First Round Of Iran Talks Concludes In Switzerland With Fireworks, Threats Of Renewed War: 'Be Careful'

"Round 1 ends: Vance cites "great progress" and says talks will continue.

Iran defiant: Ghalibaf rejects US threats and links talks to a Lebanon ceasefire.

Trump raises stakes via some typical Truth Social lashing out: Warns on Hormuz, Lebanon, and keeps military options on the table.
Nuclear progress?: Some reports say not addressed, others suggest framework already being worked on.
Trump is warning the Iranians on the sticking points of Hormuz closure and the Lebanon crisis. He has newly threatened on Sunday to hit Iran again if it can't constrain its proxies, namely Hezbollah, in Lebanon. In parallel, Tehran is demanding that Washington reign in Israel.
Trump warned Iranian officials that closing the Strait of Hormuz would be an existential mistake, reportedly telling Tehran that it "won't have a country" if it attempts to choke off global energy flows, in the segment above. Trump also issued a personal warning to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, saying he "better watch his mouth," while reports indicated the president used unusually blunt language during discussions with Iranian intermediaries over the strategic waterway." 

ZeroHedge

US, Iran, and Pakistan hold direct three-way talks in Islamabad

"The United States and Iran are engaging in a rare face-to-face meeting on Saturday in Pakistan, where mediators are trying to get both sides to resolve their differences to ensure

peace in the Middle East.
The war with Iran halted after a tentative two-week ceasefire was secured on Tuesday. The peace talks in Islamabad are meant to bring about a long-term deal that ends the six-week conflict.
Vice President JD Vance is leading the American delegation in the negotiations alongside Steve Witkoff, special envoy to the Middle East, and Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President Donald Trump." msn

Zelensky Says Ukraine Could 'Lose Key Partner' As He Balks At Trump's Peace Deal

"This morning, Zelensky and Vice President JD Vance discussed the Trump administration's new Ukraine peace plan, marking the highest-level talk on 28-point plan so far, and soon on the heels of this Zelensky issued the following video statement which states in part...
"This is one of the most difficult moments in our history [...] Currently, the pressure on Ukraine is one of the hardest. Ukraine may now face a very difficult choice, either losing its dignity or the risk of losing a key partner."

He also said: "I will present arguments, persuade, and propose alternatives, but we will not give the enemy grounds to say that it is Ukraine that does not want peace. That will not happen." And: "We did not betray Ukraine then (on February 24), and we will not betray it now. I know that the people are with me."
The statement is tinged with defiant rhetoric aimed at Washington, especially given he talks of the "risk" of losing a key partner - in reference to the US, which has already sunk tens of billions into the war effort. But the Ukrainian leader also seems somewhat defeated, admitting the "most difficult" moment in the history of the war.
President Trump has said that next Thursday, Thanksgiving Day in the US, is a suitable deadline for the sides to sign the peace agreement. As for the immense pressure from the US Zelensky is talking about, Reuters reports:
"The United States has threatened to cut intelligence sharing and weapons supplies for Ukraine to press it into agreeing to the framework of a U.S.-brokered peace deal, two people familiar with the matter said."
"The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that Kyiv was under greater pressure from Washington than during any previous peace discussions, and that the U.S. wanted Ukraine to sign a framework of the deal by next Thursday," the report adds. Trump has also again admitted that Ukraine forces are fast losing ground on the battlefield.
In the meantime, Ukraine is reportedly in discussions with its more hawkish backers in Europe - France, Germany, and the UK - on a counter-proposal which would supplant the US peace plan.
Point number 25 of the 28 stipulates as follows: Ukraine will hold elections in 100 days. This is of course something Zelensky has resisted for years, arguing that martial law under the Ukrainian constitutions allows for the indefinite suspension of national elections.
His term expired in May 2024, but earlier this year he responded to allegations of simply wanting to hold on to power by asserting, "I’m focusing on the survival of our country, and I am doing it really all my term." 

