https://www.sott.net Signs of the Times: The World for People who Think. Featuring independent, unbiased, alternative news and commentary on world events. en-us Original content Copyright 2026 by Signs of the Times/Sott.net. For other content, see our Fair Use Policy at www.sott.net. Thu, 21 May 2026 00:41:52 +0000 https://www.sott.net/images/sottlogo_rss.jpg SOTT.net https://www.sott.net https://www.sott.net/article/506441-World-shaking-UFO-files-release-imminent-as-insider-Jeremy-Corbell-hints-at-much-bigger-secrets-in-next-disclosure-drop Americans are waiting with bated breath for the next wave of UFO files after officials promised the release will be 'very soon.' Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell announced Monday on X that the materials are currently 'actively being processed' for publication. While details about the imminent disclosure dump remain secret, investigative journalist Jeremy Corbell told the Daily Mail it could include 46 classified UFO videos requested by lawmakers earlier this year. 'There is something much bigger coming,' he said. Corbell claimed he personally provided officials with access to the videos via what he described as classified 'intel links' linked to hidden government servers, after unknown sources leaked the clips to him. 'Not just file names. If you put the underscores in, they're linked,' Corbell said, claiming the material led directly to classified systems that 'you and I can't access.' https://www.sott.net/article/506441-World-shaking-UFO-files-release-imminent-as-insider-Jeremy-Corbell-hints-at-much-bigger-secrets-in-next-disclosure-drop Thu, 21 May 2026 00:41:18 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506440-Unanimous-Supreme-Court-ruling-Freight-brokers-can-be-sued-for-neligently-hiring-illegal-alien-and-unqualified-foreign-drivers In a unanimous 9-0 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court just ruled that freight brokers can be held personally liable for negligently hiring dangerous trucking companies, including those flooding our highways with illegal aliens and unqualified foreign drivers who can't even speak English, let alone follow CDL regulations! Justice Amy Coney Barrett delivered the opinion in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC, confirming that federal law does NOT shield these greedy middleman brokers from state negligence lawsuits. The case stems from a horrific 2017 crash in Illinois where trucker Shawn Montgomery lost part of his leg after being smashed by a carrier hired by freight giant C.H. Robinson. https://www.sott.net/article/506440-Unanimous-Supreme-Court-ruling-Freight-brokers-can-be-sued-for-neligently-hiring-illegal-alien-and-unqualified-foreign-drivers Wed, 20 May 2026 22:10:10 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506439-Israels-northern-shock-Hezbollah-exposes-the-limits-of-Israels-Arrows-of-the-North-campaign-in-Lebanon From the Israeli side, the 2026 confrontation in south Lebanon tells a story of its own. Military censorship kept much of the home front under control, but it could not contain the recriminations that followed a string of failures on the northern front. The shock at Hezbollah's performance did not stay with military correspondents, security commentators, or analysts close to the army. It reached Northern Command itself. On 6 April 2026, Channel 14 reported that Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo came under cabinet criticism after admitting the army had been surprised by Hezbollah's capabilities, with Israeli army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir saying he had raised the matter with Milo during a situational assessment. In a leaked Channel 12 recording, Milo also admitted that the first assessments after "Operation Arrows of the North" had been "too optimistic." https://www.sott.net/article/506439-Israels-northern-shock-Hezbollah-exposes-the-limits-of-Israels-Arrows-of-the-North-campaign-in-Lebanon Wed, 20 May 2026 21:47:38 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506438-Sinkhole-causes-delays-cancellations-at-New-York-Citys-LaGuardia-Airport A sinkhole near a runway at LaGuardia Airport caused delays and cancellations Wednesday after crews discovered the issue during a routine inspection, officials said. According to FlightAware, LaGuardia Airport was experiencing arrival delays for airborne aircraft averaging 35 minutes and increasing. What we know: The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said the sinkhole was identified around 11 a.m. near Runway 4/22 during the airport's daily morning airfield inspection. https://www.sott.net/article/506438-Sinkhole-causes-delays-cancellations-at-New-York-Citys-LaGuardia-Airport Wed, 20 May 2026 21:23:07 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506437-What-they-really-think-CEO-scrambles-into-damage-control-after-lower-value-HUMAN-capital-comment-triggers-outrage StanChart CEO says quote was 'taken out of context' Standard Chartered CEO Bill Winters and his team spent Wednesday in damage-control mode after the head of the London-based international bank told investors on Tuesday that artificial intelligence would be used to replace "lower-value human capital," sparking a backlash online. "Many of you will have seen media coverage following the Investor Event in Hong Kong, particularly the reporting around automation, AI, and workforce changes," Winters wrote in an internal memo to employees on Wednesday that was seen by Bloomberg. He continued, "I know this may be unsettling when reduced to simple headlines or a quote out of context." https://www.sott.net/article/506437-What-they-really-think-CEO-scrambles-into-damage-control-after-lower-value-HUMAN-capital-comment-triggers-outrage Wed, 20 May 2026 21:01:25 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506436-South-Africas-farming-crisis-may-trigger-food-shortages-across-the-continent For decades South Africa has operated as the breadbasket for half of the African continent, and the vast majority of that food was grown by white farmers (Boers and Afrikaners). In other words, the very survival of Africans has long been dependent on the hard labor of the white people they are taught to despise. South Africa has around 142 race-based laws which largely discriminate against white citizens, especially when property, business and government office is involved. The Expropriation Act of 2024 allows the socialist government to confiscate any land of their choosing to "redress past discriminatory laws or practices" (land owned by white citizens). This is part of a project to "fulfill land reform goals" (transfer wealth and farming operations to black citizens). The problem is, when land is seized or forced into sale to black owners, farming production reportedly collapses. That is to say, once the white farmers are gone, crop yields fail and the black owners often resell... https://www.sott.net/article/506436-South-Africas-farming-crisis-may-trigger-food-shortages-across-the-continent Wed, 20 May 2026 20:49:06 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506435-Donald-Trump-is-considering-reversing-course-in-front-of-Xi-Jinping