𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛: 𝗣𝗮𝗸 𝗔𝗿𝗺𝘆'𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆'𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗼- 𝗣𝗮𝗸... 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗶 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘆 Today's Wagah border ceremony shows the infrastructure development on India's side as compared to #Pakistan side where Rangers performed in flood.show more

India Is Father Of Pakistan. Father Knows How, Where... And When To F@*UK PAKISTAN 🇵🇰 A flood alert was issued across Muzaffarabad on Saturday after locals reported a sudden and sharp rise in the water levels of the Jhelum River. Residents in the area have raised concerns over the alleged release of water from the Indian side of the border without prior notification to Pakistani authorities. Pakistan Declares Emergency Video Credit @Ganesh00242004show more

#Torkham crossing #UN aid convoy: No word from #Pakistan... and #Afghan side whether the Torkham gate would be opened for the UN humanitarian aid as fresh UN containers Wednesday arrived at Torkham, according to sources. Some trucks were even allowed to move towards the border area from the terminal, where several UN containers had been stranded since October. Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan Tahir Andrabi announced earlier this month that the gov't has allowed humanitarian assistance into Afghanistan as "the issue of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan came in wake of formal requests made by certain UN agencies". Now it depends on the Afghan #Taliban side if they open the gate for UN trucks or NOT? A Taliban official told me "Our position is that Pakistan would give a firm commitment that the gate would not be closed in future. No decision has yet been taken to allow the UN vehicles." (Video shared by local journalist )show more

This is something all Indians must understand leaving behind... politics and ideologies: The massive boom in India's infrastructure in the last 10 years is undeniable. Be it highways, border roads, airports, trains, metros, or ports - there's a 100-300% increase compared to before. No joke. I have not seen this level of development and building for decades before. Projects are not just announced but are actually being completed and inaugurated. When you have this much infrastructure being built by thousands of contractors and companies, there will always be some issues come up. From bad quality here and there to delays in some. It happens in every country. Even in the most developed and advanced ones like the very large US or very small Singapore. They too have leaking metro stations, roads that cave in, bridges that break, and trains that breakdown. But only for India, there's a coordinated communist campaign being run online to blackpill Indians by lifting every issue around the large country, amplifying it as the worst that only happens in India, to destroy the credibility of India's development and government. If you suddenly start building 100,000 kms of highways, using thousands of contractors and hundreds of companies, yes there will be a few kms of bad patch somewhere or a bad contractor doing a shoddy job. Yet, that is being taken and amplified online to disillusion Indians about their own democracy, destroy their confidence, and derail India's development using their disillusionment. They are made to believe and say "Everything is bad, everything is corrupt." This is being done in a coordinated way targeting India's youth primarily. Because the adversaries know India's youth have no past experience to judge. And they are the ones who will take India to the future. They can be easily programmed showing only the glitzy images of Shangai & Shenzen to make them feel sad about their cities. They know by disillusioning them, and destroying their confidence, India's development can be arrested for a long time. If you as an older adult understand this and the significance of the current infrastructure boom for the future, it is your responsibility to inform at least a few of the people you know offline about what's going on. It's OK you get challenged, ridiculed, or even abused. Because we know the mental programming and blackpilling is that much these days. Yet, it is important to try make them understand for India's sake.show more

🇵🇰 🇮🇷 Mashkhel: Inauguration of Katagar Crossing Point —... A New Era of Connectivity and Prosperity on the Pakistan-Iran Border In the border region of Mashkhel, Balochistan, the Katagar Crossing Point between Pakistan and Iran has been formally inaugurated for cross-border movement. Inspector General Frontier Corps (South) Major General Bilal Sarfraz Khan graced the occasion as the chief guest and inaugurated the crossing point. Member of the Provincial Assembly, Mir Zabid Ali Reki, also attended the ceremony. The decision to open the Katagar Crossing Point for transit was made during a grand jirga held in Dalbandin, Rakhshan Division, on July 2, 2025, chaired by Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Sarfraz Bugti and Corps Commander Balochistan Lieutenant General Rahat Naseem Ahmad Khan. In line with that decision, FC Balochistan (South), in close coordination with the district administration and Iranian authorities, completed all administrative and logistical arrangements through tireless efforts. A large number of locals, tribal elders, traders, and children enthusiastically participated in the inauguration ceremony. Speaking on the occasion, IG FC Balochistan (South) stated that the security and management of the crossing point will primarily be handled by the local community to prevent any unlawful activities. He further revealed that the Jodhar Crossing Point will soon be opened for trade, and work on establishing a buffer zone is already underway. The opening of the Katagar Crossing Point marks a historic and positive development for the people living in the border districts of both countries. It will serve as a milestone in promoting cross-border connectivity, cultural ties, regional stability, mutual trust, and shared prosperity.show more

