As the military conflict between the United States and the Islamic terrorist state of Iran intensifies, the State Department announced that action has been taken to cut off the financial lifelines of the evil regime.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the entire announcement by the State Department. Some parts in boldface…
The United States is taking decisive action to cut off the financial lifelines sustaining Iran’s ruling elite. Today’s action targets Ali Ansari, a Dubai-based Iranian national who has built a sprawling global network of real estate and commercial holdings — spanning Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, Cyprus, the UAE, and beyond — on behalf of Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and other regime insiders.
The United States also sanctioned three Iran-based currency exchange houses — Mohammad Darbani and Partners, Lavasani and Partners, and Mohsen Khandan and Partners — along with their managing partners and associated front companies. By targeting these networks, the United States is directly disrupting the regime’s ability to access foreign currency and conduct international financial activity.
These actions reflect the Trump Administration’s commitment to holding accountable all those who enable the regime’s corruption and regional aggression. The United States will continue to pursue sanctions against individuals, companies, and financial institutions — including foreign entities — that facilitate illicit Iranian commerce, and will not relent until the Iranian regime ends its destabilizing behavior and its exploitation of the Iranian people.
Today’s action is being taken pursuant to E.O. 13902, which targets persons operating in Iran’s financial and petroleum sectors, E.O. 13876, which focuses on the Supreme Leader of Iran and his affiliates, and the counterterrorism authority E.O. 13224, as amended by E.O. 13886. These designations build on a series of OFAC actions targeting Iranian shadow banking and currency exchange house networks
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the US will be able to cut off Iran’s links to all financial sources around the world? Could it be possible that the sinister financiers behind LGBTQ and transgender mobs and human traffickers (involved with mass migration targeting Europe) could secretly be funding the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran?
Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching.
Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following videos I found.
#1 Street Fighter III: New Generation Revisited – Way back in 1994, I had a blast of fun playing Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) plus other Street Fighter II games in the arcades. Naturally, I had a personal anticipation for Street Fighter III. However, Capcom released Street Fighter Alpha (Street Fighter Zero) and follow-up games over the next few years. In the 1st quarter of 1997, I saw Street Fighter III: New Generation in the local arcade and quickly inserted tokens to play it. I was very impressed with its super-smooth animation and enjoyed it. Still, something about the game felt hollow and weird as well which is related to the fact that Ryu and Ken were the only established Street Fighter characters who returned. Indeed, there was something odd that happened behind the scenes at Capcom when Street Fighter III: New Generation was made. Watch and learn from the videos below.
#2 EOM Reacts’ Saving Private Ryan Video – Twenty-eight years ago, Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan was released in cinemas and eventually achieved both critical and commercial success. While its story was not true to life nor a solid record of World War II history, its presentation of the extreme violence of the era and American brotherhood captivated a lot of moviegoers. To find out how much impact the movie has on anyone who views it, watch EOM React’s reaction video below.
#3 Farm-Raised Eels Launched In Japan – In Japanese cuisine, eels are a popular delicacy and they make a great choice of meat to consume with rice. Due to the sharp decline of eels at sea, farms that spent a lot of time and resources of breeding eels provided the alternative for Japanese demand. That said, farm-raised eels were commercially launched recently for public consumption and you can learn so much more about them in the Nippon TV video below.
#4 Shenmue Retrospective – Shenmue, the most defining game ever released on the short-lived Sega Dreamcast, has long been featured in countless articles and retrospective videos over the past twenty-six years. Under the leadership and design of the legendary Yu Suzuki, Shenmue turned out to be a very groundbreaking video game when it comes to exploration, adventuring and interactions with characters (including non-playable characters or NPCs) and items. Now is a good time to look back at Shenmue with the in-depth retrospective video below. Viewing it felt like an adventure.
