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Time of India
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Vladimir Putin could end up dead like Hitler, and his days are numbered, says ex-US intelligence officer
President of Russia Vladimir Putin 's days could be numbered as an expert reveals details which indicate that it could lead to his downfall, as per a report. According to former US Army intelligence officer David H. Carstens , the Russian president's deepening failures in Ukraine, mounting casualties, and inner circle tensions could ultimately lead to a dramatic downfall similar to Adolf Hitler 's, as per The Sun. Ex-US Intelligence Officer Warns Russian Leader Carstens, who spent over three decades in military intelligence, revealed that Putin has four glaring vulnerabilities, which could see him face the same fate as Hitler, according to the report. Speaking out about the direction of the war, Carstens warned that 2025 could be Russia's deadliest year yet, both on the battlefield and politically, as per The Sun. The Four Key Risks Facing Vladimir Putin The ex-intelligence officer pointed out these 4 weaknesses that could lead to Putin's demise: by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Rugby: Repossessed Motorhomes Can Save You Big! (Look) Topicsift Learn More Undo Carstens said, "2025 could be the costliest year of the war for Russia in terms of casualties, look, troops are not a limitless resource. So that's, shall we say, risk number one for Putin," quoted The Sun. He then said, "Number two is despite Russia's ability to suffer, the fact that the economy is very fragile," adding, "If there is some sort of an economic shock, like a massive drop in fuel prices or the loss of a strategic trade partner, I think the system could destabilize," as quoted in the report. Live Events ALSO READ: From cocaine to a slap, Emmanuel Macron is in the news for all the wrong reasons as netizens seize the opportunity to troll him The former officer highlighted that, "Risk or threat to Putin number three is that Putin depends on this very small inner circle," adding, "His security services, the FSB, his oligarchs, some loyalist military commanders," quoted The Sun. He also explained that, "If there are continued war failures, if there is, you know, continued use of soldiers, you know, en masse, rushing Ukrainian defenses, creating these high casualty events, lack of confidence will rise, and this could fracture the inner circle," as quoted in the report. Carstens said, "I've got to reach into history for the threat to Putin number four. I just don't think Putin has read his history when it comes to overreach," emphasising that "Russia is incredibly overextended in Ukraine. And it is this exact same type of overreach that ultimately defeated Hitler in his conquest of Europe," quoted The Sun. He also added, "So I think Putin has fallen into the same demise, is getting mired down in a conflict he cannot sustain, and that as well is part of his Achilles' heel," as quoted in the report. FAQs Is Vladimir Putin really at risk of losing power? According to expert David Carstens, yes, and there are multiple factors like war fatigue, economic instability, and cracks in his inner circle that could threaten his position. How is Putin's situation similar to Hitler's? Carstens believes Putin has overreached in Ukraine, just as Hitler did in Europe, a move that could end in defeat and collapse.
Scottish Sun
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Putin will end up dead like Hitler…I know tyrant's devastating Achilles' Heel, says ex-US intelligence officer
Military experts believe more than 230,000 Russian troops have been killed since Putin unleashed his illegal war VLAD'S FINAL DAYS Putin will end up dead like Hitler…I know tyrant's devastating Achilles' Heel, says ex-US intelligence officer VLADIMIR Putin has four glaring vulnerabilities that could ultimately lead to his downfall, an ex-military intelligence officer has revealed. Security expert David H. Carstens also told how the tyrant's "Achilles' heel" is putting Russia on track to have the highest number of casualties this year since the war started. 8 Vladimir Putin pictured at the Kremlin this week Credit: Getty 8 Russia tanks being wiped out by Ukrainian forces 8 Ukrainian forces walk past a decimated vehicle in the Kharkiv region 8 He even claimed his weaknesses could see him face the same grisly fate as Adolf Hitler. 