Remember a few months ago when US President Donald Trump made it clear that the Muslim Brotherhood will be officially declared a terrorist organization? America made its move by imposing terrorist designations against the Egyptian, Jordanian and Lebanese chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood, as announced very recently by the US State Department.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the complete US State Department’s announcement. Some parts in boldface…
Today, as a first step in support of President Trump’s commitment to eliminate the capabilities and operations of Muslim Brotherhood chapters that pose a threat to the United States as described in Executive Order 14362, the United States is imposing terrorist designations against the Lebanese, Jordanian, and Egyptian chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood.
The Department of State is designating the Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), and the group’s leader Muhammad Fawzi Taqqosh as an SDGT. Concurrently, the Department of the Treasury is designating the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood as SDGTs for providing material support to Hamas.
These designations reflect the opening actions of an ongoing, sustained effort to thwart Muslim Brotherhood chapters’ violence and destabilization wherever it occurs. The United States will use all available tools to deprive these Muslim Brotherhood chapters of the resources to engage in or support terrorism.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think this newest move by the United States will help the government of Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon corner the Muslim Brotherhood chapters and bring them down somehow? Do you think the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas will be severely affected now that the Egyptian and Jordanian chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood have been tagged by the US? Do you think America will eventually crack down on the Muslim Brotherhood’s deep connections with the pro-terrorist government of Qatar?
Israel and Japan formally engaged with each other diplomatically as Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and their Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar separately in Jerusalem, according to reports by The Jerusalem Post and NHK World.
The meetings are significant not just because it marks the first time a delegation representing Japan under the administration of new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi arrived in Israel for diplomacy and cooperation, but also because Japan supports the American-led Gaza peace plan of US President Donald J. Trump (click here and here) and will be proactive in recovery and reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip. The Japanese, however, expressed disagreement over Israel’s West Bank (biblical Judea and Samaria) settlement activities and insisted on a two-state solution. On the bright side, Japan will still NOT recognize a Palestinian state.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from news report of The Jerusalem Post. Some parts in boldface.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in Jerusalem on Sunday to discuss continued cooperation between Israel and Japan, the Prime Minister’s Office stated.
Netanyahu congratulated Motegi and the delegation members on their visit to Israel and thanked them for their support, the PMO noted. During the meeting, Netanyahu and Motegi also discussed different ways to address regional challenges.
Earlier, Motegi met with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem.
This is Motegi’s first bilateral diplomatic visit since taking office.
Motegi is also expected to meet with President Isaac Herzog on Monday morning during his visit to Israel, the PMO added.
Japan won’t recognize a Palestinian state given US ties – Israel and Japan align on some regional issues critical to the Jewish State.
The Asahi newspaper, citing unidentified government sources, reported in September 2025 that Japan will not recognize a Palestinian state for now, probably to maintain relations with the United States and to avoid a hardening of Israel’s attitude.
With regards to the meeting with Israel’s Foreign Minister, posted below is an excerpt from NHK World. Some parts in boldface…
Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu has visited Israel and held talks with his Israeli counterpart, Gideon Sa’ar. Motegi called for the steady implementation of a US-led peace plan for the Gaza Strip, while pledging a proactive role by Japan in the strip’s reconstruction.
At the opening of their meeting in Jerusalem on Sunday, Motegi said that to improve the situations surrounding Israel and the Palestinians it is important to steadily implement the peace plan.
He also said both sides should take concrete action toward the elimination of mutual distrust that has persisted over many years in order to ease regional tension and bring peace to the area.
Motegi also urged Israel to take appropriate responses to protect civilians and ensure humanitarian assistance in Gaza offered by international organizations, NGOs and others. He added that Japan will play a proactive role in engaging in the early recovery and reconstruction of Gaza.
Motegi told Sa’ar that Israel’s settlement activities in the West Bank are in violation of international law, and that Japan is concerned that the increase in settler violence may further destabilize the situation in the region.
Motegi urged Israel to immediately cease what he described as any unilateral actions that run counter to a two-state solution.
Motegi later met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the first face-to-face meeting with him by a Japanese senior government figure since then-Prime Minister Abe Shinzo in 2018.
