthropists who made sure that it would come back more wonderful than ever.

As for London and the politics of the UK, we have dived further down the hole of barbarism and despotism than anyone really thought possible. Maybe the official desecration of the Cathedral will be the trigger finally to turn this disaster around? It will take courageous leadership in politics, religion, arts, education, and in every walk of life to make it possible. One can only hope that it is not too late.

The reemergence of Columbus Day in the United States is a wonderful sign of a possible turnaround. It makes us optimistic that civilization can be saved after all. We need more. Bring back the 19th-century stories of the Founding Fathers. Stop the trashing of geniuses like Thomas Jefferson and the deprecation of that entire generation. Study and learn the real history of this great country.

America may yet lead the way back to the light. The battle is far from over. It has barely begun. Meanwhile, if you happen to encounter any tenured professor at an Ivy League university who wishes you a happy Columbus Day, give him a thumbs-up. He is certainly a lonely figure.

Tyler Durden Mon, 10/13/2025 - 17:00