Warren Thompson

Financial journalist @finuncovered and co-author of the Battle of Bangui, the inside story of South Africa’s worst military scandal since Apartheid.

[Warren Thompson @ThompsonWarren8]

@alt_w_v_g Brilliant👏👏👏❤️

[Warren Thompson @ThompsonWarren8]

If there was ever a time for a smart, massive tourism campaign by @gotosouthafrica it’s now! Europeans Americans and Canadians are buying their summer vacations, and with the ME temporarily shut off, the time is ripe.

[The Vigilant Fox 🦊 @VigilantFox]

Melinda Gates responds after Epstein Files suggest Bill Gates got an STD from “Russian girls” and planned to secretly medicate her.

NPR: “The emails in the files suggest that Bill Gates had additional affairs and that he tried to get medication to treat a sexually transmitted infection, and that he was going to give you the medicine without you knowing. His representative has said all of this is false… What is your dominant emotion when you read these news articles with these details?”

MELINDA GATES: “Sad. Just unbelievable sadness. Unbelievable sadness… It’s just sadness. I left my marriage. I had to leave my marriage. I wanted to leave my marriage. I felt I needed to eventually leave the foundation. So it’s just sad. That’s the truth.”

[Warren Thompson @ThompsonWarren8]

@BojanRadojici10 Pls send

[U.S. Mission SA @USEmbassySA]

The United States notes with concern and alarm reports that the Minister of Defense and SANDF defied a government order regarding Iran’s participation in the ongoing naval exercises. Iran is a destabilizing actor and state sponsor of terror, and its inclusion in joint exercises – in any capacity – undermines maritime security and regional stability. It is particularly unconscionable that South Africa welcomed Iranian security forces as they were shooting, jailing, and torturing Iranian citizens engaging in peaceful political activity South Africans fought so hard to gain for themselves. South Africa can’t lecture the world on ‘justice’ while cozying up to Iran.

[Warren Thompson @ThompsonWarren8]

We’re truly humbled and blessed - our owners will actually be in Manchester!

[Laurie Whitwell @lauriewhitwell]

Sir Jim Ratcliffe flies in to Manchester to meet with Joel + Avram Glazer.

Co-owners due to attend Carrington for exec committee meeting at turbulent period. First time Glazers at new main building.

Chance to speak to Michael Carrick.

Details ⬇️ #MUFC

https://t.co/4LTgH7VPS6

[mufcmpb @mufcMPB]

🚨🚨🗣️ The 1958 spokesman:

“For Ratcliffe and the Glazers the game is OVER. Time is UP. We can take no more and urge as many fans as possible to join us in a massive protest [at the Fulham game on Feb 1st].” #MUFC

[Mike Keegan @MikeKeegan_DM]

🚨PROTEST AT MANCHESTER UNITED
😡Fan group The 1958 planning demonstration at the Fulham game on Feb 1
🔴Group will demand the removal of the current ownership model

[Eva Golinger @evagolinger]

Have been saying all along that the pseudo-experts on Venezuela that popped up over the past few months were miscalculating the internal situation in the country and government. The story the opposition and Machado were telling was not the reality inside the country, but they were platformed on all major media worldwide and had the ear of governments throughout Europe and the US, and most think tanks regurgitated the same talking points. This has been the case for years - decades really. They were wrong.

This is just a simple overview. The government in Venezuela has been comprised of several groups that have a power-sharing pact. They control different sectors of the apparatus - security, military, pueblo, colectivos, institutions, judiciary, oil industry, business, etc. One of those groups - Delcy and her brother Jorge - have now taken power through a meticulous and 'evil genius' negotiation with the Trump administration that has been going on for months behind the scenes. Note that the new indictment against Maduro and Cilia includes both Maduro's son and Diosdado - this is purposefully to put them on alert that they are next should they betray the Rodriguez siblings. CIA is now operating inside Venezuela and can execute another 'extraordinary rendition' at any time on Trump's orders. Delcy has allowed them in and permitted them to stay. The US Embassy is returning, along with all of its intel & military support.

The calculation was that the most important thing for the 'Boliviarian movement' (they do not represent chavismo, they long ago betrayed Chavez and his legacy) and their own interests (power, wealth accumulation) was for them to maintain power - no matter the cost, including sacrificing Maduro. There was zero chance they would ever cede power to Machado or the exiled opposition. They represent a system, not a government taking its turn. They will do whatever it takes to retain control of the country, even negotiating and compromising with Trump, the 'evil empire'.

The lobby began months ago, both with the Trump administration and in the media. Delcy was positioned in the international media as the 'moderate' and the most pragmatic to deal with. This made it clear that the cards had been dealt. Once Maduro was out, Delcy was in.

