Public officials often point to declining homicide rates as proof of progress in fighting crime. But behind these statistics lies a disturbing truth: homicides are being misclassified, hidden, or erased from official records to make cities look safer than they are. This practice is not just an accounting trick—it creates more crime by emboldening offenders, misleading policymakers, and betraying victims’ families.

The Illusion of Safety

When numbers are manipulated, leaders can boast of “record declines,” even as neighborhoods continue to mourn loved ones. Official reports may show falling homicides, but many of those reductions come from reclassifying violent deaths as accidents, suicides, or “non-criminal” events. The result is a dangerous illusion: communities are lulled into thinking progress is being made, while perpetrators of violence slip through the cracks.

Across the world, cultures have preserved stories of creation, the fall of humanity, and a great flood. These recurring themes suggest that such events were not isolated myths but shared human memories of real history. Among Native Americans, the Walam Olum—the “Red Record” of the Lenape people—stands as powerful testimony. Its remarkable alignment with the biblical account in Genesis affirms that God’s truth has been remembered across continents and centuries.

A Record Preserved Through Time

The Walam Olum tells of a Creator who made the heavens and earth, followed by the appearance of a serpent of evil, bringing corruption and suffering into the world. Later, a catastrophic flood destroyed much of creation, after which survivors began migrations, eventually settling in the eastern woodlands of North America.

The world rarely speaks of Burma (Myanmar), yet it has become one of the most pivotal battlegrounds of our time. Rich in rare earth minerals, jade, and natural gas, Burma (Myanmar) is now more than a civil war zone for over 75 years—it is a strategic corridor for China, India, and the United States. Whoever controls Burma (Myanmar) does not just dominate trade routes to the Indian Ocean; they command access to the critical resources that power the future of technology and energy.

Amid this superpower struggle, it is the amazing ethnic peoples—especially the Karen, Kachin, and others—who carry the heaviest burden. Their voices, their survival, and their unity must be placed at the center of any discussion about the country’s future.

“Come live our life. We are being humiliated enough… You want to negotiate on behalf of Gaza while you live in hotels in Qatar?… Leave us to God. At any cost, leave us. We are dying.”
—Gaza resident, witness statement to Kevin LaChapelle

For nearly two decades, Hamas has ruled Gaza with an iron grip, presenting itself as the sole voice of resistance and representation. Yet across Gaza, a growing chorus of Palestinians are declaring that Hamas no longer speaks for them. Their words are not whispered—they are shouted in protests, captured in interviews, and etched in the despair of daily survival.

A Historic Shift in Party Loyalty

In just four years, America has witnessed a political migration as profound as any in modern history. According to state voter registration data compiled by national outlets, the Democratic Party has lost roughly 2.1 million voters since 2020, while the Republican Party has gained 2.4 million. That’s a net swing of 4.5 million Americans.

This is not a slow drift — it is a stampede. Voters are leaving the Democratic Party because they see its leadership embracing open-border immigration policies, Marxist-aligned advocacy networks, and cultural upheaval that directly affects their communities. Increasingly, these same voters view Republicans as the only party offering a common-sense approach: law, order, and enforcement.

A Physician-Turned-Activist Who Refuses to Yield

Dr. Tayzar San has become one of the most remarkable figures of Burma’s resistance since the 2021 coup. Trained as a physician and raised in rural Sagaing, he entered public life by supporting young people through free clinics, student unions, and community libraries. His commitment to empowerment turned into open defiance when the military coup shattered Burma’s fragile democratic experiment.

Unlike many who fled to exile or shifted to online advocacy, Tayzar San chose the frontlines of civil resistance. He has risked everything—sneaking into Mandalay, Sagaing, Magwe, Kachin, Chin, and Shan—knowing that capture means torture and certain death. His belief remains unwavering: only a mass civilian movement, echoing the massive protests of 2021, can turn the tide against dictatorship.