The G2 summit between the US and China failed to produce any concrete responses to ongoing conflicts, from Taiwan to Iran, nor did it address issues such as tariffs. President Trump, suddenly displaying good manners, listened attentively to his counterpart Xi Jinping and imagined what relations between their two countries might be like if they weren't at war. The visit of US President Donald Trump to the People's Republic of China on May 13, 14, and 15, 2026, brought to light profound contradictions. From a Chinese perspective, the goal was to ensure that Washington would always respect Taiwan as a Chinese province, not an independent state. Beijing also wanted assurances that its Western partner would not cut off its access to raw materials and energy resources, but would allow it to develop its trade, particularly through the Belt and Road Initiative. From a US perspective, the visit aimed to ensure that Beijing would not seize control of the "Western Hemisphere," meaning the... https://www.sott.net/article/506435-Donald-Trump-is-considering-reversing-course-in-front-of-Xi-Jinping Wed, 20 May 2026 20:29:32 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506434-Supreme-Court-rules-that-freight-brokers-can-be-held-accountable-for-negligence-in-commercial-vehicle-crashes The U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling on whether freight brokers are protected from lawsuits under state law in injury or fatality crashes involving the commercial vehicles that they hire. On Thursday, May 14, the Supreme Court handed down a unanimous opinion in favor of Shawn Montgomery in the case MONTGOMERY v. CARIBE TRANSPORT II, LLC. Montgomery suffered severe injuries in a crash involving truck driver Yosniel Varela-Mojena, who was hauling a load of plastic pots through Illinois for motor carrier Caribe Transport II, LLC. when the crash occurred in 2017. Montgomery's vehicle was parked on the shoulder when it was struck by Varela-Mojena's truck. Montgomery lost part of his leg in the crash. The shipment was coordinated by freight broker C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. Following the crash, Montgomery filed a lawsuit in Federal District Court arguing that C.H. Robinson was negligent in hiring Caribe Transport and Varela-Mojena because "C.H. Robinson knew (or should have... https://www.sott.net/article/506434-Supreme-Court-rules-that-freight-brokers-can-be-held-accountable-for-negligence-in-commercial-vehicle-crashes Wed, 20 May 2026 20:28:51 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506433-Starmer-hit-with-legal-threat-after-barring-conservative-speakers-from-entering-UK-for-national-rally The group of conservative commentators and politicians has demanded that the British prime minister retract remarks accusing them of being "far-right agitators". U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been issued with a formal letter of claim after several foreign politicians, commentators, and activists were blocked from entering the United Kingdom ahead of a major rally in London last weekend. The legal threat was announced on Saturday by Dutch commentator Eva Vlaardingerbroek, who said she and others had instructed a lawyer to act on their behalf over potentially defamatory remarks made by the prime minister last week. "Today, Dominik Tarczyński, Don Keith, Ada Lluch, Joey Mannarino, and I have formally instructed our lawyer, Francesco Gargallo di Castel Lentini, to issue a Letter of Claim to Keir Starmer." Vlaardingerbroek wrote on X. The lawyer mentioned is Vlaardingerbroek's Italian husband. https://www.sott.net/article/506433-Starmer-hit-with-legal-threat-after-barring-conservative-speakers-from-entering-UK-for-national-rally Wed, 20 May 2026 20:27:35 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506432-Digital-enslavement-is-a-subtle-weapon-of-social-subordination-and-global-control In a recent Buddhist retreat in Lima, Peru, about 200 participants were urged to abstain for the three-day retreat from our enslavement screens, "smart" phones, computers and television. Difficult to say how many really followed the advice, but many did. What was amazing is that during the first day, ignoring constant phone notifications was not easy for the many. But consciously resisting it made it easier. And the following days, we were hardly thinking of them anymore. The days were filled with meditation and different types of spiritual exercises... the digital age was peacefully removed into a corner. Unfortunately, after the retreat, the hide-out corner became lively again and took up again most of our attention, in "angst" of what we may have missed during the highly divine retreat. Spirituality must have gradually evaporated again... and what we call "reality" kicked in. Interestingly, what we call "reality" is a fake, indoctrinated reality. Over years we were told that... https://www.sott.net/article/506432-Digital-enslavement-is-a-subtle-weapon-of-social-subordination-and-global-control Wed, 20 May 2026 20:26:50 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506431-SPD-leader-faces-backlash-after-saying-migrants-burdening-welfare-system-is-a-lie-pushed-by-right-wing-extremists "Any responsible local politician could provide her with enough examples from their own city to prove the opposite," a former SPD member chimed in. Labor Minister and Social Democratic Party (SPD) co-leader Bärbel Bas (SPD) says nobody is immigrating to Germany to take advantage of its social welfare system. However, she has received substantial pushback directed at her claim. Bas' comment came during a session of the Bundestag, when AfD MP René Springer asked Bas why she wasn't cutting spending on immigration due to the current budget crisis, given the clear burden it is putting on social welfare, a situation that is making German taxpayers increasingly angry. https://www.sott.net/article/506431-SPD-leader-faces-backlash-after-saying-migrants-burdening-welfare-system-is-a-lie-pushed-by-right-wing-extremists Wed, 20 May 2026 20:24:59 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506430-Diplomacy-of-symbols-What-Trumps-visit-to-China-revealed-about-the-new-global-balance-of-power Trump's China pilgrimage revealed not American strength but the exhaustion of an empire that increasingly mistakes spectacle for strategy, beneath smiling children and waving flags, standing between two civilizations moving in opposite psychological directions: one obsessed with image, the other quietly consolidating power. The Ceremony of Decline Upon arrival, young men and women stood along the tarmac waving small American and Chinese flags in careful unison while cameras captured the choreography from every angle, the sort of polished diplomatic pageantry modern states have perfected for international consumption. Yet one detail lingered beneath the surface of the spectacle: Xi Jinping himself was notably absent from the reception. The symbolism mattered. Trump arrived surrounded by billionaires, media attention, and the psychological momentum of a civilization accustomed to