There are indeed imperfections as revealed by the two news reports regarding the latest Israel-Japan meetings. In my opinion, Japan has yet to realize that the two-state solution is both pointless and worthless. They have yet to realize the truth that the Palestinians have a tradition of violence against the Jewish people, and they often followed terrorist leaders (fact: Palestinians expressed support for Hamas terrorists with regards to the October 7 attacks against Israel in 2023). Japan should realize that the West Bank is not rightfully owned by the global community and international law covering the said region is just an illusion. As such, we who support Israel should pray to the Lord that the Japan’s diplomats will get enlightened as they cooperate more with Israel in the years to come.
Praise and thank the Lord for the high-level meetings between the governments of Israel and Japan. Pray to Him to bless Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi and the people of Japan. Pray also for the potential future visit of Prime Minister Takaichi to Israel.
To all my readers, I encourage you to accept the truth that Israel is the land God designated specifically for the Jewish people (read Genesis 35:10-12) and His command must be followed without hesitation. If you want to be blessed further by the Lord, do so by loving and blessing the Jewish people (Genesis 12:1-3). I did my part when I was in Israel. Also, let me remind you all that the ties between the Jews and Christians are truly biblical!
I encourage you all to pray to the Lord God in support of Israel, to love and bless the Jewish people, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
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 Wagyu Beef In Japan – Have you ever heard of Wagyu? Wagyu collectively refers to four main Japanese breeds of beef cattle. All the Wagyu cattle today are the result of the cross-breeding between Japanese cattle and cattle from overseas (particularly from Europe) that happened centuries ago. When it comes to food, Wagyu beef is a premium type of meat that features marbling (referring to the streaks of fat existing within the red meat). It is of great quality and taste, it is not surprising that a lot of people enjoy it in Japan. Watch and learn from the Nippon TV video below.
#2 2001: A Space Odyssey Reaction Videos –When it comes to the science fiction genre of films, 2001: A Space Odyssey is a landmark achievement and it is one of the most defining movies that Stanley Kubrick ever directed. The sci-fi epic was released long before the first Star Wars movie even came out and it influenced at lot of filmmakers. That said, it is not surprising that a lot of YouTubers made lots of reaction videos, retro reviews and analysis about it. Watch the videos posted below.
#3 Lufia Games Revisited – When it comes to Japanese role-playing games (JRPGs) in the 1990s, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) had a lot of them. Among the many RPGs from Japan were a few specific games that made waves among gamers but never achieved massive commercial success. I am talking about the games Lufia & the Fortress of Doom and Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals. To this day, there is a dedicated fanbase of those two Lufia titles which were overall enjoyable and immersive in different ways. It is a tragedy that the Lufia series (including handheld titles) has been dormant for a long time and Square Enix (which acquired original Lufia publisher Taito) has not shown any interested to revive it which makes it hard for gamers to play the old games. Lufia game developer Neverland went out of business more than a decade ago. To find out why the two Lufia RPGs were fun and still significant, watch the videos below.
#4 Are Open-World Games Getting Worse? – Open-world games are collectively popular as gamers always enjoy in-depth exploration, quests or activities they can participate it when they decide to, following the main story and sub-plots, and more. As many open-world games have been released over the past two decades, some people observed that game developers are making production short-cuts that reduce the depth of the gameplay experience. And there are games that have bad open-world maps. I understand that video game production today keeps getting more expensive and more stressful to do but there is something to learn from the video posted below. If you’ve been playing open-world games since before 2010, you will realize something.
#5 Scary Crosswind Landings – When traveling far away by airplane, it is only natural for travelers to be safe all the time. Still, nature has its own ways of changing randomly which means varying wind speed which in turn makes it challenging for airplane pilots to land. Some of you might have experienced the rough landing before but what you will see in the video below could scare you.
#6 Influencers Who Died On Mount Everest – When it comes to climbing Mount Everest, it is truly very daunting to do not only because of the sheer height but also because of the weather conditions, the cold, the need to be equipped and the need to work closely with other climbers. Given the significance of Mount Everest, it is not surprising that social media influencers want to make a spectacle online by climbing it and showing images or videos of themselves to their followers around the world. However, to climb the great mountain is very risky and doing something for the sake of social media mileage should be the LAST thing to do. Watch and learn from the video below.