Karen Statement of Interdependence

The Karen people have suffered for generations, yet our spirit endures. But the truth is clear: without each other, we fail. Every group and every leader carries the trust of many Karen, and when one is alienated, countless people are left behind.

Our only path forward is interdependence. Together we are strong; divided, we destroy one another. This requires humility—to set aside pride and place our suffering people at the center of our cause, along with the children whose future depends on us.

History will not remember the arguments we had within our ranks, but whether we stood united to protect our people. For the sake of those suffering today and for future generations, we must walk forward as one.

Executive Summary

The Karen people have carried the struggle for freedom and dignity for more than seven decades. Despite great suffering, our resilience has never wavered. Today, the greatest opportunity before us is to unite our strength so that future generations may inherit not division, but hope and freedom.

This roadmap outlines a respectful, collaborative path toward unity. It focuses not on past challenges but on shared solutions, humanitarian cooperation, and a vision of Kawthoolei where every Karen voice matters.

The war between Russia and Ukraine has not only destroyed cities and displaced millions, it has also carved a permanent scar into the demographic future of both nations. The catastrophic loss of men in their prime years of marriage and fatherhood threatens to reshape entire societies.

The Human Cost in Numbers

• Russia: Western intelligence estimates that Russia has suffered 200,000–260,000 soldiers killed in action. But the broader toll is even more staggering: when wounded and incapacitated are included, total casualties exceed one million. This means entire male cohorts in their 20s and 30s are being depleted.

• Ukraine: President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed 31,000 soldiers killed as of early 2024, but independent estimates suggest the true figure is 60,000–100,000 killed with hundreds of thousands wounded. Civilian deaths, now at nearly 14,000 verified by the United Nations, add another layer of devastation.

Jelly Poe was born in a refugee camp on the Thai-Burma border, where life was filled with hardship but also deep faith and strong community. From a young age, he carried himself with kindness, humility, and an infectious smile. He dreamed of becoming a professional soccer player, and his natural talent and discipline made that dream seem within reach.

At just fourteen, Jelly was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, an aggressive form of bone cancer. Doctors were forced to amputate his right leg — the very leg that had carried his dreams across the soccer field. For many, that would have been the end of hope. But Jelly chose a different path. He accepted this devastating loss as part of God’s plan and continued to inspire others with his courage and faith. Even as cancer spread to his lungs, he remained positive, never complained, and put others first.

In a world marked by rapid shifts and deepening crises, PowerMentor Global Watch provides a weekly glimpse into pressing developments across Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. From armed conflicts and humanitarian emergencies to natural disasters and political turmoil, this brief delivers clear, reliable insights to help you stay informed, advocate strategically, and respond with purpose.

In 2025, Melbourne saw a run of high-visibility machete attacks—most brazenly the slashing of a 14-year-old by six men at Werribee Plaza, days after a separate brawl at the same centre. Other incidents included a Northland Shopping Centre lockdown (Preston) and a service-station ambush in Doreen. These cases helped precipitate Victoria’s statewide machete ban and a three-month amnesty with disposal bins—but only after the incident curve had already bent upward.

Over the past two decades, U.S. crime data have been systemically understated in multiple jurisdictions through misclassification (“downgrading”), excessive “unfounding,” misuse of “exceptional clearance,” suppression of reports, and—in recent years—massive gaps in reporting to the FBI during the NIBRS transition. Result: policy built on sand, distorted public risk perception, and skewed resource allocation.

For more than seven decades, Myanmar’s military rulers have waged an unrelenting campaign of brutality against their own people—marked by systematic torture, mass executions, sexual violence, and ethnic cleansing. Today, while these crimes continue, the generals have embarked on a cynical campaign to rebrand their blood-soaked image in Washington, D.C., spending $3 million per year on a high-powered lobbying firm to "rebuild relations" with the United States.

This is not a story of a few rogue soldiers. This is the architecture of state policy, sustained over generations, and now dressed up for foreign consumption.

