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North Korea Sends 6,000 Engineers, Construction Workers To Rebuild Russia’s Kursk

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North Korea Sends 6,000 Engineers, Construction Workers To Rebuild Russia’s Kursk

The Moscow-Pyongyang bromance continues, based on mutual defense objectives and the landmark agreement struck between Presidents Putin and Kim Jong-Un last summer.

As part of the latest in official trips and exchanges Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was hosted by Kim during a visit to North Korea, where Pyongyang reaffirmed its strong backing of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

AFP/Getty Images

Last month state media aired images for the first time of flag-draped coffins of North Korean troops slain in the context of the Ukraine war returning by military transport plane to Pyongyang.

Russia’s defense ministry ministry shared footage of Kim and FM Lavrov shaking hands and embracing on Saturday. Lavrov said, “We exchanged views on the situation around the Ukraine crisis… Our Korean friends reaffirmed their unwavering support for all the goals of the special military operation, as well as the actions of Russia’s leadership and armed forces.”

While it has become well-publicized that there are over 10,000 DPRK troops assisting Russian forces, particularly in Kursk and it Russia’s southern border areas, it’s less known that Pyongyang has agreed to send 6,000 engineers and construction workers to aid in rebuilding efforts in Russian-controlled areas.

US and South Korean intelligence have been closely monitoring these developments, and  have raised alarms that Pyongyang may be seeking advanced Russian military technology in return.

Last year South Korean officials alleged, “It is understood that North Korea has been provided with related equipment and anti-aircraft missiles to strengthen Pyongyang’s weak air defense system.”

Russia and North Korea actually share a tiny border in the far east, allowing transfers of heavy defense equipment by train. 

Fresh images of Lavrov greeting Kim, with both all smiles…

It’s also believed that regular military flights go between the capitals, but trains allow for the easier transport of many tons of ammo and arms, such as artillery shells, and can be accomplished with less awareness of Western intelligence agencies.

Tyler Durden
Sat, 07/12/2025 – 18:05

“I Have A Wonderful Opportunity”: Justice Jackson’s Cathartic Jurisprudence

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“I Have A Wonderful Opportunity”: Justice Jackson’s Cathartic Jurisprudence

Authored by Jonathan Turley,

I wrote recently about the chilling jurisprudence of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, who has drawn the ire of colleagues in opinions for her rhetoric and extreme positions.

Many have expressed alarm over her adherence to what has been described by a colleague as an “imperial judiciary” model of jurisprudence. Now, it appears that Jackson’s increasingly controversial opinions are serving a certain cathartic purpose for the far-left Biden appointee.

On ABC News, Jackson stated, “I just feel that I have a wonderful opportunity to tell people in my opinions how I feel about the issues, and that’s what I try to do.”

Her colleagues have not entirely welcomed that sense of license.

The histrionic and hyperbolic rhetoric has increased in Jackson’s opinions, which at times portray her colleagues as abandoning not just the Constitution but democracy itself.

Her dissent in the recent ruling on universal injunctions drew the rebuke of Justice Amy Coney Barrett over what was described as “a vision of the judicial role that would make even the most ardent defender of judicial supremacy blush.” Barrett wrote:

“We will not dwell on Justice Jackson’s argument, which is at odds with more than two centuries’ worth of precedent, not to mention the Constitution itself. We observe only this: Justice Jackson decries an imperial Executive while embracing an imperial Judiciary.”

Jackson, however, clearly feels that opinions are a way for her to opine on issues of the day.

She is not alone. Across the country, liberal judges have been adding their own commentary to decisions in condemning Trump, his supporters, and his policies.

I previously wrote about this pattern of extrajudicial commentary.

District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan, an Obama appointee, was criticized for failing to recuse herself from that case after she made highly controversial statements about Trump from the bench. Chutkan lashed out at “a blind loyalty to one person who, by the way, remains free to this day.” That “one person” was still under investigation at the time, and when Trump was charged, Chutkan refused to let the case go.

Later, Chutkan again added her own commentary when asked to dismiss a case due to Trump pardoning Jan. 6 defendants. She acknowledged that she could not block the pardons but proclaimed that the pardons could not change the “tragic truth” and “cannot whitewash the blood, feces and terror that the mob left in its wake. And it cannot repair the jagged breach in America’s sacred tradition of peacefully transitioning power.”

