My take 5 (Edition 49) The week that was in international affairs: Trump's ‘U-turn' on Putin; Estonia conducts HIMARS drill
Welcome back to another edition of My Take 5, your weekly round-up of top international news. This week we are covering Trump's possible U-turn on Putin, Estonia and the Baltics get ready with HIMARS, EU unveils its 18th sanctions package, Israel attacks Syria, turmoil in Bangladesh, and a bonus about the singing chief rabbi of Ukraine:
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NDTV
4 minutes ago
- NDTV
"It's Ethnic Cleansing": Syria's Druze To NDTV As Violence Escalates
In Syria's southern province of Al-Suwayda, the Druze community is facing what its members have described as an "ethnic cleansing campaign" amidst a rapidly deteriorating security situation that has claimed the lives of hundreds over the past week. Reports of targeted killings, forced religious humiliations, and sectarian clashes are emerging from a region that has seen continual tensions following the fall of Bashar al-Assad. "This is not a conflict anymore, this is extermination," Majd Al-Shaer, a 21-year-old Druze man, told NDTV. "They are humiliating our elderly, killing our women and children. This is a campaign to wipe us out. An ethnic cleansing campaign is taking place against the Druze." In Al-Suwayda, a cycle of tit-for-tat detentions between Sunni and Druze civilians escalated quickly. It began with the beating and robbery of a Druze vegetable vendor by Sunni men, spiralling into violence across the region. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group, reported that more than 940 people had been killed in Suwayda province in the past week. The dead include 326 Druze fighters, 262 Druze civilians (165 of whom were summarily executed), 312 government security personnel, and 21 Sunni Bedouins - including three civilians allegedly executed by Druze gunmen. "It started when a group of Sunnis detained a Druze vegetable driver, beat him, and stole his car and money. Then a group of Druze detained a group of Sunnis, and vice versa. Then the Sunnis began to provoke the Druze by insulting the prisoners, which sparked the war, and the government and Sunnis from all over Syria began to attack the Druze," Al-Shaer told NDTV. Sectarian Fault Lines The Druze -- a religious and ethnic minority with distinct beliefs rooted in Islamic, Greek and other philosophical traditions -- are concentrated primarily in Suwayda and the mountainous Jabal al-Druze region. While the group maintained an uneasy relationship with the Syrian state under Assad, they had been largely spared from targeted violence during the country's civil war. That changed this month. Despite reports of a ceasefire agreement last night, brokered by the Syrian Government in Damascus, major clashes between Druze-majority militias and the Bedouin/tribal militias are continuing in and around Suwayda in Southern Syria. Forces from the Syrian Defense and Interior… — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) July 19, 2025 Following the collapse of Assad's regime in December 2024 and the rise of interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa -- a former terrorist known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani -- Suwayda has become a flashpoint. Al-Sharaa's past leadership of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a terror group, has heightened fears among Syria's minorities. The Druze, in particular, see him as a threat. "Al-Sharaa is seen as a terrorist by the Druze," Al-Shaer NDTV. "His government is now participating in attacks on us." Targeted Attacks Druze civilians have reported a series of deliberate acts intended to insult their identity. One common practice, according to multiple eyewitnesses and videos shared on social media, has involved the forced shaving of elderly Druze men's moustaches. "It's not just killing," Al-Shaer said. "They shave our moustaches to humiliate us. They record it on camera." Such acts, he said, are part of a campaign of degradation aimed at "erasing the Druze" from Syria. Videos circulating online also depict public executions. In one particular video, Druze men are being lined up on a street and then fired at using machine guns. Suwayda Military Council NDTV had reported back in March when armed Druze factions in Suwayda declared the formation of the Suwayda Military Council. The coalition, led by Tareq al-Shoufi, comprised various local self-defence units and sought to coordinate protection for civilians and prevent incursions by government forces or Islamist factions. The council says its objectives include the protection of public property, the restoration of regional stability, and the promotion of a secular Syrian state. In public statements, it has called for integration into a new national army based on democratic principles. "The situation during Assad's rule was bad economically, but these attacks had never happened before," Al-Shaer told NDTV. However, the council has not received universal support from the Druze community. Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri, the spiritual leader of Syria's Druze, condemned the council as a separatist group. Israeli and US Involvement As reports of mass killings, executions, and sectarian abuses mounted, Israel launched airstrikes against Syrian government positions in Suwayda and Damascus. