INTERNACIONAL
Trump says Democrats have ‘blood on their hands’ after deadly Charlotte train stabbing
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President Donald Trump said that «blood is on the hands of the Democrats» after the brutal stabbing of a Ukrainian refugee in Charlotte, North Carolina, who was attacked and killed on a light rail train by a man with a lengthy criminal history last month.
Social media exploded over the weekend after surveillance footage, released by the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS), showed 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska boarding a Lynx Blue line last month before a man pulled out a knife and began stabbing Zarutska three times, including at least once in the neck.
«The blood of this innocent woman can literally be seen dripping from the killer’s knife, and now her blood is on the hands of the Democrats who refuse to put bad people in jail, including Former Disgraced Governor and ‘Wannabe Senator’ Roy Cooper,» Trump said on Truth Social. «North Carolina, and every State, needs LAW AND ORDER, and only Republicans will deliver it! Additionally, where is the outrage from the Mainstream Media on this horrible tragedy? VOTE FOR MICHAEL WHATLEY FOR UNITED STATES SENATE, HE WON’T LET THIS HAPPEN AGAIN!»
GOFUNDME PULLS FUNDRAISERS FOR FELON ACCUSED OF KILLING COMMUTER IN RANDOM CHARLOTTE TRAIN ATTACK
Suspect in the motion of stabbing the victim aboard the train next to a photo of President Donald Trump. (NewsNation via Charlotte Area Transit System; AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Earlier in the day, the White House posted reaction from Trump on X.com, saying, «The perpetrator was a well known career criminal, who had been previously arrested and released on CASHLESS BAIL in January, a total of 14 TIMES. What the hell was he doing riding the train, and walking the streets? Criminals like this need to be LOCKED UP.»
The suspect, identified as 34-year-old Decarlos Brown, was arrested shortly after the stabbing and hospitalized before being arrested on a charge of first-degree murder. Records obtained by The New York Post showed that Brown has a history of arrests going back more than a decade, including charges of felony larceny, robbery with a dangerous weapon and communicating threats. Police said Brown did not know Zarutska and the attack was random.
By taking aim at the Democratic former Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina, Trump directly injected the tragedy into the center of the upcoming U.S. senate race in North Carolina, slated for next year. Cooper and Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley are the two major front-runners.
On Monday, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) echoed Trump’s argument, insisting Cooper’s policies «kept violent criminals like this on the streets instead of in jail where they belong.»
RNC Chair Michael Whatley announces his run for Senator for North Carolina on July 31st, 2025.
Meanwhile, Whatley said in a X post on Monday that «a vote for Roy Cooper is a vote for more crime, more violence, more criminals.»
REPUBLICAN WANTS JUDGES HELD ACCOUNTABLE IF THEY RELEASE REPEAT VIOLENT CRIMINALS WHO STRIKE AGAIN
He followed up later in the day after Trump’s Truth Social post, adding that the president was «spot on» with his assessment of Democrats.
«My far-left opponent Roy Cooper’s spineless, soft-on-crime policies have unleashed predators like Decarlos Brown Jr. and countless other violent thugs who unleash hell on innocent people because they know they’ll face no real justice,» Whatley said.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Cooper campaign for comment, but did not immediately receive a response. The former governor announced his run at the end of July in a video posted to social media.
A Fox News analysis of Cooper’s social media did not uncover any posts about the incident. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s social media does not appear to have any comments on the matter, either.
Former Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, who, last month, threw his hat in the ring for the U.S. Senate.
North Carolina’s Gov. Josh Stein, a Democrat, was slammed over the weekend, when the video of the stabbing was first released, for not speaking out earlier. He finally commented on the matter Monday morning.
«I am heartbroken for the family of Iryna Zarutska, who lost their loved one to this senseless act of violence, and I am appalled by the footage of her murder. We need more cops on the beat to keep people safe,» Stein posted on X.
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«That’s why my budget calls for more funding to hire more well-trained police officers. I call upon the legislature to pass my law enforcement recruitment and retention package to address vacancies in our state and local agencies so they can stop these horrific crimes and hold violent criminals accountable.»
During a tour of the Museum of the Bible in the nation’s capital on Monday, Trump weighed in on the event once again after the video of the attack surfaced over the weekend.
«We’re all people of religion, but there are evil people,» Trump said. «And we have to confront that.»