Philippines energy giant Meralco revealed that it intends to start a crucial study with the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) within the first quarter this year, according to a BusinessWorld news report. The topic of the study is the adoption of small modular reactors (SMRs).
For the newcomers reading this, Meralco is the most notable private entity in the Philippines with strong interest on nuclear power. To learn more about them and their nuclear pursuit, click here and here.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from news report of BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface…
MANILA ELECTRIC CO. (Meralco) plans to begin a study with the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) on the adoption of small modular reactors (SMR) within the first quarter, the company said in a disclosure to the local bourse on Monday.
“The study is expected to commence during the first quarter and is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter this year,” it said.
The power distributor is set to issue a request for proposal this month to select a contractor that will conduct the feasibility study.
Meralco earlier secured a $2.7-million (P160 million) grant from USTDA to fund the assessment of SMR deployment in the Philippines.
The initiative forms part of Meralco’s Nuclear Energy Strategic Transition (NEST) program, under which the company has been carrying out pre-feasibility work and partnership discussions to evaluate nuclear technologies suitable for local conditions.
The study supports the Department of Energy’s (DoE) goal of incorporating at least 1,200 megawatts (MW) of nuclear power into the country’s energy mix by 2032 as part of efforts to diversify supply and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
Starting in April, Meralco said it would begin identifying potential sites suitable for SMR facilities, in coordination with government agencies such as the DoE and Philippine Nuclear Research Institute. Site selection will consider technical, environmental and regulatory factors.
SMRs are designed to generate up to 300 MW each and can be built in a shorter timeframe compared with conventional large-scale nuclear power plants. Proponents say their smaller size and modular construction could allow more flexible deployment.
Aside from the technical study, Meralco said it would carry out stakeholder engagement and consultations, capability-building initiatives and support work related to the country’s legal and regulatory frameworks governing nuclear energy.
By the fourth quarter, the company expects to produce a shortlist of potential sites for submission to the DoE and Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority, the recently established independent regulator overseeing nuclear and radiation-related activities.
“The NEST program is in its preparatory phase, thus no material impact is expected on the company’s business, operations, and financials at this juncture,” Meralco said.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are you hopeful that Meralco’s planned study with the USTDA will lead to progress to achieving nuclear energy in the Philippines within the next few years? Are members of your local community aware about the current move of the country towards nuclear power?
Vietnam, a nation ravaged by war decades ago, has emerged as a major tourism magnet in both Southeast Asia and Asia as a whole after successfully attracting more than twenty-one million foreign tourists in 2025, according to a VnExpress International news report. The figure is a new all-time high. What Vietnam achieved was more than 20% higher than its 2024 foreign tourist numbers. For 2026, Vietnam is aiming high with a target of 25 million foreign visitors.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report VnExpress. Some parts in boldface…
Vietnam welcomed a record number of foreign tourists in 2025 with 21.2 million, up 20.4% from the previous year and the highest ever, according to General Statistics Office.
Mainland China was Vietnam’s biggest source of visitors last year with 5.2 million arrivals, up 41% year-on-year, followed by South Korea with 4.3 million and Taiwan with 1.23 million.
The U.S. ranked fourth with 848,000, followed by Japan with 814,000. The rest of the top 10 were India (746,000), Russia (689,000), Cambodia (687,000), Malaysia (573,000) and Australia (548,000).
Tourism industry insiders attributed Vietnam’s strong performance to visa reforms.
Foreign tourists welcomed in Vietnam. (photo credit: Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism)
In March the government decided to extend visa exemptions until 2028 for citizens of 12 countries: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, and the U.K.
In August it waived visa requirements for stays of up to 45 days for citizens of 12 more countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland.
This expanded the unilateral visa waiver list to 24 countries and the total number including bilateral waivers to 39.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Considering the strong international tourism momentum it has right now, do you think Vietnam will succeed in attracting 25 million foreign tourists this year? Do you think a lot more visitors from Europe will come to Vietnam this year?
America’s impact on the world was felt yet again as it has officially withdrew itself from more than sixty-five international organizations declared as wasteful, ineffective, and harmful, the US State department announced.
