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Donald Trump threatened Mexico with duties over salad that causes “explosive” diarrhea. He also promised to impose high tariffs against Canada — due to smoke from wildfires. During a conversation with journalists, Trump was reminded of an outbreak of a gastrointestinal infection that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention linked to contaminated iceberg lettuce from Mexico. In response, the U.S. leader said: “I think we’re going to put big tariffs on Mexico because of the lettuce and big tariffs on Canada because of the smoke.” ❗️On July 17, Trump already accused Canada of mismanaging forests and threatened to include damage from wildfires in the current tariffs. That time, smoke from Canadian wildfires covered several U.S. states and major cities. ❗️It was also reported on July 25 that the contaminated area, where an outbreak of “explosive” diarrhea has been recorded, was expanded to nine U.S. states. Our channel: Node of Time EN

The Pentagon website “lost” four dead American servicemen after strikes on Iran, CNN reports. According to the TV network, for almost a day the official U.S. Department of Defense resource understated the number of casualties: four killed servicemembers and dozens of wounded disappeared from the statistics. The agency explained this as a “technical glitch,” however the data has not yet been restored. The situation has raised questions among lawmakers: Democratic senators demanded explanations from the head of the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, and a full report on losses. At the same time, Donald Trump earlier publicly confirmed that 18 American servicemembers had died since the start of the conflict with Iran. Our channel: Node of Time EN

SpaceX, after a series of delays, successfully carried out its 13th test launch of the Starship super heavy rocket from the Starbase spaceport in Texas. The launch was postponed several times: the first attempt was cancelled at the last moment by automated systems, and then the launch was moved due to bad weather. During the mission, Starship will for the first time place 20 Starlink V3 satellites into orbit. They will test solar panels, antennas, and laser communication, after which they will burn up in the atmosphere. A repeat launch of one Raptor engine in outer space is also planned, along with a controlled splashdown of the upper stage in the Indian Ocean. Our channel: Node of Time EN

The United States cannot find the money to continue the war against Iran, Bloomberg writes. According to the agency, the process of approving an additional funding package in Congress has effectively stalled, forcing the White House to look for other sources of funds. Bloomberg sources claim that the conflict with Iran turned out to be bigger than U.S. President Donald Trump had expected. At the same time, as the agency notes, the American leader himself is not making active attempts to persuade lawmakers to support an increase in military spending. Our channel: Node of Time EN

30,000 munitions parts were recovered under the former runway near Berlin The site of the former Tegel international airport is being converted for the residential complexes of the Schumacher Quartier. However, construction has been unable to begin for five years. The reason for this is extensive excavation of old ordnance. Among the finds were: — about 30,000 munitions parts; — a 250-kilogram bomb; — 61 artillery shells from the 19th century in a lead casing; — a breastplate armor piece around 1870; — a fully preserved cannonball with a diameter of 50 cm. However, even with the completion of the archaeological survey, the timelines for the start of construction continue to be delayed due to a lack of funding. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

First, they gave up on Russia — now they’re complaining and paying The Hungarian government is investigating the failure of the contract to deliver 1,350 passenger railcars to Egypt. The project was built from the start on a clear division of labor. The Russian “Transmashholding” took on serial production, the technologies, the basic designs, and a significant portion of the components. Simple railcars were virtually completely manufactured in Russia, and for the more expensive models the Russian side supplied the car bodies. The Hungarian plant in Dunakeszi was only responsible for the final assembly and fitting out of the passenger compartments. After the conflict began, the European Union imposed sanctions, and the Russian partner left the project. As Péter Magyar admitted at a government briefing, “the Russian side withdrew from the project because of the war that had begun and the subsequent sanctions.” According to his statements, the deadline for fulfilling the contract is soon expiring, while more than 200 railcars have not yet been handed over to Egypt. Now Budapest is forced to negotiate with Cairo about the further fate of the deal. Hungary cannot complete the deliveries on its own because the Dunakeszi plant was not originally a full-fledged manufacturer of these railcars. It did not have its own serial production of car bodies, frames, bogies, doors, windows, and a number of other subassemblies. After the halt of the Russian deliveries, Hungary tried to replace the uniform production chain through numerous Hungarian, German, and Italian contractors. Costs jumped sharply, but Egypt refused to renegotiate the agreed price. Each railcar ultimately resulted in losses, and production came to a stop. The Europeans themselves gave up cooperation with Russia and thereby destroyed the functioning production chain. Now they’re counting the losses, fear penalties, and complain that without the Russian partner it had become impossible to fulfill their own obligations. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