One of Chutkan’s colleagues, Judge Beryl Howell, also an Obama appointee, lashed out at Trump’s actions, writing, “[T]his Court cannot let stand the revisionist myth relayed in this presidential pronouncement.”

Then there is Judge Amit Mehta, another Obama appointee, who has been criticized for conflicted rulings in Trump cases and his bizarre (and ultimately abandoned) effort to banish January 6th defendants from the Capitol.

Last week, Mehta had a straightforward question of jurisdiction concerning a challenge to the denial of grants by the Trump Administration. While correctly dismissing the challenge, Mehta decided to add his own commentary on Trump’s priorities and policies:

“Defendants’ rescinding of these awards is shameful. It is likely to harm communities and individuals vulnerable to crime and violence. But displeasure and sympathy are not enough in a court of law.”

For Justice Jackson, her opinions have at times left her isolated on the Court. Weeks ago, Jackson and Sotomayor were alone in dissent over the defiance of a district court judge of the Court’s decision on universal injunctions. To her credit, Justice Elena Kagan (who voted with Sotomayor and Jackson in dissent in the earlier case) voted with her conservative colleagues in rebuking Judge Brian Murphy in Boston.

Kagan joined in the reversal of Murphy’s conflicting order and wrote the new order “clarifies only one thing: Other litigants must follow the rules, but the administration has the Supreme Court on speed dial.”

This week, Jackson lost even Sotomayor and stood alone in her dissent in support of an injunction over plans to downsize the government. Sotomayor observed that the Trump order only ordered for agencies to plan for such downsizing and said that the courts could hardly enjoin such policy preparations in the Executive Branch.

However, Jackson could and would.

The controversial position of Jackson on the Court is not due to her liberal views. We have had many such liberal jurists. The difference is how Jackson views her role as a justice.

The danger is not confined to opinions. For years, justices have yielded to the temptations of public speaking before supportive groups. I have long been a critic of what I called the era of “celebrity justices” where members seem to maintain political constituencies in public events.

Such speeches can not only undermine the integrity of the Court by discussing matters that may come before it, but they can create a desire to maintain the adoration of supporters. The greatest danger is that justices will consciously or subconsciously pander to their bases with soundbites and inflammatory rhetoric.

Judicial advocacy from the bench has been a concern since the founding. Article III can have a corrosive impact on certain jurists who come to view themselves as anointed rather than appointed. Most judges and justices are acutely aware of that danger and struggle to confine their rulings to the merits of disputes, avoiding political questions or commentary.

The “opportunity to tell people how I feel” can become a slippery slope where opinions become more like judicial op-eds. The Court is not a cable show. The price of the ticket to being “one of nine” is that you should speak only through your opinions and only on the narrow legal matter before you.

Opinions must remain “opportunities” to do simple justice, not a supreme editorial.

Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University and the best-selling author of “The Indispensable Right.”

Tyler Durden
Sat, 07/12/2025 – 17:30

Air India Crash: Fuel Switches On Boeing 787 “Cutoff” During Takeoff 

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Air India Crash: Fuel Switches On Boeing 787 “Cutoff” During Takeoff 

Just one month ago—and days before the Paris Air Show—a horrific crash involving Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, was captured on CCTV. The footage showed the widebody aircraft taking off down a runway in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, but shortly after rotation, it suddenly lost altitude and crashed into a residential area, sparking all sorts of speculation about what may have caused the crash that killed 260 people. Since then, Indian authorities have remained largely silent—until now.

A newly released preliminary report may finally shed light on what went wrong. Spoiler alert: it’s great news for Boeing. Early findings suggest the mid-air disaster was not due to a mechanical flaw in the engines, but likely the result of human error.

On Saturday, India’s Air Accident Investigation Bureau released a report revealing that the fuel control switches on the Boeing 787 were set to “cutoff” just seconds after takeoff, explaining why the widebody jet failed to gain sufficient lift after rotation, as thrust could not be produced with Jet A fuel supply cut off. 

“The aircraft achieved the maximum recorded airspeed of 180 Knots IAS at about 08:08:42 UTC and immediately thereafter, the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transitioned from RUN to CUTOFF position one after another with a time gap of 01 sec. The Engine N1 and N2 began to decrease from their takeoff values as the fuel supply to the engines was cut off,” the report read. 