For the newcomers reading this, the administration of President Trump conducted an in-depth review of many international organizations and eventually it led to the execution of Executive Order 14199. In short, America will halt funding the mentioned international organizations as many of them were found redundant, dishonest, irresponsible and even abusive over the handling of American taxpayer funds. America has its own interests and it is simply exerting its muscle on the global stage. Trump’s America is clearly rejecting the globalists and other sinister forces from around the world.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from US State Department’s official announcement. Some parts in boldface…
Today, in furtherance of Executive Order 14199, President Trump announced the withdrawal of the United States from 66 international organizations identified as part of the Trump Administration’s review of wasteful, ineffective, and harmful international organizations. Review of additional international organizations pursuant to Executive Order 14199 remains ongoing.
The Trump Administration has found these institutions to be redundant in their scope, mismanaged, unnecessary, wasteful, poorly run, captured by the interests of actors advancing their own agendas contrary to our own, or a threat to our nation’s sovereignty, freedoms, and general prosperity. President Trump is clear: It is no longer acceptable to be sending these institutions the blood, sweat, and treasure of the American people, with little to nothing to show for it. The days of billions of dollars in taxpayer money flowing to foreign interests at the expense of our people are over.
As such, the United States will be withdrawing from the 66 organizations that can be found here.
As this list begins to demonstrate, what started as a pragmatic framework of international organizations for peace and cooperation has morphed into a sprawling architecture of global governance, often dominated by progressive ideology and detached from national interests. From DEI mandates to “gender equity” campaigns to climate orthodoxy, many international organizations now serve a globalist project rooted in the discredited fantasy of the “End of History.”These organizations actively seek to constrain American sovereignty. Their work is advanced by the same elite networks—the multilateral “NGO-plex”— that we have begun dismantling through the closure of USAID.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think America’s withdrawal from the 66 international organizations will have a huge impact worldwide? Do you think the foreign abusers of American taxpayers’ money will eventually be exposed and held accountable for financial crime? Are you convinced that there are Islamo-Leftist elements working secretly among international organizations that received money from the United States?
Following the capture of socialist dictator Nicolas Maduro, US President Donald Trump announced that Venezuela will turn over to America thirty million to fifty million barrels of oil which will benefit people of both nations, according to a news report by Newsmax.
For the newcomers reading this, Maduro ruled Venezuela for more than a decade and his predecessor was none other than the demon Hugo Chavez. Maduro brutalized his fellow Venezuelans and is responsible with the intense deterioration of their national economy. Under Maduro, Venezuela cooperated with the terrorist state of Iran, Communist China and Putin’s Russia. Maduro is also involved in drug trafficking and narco-terrorism.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from a Newsmax report. Some parts in boldface…
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Venezuela is turning over 30 million to 50 million barrels of oil to the United States, with proceeds he said will benefit both the Venezuelan people and Americans.
Trump made the announcement in a post on Truth Social, just days after he authorized U.S. military action to remove socialist strongman Nicolas Maduro from power in Venezuela.
“I am pleased to announce that the Interim Authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 and 50 MILLION Barrels of High Quality, Sanctioned Oil, to the United States of America,” Trump said in the post.
“This Oil will be sold at its Market Price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!” he added.
Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in as Venezuela’s interim president Monday. Rodriguez indicated she would cooperate with Washington.
“I have asked Energy Secretary Chris Wright to execute this plan, immediately. It will be taken by storage ships, and brought directly to unloading docks in the United States,” Trump concluded his post.
Before the arrest of Maduro, Venezuela’s oil sector was a shadow of its former self despite holding the world’s largest proven oil reserves — estimated at over 300 billion barrels.
Decades of socialist mismanagement, expropriation of foreign assets, and U.S. sanctions decimated output, which fell from over 3 million barrels per day in the early 2000s to roughly 1 million barrels per day by 2025.
Sanctions forced much of the crude trade underground and shifted exports mainly to China, with Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA) struggling to generate cash revenue. Production bottlenecks, lack of investment, and aging infrastructure kept Venezuela’s oil influence weak on global markets.