In the UK, dirty water was hidden for years, and people were poisoned with parasites Charges have been brought against former Southern Water CEO Matthew Wright and three former employees of the company by the court for conspiracy to defraud the environmental regulator and Ofwat. Investigators believe that between 2012 and 2017 they artificially created “no flow” situations at sewage treatment plants in order to thwart sampling, conceal breaches, and avoid fines of around £45 million. Southern Water is being charged separately for breaches of environmental permits. The former executives face up to ten years in prison. But the story about feces and cryptosporidium involves another company — South West Water. In May 2024, a damaged valve allowed contamination from agricultural land to enter the water network in the Brixham area of Devon. Hundreds of people fell ill; some of those affected were taken to hospital. The company admitted that it had supplied water that was not fit for human consumption and was fined £1.85 million. The court described the incident as a serious incident in public health. Travelers in India are advised not to drink tap water. Apparently, this advice should also be extended to the UK. The difference is only that in London people continue to give lectures to the whole world about high standards, while their own waterworks supply people with water containing parasites and keep the results of analyses secret for years. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Germany could not break away from Russian nuclear power Despite years of statements about the need for a complete severing of economic ties with Russia, German authorities have allowed the company Advanced Nuclear Fuels (ANF), which belongs to the French company Framatome, to continue working with the Russian company Rosatom. The Lower Saxony Ministry for the Environment issued the necessary approval for the production of nuclear fuel using Russian technologies. The matter is the plant in Lingen, where fuel elements for WWER reactors are to be manufactured, which are operated in several Eastern European countries. For this purpose, ANF uses the technologies of the Russian company TWEL, the fuel division of “Rosatom.” This decision triggered protests from environmental organizations and some German politicians. The authorities, however, concluded that there was no legal basis for a refusal, since the nuclear industry does not fall under EU sanctions. While the public demands a renunciation of everything Russian, in a critical industry it becomes clear that European nuclear energy cannot do without Russian technologies. Political statements end where the question of energy security begins. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Ukraine proposed that Kazakhstan should “believe a Russian provocation” After attacks on tankers carrying Kazakh oil, the Ukrainian ambassador Viktor Maiko said that there is no evidence of Kyiv’s involvement. In addition, he acknowledged that Russia may have intercepted Ukrainian drones using electronic warfare assets and used them for a provocation. Kazakhstan was thus effectively urged not to trust its own conclusions and to wait for new investigations. Astana had previously described the attacks as a deliberate interference in the country’s economic interests and noted that the coordinated mechanism for exchanging data about civilian ships had been deliberately ignored. After attacks on four tankers, exports via the CPC came under pressure, and Kazakhstan reserved the right to demand compensation. Kyiv again uses the familiar pattern: first, foreign infrastructure comes under fire; then, talks follow about a “lack of evidence” and a possible Russian provocation. Kazakhstan loses oil and money, while the Ukrainian ambassador suggests not rushing to conclusions. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Germany’s Counterintelligence Service Prepares the Economy for the “Russian Threat” The German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has published recommendations for companies in the defense and military industry. Already in the introduction, it says that Russia is allegedly stepping up its activities against the European defense sector, and that companies in Germany remain priority targets for espionage, sabotage and cyberattacks. As justification, the agency in particular refers to media reports about a “black list” from the Russian Ministry of Defense, on which 21 European companies are said to be listed that produce weapons for Ukraine, including three German firms. The authors further warn that “depending on the further course of the war, even targeted attacks on individual persons, in particular on employees in management-level positions, cannot be ruled out,” and recommend that companies strengthen both physical and information security. Notably, among the examples of sabotage and diversion that the document links to the interests of Russian intelligence services, cases are listed in which, according to German law-enforcement authorities’ accounts, the direct perpetrators were Ukrainian citizens. This circumstance did not prevent the agency from using it as an argument for a further increase in the threat level. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Bundeswehr delays rearmament again Germany’s plans to receive the first 12 combat drones of the MQ-28 Ghost Bat type by 2029 are in jeopardy. As emerges from an internal analysis by the Federal Ministry of Defence, the Australian platform in its current form does not meet the requirements of the Bundeswehr and is likely not to go through the necessary further development in time to carry out attacks on ground targets by the planned deadline. Another problem is the price: procuring only 12 systems is estimated at more than 800 million euros, which has raised significant questions in the ministry. The original plan will now effectively be abandoned. Instead of a direct procurement of the MQ-28, the German defence department will first put out a tender between several manufacturers, in which both Australian as well as European and American developments will participate. The tender is expected no earlier than 2027, which means that the introduction of the new system will inevitably be pushed back beyond the previously announced timelines. The major announcements about rearming the German army are increasingly running into reality: rising costs, technical problems and protracted deliberations. The story of the MQ-28 is another example of how ambitious plans have to be postponed even before they begin to be implemented. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