Fox News’ Andrew Mark Miller and Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.
crime world,donald trump,north carolina,democrats elections,elections,politics
INTERNACIONAL
Iran war, 11 days in: US controls skies, oil surges and the region braces for what’s next
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One week into the war with Iran, U.S. officials say American and Israeli forces are moving toward «complete control» of Iranian airspace — clearing the way for deeper strikes, a broader target list and a conflict that appears to be expanding rather than winding down.
In briefings this week, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine described what they called near-uncontested airspace over key corridors, a shift that allows sustained bombing operations deep inside Iran.
«We are winning with an overwhelming and unrelenting focus on our objectives,» Hegseth said in a press briefing Tuesday morning.
AFTER THE STRIKES, HOW WOULD THE US SECURE IRAN’S ENRICHED URANIUM?
Caine said U.S. forces have now struck more than 5,000 targets in the first 10 days of operations, including dozens of deeply buried missile launchers hit with 2,000-pound penetrating bombs.
The message from Washington is one of overwhelming military advantage.
But the broader picture, rising oil prices, expanding drone warfare, strikes on energy and civilian infrastructure, and regional spillover touching NATO territory, suggests a conflict that is growing in scope even as U.S. officials project confidence in its trajectory.
Leadership hardens in Tehran
Amid the intensifying conflict, Iran’s Assembly of Experts has selected Mojtaba Khamenei — son of the recently deceased Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — as the country’s new supreme leader, consolidating authority within the clerical establishment and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps at a pivotal moment.
The succession, only the second since the 1979 revolution, signals continuity rather than recalibration in Iran’s posture. Mojtaba Khamenei had long been viewed as a potential successor and is closely aligned with hard-line factions inside Iran’s security apparatus.
President Donald Trump criticized the selection, saying the leadership change would not alter U.S. objectives and suggesting it reflects the same entrenched power structure Washington has sought to weaken. The administration has made clear that military operations will continue regardless of who occupies the supreme leader’s office.
Rather than opening a diplomatic off-ramp, the transition appears to reinforce the likelihood of a prolonged confrontation.
‘Uncontested airspace’
Hegseth said Tuesday that the U.S. and Israel had achieved «total air dominance» over Iran and were «winning decisively with brutal efficiency.»
«That doesn’t mean they won’t be able to project,» Hegseth said. «It doesn’t mean our air defenders still don’t have to defend. They do. But that is strong evidence of degradation.»
«Most of their higher-end surface-to-air missile systems are not factors at this point in time,» Caine said.
«Fighters are moving deeper with relative impunity,» he added, noting there is «always some risk.»
One week into the war with Iran, U.S. officials say American and Israeli forces are moving toward «complete control» of Iranian airspace. ( Sasan / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images)
Adm. Brad Cooper, head of the U.S. military’s Central Command, also reported that Iranian ballistic missile launches had dropped by roughly 90% from the opening days of the conflict, while drone attacks had fallen by more than 80%, attributing the decline to sustained strikes on launchers and infrastructure.
Still, officials have cautioned that air superiority does not mean every threat can be stopped. Iranian missiles and drones continue to be launched, and some have required interception across the region.
A shift in munitions and message
Hegseth said the campaign is transitioning from expensive standoff weapons like Tomahawk cruise missiles to 500-, 1,000- and 2,000-pound precision gravity bombs — a shift he said reflects confidence that Iranian surface-to-air missile systems have been suppressed in key areas.
He described the U.S. stockpile of such bombs as «nearly unlimited» and warned that Washington’s timeline «is ours and ours alone to control.»
The emphasis on gravity bombs is more than rhetorical. It signals a move toward sustained, high-tempo operations designed not only to hit active threats but to degrade Iran’s ability to regenerate its missile force.
US SIGNALS READINESS TO ESCORT TANKERS THROUGH HORMUZ AS TRAFFIC THINS, BUT NO MISSION HAS BEEN LAUNCHED
Drones redefine the fight
Even as missile launches decline, unmanned systems remain central to the war.
Iran has leaned heavily on drones — including Shahed-style loitering munitions — to strike energy facilities, pressure U.S. bases and disrupt shipping near the Strait of Hormuz. Compared to ballistic missiles, drones are cheaper and easier to deploy in volume, allowing Tehran to sustain pressure despite losses elsewhere.
In response, the United States has deployed a Ukraine-tested counter-drone interceptor system to the region. Ukrainian specialists, drawing on experience defending against Iranian-designed drones used in the Russia-Ukraine war, are assisting in strengthening base protection.