The report continued, “In the cockpit voice recording, one of the pilots is heard asking the other why did he cutoff. The other pilot responded that he did not do so.”

By the time the one pilot realized the fuel had been cut off and flipped the switches back to “run,” it was too late. Although the engines began relight sequences, the aircraft had already reached its peak speed of 180 knots at just a few hundred feet of altitude—leaving no time for trust recovery. 

More details from the report:

As perthe EAFR, the Engine 1 fuel cutoff switch transitioned from CUTOFF to RUN at about 08:08:52 UTC. The APU Inlet Door began opening at about 08:08:54 UTC, consistent with the APU Auto Start logic. Thereafter at 08:08:56 UTC the Engine 2 fuel cutoff switch also transitions from CUTOFF to RUN. When fuel control switches are moved from CUTOFF to RUN while the aircraft is inflight, each engines full authority dual engine control (FADEC) automatically manages a relight and thrust recoverysequence of ignition and fuel introduction.

The EGT was observed to be rising for both engines indicating relight. Engine 1’s core deceleration stopped, reversed and started to progress to recovery. Engine 2 was able to relight but could not arrest core speed deceleration and re-introduced fuel repeatedly to increase core speed acceleration and recovery. The EAFR recording stopped at 08:09:11 UTC.

At about 08:09:05 UTC, one of the pilots transmitted “MAYDAYMAYDAY MAYDAY”.

The report does not explain why the switches were flipped and points to no mechanical issues or bird strike. It does, however, suggest a focus on the pilots’ actions. The first officer was flying at the time.

As we’ve previously noted, this marks the first-ever hull loss of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner since the aircraft entered service in 2011. 

At the Paris Air Show, one of the aerospace industry’s biggest events, held about a week after the crash, Boeing kept a low profile while the investigation into Flight 171 was ongoing. 

Shawn Pruchnicki, a former airline accident investigator and aviation expert at Ohio State University, told The New York Times: “For example, on the 787 and probably more airliners these days, the switches themselves — you can’t shut them off without actually lifting them up. So there’s a little mechanical gate built into the switch — you have to lift it up over this little gate. So you can’t just bump it.”

The good news for Boeing is that the investigation is pointing toward human error as the contributing factor in the crash.

*   *   * 

Read The Full Report: 

Tyler Durden
Sat, 07/12/2025 – 16:55

Newborns To Get $1,000 ‘Trump Accounts’ – Here’s How It Works

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Newborns To Get $1,000 ‘Trump Accounts’ – Here’s How It Works

Authored by Andrew Moran via The Epoch Times,

The Republican reconciliation package, better known as the One Big Beautiful Bill, introduced Trump Accounts for newborns, which were previously dubbed MAGA Accounts, or “Money Account for Growth and Advancement.”

The accounts are new tax-advantaged investment vehicles comparable to individual retirement accounts, prefunded with $1,000 from the Treasury Department for every child born between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2028. Children born before this year will also be eligible, but not for the initial $1,000 seed money.

Parents will be eligible to contribute up to $5,000 annually, including up to $2,500 tax-free from a parent’s employer. The money must be invested in a broad stock market index, and earnings will grow tax-deferred until the account holder withdraws the funds.

As part of the new pilot program, parents must have Social Security numbers and be authorized to work in the United States. Families can choose to open a Trump Account at a financial institution, or the federal government will automatically enroll eligible children upon tax filing, with the option to opt out. There are no income requirements.

“It’s a pro-family initiative that will help millions of Americans harness the strength of our economy to lift up the next generation, and they’ll really be getting a big jump on life,” President Donald Trump stated at a June 9 White House event. 

Economists say the children will likely profit from the U.S. stock market’s upward trajectory.

One paper by the Milken Institute estimates that $1,000 accounts would balloon in value over time. After 20 years, researchers project that they will increase to more than $8,000.

This is plausible. Over the last 20 years, for instance, the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average has risen more than 300 percent.

Once beneficiaries turn 18, they can withdraw half of the funds for “qualified purposes,” such as paying for tuition, job training, buying a first home, or starting a business. If the money is used for non-qualified expenditures, it will be taxed as ordinary income.

At age 25, they can access the full balance for specific reasons—a non-qualified expense would be taxed as ordinary income. After the account holder turns 31, the account is terminated, and the full balance can be withdrawn for any purpose; a long-term capital gains tax is then applied.

