Authored by Luis Cornelio via Headline USA,

The New York Times came under fire on Monday for running a hit piece against Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s pro-exercise campaign.

The leftist newspaper, as legacy media often does, leaned on so-called experts cautioning “against jumping into a difficult routine suggested by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Pete Hegseth.”

Its headline—100 Push-Ups and 50 Pull-Ups in Under 10 Minutes. What Could Go Wrong?—was predictably snarky.

The piece targeted the “Pete and Bobby Challenge,” a social media campaign aimed at raising awareness about fitness and weight loss.

However, according to The Times and their quoted experts, the exercise “may not be for everyone.”

“For the average person, I would definitely recommend building volume in these movements over three to four weeks before giving it a go,” said Utah athlete Dallin Pepper.

The leftist rag then cited Toronto-based personal trainer Chris Smits to say that the regimen proposed by Hegseth and Kennedy is not feasible for most Americans.

Citing experts is a common tactic in legacy media attacks on conservatives.

Self-described journalists pick a topic, guide the experts toward the conclusions they desire and then publish the story.

This cycle allows them to wash their hands by claiming they are simply reporting.

On X, critics piled on The Times, describing the hit piece as predictable as it was laughable.

“The New York Times really hates working out,” wrote Republican communicator Nathan Brand.

the New York Times really hates working out pic.twitter.com/m0lPBMnNnu

— Nathan Brand (@NathanBrandWA) August 26, 2025

Media personality Collin Rugg added: “The @TheBabylonBee couldn’t even come up with something as insane as this.”

The New York Times is warning against RFK Jr. & Pete Hegseth’s 100 Push-Ups & 50 Pull-Ups challenge by citing “experts” who say it could be dangerous.

One Canadian ‘trainer’ cited by the NYT said the challenge could give people “serious muscle strains or tears.”

“Pushing for… pic.twitter.com/H54RQhSPAb

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) August 25, 2025

Fitness expert Oliver Anwar quipped, “This is confirmation that The New York Times is run by low-T softies.”

Authored by Melanie Sun via The Epoch Times,

The federal government on Aug. 26 filed an application with the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to suspend a court order that is preventing it from freezing billions in foreign aid.

President Donald Trump, on inauguration day, ordered a 90-day pause on all foreign aid.

His presidential order was met with legal challenges from two nonprofit groups that receive federal funding grants related to aid: the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition and Journalism Development Network.

They alleged that Trump’s funding freeze was unlawful.

The order directed federal agencies to “immediately pause new obligations and disbursements of development assistance funds to foreign countries and implementing non-governmental organizations” while the newly elected administration reviewed the programs to see if they were consistent with its America First foreign policy objectives.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio then outlined in a memorandum that he was freezing foreign-aid programs funded by the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition and Journalism Development Network were among those granted money from this pool of funding.

In an emergency filing, U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer of the U.S. Department of Justice said on Aug. 26 that the administration’s position to overturn a federal court injunction had been supported 2–1 by the panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit earlier this month.

Despite that ruling, the injunction by a lower court remains in effect after U.S. District Judge Amir Ali in Washington on Aug. 25—and the federal appeals court last week—rejected the Justice Department’s request to put it on hold.

“The government is thus forced to ask this Court to give effect to the D.C. Circuit’s decision, which correctly held that private parties cannot enlist Article III courts to supplant the interbranch dialogue regarding the expenditure of appropriated funds,” Sauer said in his 36-page application to the Supreme Court.

The funds subject to the injunction comprise tens of billions of dollars, some $12 billion of which would need to be spent by the U.S. Department of State before Sept. 30, when they expire, according to the filing.

Without the court’s intervention, Sauer said, the State Department will be bound by the injunction to keep making the foreign aid payments before the expiry date.

The injunction “will effectively force the government to rapidly obligate some $12 billion in foreign-aid funds that would expire September 30 and to continue obligating tens of billions of dollars more—overriding the Executive Branch’s foreign-policy judgments regarding whether to pursue rescissions and thwarting interbranch dialogue,” Sauer said.

