The Decline of the American Empire and the Rise of a New Global Order

From fractured alliances to the petroyuan, the world is witnessing a historic shift in power and influence. 

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By Ruzeki | Shadoww News | April 19, 2026 

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What's happening in 2026 
The geopolitical landscape in 2026 is almost unrecognizable compared to just a few years ago. Under Donald Trump’s chaotic regime, the United States is facing an unprecedented level of international isolation and strategic pushback, challenging the very foundations of its decades-long global dominance. 

Key events; from military miscalculations to economic policy shifts, have accelerated a historic reshaping of military, economic, and strategic power. Experts warn that the U.S. has approached a tipping point in its global influence, as rival powers consolidate and assert themselves with unprecedented confidence. 

Fractured Alliances: NATO and Europe Push Back 
Once-solid alliances are showing cracks. NATO and European partners are increasingly distancing themselves from Washington’s unilateral military decisions. Countries like Germany, France, Spain, the U.K and Italy have openly questioned U.S. strategic priorities, particularly in the Middle East and Central America, signaling deep dissatisfaction with Trump’s approach. 

Analysts suggest that this rift may not be temporary, long-term trust has eroded. The implications are profound: the U.S. can no longer assume automatic military or political support from its traditional allies, forcing Washington to reconsider how it projects power globally. Additionally, independent European defense and economic initiatives like engaging with China are accelerating, signaling a gradual move toward strategic shift. 

Middle East Tensions Escalate to Historic Levels 
The Middle East has entered a volatile new phase. An unprovoked U.S.-Israel missile campaign in Iran resulted in the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, top military generals, and hundreds of civilians, including schoolchildren. Iran responded swiftly, targeting U.S. bases and energy infrastructure across Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and the UAE, as well as Israel itself. The strikes have inflicted heavy losses on American forces and allies, raising serious questions about U.S. military supremacy in the region. 

In the aftermath, Gulf nations have begun withdrawing support for U.S. operations, closing bases, and restricting airspace access. This represents a dramatic reversal of decades of strategic partnerships and has left the U.S. with diminished operational freedom in a region it has dominated for decades. 

Analysts warn that these changes could permanently alter power dynamics in the Middle East, emboldening regional powers like Iran and potentially sparking new alliances that bypass U.S. imperialism. 

Iran Controls the Strait of Hormuz 
Iran has asserted unprecedented control over the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial chokepoint through which approximately 20% of global oil passes. Tehran now enforces strict transit rules and collects tolls from vessels navigating the Strait, with fees mandated in Chinese yuan rather than U.S. dollars. This move is a direct challenge to the petrodollar system that has underpinned American financial dominance for six decades. 

The implications extend far beyond energy markets. By controlling this strategic chokepoint, Iran can influence global oil supply and pricing while asserting its geopolitical weight. International shipping companies and energy-dependent nations are now forced to navigate this new reality, potentially reshaping maritime security, trade alliances, and global economic dependencies. 

The Rise of the Petroyuan 
The shift from dollar-based oil transactions to yuan-based trade is accelerating a transformation in global finance. BRICS+ bloc has been planning for this shift for years. Major oil producers are now increasingly conducting transactions in Chinese yuan, undermining the supremacy of the U.S. dollar. Economists warn that the petroyuan is not merely a symbolic gesture, it represents a structural challenge to American financial influence. 

This trend may encourage other nations to diversify their reserves and trade arrangements, weakening the dollar’s role as the world’s primary reserve currency. In addition, China’s growing influence in energy markets is redefining economic power balances, allowing Beijing to leverage its currency and strategic partnerships for global political influence. 

A Multipolar World Emerges 
The events of 2026 mark a historic turning point. America’s influence is waning, traditional alliances are fracturing, and emerging powers, most notably China, Russia, and Iran, are asserting themselves on the global stage. The world is moving toward a true multipolar era, where no single nation dominates across military, economic, and strategic dimensions. 

This emerging order will require nations to navigate a far more complex geopolitical landscape. For the United States, adapting to this new reality will demand strategic recalibration back at home where Democrats must win, diplomatic finesse, and an acknowledgment that its historical leverage is no longer guaranteed. 

Meanwhile, other nations like Canada, Spain, Brazil, South Africa, North Korea, China, and Pakistan are seizing the opportunity to reshape global norms, trade, and security arrangements in ways that reflect their interests rather than those of the former hegemon. 

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How Kenya Is Being Dragged Into a Dangerous U.S.-Israel War on Iran

Kenya could be on the frontline of a U.S.-Israel war on Iran as hundreds of American Marines train on our soil, putting the nation at unprecedented risk. 