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cited the need to protect Druze civilians as justification. "We demand the full demilitarisation of southern Syria. We will not tolerate any threat to the Druze community in southern Syria." Israel's actions drew criticism from Damascus. Syrian President al-Sharaa, in a televised address on Saturday, denounced the Israeli strikes as interference. Yet just hours later, a US-brokered ceasefire was announced by Tom Barrack, Washington's envoy to Turkey and Syria. According to Mr Barrack, the ceasefire agreement was reached in coordination with Turkey, Jordan, and Israel. "We call upon Druze, Bedouins and Sunnis to put down their weapons and, together with other minorities, build a new and united Syrian identity," he said. Al-Sharaa confirmed the ceasefire in his own address, stating that the Syrian state remained committed to protecting minorities, though he appeared to shift blame for the violence onto Druze militias. In response to the violence, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called for an immediate end to the violence. "The US has remained heavily involved over the last three days with Israel, Jordan and authorities in Damascus on the horrifying & dangerous developments in southern Syria. The rape and slaughter of innocent people which has and is still occurring, must end," Mr Rubio said in a statement. "If authorities in Damascus want to preserve any chance of achieving a unified, inclusive and peaceful Syria free of ISIS and of Iranian control they must help end this calamity by using their security forces to prevent ISIS and any other violent jihadists from entering the area and carrying out massacres. And they must hold accountable and bring to justice anyone guilty of atrocities including those in their own ranks. Furthermore the fighting between Druze and Bedouin groups inside the perimeter must also stop immediately," he said. On Friday, Israeli officials confirmed they had allowed limited Syrian troop deployments into Suwayda for 48 hours under the terms of the ceasefire. The Syrian interior ministry claimed the area had been "cleared of Bedouin tribal fighters" by Saturday evening. Still, reports of mortar attacks and looting continued to emerge. The UN estimates that over 87,000 people have been displaced from Suwayda in recent days. For many within the Druze community, the events of the past week have confirmed long-standing fears of ethnic cleansing.
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First Post
4 minutes ago
- First Post
Did money or politics cause Colbert cancellation? Either way, the economics are tough for TV
As recently as 2018, broadcast networks took in an estimated $439 million in advertising revenue for its late-night programs, according to the advertising firm Guidelines read more CBS says its decision to end Stephen Colbert's late-night comedy show is financial, not political. Yet even with the ample skepticism about that explanation, there's no denying the economics were not working in Colbert's favor. The network's bombshell announcement late Thursday that the 'Late Show' will end next May takes away President Donald Trump's most prominent TV critic and the most popular entertainment program in its genre. The television industry's declining economic health means similar hard calls are already being made with personalities and programming, with others to be faced in the future. For the late-night genre, there are unique factors to consider. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As recently as 2018, broadcast networks took in an estimated $439 million in advertising revenue for its late-night programs, according to the advertising firm Guidelines. Last year, that number dwindled to $220 million. Once a draw for young men, now they've turned away Late-night TV was a particular draw for young men, considered the hardest-to-get and most valuable demographic for advertisers. Increasingly, these viewers are turning to streaming services, either to watch something else entirely or catch highlights of the late-night shows, which are more difficult for the networks to monetize. More broadly, the much-predicted takeover of viewers by streaming services is coming to pass. The Nielsen company reported that during the last two months, for the first time ever, more people consumed programming on services like YouTube and Netflix than on ABC, CBS and NBC or any cable network. Networks and streamers spent roughly $70 billion on entertainment shows and $30 billion for sports rights last year, said Brian Wieser, CEO of Madison & Wall, an advertising consultant and data services firm. Live sports is the most dependable magnet for viewers and costs for its rights are expected to increase 8% a year over the next decade. With television viewership declining in general, it's clear where savings will have to come from. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Wieser said he does not know whether Colbert's show is profitable or not for CBS and parent company Paramount Global, but he knows the direction in which it is headed. 'The economics of television are weak,' he said. In a statement announcing the cancellation, George Cheeks, Paramount Global's president and chief executive officer, said that 'This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night. It is not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.' Cheeks' problem is that not everyone believes him. Colbert is a relentless critic of Trump, and earlier this week pointedly criticized Paramount's decision to settle Trump's lawsuit against CBS over a '60 Minutes' interview with Kamala Harris. He called Paramount's $16 million payment to Trump a 'big fat bribe,' since the company is seeking the administration's approval of its merger with Skydance Media. On Friday, the Writers Guild of America called for an investigation by New York's attorney general into whether Colbert's cancellation is itself a bribe, 'sacrificing free speech to curry favor with the Trump administration as the company looks for merger approval.