What Is Being Said About Trump Accounts

Experts say the program will encourage saving for a child’s future, promote financial literacy, and reduce wealth inequality.

“The program could also increase financial literacy of participants and their parents, which in turn would likely increase savings rates and wealth creation,” the Milken Institute paper said. “Since all newborns would receive the grants, the program would reduce wealth inequality.”

Critics say that it does little to assist new parents.

The Institute for Family Studies says that Trump Accounts do little to help families in the early years of parenthood, “when incomes are variable and expenses higher.”

“This is a policy that aims to boost the amount of savings held by teenagers, which may or may not be a laudable goal, but is far from a targeted pro-family approach,” the group said in a report.

Economists say it adds yet another layer to an already complex landscape of savings account options.

“The tax code provides for at least 11 tax-advantaged savings vehicles, each with different rules, limitations, and regulations,” Tax Foundation economists said in a June 11 report.

Wall Street in New York City on April 4, 2025. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times

For example, a popular savings instrument for families is the 529 college savings plan. This program is designed specifically to cover the costs of attending college or university, such as tuition, fees, books, and room and board. Additionally, 529s offer various other features, including no annual limit, tax-free growth, and no age cap.

Ultimately, a Trump Account would offer more flexibility for general wealth-building while 529 plans are targeted for education savings.

“The addition of the Trump Accounts would further complicate savings for taxpayers who would have to keep track of yet another account,” the Tax Foundation economists said.

Instead, the government could offer universal tax-neutral savings accounts for taxpayers, they said.

Corporate America Pledges Support

Several companies have already pledged to participate in the savings account plan.

Michael Dell, CEO of Dell Technologies, said at a June White House business roundtable event that his company will match the government’s contributions “dollar for dollar to every child born to a Dell team.”

“This isn’t just a new investment,” Dell said in a statement. “This is an investment in our people, their families, our communities, and America’s future. And it embodies our core belief that opportunity should begin at birth.”

Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, and Altimeter Capital CEO Brad Gerstner also voiced support for the program.

“When everyone realizes they can be an owner, it unites our country around free-market principles and unleashes the next generation of American success,” Gerstner said.

Tyler Durden
Sat, 07/12/2025 – 16:20

L.A. Mayor Karen Bass Promises Illegal Aliens Cash Amid ICE Raids

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L.A. Mayor Karen Bass Promises Illegal Aliens Cash Amid ICE Raids

Ah, California. With U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents’ continued raids throughout Southern California, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced Friday that undocumented migrants in the city will receive prepaid cash cards funded by philanthropic donors.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the mayor stated that the aid would amount to “a couple hundred” dollars per recipient and emphasized that “money will not come from city coffers but from philanthropic partners.”

The program is set to begin within the week. As reported by the Times, the cash cards “should be available in about a week,” and will be distributed “by immigrants rights groups such as the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles.” The mayor’s office added that “the city will coordinate between philanthropists and organizations distributing the cards,” the Times said.

Bass described the fear and uncertainty that some undocumented residents are experiencing in the wake of heightened immigration enforcement. She said there were migrants “who don’t want to leave their homes,” and are “not going to work.”

The announcement came during a press conference in which Bass signed an executive order “directing all city departments to ‘bolster protocols’ and training on how to comply with the city’s sanctuary policy,” according to the Times.

This policy action follows a separate declaration from Bass on July 8, when she announced that the city would be “joining a private class action civil lawsuit” in response to ICE raids conducted under President Donald Trump’s administration.

The developments underscore Los Angeles’s ongoing resistance to federal immigration enforcement and reflect its broader sanctuary city stance, even as tensions rise over the legality and scope of such local initiatives.

Tyler Durden
Sat, 07/12/2025 – 15:45

Tariff Windfall Drives Surprise $27 Billion US Budget Surplus In June

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Tariff Windfall Drives Surprise $27 Billion US Budget Surplus In June

Authored by Tom Ozimek via The Epoch Times,

New data from the Treasury Department show that surging tariff revenues in June helped the U.S. government post an unexpected budget surplus of $27 billion, offering a rare fiscal bright spot amid persistently high federal deficits and suggesting that President Donald Trump’s tariff policies are becoming a significant source of government revenue.

