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patternsofpower

@patternsofpower.bsky.social
28 followers 13 following 599 posts

Assessing the performance of those who hold power

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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 22h
China has given Putin a massive propaganda boost by sending its troops to take part in a mass multinational exercise in Russia. This also reminds Western leaders of Chinese support for Russia www.scmp.com/news/china/m...
scmp.com
Chinese troops line up for Russia’s Tsentr-2026 exercise as military ties tighten
The mass drill involved tens of thousands of personnel from SCO countries to apply lessons from Ukraine war, Moscow says.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
There’s been a lot of speculation about why Trump has been so obliging towards Putin. This report of him making financial deals to benefit himself might cast some light on the relationship www.nytimes.com/2026/10/03/u...
nytimes.com
U.S.-Russia Talks on Ukraine Now Involve an Oil Deal Tied to Trump Allies
President Vladimir V. Putin brought up a sale of Russian energy assets with President Trump’s envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, pushing a deal that raises new questions about conflicts of inter...
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Elon Musk is demonstrating the benefit of donating generously to Donald Trump and the Republicans. He already has several lucrative government contracts, and joining the new War Commission will likely give him more www.politico.com/news/2026/10...
politico.com
Musk-led war commission triggers alarms in Pentagon
Two of the Defense Department’s biggest contractors will help lead a project that could directly benefit them.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
The leaders of Germany, France and Spain are welcoming Britain to form a closer relationship with the EU. Andy Burnham has wisely said that he wants to agree what that might look like before holding a referendum www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2...
telegraph.co.uk
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Iran and its proxies are the winners, with the departure of US forces after more than 20 years. The US-led invasion of Iraq was an expensive mistake – which it is repeating with another foreign war against Iran www.reuters.com/world/us-for...
reuters.com
Joy mixed with fear as US forces quit Iraq leaving potential security vacuum
Iraqis celebrated the departure of US forces after more ​than two decades of war on Wednesday, though many feared that any security vacuum could increase the power of Iran-backed militias or provide a...
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Andy Burnham's Labour conference speech laid out a different course for British Politics: turning away from neoliberalism towards concern for the common good and giving the public more say in how it is governed www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Five takeaways from Andy Burnham's Labour conference speech
Big policy announcements and emotional moments as the prime minister delivers a speech to Labour's conference.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Pope Leo is the voice of common sense and prudence about AI. He is right to rebuke Trump, who wants no regulation of the technology. Trump wants the support of wealthy Tech Bros, who make big donations to the Republicans www.reuters.com/world/europe...
reuters.com
Pope Leo says concerns about AI doom scenarios are not 'fake news'
Pope Leo on Monday said concerns that artificial intelligence could destroy the world are not "fake news" ​and should be taken seriously, in an apparent rebuke of US President Donald ‌Trump.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
This arrest was a joint US-UK operation. The UK was targeted because it hosts an American base used by the US with its war on Iran. The attack shows how the war is spreading www.axios.com/2026/09/27/t...
axios.com
Trump: 5 terrorism suspects in U.K. base incident were under investigation
Officials declared a major incident and set up roadblocks overnight near the base.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
China's criticisms of US foreign policy will resonate with most countries. American aggression towards Iran and Cuba has been damaging to both countries and to the global economy. And it is illegal under international law www.reuters.com/world/china/...
reuters.com
China pushes back against US on Iran and Cuba in UN speech
China's vice president said that countries in the Gulf should be respected.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
President Xi has warned Trump not to destabilise the relationship between China and Taiwan. And he is not going to help the US with a war on Iran that he disagrees with. Trump needs to tread carefully (but does he know how to?) apnews.com/article/trum...
apnews.com
Trump lays out the pomp for Xi but says little about the significant tensions in US-China relations
Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met on Thursday for important talks on the U.S.-China relationship.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Netanyahu made an electioneering speech at the UN, claiming to have defended his country and that he had had no other choice. He rejected charges of genocide and described a future of endless war, with no mention of a route to peace www.reuters.com/world/middle...
reuters.com
At UN, Netanyahu defends Israel as delegates walk out
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mounted a forceful defense of Israel's actions in the region at the UN on Thursday, seeking to counter growing international isolation ahead of ​elections he could lo...
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Trump claims that his changes to the DC skyline are needed for security, to persuade the courts to let him go ahead. The need for more security is questionable though – it duplicates existing capabilities – and the changes are unpopular apnews.com/article/trum...
apnews.com
Trump says his ballroom will house a drone port. The Secret Service already has one next door
President Donald Trump says his new White House ballroom will include a rooftop drone port to defend the complex.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
America didn’t ever join the ICC. It was argued that the US Constitution had supremacy. Trump and MAGA took the US even further out of the international community – and now Trump is telling others to leave www.reuters.com/world/china/...
reuters.com
Trump calls on all ICC members to resign immediately
U.S. President Donald ​Trump on Tuesday urged ‌members of the International Criminal Court to ​resign and ​condemned what he called an "out ⁠of control ​institution" and "an evil group ​of people."