🚨 FOOTAGE EMERGES OF THAI AIRFORCE STRIKES ON CAMBODIAN... MILITARY POSITIONS 🚨 New battlefield video now confirms Thai Air Force jets conducting strike runs against Cambodian military positions along the border — marking the clearest escalation yet in this fast-moving conflict. Multiple passes can be seen, with explosive impacts on dug-in fortifications and supply points on the Cambodian side. This appears to be Thailand’s first verified use of airpower in the current standoff. What began as cross-border shell exchanges has now shifted into full aerial engagement — a major turning point. This development raises urgent questions: • How will Cambodia respond? • Will their Chinese-supplied air defense systems come into play? • Will Thai mechanised units advance under cover of air strikes? • Does this open the door to wider regional involvement? With armour already moving, artillery trading across the border, and civilian evacuations now increasing, this conflict is rapidly transitioning from skirmish to structured warfare. Tonight, escalation is no longer hypothetical — it is happening in real time.show more

#IMPORTANT Why do the 10-point consensus reached during🇨🇳China-🇮🇳#India boundary... meeting matter? My summary: 1️⃣Boundary regions peace: Both noted it has remained peaceful & stable since the 23rd round of talks. 2️⃣Friendly consultations: Both emphasized it's the key to resolve relevant issues and promote bilateral ties. 3️⃣Both will seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable framework for resolving the boundary question in accordance with the political guiding principles agreed by the two countries in 2005. ➡️🇨🇳🇮🇳Border management and control: 4️⃣An important step: Both agreed to establish a demarcation expert group under the framework of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on🇨🇳China-🇮🇳India Border Affairs to explore the possibility of advancing demarcation negotiations in areas where conditions are ripe. 5️⃣Both agreed to establish a working group under the framework of the WMCC to advance effective border management and control, maintaining peace and stability in boundary areas. 6️⃣More General-level Talks: In addition to the existing general-level talks in the western section of the boundary, both sides agreed to establish a general-level talks mechanism in the eastern and central sections, and to hold a new round of general-level talks in the western section as soon as possible. 7️⃣Both agreed to utilize the border management and control mechanisms through diplomatic and military channels, first reaching consensus on relevant principles and methods to promote de-escalation and management processes. 8️⃣Both exchanged views on cross-boundary river cooperation and agreed to use the expert-level mechanism for cross-boundary rivers to maintain communication on renewing the cross-boundary river flood reporting MoU. 🇨🇳China agreed to share emergency hydrological information on relevant rivers with the Indian side based on humanitarian principles. 9️⃣Both agreed to reopen three traditional boundary trade markets. 🔟Both agreed to hold the 25th round of talks in China in 2026.show more

Leaving Enugu this morning, I reflected on the last... two days. Abuja to Port Harcourt by air, a drive to Enugu, and now back to Abuja by air. Journeys like this remind me that transport infrastructure is not just about roads, airports or aircraft. When planned intentionally as a multi-modal network, it reduces the cost of doing business, improves the movement of people and goods, and drives economic growth. The reconstruction of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway has made significant progress, particularly on the Rivers State axis, although some sections on the Enugu side still require attention. At the same time, increased investment in aircraft has expanded travel options and improved connectivity. Infrastructure creates opportunities. Entrepreneurs should look more closely at Nigeria's eastern corridor, where growing connectivity is opening new possibilities. There is value to be created by solving the region's persistent challenges while taking advantage of its emerging opportunities. Osita Chidoka 2 August 2026show more

