Mario Nawfal

🇺🇸🇮🇷🇺🇦 General Ben Hodges: America is preparing for another round with Iran while Ukraine is being left exposed. I spoke with retired U.S. Army General Ben Hodges about two wars that are putting American foreign policy under enormous strain. Reports suggest Washington is sending a third aircraft carrier and thousands of additional personnel to the Middle East. Hodges believes that kind of buildup goes well beyond diplomatic pressure. He suspects another operation against Iran is being prepared, potentially after the U.S. midterms. And he thinks the Iran war was a catastrophic mistake. But our sharpest disagreement came over Ukraine. Hodges accused the Trump administration of pressuring Zelensky into accepting territorial concessions, pointing to reports of delayed Patriot deliveries and allegations of withheld intelligence. I pushed back on his argument that Ukraine could still recover all its territory. Not because I believe Russia should keep it, but because any realistic strategy has to account for how Putin might respond to losing it. Hodges wasn't having it. He believes the West has never seriously committed the resources needed for Ukraine to win. What concerns me is that America may be preparing to intensify one war while its commitments in another are becoming increasingly uncertain. And with NATO now reinforcing surveillance in the Black Sea after attacks on civilian shipping, neither conflict is becoming easier to contain. @general_ben

🇧🇷 Lula: “A woman cannot work six days a week and rest for one, because on that day she has to clean the house.” What? 💀 Writer: Samuel t.co/7gskpOjkVf

🇮🇱🇱🇧🇮🇷 Apparently, there's still MORE WAR to fight before Netanyahu can deliver his promised peace: “We will also have peace with Lebanon. But we must complete the elimination of the Iranian regime.” Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes continue hitting southern Lebanon, leaving destruction behind even after a ceasefire was reached. Netanyahu keeps talking about PEACE while military operations continue across the region. So what exactly is his vision of peace for Lebanon? Reducing it all to rubble first? Writer: Sol t.co/3nYfC4Bjbt

On this episode of the Roundtable, the panel discussed Bitcoin’s market outlook, growing institutional adoption, the rise of tokenized real-world assets, and how blockchain technology is reshaping global payments and traditional finance. Special thanks to @outlawgamefi for joining the discussion and sharing how Marshall Pay is bridging Web2 and Web3 payments, enabling instant settlement, greater control over funds, and improved fraud and chargeback management for merchants and consumers. Disclaimer: This episode is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing discussed on this panel constitutes financial advice. Please conduct your own research before making any investment decisions.

🇺🇸 AOC HAS OVERTAKEN GAVIN NEWSOM IN THE RACE FOR THE 2028 DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION Polymarket's latest chart shows Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at 16.2%, narrowly ahead of Newsom at 15.8%. Jon Ossoff is right behind them at 14.8%, despite publicly saying he has no interest in running. And Kamala Harris' sitting at just 6.5% More than $1.29 BILLION in trading volume, and the top three are separated by less than two percentage points. The Democrats don't even have a clear betting-market favorite yet. Writer: Oliver

🇮🇱🇹🇷 Could TURKEY be Israel's next target for a preemptive strike? Netanyahu was directly asked what it would take for Israel to strike Türkiye under his new security doctrine. His answer? He pointed to Israel's previous strikes on Iran, then refused to reveal which countries could be targeted next. When pressed again, he simply said: “I'm not going to itemize the application of these principles.” Writer: Sol t.co/rSEAKRGI90

🇸🇦 Abdullah Alaoudh says the war is starting to reach ordinary Saudis even when the missiles don’t. After the airport strike, warnings and alerts returned, bringing the sense of danger back into daily life. And he thinks that matters politically. People may blame the Houthis, but Alaoudh says they can also start blaming their own government for dragging the country deeper into the conflict. The darker part of his argument is what happens to anyone inside Saudi Arabia who openly objects. He says even mild criticism from tribal leaders can bring prison or worse, and recalls MBS telling his father that if forced to choose between being loved or feared, he would choose fear. That keeps dissent quiet. It doesn’t mean the anger isn’t there. @aalodah

