Authored by Joseph Lord via The Epoch Times,

The U.S. House of Representatives on Sept. 3 approved the establishment of a new committee to investigate the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol.

In a 212–208 vote, the House approved a rule that wrapped in the new panel as well as a provision endorsing the House Oversight Committee’s investigation into deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Included in the rules package was a resolution by Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) authorizing the creation of the panel, which will be chaired by Loudermilk. The new panel falls under the jurisdiction of the House Judiciary Committee.

It’s the second panel approved by Congress to investigate the events on the day of and leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach, during which a crowd of President Donald Trump’s supporters attending the “Stop the Steal” rally entered the Capitol.

The incident delayed the vote to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election. Lawmakers reconvened to finish the proceedings after the crowd had been cleared from the building.

The vote fulfills a promise made by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) at the start of the 119th Congress to form a new subcommittee on the subject, as its Democrat-led predecessor had long faced allegations of bias and partisanship.

The resolution to authorize the new panel was introduced by Loudermilk—who was targeted for investigation by the previous Jan. 6 panel for a tour he gave of the Capitol complex in the days ahead of the Jan. 6 rally—a day before the House left for its August recess.

In a statement ahead of the recess, Johnson, who gave his backing to the bill, said, “House Republicans are proud of our work so far in exposing the false narratives peddled by the politically motivated January 6 Select Committee during the 117th Congress, but there is clearly more work to be done.”

Johnson said that the resolution would allow Congress to “continue our efforts to uncover the full truth that is owed to the American people.”

The first panel was approved by Democrats in 2021. Controversially, then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) did not allow then-House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to select which Republicans would sit on the panel.

Instead, Pelosi chose two Republicans critical of Trump to sit on the panel: Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) was named ranking member, and Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) was also appointed to the GOP side.

The panel was highly critical of Trump, concluding in their final report that he was responsible for the events of the day and failed to take appropriate action to disperse the crowd after they entered the building.

Trump has maintained that he was not responsible. He and his allies have pointed to the administration’s offer to send National Guard to the Capitol ahead of the Jan. 6 rally. According to then-House Sergeant at Arms Paul Irving, a request from the Capitol Police for National Guard support was denied because Pelosi “would never go for it.”

Swedish authorities on Thursday have alleged that Russia is behind a sharp rise in GPS interference over the Baltic Sea which has increasingly impacted aviation, creating a potentially dangerous situation for civilian travel in the region.

The Swedish Transport Agency announced a surge incidents involving disruptions to global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), such as GPS. It issued a figure of just 55 cases in 2023 to 733 so far this year.

“We’ve conducted long-term analyses and gathered extensive data. Our conclusion is that the interference originates from Russian territory,” the agency’s head of aviation, Andreas Holmgren, was cited in AFP as saying.

“This poses a serious threat to civil aviation, especially considering the scale, duration, and nature of the interference,” Holmgren added.

The Swedish agencies pointed to jamming and spoofing techniques – the latter which involves sending false location data. Media reports say the incidents were initially limited to the Scandinavian country’s eastern airspace over international waters, but now the interference has become broader.

These new major allegations come after Russia has vehemently denied it engaged in GPS jamming of a plane carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as it prepared to land in Bulgaria on Sunday:

Bulgarian officials have denied claims they suspected Moscow of jamming the GPS of a plane carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, days after the Commission cited Bulgarian authorities as suggesting the incident was “due to blatant interference from Russia.”

The country’s Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov told parliament on Thursday that von der Leyen’s plane had not experienced “prolonged interference or jamming.”

In a statement made later the same day, Zhelyazkov said that even though no jamming had been detected by “ground instruments,” it didn’t exclude the possibility of “onboard devices” detecting jamming.

EuroNews and others have noted this is a major U-turn on the claims, making the whole episode highly suspect and dubious. The plane landed safely, but EU officials quickly blamed Russia for the alleged interference, and yet days later the whole story seems to be unravelling fast.

Did Von der Leyen and her team just completely fabricate it? The Bulgarian government as of Thursday is denying the entire basis of the claims:

“There is no need to investigate the situation, because these disturbances are neither hybrid nor cyber threats.”

According to the same report, “In an interview with Bulgarian channel bTV, Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Grozdan Karadjov denied that the government had submitted any information on the matter to the European Commission, contradicting the Commission’s assertion that Bulgarian authorities suspected the disruption was the result of the Kremlin’s hybrid warfare.”