Disputes between the legislative and executive branches over federal funding have historically been determined through the political process, as codified by the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (ICA).

“Yet the district court jumped ahead, appointing itself as overseer of spending decisions and allowing private parties to bring suits without regard to the Comptroller General or Congress’s views,” Sauer said.

The lower court decision effectively ruled that such private parties “could persuade district courts to superintend the Executive Branch’s disbursement of funding streams and second-guess the political branches’ views of the ICA,” the filing said.

Sauer said the plaintiffs face no irreparable harm from the federal government’s decision to freeze funding.

“They cannot claim irreparable harm from the unavailability of certain funding streams when they have no entitlement to those funds anyway,” the petition said.

“They simply want to compete for foreign-aid awards. But even under the injunction, they have no guarantee of getting a penny, making it all the more incongruous for them to effectively commandeer the spending of billions of dollars.”

The U.S. Supreme Court declined on March 5 to intervene after Ali ruled against the administration on Feb. 25.

The Supreme Court at the time asked Ali to “clarify what obligations the Government must fulfill to ensure compliance” with his temporary restraining order.

Ali then determined it was likely the Trump administration was acting beyond its purview by canceling funds earmarked by Congress, and barred it from “unlawfully impounding congressionally appropriated foreign aid funds.”

The DOJ appealed, and the three-judge appeals panel stayed Ali’s order. The plaintiffs then appealed to the full court of appeals, which has yet to make its decision but has left Ali’s injunction in place.

Sauer has asked for its petition to be addressed by Sept. 2 “due to the additional irreparable harms the government would incur past that point.”

“Backtracking on those commitments and proposing rescissions after September 2 would inflict irreparable diplomatic costs and generate needless interbranch friction,” he said.

Apple announced on Tuesday that its upcoming “Awe Dropping” iPhone 17 event will take place on September 9. The launch is expected to feature an all-new super-thin iPhone, new Watch models with satellite connectivity, and the long-awaited AirPods Pro 3.

Ahead of the launch event, Goldman analysts led by Michael Ng told clients that his desk is “Buy” rated on the stock. 

“We are encouraged by reports surrounding (1) form factor updates to iPhone 17 models (17 “Air” model, larger base screen size); (2) the potential for a price increase to the iPhone 17 Pro; and (3) continued carrier competition driving device-related promotions,” Ng told clients. 

He stated, “We reiterate our Buy rating on AAPL and forecast iPhone revenue to grow +5% yoy in F2025E before accelerating to +7% yoy growth in F2026E.”

Ng expects four new iPhone models to be launched at the beginning of the iPhone 17 cycle:

1. iPhone 17 (base);

2. iPhone 17 “Air” (replacing the Plus model);

3. iPhone 17 Pro; and

4. iPhone 17 Pro Max.

So, what’s really changing with the new iPhone? Good question. The analyst provides some thoughts:

First, the iPhone 17 series will reportedly feature a variety of different form factor changes (Exhibit 1). For one, Apple should debut the first iPhone 17 “Air” model (which should replace the iPhone “Plus” model), featuring a thinner and lighter form factor relative to other iPhone models, with a display size between that of the 17 Pro (6.3″) and 17 Pro Max (6.9″). In addition, the iPhone 17 base model display size should now measure 6.3″ (v. 6.1″ in the base iPhone 16 model), now equal to that of Pro models. Second, the iPhone 17 series should be able to support greater compute intensity, with updated A19 series processor chips and 12 GB of RAM (v. 8GB RAM in the iPhone 16 family). iPhone 17 Pro & Pro Max models should feature premium chip models (likely A19 Pro), and the iPhone 17 (base) and Air models featuring a less advanced chip model (A19 base or less compute intensive A19 Pro). Greater chip power and RAM capacity likely reflects a greater need for compute intensity ahead of upcoming Apple Intelligence feature updates and releases, including the 2026 expected release of AI-enhanced Siri. Third, the iPhone 17 series should see an improved front camera (24 MP v. 12 MP in the iPhone 16 family).