After running a $316 billion deficit in May, the government recorded a surplus of just over $27 billion last month, according to data released on July 11 by the Treasury Department. The tariff windfall helped narrow the fiscal year-to-date deficit to $1.34 trillion—a slight 1 percent improvement from the same period last year. By contrast, June 2024 saw a $71 billion deficit.

A key driver of the improved balance was a record-breaking surge in customs duties. The Treasury data released on Friday show that tariff collections soared to $27 billion in June alone, pushing total tariff revenues since October to $108 billion—the highest ever recorded for the first nine months of a fiscal year. June’s haul marked a significant jump from May’s prior record of $22 billion and was about 93 percent higher than the $56 billion collected during the same nine-month span of the previous year.

So far in July, customs duties have added another $2.4 billion to federal coffers, according to daily Treasury figures.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has predicted even higher tariff revenues in the months ahead. Speaking at a July 8 White House Cabinet meeting, he said the United States is on track to collect $300 billion by the end of calendar year 2025, noting that the “major” tariffs imposed under the Trump administration did not start until the second quarter.

Since returning to the White House for a second term, Trump has imposed 10 percent universal tariffs on trading partners, along with reciprocal tariffs announced in April on a number of nations, depending on the trade barriers they have with the United States. Trump initially applied a 90-day pause to most of the reciprocal tariffs, and later signed an executive order that extended the reprieve to Aug. 1.

In recent days, the president sent letters to several countries—including Japan, South Korea, and Thailand—informing them that reciprocal tariffs ranging from 25 to 40 percent will be imposed after Aug. 1 unless they agree to reduce trade barriers and negotiate bilateral deals.

Trump has said the higher duties will substantially boost government revenue.

“The big money will start coming in on Aug. 1st. I think it was made clear today by the letters that were sent out yesterday and today,” he said during the Cabinet meeting.

Bessent also cited a June 4 report from the Congressional Budget Office projecting that tariff revenues could total $2.8 trillion over the next decade—a figure he said the administration believes is understated.

Trump said he won’t extend the Aug. 1 deadline for countries to start paying reciprocal tariffs, signaling a firm stance after earlier suggesting flexibility for nations offering trade concessions.

In one recent round of letters, Trump announced new tariffs as follows: 25 percent on Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, South Korea, and Tunisia; 30 percent on Bosnia and Herzegovina and South Africa; 32 percent on Indonesia; 35 percent on Bangladesh and Serbia; 36 percent on Cambodia and Thailand; and 40 percent on Burma (also known as Myanmar) and Laos.

In each letter, Trump noted that the tariffs might be lowered if countries open their markets and reduce non-tariff barriers, emphasizing that persistent trade deficits pose “a major threat” to U.S. economic and national security.

More recently, Trump sent another round of letters, noting that Algeria, Iraq, Libya, and Sri Lanka will each be charged a 30 percent tariff, Brunei and Moldova will face a 25 percent tariff, and the Philippines will face a 20 percent tariff.

The president has also announced that Canada will face 35 percent tariffs starting on Aug. 1.

Tyler Durden
Sat, 07/12/2025 – 15:10

Can Jay Powell Make It Through The Weekend?

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Can Jay Powell Make It Through The Weekend?

Authored by Larry Kudlow via RealClearPolitics.com,

Is the Fed chairman, Jay Powell, going to make it through the weekend? There is talk that he is being forced to resign….

President Trump, of course, is on his case daily for not dropping interest rates in line with low inflation.

Late yesterday, the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency that regulates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and oversees the 11 federal home loan banks, William Pulte, issued a statement, saying: “I’m encouraged by reports that Jerome Powell is considering resigning. I think this will be the right decision for America, and the economy will boom.”

Yesterday, the Office of Management and Budget’s director, Russ Vought, condemned Mr. Powell for his gross mismanagement of what Mr. Vought calls the palace of Versailles. 

Mr. Vought said: “We saw Chairman Powell. He was too late to recognize inflation, and now he’s too late to lower rates. And the Fed has just mismanaged the institution. And we see that the extent to which they’ve been operating at losses for a number of years now is for the first time in their history.” 

He added: “And then you just see a very practical example when you go to the nation’s mall. You see the construction of this palace, in the words of one former official, upwards of $2.5 billion, massive cost overrun.”

And this $2.5 billion monstrosity of Mr. Powell’s is already over budget by $700 million.

Mr. Vought second-guessed Mr. Powell’s Senate testimony that there’s no VIP dining room, no new marble, no special elevators, no new water features, no bee hives, and no roof terrace garden in the Fed’s renovated office complex.