Don’t expect the mainstream media to be quick to offer corrections or walk-backs…

A couple days ago, the FT hyped a “Russian active measures” hoax claiming Russia jammed the GPS on von der Layen’s plane. The story has already unraveled, but no correction from the FT. It all feels so Trump-1st termy. pic.twitter.com/LOzc1YnlTq

— Mark Ames (@MarkAmesExiled) September 4, 2025

This could be another case of a media trend that we and others observed starting years ago – how Putin and Russia apparently seek to ‘weaponize everything’ – though most often, evidence for such claims are lacking.

Authored by Matthew Vadum via The Epoch Times,

President Donald Trump plans to ask the Supreme Court this fall to overturn a civil jury verdict that found he sexually abused writer E. Jean Carroll and defamed her, his attorneys said in a new court filing.

Trump’s intentions were revealed in an application docketed by the nation’s highest court on Sept. 2.

In the application, his lawyers asked the court to extend an upcoming Sept. 10 deadline for filing a petition to challenge the $5 million verdict to Nov. 10. The application was directed to Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who handles urgent appeals from New York.

Trump “intends to seek review” of “significant issues” arising out of the trial and what he termed the “erroneous” ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit that affirmed the verdict, according to the application.

On June 13, a divided Second Circuit denied a rehearing in the case.

Circuit Judges Steven Menashi and Michael Park dissented from the ruling.

“These holdings conflict with controlling precedents and produced a judgment that cannot be justified under the rules of evidence that apply as a matter of course in all other cases,” Menashi said in a dissent joined by Park.

Trump’s attorney in the case, Justin D. Smith of James Otis Law Group LLC in St. Louis, Missouri, said more time was needed to file the petition.

“Undersigned counsel faces a significant press of business due to many upcoming deadlines,” Smith said.

Carroll gave evidence during a 2023 trial that Trump attacked her in 1996 in a dressing room in a Manhattan department store near the Trump Tower.

In its May 2023 verdict, the federal jury held Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll and defaming her when he made statements in October 2022 denying her allegations.

The jury awarded Carroll $5 million in damages.

In another lawsuit filed by Carroll, a federal jury ordered Trump to pay $83.3 million in damages over statements he made in 2019 denying the sexual assault allegations.

A three-judge panel of the Second Circuit affirmed the verdict in December 2024, rejecting Trump’s argument that the trial judge’s ruling invalidated the trial by allowing others who accused Trump of sexual abuse to testify. Three women said Trump carried out similar acts against them in 2005 and the 1970s. Trump denied the allegations.

“President Trump has consistently and unequivocally denied Carroll’s allegations in both cases,” the new application said.

Carroll obtained the $5 million award based on “incorrect findings,” after which the federal district court “wrongly” interpreted the law and “improperly [prevented] President Trump from contesting the merits in that action,” the filing said. After that, Carroll secured the “unjust judgment of $83.3 million,” the application said.

“We do not believe that President Trump will be able to present any legal issues in the Carroll cases that merit review by the United States Supreme Court,” Roberta Kaplan, Carroll’s attorney, said on Sept. 3

Authored by Sam Korkus via The College Fix,

The University of California system is discriminating against illegal immigrant students by refusing to hire them for on-campus jobs, a state court ruled.

However, immigration experts criticized the decision, with one calling it a “mockery of the law.”

The ruling last month found the university system violated a state law which prohibits discrimination on the basis of immigration status. However, it did not require the universities to hire illegal immigrant students.

“We conclude that the University’s employment policy facially discriminates based on immigration status and that, in light of applicable state law, the discriminatory policy cannot be justified by the University’s proffered reason,” the three-judge panel of the California Court of Appeals ruled.

“Our writ does not require the University to take any specific action, let alone one that will necessarily place the University community at risk,” the opinion stated.

“The option the University identifies—a declaratory judgment suit against the federal government—is one that remains available to it in response to this writ,” the judges wrote.

“We merely require that the University not rely on litigation risk alone as the justification for its facially discriminatory policy.”

The university argued it could not hire illegal immigrant students because it might invite legal action from the federal government. The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 prohibits employers from hiring illegal immigrants.

