Our Friday News Analysis | What the World Reads Now!

US President Donald Trump's official social media accounts posted an AI-generated video depicting war-ravaged Gaza rebuilt into a seaside resort, replete with a towering golden statue of himself. Published by Manorama Online, Kottayam 686 001, Kerala, India, 26 February 2025

EDITORIAL | Is it news you can use?

By Abraham A. van Kempen
28 December 2024

The AI-generated video depicts Trump, Netanyahu, and Musk in decadence, immersing viewers in vivid mythology. Myths carry deep memories and essential messages to examine. Although the video is fabricated, what do these messages and memories signify?

The video presents many emotions: pride, anger, envy, greed, sloth, lust, and gluttony, along with the positive traits of faith, hope, love, prudence, justice, courage, and self-control. It highlights the contrast between our challenges and our virtues. You can view the 30-second video by scrolling down to the last article in this edition. President Trump has not publicly confirmed or denied his role in making this video.

Billions of people worldwide will view Trump’s 30-second video on their smartphones at the expense of the losing state of Israel. What’s the message? It’s wrong to steal, kill, and destroy; to dispossess, displace, and disperse the Indigenous from their land.

Trump doesn’t want to fall into the same trap that has already ensnared Israel. He is in between the rock – hardcore Christians – and the hard spot – hardcore Jews. Grant him time to break out of this noose. He will. His ultimate goal is to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

This newscast may shine brightly on the surface, appearing as good as gold, but it’s not what it seems. Have you ever thought about the noise that's presented as news? How do you decipher facts from fiction – fables, fairytales, and fabrications; discern lies disguised as sweet truths?

Believing in make-believe and sidelining the hard, cold facts is much easier. 

LIVE – SUMMARY VERSION | JEFFREY SACHS TEARS INTO U.S. IN BLISTERING SPEECH AT E.U. PARLIAMENT | RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR | ISRAEL | MIDDLE EAST | TRUMP

Jeffrey Sachs Roaring Ukraine Speech At EU Parliament; Blasts U.S., Says 'Not Putin's Puppet'

Click Here to Watch the Video – Long Version (1 hour, 39 minutes, 38 seconds)

Click Here to Watch the Video – Summary Version (15 minutes, 09 seconds)

Clrcut News Beyond Noise

19 February 2025

‘The Ukraine War is OVER’ – Jeffrey Sachs Stuns EU Parliament, Challenges US-Led Order!

On February 19, 2025, Professor Jeffrey Sachs cautioned the European Parliament that being an ally of the United States can be "fatal." During "The Geopolitics of Peace" event organized by Michael von der Schulenburg, he called on Europe to pursue a genuinely independent foreign policy based on reality. Sachs reiterated his past critiques of US foreign policy, particularly regarding the Ukraine conflict, stating that the US has carelessly expanded NATO, ignoring Russia's concerns and worsening the situation in the war.

Jeffrey Sachs gives a striking speech at the EU Parliament, asserting that the Ukraine war has essentially concluded while critiquing the US-led world order. His daring remarks challenge NATO’s role, Western influence, and the repercussions of ongoing conflict.

As his statements reverberate through Europe, what implications do they have for Ukraine, Russia, and the global balance of power?

Topics Covered

✅ Jeffrey Sachs' take on the Ukraine conflict
✅ NATO's failures and US influence in Europe
✅ The shifting global order and BRICS role
✅ What’s next for Ukraine and Russia?

PROF. JEFFREY SACHS | THE EU IN PANIC AS PEACE MAY BREAK OUT WITH PROF. GLENN DIESEN

After his speech at the European Parliament, I spoke with Professor Jeffrey Sachs.

Click Here to Watch the Video (32 minutes, 16 seconds)

Host Glenn Diesen
Substack.com
26 February 2025

• How did we find ourselves in a situation where the EU has become a leading opponent of diplomacy and negotiations, instead opting to extend a war that harms Europe and is unwinnable?
• What led the Europeans to agree on ridiculous ideas, such as denying Russia any role in NATO's expansion and asserting that dialogue with Russia is impossible without Ukraine's involvement?
• Although Professor Sachs participated in the Istanbul negotiations in early 2022, why are these discussions largely absent from the EU’s narrative about the war?