The catastrophic flooding predating KP, GB & AJK is... obviously triggered by global #climatechange, which is fuelled by rising emissions and warming, but equally so by local institutional indifference to building real resilience for communities and society. The mega monsoon of 2025 has already claimed over 300 lives—most in KP—triggering landslides that wiped out villages, hampering rescue efforts with helicopter crashes, mass displacements. Why is this happening? • Forests everywhere are a shield against excess flooding, both in reducing bare-ground heating as well as for blunting climate shock and slowing water cascades. Deforestation in Pakistan is driven by illegal logging, wildfires, and the conversion of forest land for agriculture, commercial development, and mushrooming housing schemes. How much timber is lost to mafias in KP and the north ? Pakistan has the highest deforestation rate in South Asia and only retains 5 % forest 🌳 cover. In the last 33 years, Pakistan’s forest cover has alarmingly shrunk by 18%, falling from 3.78 million hectares in 1992 to a mere 3.09 million hectares in 2025. This devastating loss is most acute in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s districts like Swat, Chitral, Dir, Kohistan, and Shangla, where the illegal timber mafia relentlessly exploits ancient pine and deodar forests despite government bans imposed since 2002 and 2017. Large swathes of the "Million Tree Tsunami" disappeared in a sea of local graft, with saplings struggling to survive rapacious officials, flooding, neglect and poor audits. Locals report that 30 to 40% of Swat’s forests have already been destroyed, with the potential for up to 70% loss if this continues unchecked. The timber mafias operate with impunity where they "sanitise" local timber as coming in from Afghanistan. Each year, Pakistan loses approximately 27,000 hectares of forest, a critical natural defense that once protected communities from floods, heatwaves, and droughts. • Systemic failures on early warning have worsened the impact: Pakistan received $188 million from the World Bank for modernizing weather forecasting and establishing a disaster response system. Yet, unlike Bangladesh and Nepal, Pakistan failed to implement this vital infrastructure and by 2022 when the loan grant was saved from reversion at PMD it had to be repurposed for emergency cash transfers via the Benazir Income Support Programme for saving lives. Climate finance remains a source of inaction even in places where the commitment is available. • Unchecked urban development on riverbeds and green areas has destroyed natural shields for disaster reduction. From the Margallahs to KP, this march of "development" continues to cut through parks, green zones and what used to be protected areas. Graft and greed have led to land use rules being changed overnight, while permissions for building on floodplains, natural storm drains and channels for water flow have added to the devastation of areas and communities that could have been protected. • Melting glaciers, intensified floods, erratic rainfall now imperil Pakistan’s economy, food security, and very survival. Adaptation plans for national action & provinces remain paper documents referenced to elicit donor funding, or to activate delayed inputs. Plastic pollution continues to block drains and storm water exits in a country where there is no public literacy on pollution, and the role played by non biodegradable plastics in aiding monsoon flooding. Disaster management remains reactive and deployed in crisis, while today it faces overstretch at all points when faced with ferocity of extreme weather. To avoid deeper catastrophe, Pakistan must urgently seek more climate financing but build credibility too. It must locally embrace afforestation, resilient infrastructure, planning processes that actually mainstream climate action as policy not theory, reduce river & drain pollution, build empowered EPAs, support renewable energy. #ClimateActionNowshow more

🍈🍈DID YOU KNOW🍈🍈: Pretty much the only universal male... preference that shows up in every single culture researchers have ever tested (from the Amazon to Tokyo) is bigger breasts. What makes it wild is that this holds true even in places like Korea, Taiwan, or China where the average woman is an A-cup and the traditional beauty ideal has always been super-petite and flat-chested. Give men from those countries an anonymous slider or a side-by-side comparison with no social pressure, and the curve shifts toward bigger boobs every single time. The preference was always there; it just stayed locked up until something (Western media, a profit-hungry adult industry, whatever) gave it permission to come out and play. The World's largest busts belong to the Western and Northern European nations, who not only rate as having the largest busts on average but also have the largest busts proportionally. Meaning while American and British women tend to have large breasts, a lot of that is the result of being obese. Conversely, Swiss and Swedish women tend to have smaller BMIs AND larger busts.show more

A Wing And A Prayer Before Jump Doors: The... Insane "Wing-Slide" Technique of the 1930s. The Soviet Tupolev TB-3, a legendary heavy bomber that served as the cradle for the Soviet VDV (Airborne Forces) long before modern safety standards existed, and the unique and harrowing deployment method that predates the standardized jump doors and static lines we know today. Before the invention of dedicated troop transport aircraft with side doors, Soviet strategists had to improvise. The paratroopers would climb out of the open cockpits and hatches of the Tupolev TB-3 while in flight. They would then gingerly walk along the corrugated metal fuselage-battling the slipstream-to position themselves on the broad roots of the wings. At the pilot's signal, they would simply slide off the trailing edge of the wing, pulling their ripcords manually as they fell away. This method, often performed at air shows for high-ranking officials (including Stalin), was a terrifying display of courage and a testament to the "human factor" in early Soviet doctrine.show more

