Who controls capital, where does it go, and what changes when it moves?
Same planet as you ๐
Joined February 2017
- Tweets636
- Following1.3K
- Followers129
- Likes998
Ray Frenken ๐ณ๐ธ๐ณ๐ฑ๐ช๐บ๐ฉ๐ช๐ฑ๐บ๐ง๐ช๐ซ๐ท๐บ๐ฆ retweeted
โIn late spring 2020, a source I knew to be reliable called me with a story,โ writes Matthew Cole. โThe Dutch government had hacked into Jared Kushnerโs phone and monitored him as he accessed a Dubai-based bank account. What was odd, the source said, was that the money in the accountโhundreds of millions of dollarsโhad come from a bank in Azerbaijan. Most importantly, Kushner appeared to have transferred significant amounts of money from the Dubai account to other individuals, including a warlord, a mercenary and a one-time hit man. The story sounded preposterous, I told my source. And yet.
Six months later, I found myself speaking with someone else about the UAE government and their use of mercenaries in conflicts around the Middle East and Africa when I asked, on a whim, whether they knew anything about Kushner and bank transfers from a UAE account. My acquaintance grew quiet. Then they replied, โYes.โโ Kushnerโs lawyer denied the bank account existed.
Read an exclusive excerpt from Coleโs book, โPrinces and Thieves: Jared Kushner and Mohamed bin Zayedโs Secret Plot to Remake the Middle Eastโ: vanityfair.visitlink.me/Q5_Wโฆ
Ray Frenken ๐ณ๐ธ๐ณ๐ฑ๐ช๐บ๐ฉ๐ช๐ฑ๐บ๐ง๐ช๐ซ๐ท๐บ๐ฆ retweeted
Kudos to the camera man. He decided NOPE - ainโt letting him pull this shit. Not today. Not on my watch.
Ray Frenken ๐ณ๐ธ๐ณ๐ฑ๐ช๐บ๐ฉ๐ช๐ฑ๐บ๐ง๐ช๐ซ๐ท๐บ๐ฆ retweeted
Another spike in the French bond spread today. Franceโs 10-year government bond yield is now 1.58 percentage points above Germanyโs.
For reference: Between May 2010, when the first Greek bailout program was announced, and Draghiโs โwhatever it takesโ pledge, the French spread averaged 1.35 percentage points.
Against that backdrop, the euro is holding up pretty well. Is it because investors know the next โbailoutโ mechanism is already in place, the ECBโs TPI, or because they still donโt grasp the scale of the mess France is in?
Ray Frenken ๐ณ๐ธ๐ณ๐ฑ๐ช๐บ๐ฉ๐ช๐ฑ๐บ๐ง๐ช๐ซ๐ท๐บ๐ฆ retweeted
When you hear Trump's team brag about how much they have given to Ukraine, here are the actual numbers.
Ray Frenken ๐ณ๐ธ๐ณ๐ฑ๐ช๐บ๐ฉ๐ช๐ฑ๐บ๐ง๐ช๐ซ๐ท๐บ๐ฆ retweeted
I donโt think Europeans fully appreciate what is happening to the European Union right now.
The EU is under an extraordinary, multi-front assault, both from outside and from within. And I struggle to think of another period in its history when so many powerful actors had an interest in weakening it simultaneously.
Russia has spent years waging hybrid warfare against Europe. Weaponised migration, sabotage, cyberattacks, coordinated disinformation campaigns, bot networks and political interference. The objective is clear: undermine trust in democratic institutions, deepen social divisions and weaken European unity.
China has different motivations, primarily economic and geopolitical. A fragmented Europe is easier to pressure, easier to negotiate with individually and less capable of defending its economic interests.
And then there is the United States. Perhaps the most disturbing development of all.
Under Trump and MAGA, a country that helped rebuild the old continent and then spent decades supporting European integration now has an administration openly hostile to much of what the EU represents. Its own National Security Strategy even calls for cultivating resistance to Europeโs current political direction.
Think about that for a moment.
Meanwhile, within Europe, parts of the far right and far left amplify these divisions, whether through ideological alignment, political opportunism or outright sympathy for authoritarian regimes.
This doesnโt mean Russia, China and MAGA are all following some jointly coordinated master plan. They donโt have to. Their interests increasingly overlap, and Europeโs internal divisions make their work considerably easier.
What makes this particularly alarming is what is actually at stake.
For all its flaws, the EU remains one of the worldโs most consequential projects built around liberal democracy, the rule of law, individual freedoms and cooperation between nations.