#5 You, Me And The Movies React To The Philadelphia Story – When was the last time you saw a romantic comedy film released in the 1940s? The 1940 movie The Philadelphia Story is notable not only because it was nominated for several Academy Awards (it won two) but also because it was the successful comeback of actress Katharine Hepburn who had several failures. To find out if The Philadelphia Story is truly impactful and worthy of preservation in the United States National Film Registry, go watch You, Me and the Movies’ reaction video below.
#6 Ashleigh Burton Reacts To Lethal Weapon 4 – What is there to say about 1998’s Lethal Weapon 4? It is the one film that has Asian superstar Jet Li as the action-packed villain. In addition, it marked significant changes in the respective lives of Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) when it comes to family matters and getting old as law enforcers. I can hardly believe it has been twenty-eight years since I first saw this movie in the local cinema and it was indeed a thrilling viewing experience. To see if it still has any entertainment value and impact, watch and learn from Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video below.
#7 The 2003 California Recall Election Revisited – Decades after former actor Ronald Reagan led the state of California as its governor, another actor got elected to the same position via a recall election…Arnold Schwarzenegger! Back in 2003, the incumbent governor Gray Davis was very unpopular and a lot of Californians got fed up with the many problems that affected them. When the move to recall Davis grew tremendously, several people filed their candidacies for Governor of California but it was Schwarzenegger who outmaneuvered them. Given the fact that he starred in three Terminator movies – all of which were filmed in California – he would later be called as “the Governator” after taking office. To find out what really happened and what the factors were behind his recall election victory, watch the in-depth video below.
#8 The Remake Trend Of Video Games – Like Hollywood, the video game industry has an obsession with remaking video games. The difference is this…the obsession on remaking video games is pretty strong as video game publishers need something “new” to sell to gamers while their other game projects could not be completed fast enough. Still, there is something twisted or intriguing behind the game companies’ focus on remaking games and you can find out more by watching the video below.
Following the disturbing ballistic missile launch of Communist China into the Pacific Ocean, the United States reaffirmed its support for the Philippines, according to a news report by the Manila Bulletin. Symbolically, the new US Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton issued an official statement.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
The United States has reaffirmed its commitment to the Philippines after China test-launched an unarmed intercontinental-range ballistic missile from a submarine into the southern Pacific Ocean.
In a statement on Tuesday, July 7, US Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton said the launch underscored concerns over Beijing’s nuclear weapons buildup and its implications for regional peace and stability.
“The ironclad US-Philippine Alliance has been a tremendous and transparent source of regional peace and stability for over seven decades,” Lipton said.
“Beijing’s provocative missile launch yesterday is further evidence of its rapid and secretive nuclear weapons development program, which runs counter to regional stability and is inconsistent with the pursuit of meaningful arms control discussions,” he added.
Lipton said the United States shares the Philippines’ concerns over the missile launch and remains committed to its “oldest security ally in the region.”
The statement followed a July 6 statement by US State Department spokesperson Thomas “Tommy” Pigott, who said the United States had monitored China’s test launch of an unarmed intercontinental-range ballistic missile from a submarine.
According to Pigott, the missile landed in the southern Pacific Ocean.
“At a time when the United States is working harder than ever to prevent nuclear proliferation, China is doing the opposite,” Pigott said.
He said China’s “rapid and opaque nuclear weapons buildup” remains a major concern for countries in the region and the international community.
The United States also urged China to participate in meaningful arms control talks and establish a regular notification arrangement for all intercontinental-range ballistic missile and space launches.
Such an arrangement, Pigott said, would be consistent with commitments made by the other members of the P5, or the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.
“The United States remains steadfast in our defense commitments to our allies and partners,” Pigott said.
The latest US statements come amid continuing concerns over China’s expanding military capabilities and increasingly assertive activities in the Indo-Pacific, including in the West Philippine Sea.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Are you concerned that China could someday attack the Philippines with ballistic missiles? Do you think this destabilizing move by China could spark the US to send more naval vessels into the Asian region? How do you think US President Donald Trump will react if ever China launches even more ballistic missiles?
Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!