The drone fight underscores a key dynamic: while U.S. forces may dominate the skies, lower-cost unmanned systems can still impose risk and strain air defenses.
Energy at risk
The Strait of Hormuz — through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil and major liquefied natural gas shipments transit — has become one of the most consequential flashpoints of the war.
Drone attacks and Iranian threats sharply have reduced commercial traffic, driving up insurance costs and forcing some vessels to reroute. Oil prices have climbed above $100 per barrel amid fears that disruptions could persist.
Israeli strikes on Iranian oil facilities, and Iran’s retaliatory targeting of regional energy infrastructure, signal that energy assets are now active targets. Reports of strikes affecting water and desalination plants further suggest the war is expanding beyond strictly military sites.
Iran’s Assembly of Experts has selected Mojtaba Khamenei — son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — as the country’s new supreme leader. (Photo by Reza B / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images)
If instability in Hormuz stretches for weeks, analysts warn, global energy markets could tighten quickly, translating into higher gasoline prices and renewed inflation pressure in the United States.
Trump warned Monday that Iran will be hit «20 times harder» than it already has if it threatens ships in the Strait.
NATO proximity and regional backlash
The war has edged closer to NATO territory. Two Iranian ballistic missiles were intercepted near Turkish airspace, raising the risk of broader alliance involvement.
Iran has also struck Azerbaijan, drawing sharp condemnation from Baku and angering Turkey, Azerbaijan’s closest ally. Notably, Iran has not seen a unified regional bloc mobilize in its defense, highlighting its relative diplomatic isolation even as it escalates militarily.
Industrial mobilization
Despite Hegseth’s assertion that certain offensive munitions are plentiful, sustaining air and missile defense operations is resource-intensive, and inventories of high-end interceptors were already under strain before the conflict began.
Iran has attempted to degrade radar systems tied to platforms such as THAAD and Patriot batteries. (Reuters/U.S. Army/Capt. Adan Cazarez)
Iran has attempted to degrade radar systems tied to platforms such as THAAD and Patriot batteries. While U.S. commanders say launch rates have declined sharply, interceptors are expensive and produced in limited quantities.
Trump convened major defense contractors last week to press for accelerated production of interceptors and related systems. Expanding output could require congressional funding if the campaign continues at its current pace.
The battlefield now extends beyond launch sites and into supply chains.
Rising casualties
The Pentagon has confirmed seven U.S. service members have been killed and eight seriously injured in Iranian strikes.
In Iran, the U.S. claims over 50 top Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, have been taken out. Iran claims more than 1,000 people have been killed in the strikes and approximately 175 people, including many schoolchildren, were killed in an attack on a girls’ elementary school in Minab.
No group has claimed responsibility, and investigations are ongoing.
The incident has intensified scrutiny over civilian protection as the conflict widens.
No quick off-ramp
A little more than one week in, the trajectory points toward expansion rather than containment.
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U.S. officials project confidence in air dominance and sustained strike capacity. Iranian leadership has consolidated under a hard-line successor. Energy markets are volatile. Drone warfare continues to test defenses. The conflict has brushed NATO territory and struck civilian infrastructure.
The central question is how far the conflict will spread, and whether military momentum can outpace the economic and geopolitical costs mounting across the region.
war with iran,iran,conflicts defense,middle east foreign policy,energy
INTERNACIONAL
Con la designación de Mojtaba Jamenei, Irán endurece el régimen y profundiza la confrontación con EE.UU.
La designación de Mojtaba Jamenei como nuevo líder supremo de Irán profundizó el control de las fuerzas más conservadoras y el avance de la Guardia Revolucionaria (CGRI) en el poder político y militar del gobierno de los ayatollah en plena guerra de Medio Oriente.
El mensaje es claro: el “régimen teocrático” se endurece aún más en abierto desafío a los Estados Unidos e Israel y deja una clara advertencia a cualquier atisbo de protesta popular.
Leé también: Medio Oriente: Trump intenta minimizar el impacto económico, pero escala la tensión por el precio del petróleo
“Todo apunta a que la Guardia Revolucionaria ejerce el poder político y militar. El presidente Masoud Pezeshkian quedó relegado a figura simbólica», dijo a TN el analista internacional Federico Gaón, especializado en temas de Medio Oriente.
Según el experto, “Mojtaba Jamenei ejercía de enlace entre la oficina del ayatollah y el CGRI desde antes de la muerte de su padre”, Ali Jamenei, asesinado el 28 de febrero en el inicio de la guerra.