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Again, Trump finds out that he doesn't hold all the cards. He will be deprived of his platform as the Major TV networks suspend presidential pool coverage www.reuters.com/world/cnn-ms...
reuters.com
CNN, MS NOW and Politico sue Trump, challenging White House ban
Major TV networks suspended presidential pool coverage in response to the ban, cutting the widespread video source for White House events. Audio on the White House's live stream of the ceremony, which...
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Nvidia, as a chip maker, has a financial interest in the use of AI expanding rapidly. It need not trouble itself with AI safety. Its message pleases Trump, who also wants rapid growth of the industry www.cnbc.com/2026/09/20/n...
cnbc.com
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang emerges as Trump's top ally in AI safety debate
Jensen Huang's position as the leader of the world's most valuable company, has earned him Trump's ear on the most important topics in AI.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
This deal between the US and Greenland is welcome news: replacing Trump’s threats by a negotiated agreement, resulting in a US security guarantee. It shows how diplomacy can work. Trump ought to try it in other scenarios www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
US and Denmark reach deal over Greenland's security after Trump threats
Denmark and the US have reached an agreement after months of threats from Donald Trump to annex the territory.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Russia is testing European defences with hybrid attacks. "The intent is to intimidate us and break our effort to support Ukraine. The result will be the exact opposite.” www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Russian hybrid attacks against Europe intensifying, says Macron
The French president says he has tasked the government with protecting critical infrastructure and defence industry sites.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Speaker Mike Johnson has suspended US democracy. He adjourned the House of Representatives until November, after the midterm election, to avoid debating artificial intelligence: an issue where Trump is at odds with public opinion www.cnbc.com/2026/09/17/a...
cnbc.com
Amid calls for urgent AI action from Congress, House heads home to campaign
The urgency with which Anthropic, OpenAI and xAI have sought to be regulated has not translated into action on Capitol Hill.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Trump's hostility towards Canada has driven it into the open arms of the EU. Mark Carney was seeking new partnerships to partially replace historic ties with the US www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
EU chief backs plan for Canada to become 'associate member'
Canada is seeking closer ties with EU after a breakdown in relations with the US and its president Donald Trump.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Trump is frustrated because the Supreme Court is not doing what he wants. That is not its function. The careers of the three justices he appointed will continue long after his presidency, so they don’t want be seen to ignore the Constitution www.axios.com/2026/09/15/t...
axios.com
Trump turns on the Supreme Court he helped build
Trump called the court's rulings "destructive, hurtful, and damaging."
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Trump's remarks on possible outcomes of his war on Iran show that he is completely detached from reality. Iran has shown that it can escalate its strangulation of the world's oil supply – and it will choose if, when and how the war will end www.reuters.com/business/ene...
reuters.com
Trump says US could stay in Iran and keep oil, like Venezuela deal
He drew a parallel with the U.S. push to take control of a fifth of Venezuela's reserves.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Trump's war on Iran has increased fuel prices in America. He is trying to blame Zelenskiy for the price increases, but Ukraine is fighting for survival and Russian oil is a legitimate target www.reuters.com/business/ene...
reuters.com
Trump tells Ukraine's Zelenskiy to stop hitting Russian diesel
Long-distance Ukrainian ​drone attacks on Russian oil refineries in recent months ⁠have reduced that country's fuel production, triggering gasoline shortages ​across the country.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
One can see why crypto billionaires donate to a crypto-friendly political party (although the amount seems excessive) but why does Reform UK support crypto? It doesn’t benefit the economy overall, but it can make a few people very rich www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Reform receives second £36m donation in two days as crypto investor matches record
The party says the money will allow it to fight the next election on a "level playing field", while rivals have renewed calls for donations from individuals to be capped.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
It is the job of mainstream media to hold politicians to account in a healthy democracy – but the Trump administration has tried to silence criticism in the same way as in Russia and China www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...
washingtonpost.com
Jimmy Kimmel says he dropped Talarico interview from broadcast after FCC pressure
ABC has been in a months-long feud with the FCC and its chair, Trump appointee Brendan Carr.
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Reposted by patternsofpower
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 11/09/2026
Wow -- RNC video: "On June 14th, 1946, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, 'I need a caretaker,' so God gave us Trump." It only gets more unhinged and culty from there.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Offering voters $5k to vote Republican won’t work: only diehard Trump supporters believe anything the president says, and some Republicans in Congress would probably rebel against the economic damage it would do www.axios.com/2026/09/10/t...
axios.com
The macroeconomics of $5K checks
Borrowing an extra trillion dollars or so and sending it to households would risk overheating the economy.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Trump's praise for the AfD is inappropriate. Comparing its anti-immigrant stance with his own policies seems harmless, but it is unacceptable to praise a party that is openly antisemitic and which echoes Hitler's nationalist appeal www.axios.com/2026/09/09/t...
axios.com
Trump calls to Make Germany Great Again. In Germany, nostalgia carries a dark past.