In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads from the 1980s to the early 2000s.
For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s to the 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.
With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…
1. Berzerk Arcade Flyer
The front.
The rear.
Could you imagine being trapped deep within a maze surrounded by dangerous robots (plus one other unstoppable enemy) capable firing laser blasts at you? This was the concept behind the design of Berzerk, an arcade game released by Stern Electronics in 1980. Released at a time when science fiction became wildly popular in American entertainment, Berzerk was immersive for gamers and the multidirectional gameplay feature was captivating for many. To promote the game, Stern Electronics came up with a customized visual design that blended 2D sprite elements with a photograph of two people and some hand-drawn art pieces. The front of the flyer emphasized accurate the core concept of the game while the rear explained the technical details. They even played with their company name with the line “Stern goes berzerk!”
2. Rush’n Attack North American Arcade Flyer
The arcade flyer for North America
During the late stages of the Cold War, Konami made a lot of military-themed video games which resonated not only with those who were already aware about the global conflict but also with gamers who craved for action and excitement. One of those games was Rush’n Attack (alternative title: Green Beret) which was released in American arcades in late-1985. Konami came up with an arcade flyer showing four people (looking like an American family) having a good time in front of an arcade cabinet, and three screenshots of the game were displayed on the lower half. Rush’n Attack – which was deliberately titled to resemble the phrase “Russian attack” due to its obvious Cold War setting – went on to succeed commercially and critically. One notable game review compared Rush’n Attack favorably with the movie Rambo: First Blood Part II.
3. Turbo Out Run North American Arcade Flyer
The flyer.
Following the massive success Sega achieved with Out Run in 1986, the company went on to release the follow-up Turbo OutRun three years later. As seen in their North American flyer, Sega emphasized the in-game locations, the look of the machine with the driver’s seat and steering wheel, and the excitement they can expect. Turbo OutRun went on to become successful in the arcades worldwide and it got ported to a variety of consoles and computer systems in the years that followed. On its own, the arcade flyer sparked excitement for gamers.
4. Air Duel Japanese Arcade Flyer
The artwork here is captivating to look at.
Released in Japanese arcades in 1990, Air Duel from Irem is an intense and fast-paced 2D sprite vertically scrolling shooter that attracted a lot of players. It had a war theme and its aesthetic has a mix of military and somewhat futuristic science fiction elements. The game’s arcade flyer featured a very intriguing artwork by Takashi Yamasaki showing two aircrafts flying over a city heading towards a massively large enemy in the distance. In my opinion, the artwork alone is pretty engaging to see and it’s more than enough to make me think about playing the game.
5. Spellbound Adaptor Print Ad
The Spellbound Adaptor print ad in Europe. UK design and manufacturing emphasized.
Remember back in the old days when there were hardware lockouts on game consoles that prevented users from playing games imported from different regions? In Europe, a special cheat and regional bypass cartridge called the Spellbound Adaptor was released and it allowed Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) users to bypass the lockouts and play games from overseas. The Spellbound Adaptor was notably advertised in European print media showing two sexy ladies posing with the adaptor itself (on the SNES), the television and many SNES games. The ad even includes a promo of buying the adaptor with a game of choice for only £69.95. The ad is still impactful to look at.
6. Contra III: The Alien Wars North American Print Ad
Konami’s made a huge impression visually with this 2-page print ad promoting Contra III: The Alien Wars.
By the time the SNES was launched in America in 1991, a lot of gamers who enjoyed Contra games on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) have been craving for a sequel on the newer console. Their dreams finally came through in early 1992 when Konami released Contra III: The Alien Wars on the SNES, and it was a lot more than visual upgrade as it had groundbreaking features connected with the game developers’ clever use of the console’s technology. Konami was already aware of Contra’s huge following in America, so they came up with an aggressive looking print ad promoting Contra III: The Alien Wars. With a red-and-black background, the ad had a variety of screenshots that were tilted to look 3D (showing what the game offered) and used a minor space for the descriptive text and image of the game box. This old print ad is one of the finest ways to promote a sequel while also emphasizing the next-generation experience fans can enjoy. This ad is a classic!