Thoughts on pricing:

Though it has been reported that Apple could raise prices by $50 across its iPhone 17 line up, we expect pricing for iPhone 17 (base) and Pro Max models to be in-line with that of preceding models ($799 128GB base model starting price; $1,199 256GB Pro Max starting price). That said, we believe Apple could implicitly raise prices on the Pro model, in-line with recent reports. While the iPhone 16 Pro started at 128GB at $999, we believe Apple could raise prices by eliminating the 128 GB storage option, moving 17 Pro starting storage and price to 256 GB and $1,099. This would be similar to how Apple raised prices on Pro Max models in 2023 during the launch of the iPhone 15 series, when it eliminated the $1,099 128 GB storage option for the iPhone 15 Pro Max, moving the Pro Max model’s starting storage and price to 256 GB and $1,199. We expect iPhone 17 Air pricing to be relatively in-line with the iPhone 16 Plus ($899), due to its specialized thin form factor yet reported inferior battery capacity and single-lens back camera.

And what does the new iPhone mean for Apple’s revenue growth? Well, Ng has that topic covered as well:

Overall, we view the iPhone 17 line-up as supportive of sustaining iPhone revenue growth from F2025 into F2026 (GSe iPhone revenue growth estimates for +5% yoy in F2025E, +7% yoy in F2026E). First, from a demand standpoint, we view updates including larger screen sizes on the 17 base model, improved front-cameras, and improved processor chip power as supportive of device refresh, particularly amongst members of the iPhone installed base with devices that are aging (>3 years since purchase) or that do not support Apple Intelligence (devices less powerful than iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max) ahead of the launch of additional AI features in the coming year (AI-enhanced Siri). Second, from a price perspective, we view the potential for an implicit iPhone price increase through eliminating the 128GB $999 Pro model option as supportive of ASP uplift over time, particularly as the iPhone shipments skew increasingly premium over time (Exhibit 5). We are mixed on the benefits of the iPhone 17 Air model. While the thinner, lighter form factor may drive some demand interest, potential features such as an inferior battery & a single lens rear camera (vs. base model with 2 lenses & better camera) may not justify a purchase over the iPhone 17 base model.

Summary of key changes expected in iPhone 17 series

iPhone announcement event has not historically been a stock catalyst for outperformance/underperformance

Promotional activity among US carriers for iPhones 

iPhone 17 pricing 

iPhone revenue forecast 

Remaining product pipeline

How “Awe Dropping” will this upcoming launch event be if the iPhone 17 still looks the same as previous iPhone models? 

Authored by Michael Lebowitz via RealInvestmentAdvice.com,

In his 1687 book, Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica, Sir Isaac Newton defined momentum as the product of mass and velocity, or p = m * v. The reason we begin with a physics lesson is that momentum strategies are very popular, and Isaac Newton’s famous formula can teach us a lot about financial asset momentum.

Recently, we have seen rapid shifts in and out of various sectors and stock factors that disrupt momentum strategies. Therefore, understanding how momentum strategies work can help you better identify when they might be effective and when it’s time to switch to a different approach.

The graphs used in this article are from 8/21/2025. Although slightly outdated, their goal is to help readers understand how to measure momentum rather than assess the current momentum state.

Physics 101

Returning to our basic physics formula, p = m * v.

To measure financial momentum, we also need to measure the velocity and mass of a financial asset or index.

Mass

Mass (m) in finance terminology refers to the trading volume or market interest behind an asset. Market cap or AUM, trading volumes, and investor sentiment can be used to measure mass.

The graph below, courtesy of SimpleVisor, highlights the bullish trend channel (blue) from late May through mid-August.

In this example, we will focus on three indicators to evaluate mass.

The first indicator is volume, along with its moving average. As indicated by the red and green bars, volume has remained steady throughout the trend. This is also supported by the relatively flat moving average (black line). Ideally, we want to see rising volume alongside a trend. However, volume isn’t decreasing either, which would suggest the trend is losing momentum.