What is the Side of the Story that is Not Yet Decisive? Edited by Abraham A. van Kempen

GUEST EDITORIAL | TRUMP’S UKRAINE WAKE-UP CALL: THE POINTS TRUMP IS NOW MAKING ARE WHAT RUSSIA SAID ALL ALONG

When a war is built on lies, making peace will hurt the liars.

US President Donald Trump returns to the White House on February 19, 2025, in Washington, DC. © Win McNamee / Getty Images

Tarik Cyril Amar is a historian from Germany who works at Koç University in Istanbul, specializing in Russia, Ukraine, and Eastern Europe, the history of World War II, the cultural Cold War, and the politics of memory.

@tarikcyrilamartarikcyrilamar.substack.comtarikcyrilamar.com

20 Feb, 2025 20:12
HomeWorld News

Let’s play a game titled “Putin says, and so does Trump.”

After years of fundamentally disagreeing on nearly everything—from global order to interpreting basic phrases like “not one inch,” Russia and the US leaders have unexpectedly discovered a shared language and numerous points of agreement.

This is a positive development, specifically concerning Ukraine, once the epicenter of their major conflict. It's about the positive aspects that help prevent the world from literally burning. The US president has noted that under the previous Biden/Harris administration (or whoever was in charge), the risk of World War III has intensified.

President Trump is right: there's a reason the metaphorical hands of the Doomsday Clock, from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, have moved "closer than ever" to "midnight.”

The American president concurred with the Russian president that Ukraine’s leader, Vladimir Zelensky, unconstitutionally skipped one election. In a scathing social media post, Trump has been straightforward: Zelensky is a "dictator.”

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin agree on the primary cause of the Ukraine War: NATO’s, or frankly, America’s, counterproductive and consistently overreaching policies. This leads to their shared belief, which seems to have escaped the attention of many Western elites that all significant powers possess legitimate security interests in their surrounding areas.

Given the alignment of perspectives in Washington and Moscow, it's unsurprising that they now agree to focus their relationship on respectful and pragmatic discussions regarding national interests.

Read more
The Putin-Trump call was an actual turning point.

Regarding national interests, Trump has clarified that he cannot see any value in pouring endless billions into the Zelensky administration, its ongoing war, and widespread corruption. While the American president may have misquoted the exact numbers, to all the NAFO-affiliated “fact-checkers” (i.e., information warriors) out there: Don’t be foolish—Trump’s main point remains valid, regardless of whether the US has squandered 500 billion or between 100 and 200 billion dollars on this tragic and foolish endeavor.

Trump’s description of Zelensky as a "dictator" is telling.

For many in the West, confronting this reality feels as painful as a root canal. Nevertheless, the Zelensky administration was authoritarian, and he had no right to exempt himself from the results of his last election. Consequently, his term effectively ended on May 20, 2024. Since that date, regardless of opinions, Zelensky’s legitimacy has been steeped in uncertainty. Additionally, his increasing authoritarian behavior did not stem solely from the military escalation in February 2022; in 2021, many of his critics and opponents claimed – accurately – that he exhibited severe authoritarian tendencies.

Don't be mistaken: this isn't a "soft" authoritarianism. It hasn’t just silenced the media, as even the fiercely pro-war New York Times has acknowledged. Instead, Zelensky’s regime is aggressive, wielding substantial power and enforcing severe repression. Consider the supporters of the 11—yes, 11—opposition parties that the Zelensky government has systematically suppressed. Also, take into account the clergy and parishioners of the banned Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC).

Some individuals face repression through police-state tactics and may even lose their lives in custody.

Reflect on the situations of socialist activist Bohdan Syrotiuk, presently facing a political trial, and libertarian Gonzalo Lira. a US citizen and social media journalist, whom Ukrainian authorities tortured and killed for his criticism of the proxy war and the Zelensky regime (they also robbed him).

