‼️🇺🇸🇻🇪 BREAKING - According to CNN, Donald Trump will meet with the highest-ranking U.S. national security officials at the White House on Monday evening to discuss the next steps regarding Venezuela. Expected attendees include: — Secretary of War Peter Hegseth — Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Caine — Secretary of State Marco Rubio — Chief of Staff Susie Wiles — Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller 🗞️ Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal writes that: 🔴 Trump has chosen the path of direct confrontation with Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro. Removing Maduro serves American interests and would restore Venezuela’s legitimate government, which was in fact elected in 2024. However, the reaction of the Venezuelan armed forces remains uncertain, and any intervention would require sustained support. If Nicolás Maduro flees and democracy is restored, U.S. influence could potentially expand across Latin America — even to Cuba. But if Trump falters and Maduro endures, both Trump and America’s credibility, as well as its reputation, would be significantly undermined.

BlackRock reportedly loses over $500 million to Indian-Origin CEO in massive Loan Fraud. Bankim Brahmbhatt, the Indian-origin CEO of US-based telecom firms Broadband Telecom and Bridgevoice, has been accused of orchestrating a large-scale loan fraud that cost lenders, including BlackRock’s private credit unit, over $500 million, according to The Wall Street Journal. Lenders allege that Brahmbhatt’s companies falsified accounts receivable to use as collateral, creating the appearance of strong business activity while secretly moving funds offshore to India and Mauritius.  A lawsuit filed in August claims the firms’ financial strength “existed only on paper.” Brahmbhatt, however, denies any wrongdoing. The alleged scheme began in 2020 when BlackRock’s credit arm, HPS, started lending to one of Brahmbhatt’s financing companies. The loan amount eventually grew to about $430 million by 2024, with French banking giant BNP Paribas also involved in financing the debt. The fraud reportedly came to light in July when HPS staff noticed that emails supposedly from Carriox (another Brahmbhatt-linked company) customers came from fake domains mimicking real telecom firms.  Further checks revealed that customer emails and contracts provided over the past two years were fabricated, and some fake documents dated as far back as 2018. When questioned, Brahmbhatt initially dismissed the concerns but soon stopped responding. When investigators visited his company offices, they reportedly found them shut down. Court filings also allege that assets meant to secure the loans were moved into offshore accounts in India and Mauritius. Brahmbhatt’s companies filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August — the same day Brahmbhatt himself filed for personal bankruptcy after agreeing to provide a personal guarantee for the loans. Lenders believe he is currently in India.

Trump Pardons Binance Founder Changpeng Zhao, who was convicted for money-laundering. Former U.S. President Donald Trump has granted a presidential pardon to Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, widely known as CZ, who previously pleaded guilty to money-laundering-related charges while leading the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. The White House, in a statement issued Thursday by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, said Trump’s decision was an exercise of his constitutional authority and described Zhao’s prosecution under the Biden administration as part of a “war on cryptocurrency.” “In their desire to punish the crypto industry, the Biden Administration pursued Mr. Zhao despite no allegations of fraud or identifiable victims,” Leavitt stated. The pardon comes just two months after The Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump family’s own crypto venture which has generated about $4.5 billion since the 2024 election was supported through a partnership with a trading platform linked to Binance. Zhao had pleaded guilty in November 2023 to violating the Bank Secrecy Act and stepped down as Binance CEO as part of a $4.3 billion settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice. He was sentenced in April 2024 to four months in prison, though prosecutors had sought a three-year term. Leavitt noted that the judge in Zhao’s case had described the government’s sentencing request as “unheard of in 30 years,” adding that the Biden administration’s actions “damaged America’s reputation as a leader in technology and innovation.” “The Biden Administration’s war on crypto is over,” she declared.