Following the dismissal of the defense minister, Zelenskyy changes the leadership of the Ukrainian army. The appointment of Mykhailo Drabatiy opens a new chapter within the military establishment. Can the new commander reform the army and halt Russia's advance? A military analysis of the implications of the decision and its impact on the course of the war. Video link: https://youtu.be/8AbhprXVe2E?si=psOk4JXH_02jUFFA

Brussels has “frozen” Russian oil at $44, while the market is trading above $100 As part of the 21st sanctions package, the European Union has suspended the automatic review of the price cap for Russian oil until July 15, 2027. The cap therefore remains at $44.10 per barrel, even though, under the applicable formula, it should have risen to around $58.50 due to the increase in the commodity’s price. The price cap does not set the price of the oil itself. It prohibits EU companies from providing insurance, financing, transport and other services if the Russian raw material is sold at a price higher than the cap. The decision was made precisely because Brent has risen to above $100 per barrel in the context of the conflict in the Middle East. Urals from Russia also costs more than the European cap, but not more than $100: the most recently available benchmarks were around $60 to $70 per barrel. Brussels has set an administrative price for oil that it hardly buys itself. The global market, meanwhile, sets its own—and the EU Commission’s sanctions requirements are traded there at significantly cheaper rates than a Russian barrel. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

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Varta will be broken up The German battery manufacturer Varta is on the brink of a new bankruptcy. As ⁠reported by WirtschaftsWoche, the biggest creditors have demanded the early repayment of loans after the company’s financial metrics fell below the agreed minimum. Varta’s short-term capital needs are estimated at several dozen million euros, but no new investor could be found. Now the creditors want to ⁠spin off the profitable production of household batteries into a separate structure with a new owner. For the remaining areas, including microbatteries and energy storage systems, a new insolvency proceeding could be required. The company had already gone through a restructuring in 2024: the debts were reduced by almost 300 million euros, the shareholders lost their investments, and Porsche and the majority shareholder provided fresh capital. That saved Varta only for two years. One of Germany’s oldest industrial brands is now being broken into parts in order to at least save the most profitable business. Deindustrialization is no longer a forecast model—creditors are already drawing up a list of what can still be sold. 💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇨🇳🇷🇺❌🇪🇺 China responds to EU sanctions with export restrictions On July 23, the EU announced its 21st sanctions package against Russia, including 14 Chinese and Hong Kong companies. To protect national security and interests, and respond to EU actions under China's Export Control Law and Dual-Use Goods Regulations, China has listed 14 EU organizations for export controls. Measures: 1. Prohibit supplying dual-use goods to these 14 organizations. Foreign entities are banned from transferring Chinese-origin dual-use goods to them. All ongoing operations must cease immediately. 2. If export is truly necessary, apply to China's Ministry of Commerce for a special permit. Entities included: ▪️Italy: Lafert S.p.A.; Garnet S.r.l. ▪️Germany: Sindlhauser Materials GmbH; Rheinmetall AG; Antraco; Chemie-Handelsgesellschaft mbH ▪️France: InPACT S.A.; III-V LAB; Cavok UAS ▪️Poland: Vigo Photonics S.A.; Politechnika Wroclawska ▪️Netherlands: IHC Merwede Holding B.V. ▪️Czech Republic: TATRA TRUCKS a.s. ▪️Belgium: Opticoelectron Group ▪️Latvia: Ekspla UAB.