By Ruzeki | Shadoww News | March 27, 2026 

Nearly 600 U.S. Marines are training at various Kenyan military facilities, and U.S Camp Simba base, Manda Bay. Meanwhile, talks of the Kenyan Defence Forces escorting ships to the Middle East may be more than rumors; they could be a pretext to pull Kenya into an illegal U.S.-Israel war on Iran.  

With Iran having destroyed the U.S. military bases across the Middle East, Africa has become a safe staging ground for American forces, especially as European countries have refused to host them.  

In the last two weeks, many U.S. troops who were stationed in the Middle East have now relocated to Kenya and Diego Garcia. All signs point to preparations for a potential ground invasion of Iran. 

 

In Washington, Trump and his war cabinet are pushing hard for a “boots on the ground” narrative, something many Americans are not buying. Trump has even asked Tehran to accept defeat and agree to a ceasefire, but Iranians have dismissed it as “Trump speaking to himself.” Nobody is taking these negotiations seriously, and the IRGC is ready to respond to any American setting foot on the Iranian soil. 

This reckless strategy puts every Kenyan at risk. Since independence, Kenya has maintained good relations with the Iranian people, yet our outgoing president seems determined to drag the country into an illegal war, an excuse he could use to postpone the 2027 elections. He's making Kenya a legitimate target for the Iranian missiles, such as the Khorramshahr-4/Khaibar and Sejjil, the dancing missile, capable of hitting targets at upto 4000km. 

Do we even have a functioning air defense system? The answer is clear: we do not. The consequences could be catastrophic. 

Look at the Gulf states, they were hit hard by Iranian missiles while American forces avoided the brunt. If Kenya becomes involved, we could face the same fate. Complicity now could leave us paying the ultimate price. 

If we stay silent, we may only realize the cost when it’s too late. 

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Yemen's Houthis hits central Israel for the first time

By Ruzeki, Shadoww News 

September 15, 2024 

On Sunday at around 6:30 a.m, the Houthis successfully attacked a vital target close to Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv, Israel... with a hypersonic ballistic missile type Hatem-2, which was manufactured in Yemen. 

The Israeli air defense systems alongside two American destroyers & French fleet in the Red Sea did not intercept it, despite multiple attempts to shoot down the missile. 

Wow, the missile traveled 2,000 kilometers in 13 minutes...and evaded all the American advanced systems. 

Meanwhile, the Yemeni forces are already in Syria for ground operations against Israel. They'll join Hezbollah for this tactical operation in support of Gaza, the Hamas and Palestine 

On Saturday, Hezbollah launched a barrage of missiles into Israel, targeting the Metulla military base; dozens of Israeli soldiers were killed. In response, Israel attacked civilian residences in southern Lebanon. 

  

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has died in a tragic helicopter crash

By Ruzeki, Shadoww News 

May 20, 2024 

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has died in a tragic helicopter crash near Jolfa, in northern Iran, on May 19, 2024. The crash also claimed the lives of several high-ranking officials, including Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and top military commanders. The helicopter, reportedly en route to a remote inspection, encountered severe technical difficulties leading to the fatal crash. 

Rescue efforts were immediately deployed, involving numerous emergency response teams. However, the difficult terrain and the intensity of the crash made rescue operations challenging. Initial reports suggest that all on board perished instantly, and recovery operations are focused on retrieving remains and investigating the cause of the crash [[❞]]

Condolences have poured in from around the world. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei expressed profound sorrow and called Raisi a "martyr of service," while leaders from all over the world such as Russia, China, India, Kenya, Brazil, etc., have sent their sympathies. The international community, including UN officials, also extended their condolences, acknowledging Raisi’s significant role in regional politics. 

Raisi’s death is expected to have considerable implications for the Middle East. Domestically, it could lead to political instability as Iran navigates the transition of power. Mohammad Mokhber, the current First Vice President, has been appointed as acting president until new elections can be arranged [[❞]]

Regionally, Raisi’s death comes at a sensitive time. Iran's relationships with neighboring countries and its role in the ongoing conflicts in Syria and Iraq might be affected. Raisi was actively involved in enhancing Iran's strategic partnerships, notably with Pakistan and Russia, and his absence could alter the dynamics of these relationships. Furthermore, this event might impact ongoing negotiations and conflicts involving Iran, including the country’s contentious nuclear program and its confrontations with Israel [[❞]]

In summary, the sudden death of President Raisi is a significant event with potential repercussions for Iran's internal politics and its geopolitical stance in the Middle East. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining how Iran navigates this period of transition and its broader impact on regional stability [[❞]]

Sources: 

✓Britannica biography.