7. Apocalypse Print Ads
With Bruce Willis’ face, this 2-page Apocalypse print ad captured the attention of readers.
The more action-oriented 2-page print ad of Apocalypse. Bruce Willis is more visible here.
Believe it or not, Hollywood legend Bruce Willis actually starred in the ambitious video game titled Apocalypse. Before its 1998 released on PlayStation, Apocalypse started with the player character having an AI-controlled partner named Trey Kincaid to be played by Willis. Publisher Activision signed a multi-million Dollar deal with Bruce Willis to use his likeness and voice for the Trey character. Eventually the Trey Kincaid role was modified to be the playable character. Given the huge deal signed with the super star and the additional costs that came with game design revisions, Activision launched an aggressive marketing campaign for Apocalypse and they heavily used Bruce Willis’s name and imagery. Ultimately the game sold less than one million copies and yet Activision was satisfied with the sales which convinced them to go back to Apocalypse developer Neversoft for a new project.
8. R-Type Delta North American Print Ad
R-Type Delta was the 4th game of the R-Type series and also the first to be made with 3D polygons.
R-Type, the long-running series of 2D side-scrolling shooters by Irem, fully embraced 3D polygons with R-Type Delta on PlayStation in 1998. To promote the game in North America, Irem and their partner Agetec went all-in emphasizing their series shift into 3D polygonal graphics while promising new in-game weapons. Very smartly, they included positive quotes from Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM), PlayStation Magazine (PSM) and Official PlayStation Magazine (OPM) to show credibility. In recent times, an enhanced version of R-Type Delta (R-Type Delta: HD Boosted) was released on modern game console and PC.
9. Racing Lagoon Japanese Print Ad
Have you ever played this game from SquareSoft?
Released in 1999 for PlayStation only in Japan, Racing Lagoon was one of many games SquareSoft made for a genre other than role-playing games (RPGs). Released at a time when the PlayStation already had lots of racing games available from around the world, Racing Lagoon was a racing game that had role-playing elements mixed in. To promote it, SquareSoft made a print ad that had a night-time city vibe and they showed some screenshots with a unique visual style. The in-game story was influenced by the illegal street racing trend that happened in Japan during the 1980s.
10. Resident Evil – Code: Veronica North America Print Ads
Truly a next-generation Resident Evil experience first launched on the Sega Dreamcast! I know some people who bought the console just to play Resident Evil – Code: Veronica.
The 2-page print ad of RE – Code: Veronica.
When Resident Evil – Code: Veronica was released on the Sega Dreamcast in Japan in February 2000, it delivered a next-generation survival horror experience to die-hard RE fans and it was easily one of the must-have games for Dreamcast owners of the time. Along the way, RE fans and Dreamcast owners in America were already anticipating the game. Capcom had an aggressive ad campaign for the game with US gamers in mind and this particular single-page print ad showed the fan-favorite characters Claire and Chris Redfield on one corner, six selected screenshots and quotes from the published game reviews of Game Informer, Next Generation and the Official Dreamcast Magazine. The 2-page print ad had the same elements but had the Redfield siblings on the 2nd page. I remember seeing these ads on a few gaming magazines and they made me think about buying a Dreamcast just to play RE – Code: Veronica. These old ads emphasized the strong business trust between Capcom and Sega (which itself lost a lot of money and credibility with the Sega Saturn consoles and many add-on devices released years prior).
The State of Israel is literally climbing great heights as Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed the development of space lasers capable of carrying out attacks above Earth, according to a news report by The Jerusalem Post.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the report of The Jerusalem Post. Some parts in boldface…
Israel is developing space lasers to carry out attacks above the Earth, Defense Minister Israel Katz said Monday.