🇷🇴🇧🇬 NATO is sending more aircraft, drones and radar systems into the BLACK SEA Seven sailors went missing after two tankers caught fire off Romania last week. At least five other ships had already been attacked nearby, leaving another 23 sailors dead or missing. These are commercial ships with ordinary crews trying to do their jobs. Now NATO is bringing in more patrol aircraft, radar systems and surveillance drones, along with specialists to examine the explosives. Russia is the main suspect, although NATO hasn't formally blamed Moscow. And some of these incidents have already happened inside Romanian territorial waters. That's the part worth paying attention to. We're no longer talking about attacks somewhere off Ukraine's coast. This is happening in the waters of NATO countries. Source: Reuters / Writer: Oliver

🇸🇦🇦🇪🇾🇪 Saudi Arabia may be getting help in Yemen from the one partner it has spent years looking down on. Abdullah Alaoudh says the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council is signaling that it is ready to fight the Houthis, and that its forces are among the more capable on the ground. But the support may come with a price. Alaoudh thinks the separatists are effectively telling Riyadh: if you want us fully in this war, recognize our demand for southern self-determination. That puts Saudi Arabia in an awkward position. It needs competent fighters. The fighters may want a new country in return. @aalodah

🇮🇱🇵🇸 The IDF says it killed one of the Hamas operatives involved in abducting Shani Louk on October 7. His name was Tamer Mohammad Ibrahim Al-Zabaq. According to Israel, he was still active in Gaza, helping Hamas rebuild and planning more attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers. And that's what makes this story particularly grim. Israel says a man involved in one of the most horrifying scenes of October 7 was still preparing for the next round, even with a ceasefire in place. Writer: Oliver t.co/iAOzrK6WEj

🇺🇸 Trump's approval ratings are reaching HISTORIC LOWS, and the numbers are getting downright BRUTAL. A Reuters/Ipsos poll puts him 35 POINTS UNDERWATER, with an astonishing MINUS 54 among independent voters. And it gets worse. Four separate polls show Trump at least 31 points underwater, worse than any previous president in October before a midterm election. Even Harry Truman, who was 30 points underwater, didn't sink this low. Writer: Sol t.co/iCEFffeHPN

🇺🇸 TRUMP JUST LOOKED AT THE CHAOS IN FRANCE AND DECIDED TO THROW $400 MILLION AT THE MIDTERMS Not kidding. Trump says more than $300 MILLION has already gone into advertising, rallies, voter outreach and election operations, with total spending set to exceed $400 million by Election Day. And he specifically cites what's happening in France and elsewhere in Europe as part of his reasoning. The man is watching Paris burn and apparently sees a $400 million American campaign commercial. Writer: Oliver

🇮🇹 This is what the streets of Bologna, Italy looked like when protests over rising prices got out of hand People ended up fighting with the police, and more and more videos of it keep coming out. Hard to believe this is the same city tourists love. Europe's having a rough time. Writer: Daniyal t.co/wXXdyhKDTz

🇸🇦🇾🇪 Abdullah Alaoudh doesn’t think Mohammed bin Salman believes he can actually eliminate the Houthis. In his view, “victory” for MBS now means something much smaller: weaken the Houthis enough that they are no longer able to seriously threaten Saudi Arabia, then negotiate from a stronger position. Alaoudh thinks even that may be out of reach. His argument is that the current military approach keeps extending the war without changing the basic reality on the ground. “There is no winning either.” So Saudi Arabia may be stuck in the worst kind of war. Too costly to keep fighting. Too weak to end on the terms it wants. @aalodah

🇮🇹 A young man in Milan has had ABSOLUTELY ENOUGH of the rioters destroying his city. In a furious outburst, he demands that those responsible for the vandalism and looting be DEPORTED, while making it clear that he respects immigrants who come to Italy to work. “If you come here and destroy my country, GO BACK TO YOUR COUNTRY!” He says he's tired of watching his city get trashed and wants to reclaim the Milan his grandfather and great-grandfather helped build 🌚 Writer: Sol t.co/IcGxRvuFCx

