USA - There is an ominous development gaining momentum across the world’s financial systems which has the potential to undermine monetary and personal freedom, yet which remains largely under the radar for most of the world’s population.

USA - Investigative journalist James O’Keefe has obtained leaked US Army documents revealing the growing threat of the Venezuelan criminal organization Tren de Aragua (TDA) in New York City. The Tren de Aragua, one of Venezuela’s most dangerous gangs, has reportedly established a foothold in key neighborhoods across Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Williamsburg, with an estimated 400 members currently residing in those areas.

GERMANY - The CDU chief has had a smooth lead but he must act to halt the march of far-right voters before the general election. One year before the next general election, his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has enjoyed a comfortable lead for months with about 32% support, nearly double the score of its nearest competitors, as the fractious government led by Social Democrat Olaf Scholz plumbs new depths of disfavour. But the chance at the chancellery Merz has been dreaming of since the 1990s has hit turbulence stemming from the country’s inescapable 20th-century history.

UK - Domestic abuse survivors are facing 'sleepless nights' ahead of Labour's mass prisoner release next week, a government advisor has warned and said victims are 'paying the price' for the UK's overcrowded jails. The government's early-release scheme will see prisoners automatically freed after serving between 40 to 45 per cent of their prison time as ministers attempt to tackle the overcrowding crisis in UK prisons. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer previously told the BBC no high-risk prisoners will be released, but confessed the risk could not be entirely quashed. He added on Sunday: 'We are doing everything we can to make sure that high-risk and domestic abusers, domestic violence cases are not released.'

USA - Warren Buffett Has Been Selling Off Hundreds Of Millions Of Shares In 2024. Warren Buffett did not become a billionaire by being stupid. According to Forbes, Buffett is worth more than 144 billion dollars, and that makes him one of the wealthiest men in the entire world. He made his money on the stock market, and so why is he now pulling money out of the stock market at a feverish pace? Does he anticipate that a crash is coming? Earlier this year, Buffett shocked the investing community when his company sold off half the Apple shares that it was holding…Warren Buffett is clearly concerned about the short-term future. He has been dumping hundreds of millions of shares, and it appears that this could end up being one of the best moves of his entire career.

UK - Every other year, 164 countries meet at the World Trade Organisation to discuss the rules that govern global trade. This year, representing Britain, I made the case for free trade as a force for good to raise global living standards. As business secretary, I secured more investment into the British automotive industry in 2023 than in the previous seven years combined. But China has an unusually high number of loss-making firms that receive state subsidy. They are planning production capacity of 70 million electric vehicles by 2030, while global sales of electric vehicles are only estimated at 44 million for that year.

SWITZERLAND - The WEF gleefully posted the following snippet to the “My Carbon” page of its website where they make a pitch for so-called smart cities, which is just another term for 15-minute cities. The first of three “developments” that the WEF says must be in place before the world can evolve into its utopian vision of “smart and sustainable cities,” is compliance with restrictions on our freedom. It writes:

USA - Hurricane forecasters are bewitched, bothered, and bewildered. The Atlantic hurricane season was supposed to be epic. Instead, it's turned into a real dud. Huge storms wreaking havoc on coastlines from Aruba to Long Island were supposed to line up in the Eastern Atlantic in June and hit us one at a time until late September. The damage was going to be historic and the TV coverage was going to give climate change fanatics plenty of air time to vent that "this is just a foretaste" of what's to come. But something puzzling occurred on the way to hurricane Armageddon: not much has happened. The Atlantic Ocean has seen five named storms: two tropical storms, two hurricanes and one major hurricane this season. That hasn't stopped scientists from warning that things could always get worse.

UK - Almost two million children - one in five - are struggling with speech and language problems - a rise of more than a quarter since Covid lockdown measures were introduced. The increase - 200,000 each year since 2021 - is being blamed on the ongoing impact of lockdown measures which led to widespread mask wearing and reduced socialisation. Experts say the cost of living crisis is compounding the problem with children less likely to have new experiences needed to help them learn new words. The figures come as educational experts express fears for ‘lockdown babies’ at risk of social and emotional difficulties as they start school this month. She added: “If you are struggling to talk, it is hard to make friends. This affects your mental health and this can have a lasting impact on your academic success and employment prospects that can last for decades.”

UK - Much of my schooling involved learning things by heart. And that is where they still are, in my heart. Ask me what eight nines are and I can answer in a flash without thinking. Likewise, I know how many ounces there are in a pound and how many yards in a mile. And I can still recite quite a lot of Alfred, Lord Tennyson's great poem The Revenge: A Ballad Of The Fleet, to the dismay of anyone who has to listen, longing for me to stop. I have always been grateful. I still use my tables several times a day, which is more than I can say for most of the stuff I was taught at school.

IRAN - Iran has reportedly delivered more than 200 ballistic missiles to Russia, as military experts warn this development could be "game-changing" for the Ukraine war. Russia could win back momentum in the war in Ukraine, according to military experts, after reports suggest a huge missile delivery from Iran. Tehran has allegedly sent more than 200 ballistic missiles to Russia this week, sparking alarm in the US and Ukraine. Ukrainian military sources suggest that Iran's reported supply of missiles, thought to be Fath-360 missiles, could be a "game-changer" for the frozen frontline in the war-torn country.

EUROPE - European politics has seen a spectacular rise in the fortunes of far-right parties in recent years. Six EU countries now have parties in government widely described by experts as hard or far-right - these include Italy, Finland, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia and the Netherlands. Marine Le Pen's National Rally had victory snatched from its grasp by tactical voting in July's parliamentary elections in France, allowing a left-wing coalition to claim the most seats but not a clear majority. Meanwhile, national elections this year in Austria and Germany could see far-right parties make even more political gains. Elections are also to be held in Sweden in 2026, a country in which the hard-right Swedish Democrats are the second-largest party in parliament and are supporting the centre-moderate executive.

GERMANY - The recent elections in East Germany reveal something far more profound than a shift in political allegiance – they signal the re-emergence of a deep-seated German spirit that refuses to bow to the decaying influence of Western liberalism. The success of the patriotic party AfD (Alternative for Germany) in the East is proof of the enduring divide between East and West Germany, a divide shaped by vastly different historical experiences and a clash of values.

USA - If you are determined to push a bear into a corner, you better know what you are doing. Right now, Ukraine is begging the Biden administration to allow it to use long-range missiles provided by the United States to strike targets deep inside of Russia. Since the Ukrainians have eventually gotten just about everything else that they have wanted from us, they will probably get approval for this at some point too. So how do you think the Russians would respond if missiles that are provided by the United States start falling in their major cities and killing innocent civilians? Do you think that the Russians may consider us to be responsible? Vladimir Putin has made it very clear that if the Russians believe there is an existential threat to “Russia’s statehood”, they will strike…

INDONESIA - Pope Francis has hit out at couples who choose pets over children, emphasising the importance of large families in a world facing declining birth rates. Speaking during a visit to Indonesia as part of a wider tour of Southeast Asia, the Pope praised families with three, four, or five children, calling them an example for other nations, before delivering a snide jibe at childless couples who opt to care for cats and dogs, warning: 'This cannot go well.' The Pope's comments are part of a wider theme in his papacy, where he has repeatedly urged couples to prioritise children over pets, viewing the trend of childlessness as a significant societal issue. Beyond the criticism of childless pet owners, Pope Francis also warned against using religion to stoke conflict in a speech delivered alongside a highly influential imam.