“One of the central goals that the prime minister and I set is that we are recruiting the best minds,” he said in a briefing with military reporters. “As of today, no country has the ability to mount attacks in space. We must be the leading country in the world with this capability.”
“If we achieve this, it will ensure the advantage of deterrence, of the ability to attack, destroy, and all of the other matters, versus our enemies with large resources,” he added.
Last Thursday, Katz said Israel was committed to becoming the leading player with capabilities to attack from space. But his latest statement was the first time he had specifically mentioned space lasers.
Israel is already a leading country in this field, having developed Iron Beam as a land-based space laser. During a recent visit to Elbit, The Jerusalem Post both witnessed and was informed about a project to enable fighter jets to fire lasers in the future.
Israel leads in developing laser weaponry – During the briefing, Katz seemed to be referring to Iran. Notably, during the war with Iran this year, Israel struck multiple Iranian facilities related to the space war, including those that were developing capabilities to attack satellites in space.
What remains unclear is whether Katz seeks to deter Russia and China from assisting Iran in the space race and other matters.
His statement that no other country has these capabilities was not entirely accurate, however, because both Russia and China have performed attacks on their own satellites and convincingly destroyed their test targets.
Lasers potentially could destroy enemy satellites and incinerate debris caused by attacks in space, according to foreign reports.
There has been speculation that Israel has the capability to destroy enemy satellites using the Arrow 3 missile system, which currently can strike ballistic missiles in space.
Being that Russia and China already have experience dealing with debris, however, many countries are working on other techniques, such as paralyzing, damaging, jamming, dragging, or using lasers against satellites in space.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think Israel will be able to achieve huge breakthroughs with its development of space lasers? Do you think having a highly efficient space laser system will enable Israel to destroy enemy satellites while enhancing national defense? What is your opinion about the current state of the space race?
Following the initial talks in Washington, the United States, Israel and Lebanon signed a trilateral framework agreement that outlines a structured process for disarming the Islamic terrorist group Hezbollah, the terrorist infrastructure and enabling the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to withdraw from Lebanon one the terrorist threat is removed, according to a news report by The Jerusalem Post.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from The Jerusalem Post report. Some parts in boldface…
The United States, Israel, and Lebanon signed a trilateral framework agreement aimed at combating Iran-backed Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah on Friday, after days of US-mediated talks in Washington.
According to a US State Department statement, the agreement outlines a structured process for disarming Hezbollah, dismantling terrorist infrastructure, and enabling the IDF to withdraw from Lebanon once the threat posed by Hezbollah is removed.
The agreement also established a US-facilitated trilateral Military Coordination Group for Lebanon (MCG4L) to ensure the implementation of the framework.
The US, according to the statement, will also take steps to improve the capabilities of the Lebanese Armed Forces and support Lebanese military efforts against Hezbollah.
In addition, the US pledged to contribute $100 million for humanitarian assistance to be coordinated with the United Nations.
A first step towards peace, prosperity, and mutual coexistence – US Secretary of State Marco Rubio commended Israeli and Lebanese leadership and delegations for their participation in the talks and for signing the agreement.
While Rubio noted that there is still much work ahead, he highlighted the importance of the framework and stated that the US is “honored to have played a part in bringing this together.”
“Today is the first step. This first step sometimes is the hardest one, but it’s an important one and the one we’ve taken together,” Rubio stated, adding that he hopes the agreement will bring about “a future of peace, a future of prosperity, a future of mutual coexistence.”
During the signing of the agreements, Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter praised the trilateral cooperation as a “historical” move towards peace between Israel and Lebanon.
“In my opening remarks four days ago, I expressed concern that this train was running off the tracks, that Iran and its proxies wanted a trainwreck,” Leiter recounted.
He continued to describe that through the work of all involved with the negotiations, “we have put the train back on the tracks, and it’s running in the right direction,” towards “real peace, where both countries will live in security; where Israel’s and Lebanon’s sovereignty will be respected, honored, and protected.”
