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Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
West will have to defeat ENTIRE Axis of Evil if they want to end Putin's reign of terror, warns top US ex-general
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WESTERN nations must change their attitude to Russia and crush the war machine fuelling Vladimir Putin's aggression, an ex-army commander warns. Rogue states such as Iran supply the tyrant with missiles and drones to unleash hell on Ukraine - propping up Russia's "not so great" army, US General Ben Hodges told The Sun. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Vladimir Putin is propped up by his allies Credit: Reuters 7 Russia continues to threaten the West Credit: AFP 7 Putin shaking hands with North Korean tyrant Kim Jong-un Credit: AP Now retired, he told The Sun: "If you want to defeat somebody, you have to knock out whatever it is that keeps the other side in the fight." He warned that if the West fails to take the threat from bloodthirsty Vlad more seriously, Europe will be dealing with war "forever". Russia has continued to rain down misery on Ukraine for more than three years - raising questions over how Moscow hasn't depleted its ammunition stocks. It comes as Putin is hammering Ukraine with almost 1,000 kamikaze drones a missiles each day - overwhelming defence systems. READ MORE ON RUSSIA WAR FEARS UK faces war with Russia within next five years, warns ex head of British Army Dozens of innocents are being injured or killed as apartment buildings are mercilessly bombed and civilians terrorised. Putin ordered his troops over the border in February 2022 and the US military estimated that, without help, Moscow would have run out of firepower by that December. North Korea is widely believed to have supplied Russia with missiles and shells, while Iran has bolstered Putin's stockpile with drones and rockets. China - Moscow's biggest and richest ally - is suspected of equipping Vlad with "dual-use" components, which are used to make weapons. Hodges, who was in charge of American forces in Europe, has urged the West to go after ??????????? He also believes Putin focuses on civilian areas instead of military targets because "the great Russian army and the great Russian air force and the great Russian navy are not so great". Bloodthirsty Putin hits Ukraine with almost 1,000 missiles a DAY as he faces his biggest dilemma yet "I mean they have demonstrated after 11 years they cannot defeat Ukraine," Hodges added. "The only thing they can do is murder innocent people. So that's what they're doing. "Hundreds of drones and missiles and rockets every week, which they get from Iran, North Korea and China, because they can't even produce all that they need anymore. "So I think we know from history that going after the population almost never works. "It didn't work in the Second World War, it didn't work for us against the Vietnamese, it didn't work for us against the Taliban." Putin arrogantly assumed he could sweep in and seize Kyiv in a matter of days after ordering his troops over the border into Ukraine. But more than three years on, the red-faced despot has suffered huge losses on the battlefield. 7 Xi Jinpping attended the Victory Day parade in Moscow Credit: EPA 7 Putin shakes hands with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi Credit: EPA 7 Smoke and fire rise during a Russian strike on Kyiv Credit: Reuters More than 10,000 tanks, 22,000 armoured vehicles, 26,000 artillery systems, and over 700 aircraft have been destroyed, officials estimate. And the casualty numbers are far grimmer. Western officials have revealed that the Russians have sustained more than 900,000 casualties, with 250,000 dead, since Putin unleashed his illegal war. Despite this, the megalomaniac has pushed forward - continuing to throw wave after wave of troops into the meatgrinder. Putin has found his stocks of weapons backfilled by his allies - such as receiving drones from Iran. And meanwhile, Kim has sent tens of thousands of troops to Russia to serve alongside Vlad's men. A small number of Chinese troops have also allegedly been found serving in Ukraine. But Beijing has strongly denied accusations from Ukraine that they supplying Putin with weapons. Russia now is planning to try and unleash 1,000 drones per day on Ukraine as the war marches on - much to the fury of the US. 7 Hodges warned Western nations must instead focus on eliminating the threat from Axis of Evil countries - ultimately diminishing Putin's capabilities. The former military chief said it could see Europe grappling with endless bloodshed if not. He said: "Europe should be more serious and try to crush them, crush that regime, use all of our economic tools and also help Ukraine be successful to defeat Russia. "The only way Russia ever changes is after defeat. And if they're not defeated, then after Putin will be another Putin. "So we're going to be dealing with this forever unless we get serious about defending everything that we say is important. "And we should quit being so scared of what the Russians might do. The Russians should be worrying what the hell we're going to do." Axis of Evil 'supplying Russia with weapons' Iran Iran last year transferred close-range ballistic missiles to Russia in a move condemned by the UK's government and allies. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: "Iran supplying Russia with ballistic missiles to fuel its illegal invasion of Ukraine is a significant and dangerous escalation." Initial claims of Iranian weapons being sent to Russia emerged in late 2022. US military intelligence at the time indicated Tehran was preparing to supply Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar rockets to Moscow. Russia's defence minister Sergei Shoigu visited Iran in September 2023 - and reviewed Tehran's missile arsenal during the trip. North Korea Kim Jong-un vowed to "support" Putin's "sacred fight" to defend Russia's security interests when the North Korean tyrant visited Moscow in 2023 He vowed the two countries would "be together in the fight against imperialism". North Korea has been accused of supplying missiles and shells to Moscow. In April, Volodymyr Zelensky said a missile that killed 12 people in Kyiv had been manufactured in North Korea. The US has imposed sanctions on several entities accused of being linked to arms deals between the two states. Pyongyang has previously denied having any "arms dealings" with Russia. China China has been accused of supplying crucial materials and equipment to at least 20 Russian military factories. Oleh Ivashchenko, head of Kyiv's foreign intelligence service, said in April: "There is information that China supplies tooling machines, special chemical products, gunpowder, and components specifically to defence manufacturing industries. "We have confirmed data on 20 Russian factories." Nato leaders jointly accused Beijing of being a "critical enabler" of Russia by providing "massive support to its defence industry". They claimed China sends "dual-use" components to Moscow such as computer chips that can be used to make weapons. Beijing has denied supplying Russia. Hodges predicts Putin, 72, will stay at the helm of the Kremlin for at least another decade - only taking into account his health. But at some point, the oligarchs around him - who lost enormous fortunes through war sanctions - could snap and force him out, Hodges said. He said: "From a health standpoint, Putin's around for another ten years. "Usually dictators don't have a retirement plan because there are so many people that want to kill them. So that's why they stay in power until the very end. "So I think we should assume he's going to be there, if it's just health, for at least another ten years. "But if enough people finally got mad about how he was ruining Russia's economic standing, that would be different."
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
West will have to defeat ENTIRE Axis of Evil if they want to end Putin's reign of terror, warns top US ex-general
WESTERN nations must change their attitude to Russia and crush the war machine fuelling Vladimir Putin's aggression, an ex-army commander warns. Rogue states such as army , US General Ben Hodges told The Sun. Advertisement 7 Vladimir Putin is propped up by his allies Credit: Reuters 7 Russia continues to threaten the West Credit: AFP 7 Putin shaking hands with North Korean tyrant Kim Jong-un Credit: AP Now retired, he told The Sun: "If you want to defeat somebody, you have to knock out whatever it is that keeps the other side in the fight." He warned that if the West fails to take the threat from bloodthirsty Vlad more seriously, Europe will be dealing with war "forever". Russia has continued to rain down misery on Ukraine for more than three years - raising questions over how Moscow hasn't depleted its ammunition stocks. It comes as Putin is hammering Ukraine with almost 1,000 kamikaze drones a missiles each day - overwhelming defence systems. Advertisement READ MORE ON RUSSIA Dozens of innocents are being injured or killed as apartment buildings are mercilessly bombed and civilians terrorised. Putin ordered his troops over the border in February 2022 and the US military estimated that, without help, Moscow would have run out of firepower by that December. North Korea is widely believed to have supplied Russia with missiles and shells, while Iran has bolstered Putin's stockpile with drones and rockets. China - Moscow's biggest and richest ally - is suspected of equipping Vlad with "dual-use" components, which are used to make weapons. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Exclusive Hodges, who was in charge of American forces in Europe , has urged the West to go after ??????????? He also believes Putin focuses on civilian areas instead of military targets because "the great Russian army and the great Russian air force and the great Russian navy are not so great". Bloodthirsty Putin hits Ukraine with almost 1,000 missiles a DAY as he faces his biggest dilemma yet "I mean they have demonstrated after 11 years they cannot defeat Ukraine ," Hodges added. "The only thing they can do is murder innocent people. So that's what they're doing. Advertisement "Hundreds of drones and missiles and rockets every week, which they get from Iran , North Korea and China , because they can't even produce all that they need anymore. "So I think we know from history that going after the population almost never works. "It didn't work in the Second World War, it didn't work for us against the Vietnamese, it didn't work for us against the Taliban." Putin arrogantly assumed he could sweep in and seize Kyiv in a matter of days after ordering his troops over the border into Ukraine. Advertisement But more than three years on, the red-faced despot has suffered huge losses on the battlefield . 