In the coming days, more business deals will be made, some sanctions may be loosened and prisoners released. They will continue to appease Trump with lucrative deals, opening up Venezuela's rich resources (oil, gold rare earths, heavy metals, minerals, coastline, etc) to Trump and his friends. Perhaps a Trump resort in Margarita Island or Los Roques. All the things Machado promised, but without her. Trump has no interest in democracy or Machado. He never met with her, never invited her to the White House like George W. Bush did during the height of the attempts to overthrow Hugo Chavez. Trump resents her Nobel Peace Prize (which he believes he deserves), but also understands the truth: Machado cannot command the country right now. She does not have the support from the groups in power or their enablers. Delcy&Jorge promised Trump stability and control, for now.

If sanctions ease, life can improve inside the country, which will calm tensions over the US invasion and Maduro's violent capture. No doubt that the remaining chavista and leftist movements in the country are not happy with this betrayal. Over time there will be a growing internal opposition to the government, but they will likely employ the same tactics as before - any dissent will be treated as treason and repressed. Especially now with Trump's arsenal hovering above Caracas. They will tell the people that this is necessary to continue the 'chavista movement', even though their true interest is their own power and wealth. However, the biggest wild card is Trump. His volatility and lack of strategy shows he can change his mind at any time. It is a very dangerous time for Venezuela.

[Bart @UtdBart]

This board/ownership can fuck off too.

Telling us this manager was going to get 3 years only to sack him a few weeks later.

#IneosOut #BerradaOut #WilcoxOut

[Mina Ibrahim @MinaFootball]

Money INEOS have spent on rectifying their decisions:

ETH payout - £10.4m
Dan Ashworth - £4.1m
Amorim - £9.25m to hire him, will have to pay him out of his remaining contract.

That’s £23.75m in 14 or so months of compensation spent on decisions made by Berrada, Wilcox, etc.

That doesn’t include Amorims exit package.

For ownership that talks a lot about the financial position of the club and the hurdles encountered financially, there sure is no issue with paying their way out of a wrong decision.

There is so much wrong with the club, but can we talk about the ownerships decision making since they’ve stepped in the door?

[𝗔𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗵𝗼 @Amad16FC]

ETH got a new contract, then got sacked after 8 games.

Dan Ashworth was hired after 8 months of gardening leave, then sacked after 3 months.

Ruben was hired mid-season with a bunch of promises, then sacked after 14 months.

INEOS hasn't proven anything.

Sack Jason Wilcox.

[SimplyUtd @SimplyUtd]

🚨 INEOS have been nothing short of a disgrace and a complete joke!

- Hired a manager with a different system from what they want, yet won’t buy players specifically for that system.
- Witnessed shocking results but didn’t sack him.
- Forcing him to change his system but refusing to change the manager.
- Won’t spend in January either.

Indecisive. Incompetent. Clowns 🤡

[Warren Thompson @ThompsonWarren8]

@henrywinter The biggest lack of leadership is in the boardroom Henry. When do they answer in front of the press? They are reptilian: Wilcox, Berrada, Ratcliff and The Glazers.

[Oliver Holt @OllieHolt22]

If Jason Wilcox wants all the power at Old Trafford, let him conduct the post-match press conference. It's got to a point where that would seem to make more sense and be more honest.

[Warren Thompson @ThompsonWarren8]

@RioMeets @rioferdy5 @joelbeya @MrStephenHowson When can we sack the owners Rio?

[Melissa Reddy @MelissaReddy_]

INEOS kept on a manager they had no faith in, openly canvassing Europe for his successor but then armed him with £200m to spend on players he wanted, and changed the backroom staff before sacking him anyway. They axed a sporting director, whose way of working was well established, because he did not fit in with how they wanted him to work. He warned them about selecting a head coach attached to a fixed style of play, which didn’t suit the squad and how expensive it would be to build a quality 3-4-3. They didn’t listen, insisted they believed wholeheartedly in Ruben Amorim’s approach, but then wouldn’t fully back it in the transfer market and asked him to change the tactical principles that attracted them to him. Some “best in class” decision-making…

[Warren Thompson @ThompsonWarren8]

.@GNev2 when are you going to be critical of the people running this circus? It’s always the fault of the manager (Moyes, Van Gaal, Mourinho, Rangnick, Ten Hag, Amorim - all idiots apparently) or the players at fault. When is it the people responsible for running the club

[Warren Thompson @ThompsonWarren8]

@gothburz Legendary! 🤣🤣🤣but this is probably all bullshit too🥲

[FIFA World Cup @FIFAWorldCup]

The opening match of #FIFAWorldCup 2026:

Mexico v South Africa