Framework agreement a ‘major achievement for Israel,’ Netanyahu says –Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the announcement in a video message on Friday, describing the framework as “a major achievement for the State of Israel.”
Netanyahu affirmed that as of the signing of the agreement, Israel will “remain [in] the security zone in southern Lebanon” and coordinate the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the area as the Lebanese army works to disarm Hezbollah and establish control over territory.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Are you convinced that the newly signed trilateral framework agreement will result in breakthroughs that can lead to real peace and coexistence between Israel and Lebanon? Do you feel confident that the Islamic terrorist group Hezbollah will get cornered (militarily and diplomatically) and stand down eventually?
As Iran continues to be unpredictable following the deal it signed with the United States, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned the Islamic terrorist state against the fantasy of imposing fees on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, according to a Newsmax report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Newsmax report. Some parts in boldface…
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday warned Iran against “the fantasy” of imposing fees on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking after meetings with Gulf Cooperation Council leaders in Bahrain, Rubio said the Trump administration will not tolerate any attempt by Tehran to charge commercial vessels for using one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.
“Fees and tolls are the same thing to me,” Rubio told reporters. “If you’re paying someone to go there, I don’t care if you call it a fee or a toll or a donation. It’s a toll.”
Rubio argued such a system would be impossible to enforce without threatening international shipping.
“Let’s say a ship says, ‘Well, I’m not going to pay the fee,’” he said. “It’s not like a toll on a road. You don’t get a ticket in the mail. They get shot at. You shoot at one ship, you sink one ship, no other ship is going to move. So that sort of system is not only unwise, it can’t happen. It’s not even workable. So you might as well abandon the fantasy now.“
The secretary said there was “zero support” among Gulf nations for any tolling system and emphasized President Donald Trump has made clear that charging for passage through the strategic waterway “cannot be a part” of any agreement with Iran.
“There isn’t a nation on Earth that supports having to pay money to go through the straits,” Rubio said, adding, “If you are charging money to use the straits, we won’t support it. We won’t tolerate it. We won’t allow it.“
Rubio’s remarks came after reports that some Iranian officials have floated charging ships for security, insurance, and other services following last week’s U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding, which temporarily restored free navigation through the strait while broader negotiations continue.
Under the agreement brokered by the Trump administration, Iran agreed to permit toll-free passage for at least 60 days as both sides pursue a broader peace arrangement.
Rubio stressed the administration is focused less on Tehran’s rhetoric than on its actions.
“We’re interested in whether or not ships are moving,” he said. “If ships are moving as they should be moving, then that’s what we’re going to judge. If this rhetoric is backed up by actual ships being threatened and ships are not moving, that’s a violation of the agreement and we’re going to have a problem with it.”
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think it is just a matter of time before the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran threatens to hit ships and force them to pay a fee for passage through the Strait of Hormuz? Who do you think is actually leading the current regime of Iran right now?
To ensure the completion of the ambitious Long Thanh International Airport, Vietnam deployed hundreds of soldiers to work on it as a shortfall of workers was realized, according to a VnExpress news article. The new international airport has been scheduled for a December 2026 opening and it has been anticipated to handle most flights in 2027.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…
Vietnam has deployed hundreds of soldiers to help build its largest airport, the VND336.63 trillion (US$12.8 billion) Long Thanh, as contractors scramble to cover a shortfall of nearly 2,000 workers before a year-end deadline to open the country’s new aviation hub.
The deployment signals the urgency around a flagship project that has already slipped past its original 2025 opening date.
Hundreds of officers and enlisted soldiers have been brought onto the site in Dong Nai City in the country’s south to reinforce a civilian workforce that has struggled to keep pace with one of Southeast Asia’s biggest construction projects.
The move was confirmed during a June 13 inspection by Construction Minister Tran Hong Minh, who was told by an Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) representative that more than 76% of the total project value had been completed.
The workforce has been topped up in recent weeks but still falls nearly 2,000 short of the roughly 9,000 workers the site needs, with several units calling in military personnel to bridge the gap.