ZeroHedge

Al-Qaeda Leader Urges Followers To Assassinate Trump, Vance, Musk, Rubio, Hegseth Over Gaza War

"The leader of al-Qaeda’s Yemen branch is urging fellow Islamists in the United States to assassinate President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, tech billionaire Elon Musk, and other U.S. leaders, calling them “scum of the earth and its greatest criminals.”
Saad bin Atef al-Awlaki encouraged his followers to assassinate the leaders because they support Israel’s war against Hamas.
Al-Awlaki stressed that it doesn’t matter whether the terrorists are “Arab, American or other descent, what matters is that should be Muslims whose prophet is Muhammed.” He correctly noted that there are roughly 4.5 million Muslims in the United States.

The al Qaeda leader went on to caution his followers hatch their assassination plots in secret.
“Do not consult anyone about killing infidel Americans,” he said, before specifying who should be targeted.
“Go after the scum of the earth and its greatest criminals: This is Trump and his vice president; this is Elon Musk, his advisor; these are his secretary of State and his secretary of Defense,” al-Awlaki said.
As the terrorist said these words, images of Trump (alongside Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America), Vance, Musk (with images of Musk’s business logos), Secretary of State Marco Rubio (with Ash Wednesday ashes on his forehead), and Secretary of State Pete Hegseth flashed across the screen.
Al-Awlaki encouraged his followers in the United States to also “go after their families” and “all those who have any ties or are close to the politicians in the White House.” ZeroHedge

Vance, Ukraine's Zelensky Meet in Rome

"Vice President JD Vance and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky met to discuss the Russo-Ukraine war and ways to end it. President Zelensky took to his official X account after that meeting to strike an optimistic tone as to the results of that meeting."

RedState

VP Vance says war between India and Pakistan will be 'none of our business'

"U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on Thursday that India and Pakistan should de-escalate

tensions, but he added that the U.S. cannot control the nuclear-armed Asian neighbors and a war between them would be "none of our business".
India is an important partner for Washington, which aims to counter China's rising influence, while Pakistan remains a U.S. ally despite its diminished importance after Washington's withdrawal from neighboring Afghanistan in 2021." MS

Vance blasts Zelensky for ‘absurd’ claim

"U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance has accused Vladimir Zelensky of making “absurd” statements, after the Ukrainian leader suggested that Washington is on Russia’s side in the conflict between Moscow and Kiev.

In an interview with CBS News on Sunday, Zelensky claimed that “Russian narratives are prevailing in the U.S.” and that Moscow has “enormous influence” on the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump and its policies.
Responding in a conversation with the UnHerd outlet published on Tuesday, Vance described Zelensky’s remarks as “certainly not productive.”
“I think it is sort of absurd for Zelensky to tell the U.S. government, which is currently keeping his entire government and war effort together, that we are somehow on the side of the Russians,” he stressed.
“If you want to end the conflict, you have to try to understand where both the Russians and the Ukrainians see their strategic objectives,” Vance added." RT

Vice President JD Vance delivers remarks in Greenland

"Vice President JD Vance predicted that Greenland would voluntarily partner with the United States amid talks of acquiring the island. "If the people of Greenland were willing to partner with the United States, and I think that they ultimately will partner with the United States, we could make them much more secure," Vance said. "We could do a lot more protection."
The remarks came during a high-profile visit to the Pituffik Space Base, a U.S. facility on the island's northwest coast, which is otherwise a Danish territory.
Denmark, the vice president argued, hasn't done a good enough job securing Greenland from Russian and Chinese encroachment, leaving it vulnerable and in need of a U.S. takeover.
"What we think is going to happen is that the Greenlanders are going to choose, through self-determination, to become independent of Denmark," Vance said. "And then we're going to have conversations with the people of Greenland from there."
JustTheNews