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 staggering losses on the battlefield. More than 10,000 tanks, 22,000 armored vehicles, 26,000 artillery systems, and over 700 aircrafts 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. Carstens, who served in the US Army for more than 30 years, said Putin is ploughing on with the conflict despite this as he "feels no real pressure" to strike a peace deal. He told The Sun: "Russia believes it is negotiating from a position of strength. And this is strange because Russia has had some staggering losses in the last four months. "The Ministry of Defense from the United Kingdom has estimated 160,000 casualties from Russia in the first four months of 2025. "So this would be – well, this would put Russia on track to have the highest number of casualties this year than in any other year since the war started. Putin visits Kursk just 35 miles from Ukraine for first time since recapturing territory with waves of suicide missions "But Russia is continuing to press on. Putin is feeling no real pressure to come to the negotiating table. "We just saw this. And quite frankly, I believe Putin is feeling emboldened by the lack of long-term US commitment to Ukraine. "And what he sees are some cracks in the European Union's outlook on Ukraine." Carstens, who managed the army's first intelligence operations in Afghanistan in 2001 and 2002, said 2025 is on course to be the deadliest year of the war for Putin. He believes the dictator has four crucial vulnerabilities that could see his demise. The ex-commander said: "2025 could be the costliest year of the war for Russia in terms of casualties, look, troops are not a limitless resource. So that's, shall we say, risk number one for Putin. "Number two is despite Russia's ability to suffer, the fact that the economy is very fragile. "If there is some sort of an economic shock, like a massive drop in fuel prices or the loss of a strategic trade partner, I think the system could destabilize. 8 Could Putin end up alone in a bunker like Hitler? Credit: Getty - Contributor 'Vatican could host peace talks' by Jerome Starkey, Defence Editor DONALD Trump says the Vatican could host Ukraine peace talks after a two-hour phone call with Vladimir Putin. Trump called Kyiv and the Kremlin last week to pressure them into a ceasefire. The US President and Russia's leader spoke for more than two hours in a chat Putin described as 'frank and very useful'. Afterwards Mad Vlad told state media: 'A ceasefire in Ukraine for a certain period of time is possible if appropriate agreements are reached.' Volodymyr Zelensky spoke with Trump by phone beforehand for 'a few minutes'. Trump later insisted the Vatican could host negotiations. He posted on his Truth Social platform after his Putin call: 'I believe it went very well. "Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a ceasefire. "The Vatican, as represented by the Pope, has stated it would be very interested in hosting negotiations.' READ MORE HERE "Risk or threat to Putin number three is that Putin depends on this very small inner circle. "His security services, the FSB, his oligarchs, some loyalist military commanders. "If there are continued war failures, if there is, you know, continued use of soldiers, you know, en masse, rushing Ukrainian defenses, creating these high casualty events, lack of confidence will rise, and this could fracture the inner circle." Carstens warned Putin could face the same fall from power as Hitler and end up dead like the Nazi dictator. "I've got to reach into history for the threat to Putin number four. I just don't think Putin has read his history when it comes to overreach," he added. "So Russia is incredibly overextended in Ukraine. "And it is this exact same type of overreach that ultimately defeated Hitler in his conquest of Europe. "So I think Putin has fallen into the same demise, is getting mired down in a conflict he cannot sustain, and that as well is part of his Achilles' heel." 8 The burnt carcass of a Russian tank 8 Russian rockets continue to fly as peace talks grind on But Carstens argued that "nobody knows how to suffer better than Russia", and expects Europe and the US to impose more crippling sanctions if Moscow doesn't sign a ceasefire agreement. He said: "After three years of war, the Russian GDP is about 10 to 12 per cent below pre-invasion trends. "Personal disposable income is 20 to 25 per cent below where it would have been without the conflict. "And when you combine the rate of inflation with the domestic interest rates in Russia, which are about 20 per cent, as well as all the other factors, loss of foreign exchange reserve, bankruptcies on the rise in domestic businesses, drop in real estate prices, increasing difficulties with interbank transactions - Russia's economy looks extremely weak. "The problem is that Russia is still getting money through the back door, and the back door is Asia. "Quite frankly, China makes much of what Russia needs, and they can buy much of what Russia sells. So China has effectively stopped the bleeding that the sanctions were imposed to cause. "Kazakhstan is an example. Kazakhstan ships hundreds of millions of US dollars of electronic hardware to Russia. So there's another pipeline."