The labor crunch reflects a wider squeeze in southern Vietnam, where a cluster of megaprojects is competing for the same pool of skilled construction workers.
The nearby Bien Hoa-Vung Tau expressway and the expansion of the Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay expressway are pulling engineers and machine operators away from the airport, and the harsh conditions across the vast, largely open site have made workers hard to retain.
To claw back time before the rainy season, contractors have added engineers, workers and equipment and moved to round-the-clock construction in three shifts and four rotating crews, part of a 180-day campaign to accelerate to the finish.
The airport is now expected to be substantially complete and to begin trial operations in September, with commercial flights targeted for late 2026.
ACV said finishing work on the passenger terminal still lacks skilled technical labor, while other packages are short of machinery operators.
The investor has ordered contractors to staff up for day-and-night work, prioritizing foundation and stone-base work to limit disruption when the rains peak.
At the terminal, which Minh called the project’s “heart,” he urged crews to complete each task definitively, down to the smallest item, and to push outdoor work first to stay ahead of the weather.
The schedule could not slip, he said, and crews had to race against time.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think having hundreds of Vietnamese soldiers will be effective on completing the new international airport ahead of the December 2026 launch?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @CarloCarrascoPH as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco
The deal between the United States and the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran has officially been signed with the goal of winding down the military conflict and starting a negotiating window of sixty days. US President Donald Trump himself sign it while attending the G7 Summit in France.
For Israeli officials however, they feared that Iran will not live up to the deal and will most likely use the 60-day window to strengthen its position, exploit potential loopholes and even prolong the process, according to a news article by The Jerusalem Post. There is no guarantee that Iran will be prevented from launching ballistic missiles at Israel.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from The Jerusalem Post news article. Some parts in boldface…
Israeli defense officials fear Tehran will use the 60-day window to buy time and strengthen its position, with Iran expected to receive significant relief in economic sanctions and in fuel and oil trade, according to an N12 news site report.
Israeli intelligence assessments, as conveyed to the political echelon in recent days, indicate that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, most likely does not want to reach a final agreement.
In other words, the negotiations being held by the Revolutionary Guards, as well as the approval of the framework agreement, stem from a desire to secure control of the Strait of Hormuz and to receive an economic boost from the United States.
Thus, Iran will aim to prolong the process and avoid rushing to reach a final agreement, the officials fear.
“We should not expect anything else from a vengeful regime. It would be very surprising if Iran does not invest all its efforts and tricks to shorten its reach to nuclear weapons, under the auspices of the talks,” a senior defense official said to News 12, expressing their concern about what Tehran will do during this 60-day window.
Lack of transparency from Washington concerns government – Furthermore, Israel’s defense establishment is becoming increasingly concerned about a lack of transparency from the Trump administration regarding the Memorandum of Understanding with Iran set to be signed in Switzerland on Friday, sources told N12 News on Wednesday.
Officials are also concerned about how the interim period will unfold, with Iran expected to face significant economic sanctions and fuel and oil relief.
Israeli intelligence assessments suggest that Iran may seek to delay negotiations on the nuclear issue while using the time to shorten its breakout timeline toward a nuclear weapon. Conversely, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said that Iran will begin negotiations on the nuclear issue “on the very day we sign the MoU,” according to the report.
The US’s withholding of details in the agreement, reportedly out of concern that Israeli leaks could derail Friday’s signing, points to the extent of the current divergence between Washington and Jerusalem on Iran, N12 reported.
In fairness to the United States, President Trump officially stated that if the terrorist regime of Iran wants to change the peace agreement or fails to comply, American will “go back to shooting at them, dropping bombs on their head.”
Trump also contrasted the new deal with the Obama-era JCPOA, arguing the previous administration tried to “bribe their way out of it.”