Zelensky Refuses To Apologize, Angles For Closed-Door Meeting

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Fox News that he does not believe he owes President Trump an apology after a contentious Oval Office meeting, which devolved into a shouting match after the president thought Zelensky was being disrespectful and ungrateful.
Zelensky sat down with Fox News host Bret Baier for a 40-minute, live interview within

hours of the meeting. When asked whether he believed he owed President Trump an apology, the Ukrainian president refused to give a solid answer before eventually saying no.
The Trump Administration, along with congressional leaders, were under the impression that Zelensky was in D.C. to sign a minerals deal and work towards security guarantees. After the meeting got off to a cordial start, tensions boiled over when Zelensky continued to ask for increased military aid despite a hard red line from President Trump.
About halfway through the meeting, Vice President Vance took issue with Zelensky’s tone and asked whether he had ever said “thank you” to the American people. The Ukrainian president then said that the U.S. will “feel pressure” in the near future if they pull funding from the war, at which point President Trump became furious with what he perceived as veiled threats and an ungrateful attitude." TP

Zelensky Jets Off to Britain Early After Oval Office Smackdown From Trump and Vance

"Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky departed from the

United States for Britain on
Saturday, landing in London ahead of talks with European leaders earlier than expected after a dressing down in the Oval Office by President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance." Breitbart

Vance Family Moved to ‘Undisclosed Location’ After Pro-Ukrainian Protesters Disrupt Ski Trip

"Vice President JD Vance and his family were moved to an “undisclosed location” after they were met with pro-Ukrainian protesters outside of a ski resort in Vermont.
Protesters could be seen holding signs at Sugarbush Ski Resort that read “Vance is a traitor. Go ski in Russia,” and “JD Vance is Nazi scum,” according to a post on X.
One skier told the outlet that the protesters were “f***ing morons.” Breitbart

Trump-Zelensky meeting devolves into shouting match after Vance accuses Ukraine leader of being ‘disrespectful’

"What was supposed to be a triumphant White House visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to mark the signing of a mineral rights deal between the United States and Ukraine devolved into an Oval Office shouting match between Zelensky, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance on Friday after the
American vice president began lecturing Zelensky for what he called a lack of open gratitude towards the United States for the aid his country has received to combat Russia’s invading forces.
As reporters watched, the two men spoke about the mineral deal that Zelensky’s government has been discussing with Trump administration officials for several weeks, with Trump saying it was “an honor” to have Zelensky at the White House — his first visit to Washington since the change of administration — and describing the work to reach a deal as “very hard” while saying it was going “very well.”
But the conversation took a turn after roughly 30 minutes of questions from reporters as the subject turned to whether the agreement between the U.S. and Ukraine would include any security guarantees from the American side.
When Trump was asked by a reporter from Polish radio about concerns that he is “aligned” with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump replied that he was “not aligned with anybody” save for “the United States of America, and for the good of the world.”
He also accused Zelensky of harboring “tremendous hatred” for Putin and said that made it harder to “make a deal” to end the war.
Vance asserting a forceful stance on diplomacy. “I’m talking about the kind of diplomacy that’s going to end the destruction of your country,” he declared, cutting off Zelensky’s attempt to interject. When Zelensky tried to respond, Vance admonished him sharply: “Mr. President, Mr. President, with respect, I think it’s disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media.”
“Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems,” he said. “You should be thanking the president for trying to bring it into this conference.” Zelensky fired back, questioning Vance’s firsthand knowledge: “Have you ever been to Ukraine that you say what problems we have?”
The vice president, undeterred, pressed his point. “I have been to Ukraine once. I have actually,” he replied. “I’ve actually watched and seen the stories. And I know what happens — you bring people, you bring them on a propaganda tour.”
He then challenged Zelensky directly: “Mr. President, do you disagree that you’ve had problems bringing people into your military? And do you think that it’s respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country?”
Zelensky, visibly exasperated, responded, “A lot of questions. Let’s start from the beginning.”
As the exchange unfolded, Trump joined the fray, which amplified the tension. When Zelensky suggested that the U.S. might not yet feel the war’s impact, saying, “First of all, during the war, everybody has problems, even you. But you have nice ocean and don’t feel now, but you will feel it in the future. God bless,” Trump snapped, “You don’t know that.”
Zelensky’s repeated “God bless” did little to calm the president, who shot back, “Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. We’re trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel.”
Zelensky warned, “You will feel influence,” which prompted Trump to double down.
Trump’s intensity grew as he accused Zelensky of reckless leadership. “You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people,” he charged. “You’re gambling with World War III.” Moments later, he reiterated, “You’re gambling with World War III. And what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country, far more than a lot of people said they should have.”
Vance circled back to a theme of ingratitude, pointedly asking, “Have you said thank you once?” Zelensky insisted he had, replying, “A lot of times. Even today. Even today.”
Vance wasn’t satisfied.
“You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October," Vance pointed out. "Offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who’s trying to save your country.”
In a statement posted to Truth Social, Trump said: “I have determined that President Zelensky is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.” MS