🇫🇷 Police are dealing with looters on France's streets. A brief encounter with actual law enforcement was all it took for everyone to suddenly remember they had somewhere else to be. Writer: Oliver t.co/UlE21nc0iT

🇺🇿 Apparently, they treat hernias in Uzbekistan by using some sort of ass tourniquet device... I’m fairly certain I’ve seen this method used to torture someone before… minus the crotch pillow! Writer: Jamie t.co/wPjGeMqLe0

🇺🇸 The WNBA has apparently told Congress that former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom (she/her) and Royce White cannot enter its draft because THEY'RE MEN Both had reportedly claimed to identify AS WOMEN When lawmakers asked WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert to DEFINE A WOMAN, she DECLINED to give a definition, saying only women can play. Two former NBA players have somehow turned a basketball eligibility dispute into a congressional debate over what a woman is. 😂 Writer: Oliver t.co/p31AYUnWzP

🇫🇷 A jewellery shop in Lyon gets looted during the unrest in France. All caught on camera. The revolution now comes with a complimentary shopping spree. Just don't expect anyone to pay at the counter. 🤷 Writer: Oliver t.co/1XujDc8tF7

🇮🇹 One priest in Milan has had ENOUGH of the rioters Writer: Sol t.co/WoJX1NxYSu

🇸🇸🇸🇩 A MARKET FULL OF CIVILIANS WAS BOMBED IN A DISPUTED REGION BETWEEN SUDAN AND SOUTH SUDAN, leaving more than 72 people dead, with some local sources claiming the death toll could be as high as 220. The Sudanese Air Force is accused of carrying out the strike on the town of Amiet, in the oil-rich Abyei region. South Sudan has demanded an explanation from Khartoum over the bloodshed. Source: @tabzlive (TG) / Writer: Sol

⚽ Football's ultimate GOAT debate just became official. 10 legends have been nominated for the All-Time Ballon d'Or as the award celebrates its 70th anniversary. 🇪🇸 Di Stéfano 🇦🇷 Messi 🇵🇹 Cristiano Ronaldo 🇳🇱 van Basten 🇳🇱 Cruyff 🇩🇪 Rummenigge 🇫🇷 Platini 🇧🇷 Ronaldo Nazário 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Keegan 🇩🇪 Beckenbauer Messi leads the group with 8 Ballon d'Or wins, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo with 5. One trophy. Ten icons. Who's your winner? Source: @FabrizioRomano / Writer: Samuel

🇺🇸🇮🇷 IRAN JUST TOLD TRUMP IT HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING NEW TO SAY And Pakistan's army chief flew all the way to Tehran to hear it. Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says Washington can forget about rebuilding trust until it meets Tehran's SEVEN conditions. That includes demands tied to sanctions, the U.S. naval blockade and the Strait of Hormuz. Ghalibaf accuses Trump of breaking the earlier Islamabad agreement and says American military threats won't change Iran's position. Meanwhile, Pakistan is trying to keep diplomacy alive, with Asim Munir announcing the reopening of the Iran-Pakistan border. Trump wants a deal. Tehran just handed him the same 7 demands and told him to read them again. Source: MEHR news / Writer: Oliver

You sell something online. The customer gets it, disputes the charge, and gets their money back anyway. You're out the product AND the payment. That's the chargeback nightmare for online merchants. And for businesses in industries traditional payment processors shy away from, even getting approved to accept payments can be a struggle. Marshal Pay, from @outlawgamefi, wants to change that by combining the convenience of Web2 payments with the benefits of Web3. Customers can pay by card and other familiar methods, while merchants can settle in regular money or stablecoins within seconds. The system is also designed to keep chargeback risk from landing on merchants in the first place. We're sitting down with the team to break down how payments really work, why chargebacks are such a headache, what makes Marshal Pay different, and what it means for merchants who’ve been burned before. Set your reminders; the full episode lands within the next hour! Learn more: t.co/z7JjLwP6RL Disclaimer: This content was produced in collaboration with the client and is intended for informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial or investment advice. Always conduct your own research before making any financial decisions, especially in highly volatile markets like crypto.