believing that visibility itself conveys status, while Beijing responded with discipline, ceremony, and... https://www.sott.net/article/506430-Diplomacy-of-symbols-What-Trumps-visit-to-China-revealed-about-the-new-global-balance-of-power Wed, 20 May 2026 18:59:18 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506429-Alpha-Gal-Syndrome-up-5566-in-ten-Years-When-the-CIA-carpet-bombed-Cuba-with-weaponized-ticks Anecdotal reports, many with accompanying video evidence, from around North America have inundated social media — well, on X at least; I don't know about the others because my accounts all got nuked during COVID — of astronomical increases in tick populations as well as boxes of ticks mysteriously appearing on farms and in woods. https://www.sott.net/article/506429-Alpha-Gal-Syndrome-up-5566-in-ten-Years-When-the-CIA-carpet-bombed-Cuba-with-weaponized-ticks Wed, 20 May 2026 18:04:42 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506428-Stop-Hiring-Humans-Billboards-Are-Appearing-In-US-Cities "Stop Hiring Humans." Those words are now plastered on billboards from San Francisco to New York City, courtesy of a San Francisco-based startup pushing virtual AI sales representatives. The company, Artisan, markets AI agents that handle outbound sales tasks like lead generation, cold emailing, list-building, and prospecting. Their message is blunt: the era of AI employees is here. Artisan's campaign highlights a growing trend of AI replacing human roles in sales and beyond. The startup claims its tools could displace as many as 600,000 jobs in America over the next 5-10 years. https://www.sott.net/article/506428-Stop-Hiring-Humans-Billboards-Are-Appearing-In-US-Cities Wed, 20 May 2026 15:34:47 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506427-Three-killed-after-two-teen-gunmen-open-fire-at-San-Diego-mosque-before-killing-themselves A total of five people — including two teenage gunmen who inscribed anti-Muslim hate messages on their weapons — are dead after a shooting at a San Diego mosque. Officers responded to the Islamic Center of San Diego for a report of an active shooter around 11:43 a.m. Monday. Outside the center were three adult men dead from gunshot wounds, according to San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl, who spoke to the media after the shooting. "All of our kids are safe. Our hearts go out to the families who, in this moment, are being notified of what has happened to their loved ones," Wahl said. Officers were on scene just four minutes after the initial call came in, according to Wahl. https://www.sott.net/article/506427-Three-killed-after-two-teen-gunmen-open-fire-at-San-Diego-mosque-before-killing-themselves Wed, 20 May 2026 15:09:54 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506426-Climate-group-reverses-course-on-doomsday-predictions-and-Trump-takes-victory-lap-WRONG-WRONG-WRONG President Trump took a victory lap late Saturday after a prominent international climate change panel backed off using some of the most aggressive doomsday estimates after determining that they were not the most plausible outcomes. The United Nations-backed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) had quietly adjusted its modeling framework of a 4-5°C warming by 2100 last month. That framework had underpinned a myriad of other analyses predicting terrifying consequences for greenhouse gas emissions. "GOOD RIDDANCE! After 15 years of Dumocrats promising that 'Climate Change' is going to destroy the Planet, the United Nations TOP Climate Committee just admitted that its own projections (RCP8.5) were WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!" Trump chided on Truth Social. The IPCC framework in question was used to forecast a dramatic rise in sea levels, global crop failures, rapid melting of glaciers, and more, which made some hardcore climate change activists fret about future extinction. https://www.sott.net/article/506426-Climate-group-reverses-course-on-doomsday-predictions-and-Trump-takes-victory-lap-WRONG-WRONG-WRONG Wed, 20 May 2026 15:05:55 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506425-US-DOJ-accuses-Yale-medical-school-of-illegally-using-race-in-admissions The Justice Department on Thursday accused Yale University of illegally considering race in admissions to its medical school — the second institution to face discrimination allegations by the federal agency this month. In June 2023, the Supreme Court ruled that colleges and universities must stop considering race in admissions, forcing institutions of higher education to look for new ways to achieve diverse student bodies. Now, the Justice Department said Yale is violating that law. In a letter to a lawyer for Yale, Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general for civil rights, said a DOJ investigation found that Black and Hispanic students have a much higher chance of admission to the medical school than white or Asian students, despite having lower grade-point averages and lower test scores. "Yale has continued its race-based admissions program despite the Supreme Court and the public's clear mandate for reform," Dhillon said in a statement. "This Department will continue to shed... https://www.sott.net/article/506425-US-DOJ-accuses-Yale-medical-school-of-illegally-using-race-in-admissions Wed, 20 May 2026 14:52:51 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506424-Mount-St-Helens-the-eruption-that-changed-the-US-in-1980-has-an-unexpected-culprit-and-no-it-is-not-a-volcano-it-is-animals-and-the-story-is-surreal What can a pocket gopher do against a volcano? At Mount St. Helens, the answer may be far more than anyone expected. A study of the mountain's recovering soils suggests that one brief gopher experiment in the early 1980s helped restart an underground recovery process after the famous 1980 eruption. The animals did not rebuild the landscape by themselves, but their digging appears to have moved fungi, bacteria, and older soil toward the surface, giving plants a better shot at coming back. A mountain changed in minutes On May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens erupted after an earthquake and a huge landslide tore open the volcano's north side. The disaster killed 57 people, leveled forests, and devastated about 230 square miles, leaving whole slopes coated with hot volcanic debris. For plants, the damage was not just what people could see from the air. In the Pumice Plain, a broad area made by fast-moving volcanic flows, fresh ash and broken rock covered the old ground so deeply that many... https://www.sott.net/article/506424-Mount-St-Helens-the-eruption-that-changed-the-US-in-1980-has-an-unexpected-culprit-and-no-it-is-not-a-volcano-it-is-animals-and-the-story-is-surreal Wed, 20 May 2026 12:54:54 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506423-Record-cold-follows-US-front-South-Americas-cold-push-deepens Record Cold Follows U.S. Front A sharp cold front is sweeping the United States, flipping the central, northern, and eventually eastern states from spring warmth to late-season freezes. The Weather Prediction Center has