7 Xi Jinpping attended the Victory Day parade in Moscow Credit: EPA 7 Putin shakes hands with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi Credit: EPA 7 Smoke and fire rise during a Russian strike on Kyiv Credit: Reuters Advertisement More than 10,000 tanks, 22,000 armoured vehicles, 26,000 artillery systems, and over 700 aircraft have been destroyed, officials estimate. And the casualty numbers are far grimmer. Western officials have revealed that the Russians have sustained more than 900,000 casualties, with 250,000 dead, since Putin unleashed his illegal war. Despite this, the megalomaniac has pushed forward - continuing to throw wave after wave of troops into the meatgrinder. Advertisement Putin has found his stocks of weapons backfilled by his allies - such as receiving drones from Iran. And meanwhile, Kim has sent tens of thousands of troops to Russia to serve alongside Vlad's men. A small number of Chinese troops have also allegedly been found serving in Ukraine . But Beijing has strongly denied accusations from Ukraine that they supplying Putin with weapons. Advertisement Russia now is planning to try and unleash 1,000 drones per day on Ukraine as the war marches on - much to the fury of the US. 7 Hodges warned Western nations must instead focus on eliminating the threat from Axis of Evil countries - ultimately diminishing Putin's capabilities. The former military chief said it could see Europe grappling with endless bloodshed if not. Advertisement He said: "Europe should be more serious and try to crush them, crush that regime, use all of our economic tools and also help Ukraine be successful to defeat Russia . "The only way Russia ever changes is after defeat. And if they're not defeated, then after Putin will be another Putin. "So we're going to be dealing with this forever unless we get serious about defending everything that we say is important. "And we should quit being so scared of what the Russians might do. The Russians should be worrying what the hell we're going to do." Advertisement Axis of Evil 'supplying Russia with weapons' Iran Iran last year transferred close-range ballistic missiles to Russia in a move condemned by the UK's government and allies. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: "Iran supplying Russia with ballistic missiles to fuel its illegal invasion of Ukraine is a significant and dangerous escalation." Initial claims of Iranian weapons being sent to Russia emerged in late 2022. US military intelligence at the time indicated Tehran was preparing to supply Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar rockets to Moscow. Russia's defence minister Sergei Shoigu visited Iran in September 2023 - and reviewed Tehran's missile arsenal during the trip. North Korea Kim Jong-un vowed to "support" Putin's "sacred fight" to defend Russia's security interests when the North Korean tyrant visited Moscow in 2023 He vowed the two countries would "be together in the fight against imperialism". North Korea has been accused of supplying missiles and shells to Moscow. In April, Volodymyr Zelensky said a missile that killed 12 people in Kyiv had been manufactured in North Korea. The US has imposed sanctions on several entities accused of being linked to arms deals between the two states. Pyongyang has previously denied having any "arms dealings" with Russia. China China has been accused of supplying crucial materials and equipment to at least 20 Russian military factories. Oleh Ivashchenko, head of Kyiv's foreign intelligence service, said in April: "There is information that China supplies tooling machines, special chemical products, gunpowder, and components specifically to defence manufacturing industries. "We have confirmed data on 20 Russian factories." Nato leaders jointly accused Beijing of being a "critical enabler" of Russia by providing "massive support to its defence industry". They claimed China sends "dual-use" components to Moscow such as computer chips that can be used to make weapons. Beijing has denied supplying Russia. Hodges predicts Putin, 72, will stay at the helm of the Kremlin for at least another decade - only taking into account his health . But at some point, the oligarchs around him - who lost enormous fortunes through war sanctions - could snap and force him out, Hodges said. He said: "From a health standpoint, Putin's around for another ten years. "Usually dictators don't have a retirement plan because there are so many people that want to kill them. So that's why they stay in power until the very end. Advertisement "So I think we should assume he's going to be there, if it's just health , for at least another ten years. "But if enough people finally got mad about how he was ruining Russia's economic standing, that would be different." Putin 'plotting attack on Europe' by Katie Davis, Chief Foreign Reporter (Digital) VLADIMIR Putin could be plotting to exploit the crisis in the Middle East to launch an attack on Europe, a Ukrainian government insider has warned. The cunning tyrant may even attempt to mimic Ukraine's elaborate Spiderweb operation that blitzed strategic targets inside Russia. A Ukrainian source told The Sun: "The West should be prepared that the Spiderweb operation may be reconfigured and deployed by Russia as a hybrid attack on any Nato Eastern flank nation. "That would be the major Article 5 test that the Alliance has not experienced yet." Humiliated Putin was left reeling after Ukraine's spectacular raid that - after 18 months of planning - inflicted billions of pounds worth of damage, leaving his bomber fleet in tatters. Daring agents smuggled drones and explosives deep inside the sprawling country before unleashing a coordinated assault on June 1. More than 100 drones were hidden in trucks across Russia before being deployed to five air bases - thousands of kilometres from the Ukrainian border. At least 41 of Putin's prized aircraft were wrecked in the attack - including Tu-95, Tu-22M3, and Tu-160 bombers and A-50 spy planes. Delivering such a decisive blow has left Ukraine's enemy scrambling. But a Ukrainian government insider has warned it would also have left Putin's cronies eager to learn from the clandestine operation - and look to mimic it. The source said it could spell disaster if Vlad uses it as a blueprint to launch an attack on a European country.