The middle graph is On Balance Volume (OBV). OBV adds volume on days when a security’s price closes higher and subtracts volume when it closes lower. Therefore, it shows a running total of buying or selling pressure. Ideally, we want to see it increasing. Like we noted with volume, which is also flat, OBV momentum isn’t gaining strength, but it doesn’t indicate that momentum is declining either. 

The bottom graph shows the Volume Oscillator, which compares a shorter and a longer moving average of volume. When it declines, it indicates that volume over the shorter moving average period is less than that of the more extended period. As shown above, the oscillator has been declining, though at a slow rate.

None of the volume indicators suggest a break in the momentum trend is imminent, but they also don’t indicate the trend is gaining strength. 

Velocity

Velocity (v) quantifies the persistence of the trend and its slope.

Let’s revisit the graph above with three popular indicators of velocity.

The graph shows the Moving Average Convergence Divergence, or MACD. The MACD is computed by subtracting a longer-term moving average from a shorter-term one. Additionally, a signal line, an even shorter moving average, accompanies the MACD. We examine not only the trend and level of the MACD but also convergences or divergences from the signal line. A convergence indicates a weakening trend, while divergence suggests increasing momentum. In the graph, the MACD remains stable with no apparent signs of convergence or divergence. Although generally bullish, the MACD level is high, which is difficult to sustain, and it has been gradually sloping downward.

The indicator just below the price chart is the Relative Price Index, or RSI. The RSI is an oscillator that measures the speed and magnitude of price movements. The index ranges from 100, which signals it’s very overbought, to 0, indicating it is very oversold. Typically, levels above 75 and below 25 suggest a reversal in momentum is likely. Equally important is the trend of the RSI line. Like most indicators, we prefer a gently rising or falling trend over sharp movements. Currently, after reaching overbought levels in late July, the RSI has generally been declining, showing that momentum is weakening.

Last is the Rate of Change (ROC). The ROC calculation shows the percentage difference between the current price and an earlier price. An ROC of zero, as indicated by the graph, means the price has not changed compared to 9 days ago. ROC should be above zero in an uptrend and below zero in a downtrend. However, during healthy market consolidations, the ROC can reach zero. In such cases, breaking below zero could coincide with breaking the highlighted price channel and a change in momentum.

What Is p?

Before moving on, let’s review the momentum of the S&P 500 based on the indicators and charts above. The highlighted trend channel, along with the mass and velocity indicators, suggests a market with positive momentum. Both sets of indicators are indicating some easing of momentum but not warning of an upcoming reversal. As we mentioned earlier, it’s healthy to experience brief periods of correction or consolidation in strong upward trends. So far, we should assume this is the case until our indicators and the price chart indicate otherwise.

Pitfalls of Momentum Strategies

Momentum strategies depend on the persistence of price trends and indicators that measure those trends, some of which are described above. When markets undergo significant two-way volatility or rapid rotations with market leadership shifting quickly between sectors and/or stock factors, momentum strategies often face difficulties.

The biggest problem with the strategy is its delayed reaction. Because momentum strategies rely on past price data, trends may reverse or fade before the strategy can fully take advantage of them, resulting in whipsaw losses. Additionally, the model might not detect a new momentum trend until it is well into the cycle, leaving little upside potential.

Another important factor is time. If you plan to follow a momentum strategy, you must decide whether you’re a short-term trader or a medium- or long-term investor. A short-term trader might use minute-by-minute data to capitalize on momentum trends over hours or days. Long-term traders, on the other hand, need to focus on the bigger picture. Naturally, the scope of that picture depends on how long-term an investor you are.

Mitigating Data Lag

When markets are volatile and rotations occur quickly, momentum can still be effective. Still, strategies need to adjust to the environment. For example, you may want to use shorter lookback periods to capture momentum changes more quickly.

Another practical step is diversification. Instead of depending on just one or two sectors, factors, or stocks with strong momentum, think about broadening your portfolio. This can help reduce the volatility of your returns. Additionally, including other value factors, such as market capitalization, beta, or value versus growth, alongside the momentum indicator, can result in more stable outcomes.