“Con Mojtaba al mando, la Guardia Revolucionaria quiere mostrar unidad y cerrar filas en pos de preservar la supervivencia del régimen”, advirtió.
La Guardia Revolucionaria acumula poder
La Guardia Revolucionaria, también conocida como Pasadarán, fue creada tras el triunfo de la Revolución Islámica en 1979. Su objetivo principal es salvaguardar el gobierno de amenazas internas y externas.
Se estima que cuenta con 150.000 efectivos entre fuerzas terrestres, navales y aéreas. Bajo su mando está la milicia voluntaria conocida como Basiji, utilizada para contener protestas y a la oposición. Además, tiene a su cargo a la fuerza Quds, el cuerpo de elite encargado de las operaciones en el exterior y nexo con los grupos proxy proiraníes como Hezbollah, Hamas o los hutíes yemeníes.
El humo se levanta en Teherán tras un ataque estadounidense-israelí (Foto: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS)
Es, en la práctica, un ejército paralelo.
La Guardia Revolucionaria, según fuentes citadas por Irán Internacional, un medio especializado en noticias iraníes con base en Londres, presionó por la designación de Mojtaba Jamenei, a pesar de que la tradición chiíta rechaza la sucesión dinástica.
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De esa manera, este cuerpo militar de élite se convirtió virtualmente en el nuevo y monopólico gran poder político y militar del país, en un escenario complejo que deja muchísimas dudas en el terreno.
“La eliminación sistemática de los escalafones más altos del régimen por parte de los Estados Unidos e Israel va a dificultar el proceso de toma y ejecución de decisiones”, dijo Gaón.
Para el analista, “en este momento lo más probable es que distintas unidades de la Guardia Revolucionaria estén actuando de forma independiente o descentralizada, cual organización terrorista. Tienen más de 30 unidades o comandos que operan de forma independiente, decidiendo cómo continuar la guerra y qué hacer para mantener el orden interno”, añadió.
Amenazas de represión interna: “Orden de disparar a matar”
Salar Abnoush, un comandante de la Guardia Revolucionaria, citado por The Media Line, un portal estadounidense especializado en Medio Oriente, advirtió que cualquier iraní que salga a las calles a protestar será atacado bajo “orden de disparar a matar”.
Según el reporte, numerosos iraníes lanzan “espontáneamente” distintas consignas contra el gobierno desde sus casas y en la oscuridad de la noche. Pero nadie se anima a protestar en las calles, como en las masivas movilizaciones de diciembre y enero que dejaron miles de muertos.
Leé también: Los kurdos quieren combatir a los ayatollah: contactos con la CIA y el riesgo de una guerra civil en Irán
Según el reporte, las fuerzas Basiji desplegaron armas pesadas y vehículos blindados en lugares clave de Teherán listas para reprimir a manifestantes.
Un mensaje de SMS al que tuvo acceso el portal y distribuido entre la población de Karaj, a 40 kilómetros de Teherán, alertó sobre eventuales protestas. “Cualquier disturbio callejero será tratado como cooperación con el enemigo”, indicó.
Las unidades de la Guardia Revolucionaria y de los Basiji se reposicionaron en estadios, complejos deportivos, escuelas y mezquitas después de que sus cuarteles fueron blanco de los ataques estadounidenses e israelíes. El nuevo líder supremo de Irán, Mojtaba Jamenei, que sucede a su padre, el ayatollah, Alí Jamenei, que murió en el inicio de los ataques de Estados Unidos e Israel. (Foto: EFE – Mehr)
Más confrontación y línea dura
La designación de Mojtaba Jamenei y el aumento del poder de la Guardia Nacional son un claro mensaje de que el gobierno de los ayatollah eligió la confrontación total con Estados Unidos e Israel.
Es el triunfo de la línea dura del poder central.
“El mundo extrañará la era de su padre”, dijo a Reuters un funcionario iraní. “Mojtaba no tendrá más remedio que mostrar un puño de hierro. Incluso si el conflicto termina, habrá una severa represión interna”, advirtió.
En ese escenario, Irán no piensa cesar la guerra. «Mojtaba es aún peor y más de línea dura que su padre”, dijo Alan Eyre, exdiplomático estadounidense y especialista en Irán, citado por The Israel Times.
El mensaje es inequívoco: la Revolución Islámica está dispuesta a todo para preservar el poder.
Irán, Israel, Donald Trump
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