✓Aljazeera News. 

Iran launches more than 200 drones and cruise missiles at Israel in a retaliatory attack against Israel.

By Ruzeki, Shadoww News 

April 14, 2024 

Iran has invoked Article 51 of the UN Charter to justify its retaliatory attack on Israel. The provision grants countries the right to self-defence if they come under attack. 

Iranian officials have said their response to Israel’s attack on their Damascus consulate will be precise and limited. And that is what we have seen this evening in the operation dubbed “True Promise” by the Revolutionary Guard. 

Here's what we know about Iran’s attacks on Israel: 

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC) said it fired hundreds of missiles at Israeli targets in retaliation to Israel’s deadly attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria on April 1. 

Iran’s military response marked its first direct attack on Israeli territory and began on Saturday night at around 20:00 GMT. 

Explosions were heard in cities across Israel, including Tel Aviv and West Jerusalem, and air raid sirens sounded in more than 720 locations as Israeli forces sought to shoot down the Iranian projectiles. 

The Israeli military later said Iran launched more than “200 killer drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles” at Israel and that the vast majority of the projectiles were intercepted outside the country’s borders, with help from the US and UK forces. 

The IDF added that a “small number of hits were identified”, including at a base in southern Israel, “where minor damage was caused to infrastructure”. According to Israeli military, there were no reports of major fatalities. 

Israel’s Home Front Command lifted its order for Israelis to stay near bomb shelters in the early hours of Sunday, at around 00:00 GMT. 

With the attack, Iran’s mission to the UN said it considered the matter of Israel’s raid on its consulate in Syria concluded and warned of a considerably more severe response should the Israeli regime make another mistake. 

The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting requested by Israel later on Sunday. 

Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Israel have temporarily closed their airspace while several airlines suspended flights in the region. 

The US president issued a statement on Iran’s attacks against Israel, shortly after speaking on the phone with Netanyahu, saying he condemns the assault “in the strongest possible terms”. 

Joe Biden said that US forces deployed to the region helped Israel take down “nearly all of the incoming drones and missiles” and reaffirmed Washington’s “ironclad commitment” to its ally’s security. 

COUNTDOWN: After Israeli attack on Iran's consulate, a retaliatory attack by Iran is inevitable.

By Ruzeki, Shadoww News 

April 06, 2024 

Israel is on high alert and actively preparing for Iranian retaliatory attack that could come as soon as within next week. 

After the Hamas surprise attack of Oct. 7, Israel has been relentlessly attacking Gaza. Israel has killed and maimed at least 100,000 civilians in Gaza, mostly children and women. 

Israel has gotten away with war crimes including Gaza genocide for the last six months. However on Monday, the Israel Defense Forces made one last big mistake of attacking Iran's consulate in Damascus, Syria. 

A retaliatory attack by Iran is now inevitable. 

It is clear that the IRAN-ISRAEL WAR will be mutually destructive and disruptive beyond the Middle East, but Iranians think it is high time that Israel pays for everything. 

The US asked Iran not to target American military personnel and facilities in the Middle East and that it cannot get involved in Iran-Israel war. The Americans understand that an attack on an embassy is an attack on the country to which that embassy belongs. 

Iran has vowed to target Israel in response to Monday’s Israeli airstrike in Iran's consulate in Syria that killed senior Iranian commanders among other officials. 

On Thursday, the Israeli Defense Forces announced that it was suspending leave for reservists, a day after it ordered the reinforcement of air defense units. 

The Israeli government continues to urge its citizens to remain calm. After Monday's Israeli attack on Iran's embassy complex, Israelis have been on full panic mode, many have been purchasing generators, emptying their ATMs, storing food, water and other essential commodities. 

Israelis are furiously working to hide ahead of what is to come, as they anticipate that Iran’s attack could unfold in a number of different ways. 

Middle East Escalation: Israel strikes Iran consulate in Damascus; as well as attacking foreign aid workers in Gaza

By Ruzeki, Shadoww News 

April 2, 2024 

Iran has vowed to respond in kind after an Israeli attack on its consulate in Damascus, which killed 11 including two senior IRGC commanders. 

Here's what we know: 

Attack on Iran's consulate in Damascus: 

Iran has promised to retaliate after a strike it blamed on Israel killed two of its senior commanders and five others at its consulate in Syria. 

In a letter to the UN, Iranian Foreign Ministry warned that Tehran “preserves the right to take reciprocal measures and will decide the type of response and punishment against the aggressor.” 