In conflict zones, the fight for justice, self-determination, and freedom is often long and bitter. Ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) across Burma (Myanmar) have long positioned themselves as defenders of their people, resisting decades of oppression and abuse by the Burmese military. These groups earn public trust not only through military victories, but by upholding the moral and legal high ground in the eyes of their communities and the international community.

Recently, an incident in Hump Village has raised difficult but important questions about how resistance forces should conduct themselves when civilians are caught in the middle. Eight villagers—likely acting under duress from the Burmese military—were accused of sheltering enemy troops. They were detained, and later reports emerged of their deaths. A disturbing video surfaced showing one elderly woman being beaten and thrown into water, appearing unconscious after two strikes to her head, and drowning to her death.

In a calculated attempt to whitewash its ongoing campaign of violence against the people of Burma (Myanmar), the military junta has hired Washington, D.C.–based DCI Group, a politically connected public affairs firm, under a $3 million annual contract. According to filings under the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), the contract—signed July 31, 2025—tasks DCI with “public affairs services” designed to improve U.S.–Burma relations in trade, natural resources, and humanitarian aid (Reuters, 2025).

In recent years, artificial intelligence has evolved from being a tool for data analysis to a potential shaper of human behavior. While today’s AI influence often comes through social media algorithms, targeted advertising, and persuasive content, research into brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) and emerging neurotechnology suggests a future where AI could influence thoughts and decisions directly. This raises a provocative question: Could such influence already be at play in ways we are not fully aware of?

When today’s headlines show rockets over Gaza or displaced villagers fleeing Burma’s ethnic states, the immediate focus is on those doing the fighting. But if we step back a century, another player emerges—long gone from the battlefield, but whose decisions set both conflicts in motion: Britain. In Palestine and Burma (Myanmar), Britain used the same playbook—promise the same land to different peoples to secure wartime advantage, then walk away, leaving generations to deal with the fallout.

On 9 August 2025, the Bangkok Post reported that the Kawthoolei Army (KTLA) has taken control of approximately 40 km of the natural gas pipeline running from Burma (Myanmar) into western Thailand near Kanchanaburi Province. The KTLA’s control over this stretch of the pipeline, along with its advanced weaponry including bomber drones, gives it significant leverage over both Thailand’s energy security and the Myanmar junta’s revenue streams.

But behind the headlines lies a deeper story—not just about energy and armed conflict, but about Karen unity, leadership trust, and the consequences of political divisions within the Karen movement.

An analysis of 2025 audience and subscription figures for major U.S. media outlets shows significant differences in reach across cable news, late-night television, and print/digital newspapers. The data indicates clear disparities in audience size among outlets with conservative outlets outpacing liberal outlets.

Cable News (Q2 2025, Nielsen Data)

• Fox News averaged 2.633 million primetime viewers, with 304,000 in the 25–54 advertising demo, marking a 25% year-over-year increase in total viewers. Fox has maintained the top cable news position for 94 consecutive quarters.

• MSNBC averaged 1.008 million primetime viewers, with 91,000 in the demo, representing a 15% year-over-year decline.

• CNN averaged 538,000 primetime viewers, with 105,000 in the demo, down 13% in total viewers compared to the previous year.

Burma’s (Myanmar’s) seven-plus decades of civil war are best understood through the lens of the Karen people’s fight for equality, self-determination, and a genuine federal union—a struggle repeatedly derailed by Burman ultra-nationalism, military dominance, and peace processes used to divide and weaken ethnic fronts. Tharckabaw’s account traces the arc from pre-colonial dispossession to today’s Gen-Z–led resistance, arguing the junta’s position is deteriorating rapidly after stunning rebel gains in late 2023 and the regime’s desperate 2024 conscription. External evidence broadly supports this trajectory and key claims on the 1947 Panglong vision, the military’s constitutional entrenchment in 2008, the 2021 coup, mass atrocities (including against the Rohingya), the Operation 1027 battlefield shock, and conscription’s blowback.