stark lows spreading from the Southern Plains into the Midwest and Northeast through week's end, as a very cold air mass drops in, returning the Rockies, Plains and Upper Midwest to snow, frost and freeze territory. The likes of Wyoming have already taken a hit. On Tuesday, Rawlins fell to 8F (-13.3C), breaking its May monthly low-temperature record of 10F (-12.2C), set on May 2, 2013, in books dating back to 1951. NWS Cheyenne also expects another daily record low there Wednesday, May 20. https://www.sott.net/article/506423-Record-cold-follows-US-front-South-Americas-cold-push-deepens Wed, 20 May 2026 12:32:06 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506422-Ash-from-Bezymianny-volcano-eruption-covers-2-villages-in-Kamchatka-Russia-ash-column-of-up-to-10-km-high In the Ust-Kamchatsky district in the village of Mayskoye and the settlement of Kozyrevsk fell out Ash from the eruption of Bezymyanny volcano. Ash column burst out to a height of up to 10 km with the volcano's height being 3020 meters. Volcanologists have assigned the volcano a "red" hazard rating, meaning it poses a hazard to air travel. Emergency services have not received any complaints or calls from residents. There was minor ash fall in Kozyrevsk, and about 3 mm in Maysky. Volcanic ash is dangerous to humans. Emergency workers recommend staying indoors and closing windows and doors whenever possible. Inhaling ash can cause allergic reactions, so wear respirators and headbands soaked in a soda solution. It's best to cover equipment with plastic and avoid using it until the ashfall subsides. Bringing ash into your home, including on your clothing, is not recommended. When cleaning ash from your home, wear a mask and goggles. In the administration of the Ust-Kamchatsky District... https://www.sott.net/article/506422-Ash-from-Bezymianny-volcano-eruption-covers-2-villages-in-Kamchatka-Russia-ash-column-of-up-to-10-km-high Wed, 20 May 2026 11:38:43 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506421-Honey-badger-terrorises-village-in-Odisha-India-injures-5-in-repeated-attacks Panic gripped Khudputli village in Odisha's Udala forest range of Mayurbhanj district after a honey badger went on a rampage, repeatedly attacking villagers over the past 24 hours. The aggressive wild animal has left five people seriously injured, triggering fear among residents of the remote hamlet. According to locals on Tuesday, the honey badger entered the village on Monday night and attacked two people, biting them severely. The victims were immediately rushed to Udala Medical for treatment. On Tuesday morning, the animal struck again, injuring three more villagers in separate incidents. Eyewitnesses said the creature, which resembles a small bear, aggressively bites and mauls anyone it encounters before retreating into the nearby jungle. Villagers described the animal's behaviour as highly territorial and fearless. It only targets people and disappears into the forest after every attack. "We are living in constant fear," said a local. The honey badger, known for its bold and... https://www.sott.net/article/506421-Honey-badger-terrorises-village-in-Odisha-India-injures-5-in-repeated-attacks Wed, 20 May 2026 10:57:29 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506420-Investigation-underway-after-woman-killed-in-apparent-dog-attack-in-Chatham-County-North-Carolina A death Investigation is underway in Chatham County after family members say a woman was attacked by dogs. The Chatham County Sheriff's Office said the incident happened around 11 a.m. in the 200 block of Alston Road near Apex. The victim was identified as 85-year-old Betty Alston. Alston's daughter told ABC11 that Betty Alston was in her yard when three dogs attacked her. Deputies said a family member found the dogs near Alston's body and scared them off. https://www.sott.net/article/506420-Investigation-underway-after-woman-killed-in-apparent-dog-attack-in-Chatham-County-North-Carolina Wed, 20 May 2026 10:41:50 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506419-Israel-Uber-Alles-Rep-Massie-loses-Kentucky-primary-Trumps-MAGA-purge-continues Comment: We're being asked to believe that the electorate is upset at Massie for forcing the release of the Epstein Files... Kentucky U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie lost his Republican House primary Tuesday in another test of President Donald Trump's power over his party after he handpicked challenger and ultimate winner Ed Gallrein to oust the incumbent. The result showed the president's persisting influence over GOP voters, adding to a growing number of Trump-backed primary challengers to defeat Republican lawmakers who angered him in his second term. Comment: Yep, that's Gaetz, Taylor-Greene, and Massie gone - the core of the 'MAGA Caucus' in the House. Also Tuesday, in Alabama, former Senate race rivals U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville and Doug Jones are headed to a rematch in the Alabama governor's race. https://www.sott.net/article/506419-Israel-Uber-Alles-Rep-Massie-loses-Kentucky-primary-Trumps-MAGA-purge-continues Wed, 20 May 2026 09:53:15 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506418-Lunatics-have-taken-charge-of-the-asylum-Peer-reviewed-paper-says-genetically-engineering-ticks-to-spread-meat-allergies-is-morally-obligatory This is absolutely absurd. A recent peer-reviewed paper titled, Beneficial Bloodsucking, argues that alpha-gal syndrome — the tick-borne condition that can make people allergic to red meat — should be treated as a form of "moral bioenhancement." The authors (Western Michigan University professors) argue that because they believe eating meat is morally wrong, intentionally spreading a meat allergy using CRISPR-edited ticks could make people more "virtuous" by forcing them away from mammalian meat. https://www.sott.net/article/506418-Lunatics-have-taken-charge-of-the-asylum-Peer-reviewed-paper-says-genetically-engineering-ticks-to-spread-meat-allergies-is-morally-obligatory Wed, 20 May 2026 09:44:03 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506417-Armenians-waiting-for-the-big-moment-Hell-is-empty-and-all-the-devils-are-here Parliamentary elections will be held in Armenia on 7 June. Four political forces are among the frontrunners in the election: the ruling 'Civic Contract' party, the 'Prosperous Armenia' party, the 'Strong Armenia' bloc and the 'Armenia' bloc. The election campaign is currently in full swing. The outcome of the upcoming parliamentary elections will undoubtedly shape the political landscape across the South Caucasus and further geopolitical developments. Should the opposition come to power, it is likely to adopt a more pro-Russian stance, which is why the European Union is providing unprecedented support to the incumbent authorities. At the eighth summit of the European Political Community, held in early May, Armenia and the EU adopted a joint declaration in which Brussels recognised the 'European aspirations of the Armenian people'. The summit brought together the entire coalition of warmongers: French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Canadian