SCOTUS Dropped 4 Key Opinions Today (June 25, 2026)... – End-of-Term Action Big day at the Supreme Court. Here’s the quick breakdown: • Wolford v. Lopez (6-3, Alito): Strikes down Hawaii restrictions on licensed concealed carry on private property open to the public (no express owner permission needed). Big Second Amendment win reinforcing post-Bruen rights for stores, restaurants, etc. Reversed & remanded. • Monsanto v. Durnell (7-2, Kavanaugh): Federal pesticide law preempts state failure-to-warn lawsuits against Roundup where EPA approved the label. Limits massive litigation wave. Thomas concurred; Jackson + Gorsuch dissented. Reversed. • Mullin v. Al Otro Lado (6-3, Alito): Asylum seekers stopped on the Mexican side of the border have NOT “arrived in the United States.” Green-lights turnback/metering policies at ports. Reversed Ninth Circuit. Strong win for border enforcement. • Mullin v. Doe (6-3, Alito): Clears path for ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for groups like Haitians & Syrians. Major immigration enforcement boost. Reversed lower court blocks. Still waiting on the major birthright citizenship ruling (and a few others) as the term wraps. Term winding down with these – substance over drama. Impacts on guns, chemicals, borders, and immigration. (Video: AI)show more

This is absolutely amazing with Flux 3’s split-screen rendering.... More power to storytelling! Upscaled with Topaz Astra. Prompt : Split-screen video. Two equal vertical halves. Both halves show the SAME event, at the SAME time, frame-synchronized, filmed by two different cameras. SCENE: A quiet street, daytime. A long tall hedge wall runs along the sidewalk, too tall to see over. There is one narrow gap in the hedge ahead. A woman in a red jacket walks alone along the sidewalk on the near side of the hedge. On the FAR side of the hedge is an open grass field, where a large golden dog runs. LEFT HALF — CAMERA A: ground-level tracking shot on the sidewalk, following the woman from behind at shoulder height. IMPORTANT: from this camera, only the woman, the sidewalk, and the hedge wall are visible. The field, the dog, and anything behind the hedge are NEVER visible in the left half. The street looks calm and empty. RIGHT HALF — CAMERA B: aerial top-down drone shot, directly above, moving with the woman. This view shows BOTH sides of the hedge at once: the woman on the sidewalk, the hedge as a thin green line, and the golden dog sprinting across the field on the other side, on a converging path toward the gap in the hedge. ACTION — identical timing in both halves: 0–8s: The woman walks calmly. LEFT: peaceful, nothing unusual. RIGHT: the dog races closer and closer to the gap, its path and the woman's path clearly about to meet. 8–11s: The woman reaches the gap. The dog bursts through it. LEFT: the dog appears suddenly from nowhere, a total surprise; the woman flinches. RIGHT: the meeting looks perfectly predictable, two paths joining. 11–15s: The dog jumps up joyfully; it is her own dog greeting her. She laughs, kneels, and hugs it. Both halves show this ending. RULES: Same woman, same dog, same timing in both halves. The dog is visible ONLY in the right half until 8s. No cuts, no other people, no cars.show more

#ISPR – Rawalpindi, May 2, 2025 Chief of Army... Staff (COAS), General Syed Asim Munir, Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military), chaired a special Corps Commanders Conference held at the General Headquarters (GHQ) today. The forum conducted a comprehensive review of the current geo-strategic environment, with particular focus on the ongoing tensions between Pakistan and India and the overall regional security situation. The forum reaffirmed that the Armed Forces of Pakistan stand ready with full force against any form of aggression or adventurism to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the motherland. The Army Chief praised the professionalism, high morale, and operational preparedness of the armed forces, emphasizing that the Pakistan Army stands shoulder to shoulder with its nation and will defend the country at all costs. He stressed the importance of vigilance and preemptive readiness on all fronts. The forum expressed serious concern over the recent intensification of atrocities in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), especially following the Pahalgam incident, and the targeting of innocent civilians across the Line of Control (LoC). It stated clearly that such inhumane and unprovoked acts only escalate tensions in the region and will be met with a clear, forceful, and appropriate response. The forum also strongly criticized India's continued use of crises as a distraction from its internal failures and its repeated unilateral actions to manipulate the situation. It recalled how the Pulwama incident in 2019 was used as a pretext to revoke Article 370 and change the status of Occupied Kashmir. Similarly, the Pahalgam incident appears to be another calculated move by India aimed at diverting Pakistan’s focus from its western front—where it is achieving significant success against terrorism—and from its efforts toward economic recovery. These tactics, intended to provide breathing space to Indian proxies, will never succeed. The forum also expressed grave concern that India is now using the Pahalgam incident as an excuse to undermine the Indus Waters Treaty and attempt to deprive Pakistan of its inalienable water rights. Using water as a weapon threatens the survival of over 240 million Pakistanis and could lead to strategic instability in South Asia. It was also emphasized that India’s military and intelligence agencies are directly involved in terrorist incidents inside Pakistan. Such state-sponsored actions are a blatant violation of international law and are unacceptable in any civilized society. The forum reiterated Pakistan’s firm commitment to peace, stability, and development, while making it clear that any attempt to impose war will be met with a decisive and crushing response. The will of the Pakistani people will be upheld at all costs, God willing. The forum concluded by stating unequivocally that Pakistan's path to peace and development cannot be blocked by terrorism, coercion, or aggression—whether direct or through proxies. All Indian efforts to destabilize the region will be thwarted with determination and foresight. The conference concluded with the Army Chief expressing full confidence in the operational preparedness, defensive capabilities, and high morale of Pakistan’s armed forces, sending a clear message to the nation that Pakistan is fully prepared to confront any enemy at every level.show more