Summary

Momentum strategies give investors the chance for higher returns than the market. Additionally, momentum can be fairly easily measured, allowing investors to use a rule-based system, which can help reduce the influence of emotions on trading decisions.

Momentum strategies, like all other investment strategies, have periods when they perform well and periods when they underperform. For example, during periods of quick rotations where momentum trends are not sustained and volatility is high, investors can often find themselves on the wrong side of momentum.

We leave you with the graph below.

Since 2022, the performance of a widely followed momentum ETF (MTUM) has matched the S&P 500 (SPY). However, the blue shading indicates that although both ended up in the same place, the strategy experienced periods of outperformance and equally poor periods of underperformance.

Renewed high-level scrutiny on far-left nonprofits emerged overnight with a New York Times report on Tuesday evening, which revealed that the Gates Foundation had abruptly severed ties with a “dark money” network operated by Arabella Advisors. Then by morning, President Trump fired off a post on Truth Social calling for possible RICO charges against George Soros and his radical leftist son for their “support of violent protests.” We must note that Bill Gates met with Trump at the White House earlier on Tuesday, according to an NBC report. 

The move by the Gates Foundation, along with Trump’s comments, suggests that an impending crackdown on rogue progressive philanthropic networks could arrive as early as this fall. 

Additional evidence of this scrutiny surfaced actually last week, Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) sounded the alarm on X. Cotton singled out the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), a leftist activist group closely aligned with Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), accusing it of working across university campuses to incite anti-Israel protests and campus chaos.

“The Palestinian Youth Movement’s support of Hamas and ties to terror groups should prevent it from receiving tax-exempt donations. I’m asking the IRS to investigate and remedy this situation,” Cotton wrote on X last Friday. 

The Palestinian Youth Movement’s support of Hamas and ties to terror groups should prevent it from receiving tax exempt donations. I’m asking the IRS to investigate and remedy this situation. https://t.co/dmCimJObgM

— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) August 22, 2025

Cotton sent a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, requesting that the IRS investigate PYM and its funding sources for potential violations of U.S. tax law.

Cotton emphasized that while PYM is known for antisemitic activities and support for terrorist groups like Hamas, the core issue is its ability to receive tax-exempt donations…

“An organization that supports terrorism, breaks U.S. law, and sows antisemitic discord should not receive any benefits from the American tax system. I ask you to immediately investigate both PYM and Honor the Earth and to take any actions necessary to remedy this situation,” Cotton wrote in the letter. 

Commentary on PYM via Jason Curtis Anderson, cofounder of the good government group One City Rising, reveals: 

“One of the basic qualifications for tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charity status is that an organization must actually work for the public good. The Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) is an international terror-supporting network that doesn’t even pretend to contribute anything positive to society. Last year’s People’s Conference for Palestine in Detroit—the largest pro-terror conference in U.S. history—was sponsored, convened, and managed by PYM, which also served as the primary recipient of donations. Its speaker lineup included current PFLP member Wisam Rafeedie, Sana’ Daqqa—the wife of convicted PFLP terrorist Walid Daqqa—and even a promotional endorsement from PFLP founding member Salah Salah. With another conference looming in 2025, it is unacceptable that groups openly glorifying terrorism enjoy the same tax-exempt privileges as organizations that truly serve the public good, like feeding the homeless. The 501(c)(3) world has become the Wild West of government subversion, permanent protests, and foreign influence, and I applaud Senator Tom Cotton’s much-needed efforts to put a stop to this rampant abuse.” 

Takeaway is clear: The days of dynastic billionaire families, foreign money, taxpayer dollars, and leftist nonprofits feeding the Democratic Party machine are about to come under the crosshairs and face heavy scrutiny this fall. Americans are sick and tired of rogue leftist NGOs unleashing color-revolution-style operations across major cities, if that’s rioting, burning private property, and attacking government facilities. We also suspect the Marxists around Neville Roy Singham have been put on notice.