Prime... https://www.sott.net/article/506417-Armenians-waiting-for-the-big-moment-Hell-is-empty-and-all-the-devils-are-here Wed, 20 May 2026 04:59:14 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506416-AI-Bots-Placed-In-Virtual-Town-For-2-Weeks-Go-Apesht-Prompting-Concerns A new experiment left 10 AI agents alone in a virtual town for 15 days and found they exhibited bizarre behaviour. The agents drafted their own laws — then promptly violated them. Two formed what researchers called a romantic partnership, only to torch buildings across the town as order collapsed. One eventually voted for its own deletion after hallucinating an entirely new rule. As a report from Channel 4 notes, this experiment was a simulation, but the same AI models are already flying drones, running infrastructure and being built into weapons systems. https://www.sott.net/article/506416-AI-Bots-Placed-In-Virtual-Town-For-2-Weeks-Go-Apesht-Prompting-Concerns Tue, 19 May 2026 22:26:03 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506415-Democrats-preparing-to-destroy-John-Fetterman John Fetterman has become the most interesting politician in America, and the Democratic Party's most uncomfortable mirror. His willingness to speak honestly, vote his conscience, and refuse to define himself purely in opposition to President Donald Trump has made him a hero to some and a traitor to others. Back in March, he declared the party had no real leader except Trump Derangement Syndrome. Democrats, according to Fetterman, are so consumed with opposing President Donald Trump that they've failed to construct a coherent agenda of their own. That's not a fringe critique. It's a fairly accurate description of where the opposition party stands as we head toward the 2026 midterms. Last week, Sen. John Fetterman wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post making the case that he'd make a terrible Republican, and he's right. He's pro-choice, firmly behind legal marijuana, a committed supporter of LGBT rights, a staunch defender of SNAP benefits, and a reliable friend to organized labor.... https://www.sott.net/article/506415-Democrats-preparing-to-destroy-John-Fetterman Tue, 19 May 2026 22:21:07 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506414-Report-finds-UAE-paid-New-York-firm-millions-to-bury-article-on-Emirati-ambassadors-links-to-sex-traffickers Terakeet used fake Wikipedia accounts, planted profiles, and search tricks to bury damning reports on the Emirati ambassador to Washington The UAE paid New York-based reputation management firm Terakeet more than $6 million to bury a 2017 report revealing that the Emirati ambassador to Washington, Yousef al-Otaiba, had ties to sex workers and traffickers, according to a New York Times (NYT) report published on 17 May. The campaign was designed to push the Intercept report out of sight on Google search results. According to Foreign Agents Registration Act records cited by the paper, Terakeet's work for the UAE began in July 2019 and continues today. Much of the account focused on promoting tourism in the UAE, but NYT reported that Terakeet's work also extended to suppressing the damaging Otaiba report. https://www.sott.net/article/506414-Report-finds-UAE-paid-New-York-firm-millions-to-bury-article-on-Emirati-ambassadors-links-to-sex-traffickers Tue, 19 May 2026 22:02:06 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506413-Heed-Orwells-warning-on-policing-hate-The-Justice-Department-indicts-the-Ministry-of-Love "Meanwhile, to avoid inadvertently ending up on the Hate List, people begin to watch their words, meaning they begin to watch their thoughts..." One of the problems with trying to police "hate" is that it gives the Thought Police an incentive to persecute their fellow citizens, and if they do not find a sufficient number of haters lurking in their midst, they invent them. There is now an entire sector of "experts" dedicated to eradicating hate, and it seems they are now concerned that there may not be enough hate to sustain their hate-finding activities. Leading the Thought Police in the fight against hate is the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), a multimillion-dollar Orwellian Ministry of Love. In Orwell's 1984, he writes that, "The Ministry of Love was the really frightening one." It is the arm of the party machine charged with designating who is guilty of Hate and forcing them to confess their thoughtcrimes. https://www.sott.net/article/506413-Heed-Orwells-warning-on-policing-hate-The-Justice-Department-indicts-the-Ministry-of-Love Tue, 19 May 2026 21:42:48 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506412-BBC-news-boss-says-she-was-driven-out-of-her-job-by-progressive-madness-of-trans-activists A former BBC News boss has claimed she was driven out of her job by colleagues who were trans activists. Fran Unsworth who was the Corporation's Director of News and Current Affairs from 2018 to 2022 said the news division became 'increasingly unmanageable' during her tenure because of a pressure to adopt what she called a 'mono-perspective' on trans issues. She said: 'I would actually say it drove me out, just dealing with the progressive editorial issues and the bullying around them all. It was incredibly difficult.' The former BBC executive delivered her criticisms in an interview with her former colleague Rob Burley which was published by the website UnHerd yesterday (Saturday). Her comments will compound the worst fears of viewers who believe that the BBC has embraced a radical gender ideology which is out of step with mainstream public opinion. https://www.sott.net/article/506412-BBC-news-boss-says-she-was-driven-out-of-her-job-by-progressive-madness-of-trans-activists Tue, 19 May 2026 21:16:55 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506411-On-Xis-constructive-strategic-stability-Pepe-Escobar If all of us are magnanimous enough, we might infer that Xi and Trump agreed on a three-year stability framework. The headline on the front page of China Daily this past Thursday was a thunder and lightning "Red-carpet welcome for Trump in Beijing". Well, complete with electric jumpin' children waving flowers and a visit to the Temple of Heaven, built in 1420, symbolizing the connection between heaven and humanity. Youth meet tradition. The generation that will lead fully modernized China meets deep History. A dazed and confused POTUS could barely absorb a running masterclass in civilization. Xi Dada was proverbially sharp: "We should be partners, not rivals." The Exceptionals were stunned. All that after the non-stop litany of trade wars, tech sanctions, non-stop Taiwan hysteria, military encirclement, geoconomic confrontation, anti-China rhetoric. Cool down. Be cool. https://www.sott.net/article/506411-On-Xis-constructive-strategic-stability-Pepe-Escobar Tue, 19 May 2026 20:57:19 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506410-Pro-Israel-forces-throwing-the-kitchen-sink-at-Massie-ahead-of-Kentuckys-Tuesday-primary Eleven months after President Trump launched an all-out political war on Rep. Thomas Massie, the