🚨 The last 24 hours didn’t change the war... in Iran. They clarified where it’s heading. *⃣ Israel struck inside Tehran again, with the IDF confirming a wide wave targeting regime infrastructure in the capital. Open-source reporting points to repeated explosions in western Tehran’s Chitgar area, including sites linked to IRGC aerospace activity, with indications of deeper penetration into command and operational systems. *⃣ Iran launched multiple coordinated barrages into central Israel, triggering nationwide alerts across Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and the coastal plain. A ballistic missile struck a residential area, while cluster munitions and interception debris caused localized damage and light injuries across multiple locations. *⃣ The U.S. paused energy-site strikes while preparing escalation options, extending the timeline for targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure while weighing deployment of up to 10,000 additional troops and potential expanded operations. Over the last 24 hours, the battlefield didn’t shift in a dramatic new direction. But the trajectory became clearer. Inside Iran, the campaign is now visibly centered on Tehran itself, not just peripheral military sites. Repeated strikes in western districts and areas associated with IRGC aerospace infrastructure point to a focused effort to degrade missile and operational command capabilities. Additional reporting suggests targeted eliminations remain part of the campaign, though confirmation remains mixed. On the Israeli side, Iran demonstrated it can still impose disruption at scale. The latest attacks included multiple waves in a single day, with at least one confirmed impact in a residential area and additional injuries caused by shrapnel and cluster dispersal. The operational effect is less about mass casualties and more about sustained pressure on Israel’s civilian core. The diplomatic picture also became clearer, not because of progress, but because of contradiction. Washington has paused strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure for 10 days while pushing for a deal, even as Tehran denies requesting the pause and rejects key elements of the U.S. position. At the same time, Iran appears to be selectively modulating pressure in the Strait of Hormuz, allowing limited passage in what U.S. officials have framed as a gesture, even as broader threats to Gulf energy infrastructure remain in place. At the same time, the U.S. is preparing for the opposite outcome. Planning continues for additional troop deployments and potential escalation scenarios, including operations targeting Kharg Island, the terminal responsible for the majority of Iran’s oil exports. Control of that node would directly threaten the regime’s primary revenue stream, but would also carry significant risk of wider regional retaliation. Israel, for its part, appears to be acting on the assumption that its window is limited. Reporting indicates directives to accelerate strikes against Iran’s military-industrial base, including missile and drone production, before any diplomatic outcome can constrain operations. Put together, the signal is this: ➡️The war is not expanding dramatically right now. It is tightening. ➡️Israel is pushing deeper into the infrastructure that sustains Iran’s military capability, now centered on Tehran. ➡️Iran is relying on intermittent but still disruptive strikes that continue to reach Israel’s population centers. And the United States is positioning between negotiation and escalation at the same time, preparing options that could decisively shift the war if chosen. ➡️The gap between what Washington says is happening and what Tehran is willing to accept is now as important as the fighting itself. **Special thanks to Michael W for his continued contribution to the open-source intel picture behind these updates. If you aren't already, you need to give him a follow!show more

