Catégorie oBox : OBOXMA

Germany reaffirmed its support for Israel with a new security pact, signed in order to protect both nations from the ‘threat’ of Iran and its allies. The agreement was signed in Jerusalem, with German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt meeting with Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu. The new ‘cyber and security pact’ focuses on the integration of Israeli and German security agencies, enhanced collaboration in combating cybercrime, and artificial intelligence and drone defense; all done by leveraging Israel’s expertise and technology. According to Netanyahu, cyberattacks pose a significant threat to both nations, and Germany is unprepared to handle potential attacks.

The pact follows a recent attack on Berlin’s power grid, highlighting vulnerabilities in German security. The agreement primarily denounces the regional threat posed by Iran and its allies, foremost among them Lebanese Hezbollah, Palestinian Hamas and the Houthis of Yemen. The agreement’s heavy focus on Palestine and the Middle East has drawn criticism from those opposed to Israel’s war on Palestine. Germany let Israel speak for it after the signing, with Israel’s foreign minister Gideon Saar claiming that viewing Iran, Lebanon, and Palestine as dangerous cybersecurity threats has long been the opinion of the German government.

Deadly protests in Iran

With Iran in the midst of the deadliest active protest in the world right now, the U.S. and Israel are siding with the anti-government protests. The U.S. is using the fact that Iran’s population is largely against the Iranian government’s actions to put pressure on Iran. The U.S. almost certainly sees the instability in Iran as an opportunity to implement change in the country, whether that be regime change (as the U.S. is currently conducting in Venezuela) or policy reform (something they’ve already done in Iran). The Iranian government has killed at least 500 protesters since the demonstrations began on December 28, 2025. The U.S. and numerous other nations have criticized the Iranian government’s violent actions against protesters.

With tens of thousands being arrested in Iran’s capital, Tehran, and at least 500 more killed, the U.S. threatened intervention in Iran, to which the country replied with a threat of attack. Iran’s parliament speaker warned that if the US attacked, both Israel and U.S. military and shipping centres in the region would become legitimate targets for Iranian attacks. It’s very possible that this statement is what triggered the security pact signed between Germany and Israel.

Germany and Israel

Germany has been a supporter of Israel since its forced installation in Palestine after World War II. Since then, Germany has been trapped by the actions of the Holocaust as one of Europe’s strongest supporters of Israel, even with more than 60 years of violence against Palestinians. As of now, Germany is the only country in the European Union to have outright rejected the idea that Israel is committing a genocide in Palestine, even after the UN, Doctors Without Borders, and dozens of other global nonprofits have deemed Israel guilty of genocide. The German government’s official position is that it will always stand in strong support of Israel’s right to exist and defend itself.

In an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Donald Trump threatened that the U.S. was “going to start hitting land” in order to eliminate the drug cartels that, according to Trump, are running Mexico. Trump continued to claim that these Mexican drug cartels are somehow responsible for 250,00 to 300,000 American deaths each year. It seems Trump has given up on trying to keep Mexican drugs out of the US, so now he’s going to go into Mexico to stop the influx himself.

Bold words or real threats?

Two months ago, experts would have said these comments were more empty threats from Donald Trump, who has threatened military action against dozens of countries without following through. Unfortunately, the game has changed after the U.S.’s brash actions in Venezuela proved that Trump is more than willing to conduct violent military operations against foreign nations. Trump has made the war on Mexican drugs a focus of his politics since his initial election in 2016, where he promised a border wall between the neighbouring nations.

The comments show a potentially threatening parallel with Trump’s escalation in Venezuela. Just three weeks before the U.S. military captured Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, Trump said in an interview with Politico that the US would be hitting Venezuela on land very soon, and it did. With Trump being caught once revealing discreet military plans in a TV interview, it’s certainly possible his comments on Mexico are another example. Trump has previously threatened ground attacks on Mexico, but this marks a potential confirmation that the U.S. will indeed be conducting military action in Mexico very soon.

Donald Trump also mentioned Mexico in the Politico interview that revealed his plans for Venezuela. In the interview, Trump explained that the U.S. needed to do something about Mexico very soon. He added that the U.S. would love if Mexico took action against these alleged cartels, but the nation was refusing to, and that the U.S. may have to step in. Trump said he believed it was unfortunate that the cartels were so strong in Mexico, and then reaffirmed the opinion with Hannity more than a month later, claiming he was very saddened about the impact the cartels have on Mexico.

Since Trump’s successful operation in Venezuela, and the subsequent successful operation to take control of its oil, imports and exports, Trump has claimed the U.S. will have a larger role in the Western Hemisphere. Since the operation in Venezuela, Trump has threatened military action in Colombia, predicted the collapse of Cuba and pushed for the U.S. acquisition of Greenland (again). Whether this is an example of Trump becoming power hungry, or whether he just realized that nobody will stop him if he actually does the things he says he will, Trump has been unleashed on Central America.