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
NASA next-gen control room experiment at KSC aims to make sure humans work at their best
Imagine monitoring a robot working more than 200,000 miles away on the lunar surface — a stressful job, and one that requires operators to be on the ball at all times while in small control room for hours on end. For a future robotic moon mission known as IPEx, the goal is to get the design of this small control room right, and enable operators to be alert and at their best. Right at Kennedy Space Center, a Florida Tech professor and her team are exploring what is called the next generation control room. Debbie Carstens is the director of Human Factors: Aeronautics, Safety, Sociability, Interfaces, Stress & Training (HF ASSIST) Lab at Florida Tech, and after having worked at Kennedy Space Center years ago, she's back on familiar grounds. For these mock up tests of the control room, operators will be watching and controlling the rover, which is located in a dust bin — a sandbox like mockup of the lunar surface — inside Kennedy Space Center. Meanwhile, a simulation operator can see what the rover is doing and what is going on in the control room. The simulation operator monitors how the team handles difficult situations and if there are factors which impede performance. The mission may be an experiment now, but it will not be for long. The purpose of this investigation is looking into what factors will be most impactful for what's called the Next Generation In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) Pilot Excavator (IPEx) Control Room final design. Simply put, the control room will be for used for the NASA IPEx mission, which is a robotic mission that will dig and carry regolith on the lunar surface, searching for resources for future human and robotic missions. IPEx is expected to travel to the moon by the end of the decade. Therefore, there is a need to get the control room design right before the mission flies to the moon. Operator performance is critical to mission success, and the right environment can make or break the mission. "Of course humans work best when they're most engaged," said Carstens. She explained the need to keep everyone vigilant in downtime because even when everything is going well, a situation could arise. For example, out of nowhere the rover could easily get stuck and the team would have to problem solve to free it. When is the next Florida launch? Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral So what factors go into making the control room more effective for human performance? The control room itself is 588 sq ft., which is approximately the size of a studio apartment. The simulated mission studies last five days, but will be much longer once the mission is flying. And the employees will be working demanding 13-hour shifts, five days a week. The team will rotate on breaks every two hours, to keep their minds sharp. "They rotate every two hours. It's all for safety," said Carstens. "We want to optimize human performance, human safety, and efficiency." Carstens knows the need to get the design right, even down to where the employees can take a break. The rest area has something known as balance zones, where the team can get in quick exercise to relieve workday stress. There is also a food area, with a vending machine which offers healthy options, and a water dispenser. The IPEx control room at NASA Kennedy Space Center. When is the next Florida launch? Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral As for mission monitoring, it's the little things, such as font size, menu navigation, color usage, and even where someone sits, which factor into optimizing productivity. Carstens explained that color usage can optimize focus. And the computer screens aim for the the cleanest layout possible, meaning no useless files or icons. What does a next generation NASA control room look like? As for room layout, there are four 75-inch main screens in the front of the room. However, everyone in the room has a different task, making it tricky. What is projected on these main screens might be critical to someone but not others. "What is one person's clutter, may be one person's information — but at the same time we don't want it like a garage sale," said Carstens. To solve this, displays are able to send alerts before information is pulled up on the screen. Each operator has their own desk and monitor, with the room consisting of two rows of desks. Each desk has its own lighting, which is great for adaptability in a primarily dark room. Carstens compared it to an air traffic control room. Little natural light comes in as blinds cover the windows. Carstens explained that desks are close to each other, and while one would think that would be distracting, it actually proved to be good for problem solving when the rover is not behaving as planned. "They really liked it, because they were able to so easily brainstorm," she said. There are also white boards where operators can walk over and jot down their ideas. One issue still in the works is room temperature, as it is very difficult to meet everyone's exact temperature preference. Carstens explains that its similar with any household or even riding in a car with others. It's hard to make everyone feel comfortable all the time. As for keeping everyone up to speed, shifts overlap twice: one hour in the beginning and one hour at the end so information can be shared. "They are making sure that critical information gets passed on to the next team member. So that way they can, by overlapping, get the next person up to speed," said Carstens. Until the mission flies, the room will see continuous improvement based on what's learned. And others are learning from the mock mission already, even visiting to get ideas and make suggestions. "We want everything to go as smooth as possible," said Carstens. Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@ or on X: @brookeofstars. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: NASA, Florida Tech experiment with moon mission next-gen control room
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Is Fresh Del Monte Produce (FDP) the Best Farmland and Agriculture Stock to Buy Now?