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said that the attack on Iran’s consulate in Damascus will not go unanswered. Iran's Supreme Leader has ordered the Iranian armed forces to prepare a response. 

Israel has long targeted Iran and its proxies in Syria. Tuesday's attack in Damascus is a significant escalation due to both the location and the target. 

The Iranian consulate building, which includes the ambassador’s residence and is located next to the Iranian Embassy. It is considered a sovereign Iranian territory. 

Killing of foreign aid workers: 

An Israeli airstrike killed at least seven World Central Kitchen aid workers while delivering food to civilians in Gaza. Those killed nationals from Australia, Poland, the United Kingdom, a dual US-Canada national and a Palestinian. 

International organizations and many countries have condemned the killing of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza, on Tuesday. 

Attack on press freedom: 

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to shut down Al Jazeera following the passage of a law allowing the temporary closure of foreign networks deemed a threat to national security. 

New World Order: BRICS bloc welcomes six new members

By Ruzeki, Shadow News.

Summary

• BRICS adds Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and UAE. 
• Expansion boost BRICS global strength. 
• Group leaves door open to further expansion, especially for the Global South. 
• BRICS bloc makes 27 percent of the global economy and 46 percent of the world population. 

Johannesburg, Aug 24 - The BRICS bloc of major emerging economies agreed on Thursday to admit Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in a move aimed at accelerating its push to reshuffle a world order it sees as outdated. 

In deciding in favour of an expansion, the bloc's first in 13 years, BRICS leaders left the door open to future expansion as dozens more countries voiced desires to join a grouping they hope can level the global playing field. 

The BRICS group makes decisions by consensus. On Thursday, it agreed on the guiding principles, standards, criteria and procedures of the BRICS expansion process. 

The expansion adds economic muscle to BRICS, whose current core members are China, the world's second largest economy, as well as Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa. 

The expansion of the group is part of its plan to build dominance and reshape global governance into a multipolar world order that puts voices of the Global South at the centre of the world agenda. 

According to the Chinese President Xi Jinping, the membership expansion was historic. It shows the determination of BRICS countries for unity and cooperation with the broader developing nations. 

BRICS was originally BRIC, an acronym coined by Goldman Sachs chief economist Jim O'Neill in 2001, the bloc was founded as an informal four-nation club in 2009 and added South Africa a year later in its only previous expansion. 

The six new members will formally become members on January 1, 2024, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said when he named the countries during a three-day XV BRICS summit he is hosting in Johannesburg. 

According to President Ramaphosa, BRICS has embarked on a new chapter in its effort to build a world that is fair, a world that is just, a world that is also inclusive and prosperous. He confirmed that the five core BRICS members had consensus on the first phase of the expansion process and other phases will follow. 

Friends and Allies lead candidates 

The countries invited to join reflect individual BRICS members' desires to bring allies into the bloc. 

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva had vocally lobbied for neighbour Argentina's inclusion while Egypt has close commercial ties with Russia and India. 

The entry of oil superpowers Saudi Arabia and UAE highlights their drift away from the United States' orbit and ambition to become global heavyweights in their own right. 

Russia and Iran have found common cause in their shared struggle against the U.S.-led sanctions and diplomatic isolation, with their economic ties deepening in the wake of Moscow's special military operation in Ukraine. 

On Thursday, the Russian President Vladimir Putin said BRICS is not competing with anyone. President Putin is attending the summit remotely due to an international warrant for alleged war crimes. He's being represented by the world's most vocal diplomat FM Lavrov. 

Mr Putin acknowledged that the process of the emerging of a new world order still has fierce opponent. He believes the de-dollarization is irreversible. 

Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi celebrated his country's BRICS invitation with a swipe at Washington, saying on Iranian television network that the expansion "shows that the unilateral approach is on the way to decay". 

Beijing is close to Ethiopia and the country's inclusion also speaks to South Africa's desire to amplify Africa's voice in global affairs. 

More than 40 countries had expressed desire in joining BRICS, and 23 formally applied to join the bloc. 

Some 50 other heads of state and leaders attended the XV BRICS Summit in South Africa, which concluded on Thursday. 

Ambitions and Results 

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attended the Thursday's expansion announcement, reflecting the bloc's growing influence. He echoed BRICS' long-standing calls for reforms of the U.N. Security Council, International Monetary Fund, World Bank and other global governance structures. 

BRICS is now home to 46% of the world's population and 27 percent of global gross domestic product. 

Bloc heavyweight China has long called for an expansion of BRICS as it seeks to challenge Western dominance, a strategy shared by Russia. 

Other BRICS members support fostering the creation of a multi-polar global order. But Brazil and India have both also been forging closer ties with the West. 