Thin-skinned German minister melts down over Vance's speech

"If Germany's socialist defense minister made anything clear, it's that Vance's criticisms cut deep.
Vice President
JD Vance minced no words in his Friday address at the Munich Security Conference in Germany, putting various European nations on blast for their heavy-handed suppression of political movements and ideas unfavorable to their respective ruling classes; for their dismissal of citizens' concerns and common sense; for their routine attacks on religious liberties; and for their ruinous mass migration policies.
"The threat that I worry the most about vis-a-vis Europe is not Russia. It's not China. It's not any other external actor," said Vance. "What I worry about is the threat from within."
Vance's speech clearly struck a chord, prompting German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, a member of the Social Democratic Party, to spend some of his time onstage refuting the suggestion that democracy and free speech are on the decline in his and other European nations.
"I had a speech I prepared today," said the German socialist. "It was supposed to be about security in Europe. But I cannot start in the way I originally intended."
"This democracy was called into question by the U.S. vice president," continued Pistorius. "

He speaks of the annulment of democracy, and, if I understood him correctly, he compares the condition of Europe with the condition that prevails in some authoritarian regimes. Ladies and gentlemen, this is not acceptable."Pistorius staked his claim on shaky ground.
Alternative for Germany is a right-leaning populist party founded in 2013 by free-market economists keen to strengthen German sovereignty and enraged by the European Union's bailout of Greece and other debtor nations. It has since also taken aim at mass migration, open borders, climate alarmism, Islamization, and gender ideology.
While Pistorius suggested that democracy is strong in Germany and the country's political establishment protects the rights of those who disagree with it, German authorities have worked feverishly to ban, vilify, disarm, de-bank, and criminalize the party. In certain German states, such as Saxony and Thuringia, the AFD has been classified as a "right-wing extremist" group.
Marie-Thérèse Kaiser, a member of the popular Alternative for Germany party, was convicted of a "hate crime" in May for sharing statistics about the disproportionate number of gang rapes committed by immigrants.
Evidently panicked over the alliance of the AFD and the Christian Democratic Union party on immigration, 124 parliamentarians introduced a motion urging an investigation into whether the platforming of certain voices in the German democracy is unconstitutional." Blaze

Zelensky urgently calls on Europe to form army after US walks back on commitment

"Europe needs to form a united military front against Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned.
His urgent call comes after several European and US leaders met in Munich on Friday for a security conference to address the Russia-Ukraine war, which has entered its third year.
Zelensky said US Vice President JD Vance made clear that Ukraine will get less support from its greatest ally moving forward after spending more $183 billion on aid in the war, according to Congress's Ukraine Oversight Committee." DailyExpress

Donald Trump and JD Vance Sworn in as President and Vice President

"President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance took their oaths of office Monday at high noon, marking the start of Trump’s second
administration.
U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath to Trump.
Just a moment earlier, Justice Brett Kavanaugh swore in Vance while Second Lady Usha Vance held his great-grandmother’s Bible, which his Mamaw gave him."
Breitbart