IRAN TRIED TO HIDE IT'S NUCLEAR SCIENTIST IN A SAFE LOCATION, BUT ISRAEL STILL FOUND AND KILLED HIM. According to Times of Israel, an Israeli drone strike targeted an apartment building in Tehran’s Gisha neighborhood on Friday, killing an Iranian scientist specializing in weaponry, according to reports from The Wall Street Journal and Israeli public broadcaster Kan. The scientist was reportedly being kept in a safe house outside his home in an effort to protect him from Israeli attacks. This strike is part of Israel’s ongoing campaign, dubbed Operation Rising Lion, aimed at crippling Iran’s nuclear and missile programs. Since launching the operation last Friday, Israel has reportedly assassinated at least a dozen leading Iranian nuclear scientists and targeted numerous military and nuclear facilities. Defense Minister Israel Katz announced an intensification of strikes on regime symbols in Tehran, including the Basij militia and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, with the goal of destabilizing the Iranian government. The strike on the scientist’s hiding place underscores Israel’s focus on eliminating key figures in Iran’s weapons development. Iranian state media confirmed the drone attack on the residential building but did not provide details on casualties. Meanwhile, Iran has responded with missile and drone attacks on Israeli cities, including Beersheba, causing casualties and damage. In addition to the strike on the scientist, Israeli airstrikes have damaged Iran’s Internal Security headquarters and other military sites, including the Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research complex, a critical part of Iran’s nuclear program. The International Atomic Energy Agency reported damage to key buildings at Iran’s Arak heavy water research site. Despite the violence, thousands of Iranians protested in Tehran after Friday prayers, denouncing Israel and the United States. The conflict has resulted in hundreds of deaths on both sides and shows no signs of abating as Israel continues its campaign to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Trump Warns Putin Is ‘Playing With Fire’ Amid Stalled Peace Talks U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of “playing with fire” as diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine struggle to gain traction. Trump’s comments came Tuesday via his Truth Social platform, where he expressed frustration over the lack of progress in peace negotiations. The warning follows his earlier remarks describing Putin as “absolutely CRAZY” after a large-scale drone attack in Ukraine left multiple civilians dead. "Putin doesn’t realize that if it weren’t for me, lots of really bad things would’ve already happened to Russia. And I mean REALLY BAD. He’s playing with fire!" Trump posted, without specifying what those consequences might have been. Moscow maintains that its military actions are in response to increasing Ukrainian attacks on Russian civilians and accuses Kyiv of deliberately undermining peace efforts. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, and despite a phone conversation eight days ago where Trump claimed Putin agreed to resume talks, no progress has been reported. Diplomatic pressure has grown in recent weeks, with Washington reportedly considering a new wave of sanctions. According to reports from The Wall Street Journal and CNN, Trump is weighing additional economic measures against Russia, which could be announced as early as this week. Speaking on Sunday, Trump confirmed he was “absolutely” considering sanctions. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said all options remain on the table. “President Trump has been clear in his call for a negotiated peace deal and is prepared to act decisively. This war is Joe Biden’s fault,” she told AFP. Trump has so far resisted harsh sanctions on Russian banks, arguing they could have devastating effects. However, his recent comments reflect a shift from his previously cordial tone toward Putin, with whom he often claimed to have a good relationship. Meanwhile, Russia continues its drone campaign. Between May 20 and 27, Russian forces claimed to have intercepted over 2,300 Ukrainian drones. On Tuesday night alone, nearly 150 drones were reportedly downed, including 33 targeting Moscow. The Russian defense ministry accused Ukraine—and its European allies—of attempting to sabotage peace efforts. In contrast, Ukrainian officials say it is Russia that is deliberately targeting civilians. “We need to end this eternal waiting — Russia needs more sanctions,” wrote Andriy Yermak, Chief of Staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, on Telegram. Calls for action are also growing in the U.S. Congress. Senator Chuck Grassley urged strong measures, while bipartisan voices, including Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal, pushed for secondary sanctions on countries continuing to do business with Russia. Former Trump national security adviser and Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg told Fox News that Geneva may serve as the next venue for peace talks after Russia rejected the Vatican as a host. He expressed hope that Trump, Putin, and Zelensky could come together for direct negotiations. The Swiss foreign ministry declined to confirm Geneva as a host but reiterated Switzerland’s readiness to facilitate dialogue. Earlier this month, Russia and Ukraine held their first direct talks in over three years in Istanbul. #TrumpWarning, #PutinUkraineWar, #ECOWAS50Celebration