Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says he’s “cautiously optimistic” by the end of Operation Metro Surge, as announced by border czar Tom Homan Thursday morning. Th…
Month: February 2026
Streaming now at https://abc7chicago.com/watch/live/11064984/.
The Trump administration said Thursday it is ending its immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.Speaking at a news conference in the city, border czar Tom Homan…
US consolidates engagement with Azerbaijan and Armenia in Vance’s historic visit to South Caucasus | Euronews euronews.com/2026/02/11/us-c…
— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Feb 12, 2026
The Trump administration says it is ending its immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. “I have proposed and President Trump has concurred that this surge opera…
Vance’s South Caucasus Trip Tightens The West’s Strategic Encirclement Of Russia – Voice of East voiceofeast.net/2026/02/11/v…
— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Feb 12, 2026
Why Vance’s South Caucasus trip matters | Washington Times washingtontimes.com/news/202…
— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Feb 12, 2026
#CIA
Gemini Report: #Vance‘s #SouthCaucasus Deals gemini.google.com/share/3eb2…Vice President JD Vance’s tour through the South Caucasus this week (February 9–11, 2026) marks a significant “planting of the flag” for U.S. interests in a region traditionally dominated by Russian influence. As the first-ever sitting U.S. Vice President to visit Armenia, Vance brought a portfolio focused on hard infrastructure and high-tech defense.
+1
The TRIPP Corridor: The Economic Centerpiece
The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) is the crown jewel of the visit. It is a proposed 27-mile (43 km) road and rail corridor through southern Armenia designed to link mainland Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave.
Management: A U.S.-led consortium, the TRIPP Development Company (TDC), will construct and manage the route.
Ownership: The U.S. will hold a 74% controlling stake for the first 49 years.
Strategic Aim: By creating a transit artery that bypasses both Russia and Iran, the U.S. aims to secure a direct link for Central Asian critical minerals and energy to reach Western markets via Turkey.Military & Tech: Drones and Vessels
The visit included specific defense “deliverables” that signal a shift in regional security dependencies.
Armenia’s Drones: Vance confirmed an $11 million sale of Shield AI’s V-BAT unmanned aerial systems. These are vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drones used for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). This is a landmark first for U.S. defense sales to Yerevan, which is actively pivoting away from Russian military hardware.+1
Azerbaijan’s Naval Boost: In Baku, Vance announced the U.S. would provide coastal defense vessels to help Azerbaijan protect its Caspian Sea territorial waters, specifically citing potential threats from Russia and Iran.
AI Supercomputing: A second phase for a U.S.-led AI supercomputer project in Armenia (Firebird) was also greenlit, involving the delivery of 41,000 NVIDIA GB300 GPUs.Energy & Nuclear Sovereignty
A massive $9 billion framework was established to overhaul Armenia’s energy sector.
The 123 Agreement: Vance and Prime Minister Pashinyan signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement. This paves the way for U.S. companies to replace the aging Soviet-era Metsamor nuclear plant with Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).+1
Strategic Partnership: In Azerbaijan, a new Charter on Strategic Partnership was signed, focusing on aerospace, digital infrastructure, and AI development.The “Genocide” Snafu: The visit wasn’t without its diplomatic turbulence. Vance’s official X account briefly posted a tribute to victims of the “1915 Armenian genocide” during his visit to the Tsitsernakaberd memorial. The post was quickly deleted—likely to avoid a rift with Turkey or Azerbaijan—but the “screenshot is forever” nature of social media ensured it remained a talking point throughout the trip.
Would you like me to dive deeper into the technical specifications of the V-BAT drones or the financial structure of the TRIPP consortium?
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google.com/search?num=10&new…— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Feb 12, 2026
FBI agents scouring the area outside of Nancy Guthrie’s home found a black glove. The glove has been submitted for DNA analysis.
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x.com/mikenov/status/2021925…Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) #News #Today: #Gemini Report thenewsandtimes.blogspot.com…
– Bondi’s Combative Testimony
– Netanyahu has officially joined the Board of Peace (BoP)
– Stock futures are pointing toward a higher open today
– Global oil prices rose this morning (Brent crude near $70)
– Extortion breaches surged 63% in 2025.— https://x.com/mikenov/status/2021925885880795484— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Feb 12, 2026