Straits Times
20-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Moscow promises to closely monitor foreign businesses that return to Russia
Russia's President Vladimir Putin applauds during a plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 20, 2025. REUTERS/Anton Vaganov Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto, Russia's President Vladimir Putin, Bahrain's National Security Advisor Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and South Africa's Deputy President Paul Mashatile attend a plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg, Russia, June 20, 2025. Sputnik/Vyacheslav Prokofyev/Pool via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. ST PETERSBURG, Russia - Russia's Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov, who has led the state's efforts to seize property worth 2.4 trillion roubles ($31 billion), on Friday said foreign companies that return to the country would be watched closely to ensure Russia benefited. Moscow has placed around a dozen foreign-owned assets under state management in the more than three years that Russia has been fighting in Ukraine and prosecutors have stepped up the seizure of domestic assets through the courts this year. Now, as the economy begins to slow after two years of growth fuelled by high military spending, Russian officials are trying to find the balance between insulating the economy from exposure to Western nations it considers unfriendly and the need for growth to keep funding the conflict in Ukraine. "We will closely follow the government's actions," Krasnov said. "That is, who will come... on what terms they will come." "We will definitely look at making sure that the conditions under which our (Russian) business operates are better (when Western business returns)," Krasnov said. It must be profitable for Russia's own firms, he said. Russia is prioritising domestic companies, some of whom have taken market share vacated by Western firms, such as McDonald's and Unilever, that have left since Russia launched the conflict in Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin on Friday said the Russian economy could not develop effectively without investment and said Moscow would create conditions to make foreign partners feel comfortable. He said Russian companies should fulfil legally binding buybacks with foreign companies, but stressed that Russia would support measures that benefit its own interests. "If someone left for political reasons, under pressure from their own political elites, their countries, then this means they are unreliable partners," Putin said. WESTERN FIRMS ABSENT Kirill Dmitriev, chief of Russia's sovereign wealth fund, has said that U.S. companies are in talks to return to Russia, although lawyers and investors have told Reuters that sanctions must be lifted before any significant influx can take place. Finance Minister Anton Siluanov told the Izvestia daily on Friday that no foreign companies had yet submitted requests to return. "There are no applications for entry yet, but I feel that the situation is changing and interest in investing in Russia is growing," Siluanov said. The sparse Western presence at Russia's forum suggests otherwise, with some analysts also pointing to concerns about property rights. Two sources from Russia's energy and banking sectors said some companies may be interested in returning as there could be money to be made, but not in the current situation. Assets owned by French yoghurt maker Danone and Danish brewer Carlsberg are among the foreign assets taken under state control and sold to Kremlin-friendly buyers since 2022. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
India Today
13-06-2025
- Health
- India Today
Scared of 13? You're not alone, the truth about triskaidekaphobia
Have you ever noticed that many hotels don't have a 13th floor, or that some people avoid making big plans on the 13th of a month? This isn't a coincidence. It is due to a fear that people can have, which is very widespread, called triskaidekaphobia. This rather odd phobia is an extreme or irrational fear of the number people treat this as just a superstition. For others, it may cause real anxiety or even panic attacks. The fear of 13 is so widespread that it has affected architecture, travel, and some of the most famous habits of people around the IS TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA?Triskaidekaphobia means the fear of the number 13. Many people believe this number brings bad luck. This is why there is no 13th floor in some buildings. They start counting at the first floor, go to the second, and then skip to the 14th. You may not even find house number 13, or a seat number 13, on buses or planes in some places. This fear is not always rational. But for some people, simply seeing the number 13 can induce anxiety, nervousness or discomfort. Scared of 13? You're not alone, the truth about triskaidekaphobia SYMPTOMS OF TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIATriskaidekaphobia, or the fear of the number 13, may not always be considered a medical phobia, but it can produce large and powerful emotional and physical reactions in certain most common symptoms include:Avoidance of the number 