Mexican President claims attack will be avoided

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum spoke at a press conference and said she had ruled out a U.S. military intervention to combat drug cartels, following what she described as a « good conversation » with President Donald Trump on security and drug trafficking. Earlier that day, she made a post on X claiming that the two leaders discussed security with respect for Mexico’s sovereignty, curbing drug trafficking, as well as trade and investment. Sheinbaum also added that fentanyl trafficking from Mexico to the United States had fallen by about 50 per cent over the past year. While the details of the conversation are unknown, Trump reportedly quizzed Sheinbaum on her views on Cuba, Venezuela, and the U.S.’s actions in the countries. It’s certain that Mexico and Sheinbaum will have to continue the balancing act of reaffirming their national security and pleasing Donald Trump – something that too many world leaders have now experienced.

Donald Trump took his recent assault on Venezuela’s sovereignty a step further in a provocative Truth Social post in which he declared himself the «Acting President of Venezuela», sharing a digitally altered image suggesting he held that title amid fallout from a dramatic U.S. military intervention. In early January, U.S. special forces carried out a large-scale strike in Caracas that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, who were flown to the United States to face federal narcotics and weapons charges; Maduro has pleaded not guilty and described himself as a «prisoner of war.» The operation, which Trump described as aimed at dismantling what he called a narco-terrorist regime and securing a transition, drew widespread international scrutiny and raised questions about U.S. involvement in Venezuelan affairs. Trump has insisted Washington will «run» Venezuela until a safe transition occurs and has signaled interest in controlling its vast oil resources, while Venezuelan authorities dispute U.S. claims and assert their sovereignty under interim leadership

In the wake of the dramatic U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and brought him to New York to face federal charges, Venezuela’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, has been sworn in as acting president under the country’s constitutional order, though her legitimacy is widely disputed domestically and internationally. Rodríguez’s government has begun tentative talks with the United States about restoring diplomatic relations and prisoner releases amid deep political turmoil. Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, who has openly praised the U.S. role in Maduro’s ouster and is scheduled to meet Trump in Washington, sparked controversy by suggesting she might share her Nobel Prize with him — a notion the Norwegian Nobel Committee emphatically rejected, reminding the public that a Nobel Prize cannot be transferred or shared once awarded.

Against a backdrop of intense geopolitical tension over Venezuela’s future, Donald Trump escalated the situation further with a Truth Social post in which he declared himself the «Acting President of Venezuela» alongside a picture of a fake Wikipedia page that labeled him «incumbent since January 2026», a digitally altered image that has drawn widespread indignation and criticism from world leaders and commentators who view the claim as provocative and illegitimate. In reality, Venezuela’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, was sworn in as acting president on January 5 following the capture of Nicolás Maduro, a move ordered by the country’s Supreme Court and rejected as illegitimate by the European Union and several governments. Trump’s unusual claim, widely seen as a controversial gesture rather than any legally grounded authority, has intensified debate over U.S. involvement in Venezuela’s crisis and sparked demonstrations around the world, with protesters condemning what they describe as an unlawful violation of Venezuelan sovereignty and a dangerous escalation of international tensions.

Donald Trump once again lashed out aggressively at a journalist, erupting at a CNN female reporter over what he described as a «stupid question» about Iran while taking questions aboard Air Force One as he returned from his weekend stay at Mar-a-Lago. The confrontation unfolded against a backdrop of rising tensions in Iran, where protesters were rebelling against their government, drawing international attention and concern. During the exchange, Trump dismissed the reporter’s question in sharp terms, reinforcing a pattern of public hostility toward members of the press during unscripted interactions. The moment came as the president reiterated his warning that the United States would strike Iran if protesters were killed, a threat that further heightened anxiety surrounding the escalating situation and underscored the volatile context in which the verbal attack occurred.

In recent weeks, Iran has been gripped by growing nationwide unrest, with protests erupting over economic hardship, soaring inflation and mounting anger toward the country’s political leadership. In the past days, demonstrations expanded and were met with a heavy crackdown by Iranian authorities, including mass arrests, internet restrictions and reports of protesters being killed, fueling international concern. As tensions escalated, Donald Trump warned that the United States could respond forcefully if Iranian security forces continued to kill demonstrators, stating: «If they start killing people like they have in the past, I think they’re going to get hit very hard by the United States.» Iran’s leadership rejected the warning, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei responding that Trump should «pay attention to the state of his own country instead», implying that the United States should mind its own business and accusing Washington of interfering in Iran’s internal affairs.

Donald Trump once again directed a sharp and dismissive response at a female reporter, lashing out during a tense exchange that underscored his combative tone toward the press. As he was questioned by a journalist he identified as being from CNN about whether Iran took his threats seriously, specifically his warning to «hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before», Trump immediately turned confrontational.

When asked, «Do you think Iran takes your threats seriously?», he snapped back, «I think so. Don’t you think so, CNN?», before repeating the question in a mocking tone, saying, «She says, CNN, Do you think they take your threat seriously?». He then defended his stance by adding, «Wouldn’t you say they do after all of the things we’ve done?», escalating the exchange as he dismissed the reporter outright and concluded with, «What a stupid question.», a remark that reinforced both the derisive tone of the encounter and a pattern of hostility toward female journalists during high-profile moments.