University of California Los Angeles’ Center for Immigration Law and Policy brought the lawsuit. The center previously has advocated for the University of California system to remove its prohibition on the hiring of illegal immigrants. Legal scholars Hiroshi Motomura and Ahilan Arulanantham argue the 1986 federal law does not specifically designate government entities as “employers.”

Neither responded to an emailed request for comment on the ruling in the past week. In 2024, the UC system disbanded a task force created to study the legality of hiring illegal immigrants, as reported by The Daily Bruin. In 2024, Gov. Gavin Newsom also vetoed legislation to allow for the hiring of illegal immigrants, citing potential legal problems.

The UC system also did not respond to a request for comment on Aug. 18.

A former attorney for the Department of Homeland Security said the University of California system would likely win a federal case if it argued the 1986 law applies to it. This is a proposal the university system brought up during litigation. 

The court also did not say the university must hire illegal immigrant workers.

“The court merely ruled that 1) UC’s policy of refusing to hire unauthorized aliens is discriminatory under California law,” George Fishman, now a senior legal fellow with the Center for Immigration Studies, told The College Fix via email. 

The court also ruled the university system “needs to reconsider its policy based on proper criteria” and the policy “cannot be justified by the University’s proffered reason.”

“I am confident that, in the end, federal courts will rule that IRCA does indeed apply to States as employers, just as Congress intended in 1986,” Fishman said.

A senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation criticized the ruling as well.

“Federal law, which trumps any state law to the contrary, prohibits any employer from hiring illegal aliens,” Zack Smith told The Fix via email.

He previously served as the Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Florida, according to his bio.

“This is another absurd ruling by activist judges that makes a mockery of the law. Hopefully this decision will be overturned in short order,” Smith said.

“In the meantime, California universities would be prudent to continue following all applicable federal laws.”

Since launching the ZeroHedge Store last December, extreme mission creep set in. Thanks to your overwhelming support of our hats, shirts, supplements and other cool gear, we’ve rapidly expanded into a MAHA-focused market full of healthy products so you know exactly what you’re putting into your body (see below). 

And after an extremely successful launch of our Rancher-Direct program which resulted in a stampede of customers clamoring for farm-to-table fresh meat, we’ve consolidated the program with two superstar ranches, as well as a new pantry section that has everything from beef tallow chips to mouth-watering seasonings and more. Keep scrolling to see what’s new, and check out our September Special at the bottom for ZeroHedge freebies with your order. 

Without further ado… 

Elkins Cattle Co. 

Elkins supplies some of the absolute best meat on the planet to high-end restaurants. Those steaks you pay $150+ to eat by candlelight? That’s what this is. This meat is rich, juicy, buttery smooth, has the sexiest marbling you’ll ever see. It’s dry-aged for a minimum of 15 days and graded USDA prime. Elkins also has two giraffes – which aren’t on the menu. 

Here’s what you absolutely need to try (ships frozen via 2-day air):

Sunday Supper Revival: 1 bavette (16-18 oz) flap steak, 1 skirt steak, 5lbs of ground beef, 1 London broil, 4-pack of hamburger patties, 2 packages of kabob meat, and one jar of Elkins’ own Rancher’s Gold seasoning – a sweet pepper and garlic mix, kissed with organic cane sugar for a savory-sweet finish that can be bought separately here. 

Great American Grill Out: (for closers only): this box includes; 2 boneless Ribeye steaks, 2 NY Strip steaks, 2 Filet Mignon, 2 packs of hamburger patties (8 total), 3 lbs of ground beef, and 1 jar of Rancher’s Heat seasoning (A bold, spicy pepper blend with an extra kick for those who like it hot.)

Ancestral Beef N’ Bone Bundle: Have you ever had ancestral ground beef? It’s like regular ground beef, only with nutrient-dense liver, kidney, and heart. This box also contains four marrow-packed bones, 3 lbs of regular ground beef, and a 16oz jar of Elkins’ cooking tallow.

Some actual footage of Elkins beef:

DO NOT WATCH ON AN EMPTY STOMACH pic.twitter.com/KH0Bxqmx4Q

— ZeroHedge Store (@ZeroHedgeStore) August 30, 2025

Family Favorites Lasagna, Meatball & Pasta box: (clean comfort food to the max): (1) pan of Texas Beef & Three Cheese lasagna with Elkins’ Ranch beef, layered with handmade whole wheat pasta, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, and rich beef sauce, (1) giant beef meatball in rich sauce, (1) bag ea. Fusilli, Radiatori & Creste Di Gallo pastas, (1) jar each of Red Sauce & Vodka Sauce. Or if you don’t want the sauces or as much pasta but want 2x the lasagna and meatballs for about the same price, click here.