For additional insight about Venezuelan oil and what it means to America and the world, watch the selected videos below.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? With Maduro on trial in America, are you confident that he will be found guilty on each and every charge against him? Do you think the announced high amount of barrels of Venezuelan oil will be a big economic boost for America? Do you think China, Russia and terrorist state Iran are panicking now that they lost their access to Venezuela’s oil? Do you think it is a matter of time before the military hardware of Russia, China and Iran in Venezuela will get dismantled?
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 Supergirl 1984 Revisited – As some of you might know by now, there is a new standalone Supergirl movie from James Gunn’s DCU coming out this year. The first trailer attracted many millions of views on YouTube and yet people are divided over it as they noticed many elements of James Gunn’s cinematic style (note: Gunn is NOT the director of the upcoming movie) in it. Some long-time Supergirl fans and comic readers don’t like the modern portrayal of the character since she appeared in James Gunn’s Superman. Times like these, it is nice to revisit the 1984 Supergirl movie that starred Helen Slater. Watch the retrospective video below.
#2 The Katsu Phenomenon – When was the last time you had a fried pork cutlet for a meal? In Japanese cuisine, katsu is a popular dish of crispy, deep fried cutlets typically made with pork (tonkatsu) or chicken (chicken katsu) served with rice, cabbage and a tangy sauce. Tonkatsu itself is very common in Japan and Japanese restaurants here in my native Philippines offer it to customers. When it comes to pork-related meals I ate in my life, the tonkatsu is a standout meal. Katsu itself gained popularity around the world and it has become a food phenomenon influencing how deep fried cutlets are prepared and served to customers in different forms. Watch and learn from the Nippon TV feature video below.
#3 Ulysses 31 Revisited – Have you ever seen the early 1980s Japanese-French anime series Ulysses 31? I saw some episodes of it on local TV here in the Philippines in the early 1990s and it was a very unique type of anime with science fiction concepts and spectacle. Anyone who is familiar with The Odyssey will be able to related with it. Apart from being a joint production between Japanese and French entities, Ulysses 31 was ahead of its time and it never made an impact with American viewers not because of its quality but because of a costly mistake with the music and wrongful distribution in America. To learn more about Ulysses 31, watch the retrospective videos below.
#4 Rhetorical Thrill Replays The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – Did you ever watch The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers in the cinema and somehow never replayed it? If you did, how much of the 2002 film do you still remember? YouTuber Rhetorical Thrill confirmed she saw it in the cinema once and has not seen the film in a very long time. That said, watch her reaction video below.
#5 American Woman Who Was Trapped In Iran – Iran is in the news lately. Many Iranians are protesting on the streets and they are strong defying the Islamic terrorist regime. Iran turned evil and twisted since 1979 and their loss to Israel during the 12-Day War of 2025 left their regime crippled. Speaking of Iran, have you learned about the true story of an American woman who was trapped in Iran (because of her abusive Iranian husband’s deception) and could not leave the country without her daughter? The true story that led to the production of the 1991 movie Not Without My Daughter (starring Sally Field) is revealed in detail in the video below. I encourage you to watch it.
#6 Ashleigh Burton Reacts To Avengers Movies – There was a time when Marvel Studios released great superhero movies and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) had really entertaining flicks released from 2008 to 2019. After the release of Avengers: Endgame, the MCU went downhill as Marvel Studios and Disney proceeded with a very woke direction which turned away a lot of the fans who enjoyed the superhero movies of 2008-2019. That being said, now is a good time to look back at The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame through the reaction videos of Ashleigh Burton posted below. These are from the days of glory of the MCU.
#7 You, Me and The Movies React To Rocky III – Starring and directed by Sylvester Stallone, Rocky III was a crucial turning point of its film franchise. The first two movies were dramas with boxing matches as the payoffs and conclusion. In Rocky III, the tone shifted more towards action with a strong focus on changing Rocky himself as he faces his toughest opponent yet. YouTuber You, Me and the Movies posted its reaction video of the 1982 movie and you can see for yourselves how it impacts them.