🇫🇷 FRENCH RIOTERS have now made it to the ANIME SHOPS. FOR GOD'S SAKE. A French anime shop owner has released security footage showing looters ransacking his store. You spend years building a business around something you love, only to watch strangers help themselves to your inventory. Because apparently smashing up Paris wasn't enough. Some people went out demanding change. The retards out there used the opportunity to destroy other's dreams. Writer: Oliver t.co/FyPDYxaJAZ

🇷🇸🇺🇸🇨🇳 Trump asked Serbia’s former president if he had problems with China like everyone else, and got a little too honest an answer “No, I have no problems with the Chinese.” Trump told him that’s impossible, he said nope, totally possible, then realized he’d maybe pushed it a bit too far. Trump definitely wasn’t expecting that answer from a European leader. Writer: Daniyal t.co/p77O3zpIKW

🇺🇸🇸🇴 Ilhan Omar could face DENATURALIZATION, if investigators can prove she illegally obtained U.S. citizenship... Federal investigators are now digging into both her immigration history AND financial disclosures. Authorities searched Omar's Washington home, seized her phone and passport, and issued more than a dozen grand-jury subpoenas, including to relatives, as they investigate possible fraud or false statements. But none of this establishes wrongdoing... Omar's lawyers say there is *no legitimate basis” to suggest she violated citizenship law, and a previous federal review found insufficient evidence to pursue similar allegations. If prosecutors ultimately prove citizenship was obtained through deliberate fraud, denaturalization could become a legal option. Writer: Samuel t.co/eQUhSRQu7F

🇷🇸🇪🇺🇷🇺 Europe is arming itself for a war that Serbia's Fmr. President Vučić fears could actually happen. He points to Europe's massive military buildup, particularly Germany's defense industry, which he claims has increased its profits SEVENTEENFOLD: “If a gun is hanging on the wall in the first act, it will fire in the third.” Europe says it's preparing to defend itself against Russia. Vučić wants to know what happens when all those weapons are ready. Writer: Sol t.co/jjCxhirKsK

🇺🇸🇺🇦 The Trump admin is trying to DE-ESCALATE its growing confrontation with Ukraine... Sec. Rubio spoke to Zelensky earlier, assuring Trump NEVER ordered Washington to deliberately hurt Kyiv. He told him there's been NO political directive restricting U.S. intel sharing or weapons sales, pushing back on Ukrainian suspicions that Washington was pressuring Kyiv into concessions to Moscow. He acknowledged some Patriot interceptor deliveries may be delayed, but said it's because the U.S. must preserve enough to defend its own bases worldwide. The call comes as Witkoff heads into new peace talks with Ukraine and EU leaders before traveling to Russia. Source: Axios / Writer: Samuel

🇾🇪🇸🇦 Abdullah Alaoudh: Saudi Arabia is getting dragged deeper into a war it cannot win. I spoke with Abdullah about the escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, and his assessment of Mohammed bin Salman was pretty damning. He believes MBS knows he cannot eliminate the Houthis. But rather than negotiate, he's doubling down militarily, hoping to weaken them enough to secure a better deal. And now Saudi Arabia is turning to the UAE for help. Abdullah thinks the Emirati-backed forces in southern Yemen have something Riyadh desperately needs: capable fighters on the ground. In return, Abu Dhabi may be seeking concessions over southern Yemen's political future. But what really caught my attention was what Abdullah told me about ordinary Saudis. He says people are increasingly frightened and frustrated by missile warnings, attacks on infrastructure and the constant threat of another strike. And public opposition is extraordinarily difficult in a country where openly challenging the leadership can carry severe consequences. The question I keep coming back to is how long MBS can keep escalating a war that is now bringing the consequences directly into Saudi cities. Abdullah sees no realistic military victory. And the longer this continues, the harder it becomes to imagine a painless exit. @aalodah