It should be evident now that disagreements between Trump and Putin, and more generally between Russia and the US, are not due to some mysterious Russian information warfare. Zelensky’s foolish and quite presumptuous effort to portray the American president as a vulnerable victim of Moscow’s 'disinformation' only fueled Trump’s anger—and rightly so. The new spirit of cooperation between Washington and Moscow has a straightforward explanation: Concerning Ukraine, the Trump administration has returned to reality.

This reality brings another uncomfortable truth for Kyiv: Russia, as Trump stated, holds "the cards" in the conflict. This is correct: Moscow currently maintains the advantage on the battlefield, and any meaningful negotiations to resolve this pointless war must begin with this acknowledgment. Otherwise, the conflict will persist.

Indeed, rumors persist—sparked mainly by Germany’s Annalena “360 Degrees” Baerbock, who lacks the diplomatic finesse of discretion (what a surprise!)—regarding outrageous EU plans to inject another 700 billion euros into the meat grinder.

However, Euro-fantasies often fail to deliver. Even if they succeed this time, they would only exacerbate the EU’s economic struggles and worsen Ukraine’s defeat.

Read more
Russia has won a war against the West: What the Putin-Trump call means.

In this context, it's essential to acknowledge a straightforward yet pivotal aspect of Trump’s stern stance towards Zelensky and his administration: US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz recently pointed out on Fox News that the president is pushing for a quicker diplomatic resolution to the war.

Trump is undoubtedly correct on this front; each day of conflict is utterly unnecessary. This war should not only have been avoided, but it has effectively concluded. The outcome is evident for anyone not clouded by idealistic beliefs: Russia is the victor. The quicker this senseless conflict comes to a close, the more lives – both Ukrainian and Russian – will be spared from death, injury, or lifelong suffering in a struggle that holds no promise of meaningful change.

Trump’s political rivals predictably seize this opportunity to shout, "Betrayal!"

One prominent critic is Senator Richard Blumenthal from the Democratic Party. In support of his argument, the senator labeled the president’s actions "utterly despicable” and "disgusting." He charged Trump with neglecting the "truth" and the "sacrifices made by brave [Ukrainian] individuals who are fighting for their freedom and ours.”

Really?

Let’s focus on the reality: Ukrainians have undeniably been sacrificed, but not for any supposed and vainglorious "freedom.” Instead, they have primarily been used as cannon fodder in a proxy conflict designed to inflict a severe strategic setback on Russia. Although Ukraine has endured significant devastation, it hasn't been in pursuit of noble ideals such as "freedom," "democracy," or even regarding matters like LGBTQ rights and inclusive spaces. Like many before, Ukraine has faced hardship due to a US strategy focused on geopolitical advantage.

Trump is correct in ending all of this. He is also justified in ceasing to coddle Zelensky and his government. Furthermore, he aligns with Putin in acknowledging the truth of the situation.

THE DESTRUCTION OF GAZA AND THE MEDIA'S DISTORTED NARRATIVES

Prof. Glenn Diesen interviews Journalist Max Blumenthal.

Click Here to Watch the Video (37 minutes, 46 seconds)

Host Glenn Diesen
Substack.com
25 February 2025

I interviewed Max Blumenthal regarding the devastation in Gaza and how the realities differ from the media portrayal. Blumenthal details the events since October 7th, the precarious ceasefire, Trump’s alarming comments on cleansing and annexing Gaza, and the implications for the region's future.

ANALYSIS | TRUMP’S AMERICA IS NO FRIEND – RUSSIA MUST STAY THE COURSE

Moscow must resist the illusion of a new romance with Washington.

FILE PHOTO. © Sergey Guneev / Sputnik

By Fyodor Lukyanov, editor-in-chief of Russia in Global Affairs, chairman of the Presidium of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, and research director of the Valdai International Discussion Club.

Annotated by Abraham A. van Kempen
HomeRussia & FSU
26 February 2025

When Vladimir Putin launched Russia’s military operation in February 2022, he indicated the conflict extended beyond Ukraine to include Moscow’s broader struggle against the Western bloc shaped by the United States. He characterized Washington as a systemically important power, with its allies acting as obedient followers, copying its behavior and accepting its rules. Three years later, the nature of this Western order remains central to the conflict's outcome.