We recently published a list of . In this article, we are going to take a look at where Fresh Del Monte Produce (NYSE:FDP) stands against other best farmland and agriculture stocks to buy now. At the beginning of March, the White House announced the imposition of 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada and additional 10% tariffs on China. While President Trump granted a one-month tariff delay for automakers and paused the same for certain Mexican and Canadian goods until April 2, he announced in an interview with Fox News that tariffs 'could go up' with time. Since tariffs on Chinese goods weren't a part of the exemptions, China imposed retaliatory tariffs on the US, particularly targeting US agricultural goods. Specifically, a 10% tariff was imposed on American soybeans, while corn was hit with an additional 15% charge. CNBC reported that China is prepared to fight 'any type of war' with the United States. The news channel reported that the Chinese Embassy in the US reported in a post on X: 'If war is what the U.S. wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war, or any other type of war, we're ready to fight till the end.' A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson also labeled the American fentanyl-related explanation for imposing tariffs a 'flimsy excuse.' READ ALSO: and . On March 4, Landus Cooperative CEO, Matt Carstens, appeared on CNBC's 'The Exchange' to talk about how tariffs could potentially slash the prices of various agricultural products and discuss the long-term benefits of these tariffs on agricultural markets. He said that a significant need to find markets exists for American farmers. Corn makes up about 20% of any given year that the US exports to other countries, while soybean reaches up to as much as 50% of America's production going to other markets. This creates an interesting dynamic that puts considerable pressure on the ongoing circumstances. Carstens was of the view that the American farmers hopefully understand that the government is playing the long game here and working on something that would hopefully be significantly profitable for America in the long run. That translates to opportunities for farmers to get the most for commodities, something that they need to a great extent at the present. However, in the short term, we have to deal with these changes in the market. In other words, Carstens said that the scenario could benefit consumers because the US is flooded with the said agricultural product. Since it is comparatively more expensive to export these products, American consumers get cheaper soybeans and corn, but the farmers potentially lose their export business. There is, thus, a balance that comes into play. The market will certainly see price decreases as export slows and supply increases. However, the farmers are dealing with prices that continue to escalate amid other costs. We sifted through stock screeners, financial media reports, and ETFs to compile a list of 30 farmland and agriculture stocks and chose the top 14 most popular stocks among hedge funds. The list is ordered in ascending order of the number of hedge funds as of fiscal Q4 2024. We sourced the hedge fund sentiment data from Insider Monkey's database. Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter's strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (). A close-up of freshly picked bananas in a basket, surrounded by a lush tropical forest. Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 18 Fresh Del Monte Produce (NYSE:FDP) produces and distributes fresh fruit and vegetable products. Its operations are divided into the following segments: Fresh and Value-added products, Bananas, and Other Products and Services. In addition to selling various kinds of fruits and vegetables, the Fresh and Value-added products segment also produces juices, prepared snacks and meals, and other beverages. The company successfully shifted its operations from a net loss in 2023 to a $142.2 million net income in 2024. This shift was driven by focusing on high-margin items such as avocados and pineapples, strategic operational improvements, and disciplined cost management. Fresh Del Monte Produce (NYSE:FDP) also generated strong cash flow, reaching $129 million, along with a notable 39% reduction in long-term debt to $244 million. One of the primary drivers of Fresh Del Monte Produce's (NYSE:FDP) growth strategy is its focus on value-added products and specialty ingredients, which is boosting profitability. It recently signed a licensing agreement with The Nunes Company, further bolstering its product portfolio and positioning the company for long-term expansion. It ranks 14th on our list of the best farmland and agriculture stocks to buy now. Investors are bullish on the stock due to its strategic operations, and its median price target of $30.94 implies an upside of 22.83% from current levels. Overall, FDP ranks 14th on our list of best farmland and agriculture stocks to buy now. While we acknowledge the potential of FDP, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than FDP but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the . READ NEXT: and . Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at . Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why Calavo Growers (CVGW) Is Among the Best Farmland and Agriculture Stocks to Buy Now