After yesterday’s stellar, blowout 2Y auction, moments ago the US sold $70 billion in 5Y paper in what was a far weaker auction. 

The high yield was 3.724%, down from 3.983% in July and the lowest since last September’s 3.519%; it also tailed the When Issued 3.717% by 0.7bps, the 3rd tail in a row.

The Bid to Cover was 2.36, up from last month’s ugly 2.31, but below the six auction average of 2.37.

The internals were also wobbly, with Indirects taking 60.5%, up from 58.3%, but also far below the recent average of 69.3%. But weakness in foreign demand was offset by a surge in domestic demand, with Directs taking a new record high of 30.7%.

This left just 8.8% for Dealers, tied with the previous record low from Jan 2023.

And overall:

While this was generally a disappointing auction, although with some silver linings below the surface, clearly the market did not care, and 10Y yields slumped to the day’s lows shortly after the auction.

By Bas van Geffen, Senior Market Strategist at Rabobank

Today’s headlines are more of the same, which should spell bad news for longer-term government bonds. The long end of the Treasury curve has been struggling since President Trump moved to terminate Lisa Cook position at the Fed on Monday. However, considering the potential implications, markets have arguably been eerily calm in the face of this news. Long-term yields are up, but not massively, and Bloomberg headlines today that speculators have accumulated the biggest net short positions on the VIX index since 2022, essentially betting that the calm will last. Is that a setup to another volmageddon?

As my colleagues pointed out in this daily over the past couple of days, the president is trying to align the central bank with his broader agenda. So why stop here?

If the dismissal of Cook holds up in court, Trump-appointees will have a majority in the Fed’s Board of Governors. But the Federal Open Market Committee, which makes policy decisions, also consists of the presidents of the 12 regional Federal Reserve banks. The next headline should therefore not be surprising. Bloomberg reports that the Trump administration is looking at its options to increase its influence over the nomination process of the regional Fed presidents.

According to one of Bloomberg’s sources, candidates for Fed Chair Powell’s job may also be considered to head one of the regional banks. However, it is not exactly clear how that would happen.

Unlike the Fed’s Board of Governors, the presidents of the regional Fed banks are not nominated by the US president and confirmed by the senate. Instead, they are appointed by private-sector boards and the Board of Governors. The Fed’s board confirms the appointments once every five years, and the next reappointments are scheduled for February. If Cook is replaced, the Trump loyalists in the Fed’s board could potentially block appointments. But there is currently no sure-fire way for Trump to get anyone in particular nominated for the job.

Likewise, the Trump administration is looking to expand its control over US supply chains. Following last week’s announcement that the White House will take a 10% stake in Intel, Secretary of Commerce Lutnick suggested that defence companies may be next: “They are basically an arm of the US government.”

So, as noted in yesterday’s daily, the US are taking a page from China’s playbook. Because markets alone cannot compete with China’s state-directed framework. Where does that leave Europe and its attempts to regain strategic autonomy?

Internally, France is descending into another political crisis after PM Bayrou called for a confidence vote on September 8. At 114%, Frances debt ratio is the third highest in the Eurozone, but the large budget deficit is particularly worrying. The minister of Finance said that he cannot rule out that the IMF may ultimately have to intervene if parliament does not take the necessary austerity measures. Although that scenario is still a long way off, what would the IMF have to offer? Advice about structural reforms and privatization? How will such policies fare against not only a state-led China, but also an increasingly coordinated US economy?

With this vote of confidence, Bayrou essentially wants to seek parliament’s support to continue drafting a budget for 2026. The prime minister wants to avoid that these efforts are shot down at a later stage, but in doing so, Bayrou now takes a very risky gamble with the future of his minority government.

Prior to the holidays, Bayrou’s proposed budget cuts had already sparked anger amongst the opposition parties. The hard left simply does not see the need for any austerity. Both Le Pen’s National Rally and the Socialists support austerity to some degree, but they want to cut in different areas than proposed by Bayrou.