13 at all costsFeelings of anxiety or panic when one sees the numberDifficulty concentrating on work, school, or social situationsIn more serious cases, a person experiences sadness, panic, or anxiety attacks, including symptoms of:Chest tightness and/or rapid heartbeatDizziness or lightheadednessPerspiration, shaking, and/or dry mouthNausea, confusion, or shortness of breathFAMOUS PEOPLE WHO FEAR THE NUMBER 13According to Wikipedia, notable people reported to have triskaidekaphobia the fear of the number 13 include:Arnold Schoenberg (composer)Franklin D. Roosevelt (former U.S. President)Sholom Aleichem (writer)Stephen King (author)Nick Yarris (author and speaker)ngel Nieto (motorcycle racer)Herbert Hoover (former U.S. President)Mark Twain (author), though his fear may have been more anecdotal or humorousNapoleon Bonaparte (French military leader)Stephen King is notably open about his intense fear of the number 13, avoiding page numbers or chapters involving 13 in his individuals have shown varying degrees of fear or superstition related to the number 13, ranging from mild avoidance to more severe THE NUMBER 13 IS FEARED IN THE WESTERN CULTURE AND IT'S NOT THE ONLY ONEThe number 13 has been considered unlucky in many places around the world, especially in Western cultures. While we don't know the exact reason, one possibility comes from the Bible, where 13 were gathered at Jesus' last supper, the night before he was 13 gained a "bad luck" reputation, and when word got around, it became ingrained in our consciousness as something suspicious or even ominous. This superstition has spread to the point that many airlines go so far as to skip row 13, hotels choose not to have a 13th floor, and some cities even omit 13th Street from their layout. After the infamous Apollo 13 incident, space agencies became so frightened of the number that they stopped using it belief in and even fear of the number 13 is not always a phobia. A true phobia, a condition like triskaidekaphobia, is an anxiety disorder that can be diagnosed. But most people who avoid or fear the number 13 do so either through superstition or belief, and certainly not with the same intensity as someone with a serious not all reluctance towards the number 13 is indicative of a phobia. A true phobia, like triskaidekaphobia, is a very real and diagnosable anxiety disorder. Most people merely have superstitions or avoid it out of habit or belief, not real not just the number 13 that people avoid. In some Asian cultures, the number 4 is avoided because it is pronounced similar to the word for "death" in several local languages. A 2001 study even discovered that heart-related deaths in Chinese and Japanese Americans increased on the 4th day of the month. Researchers proposed that cultural stress associated with the number four may or does contribute to these article is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Triskaidekaphobia and other phobias should be evaluated and treated by qualified mental health professionals if they significantly impact a person's Reel
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Douglas Dynamics Announces First Quarter 2025 Earnings Release and Conference Call
MILWAUKEE, April 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Douglas Dynamics, Inc. (NYSE: PLOW), North America's premier manufacturer and upfitter of work truck attachments and equipment, today announced that it will release financial results for the first quarter of 2025 after market close on Monday, May 5, 2025. A conference call will be held to discuss the financial results on Tuesday, May 6, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. Central Time and will be hosted by Mark Van Genderen, President and Chief Executive Officer and Sarah Lauber, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. The conference call will be simulcast live on the Company's website at: Alternatively, please dial (833) 634-5024 domestically, or (412) 902-4205 internationally to join the call. About Douglas Dynamics Home to the most trusted brands in the industry, Douglas Dynamics is North America's premier manufacturer and up-fitter of commercial work truck attachments and equipment. For more than 75 years, the Company has been innovating products that not only enable people to perform their jobs more efficiently and effectively, but also enable businesses to increase profitability. Through its proprietary Douglas Dynamics Management System (DDMS), the Company is committed to continuous improvement aimed at consistently producing the highest quality products, at industry-leading levels of service and delivery that ultimately drive shareholder value. The Douglas Dynamics portfolio of products and services is separated into two segments: First, the Work Truck Attachments segment, which includes commercial snow and ice control equipment sold under the FISHER®, SNOWEX® and WESTERN® brands. Second, the Work Truck Solutions segment, which includes the up-fit of market leading attachments and storage solutions under the HENDERSON® brand, and the DEJANA® brand and its related sub-brands. CONTACT Douglas Dynamics, ElwellVice President of Investor Relations847-530-0249investorrelations@ in to access your portfolio