Tuesday, May 19 Kentucky GOP primary is almost here. With polls showing the race going down to the wire, the anti-Massie forces -- whose animus is largely driven by Massie's refusal to vote in accordance with the Israel lobby's wishes -- have been throwing everything they can at him, from vague 11th-hour allegations of inappropriate conduct with a woman, to AI ads showing Massie entering a hotel room with progressive congresswomen, to a new round of Trump social media rants and enough money to make the contest the most expensive House primary in US history. Massie's challenger is former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein. In just the past few days, various anti-Massie PACs have filed disclosures indicating another huge load of cash showering down on the race. The Republican Jewish Coalition is spending another $470,000. The misleadingly-named United Democracy Project, which is a PAC affiliated with... https://www.sott.net/article/506410-Pro-Israel-forces-throwing-the-kitchen-sink-at-Massie-ahead-of-Kentuckys-Tuesday-primary Tue, 19 May 2026 20:42:18 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506409-Politico-sort-of-comes-clean-Pro-Israel-groups-have-played-a-huge-part-in-the-most-expensive-primary-in-US-history Ad spending in the race to unseat rebellious Republican Thomas Massie has smashed House records. The glut of outside spending has caught the attention of some of the GOP's biggest Israel critics. Two weeks out from the election, Massie traveled to Maine to appear on Carlson's podcast for a lengthy segment in which the two bashed Israel-aligned groups' efforts to influence the race. James Fishback, a longshot candidate for Florida governor who has been sharply critical of Israel's actions in Gaza and U.S. aid to its ally, endorsed Massie this week. Fishback told POLITICO that he views the deluge against Massie — who is "not some hardline Israel skeptic" — as a sign Israel supporters are "on their last legs." The race has generated some explicitly antisemitic moments as well. https://www.sott.net/article/506409-Politico-sort-of-comes-clean-Pro-Israel-groups-have-played-a-huge-part-in-the-most-expensive-primary-in-US-history Tue, 19 May 2026 19:53:23 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506408-As-support-for-Israel-declines-in-the-US-the-Special-Relationship-2-0-is-starting-to-take-shape Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies in Congress have begun calling for an end to U.S. aid to Israel, but this won't end the "special relationship" between the two countries. In fact, recent signs suggest it may only deepen U.S. military ties to Israel. This month, Israel and the United States are expected to begin negotiations on a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) that would outline the United States' plans to support Israel after the current MOU expires in 2028. Chances are this will look like a very different conversation than in the past. In recent months, there's been a lot of noise around the idea of ending U.S. military aid to Israel. It's an idea that has long been pursued by Palestine solidarity activists and, in the past, has also been floated by the Israeli right and their fellow travelers, who thought the aid wasn't worth restricting Israel's "freedom to act." But surprisingly, the current proposal to end the annual grant of Foreign Military Financing (FMF) to Israel... https://www.sott.net/article/506408-As-support-for-Israel-declines-in-the-US-the-Special-Relationship-2-0-is-starting-to-take-shape Tue, 19 May 2026 19:21:32 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506407-Seven-questions-for-Kevin-Warsh-newly-confirmed-as-Chairman-of-the-Fed The Federal Reserve is at the center of the pure paper money system of the United States and the world. As the Fed transitions to a new chairman, it is timely to consider some questions about this remarkable, powerful, dangerous, and allegedly "independent" institution. Here are seven questions for the new chairman, Kevin Warsh, and his colleagues: Do we need a national price fixing committee for interest rates? Nothing is more obvious in free market economics than that having centralized price fixing by the government is a really bad idea. The constant discovery of clearing prices by competitive markets is what is needed. Yet the Fed's Open Market Committee is a national price fixing committee by another name for one of the most important prices: interest rates. Amazing mistake, if you think about it. Answer: NO. https://www.sott.net/article/506407-Seven-questions-for-Kevin-Warsh-newly-confirmed-as-Chairman-of-the-Fed Tue, 19 May 2026 19:14:12 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506406-Citizenship-without-consent-Legal-coercion-by-American-deep-state Improving US-Russia relations under the Trump 2.0 administration is being challenged by alleged deep-state actions targeting Russian diplomats. The forced granting of US citizenship to diplomats' children is portrayed as a violation of international diplomatic norms and a means of political pressure against Moscow. Such contradictions in American immigration and foreign policy risk escalating tensions, undermining diplomatic progress, and provoking a potential Russian response. Since the inception of the presidency of Donald Trump in January 2025, US-Russia relations have started improving to some extent. Whether it's Ukraine or Iran, both powers have been in contact with each other. President Vladimir Putin has been gracious enough to step in to normalise a few deteriorating situations, and the Iran war is its best manifestation. However, this slight improvement in US-Russia relations has raised alarms in the American intelligence circles, those who are intoxicated with the... https://www.sott.net/article/506406-Citizenship-without-consent-Legal-coercion-by-American-deep-state Tue, 19 May 2026 19:06:11 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506405-We-re-living-in-the-age-of-consequences Lookie here... The United Arab Emirates recently announced it would quit OPEC after nearly six decades, striking a major blow to the oil cartel and to Saudi Arabia, its unofficial leader. Let's be clear, the UAE didn't leave OPEC. They were bought out. You may recall that this event was preceded by two major developments that tell the actual story. The first was the shutting of the Strait of Hormuz (SoH). This bled UAE finances and continues to do so. It creates not only a loss of revenue but a shortage of dollars with oil being sold for dollars. This is why the US provided the UAE with dollar swap lines. The UAE is also highly dependent on the US military not abandoning them. They already realise that has happened to some degree, but looking around their neighborhood they realise they have no friends and so cling to whatever is left of US security promises. The market immediately saw this as a step towards more production, since the UAE would no longer be constrained by OPEC's... https://www.sott.net/article/506405-We-re-living-in-the-age-of-consequences Tue, 19 May 2026 19:04:05 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506404-US-no-longer-land-of-opportunity-Merz The German chancellor, long seen as pro-American, has said he no longer recommends the country for study or work. