🚨Opposition journalist Ilia Hashemi claims that Iranian security forces killed more people during yesterday’s protests than died in the 12-day war, which resulted in roughly 1,060 fatalities. Hashemi said that based on conversations with eyewitnesses and a hospital surgeon in Tehran, the death toll from last night’s protests in Tehran, Karaj, and Shahriar is substantial. According to the surgeon, “I was in the operating room all night,” adding that “the number of protesters killed is higher than during the 12-day war.” For context, the 12-day conflict reportedly caused around 1,082 deaths. Hashemi noted that he cannot independently verify the figures, but warned that even a fraction of that number would represent a serious escalation. Internet and phone services remain down across Iran.

Tehran’s mayor claimed that during last night’s protests, demonstrators targeted hospitals and two medical centers, as well as 26 banks, 25 mosques, Basij bases, and law enforcement facilities, with the aim of spreading chaos and shaping a false narrative. He also alleged that protesters set fire to 48 fire trucks — including eight heavy firefighting engines — and attacked firefighters who were attempting to extinguish the blazes.

During an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Tuesday night, President Donald J. Trump was asked about the ongoing protests in Iran and reports that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei may have a contingency plan to flee to Moscow. Trump said he is “following it very closely.” When Hannity mentioned reports that Khamenei has a Plan B to leave for Russia, Trump responded that Khamenei is “looking to go someplace.” Asked whether he believes Iran is on the verge of collapse, Trump said it could be, pointing to the regime’s history of violently suppressing protests. He warned that if Iranian authorities begin killing protesters en masse again, the United States is prepared to respond forcefully. Trump said there have already been deaths, but noted that many appear to have resulted from massive crowd surges during demonstrations rather than direct gunfire. He described the protests as enormous in scale, with intense enthusiasm for overturning the regime, likening the scenes to a “stampede” due to the sheer number of people in the streets. “We’ll see what happens,” Trump said, adding that Iranian leaders are aware the U.S. is ready to act if the situation escalates.

Footage shows a Russian Shahed-type attack drone striking a high-rise residential building in Kyiv during tonight’s large-scale drone, cruise-missile, and ballistic-missile assault on Ukraine.

U.S. President Donald Trump: "We are going to start now hitting land with regard to the cartels. The cartels are running Mexico."

U.S. President Donald Trump on what comes next for Venezuela: “We’re taking billions and billions of dollars’ worth of oil — and it will grow into hundreds of billions, even trillions of dollars. Tomorrow, we’re meeting with all the major oil executives.”

Fifteen oil tankers that left Venezuela over the weekend without authorization — most reportedly carrying crude — appear to have mounted a coordinated effort to evade a U.S. Coast Guard and Navy blockade. The vessels are now hundreds of miles offshore and heading east toward Africa and Europe. Satellite imagery and a U.S. military official cited by The New York Times indicate that four tankers were observed moving eastward in the Atlantic, more than 400 miles from South America’s coast, while another group of five was seen sailing northeast through the Caribbean on Monday. That same day, a U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke–class guided-missile destroyer was photographed steaming toward the tankers crossing the Atlantic. One vessel, the Veronica — which is not carrying oil — reportedly changed its name to Galileo and reflagged under Russia this week, apparently to avoid a potential U.S. boarding. The Times also identified three additional tankers transporting Venezuelan oil that are now registered in Russia.

Footage shows a Ukrainian cruise missile strike earlier targeting the Oryol Thermal Power Plant in western Russia, triggering major power outages across both Belgorod and Oryol oblasts.

In Iran right now: • No internet • No phone calls • No contact with the outside world Yet the Islamic regime’s main state broadcaster is airing and promoting Tucker Carlson. My brain cannot process this.

U.S. officials have reportedly discussed offering one-time payments of between $10,000 and $100,000 to Greenland residents as part of an effort to persuade them to break away from Denmark and potentially join the United States, sources told Reuters.

The Syrian Army, backed by tanks and armored vehicles, has launched a major operation tonight against Kurdish-controlled neighborhoods in Aleppo, reportedly clearing much of the area of paramilitary forces supported by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Iranian authorities have turned off the internet nationwide as protests escalate against the regime tonight, including in the capital, Tehran.

Reports indicate that the Israeli Air Force carried out a strike earlier against a vehicle near Zaita in southern Lebanon’s Sidon District. The Israel Defense Force said the operation targeted a Hezbollah operative in response to what it described as Hezbollah’s “continued violations of the ceasefire understandings.”

American oil companies are seeking “serious guarantees” from Washington before committing to any new investments in Venezuela, according to people familiar with the discussions, who spoke to the Financial Times. Senior officials from the U.S. Department of Energy, including Energy Secretary Chris Wright, met with leading energy executives in Miami on Wednesday to discuss their potential role in Venezuela following the removal of Nicolás Maduro. Wright also held separate meetings with executives from Chevron and ConocoPhillips, conveying President Trump’s message that major U.S. oil companies are expected to invest billions of dollars into rebuilding Venezuela’s struggling energy sector. Executives from top U.S. oil firms — including Chevron, ExxonMobil, and ConocoPhillips — are also expected to meet with President Trump at the White House on Friday. During the meeting, they plan to press for strong legal and financial assurances before committing capital to future operations in Venezuela. “No one wants to go in there when a random fucking tweet can change the entire foreign policy of the country,” one executive told the Financial Times.

U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced Wednesday that the United States will withdraw from 66 treaties and international organizations that he says “no longer serve American interests.” The decision covers a wide range of international bodies and agreements, including climate, energy, development, governance, and security-related institutions, as well as numerous United Nations agencies and programs. The withdrawals include dozens of international organizations and treaties—such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the International Renewable Energy Agency, and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance—along with a significant number of UN entities, including UN Women, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, UN Population Fund, UN Conference on Trade and Development, and the UN University, among others. According to the White House, the move reflects a broader effort to reassess U.S. participation in multilateral institutions and redirect resources toward priorities deemed more closely aligned with U.S. national interests.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance recently spoke with Fox News host Jesse Watters about the military operation in Venezuela. When Watters asked how removing a Venezuelan dictator benefits ordinary Americans, Vance argued that the move would give the United States greater control over Venezuela’s vast natural resources. He said this would strengthen U.S. leverage over adversaries, ensure access to reliable and affordable energy for Americans, and showcase U.S. military strength. According to Vance, demonstrating such power helps deter future challenges and maintain peace by making clear that the United States is prepared to act when necessary.

Venezuela’s state-owned oil and gas firm, Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), announced that it is in talks with the United States over crude oil sales, noting that any deal would follow the same framework used with other international partners, including Chevron.

🇺🇸 United States / 🇷🇺 Russia / 🇧🇷 Brazil: President Trump has reportedly given the “green light” to a bill that would authorize the executive branch to impose sanctions of up to 500% on countries that purchase Russian oil, according to a statement released by Senator Lindsey Graham (R). “This bill would give President Trump enormous leverage over countries like China, India, and Brazil, encouraging them to stop buying cheap Russian oil that finances Putin’s massacre against Ukraine,” Graham said. In November 2024, Brazil imported approximately 834,000 cubic meters of diesel, with Russia as the main supplier. By November 2025, purchases of Russian diesel had fallen to around 219,000 cubic meters, indicating a 74% drop.

🚨France 🇫🇷: Reports indicate that Paris residents are joining farmers in protests outside the National Assembly, according to Le Figaro.

Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority said an employee lost a government-issued smartphone containing sensitive nuclear security contact information while traveling in China last November. The unrecovered device reportedly held names and details of personnel involved in nuclear oversight, data that is normally kept confidential.