At a time when authoritarianism is gaining ground and even longstanding democracies are showing disturbing tendencies, that matters enormously.
Europe is far from perfect. Its bureaucracy, indecision and inability to act decisively are real problems. But the answer cannot be to retreat into 27 competing nation-states, each too small to meaningfully influence a world increasingly dominated by continental powers.
Quite the opposite.
Europe needs deeper integration, stronger common institutions, genuine strategic autonomy and the political courage to defend its interests and values.
Because fragmentation is precisely what so many external actors want.
And perhaps thatโs the central irony of our time: people are being deliberately manipulated into believing that the reverse is true โ that national identity and sovereignty can only be protected by weakening European cooperation. In reality, a divided Europe is less sovereign, less secure and far easier for outside powers to pressure. Therefore the very thing that will make Europe stronger is the thing its adversaries are working hardest to prevent.
A united Europe is a geopolitical power. A divided Europe is a collection of countries waiting to be played against one another.
Ray Frenken ๐ณ๐ธ๐ณ๐ฑ๐ช๐บ๐ฉ๐ช๐ฑ๐บ๐ง๐ช๐ซ๐ท๐บ๐ฆ retweeted
Guardate bene questa mappa. Non tanto per quello che mostra, ma per chi lโha realizzata e per quello che potrebbe esserci dietro.
Raccoglie le proteste avvenute in Europa tra il 21 settembre e il 17 ottobre 2026. Francia, Italia, Spagna, Belgio, Austria, Portogallo. Centinaia di migliaia di persone in piazza per salari, pensioni, caro affitti, scuola, spese militari e altre questioni sociali.
A pubblicarla รจ Rybar, una delle piรน importanti strutture di propaganda filorussa, fondata da un ex appartenente allโapparato comunicativo della Difesa russa e con legami documentati con lโambiente di Prigoลพin.
Perchรฉ unโorganizzazione del genere dovrebbe interessarsi tanto alle manifestazioni europee?
La risposta merita qualche riflessione.
La Russia conduce da anni una guerra ibrida contro lโEuropa. Cyberattacchi, sabotaggi, disinformazione, interferenze politiche e operazioni per alimentare divisioni interne. Non sono fantasie complottiste, ma attivitร documentate dalle intelligence occidentali.
Ora aggiungiamo qualche elemento.
Lโavvicinamento di una parte dellโestrema destra europea al mondo MAGA. Il sostegno pubblico di Musk allโAfD tedesca. Le posizioni di Trump nei confronti dellโUnione Europea. I rapporti di alcuni movimenti sovranisti con Mosca.
Si comincia a intravedere uno scenario piuttosto interessante. E preoccupante.
Una protesta legittima contro il carovita puรฒ diventare, attraverso migliaia di account, influencer e canali di propaganda, la dimostrazione che lโEuropa sta crollando. Che Bruxelles รจ il nemico. Che le sanzioni alla Russia ci stanno distruggendo. Che aiutare lโUcraina significa impoverire i cittadini europei.
Rafforzare i partiti che contestano le istituzioni europee, alimentare la sfiducia nei governi, ostacolare le decisioni comuni, bloccare gli aiuti militari a Kyiv e indebolire progressivamente lโUnione.
E cโรจ uno scenario ancora piรน pericoloso: la sovrapposizione tra campagne di disinformazione, tensioni sociali e operazioni di sabotaggio. Una crisi reale puรฒ essere amplificata artificialmente fino a diventare una crisi politica.
Naturalmente, questo non dimostra che Trump, Musk e i servizi russi operino sotto una regia comune. Sarebbe unโaffermazione senza prove. Ma gli interessi possono convergere anche senza un accordo formale, e alcuni effetti politici possono favorire contemporaneamente attori molto diversi. Ed รจ evidente a tutti il sorprendente avvicinamento (tradimento) di Trump a Putin di queste ora
Putin vuole unโEuropa debole e divisa. Una parte dellโestrema destra vuole ridimensionare o smantellare lโUnione. Trump considera spesso Bruxelles un avversario economico e politico.
Obiettivi differenti, con possibili risultati sorprendentemente simili.
E arriviamo alla questione politica.
Chi pensa che la guerra russa riguardi soltanto qualche territorio ucraino continua a non comprendere la dimensione dello scontro.
LโUcraina รจ il fronte militare. LโEuropa รจ anche un bersaglio politico, economico e informativo.
Per Mosca non รจ indispensabile conquistare militarmente una capitale europea. Puรฒ essere molto piรน conveniente contribuire a portare al governo forze disposte a paralizzare lโUnione dallโinterno.