Donald Trump's return to the White House has unsettled the transatlantic alliance as his America dismantles longstanding structures of Western dominance. His combative language toward Europe, criticism of NATO, and disregard for Ukraine have confused European leaders. Analysts like Stephen Walt suggest allies may rally against Trump’s unpredictability, while Putin predicts European leaders will ultimately submit to his influence.

This raises the question: what implications does this dynamic hold for Russia?

Good with evil

Trump’s radical foreign policy has stunned observers. He has dismissed Ukraine as a "burden" for Washington. To Trump, Western Europe is a parasite on American support. His anti-elitist rhetoric twists Western ideals of democracy and human rights against the nations that promoted them, creating a grotesque spectacle even for political analysts.

Trump’s disdain for Ukraine stems from domestic calculations, not geopolitical strategy. He prioritizes China over Eastern Europe, redirecting focus to trade imbalances, the Arctic, Latin America, and the Indo-Pacific. Ukraine, depicted by Biden’s administration as a key battle of “good vs. evil,” becomes an ideological flashpoint. The Biden White House put everything on a Russia victory, while Trump aims to upend that narrative.

A West at war with itself

The Trump phenomenon has unsettled the Western alliance, with Europe struggling over its dependence on the U.S. European leaders discuss “strategic autonomy” but cannot achieve it. Others hope to outlast Trump and revert to the deteriorating old order. Washington’s past interference in European elections, a tool of hegemony, is now used by Trumpists to further their agenda. For Trump’s allies, the EU represents "Biden’s America,” and they aim to dismantle it from within.

The transatlantic crisis echoes past ideological battles, resembling the 19th-century Kulturkampf between Bismarck’s secular state and the Catholic Church. Today, globalist liberals represent the papacy, while populists like Trump take on Bismarck’s mantle.

For Russia, this internal Western fracture offers an opportunity – but also a trap. Moscow finds itself ideologically closer to Trump’s America than the liberal EU. However, aligning too closely with Trump carries risks. The upheaval in the United States is not about Russia but America’s identity crisis. Moscow must be careful not to become a pawn in Washington’s domestic battles.

Read more
Trump’s realpolitik: Breaking old alliances, forging new deals

The ‘world majority’ and Russia’s role

The past three years have seen a geopolitical shift: the rise of the "world majority"—the countries choosing neutrality in the Ukraine conflict while capitalizing on the West’s decline. Unlike the Cold War, Washington struggles to unite the Global South against Russia, as many non-Western nations strengthen ties with Moscow and resist Western influence.

The Western bloc faces a shift as Trump’s America differs from its Cold War past. The US and Russia engaged courteously, coinciding with the Yalta Conference anniversary when Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin established the post-war order. While this thaw is notable, Russia must avoid overcommitting to Washington.

Avoiding the temptation of a new ‘partnership’

The West faces an existential struggle. Russia should note that the Trump administration engages with Moscow temporarily, and aligning too closely risks alienating the global "world majority" that supports Russia.

Russia has often sought Western recognition at its own expense, and the belief persists that it seeks acknowledgment from the West. If Russia embraces Trump’s overtures while neglecting non-Western partners, it will reinforce the stereotype of craving Western validation, a strategic blunder.

The Ukraine conflict marks the Cold War's final chapter. A Russian victory would cement Moscow’s status as a significant power in a multipolar world. However, failing to seize this moment or falling into Western traps could jeopardize its strategic gains.

Read more
Russia has won a war against the West: What the Putin-Trump call means.

A new global order in the making

The world isn’t reverting to the Cold War dynamic. Trump’s efforts to redefine Western alliances reflect a broad, chaotic transformation in global politics. China, the EU, and Russia face pressures shaping the next decade. Despite Trump’s ambitions, the U.S. cannot reshape the world alone.