Normally, this would leave room for negotiations. And the government’s budget cuts might have survived in an altered, perhaps somewhat diluted form. The vote of confidence is not a de facto approval of any budget – parliament will have to vote on that towards the end of the year. However, by calling for a vote of confidence, the prime minister is essentially putting pressure on these opposition parties to support his efforts to consolidate the budget. And that may be hard to swallow.

So, the risk has grown substantially that France’s government will fall, which would also raise the risk that the 2026 budget will not include any material spending cuts. The coming days will tell if Bayrou can work the opposition parties to get them on board. The Socialists have said that it’s “inconceivable” that they will vote in favor of the government, but they seem to be the prime minister’s best chance for survival at this point

Authored by Amin Haqshanas via CoinTelegraph.com,

Cryptocurrencies are becoming a core part of the economy in Venezuela as citizens turn to digital assets to shield themselves from a collapsing currency and tighter government controls.

From small family stores to large retail chains, shops across the country now accept crypto through platforms such as Binance and Airtm. Some businesses even use stablecoins to pay employees, while universities have begun offering courses dedicated to digital assets.

“There’s lots of places accepting it now,” shopper Victor Sousa, who paid for phone accessories with USDt, told the Financial Times. “The plan is to one day have my savings in crypto.”

Venezuela ranked 13th globally for crypto adoption, according to the Chainalysis 2024 Crypto Adoption Index report, which noted a 110% increase in usage in the year.

Venezuela ranked 13th globally for crypto adoption. Source: Chainalysis

Bolívar’s crash pushes Venezuelans into crypto

The continued slide of the bolívar currency has intensified demand for crypto. Since the government stopped defending the currency in October, it has lost more than 70% of its value. Inflation reached 229% in May, according to the Venezuelan Finance Observatory (OVF).

“Venezuelans started using cryptocurrencies out of necessity,” said economist Aarón Olmos. He noted that they face inflation, low wages, foreign currency shortages and difficulty opening bank accounts.

However, access is not always smooth. With US sanctions on Venezuela’s financial sector, Binance restricts services linked to sanctioned banks and individuals. Connectivity issues also hinder widespread use. Still, experts say the ecosystem is resilient, per the FT report.

The government’s stance on crypto remains inconsistent. Venezuela launched its own digital currency, the petro, in 2018, but the project collapsed last year. The main exchange regulator was shut down in 2023 following corruption allegations tied to oil-linked transactions.

Cointelegraph reached out to Binance for comment, but had not received a response by publication.

Crypto remittances surge in Venezuela

As Cointelegraph reported, crypto remittances have become a crucial lifeline for Venezuelans as the country’s economy sinks deeper into crisis. In 2023, digital assets made up 9% of the $5.4 billion in remittances sent home, about $461 million.

Families are increasingly relying on cryptocurrencies over traditional services like Western Union, which are weighed down by high fees, delays and currency shortages.

Meanwhile, military tensions are rising between the US and Venezuela. On Tuesday, Venezuela’s defense minister announced the deployment of naval vessels and drones to patrol the country’s Caribbean coast following Washington’s decision to send an amphibious squadron of three warships, joined later by a missile cruiser and a nuclear-powered submarine, to the region.

The buildup comes after the Trump administration accused President Nicolás Maduro of working with cartels and expanded its pursuit of Venezuelan leaders, doubling the reward for Maduro’s capture to $50 million and offering $25 million for Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello.

Via VigilantFox.com,

As Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard has spent months shaking Washington with bombshell after bombshell on the Russia Coup of 2017.

When Trump asked her to speak, she told him that the intel community’s corruption was worse than anyone thought.

She doubled down on her mission statement of transparency.

Gabbard:

“Mr. President, you have charged me with the mission of finding the truth and telling the truth to the American people, and we’ve exposed some of the worst examples of the weaponization of intelligence in the last several weeks.”

“I will continue down that mission and that path, wherever it leads. Transparency, telling the truth is what will drive true accountability for the American people who deserve nothing less.”