E mentre discutiamo se aiutare ancora gli ucraini a difendersi, dovremmo cominciare a chiederci quanto siamo preparati a difendere le nostre democrazie
Rybar, presentazione ufficiale: rybar.ru/about/โ
Consiglio UE, attivitร ibride russe: consilium.europa.eu/it/policโฆโ
OCCRP, inchiesta sulle operazioni russe in Europa: occrp.org/en/investigation/lโฆโ
Carnegie, AfD e relazioni internazionali: carnegieendowment.org/researโฆโ
Ray Frenken ๐ณ๐ธ๐ณ๐ฑ๐ช๐บ๐ฉ๐ช๐ฑ๐บ๐ง๐ช๐ซ๐ท๐บ๐ฆ retweeted
beautiful explanation. this is 100% happening. xitter.cf/sotak/status/211179423โฆ
Ray Frenken ๐ณ๐ธ๐ณ๐ฑ๐ช๐บ๐ฉ๐ช๐ฑ๐บ๐ง๐ช๐ซ๐ท๐บ๐ฆ retweeted
Exactly. Europe no longer needs an indoor voice.
Russia is openly hostile, while Trump and Musk increasingly act in ways that undermine European security and Ukraine. Europe should say this plainly, then use the enormous economic and political power of nearly 600 million people.
Europeans are tired of being treated as a market to exploit, an ally to insult, and a continent expected to remain politely silent.
Ray Frenken ๐ณ๐ธ๐ณ๐ฑ๐ช๐บ๐ฉ๐ช๐ฑ๐บ๐ง๐ช๐ซ๐ท๐บ๐ฆ retweeted
Hey, @elonmusk, big man, are you playing politics with your products again?
As your European customers, we are watching you.
โก๏ธ 'This cannot be a coincidence' โ Ukraine's Starlink access restricted without warning, Zelensky adviser says.
Ukraine relies on Starlink to operate its mid-strike drones in Russian-occupied Ukraine.
kyivindependent.com/this-canโฆ
Supermarkten waren in augustus al gewaarschuwd. #AlbertHeijn #ELeclerq #Claroty #Team82 #Cybersecurity climatecontrolnews.com.au/reโฆ
Ray Frenken ๐ณ๐ธ๐ณ๐ฑ๐ช๐บ๐ฉ๐ช๐ฑ๐บ๐ง๐ช๐ซ๐ท๐บ๐ฆ retweeted
When Ukraine destroys Russian data centers, hoards of aggressive right-wing bots disappear, and Twitter becomes much friendlier. Isnโt that interesting? So much of our politics is driven by the internet, and so much of the internet is driven by Russians who want to hurt us. Shouldnโt we do something about that, given that we know it?
Ray Frenken ๐ณ๐ธ๐ณ๐ฑ๐ช๐บ๐ฉ๐ช๐ฑ๐บ๐ง๐ช๐ซ๐ท๐บ๐ฆ retweeted
This is a lie. Zelensky has repeatedly offered a ceasefire and the Russians have always refused
Ray Frenken ๐ณ๐ธ๐ณ๐ฑ๐ช๐บ๐ฉ๐ช๐ฑ๐บ๐ง๐ช๐ซ๐ท๐บ๐ฆ retweeted
American Morality
jonathanpie.com/londonlive/
Ray Frenken ๐ณ๐ธ๐ณ๐ฑ๐ช๐บ๐ฉ๐ช๐ฑ๐บ๐ง๐ช๐ซ๐ท๐บ๐ฆ retweeted
Russian strikes killed over 80 Ukrainian civilians in two days. Moreover, it has stepped up its hybrid attacks against Europe, both EU Member States and NATO Allies.
Suspending sanctions on Russian diesel provides Moscow with more revenues to wage war.
This is not the time to ease pressure on Russia, and Europe wonโt.
On Monday, EU Foreign Ministers intend to approve the biggest set of sanctions listings targeting Russiaโs war machine since the start of the war.
Ray Frenken ๐ณ๐ธ๐ณ๐ฑ๐ช๐บ๐ฉ๐ช๐ฑ๐บ๐ง๐ช๐ซ๐ท๐บ๐ฆ retweeted
Intelligence must draw on memory. The mind must not simply compile data โ as an algorithm now does more quickly than we can โ but recall lived experiences, which contain depths of meaning that only the human soul can recognize, and connect more deeply with the goodness of these experiences. Everything that is good begins โwith the Spiritโ and thus possesses a breath, a dynamism and a sense of communion that, once experienced, are engraved upon the heart. vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/eโฆ