Jewish groups say the AfD is a home for antisemites.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Ed Miliband’s criticism of Israel was statesmanlike. He correctly referred to “settler terrorists” in the West Bank as carrying out “ethnic cleansing”. Israel's reaction was predictably indignant, but it cannot rebut the charges www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
UK announces sanctions on West Bank settlements prompting furious Israeli response
Britain's foreign secretary accuses settlers of carrying out the "ethnic cleansing" of Palestinians, as Israel responds by shutting the UK consulate in East Jerusalem.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Some Republican candidates see that Donald Trump's popularity is so low that he is an electoral liability. Now is the time for the GOP to sideline him and reassert its traditional adherence to the US Constitution www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...
independent.co.uk
Republicans removing Trump from midterms campaign websites: reports
GOP candidates quietly removing references to President Donald Trump amid concern his low approval ratings could adversely impact their own midterms prospects, according to reports
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
The AfD has exploited voter discontent, as has the Reform Uk party and Trump’s appeal to MAGA. Trump and Vance have expressed support for the AfD, which wants to “restore ties with Russia, cut support to Ukraine and quit the euro” www.reuters.com/world/german...
reuters.com
Far-right AfD wins historic victory in German state election
The projected victory puts a far-right party on the cusp of power at the state level for the ‌first time since World War Two.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
It is a risky electoral strategy for Republicans to focus on Trump's achievements: he is unpopular and many voters are financially worse off than when he was elected, but would they believe promises that things are going to get better? www.axios.com/2026/09/05/r...
axios.com
"We're stuck:" GOP accepts Trump's all-about-me midterms
Republicans are going along with a Trump-focused strategy that could cost them credibility — and congressional seats.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
It is not surprising that qualified doctors challenge the assumption that high testosterone is useful in modern warfare. What is surprising is that Hegseth was initially appointed, or thought that testosterone was relevant www.reuters.com/business/hea...
reuters.com
EXCLUSIVE: Pentagon temporarily rescinds guidance on testosterone screening for US troops
The removed guidance set screening for service members aged 30 and older.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Narcissists dwell in an alternate reality and have a bottomless hunger for attention and respect. Trump’s fantastic assertion that he controls the Strait of Hormuz, and wanting it to be named after him, show him to be unhinged www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/...
aljazeera.com
Trump suggests renaming Strait of Hormuz as Trump Strait amid Iran war
Despite renewed fighting with Iran and near daily attacks on ships, Trump says Strait of Hormuz is 'under USA control'.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Trump is spending money like a drunken sailor. His ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ alone added $4.7 trillion in debt. Nervous markets are now charging higher interest (which further increases the debt). And high interest rates hurt families www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
reuters.com
Trump pledged fiscal restraint. Instead, debt tops $40 trillion as borrowing costs rise
The looming fiscal crisis will create headaches for future lawmakers, budget experts say.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Germany has made a diplomatic response to a Russian hybrid operation, but Russia has shown little interest in diplomacy since its war on Ukraine started www.reuters.com/world/europe...
reuters.com
Germany says Russia responsible for drone attack at Leipzig airport
The German government said on Tuesday that it had concluded that Russia was responsible for an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport last month and ordered a series of measures in ‌response,...
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Trump has boxed himself in. He raised tariffs on other countries, compelling his targets to find other trade deals – and China benefited. Bessent’s appeal for those targets to now turn against China will be ignored www.reuters.com/world/china/...
reuters.com
G20 countries should consider more trade barriers on China to cut imbalances, Bessent says
"The world cannot have a China with a $1.2 trillion trade ​surplus," Bessent said.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Many countries are now trying to increase their defence spending. Investing through a global defence bank will enable them to borrow the money at lower interest rates – and it will be seen as separate from existing national debt www.reuters.com/business/fin...
reuters.com
The battle to build a global defence bank
The Defence, Security and Resilience Bank wants to raise $116 billion to lend at low cost to governments and contractors for defense projects. Many major economies have yet to commit.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Trump’s threats against Greenland triggered a defensive response from the EU. Seeing that, Icelanders must now balance their concerns about fish against EU protection from a predatory US President apnews.com/article/icel...
apnews.com
Trump's Greenland threats cast a shadow on Iceland's vote on whether to trigger EU membership talks
Voters in Iceland are deciding whether to resume negotiations to join the European Union. The referendum question is straightforward: Should Iceland restart talks with the EU?
