DAILY NEWS Stream – February 23, 2025

US Secretary of State Rubio, National Security Advisor Waltz, and Middle East Special Envoy Witkoff speak about meeting with Russians in Saudi Arabia.

Key developments: - US and Russia agreed on restoring diplomatic missions. - Both countries will form teams to negotiate Ukraine peace. - US President Trump seen as the only leader able to start the peace process. - The goal is a permanent resolution to the conflict, covering territorial issues and security guarantees. - Any deal must be acceptable to all parties, including the EU and Ukraine.

Notable Context: - Hosted by Saudi Arabia, with thanks to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. - US assured European allies were regularly consulted. - No date set for a US President Trump and Putin meeting. - Talks were described as positive and constructive.

Next Steps: a) Restore diplomatic missions. b) Begin Ukraine peace negotiations. c) Explore future US-Russia cooperation. Progress on Ukraine is key before broader cooperation can move forward (Forbes Breaking News)

President Trump says Europe is losing its freedom of speech and is suffering a major immigration problem, agreeing with message from Vice President Vance to European leaders (Hindustan Times)

UK journalist Patrick Christys asks: How can we believe European leaders when they RUINED this continent and made us unsafe for DECADES? European leaders discuss sending troops to Ukraine but fail to address domestic security concerns, including illegal immigration, terror threats, and crime. Their commitment to defending Europe’s borders against Russia rings hollow given their mismanagement of internal security and cultural issues (GBNews)

“It’s hard to believe”: President Trump calls out “tremendous fraud” in government spending, with billions wasted on fake transactions. He cites one example where a government contract was for three months, but checks kept being sent for years. The President says the government needs to start “caring,” otherwise this tremendous abuse of taxpayer money will continue, echoing comments by DOGE [Department of Government Efficiency] chief Elon Musk (Forbes Breaking News)

US Representative Eric Burlison [Republican- Missouri] plays old videos of Presidents Clinton and Obama promising to cut government waste, reminding Democrats at Congressional DOGE [Delivering on Government Efficiency] hearing of “what your party believed in” (Forbes Breaking News)

President Trump’s Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt brings receipts on government waste found by DOGE [Department of Government Efficiency], highlighting how the commission is completely transparent and posts everything it finds on its website and X social media account (Fox News)

US Senator Rand Paul [Republican-Kentucky] lists example after example of “wasteful” spending by USAID [US Agency for International Development] discovered by President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency [all prices in US dollars]: $4.8 million for social media influencers in Ukraine $2.1 million for Paraguay’s border security $2 million for transgender surgeries, hormone therapy, and “gender-affirming care” in Guatemala $3 million for “girl-centric” climate action in Brazil $25,000 for a transgender opera in Colombia $32,000 for a comic featuring a transgender hero in Peru $20,000 for a DEI [diversity, equity, and inclusion] program at a drag queen theater in Ecuador $20 million for producing a new Sesame Street children’s show in Iraq $6 million for boosting sustainable tourism in Egypt $50 million for promoting Tunisia’s tourism industry $87.9 million for assisting Afghan poppy farming [source of 90% of the world’s heroin] $70,000 for a live musical event promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in Ireland $330,000 for compiling a disinformation index blacklisting conservative media $54 million for EcoHealth Alliance, linked to the Wuhan [China] Institute of Virology from which COVID likely leaked $15 million for distributing contraceptives and condoms in Taliban- controlled Afghanistan $3 billion for Afghan reconstruction (Forbes Breaking News)

US whistleblower Mike Benz exposes how USAID [US Agency for International Development] funds sabotage operations via foreign media organizations and so-called “judicial reform” – influencing policies, toppling governments, and targeting political opponents through US-sponsored investigative journalism and legal actions (JRE Clips)

US is building its most expensive embassy in Vietnam, with an estimated cost of US$1.2 billion, due to Vietnam’s strategic importance, growing economic ties between the two countries, the US’s long-term commitment to expanding their relations, and the need for larger facilities (KIẾN THỨC THÚ VỊ Official)

Analysis: As US tightens illegal immigration enforcement, Vietnamese deported back to Vietnam face many potential challenges, including: - Economic struggles due to low wages. - Cultural readjustment to a faster-paced life. - Cramped living conditions. - Financial risks like scams. - Mental health challenges from culture shock. - Professional difficulties with non-transferable skills and limited job opportunities (Báo Hà Tĩnh)

Vietnamese fruit prices crash after Lunar New Year as China stops buying, forcing vendors into “rescue sales” to avoid total losses, revealing Vietnam’s heavy reliance on the Chinese market (SGNN)

“We’re going downhill”: UK Reform Party leader Nigel Farage discusses Britain’s social and economic decline, citing rising poverty, unchecked shoplifting, knife crime, mass immigration, and two-tier justice. He criticizes the ruling Labour Party’s leadership while his Reform Party gains momentum with 210,000 paying members, up from 30,000 in June 2024 (Sky News Australia)

Analysis: Sweden’s immigration reforms have cut asylum refugee numbers to historic lows, offering a clear model for the UK’s border control. By introducing temporary residence permits, tightening family reunification allowances, raising work visa income requirements, offering voluntary departure payments of US$34,000, and limiting asylum criteria, Sweden reduced asylum grants from 163,000 to 6,250 immigrants annually (GBNews)

Miracle at Toronto [Canada]’s Pearson Airport as 80 passengers SURVIVE plane crash, with jet’s fuselage [main body] remaining intact despite flipping upside down (ChaosMoogle; AP)

Taxi drivers at A2B, Australia’s largest taxi company, are scamming customers, with corporate managers aware and enabling the fraud, including overcharging, exploiting vulnerable passengers, and targeting hospitals and care facilities (60 Minutes Australia)

The 5 Most Possible Dangerous Volcanic Eruptions Of 2025: Kīlauea [Hawaii, USA] – One of the world’s most active volcanoes, known for destructive lava flows threatening communities. Reykjanes Peninsula [Iceland] – Highly active since 2021, with seven eruptions in 2024, signaling a prolonged volcanic period. Mount Merapi [Indonesia] – Among Indonesia’s most dangerous volcanoes, with frequent, explosive eruptions threatening nearby populations. Mount Teide [Spain] – Dormant since 1909 but remains active; its proximity to populated Tenerife poses significant risk. Mount Nyiragongo [Democratic Republic of the Congo] – Home to the world’s largest lava lake, its fast-moving lava flows pose severe hazards (Insane Curiosity)

American architectural designer Randall Carlson suggests ancient myths hold real historical knowledge about past catastrophes, such as great floods wiping out past civilizations on Earth. He connects this to modern proposals by scientists to use the moon as an “external hard drive” to back up humanity’s scientific and cultural advancements, and speculates that ancient advanced civilizations might have already done so, challenging conventional history (Before Skool)

Self-realizing quote of the day: “I am not this hair, I am not this skin, I am the Soul that lives within.” – The Venerated Enlightened Master Rumi (vegetarian)