Mr. Vought noted that the Fed’s Taj Mahal is way out of compliance with the National Capital Planning Act.

Mr. Powell has long argued that he can’t be replaced except “for cause.”

Yet this kind of blatant financial mismanagement over the Fed’s new building and the renovations of the old building — mismanagement that Mr. Powell denied under oath — could well represent sufficient “cause” to force his resignation, or even be fired by Mr. Trump.

Meanwhile, economists are pointing out that the Fed is hemorrhaging cash as its interest expenses exceed interest taken in.

And their $6 trillion-plus bond portfolio is underwater by $1.1 trillion.

This has all the earmarks of the bankruptcy of the Silicon Valley Bank, that went under in March of 2023 — and almost pulled the financial system down with it.

So, now the question is: Can Mr. Powell even make it through the weekend?

Tyler Durden
Sat, 07/12/2025 – 14:00

Appeals Court Throws Out Plea Deal For Alleged 9/11 Mastermind Which Would Have Provided ‘Answers’

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Appeals Court Throws Out Plea Deal For Alleged 9/11 Mastermind Which Would Have Provided ‘Answers’

America’s longest running terrorism court case looks to outlast the so-called Global War on Terror itself, as a divided federal appeals court on Friday issued a key decision on Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind of the September 11 attacks.

The court overturned a plea agreement that would have allowed him to avoid the death penalty by pleading guilty – but this also assures the case will not be resolved anytime soon.

One motive behind the plea deal, which had been negotiated for over two years by military prosecutors and the top Pentagon official overseeing Guantanamo Bay, was to allow Mohammed to avoid the death penalty and in return he and other accused terror plotters would provide answers to lingering questions from 9/11 victims’ families.

Via NY Times

This new ruling was issued by a panel of the US Court of Appeals in Washington DC and de facto halts efforts to find a speedier resolution to a case which has dragged on endlessly.

Judges Patricia Millett and Neomi Rao wrote in the decision: “Having properly assumed the convening authority, the Secretary [prior defense secretary Lloyd Austin] determined that the families and the American public deserve the opportunity to see military commission trials carried out. The Secretary acted within the bounds of his legal authority, and we decline to second-guess his judgment.”

However, defense lawyers have said that the plea agreement was already legally binding, and further that both a Guantanamo military judge and a military appellate panel backed that position.

Judge Robert Wilkins strongly dissented from the majority of the D.C. appeals court decision, blasting the move to overturn a military judge “stunning”.

Tyler Durden
Sat, 07/12/2025 – 13:25

Iran Could Recover Some Enriched Uranium Buried Deep At Isfahan, Israel Says

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Iran Could Recover Some Enriched Uranium Buried Deep At Isfahan, Israel Says

A senior Israeli official cited in the BBC and NY Times has said that intelligence indicates much of Iran’s enriched uranium is buried at Isfahan, which was struck by US missiles during “Operation Midnight Hammer” on June 22.

The official appears to have been part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s delegation to Washington this week, which involved several visits to the White House and meetings with President Trump. The words somewhat contradict the Trump admin position that everything was utterly destroyed – and this is coming from a close ally.

Maxar/Getty Images

The official described, as paraphrased by the BBC report, that “Iran may still be able to access enriched uranium stored beneath one of the three sites targeted by U.S. airstrikes last month.”

“In a briefing with American reporters, the official noted that while retrieving the uranium at the Isfahan facility would be very challenging, any attempt by Iran to do so would likely trigger further Israeli military action.”

Israel’s assessment currently indicates that the June US-Israeli attacks set back the Islamic Republic’s program by two years. Other foreign officials, including in Europe, believe it could just be a matter of months.

The White House has remained adamant that the enriched uranium stockpiles were completely “obliterated” – a word repeatedly used by Trump himself.

Iran’s president has conceded that while sites were “severely damaged” it remains that the Iranians cannot access stockpiles buried under the rubble. But hawks and critics will point to this potentially being a ruse:

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head Rafael Grossi told CBS, the BBC’s US partner, that while the three targeted Iranian sites were “destroyed to an important degree”, parts are “still standing”.

“Frankly speaking, one cannot claim that everything has disappeared, and there is nothing there,” Mr Grossi said.