We recently published a list of . In this article, we are going to take a look at where Calavo Growers, Inc. (NASDAQ:CVGW) stands against other best farmland and agriculture stocks to buy now. At the beginning of March, the White House announced the imposition of 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada and additional 10% tariffs on China. While President Trump granted a one-month tariff delay for automakers and paused the same for certain Mexican and Canadian goods until April 2, he announced in an interview with Fox News that tariffs 'could go up' with time. Since tariffs on Chinese goods weren't a part of the exemptions, China imposed retaliatory tariffs on the US, particularly targeting US agricultural goods. Specifically, a 10% tariff was imposed on American soybeans, while corn was hit with an additional 15% charge. CNBC reported that China is prepared to fight 'any type of war' with the United States. The news channel reported that the Chinese Embassy in the US reported in a post on X: 'If war is what the U.S. wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war, or any other type of war, we're ready to fight till the end.' A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson also labeled the American fentanyl-related explanation for imposing tariffs a 'flimsy excuse.' READ ALSO: and . On March 4, Landus Cooperative CEO, Matt Carstens, appeared on CNBC's 'The Exchange' to talk about how tariffs could potentially slash the prices of various agricultural products and discuss the long-term benefits of these tariffs on agricultural markets. He said that a significant need to find markets exists for American farmers. Corn makes up about 20% of any given year that the US exports to other countries, while soybean reaches up to as much as 50% of America's production going to other markets. This creates an interesting dynamic that puts considerable pressure on the ongoing circumstances. Carstens was of the view that the American farmers hopefully understand that the government is playing the long game here and working on something that would hopefully be significantly profitable for America in the long run. That translates to opportunities for farmers to get the most for commodities, something that they need to a great extent at the present. However, in the short term, we have to deal with these changes in the market. In other words, Carstens said that the scenario could benefit consumers because the US is flooded with the said agricultural product. Since it is comparatively more expensive to export these products, American consumers get cheaper soybeans and corn, but the farmers potentially lose their export business. There is, thus, a balance that comes into play. The market will certainly see price decreases as export slows and supply increases. However, the farmers are dealing with prices that continue to escalate amid other costs. We sifted through stock screeners, financial media reports, and ETFs to compile a list of 30 farmland and agriculture stocks and chose the top 14 most popular stocks among hedge funds. The list is ordered in ascending order of the number of hedge funds as of fiscal Q4 2024. We sourced the hedge fund sentiment data from Insider Monkey's database. Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter's strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (). A field of freshly picked avocados, ready to be shipped to customers. Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 22 Calavo Growers, Inc. (NASDAQ:CVGW) markets and distributes fresh and prepared avocados to mass merchandisers, retail grocery, food service, food distributors, wholesalers, and club stores globally. It derives avocados from Mexico, California, and other growing regions from around the globe. The company operates in two segments: Prepared and Grown. The Grown segment comprises fresh avocados, papayas, and tomatoes. The Prepared segment manages guacamole products and avocado pulp sold to food service and retail. Calavo Growers, Inc. (NASDAQ:CVGW) sells its products under the Calavo family of branded and private labels, distributing them domestically and internationally. Calavo Growers, Inc. (NASDAQ:CVGW) reported strong fiscal Q1 2025 results, with revenue reaching $154.39 million. Its results for the quarter reflect the strong fiscal Q1 adjusted net income performance the company has delivered since 2019. The primary growth drivers behind this improvement include Calavo Growers, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:CVGW) strategic focus on operational efficiency and margin improvement. Its segments are also driving growth with continuously positive operations. The Fresh segment reported a 24% growth in sales, while overall net sales rose around 21% year-over-year. In a report released on March 13, Ben Klieve from Lake Street maintained a Buy rating on Calavo Growers, Inc. (NASDAQ:CVGW) and set a price target of $35.00. Overall, CVGW ranks 13th on our list of best farmland and agriculture stocks to buy now. While we acknowledge the potential for CVGW as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than CVGW but trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the . READ NEXT: and . Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at . Sign in to access your portfolio