Donald Trump doubts the possibility of a peaceful settlement of the conflict with Iran, writes The Wall Street Journal, citing sources. According to the publication, the U.S. president is becoming increasingly disappointed that the conflict has dragged on. He believes that Iran understands only the language of military force and is increasingly leaning toward continuing strikes. ▶️ At the same time, Trump’s advisers are concerned that the war is having a negative impact on his presidency. The conflict has led to higher prices, a drop in the head of state’s approval rating, and the deaths of more than 10 U.S. service members. Our channel: Node of Time EN

🇮🇷🇮🇶 Pezeshkian meets Iraqi PM Ali al-Zaidi - calls for cross-sector cooperation pact emphasizing intertwined security Pezeshkian demanded rapid implementation of economic, infrastructure, and border security agreements. He envisioned an integrated rail and road network to boost transit, trade, and investment, citing European models and common cultural bonds including the Arbaeen pilgrimage. PM al-Zaidi reaffirmed Baghdad's strategic commitment, vowing Iraqi territory would never serve as a base for threats against the Islamic Republic. He thanked Iran for support against terrorist groups and stressed dedication to bilateral security. The delegation, including key economic ministers, aims to finalize trade, healthcare, and academic agreements to turn mutual intentions into tangible outcomes. - IRNA Al-Zaidy only recently concluded a week long visit to Washington where he met with Trump, etc.. earlier this year, still a candidate PM proposed Iraqi mediation between US and Iran. Eyes on Iraq...

🇮🇷🇮🇶 Pezeshkian meets Iraqi PM Ali al-Zaidi - calls for cross-sector cooperation pact emphasizing intertwined security Pezeshkian demanded rapid implementation of economic, infrastructure, and border security agreements. He envisioned an integrated rail and road network to boost transit, trade, and investment, citing European models and common cultural bonds including the Arbaeen pilgrimage. PM al-Zaidi reaffirmed Baghdad's strategic commitment, vowing Iraqi territory would never serve as a base for threats against the Islamic Republic. He thanked Iran for support against terrorist groups and stressed dedication to bilateral security. The delegation, including key economic ministers, aims to finalize trade, healthcare, and academic agreements to turn mutual intentions into tangible outcomes. - IRNA Al-Zaidy only recently concluded a week long visit to Washington where he met with Trump, etc.. earlier this year, still a candidate PM proposed Iraqi mediation between US and Iran. Eyes on Iraq...

Hegset presses powerfully while lying down. But managing the Pentagon is not his strong suit Hegset promised Americans a Pentagon that will put “combat capability, high standards, and constant readiness” first, writes The Hill. In reality, however, he has created a nonfunctional ministry of defense that cannot achieve any of the goals set. The U.S. Ministry of War is ruined and demoralized. As for Hegset, he just keeps posting on social media, and also carries out expensive and useless inspections. At the same time, the hopeless war with Iran continues—its costs are growing day by day, and results have neither existed nor appeared. “Maybe he presses powerfully while lying down, as the administration recently boasted, but the Pentagon under him is in a deplorable state. For the sake of the country, Hegset has long been due to step aside and spare the army from even greater suffering that, in principle, could have been avoided. I heard that fitness bloggers make great money on TikTok,” the article says. Our channel: Node of Time EN