Dirac Finance — Update on TGE and Next Steps... (For Beras who can’t read, please find a tl;dr below in the next tweet) A. Global sentiment and commitment: 1. The past few weeks have tested the resilience of DeFi, and the Berachain ecosystem has shown strong coordination and stability. 2. At Dirac, our commitment remains unchanged: we are building on Berachain Foundation 🐻⛓ because we believe in its Proof-of-Liquidity consensus, perfectly aligned with Dirac Finance’s vault infrastructure and token design. B. Product: 1. After completing the first vault cycles with strong APRs, Dirac proved its potential as a vault infrastructure connecting complex primitives (perps, options, and other yield strategies) with users seeking simplicity and efficiency. 2. We are now in advanced discussions with DeFi strategists to deploy new vaults. Strategists’ compensation consists of sharing part of the yield (up to 3%). 3. On the development side, the Kodiak perps integration is live — thanks to Orderly for their support — and additional integrations are underway. 4. To become a fully decentralized vault infrastructure, we will deploy the $DIRAC token, a central element of both governance and the Dirac vault economy. C. TGE: 1. Last week, we finalized the TGE framework with Ramen 🍜. Major $DIRAC token purchasers, including W3f Group and our community, are aligned for a Q4 to early Q1 TGE. 2. The $DIRAC token will launch through Ramen 🍜 and be available on Kodiak in an Island v2 pool, receiving BGT emissions during and after launch. 3. We are reinforcing our team with DeFi OGs and vault curators to bring additional energy to the TGE preparation and post-TGE period. Team additions and partnerships will be disclosed in the coming days. 4. TGE details will be shared soon, once we finalize the date with Ramen. --- We believe in consistency, transparency, and hard work in all market conditions. We appreciate everyone’s continued support and patience. More updates will follow soon. Questions or feedback? Join our Discord and chat with the team: http:// Let’s keep pushing!show more

I grew up hearing and researching stories of war... and peace-from both sides of the Pacific. On the morning of September 2, 1945, at 9 am, a ceremony was held aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, where Japan signed the instrument of surrender. The Chinese representative, signing immediately after General MacArthur and Admiral Nimitz, was the third to place his name on the document, marking the formal end of WWII. When the news reached China, the entire nation erupted in celebration. From then on, September 3 became China's V Day-a day that symbolizes the shared honor and triumph of the 57 nations of the Allied coalition. Today, China held a grand commemoration to mark this moment worth remembering. During my studies in the United States, I was often struck by how little people around me knew about China's understanding of WWII. In China, America's wartime support is still remembered-above all the Flying Tigers, who are household names, honored as heroes, and cherished as a symbol of Sino-American friendship. At the same time, I was also surprised that even the most rigorous American history scholars remain largely unaware of China's sacrifices and contributions. One American history professor I deeply respect, who never shied away from criticizing America's own diplomatic flaws, and who has been one of the most important teachers in shaping my understanding of the US, once asked me in puzzlement: "Why does China believe it won WWII? Didn't the United States win the war?" The Allied victory came at a staggering cost to China. It was this cost that earned the deep respect of FDR, as seen in my recent tweets drawing on FDR archives. And it was precisely because of these sacrifices that China was accorded the honor of being the third to sign the surrender instrument on September 2, 1945. My great-grandfather was among the witnesses of that history. As a major general, he led his troops through immense sacrifices to win several hard-fought battles. I once read the memoirs of a veteran who recalled how, during Sunday assemblies of his division, he would often speak about Sino-American relations "in an inspiring way". Over the past decade, I have spent time in the Roosevelt Library in New York, exploring extensive American wartime archives, and I have also met many American veterans and descendants of US generals. As a historian, together with these American friends, I often worry that this once-precious friendship is being forgotten far too quickly in the US. It could remind us that, in the darkest of times, our two nations placed trust in one another and fought side by side. It could serve as a historical foundation for rebuilding mutual understanding and trust between our peoples. It could also provide, amid today's shifting and complicated realities, a shared point of connection across generations. I was originally invited to attend today's events and had my pass prepared, but due to some miscommunication I regrettably missed the chance to be at Tiananmen Square. Nevertheless, I had the privilege of witnessing the grand celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the PRC in 2019, and today, from the balcony of my home, I was still able to catch a glimpse of the festivities at Tiananmen, capturing a few photos and videos as a personal memory. Top left: At the opening, 80 ceremonial cannon shots were fired, symbolizing the 80 years since 1945. Top right: Just before the People's Liberation Army parade on Tiananmen Square, helicopters flew overhead carrying banners that read "Justice will prevail, Peace will prevail, The People will prevail." In the distance, you can see the Forbidden City. Bottom left: Fighter jets passing in formation to receive review. Bottom right: Close the end of the parade, 80,000 doves of peace and 80,000 balloons were released. All balloons are biodegradable. As a descendant of a WWII veteran, as a historian who has studied the WWII extensively, and as a friend to many American WWII veterans and their families, I feel deeply connected to this commemoration. This moment does not belong to China alone-it belongs to all who have fought, hoped and sacrificed for peace. May history never be forgotten, and may peace never be forsaken.show more