Ultimate Texas Beef and Pasta Box: Twice the lasagna and meatballs, (2) bags of pasta vs 3, no sauces.

You want to talk high standards? Watch this clip of owner Tim Elkins (longtime ZeroHedge reader) discussing why he’s in the meat business.

Beck Ranch

When we first launched the Rancher-Direct program, Beck Ranch was our #1 seller – delivering consistently amazing boxes to hundreds of customers across the country. Operated by the Beck family in Lonetree, Wyoming – and soon to have its own on-site processing center, Beck Ranch’s cuts are A+ and follow the same grass-fed, no-grain, no added hormone, no antibiotic approach as Elkins. 

Steak Lover’s Bundle: This has been our top selling item in the Rancher-Direct program. Includes 2 Filet Mignon steaks | 2 Ribeye or Bone-In Ribeye Steaks | 2 Baseball, Flat Iron, Ponderosa Steaks or Picahna | 2 New York Strip Steaks | 2 Top Sirloin Steaks. 

10lb Grass-Fed Ground Beef: Dry aged for 14 days, this ground beef is extremely rich and flavorful. 

Ultimate BBQ Bundle: The BBQ Box includes just a bit of everything you need for the grill or smoker. Includes: 2 Ponderosa Steaks | 2 New York Strip Steaks | 2 Chicken Breasts | 2 Pack of Grilling Sausage | 2 lbs Ground Beef | 2 lbs Hamburger Patties | 4oz Beck Ranch Cowboy Seasoning

Home & Pantry

As part of our expansion, we’re proud to offer a variety of products made with clean ingredients – including snacks, pastas, seasonings & personal care items. 

Pasta & Sauce Sampler: (4) types of pasta, (4) amazing sauces. Check ’em out.

Mangones Organic Dried Mangoes: YOU MUST TRY THESE! Ingredients: literally just organic mangoes. No pesticides. No seed oils. No sulfites. No added sugar. No preservatives. Extremely addictive. A+

Microplastic-free teas: From Kindred Harvest. All-natural, flavorful, whole leaf teas. Microplastic free, glue free, and heavy metal tested. Also tastes great.

MASA Tallow Tortilla Chips: Made with organic corn, grass-fed tallow, and sea salt, MASA Yellow chips are the purest form of tortilla chip. No seed oils, no pesticides.

Honey and Black Gold Jelly: 

Seasonings: Both Beck and Elkins also have amazing seasonings you must try. Included in many of the beef boxes. 

Fancy Tallow Soaps (wives and girlfriends will love): 

Tallow Sunscreen & Joint & Muscle Cream:

Whipped Tallow Balm: From Beck and Elkins

Patches!

We had a flood of people asking us to do ZeroHedge velcro-backed patches for your gear. 

And here are a few top sellers this year:

ZeroHedge Hat

ZeroHedge Multitool

IQ Astaxanthin (extremely potent antioxidant)

IQ Colostrum

Anza Red-Black Infinity Handle Knife

September Special!

And please give the store a follow on X…

Authored by Nate Kostar via CoinTelegraph.com,

Ether supply on centralized exchanges has plunged around 38% since 2022, as billions flow into spot ETFs and corporate treasuries ramp up their ETH holdings.

Ether (ETH) reserves on centralized exchanges have fallen to the lowest level in three years as demand grows from investment funds and corporate buyers.

According to data from CryptoQuant, reserves have dropped by nearly 10.7 million ETH since peaking at around 28.8 million in September 2022. Holdings now stand at about 17.4 million ETH, with roughly 2.5 million ETH leaving exchanges in the past three months alone.

The shrinking supply comes as new channels for Ether exposure have gained traction. Spot ETH exchange-traded funds (ETFs), launched in July 2024, have since attracted net inflows of more than $13 billion, according to CoinGlass data. Between June and August, the funds pulled in over $10 billion in net inflows, led by a record $5.4 billion in July alone.

Corporate treasuries are also driving demand. Several publicly traded companies have announced ETH treasuries over the past few months, with regular corporate purchases affecting the token’s supply on exchanges.