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD CBS' decision made this a pivotal week for the future of television and radio programming. Congress stripped federal funding for PBS and NPR, threatening the future of shows on those outlets. Journey Gunderson, executive director of the National Comedy Center, called the decision to end Colbert's show the end of an era. 'Late-night television has historically been one of comedy's most audience-accessible platforms — a place where commentary meets community, night after night,' Gunderson said. 'This isn't just the end of a show. It's the quiet removal of one of the few remaining platforms for daily comedic commentary. Trump, who has called in the past for CBS to terminate Colbert's contract, celebrated the show's upcoming demise. 'I absolutely love that Colbert got fired,' the president wrote on Truth Social. 'His talent was even less than his ratings.' Some experts questioned whether CBS could have explored other ways to save money on Colbert. NBC, for example, has cut costs by eliminating the band on Seth Meyers' late-night show and curtailing Jimmy Fallon's 'Tonight' show to four nights a week. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Could CBS have saved more money by cutting off the show immediately, instead of letting it run until next May, which sets up an awkward 'lame duck' period? Then again, Colbert will keep working until his contract runs out; CBS would have had to keep paying him anyway. CBS recently cancelled the 'After Midnight' show that ran after Colbert. But the network had signaled earlier this year that it was prepared to continue that show until host Taylor Tomlinson decided that she wanted to leave, noted Bill Carter, author of 'The Late Shift.'
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First Post
34 minutes ago
- First Post
White House mulls inspection of Federal Reserve HQ as Trump vs Powell feud intensifies
The White House budget director, Russell Vought, told reporters that the administration wanted to have an on-site inspection of the Fed's troubled $2.5bn building renovations amid a feud between US President Donald Trump and Fed Chair Jerome Powell read more US President Donald Trump announces Jerome Powell as his nominee to become chairman of the US Federal Reserve in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, US, November 2, 2017. File Image/Reuters As the feud between US President Donald Trump and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell intensifies, reports are emerging that the White House is pushing for an inspection of the US Federal Reserve headquarters in Washington, DC. The move is coming at a time when Trump has suggested that the American central bank has mismanaged funds for building renovations. Ever since coming back to the White House, Trump has been pressuring Powell to quit, demanding that he and other officials lower the interest rates. Meanwhile, Powell has argued that lowering the rates prematurely could increase inflation since Trump tariffs have already contributed significantly to raising the prices of goods. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In response to the Fed Chair's resistance, Trump has threatened to fire Powell multiple times, with Powell stating that he will serve the post until his term ends. On Friday, Trump went on to float the idea of firing Powell to House Republicans. 'I don't rule out anything, but I think it's highly unlikely unless he has to leave for fraud," the president said at the dinner with Republican senators. Why is the White House interested in searching the Federal Reserve headquarters? On Thursday, the White House budget director, Russell Vought, told reporters that the administration wanted to have an on-site inspection of the Fed's troubled $2.5bn building renovations. 'I think the president was pretty clear yesterday: he's unlikely to fire the chairman, but he has substantial concerns about how he's managed the Fed,' Vought averred. However, firing the Federal Reserve Chair would not be an easy task. The Supreme Court in the spring went out of its way to say that, while Trump can fire certain officials, like those on national labour boards, the Fed is different. 'The Federal Reserve is a uniquely structured, quasi-private entity that follows in the distinct historical tradition of the First and Second Banks of the United States,' the court said in May. If Trump went ahead and fired Powell, he might have to undergo a complicated battle with the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, Wall Street is also not taking Trump's ambition to fire Powell very well. 'The independence of the Fed is absolutely critical,' the JPMorgan Chase CEO, Jamie Dimon, said on Tuesday. 'Not just for the current Fed chairman, who I respect, but for the next Fed chairman.' It is pertinent to note that Powell's term is set to end in May 2026, but Trump appears to be hopeful that recent renovations at the Fed make Powell an easier target. According to The Guardian, renovations were initially slated to cost $1.9bn after it was budgeted in 2019, but costs have risen to $2.5bn. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Fed argued that the renovations cover two buildings that have 'not been comprehensively renovated since their construction in the 1930s'. On Wednesday, Trump said that 'there may be fraud involved with the $2.5bn'. Trump also said that Powell was a ' terrible Fed chair' and that he 'was surprised he was appointed'. Interestingly, it was Trump who appointed Powell to the job in 2018. Former US President Joe Biden eventually extended his term in 2022.