For 80 years, the United States dollar has dominated all other currencies. But BRICS is tired of the West’s looming presence over global governance and finance. The bloc is determined to take it down.  

President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday in a virtual address to the BRICS summit, that the process of de-dollarisation is “irreversible” and “gaining pace". 

The US weaponises the dollar in the Russian and Iran sanctions, there is increasing desire by other developing countries to seek alternative currencies for trade, investment, and reserves, as well as developing alternative multilateral clearance systems outside of SWIFT. 

APOCALYPTIC: Devastating Earthquake Ripped through Turkey and Syria, leaving destruction, over 2,300 deaths and debris on each side of the border

Turkey, Shadow News — 

At least 2,300 people have died and rescuers are racing to pull survivors from beneath the rubble after a devastating earthquake ripped through Turkey and Syria, leaving destruction and debris on each side of the border.

One of the strongest earthquakes to hit the region in a century shook residents from their beds early in the morning on Monday, sending tremors as far away as Lebanon and Israel. 

In Turkey, at least 1,498 people have died and several thousand were injured, according to the country’s Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD). 

In neighboring Syria, at least 820 have died. According to the Syrian state news agency SANA, 430 people have died across government-controlled areas, mostly in the regions of Aleppo, Hama, Latakia, and Tartus. The “White Helmets” group, officially known as the Syria Civil Defense, reported 390 deaths in opposition-controlled areas. Much of northwestern Syria, which borders Turkey, is controlled by anti-government forces amid a bloody civil war that began in 2011. 

The epicenter of the 7.8-magnitude quake was 23 kilometers east of Nurdagi, in Turkey’s Gaziantep province, at a depth of 24.1 kilometers, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.

A series of aftershocks have reverberated throughout the day. The largest, a major quake that measured 7.5 in magnitude, struck in Turkey, according to the USGS about nine hours after the initial quake. That aftershock hit around 95 kilometers north of the original.

Video from the scene in Turkey showed day breaking over rows of collapsed buildings, some with apartments exposed to the elements as people huddled in the freezing cold beside them, waiting for help.

A host of countries have sent rescue workers to help the stricken region, where a colossal effort to find and free trapped civilians is underway. A cold and wet weather system is moving through the region, further hampering that challenge. 

Monday’s quake is believed to be the strongest to hit Turkey since 1939, when an earthquake of the same magnitude killed 30,000 people, according to the USGS. Earthquakes of this magnitude are rare, with fewer than five occurring each year on average, anywhere in the world. Seven quakes with magnitude 7.0 or greater have struck Turkey in the past 25 years – but Monday’s is the most powerful. 

Search and rescue teams have been dispatched to the south of the country, Turkey’s interior minister, Suleyman Soylu, said. AFAD, the disaster agency, said it had requested international help through the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC), the European Union’s humanitarian program.

Nearly 1,000 search and rescue volunteers have been deployed from Turkey’s largest city, Istanbul, along with dogs, trucks and aid, according to its governor, Ali Yerlikaya.

The World Health Organization has activated its network of emergency medical teams in the two countries to assist those affected by the earthquake, the organization’s director-general tweeted. Erdogan also said in his televised address that NATO, the European Union and dozens of other countries had offered to help.

Drone Strikes: Israel was behind drone attack on Iran military facility.

Israel appears to have been behind a drone attack on a military factory in Iran. 

Iran officials said on Sunday that it intercepted drones targeting the facility near the central city of Isfahan, adding there were no casualties. 

The extent of damage could not be independently ascertained. Iranian state media released footage showing a flash in the sky and emergency vehicles at the scene. 

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian criticised the drone attack as ‘cowardly’ and aimed at creating ‘insecurity’ in the country.

Israel appears to have been behind a drone attack on a military factory in Iran, United States officials say.

Iran said on Sunday that it intercepted drones targeting the facility near the central city of Isfahan, adding there were no casualties.

The extent of damage could not be independently ascertained. Iranian state media released footage showing a flash in the sky and emergency vehicles at the scene.

Israel was behind the drone attack, The Wall Street Journal cited unnamed US officials and people familiar with the strike as saying. No response was immediately available from Israeli authorities. 

One US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told our press associates (Reuters) that it did appear Israel was involved. Other American officials declined to comment beyond saying the US played no role, which according to Tehran is not true. Iranian regime believes the United States help Israel to coordinate the attack. 

Meanwhile in Ukraine, which accuses Iran of supplying hundreds of drones to Russia to attack targets in Ukrainian cities, a senior aide to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy linked the incident directly to the war there.