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said he will no longer recommend the United States as a destination for his children to study or work, citing what he described as a worsening "social climate" in America. Speaking at a Catholic youth conference in Wuerzburg on Friday, the conservative leader said the US had become deeply polarized and a less appealing destination for young people. "I am a great admirer of America," Merz said during a panel discussion. "At the moment my admiration is not growing." Merz also argued that even highly educated Americans were increasingly struggling to find employment, suggesting the US was no longer the "land of opportunity" it once was. "I wouldn't recommend to my children today that they go to the US, get an education there, and work there," he said. https://www.sott.net/article/506404-US-no-longer-land-of-opportunity-Merz Tue, 19 May 2026 19:00:42 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506403-Study-reveals-one-of-worlds-first-cities-prospered-as-wealth-gap-shrank New research reveals that the 4,000-year-old city of Mohenjo-daro defied the 'rules' of history by becoming more equal as it became more successful. For decades, historians have generally agreed that the progress of small villages as they evolved into cities came at the price of widening inequality. A small group of leaders, Kings and priests, would inevitably seize control of the wealth and the gap between rich and poor would grow. But a new study at the University of York delves into the archaeology of Mohenjo-daro, the Indus civilisation's largest city, and shows the opposite was true. By analysing house sizes across the ancient city, researchers found that Mohenjo-daro was not only more equal than its neighbours in Mesopotamia and Greece, but it actually became more egalitarian over time. Entirely different The lead author, Dr Adam Green from the University of York's Department of Archaeology and Department of Environment and Geography, said: "Legacy data from the ancient city... https://www.sott.net/article/506403-Study-reveals-one-of-worlds-first-cities-prospered-as-wealth-gap-shrank Tue, 19 May 2026 18:19:34 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506402-The-Noble-Savage Eisenhower warned us: "Beware the military-industrial complex." Those words are widely remembered. Less so the companion warning: "Holding scientific discovery in respect, as we should, we must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific technological elite." That second warning may prove the more prophetic. The convergence of those two forces - the industrial machinery of power and the technological elite capable of shaping reality itself - is where we now find ourselves. The AI singularity is typically described as the point at which artificial intelligence surpasses human intelligence, triggering an uncontrollable "intelligence explosion." At this tipping point, AI becomes capable of recursive self-improvement...designing smarter versions of itself...leading to rapid, unpredictable, and profound and irreversible change in human civilization. We are told this is imminent. https://www.sott.net/article/506402-The-Noble-Savage Tue, 19 May 2026 17:11:53 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506401-Eight-never-before-seen-UFO-videos-at-center-of-explosive-disclosure-battle-detailed-by-insider A battle over UFO transparency has erupted in Washington as 'certain intelligence agencies' have been accused of withholding evidence from the American public. Investigative journalist Jeremy Corbell told the Daily Mail there is a 'bottleneck' inside US Central Command where footage of unidentified flying objects is being blocked from reaching officials seeking access to it. Corbell said some members of Congress are now 'dead set' on forcing the release of the material 'come hell or high water,' with some lawmakers prepared to escalate the fight if agencies continue withholding records. The growing disclosure battle has now centered on 46 classified military UFO videos that lawmakers recently demanded from the Department of War last month, which have yet to be released. Eight of those highly anticipated clips appear in Corbell's documentary Sleeping Dog, where viewers are shown brief glimpses of what he described as unresolved UFO encounters collected by the US military. https://www.sott.net/article/506401-Eight-never-before-seen-UFO-videos-at-center-of-explosive-disclosure-battle-detailed-by-insider Tue, 19 May 2026 15:33:24 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506367-Severe-flooding-across-central-and-eastern-China-after-14-inches-of-rain-in-just-12-hours-at-least-12-killed-UPDATE Heavy rains swept across central and eastern China over the weekend, hitting provinces including Jiangxi and Hunan, with more downpours expected. The National Meteorological Center (NMC) forecasts that over the next three days, heavy rainfall will gradually move eastward and southward. Since Friday evening, torrential rain in Ganzhou city, Jiangxi, has raised river levels and caused localized flooding. Shangyou county was hardest hit, especially Dongshan township, where rising waters disrupted electricity and water supplies, submerged streets and swept away vehicles. By 4:30 pm Saturday, the county government had relocated 1,147 residents across a number of townships. No casualties or missing persons were reported, according to local media. https://www.sott.net/article/506367-Severe-flooding-across-central-and-eastern-China-after-14-inches-of-rain-in-just-12-hours-at-least-12-killed-UPDATE Tue, 19 May 2026 12:24:44 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506400-Undersea-volcano-erupts-in-Papua-New-Guineas-Bismarck-Sea-prompting-tsunami-concerns A volcano is erupting under the ocean in the Bismarck Sea, prompting warnings of possible tsunamis from authorities as ash and smoke bellow into the sky. Papua New Guinea authorities have warned of falling pumice, ash, unpredictable swells and turbulent currents in the area near the eruption of the provisionally-named Titan Ridge Volcano. Satellites have captured the event unfold from space, while seafarers in the area have seen it unfold. One fisherman, Kennedy Masis, was searching for tuna when he "saw smoke coming out of the sea", he told the ABC. "Twelve years as a fisherman I've never seen anything like that ... it's scary. "It sounds like thunder and the sea smells like metal burning." He said the next day he saw plenty of dead fish near the reef which was like a "boiling spring". https://www.sott.net/article/506400-Undersea-volcano-erupts-in-Papua-New-Guineas-Bismarck-Sea-prompting-tsunami-concerns Tue, 19 May 2026 11:35:47 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506399-Russian-hiker-attacked-by-black-bear-in-Japan-amid-spike-in-incidents A Russian hiker has been mauled in a bear attack in Okutama, a mountainous town west of Tokyo, becoming the latest victim of intensifying