Donald Trump’s recent rampage against female reporters has drawn renewed attention to his repeated use of personal insults and demeaning language toward women in the press. Over a series of public appearances and exchanges, Trump has targeted several female journalists with disparaging remarks, at times focusing on their appearance, behavior or intelligence rather than their questions. He has referred to some as «Ugly», told one reporter to «Quiet Piggy», and accused another of being «insubordinate» during a tense interaction. In other moments, he labeled two different female reporters as «Stupid and Nasty» and «a stupid person», comments that were delivered publicly and without hesitation.

For several months now, tech giants have been developing and improving their artificial intelligence assistants. This race for performance is becoming increasingly frenetic, creating a tacit competition within companies. OpenAI, a month after launching GPT-5.1, unveiled a new version of ChatGPT, GPT-5.2, at the beginning of December, in response to the new version of the Google AI assistant, Gemini 3, revealed at the end of November this year.

These two giants have been battling it out for the title of AI assistant champion for several months now. This rivalry between Google and OpenAI has intensified since the respective unveiling of their new AI assistant versions: Gemini 3 for Google and ChatGPT-5.2 for OpenAI.

Data from Sensor Tower, which analyzes the behavior of 5 million consumers worldwide, shows rapid growth for Gemini since the launch of Gemini 3 at the end of November. The number of worldwide visits to the Gemini site is said to have doubled between August and November, while those to ChatGPT have only increased by around 1%. Over the same period, Gemini would have reached 346 million monthly active users, an increase of close to 30%, while ChatGPT peaked at 810 million, with an increase limited to just under 5%.

This discrepancy in dynamics explains Sam Altman’s decision to launch an internal « Code Red » operation to refocus teams on ChatGPT. This internal climate enabled the OpenAI teams to have the resources they needed to finalize the new version of the AI assistant. The unveiling of the new iteration of ChatGPT last December saw the birth of a version of GPT that is more efficient than ever, according to the company, reducing errors relating to the« thinking » version of the assistant by 38%.

Despite GPT’s developments and their 800 million operators every week, OpenAI has declared that it is losing money every month and only expects to be profitable in 2029. An entirely different scenario is being experienced on the Google side, where the company is generating billions of dollars every quarter from its other activities.

At this stage, the conversational robot competition is essentially based on two players, even if other competitors are well and truly in the game. Claude, Copilot, Deepseek, etc. are all key protagonists in this frantic race to improve artificial intelligence tools. A fundamental question remains: how far can artificial intelligence evolve without redefining the place of humans, and above all, will this frantic race for performance ever come to an end?

In Miami, one of the world’s richest art festivals, this year’s Art Basel Miami Beach hosts a more than intriguing art project. The performance art brings together a group of four-legged robots wearing hyper-realistic silicone faces of tech billionaires and world-famous artists. These half-human, half-canine creatures seem to have stepped straight out of a video game or a real-life nightmare, mixing dreams and reality. At the heart of this project is an artist by the name of Beeple, whose real name is Mike Winkelmann: on the very first day of the fair, he can be found in the robot enclosure, picking up works of art from the floor and handing them to visitors, as well as in his own project with two robots bearing his face.

The name of the concept: « Regular Animals. » The behavior of these creatures is as fascinating as it is disturbing. They wander around an enclosure, sometimes nearly colliding with each other. Musk puckers his lips, Picasso stares into space. But the most provocative aspect lies in their creative process: at random, the robots tip backwards and, via a screen displaying poop mode, physically expel a work printed from their hindquarters. Beyond the scatological provocation, the work conceals a sophisticated critique of our relationship with technology and information. Each robot is equipped with cameras and operates autonomously. They capture images of their environment (visitors, the fair) and use artificial intelligence to reinterpret this visual data according to the personality they embody:

Herein lies Beeple’s central message: the one-sided control of perception. The artist explains that these billionaires, via their super-powerful algorithms, decide what we see and influence our reality. They have become the main filters through which humanity consumes information. Beeple’s warning is clear: « We are not ready for the future. » The return of the NFT Beeple, who became the third most expensive living artist after his record sale of $69.3 million at Christie’s in 2021, is lucid about the evolution of the market. He acknowledges that the collapse of the NFT bubble was inevitable due to the massive production of uninteresting projects. However, Art Basel 2025 marks a resurgence of digital art. The prints « defecated » by the robot dogs are not mere papers: they are NFTs linked to the blockchain. Beeple plays with irony here, materializing the common criticism that NFTs are just bullsh**, by having his sculptures literally defecate these digital assets.

The public’s reception oscillates between disgust, unease, and admiration. The boundary between the real and the artificial was even tested when real dogs started barking at the robots, an interaction that delighted the artist. For Beeple, these dynamic sculptures foreshadow the future of art, where works will be alive with simulated emotions. However, the experiment has a programmed end: although the robots will continue to move, their creative capacity (generating and storing images on the blockchain) will stop after three years. Despite the grotesque nature of the installation, it was an immediate commercial success. Within the first hour of the fair, all the animals, including the little Musk, Zuckerberg, and Beeple, had found buyers, proving that provocation remains a sure bet in contemporary art.