#8 Wild Arms Retrospective – In 1997, I played Wild Arms on the PlayStation. It was Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) developed by Media.Vision and published by Sony which turned out to be fun and adventurous while maintaining strong focus on three main characters (note: they are the only characters you get to play). Two years later, I played Wild Arms 2 but never managed to finish it. The Wild Arms game franchise is turning thirty this year although it has been many years since the last game was released. To discover more about the PlayStation-exclusive JRPG series, watch the retrospective video below.
#9 Trump In 2025 – A lot has happened since Donald Trump returned as President of the United States on January 20, 2025. Apart from implementing changes to reshape America in ways that the Democrats and the Satanic Left do not like, Trump made his nation’s presence felt strongly in the international community. Not only did Trump’s tariffs compel nations to negotiate, America helped Israel with the 12-Day War by dropping massive bunker-busting bombs on Iran’s nuclear sites. This was followed by Trump’s military operations against Islamic terrorists and narco-terrorists. To find out more, watch and learn from the in-depth video below.
What happened this past weekend was very surprising, was executed very efficiently and the result is the fall and capture of Venezuela’s dictator Nicolas Maduro. This is the latest US military operation executed by President Donald Trump and his administration. Maduro is now in America and will be tried in court. The justice that the people of Venezuela have been dreaming of will eventually manifest. Trump also announced that America will run Venezuela until a transition of power can occur.
For the newcomers reading this, Maduro and his very wicked predecessor Hugo Chavez are collectively responsible for the downfall of Venezuela. Having ruled Venezuela for more than a decade, Maduro brutalized his fellow Venezuelans and is responsible with the intense deterioration of their national economy. Under Maduro, Venezuela cooperated with the terrorist state of Iran, Communist China and Putin’s Russia. Maduro is also involved in drug trafficking and narco-terrorism. Months ago, America started encountering vessels from Venezuela filled with illegal drugs. The dangerous gang Tren de Aragua was eliminated at sea.
To put things in perspective, watch the YouTube videos posted below and pay close attention to the details.
Already Venezuelans are cheerful and relieved with the fall of the dictator. It easily the most positive turn of events in their lives. Venezuelans are also thankful to President Trump. Watch and learn from the video below.
With Maduro and his wife in US custody, the effort for justice will begin soon. For insight, posted below is an excerpt from a Newsmax report. Some parts in boldface…
President Donald Trump said Saturday that U.S. forces captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife during a military operation, announcing they are being transported to the United States to face criminal prosecution in what he described as a decisive blow against international drug trafficking and regional instability.
Speaking at a Saturday afternoon press conference aired live on Newsmax and Newsmax2, Trump accused Maduro of overseeing a massive criminal enterprise responsible for drug trafficking, violence and instability affecting the United States.
“The illegitimate dictator, Maduro was the kingpin of a vast criminal network responsible for trafficking colossal amounts of deadly and illicit drugs into the United States, as alleged in the indictment, he personally oversaw the vicious cartel known as cartel de las Olas, which flooded our nation with lethal poison, responsible for the deaths of countless Americans, the many, many Americans, hundreds of thousands over the years of Americans died because of him,” Trump said.
Trump said Maduro and his wife were taken into custody during a U.S. operation in Venezuela and are currently being transported by ship.
“Maduro and his wife will soon face the full might of American justice and stand trial on American soil.”
In the same Newsmax report, Trump also mentioned that there is overwhelming evidence of Maduro’s crimes which will be presented in court.
Overseas, Israel commended America for the successful operation that led to Maduro’s capture. This is not surprising as Venezuela is allied with the terrorist regime of Iran and other Islamic terrorists. To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of The Jerusalem Post. Some parts in boldface…
Israel lauded the American operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday.
In a post on X/Twitter, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar wrote, “Israel commends the United States’ operation, led by President Trump, which acted as the leader of the free world. At this historic moment, Israel stands alongside the freedom-loving Venezuelan people, who have suffered under Maduro’s illegal tyranny.“
Sa’ar added that the Jewish state “welcomes the removal of the dictator who led a network of drugs and terror” and that it hopes democracy would return to Venezuela and that the two countries would be able to resume friendly relations.
“The people of Venezuela deserve to exercise their democratic rights. South America deserves a future free from the axis of terror and drugs,” Sa’ar concluded.
