Spyke

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New documents reveal Trump stole classified documents to advance his business interests

⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡏⠉⠛⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀⠀⠀⠈⠛⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠛⠉⠁⠀⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⠿⠿⠿⠻⠿⠿⠟⠿⠛⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣸⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣄⠀⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣴⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠏⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠠⣴⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡟⠀⠀⢰⣹⡆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣭⣷⠀⠀⠀⠸⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠃⠀⠀⠈⠉⠀⠀⠤⠄⠀⠀⠀⠉⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⢿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⢾⣿⣷⠀⠀⠀⠀⡠⠤⢄⠀⠀⠀⠠⣿⣿⣷⠀⢸⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡀⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢄⠀⢀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠉⠁⠀⠀⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢹⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⣿⣿

europe

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Could Europe really leverage its $12.6tn pile of US assets?

Here are some policy levers that could be implemented, some immediately, some would take a few months. I would not suggest they are explicitly presented as a counter to Trumps Tariffs. Just do it quietly. The US banks, Japan and China will work it out quickly and will follow the lead. 

1. Regulators reclassify US Treasuries from zero to non-zero risk weight (10%)

2. Norway’s sovereign fund announces geographic reallocation review

3. ECB/BOE apply haircuts to US Treasuries as collateral

4. EIOPA raises capital charges for insurers’ unhedged dollar exposures.

5. Finance ministers issue joint guidance questioning USD concentration as prudent.

6. State-owned development banks and export credit agencies directed to reduce USD holdings.

7. Pension fund regulators update guidance on currency matching to liabilities.

8. Tax treatment adjusted to favour euro-denominated over dollar-denominated investments.

9. Public institutions directed to move assets from US to European custodians and asset managers.

10. Euro-denominated bond issuance subsidised or guaranteed to reduce corporate dollar funding needs.

It’ll take a few weeks for the effects to materialise but they surely will.

usa

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Yes, It’s Fascism | Until recently, I thought it a term best avoided. But now, the resemblances are too many and too strong to deny.

12 Early Warning Signs of Fascism

Powerful and continuing nationalism

Constant flag-waving, slogans about “greatness,” and framing dissent as unpatriotic.

Us-vs-them thinking (scapegoating)

Blaming minorities, immigrants, or internal “enemies” for social or economic problems.

Disdain for human rights

Justifying abuses as necessary for security, order, or national survival.

Identification of enemies as a unifying cause

A shared fear or hatred is used to rally the population and suppress debate.

Supremacy of the military or security forces

Excessive glorification of police, military, or “law and order,” often alongside expanded powers.

Rampant sexism and rigid gender roles

Hostility toward feminism, LGBTQ+ rights, or non-traditional family structures.

Controlled or attacked media

Journalists labeled as enemies, “fake news,” or pressured through legal, financial, or political means.

Obsession with national security

Fear is used to justify surveillance, emergency powers, and erosion of civil liberties.

Religion intertwined with government

A dominant religion is used to justify laws, policies, or moral authority.

Corporate power protected, labor power suppressed

Close alignment between the state and favored businesses; unions and workers’ rights weakened.

Disdain for intellectuals and experts

Attacks on universities, scientists, teachers, and “elites,” often paired with anti-education rhetoric.

Erosion of democratic norms

Undermining elections, courts, or checks and balances while claiming to represent the “true will of the people.”

europe

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EU Parliament freezes US trade deal ratification after Trump's tariff threats over Greenland

If I threaten to assault my smaller friendly neighbor if he doesn’t give me part of his house and 1 of his kids, my neighbor who had my back after 9/11 and fought and died alongside my brothers in Afghanistan, and then apologists for me say “well he doesn’t really mean to execute his threat to assault you”, that does not make me a shrewd negotiator. It makes me a psychopathic garbage ally. That friend will seek other big allies. Don’t be surprised when this makes America poorer. If Trump keeps this up, you think Europe will have our back after another 9/11?