In an interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson published earlier this week, Iranian President Mahmoud Pezeshkian said that the facilities were “severely damaged”.

“Therefore we don’t have any access to them,” he said, adding that a full assessment is impossible for now.

Meanwhile the NY Times has further cited the same Israeli official to claim that Iran ramped up nuclear activity after September of last year:

The senior official also said that Israel had begun moving toward military action against Iran late last year after seeing what the official described as a race to build a bomb as part of a secret Iranian project. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.

The official said Israeli intelligence picked up the nuclear weapons activity soon after the Israeli Air Force killed Hassan Nasrallah, the longtime leader of Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia in Lebanon. That observation prompted the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to prepare for an attack with or without U.S. help.

A slew of other outlets have also picked up on the statements by the unnamed senior Israeli official…

Of course, it is impossible to vet these claims, and the statements are being issued by a country which is in an official state of war with Israel, so they should be assessed with the necessary critical context and lens.

Tyler Durden
Sat, 07/12/2025 – 12:15

Dubai’s Emirates Airline To Enable Crypto Payments

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Dubai’s Emirates Airline To Enable Crypto Payments

By Amin Haqshanas of Cointelegraph

Dubai’s international airline Emirates signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Crypto.com to integrate Crypto.com Pay into the airline’s payment infrastructure, with implementation expected next year.

The signing ceremony took place in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline & Group, the airline announced on Wednesday.

The MoU was signed by Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ deputy president and chief commercial officer, and Mohammed Al Hakim, president of Crypto.com’s UAE operations.

“This strategic move is in line with Dubai’s vision to be at the forefront of financial innovation while at the same time providing our customers with greater flexibility and choice in how they transact with Emirates,” Kazim said.  

Beyond payment integration, the two companies will collaborate on promotional campaigns to raise awareness and drive user adoption once the service goes live.

Crypto.com Pay integration set for Q4 2025

A Crypto.com spokesperson confirmed to Cointelegraph that the integration is set for the last quarter of the year. “The initial phase will focus on technical readiness, compliance alignment, and customer experience mapping,” the spokesperson said.

Furthermore, Emirates and Crypto.com will determine whether the rollout will begin on select routes, regional markets, or through a global launch, with pilot phases likely to precede wider implementation.

The spokesperson also confirmed that crypto payments from customers will be converted instantly to fiat (AED) using real-time exchange rates at the point of transaction. “Emirates will not hold any cryptocurrency on its books; settlements will occur in AED, ensuring compliance and minimal FX exposure,” they said.

Crypto.com also said it continues to explore regional and international airline integrations as part of a broader travel and commerce strategy. “The goal is to build a universal crypto travel layer bringing seamless, secure, and compliant payment experiences to travelers across air, retail and hospitality sectors.”

Dubai eyes leadership in crypto

The integration comes amid Dubai’s push to lead in crypto, as the city seeks to establish itself as a primary hub for blockchain and digital asset projects.

Backed by regulatory clarity and a pro-innovation environment, several industries in the emirate, from real estate to telecommunications, have already opened their doors to cryptocurrency payments.

Earlier this year, Tether partnered with UAE-based Reelly Tech to expand the use of its USDt stablecoin in real estate transactions. The deal allows buyers to use USDt to purchase property through 30,000 Reelly Tech agents globally.

Last month, the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), the financial regulator in charge of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), approved Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin. DIFC companies can now use the RLUSD stablecoin for various virtual asset services.

The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre free zone has attracted over 600 crypto companies, with more firms flocking to the Dubai International Financial Centre and One Central district as the country positions itself as a leader in digital finance.

Dubai eyes leadership in crypto

Dubai’s real estate market reached new highs in May, with sales totaling 66.8 billion dirhams (around $18.2 billion) across 18,700 transactions, a 44% increase in value year-on-year. The surge came amid an accelerating push into real estate tokenization.

In May alone, multiple initiatives, including a $3 billion RWA deal involving MultiBank Group, real estate giant MAG and blockchain infrastructure provider Mavryk, were launched by government and industry players.

On May 19, the Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority, Dubai’s crypto regulator, updated its guidelines to include provisions for real-world asset (RWA) tokenization. Lawyer Irina Heaver told Cointelegraph these rules give issuers and exchanges a clear path to launch and trade tokenized real estate assets. 

Tyler Durden
Sat, 07/12/2025 – 11:40

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