For additional insight, watch the related videos below.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Are you convinced US-Iran deal will effectively prevent Iran from arming itself with nuclear weapons and also get rid of their existing supplies of ballistic missiles? Do you think the terrorist regime of Iran will still launch ballistic missiles at Israel in the near future? Will the deal impact Hezbollah which remains obsessed attacking Israel? Are you concerned that the current rift between Israel and America will widen further and lead to diplomatic complications?
Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching.
Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?
I recommend you check out the following videos I found.
#1 Retrospective Videos Of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – Back in 2000, I was fortunate enough to have seen Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in the local cinema here in the Philippines. Directed by Ang Lee, the film was a dramatic martial arts film set in ancient China. Apart from having established Asian actors Michelle Yeoh, Pei-Pei Cheng and Chow-Yun Fat, the movie’s huge success made Zhang Zhiyi an instant star as she carried a very important role. Its importance in the history of global movies was realized when it earned ten Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. To this day, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a highly admired film and it is not surprising to see it being featured in many YouTube videos. What I posted below are for your enjoyment and enlightenment. Observe how the film impacts YouTubers in their reaction videos.
#2 EOM Reacts’ Minority Report Video – If you love Tom Cruise and if you want his best collaboration with Steven Spielberg, you cannot go wrong with Minority Report. By today’s standards, Minority Report is still very engaging to watch and it also has Spielberg’s clever approach on storytelling as elements of science fiction, suspense and film noir were blended nicely on-screen. That said, you must see how the movie impacts EOM Reacts’ in his reaction video posted below. Go watch it!
#3 The Resident Evil Trilogy On PlayStation Revisited – When I was very young, I was fortunate enough to play Resident Evil, Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis on the PlayStation. The survival horror genre Capcom started with the first RE game really grew not only in popularity and commercial sales, but also in clever game design that included cinema-like storytelling strongly focused on the zombie apocalypse. By the end of 1999, the RE trilogy on PlayStation positively impacted video gaming as a whole and the characters Jill Valentine, Chris Redfield, Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield became wildly popular with gamers. Considering how old the first three Resident Evil games are, do you think they have aged well and are they playable enough for gamers who born after those games were released? Watch and learn from the retrospective video below.
#4 Ranting For Vengeance Slams Insomniac’s Wolverine Video Game – Anyone who closely followed the life and times of the iconic Wolverine in comics should be concerned about how he is presented in the upcoming Insomniac-developed Marvel’s Wolverine video game. This early, there are clearly signs of wokeness in the said video game and those are signs that show that Insomniac does not give a damn about the literary legacy of Wolverine. You can learn more by watching Ranting for Vengeance’s video and each time he slammed Marvel’s Wolverine, he backs it up with facts and details. Watch his video now!
#5 You, Me and the Movies React To Showdown In Little Tokyo – I was a teenager when Showdown In Little Tokyo was released in local cinemas here in the Philippines way back in 1991. I never saw it on the big screen back then but I do remember the aggressive pre-release promotions that include previews and an in-depth behind-the-scenes making on TV. The local buzz in 1991 was this…the film was entertaining and the team-up between Dolph Lundgren and the late Brandon Lee (son of Bruce Lee) was well-received. Considering how old the action movie is, one has to wonder if it has aged well. You can find out by watching the reaction video by You, Me and the Movies now.
#6 Tokyo-style Pizza Attracts Many – Have you ever heard of the Tokyo-style pizza? One food joint in Japan started it and already it has attracted a lot of foreigners as customers. Pizza has its Italian origins but in Tokyo, the ways to customize it, cook it and make it truly distinct from the rest of the world have been realized. Watch and learn from the Nippon TV video below.
#7 Japan’s Military – Under the leadership of Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, Japan has emerged as a military powerhouse and it will soon export military hardware to nations that need them. Japan is still operating with its pacifist constitution but that will not stop it from becoming a valuable partner to nations that need their military expertise and technologies. The Self-Defense Force (SDF) of Japan is highly trained and very efficient with military operations as seen in the Nippon TV video below. Watch and learn.
Author Carlo Carrasco 