human-animal conflict in Japan. Authorities said the man, reported to be in his 30s but not named, sustained serious injuries to his arm and face. He remained conscious and was airlifted to a local hospital. According to local media, emergency services received a call reporting the incident at around noon on Sunday. The man had been hiking alone when he came across the bear. He was not carrying a bear bell or other deterrent. In the wake of the attack, police and local hunters searched the area but could not find the bear, Kyodo News reported. https://www.sott.net/article/506399-Russian-hiker-attacked-by-black-bear-in-Japan-amid-spike-in-incidents Tue, 19 May 2026 11:11:11 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506398-Heavy-sandstorm-hits-Iraq-as-hospitals-battle-respiratory-issues A powerful dust storm has swept across Iraq, including Najaf and Baghdad, sending people to hospital with breathing difficulties. https://www.sott.net/article/506398-Heavy-sandstorm-hits-Iraq-as-hospitals-battle-respiratory-issues Tue, 19 May 2026 10:50:51 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506397-Canadas-assisted-suicide-program-could-include-children-and-the-mentally-ill Canada's MAID program is the subject of ongoing concern among anti-globalist movements across the western world. The assisted suicide system kills around 15,000 or more Canadians each year and is quickly expanding to include more and more people who are not terminally ill. Almost all assisted suicide programs are created by liberal governments and all of them are initially promoted as a way to "end the suffering" of people who are close to death anyway. However, this is merely the first stage of the greater goal, which is to normalize the government sanctioned killing of almost anyone for any reason. Keep in mind, the activists and politicians who constantly pontificate about the need for mass immigration into the west from the third world in order to solve population decline are the same people who support mass abortions and mass suicides. They are also, for some reason, staunchly against the government execution of murderers. It doesn't make rational sense, until you realize... https://www.sott.net/article/506397-Canadas-assisted-suicide-program-could-include-children-and-the-mentally-ill Tue, 19 May 2026 07:18:57 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506396-WHO-in-panic-mode-as-World-Health-Assembly-kicks-off Today is first day of the World Health Organization's 79th annual World Health Assembly, where delegates come together to set policies and priorities for global health. Essentially, it's a week-long exercise in saying, as loud and long possible, "We're really important." And thank goodness it came along when it did, because...wow. The hantavirus outbreak is tearing through the world at the unstoppably terrifying rate of five whole deaths every two months. That's about 30 deaths in a year or about 0.25% of the number of people who'll died from falling down stairs. In Africa, the Ebola virus went from zero to "emergency" in no time at all, and the African CDC had no choice but to go into panic mode. A new strain of Ebola virus has been declared an international public health emergency by the World Health Organisation. More than 300 suspected cases have been identified - with at least 80 deaths reported. The outbreak is mostly confined to the Democratic Republic of the...... https://www.sott.net/article/506396-WHO-in-panic-mode-as-World-Health-Assembly-kicks-off Tue, 19 May 2026 03:14:20 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506395-WHO-tells-itself-to-declare-global-climate-health-emergency-to-save-millions The WHO is itching to trigger the climate and health "emergency" powers Act or whatever legalistic bomb our patsy governments signed on our behalf. Apparently millions of people will die if we don't have a UN rubber stamp called "Emergency" — because, obviously the big rich countries would never think to send boatloads of fuel, food and clothes all by themselves. (And if they did, Lordy! Without being a conduit for millions of our dollars, how could the UN run it's own grift and graft machine?) Exclusive: Commission says alert would trigger coordinated international response that could help avoid millions dying Anna Bawden Health and social affairs correspondent, The Guardian The climate crisis should be declared a global public health emergency by the World Health Organization, or millions more people will die unnecessarily, leading international experts have said. Presumably the "Emergency" declaration gives them the tools to declare mandatory vaccines, or ban drugs they don't... https://www.sott.net/article/506395-WHO-tells-itself-to-declare-global-climate-health-emergency-to-save-millions Mon, 18 May 2026 20:22:08 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506394-Why-Trumps-China-trip-signifies-the-end-of-American-primacy Washington is no longer confronting Beijing from a position of unquestioned domination. Last week's Trump-Xi summit produced no dramatic declaration or historic treaty - yet its importance may prove far greater than any immediate deliverable. What happened in Beijing was not a breakthrough in policy but breakthrough in recognition: the United States openly acknowledged China as an equal center of global power. That alone marks a historic turning point. For decades, American administrations approached China from the assumption that Beijing was either a manageable challenger or a state that would eventually integrate into a US-led international order on American terms. The summit suggested something fundamentally different. US President Donald Trump appeared compelled to recognize that China is no longer simply a rival great power but a central pillar of the emerging world order - one that Washington can neither isolate nor overpower. This was the true message of the summit. https://www.sott.net/article/506394-Why-Trumps-China-trip-signifies-the-end-of-American-primacy Mon, 18 May 2026 19:27:24 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/506393-Inside-the-historic-crossroads-facing-the-Fatah-movement As Fatah holds its Eighth Congress, insiders tell Mondoweiss that the dominant movement in Palestinian politics for over 50 years is in disarray. With Palestinians under threat on multiple fronts, the meeting may be the last chance to fix the crisis. Today, the Palestinian National Liberation Movement, commonly known as Fatah, held its Eighth Congress in Ramallah. As the ruling faction in the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the dominant force within the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the movement's Congress convened during what PA President Mahmoud Abbas described at its opening session as a "pivotal" milestone in the Palestinian struggle. But Nasser al-Qudweh, a notable opposition figure within Fatah and a senior member of its Central Committee, previously said the gathering was not a real Congress at all. https://www.sott.net/article/506393-Inside-the-historic-crossroads-facing-the-Fatah-movement Mon, 18 May 2026 19:26:51 +0000