🚨 OPERATIONAL UPDATE: TALKS ADVANCE, PRESSURE HOLDS - Reporting... Window: Last 24 Hours *⃣ If you find these reports useful, PLEASE consider sharing them, this is how more people get access to clear, open source breakdowns of what’s actually happening. Diplomacy is now fully underway, but the underlying structure of the war has not changed. U.S. and Iranian officials are actively engaged in talks in Islamabad, while Israel continues operations in Lebanon and regional pressure points remain unresolved. Negotiations are real, but they are happening alongside continued military activity, not in place of it. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🧠 MY ASSESSMENT The disconnect in this phase of the war is no longer just military. It is perceptual. Iran is negotiating like a peer power. It is not operating like one. The regime has taken real damage across leadership, infrastructure, and military capability. That much is clear from weeks of sustained strikes and the cumulative effect they’ve had on its systems. At the same time, the United States and Israel retain clear escalation dominance, including the ability to threaten core Iranian infrastructure on a scale that would put the regime itself at risk. And yet, Iran continues to negotiate from a maximalist position. That is not because it holds superior leverage. It is because the leverage it does have is concentrated in disruption, not control. Hormuz remains the clearest example. Iran does not need to shut it permanently to create pressure. It only needs to make it unstable enough to raise global economic costs and force urgency into negotiations. The same applies to its proxy network. Hezbollah does not need to win in Lebanon. It only needs to remain active enough to prevent a clean separation of fronts. So the reality is more specific than either extreme. Iran is not negotiating from strength. But it is not negotiating without leverage. It is negotiating from a weakened position, using time, disruption, and regional pressure to offset what it has lost militarily. That is what makes this phase unstable. The United States is trying to convert military advantage into a negotiated outcome. Iran is trying to convert limited leverage into constraints on that outcome. Israel is continuing to act where it is not constrained. Those dynamics do not resolve cleanly. They drag. And the longer they drag, the more the outcome depends not just on capability, but on tolerance for escalation and time. Now let's break down all the different theaters contributing to this assessment: ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🇵🇰 ISLAMABAD TALKS: REAL, HIGH-STAKES, BUT FAR APART The most significant development in this window is the shift to direct U.S.–Iran engagement in Pakistan. Senior delegations are now physically present in Islamabad under heavy security, with Pakistan acting as the central intermediary trying to convert a temporary ceasefire into something more durable. But the gap between the two sides remains wide: • Iran’s reported framework focuses on sanctions relief, security guarantees, and preserving proxy influence • The U.S. framework demands nuclear dismantlement, missile limits, and a permanently open Hormuz Both sides are treating these as opening positions, not final terms. At the same time, Iranian negotiators are still pushing to include Lebanon in ceasefire guarantees, a condition that continues to complicate progress. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🇱🇧 LEBANON REMAINS ACTIVE Despite the diplomatic push, Lebanon remains an active combat zone. Israeli strikes continued across southern Lebanon in this window, including deadly strikes in Nabatieh and surrounding areas. Reporting indicates: • More than two dozen killed in a single strike event, including members of Lebanese security forces • Additional strikes on urban areas, shops, and infrastructure • Continued clashes on the ground, with IDF personnel wounded in exchanges along the border At the same time, Hezbollah fire has not stopped entirely, with intermittent launches toward northern Israel continuing. The key continuity point holds: Lebanon is not covered by the ceasefire structure being negotiated in Pakistan, and it is not behaving like it is. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ⚓ HORMUZ: STILL UNRESOLVED The Strait of Hormuz remains the central strategic lever. U.S. officials are signaling active efforts to secure the waterway, including naval movements and mine-clearing operations, though some claims remain unverified. At the same time, Iran continues to threaten rapid retaliation against U.S. vessels operating in the area. This is the same unresolved issue sitting underneath the negotiations: • The ceasefire depends on Hormuz being open and stable • That condition has not yet been fully met • Both sides are still signaling willingness to escalate if it breaks down ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🌍 REGIONAL PRESSURE AND SPILLOVER The regional layer of the war remains active even as talks proceed. Recent reporting highlights: • Continued Iranian-linked pressure on Gulf infrastructure, which has already disrupted Saudi industrial capacity in recent days • Pakistan increasing its own military posture, including sending fighter jets to Saudi Arabia as part of broader defense coordination • European pressure, particularly from France, to expand the ceasefire framework to include Lebanon This reinforces the broader pattern: The war is no longer confined to one front, and it cannot be easily paused in one place without consequences elsewhere. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🇮🇷 INTERNAL IRAN DYNAMICS Additional reporting in this window provides a clearer picture inside Iran. • Iran’s current Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, remains seriously injured from earlier strikes but is still actively governing through remote coordination • The regime continues to maintain tight control domestically, including extended internet blackouts • There are increasing indications of information control and narrative shaping as negotiations proceed Separately, reporting suggests the regime has encouraged civilians to position themselves near key infrastructure as a deterrence tactic, reinforcing a pattern of using civilian presence as part of its defensive posture. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 📌 WHAT MATTERS MOST RIGHT NOW • Direct U.S.–Iran talks are now fully underway in Pakistan, but positions remain far apart • Lebanon remains an active battlefield, with continued Israeli strikes and ongoing casualties • Hormuz is still not fully stabilized, leaving the entire diplomatic framework conditional • Regional actors are adjusting posture, including Gulf states and Pakistan, signaling continued instability • Iran continues to operate from a constrained but still functional position, both militarily and internallyshow more