Ethereum exchange reserves – All exchanges. Source: CryptoQuant

ETH Treasury companies on the rise

SharpLink Gaming emerged as one of the earliest public companies to pivot its reserves into Ether in 2025. Backed by a $425 million private placement, the company launched a treasury strategy in May, with holdings in late August reaching 797,704 ETH, worth about $3.5 billion at this writing.

In July, BitMine Immersion Technologies also joined the trend, revealing it had accumulated about 1.86 million ETH — roughly 1.5% of the token’s total supply. A third major entrant, The Ether Machine, announced in September 495,000 ETH in holdings and an upcoming Nasdaq listing.

According to data from Ethereum Treasuries, 17 publicly traded companies are known to hold Ether on their balance sheets, collectively controlling more than 3.6 million ETH.

One key appeal of ETH as a reserve asset is its ability to earn yield, a Bitfinex analyst told Cointelegraph. “Unlike Bitcoin, ETH is both a macro asset and a productivity asset, generating yield via staking and securing over $100 billion in tokenized assets across L2s and DeFi.”

Staking is the process of locking up cryptocurrency to help secure a blockchain network and, in return, earning rewards paid out in that same token.

On Tuesday, Ethereum’s staking entry queue has climbed to its highest level since 2023, with 860,369 ETH worth about $3.7 billion waiting to be staked.

ETH moving into ETFs

Alongside corporate treasuries, Ether is also being absorbed by spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The products saw a slow start after their US debut in 2024, but demand picked up this July as a friendlier regulatory environment for crypto assets supported renewed institutional interest.

That surge is led by BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum ETF (ETHA), which has become one of the fastest-growing ETFs on record, with assets worth over $16 billion on Tuesday.

According to data from CoinMarketCap, spot ETH ETFs collectively hold about $24 billion in assets under management (AUM).

US Ether ETFs. Source: CoinMarketCap

Some analysts believe the demand reflects more than short-term speculation. Fabian Dori, chief investment officer of Sygnum, recently told Cointelegraph:

After an extended period of underperformance relative to Bitcoin and a souring investor sentiment, Ethereum has recently experienced a significant revival in the recognition of both its adoption rate and value proposition.

According to Dori, staking is the next frontier for Ether ETFs. “If spot ETH ETFs were permitted to stake their holdings… the ability to accrue an additional yield within a well-established, regulated and exchange-traded structure would likely make these products more attractive and attract additional assets.”

Unsurprisingly, several ETF issuers have recently moved to add staking features to their Ether funds.

BlackRock filed through Nasdaq to add staking to its iShares Ethereum ETF, while Fidelity has amended its spot Ether ETF proposal to allow a portion of assets to be staked.

The SEC is expected to rule on staking features by October, when final application deadlines come due.

Oil prices continue to decline on concerns that OPEC+ will once again bolster supply at a meeting on Sunday, compounding fears of higher volumes later in the year.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak subsequently said OPEC+ will “look at the current situation as a whole” before making a decision.

Several delegates from the group said it has yet to decide on how to proceed.

Additionally, API reported a surprise (though small) build in crude inventories

API

• Crude +622k (-3.4mm exp)

• Cushing

• Gasoline -4.57mm

• Distillates +3.68mm

DOE

• Crude +2.415mm (-3.4mm exp)

• Cushing +1.59mm – biggest build since Mar 2025

• Gasoline -3.795mm – biggest draw since Apr 2025

• Distillates +1.68mm

The official DOE data shows a very mixed bag with a big surprise crude build, large jump in stocks at the Cushing Hub and a big draw in gasoline stocks….

Source: Bloomberg

With the addition of 509k barrels to the SPR, total commercial crude stocks rose for the first time in 3 weeks…

Source: Bloomberg

US Crude production remains near record highs despite the plunge in rig counts…

Source: Bloomberg

Algorithmic traders also may have contributed to oil’s slide on Thursday. Trend-following commodity trading advisers have been steadily selling crude since reaching “buying exhaustion” at the $65-a-barrel level, “creating just a few ripples and weighing on prices,” according to Daniel Ghali, a commodity strategist at TD Securities.

“We think a tidal wave is coming next,” Ghali said.

“We expect that algos are now set to imminently sell a massive 40% of their maximum size.”