Netanyahu congratulates Trump on capture of Maduro – Later, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also congratulated US President Donald Trump.
“Congratulations, President [Donald Trump] for your bold and historic leadership on behalf of freedom and justice. I salute your decisive resolve and the brilliant action of your brave soldiers,” the Prime Minister’s Office quoted Netanyahu as saying in a post to X.
Israeli NGO of retired senior security officials see Venezuela op. as warning to Iran’s regime –Earlier, the Commanders for Israel’s Security, an NGO of more than 550 retired senior officials from the IDF, the Mossad, the Shin Bet, the police, and the Foreign Service, also welcomed the operation, seeing it as a warning to the Iranian regime, Israeli outlet Maariv reported.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? What is your reaction to the American military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of dictator Maduro? Do you think it is only a matter of time before the remnants of Maduro’s administration will collapse and get overwhelmed by the Venezuelans who have long been hungry for freedom and the return of democracy? What do you think Iran, Russia and China will do now that their ally Maduro has fallen?
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will meet again with US President Donald Trump specifically in the United States in the spring, according to a Kyodo News article. The upcoming meeting will also by Takaichi’s first official visit to America as Prime Minister.
For the newcomers reading this, the Prime Minister first met with Trump in Japan last October. The said meeting happened not so long after Takaichi was elected to her position. For the upcoming meeting in the United States, the stakes are high for Prime Minister Takaichi as her nation has been dealing with tension from Communist China.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of Kyodo News. Some parts in boldface…
Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Friday that she and U.S. President Donald Trump have agreed to work toward meeting in the United States in the spring, with the aim of further strengthening the alliance between the two countries.
Takaichi’s plan to make her first visit to the United States since taking office in October, confirmed during their phone call, comes at a time of strained relations between Japan and China, and ahead of Trump’s possible trip to Beijing in April to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“At the start of the new year, I consider it extremely significant that I was able to exchange words directly with President Trump and confirm the strong partnership of the Japan-U.S. alliance,” Takaichi told reporters following the call.
Takaichi said she and Trump agreed to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific as well as cooperation among like-minded countries, including in the three-way partnership also involving South Korea.
She said their discussion was mainly about the region, without elaborating as to whether it had anything to do with China specifically.
According to Japan’s Foreign Ministry, the conversation lasted about 25 minutes, during which Trump, who met with Takaichi in October in Tokyo, invited her to visit the United States.
In late December, Takaichi said she was exploring a visit to the United States for another meeting with Trump early in the upcoming year, with Japanese officials proposing late March for her trip to Washington.
Late on Friday night, Takaichi said she had conveyed her congratulations to Trump on the United States marking in 2026 the 250th anniversary of its independence.
She said they agreed this year should also be one that opens a “new chapter in the history of the Japan-U.S. alliance” and that they will further deepen the wide-ranging cooperation and friendly relations between the two countries.
If all goes smoothly, Takaichi’s upcoming trip will coincide with the U.S. capital’s well-known annual cherry blossom festival.
The festival commemorates the 1912 gift of cherry trees from Tokyo to Washington and the longtime friendship between Japan and the United States.
When Takaichi hosted Trump in Japan in late October, the two leaders affirmed their intention to jointly celebrate the 250th anniversary, and she confirmed Japan’s promise to give 250 cherry trees to the United States.
Takaichi and Trump last spoke by phone on Nov. 25, with the conversation taking place after his call with Xi and amid escalating tensions between Tokyo and Beijing over Taiwan.
China has been taking a hard-line stance against Japan since Takaichi suggested earlier that month that an attack on Taiwan could constitute an existential threat to Japan and warrant a response from its forces.
Trump, who also met with Xi in late October during his trip to Asia, has not made his position public on the ongoing tensions between Japan and China, which views Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out the use of force to bring the self-ruled island under its control.
Trump has repeatedly said he has good relationships with both Takaichi and Xi.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? What kind of developments do you think will manifest after the next meeting of Trump and Takaichi? Do you think the Trump administration will be able to maintain healthy ties with China and Japan even as the tension between the two Asian nations goes on? Do you think there will be more joint military exercises between Japan and America this year?
Author Carlo Carrasco 