*If you are in front of the Emirates Stadium... or on your way there, head over to Holloway Road. To see the open-top buses clearly, you must leave the stadium area completely, as the buses are forbidden from stopping and the stadium perimeter is fully locked down. If you are standing at The Armoury, you are perfectly placed to reach the most clear and iconic viewpoints with a quick 5-minute walk. Best Viewpoints Near You Right Now: Holloway Road (Quickest & Best Option): Walk down the ramp/steps from The Armoury directly west toward Holloway Road. The parade officially starts right here where the buses turn out of Drayton Park. Where to look: Look for a spot near the Holloway Road/Hornsey Road junction or near the Holloway Road Subway station. The wide boulevard makes it much easier to see over crowds compared to narrow side streets. Highbury Corner / Highbury & Islington Station: Walk south along Holloway Road for about 5–10 minutes toward Highbury Corner. Why it's great: The bus loops back through here at the very end of the parade. You get a wide-angle view as the vehicles negotiate the large roundabout. Seven Sisters Road (Heading toward Finsbury Park): If Holloway Road is already completely packed wall-to-wall, walk up to Seven Sisters Road. Why it's great: The crowd tends to thin out slightly more along this stretch before it reaches Finsbury Park station, giving you a cleaner line of sight to the elevated deck of the buses.show more

⚾️ It is no secret that elbow injuries, specifically... UCL injuries, have been on a rise in recent years ➡️ The reason for this is so multi-factorial that it is impossible to pinpoint any 1 reason for an injury 💪 With the constant improvement in the development of pitchers, both skill side and S&C, we are seeing an increase in velocity across all levels of baseball 🎟This is obviously a Great thing for Punching Tickets but also leads to more forces being passed through the medial elbow 🔥There are really 3 proactive actions we actions we can take to counteract this: 1) Address pitching mechanics if there are deficiencies 2) Appropriately manage chronic/acute AND Total workloads 3) Increase the capacity and stress the elbow can handle 🔥 We will specifically dive in to the 3rd component of this in this thread. In short, the answer is simple, GET STRONG FOREARMS 3 WAYS VALGUS FORCE IS DISPERSED ✅ Radiocapitellar Joint Compression When a valgus stress is applied to the elbow, it is attempting to open up or gap the medial (inside) portion of the elbow. This is also the Orthopedic Test for a UCL injury. While this force is trying to gap the medial portion of the elbow, it is also compressing the lateral side. When the radius and lateral humerus compress, this acts as a stopping point for the elbow going into that valgus motion ✅ Forearm Musculature In addition to the UCL on the medial side of the elbow, there is also a group of forearm muscles that span that area and attach to the same portion of the elbow, the medial epicondyle. These muscles include: Pronator Teres, Flexor Carpi Ulnaris, Flexor Carpi Radialis, Flexor Digitorum Superfiscialis, and the Palmaris Longus. With that specific attachment to the medial epicondyle and their respective distal attachments, these do a great job of accepting the valgus force and protecting the UCL. There is some research that states FCU does the best job of the muscles listed, but we believe the best action is to strengthen all of them. The best ways to attack this is with movements including: finger flexion, wrist flexion, Ulnar deviation (moving pinky towards medial elbow), and Pronation of the forearm ✅ Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) What doesn’t get absorbed by the first two structures is placed on the UCL. Previous research has shown that a UCL with no other structures involved is able to withstand ~35 nm of force before failure The Problem is: Every Pitch produces far more than 35nm of Valgus Stress. This shows us just how important the other 2 mechanisms are! * Exercises in the videos should be a complement to your entire S&C Program and is not designed to replace itshow more