US President Donald Trump has intensified criticism of NATO, raising the prospect of a potential U.S. withdrawal from the alliance amid disagreements over security responsibilities in the Strait of Hormuz.

Editor’s note: Nijat Babayev is an Azerbaijan-based journalist. The article reflects the author’s personal views and may not necessarily represent the position of News.Az.

Alan Cafruny, the Henry Platt Bristol Professor of International Affairs at Hamilton College, told News.Az in an interview that growing speculation about a possible large-scale military operation by the United States and Israel against Iran reflects real shifts in military posture, while the ultimate objectives, risks of escalation, and prospects for regime change in Tehran remain highly uncertain. He also shared his views on how such developments could reshape the regional balance of power and Iran’s internal trajectory.

The collapse of power in Venezuela and the removal of Nicolás Maduro marked a watershed moment for Latin America and for the broader architecture of global power politics. For years, Venezuela had been treated as a frozen crisis — isolated, sanctioned, weakened, yet politically intact. Its sudden collapse demonstrates that the era of indefinite containment is ending. In its place emerges a far more assertive logic: when sanctions and diplomatic pressure fail to deliver results, Washington is increasingly willing to accelerate outcomes.

Oil prices stabilized after a four-day run of gains as the U.S. continued its blockade of Venezuelan crude shipments.

Gold (GC=F) headed for an eighth consecutive weekly advance on increasing haven demand fueled by geopolitical and trade tensions, with trading marked by fast-rising holdings in bullion-backed exchange-traded funds.

Gold surged to a historic high as geopolitical uncertainties fueled demand for safe-haven assets, overshadowing indications from the Federal Reserve that it’s not planning to reduce interest rates anytime soon.

Gold remained just below a record high as new tariff threats from US President Donald Trump, along with growing geopolitical concerns, highlighted the metal’s safe-haven appeal despite its recent rally.