Russia faces a clear challenge: maintaining its independence, avoiding Western ideological entanglements, and fostering ties with the non-Western world. After three years of Western sanctions and diplomatic isolation, Moscow must navigate its path as the West fractures, resisting a ‘new romance’ with Washington.

Only stable nations with strategic patience will win. Russia must shape a future as a sovereign force in a fragmented world.

This article originally appeared in the magazine Profile and was subsequently translated and edited by the RT team.

AI VIDEO OF GAZA AS SEASIDE RESORT SPARKS CONTROVERSY ON TRUMP’S SOCIAL MEDIA

Click Here to Watch the Video (31 seconds)

Manorama Online
Kottayam 686 001
Kerala, India
26 February 2025

US President Donald Trump's official social media accounts posted an apparently AI-generated video depicting war-ravaged Gaza rebuilt into a seaside resort, replete with a towering golden statue of himself.

The video racked up more than 15 million views on Instagram and was shared thousands of times on Trump's Truth Social network by Wednesday morning, prompting some commenters to question whether the president's accounts had been hacked. The 33-second clip remained on Trump's accounts without denial or retraction hours after it was first posted.

The video "Gaza 2025 What's Next?" opens with people on a rubble-strewn street emerging from a tunnel onto a beach with palm trees and yachts.

Trump has floated the idea of a US takeover of Gaza, under which its Palestinian population would be relocated -- a proposal met with global condemnation. He later appeared to soften his plan, saying he was only recommending the idea and conceding that the leaders of Jordan and Egypt -- the proposed destinations for relocated Gazans -- had rejected any effort to move Palestinians against their will.

In the social media clip, the soundtrack includes lyrics such as "Donald's coming to set you free, bringing the light for all to see" and "Feast and dance, the deal is done, Trump Gaza number one".

Seemingly AI-generated renditions of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sip cocktails in swimsuits by a pool, while other shots show what appears to be Elon Musk dancing under a shower of cash on the beach. A larger-than-life golden statue of Trump is also featured.

Social media users reacted with both support and criticism, but many questioned whether Trump himself had posted the montage.

More than 15 months of war, triggered by Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, have left much of the Gaza Strip in ruins and most of its population displaced from their homes.

In Gaza, people who watched the video were in disbelief. "This video of Trump is full of fallacies and shows a lack of cultural awareness... Gaza won't become a tourist spot like Italy or Spain," said Nasser Abu Hadaid, a 60-year-old resident of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza.

"What I know about Trump is that he is a strange but bold president who does what he says he will do. What matters to him is money and investments -- there is no humanity," said Manal Abu Seif, a 23-year-old lawyer in Gaza City. "Gaza needs freedom, open border crossings, and jobs for young people, and is not a playground for tourism and investment," she added.

UN estimates have put the cost of reconstruction at more than $53 billion.

A fragile ceasefire, in effect since January 19, has allowed an increase in humanitarian aid into Gaza, though Hamas has accused Israel of blocking the entry of some essential supplies.

BUILDING THE BRIDGE! | A WAY TO GET TO KNOW THE OTHER AND ONE ANOTHER

Making a Difference – The Means, Methods, and Mechanism for Many to Move Mountains

Photo Credit: Abraham A. van Kempen, our home away from home on the Dead Sea

By Abraham A. van Kempen
Senior Editor
Updated 19 January 2024

Those who commit to 'healing our broken humanity' build intercultural bridges to learn to know and understand one another and others. Readers who thumb through the Building the Bridge (BTB) pages are not mindless sheep following other mindless sheep. They THINK. They want to be at the forefront of making a difference. They're in search of the bigger picture to expand their horizons. They don't need BTB or anyone else to confirm their biases.

Making a Difference – The Means, Methods, and Mechanism for Many to Move Mountains

Accurate knowledge promotes understanding, dispels prejudice, and awakens the desire to learn more. Words have an extraordinary power to bring people together, divide them, forge bonds of friendship, or provoke hostility. Modern technology offers unprecedented possibilities for good, fostering harmony and reconciliation. Yet its misuse can do untold harm, leading to misunderstanding, prejudice, and conflict.

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