WTI traded down to two week lows ahead of the official inventory and supply data…

Bloomberg reports that US oil has retreated more than 10% this year as OPEC+ has boosted production targets at a rapid clip to reclaim market share from rival drillers. At the same time, producers from outside the alliance have ramped up output, while concerns about demand have intensified as the Trump administration imposed a wave of trade tariffs.

The combination has spawned widespread predictions for a glut that will swell global stockpiles, pushing many investors to the sidelines until clarity on OPEC’s output plans is achieved this weekend, brokers say.

“We still see the current oversupply in oil markets intensifying,” Samantha Dart, an analyst at Goldman Sachs Group Inc., said in a note, forecasting Brent in the low $50s in late 2026.

Will Trump’s trade moves prove brilliant or blow up in America’s face? ZH readers likely know where die-hard Austrian Peter Schiff stands: as the world’s largest importer, the U.S. has no cards to play. But as Brent “Dollar Milkshake” Johnson has long argued, “the world isn’t Austrian”, the dollar’s network effect will not easily be broken, and sometimes American belligerence works… whether we like it or not.

Tonight at 7pm on the ZH home and X account, the two will duke it out while the great Dave Collum moderates.

Tariffs are not about Trade they are about Power and Sovereignty and National Security https://t.co/u9GnTqhrxc

— Santiago Capital (@SantiagoAuFund) July 7, 2025

Ahead of the debate, here’s where Trump’s tariff (and threat of tariffs) stand with some of the largest U.S. trading partners:

Canada & Mexico

• Broad-based 25% tariffs were imposed starting March 4, 2025—but thanks to USMCA exemptions, over 85% of cross-border trade remains unaffected.
• Canada suspended most retaliatory tariffs after receiving exemptions, though around 70% of its own tariffs on U.S. goods remain active per Canadian officials.
• U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs were doubled to 50% by June; Canada countered with plans for additional retaliatory measures if talks falter.
• Courts are challenging the administration’s emergency-authority-based tariffs.

China

• Trump raised tariffs incrementally—from 10% in February/March to a sweeping 34% “reciprocal tariff” in April.
• China responded with equal tariffs (34%) on U.S. imports plus bans and export restrictions on rare-earth elements.
• Earlier this week the US announced it will require TSMC to get special permits for the import of its products manufactured on the Chinese mainland.

India

• Trump has slapped a proposed 50% tariff on Indian imports, partly due to India’s continued Russian oil purchases.
• Analysts (e.g., ICRIER) warn that 70–87% of Indian exports to the U.S. could be severely affected.
• India–Russia relations are strengthening in contrast, with Russia offering support amid U.S. pressure.

Japan & South Korea

• Tariff relief promised in exchange for investment and purchases (e.g., reducing auto tariffs from 25% to 15%) has not been formally enactedl.

EU & UK

• While some “partial exemptions” or reductions were negotiated with the EU and UK, these remain inconsistently documented.
• For the UK, there’s a looming threat of semiconductor tariffs up to 200–300%, though no enforcement has occurred yet.

Brazil

• As of August 1, a 50% tariff on Brazilian products is in force. Brazil has filed a complaint with the WTO and imposed retaliatory duties under its Trade Reciprocity Law.
• Trump framed it as retaliation against Brazil’s judicial actions against Bolsonaro—but the U.S. actually ran a substantial trade surplus with Brazil in 2024.

We’ll see you tonight at 7pm ET, right here on the ZH homepage and X account. It will also stream via our YouTube. 

After earlier this week European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen boasted to The Financial Times that the European Union had “pretty precise plans” for deploying a multinational force to Ukraine, and which is backstopped by the Untied States, the Kremlin has made clear it has flatly rejected such a prospect.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Wednesday that Moscow would not even discuss or entertain in any way deployment of foreign troops in Ukraine as part of a future peace deal. There will be no international post-conflict security force “in any format” – she made clear.

“Russia is not going to discuss the fundamentally unacceptable and security-undermining foreign intervention in Ukraine in any form, in any format,” Zakharova told reporters on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.

Suggesting that it’s entirely a waste of time for the West to be talking about such a topic, she said “next time they aim to discuss this topic, they should have a pointer in the form of Russia’s position.”

“Judging by Ukraine’s losses, the European Commission has simply outdone itself,” Zakharova added, at a moment Russia’s ground forces continue to make gains in the east, and even into the more central Dnipropetrovsk region.