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
ICE arrests hit record levels in July by picking on anybody who has not yet obtained US citizenship. America is no longer meeting its international obligations to grant asylum to those in need www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...
washingtonpost.com
How ICE is arresting soaring numbers of immigrants with no criminal record
Federal immigration officers are shifting their targets and tactics to increase arrests. More than half of those detained last month did not have a criminal record.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Corporate political donations are flooding in to support Republicans in the midterm elections. The donors like lower taxes for the rich and less regulation – policies that don't help ordinary Americans www.reuters.com/legal/govern...
reuters.com
Corporate political donations shatter record at $646 million so far for US midterms
It's 40% more than the total spent during the entire 2024 presidential election cycle, according to new data from watchdog group Public Citizen.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Meta has been penalised for addicting children to social media to increase its profits. The company has also damaged democracy, by creating echo chambers for voters – polarising political opinion www.reuters.com/business/met...
reuters.com
Meta agrees to pay $18 billion to settle US lawsuits over children's social media addiction
Meta Platforms will pay up to $18 billion over the next decade and strictly limit how teenagers use Facebook and Instagram under an agreement with nearly all U.S. states to resolve claims it designed ...
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Trump bullies his allies. It makes him feel good. And he knows that he can't bully strong opponents like Russia and China. He doesn't seem to realise that bullying his allies makes America weaker www.reuters.com/legal/govern...
reuters.com
Lake America? Trump mulls renaming Lake Ontario, expresses love for French Canadians amid trade war
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he was considering changing the name of Lake Ontario to "Lake America" and denied that a rift over French language requirements contributed to a breakdown i...
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Trump has repeatedly revealed his thirst to silence critics, and the Ellisons have revealed their eagerness to help him. It is important that the Ellisons are prevented from buying Warner Brothers. Discovery robertreich.substack.com/p/the-trump-...
robertreich.substack.com
How Trump Plans To Silence CNN, Jon Stewart, and John Oliver (the Same Way He Silenced CBS News)
The most important deal could happen today
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Jared Kushner’s meeting with Hakeem Jeffries suggests that there might be policy compromises, rather than unyielding confrontation and a string of executive orders, if Republicans lose control of the House www.nytimes.com/2026/08/23/u...
nytimes.com
Jeffries and Kushner Meet Privately as Midterm Attacks Fly
President Trump’s son-in-law and the man in line to be speaker of a Democratic-led House discussed how Democrats and the administration could work together.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Trump’s fresh tariffs on Canada harm Americans, by imposing higher costs on consumers, and they fail to take Canadian retaliation into account. An escalating trade war hurts everybody www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Carney calls Trump's fresh tariffs a 'miscalculation' after trade talks collapse
Canada's prime minister said he was "reluctantly" announcing retaliatory tariffs as he accused the US of starting a trade war.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
The Supreme Court decision to allow Trump to continue work on his (illegal) pet ballroom project looks like a cynical manoeuvre, to ensure that the work is irreversible by the time that final judgement is reached www.reuters.com/world/suprem...
reuters.com
Supreme Court lets Trump continue work on White House ballroom for now
The court's action gives the justices additional time to consider the administration's formal request to let it continue working on the $400 million ballroom while a lawsuit seeking to stop the projec...
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
The US economic sanctions against Iran will fail: China has repeatedly shown its support for Iran; and Iran can increase its military pressure on US allies and the world economy www.reuters.com/world/middle...
reuters.com
US will impose 'toughest sanctions in history' on Iran, Bessent says
The U.S. will impose "the toughest sanctions in history" on Iran, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday, a focus on ​economic measures he suggested would lessen the need for new major mili...
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
The idea of a Palestinian state is "being erased" by launching a large settlement project before Israel’s election. Smotrich wants to make this illegal land grab irreversible. And Trump isn't yet trying to stop it www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Israel opens up bids for highly-sensitive West Bank settlement project
Israeli plans to build on the area east of Jerusalem - which would divide the occupied West Bank in two - have long been internationally condemned.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Markets are forecasting increased US inflation – caused by tax cuts, high spending and tariffs. Inflation affects consumer cost of living and borrowing costs, so voters are likely to punish Republicans in the midterms www.reuters.com/legal/transa...
reuters.com
As US debt mounts, investors demand higher returns to lend
Investors are concerned about the sheer volume of borrowing that must be financed in the years ahead, ‌analysts said.
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patternsofpower @patternsofpower.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Trump highlighted his "very good relationship" with Kim Jong Un when cutting back military exercises with South Korea. WHOSE SIDE IS HE ON? North Korea supplies weapons and manpower to Russia and Iran www.reuters.com/world/china/...
reuters.com
Trump orders Pentagon to cut back military exercises with South Korea
The U.S. president cited the cost of the drills and Seoul's refusal to take part in actions against Iran.
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