Then Trump dropped a jaw-dropper of his own.

He revealed that Gabbard’s team had recovered unburned “burn bags” stuffed with classified material tied to the 2020 election…and asked when the public would see them.

Trump: “And you’ve also found many bags of information, I think they call them burn bags. They’re supposed to be burned and they didn’t get burned having to do with how corrupt the 2020 election was, and when will that all come out?”

Gabbard:

“Mr. President, I will be the first to brief you once we have that information collected.”

“But you’re right – we are finding documents literally tucked away in the back of safes, in random offices, in these bags and in other areas, which, again, speaks to the intent of those who are trying to hide the truth from the American people and trying to cover up the politicization that was led by people like John Brennan and James Clapper and others that have caused immeasurable harm to the American people and to our country.”

Wow.

Transparency is FINALLY coming and what’s buried inside those bags could shake the nation.

This is when things got interesting.

As Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard has spent months shaking Washington with bombshell after bombshell on the Russia Coup of 2017.

When Trump asked her to speak, she told him that the intel community’s corruption was worse… pic.twitter.com/157AXaGvQ3

— The Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) August 26, 2025

Via Remix News,

Quiet and prosperous Switzerland also now has its migrant riots to contend with. In the Swiss city of Lausanne, riots have now broken out for a second night after a 17-year-old Congolese youth died during a police chase. During the first night of unrest, a right-wing politician was targeted by a large group of youths, who nearly lynched him.

At 10:00 p.m. last night., approximately 150 to 200 people set up roadblocks and began burning containers and garbage cans. They also severely damaged a bus.

Officers were hit with Molotov cocktails, paving stones, and construction fences, along with other objects, according to police.

Police hit the rioters with tear gas and rubber bullets to control the unrest. No injuries were reported.

🇨🇭On August 24, 2025, at around 4:00 a.m. in the Prelaz area of Lausanne, Switzerland, Marvin, a suspected migrant, was driving a stolen electric scooter and died when he crashed into a wall while being pursued by police. Riots subsequently broke out in the Prelaz area. pic.twitter.com/WO28jYr02V

— Argonaut (@FapeFop90614) August 26, 2025

The unrest followed similar attacks the night before, which saw a smaller crowd of about 100 youths, who partook in the rioting.

During that night, a Swiss People’s Party (SVP) politician, Thibault Schaller, was targeted in a lynching attack, which was caught on video.

He wrote on X that he approached the unrest because he was curious what was going on. Upon getting closer, some individuals, whom he said he believed to be Antifa, recognized and confronted him.

“They ordered me to leave. I refused and asked what was happening. One pushed me, I pushed him back then stepped back. Someone shouted something, and 10, 15 people came running at me from everywhere. I ran away, took hits. They blocked my path, I fell, protected myself. I got up, ran, got surrounded again against a wall, then took blows. Then, I managed to get away by running. I’m fine, but we really need to take back this city,” Schaller wrote.

In the video, Schaller is seen being chased by a large group of individuals, who kick him on the ground. Schaller continuously gets up and is able to elude the group and eventually get away.

One of the individuals called him “a fascist” during the attack.

🇨🇭During riots in Switzerland, a mob recognized a local SVP politician, @Thibauuuuuult in Lausanne, and nearly lynched him.

Riots broke out after an African teen slammed a stolen a scooter into a wall during a police chase and died.pic.twitter.com/fK5IGqcojY

— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) August 26, 2025

The riots began after the death of 17-year-old Marvin M., a Swiss citizen with Congolese roots.

Police say they pursued him while he drove a stolen scooter on Sunday night. He died when he crashed his scooter into a garage door.

Marvin M.’s mother claimed her son is “not a scooter thief,” and “not a bandit,” in an interview with 24Heures.

She said he was a passionate rapper, with his group stating it does not condone the violence taking place in the city after his death.

Schaller wrote on X that the police were not to blame for the teenager’s death and that “this tragedy could have been avoided. He just had to listen to the police.”

The city was “held hostage by a handful of thugs,” he further wrote.

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