And yet Europe is still forging ahead, with French President Emmanuel Macron hosting a summit of European leaders on Thursday. He declared, “We are ready, we the Europeans, to offer the security guarantees to Ukraine and Ukrainians the day that a peace (accord) is signed.”

He called details of guarantees “extremely confidential” but indicated that the preparations had been complete. Various allied defense ministers will take up the issue in the Paris meeting on Thursday. But confidential or not, Russia has clearly already rejected whatever multinational force plan that the Western allies have on the table.

Moscow has consistently made clear its position, stretching back months or even over the last year, but this doesn’t seem to have gotten through to Western capitals.

President Putin while speaking from Beijing Wednesday, after observing Xi’s big military parade along with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, didn’t sound like he’s in a hurry to make compromises at the negotiating table.

He painted a picture of his troops having the clear battlefield momentum and upper-hand, describing that “Ukrainian combat-ready units are staffed at no more than 47-48%,” in a speech. “Ukrainian military is constantly forced to redeploy units from one part of the front, to another,” he said.

That’s when he underscored that if the Ukraine conflict “cannot be resolved peacefully, Russia will be forced to achieve its objectives by military means.”

For the first time, Putin revealed how Ukraine responded when Russia pulled its troops back from Kiev in 2022. pic.twitter.com/cm5bV62eDM

— Rina Lu🇷🇺 (@rinalu_) September 3, 2025

He did say that “If Zelensky is interested in meeting, let him come to Moscow” – but that such a meeting can only happen once clear understandings are reached, and if something substantial can be agreed up, and not just for the sake of optics or having a meeting just to have it.

Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,

In the wake of the tragic mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, where two children were killed and 17 others injured by a deranged transgender identifying individual, a small group of lunatics have sparked widespread outrage by protesting, apparently in defense of trans ideology.

The group positioned themselves directly across the street from the school, where the children were attacked as they prayed,

They heckled Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha as they arrived at the church Wednesday to meet with victims’ families and pay respects. The ‘protesters’ held signs reading “Hate Won’t Make America Great.”

Imagine protesting outside a church kids were murdered at because you want to defend the killer’s trans ideology.

Sick. Just sick. pic.twitter.com/MoZldJbHjM

— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) September 3, 2025

Someone has also placed a Pride/transgender flag next to signs reading “PROTECT KIDS NOT GUNS.”

These lunatics are just sick.

If they intentionally wanted everyone to hate them, what would they do differently? https://t.co/lLn7JRTGb5

— J🌞e (@JerseyJoe74) September 4, 2025

The group shouted insults at Vance, including “You’re a coward” and “Do better.” Their apparent motives blended calls for gun reform with support for LGBTQ+ rights, seemingly in response to the backlash against the trans community following the shooting.

The display of the trans flag at the site of a tragedy perpetrated by a trans-identified individual was widely interpreted as a provocative statement in defense of transgender visibility amid criticism.

The trans flag is a giant middle finger to the Church and victims.

You stay classy, Democrats. https://t.co/4ROig5cuo9

— Amy Curtis (@RantyAmyCurtis) September 3, 2025

The attack was carried out by 23-year-old Robin Westman, who fired through the church’s stained-glass windows during a back-to-school Mass, using firearms inscribed with phrases like “kill Donald Trump.” The shooter, who had a documented fascination with mass killings and mental health struggles, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the scene. The FBI is investigating the incident as an act of domestic terrorism and a hate crime targeting Catholics.

It is galling and shocking the number of people on the left who are so cavalier about violence against some religious people.
The assassination plot on Alito, etc, led to MSM anchors saying “quit whining that your rulings had consequences.”
The trans murders at a Tennessee… https://t.co/O50z2Ya1Jl

— Tim Carney (@TPCarney) September 3, 2025

The shooting has reignited national debates on gun violence, mental health, and the role of transgender ideology in such events. Conservative commentators have pointed to a pattern of mass shootings involving individuals identifying as transgender or non-binary, including incidents in Nashville, Lakewood, and Colorado. Meanwhile, Democrats, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, have urged against “villainizing” the trans community.

These ghoulish trans activists are akin to the Westboro Baptist Church protestors.

Remember all the outcries about them? All those same folks are silent here. It was never about decency. https://t.co/jNvxMGKnJp

— Tyler (@TM0s41) September 4, 2025

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