Trump Envoy Swayed Netanyahu More In One Meeting Than Biden Did All Year On Gaza Peace

"Even Israeli media is very clearly attributing achievement of the Gaza ceasefire deal to President-elect Donald Trump and his team. President Biden too at one point in an afternoon press conference hailing the deal acknowledged that he spoke as 'one team' with Trump on the Gaza deal. According to The Times of Israel:
"A "tense" weekend meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and incoming Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff led to a breakthrough in the hostage negotiations, with the top aide to US President-elect Donald Trump doing more to sway the premier in a single sit-down than outgoing President Joe Biden did all year, two Arab officials told The Times of Israel on Tuesday.

Witkoff has been in Doha for the past week to take part in the hostage negotiations, as mediators try to secure a deal before Trump’s January 20 inauguration. On Saturday, Witkoff flew to Israel for a meeting with Netanyahu at the premier’s Jerusalem office.
During the meeting, Witkoff urged Netanyahu to accept key compromises necessary for an agreement, the two Arab officials on Monday told The Times of Israel on condition of anonymity. Neither Witkoff nor Netanyahu’s office responded to requests for comment."
As expected, Biden disagrees with this assessment...Still there are reports of intensified Israeli bombing in parts of Gaza, merely hours before the deal is expected to go into effect, which will see the release of hostages and an exchange for many dozens of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Meanwhile, Nassim Taleb makes a great point, stating on X that
"...with Kamala there is a near-certainty of more wars coupled with a lot of bull about "peace" initiatives. With Trump (rather, Trump-Vance) there is a possibility of peace coupled with loud saber rattling." ZH

Vance reveals Trump’s plan for Ukraine

"Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has a concrete proposal to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, his running mate, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, has claimed. To end the war, “you need somebody that first of all people are terrified of,” Vance told former US Navy SEAL and CIA contractor Shawn Ryan, in a podcast interview. “You need to be worried that if Donald Trump – or God forbid, Kamala Harris – says something, that they actually mean it. But you believe it with Donald Trump, you don’t believe that with Kamala Harris. That’s deterrence.” RT

Trump's campaign blames Iran for hacking internal communications ahead of elections

"Trump campaign claims its internal communications were hacked by Iranian government-linked actors, raising concerns over foreign interference in the US Presidential Elections 2024. This announcement followed a report by Politico, which disclosed that it had been receiving emails from an anonymous source since July. The emails allegedly contained authentic

documents from within Trump’s campaign, including a report on potential vulnerabilities of his running mate, JD Vance. “These documents were obtained illegally from foreign sources hostile to the US, intended to interfere with the 2024 election and sow chaos throughout our democratic process,” stated Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung.
It is pertinent to note that the Trump campaign's statement referenced a recently released report by Microsoft researchers, which claimed that hackers linked to the Iranian government had attempted to breach the account of a "high-ranking official" in a US presidential campaign in June. According to the report, the hackers first compromised the account of a former political advisor and then used it to target the official. Specific details about the targets' identities were not disclosed." IndiaTv

Biden Quit After Dems Threatened to Invoke 25th Amendment

"Top Democrats threatened President Joe Biden with the 25th Amendment to force him out of office if he did not voluntarily step aside, sources told the New York Post on Monday.
Democrats leveraged a coup against Joe Biden, many Republicans including Republican vice-presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) recently speculated. “There’s a constitutional process, the 25th Amendment,” Vance told Fox News." Breitbart

Chinese State Media Condemn JD Vance for His ‘Aversion to Economic Globalization’

"The Chinese state newspaper Global Times described Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) on Thursday as possessing a “clear inward or insular tendency” that concerns Chinese “experts,” as well as an “aversion of economic globalization” that runs afoul of Chinese Communist Party orthodoxy." Breitbart