Fed’s Powell opens door to rate cut, citing job market risks - — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell hinted Friday that the Fed might cut interest rates soon but added a subtle bit of context: It’s not because President Donald Trump is pressuring him. Powell, delivering a closely watched speech at the central bank’s annual conference in Grand Teton National Park, said the U.S. economy faces two competing risks: that inflation could get worse, which would call for more elevated rates, and that the labor market could weaken, which would call for lower rates. It’s “a challenging situation,” he said. But he indicated that he’s more worried about economic weakening than a sustained increase in inflation and then used key central banker wording to suggest that he’s leaning toward a rate cut: “The shifting balance of risks may warrant adjusting our policy stance.” He added that “downside risks to employment are rising. And if those risks materialize, they can do so quickly in the form of sharply higher layoffs and rising unemployment.” But any decision to cut rates, he said, will be “based solely on [Fed officials’] assessment of the data and its implications for the economic outlook and the balance of risks,” he said. “We will never deviate from that approach,” he added. Those comments are an oblique acknowledgment of the political firestorm that Trump and his fellow officials have sparked for the central bank in recent months. The president has called Powell a “numbskull” and a “total and complete moron” for refusing to lower interest rates. Earlier this week, Trump called on another Fed board member, Lisa Cook, to resign after the president’s housing finance regulator referred her to the Justice Department on allegations of criminal mortgage fraud, saying she had named two different properties as her primary residence on loan applications in 2021. He upped his threat in the middle of Powell’s speech in response to a question from a reporter: “Yeah, I’ll fire her if she doesn’t resign. What she did was bad.” Fed board members can only be removed “for cause.” If Cook were to depart, it would give Trump another opening to nominate an ally to the central bank to implement his vision of lower rates. Two board members, Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman, called for rate cuts at the Fed’s most recent rate-setting meeting in July, dissenting from the broader decision to hold borrowing costs steady. But the president’s sweeping tariffs on all U.S. trading partners have led most Fed officials to hesitate on easing borrowing costs for fear that the levies could lead to a series of price increases. Now though, Powell suggested he sees this scenario as less likely than a weakening of the economy. Workers facing higher prices could demand higher wages, leading to a spiral where prices and income push each other up, but in his speech, the Fed chair said “that outcome does not seem likely” because hiring has slowed, giving employees less wage-setting power. He said it was reasonable to assume that tariffs would only lead to one-time price increases. “Of course, ‘one-time’ does not mean ‘all at once,’” he added. “It will continue to take time for tariff increases to work their way through supply chains and distribution networks. Moreover, tariff rates continue to evolve, potentially prolonging the adjustment process.”
Powell indicates conditions 'may warrant' interest rate cuts as Fed proceeds 'carefully' --Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday gave a tepid indication of possible interest rate cuts ahead as he noted a high level of uncertainty that is making the job difficult for monetary policymakers. In his much-anticipated speech at the Fed's annual conclave in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, the central bank leader in prepared remarks cited "sweeping changes" in tax, trade and immigration policies. The result is that "the balance of risks appear to be shifting" between the Fed's twin goals of full employment and stable prices. While he noted that the labor market remains in good shape and the economy has shown "resilience," he said downside dangers are rising. At the same time, he said tariffs are causing risks that inflation could rise again — a stagflation scenario that the Fed needs to avoid. With the Fed's benchmark interest rate a full percentage point below where it was when Powell delivered his keynote a year ago, and the unemployment rate still low, conditions allow "us to proceed carefully as we consider changes to our policy stance," Powell said. "Nonetheless, with policy in restrictive territory, the baseline outlook and the shifting balance of risks may warrant adjusting our policy stance," he added. That was as close as he came during the speech to endorsing a rate cut that Wall Street widely believes is coming when the Federal Open Market Committee next meets Sept. 16-17. However, the remarks were enough to send stocks soaring and Treasury yields tumbling. The Dow Jones Industrial Average showed a gain of more than 600 points following the public release of Powell's speech while the policy-sensitive 2-year Treasury note saw a 0.08 percentage point fall to around 3.71%. In addition to market expectations, President Donald Trump has demanded aggressive cuts from the Fed in scathing public attacks he has lobbed at Powell and his colleagues. The Fed has held its benchmark borrowing rate in a range between 4.25%-4.5% since December. Policymakers have continued to cite the uncertain impact that tariffs will have on inflation as a reason for caution and believe that current economic conditions and the slightly restrictive policy stance allow for time to make further decisions. While not addressing the White House demands for lower rates specifically, Powell did note the importance of Fed independence. "FOMC members will make these decisions, based solely on their assessment of the data and its implications for the economic outlook and the balance of risks. We will never deviate from that approach," he said. The speech comes amid ongoing negotiations between the White House and its global trading partners, a situation often in flux and without clarity on where it will end. Recent indicators show consumer prices gradually pushing higher but wholesale costs up more rapidly. From the Trump administration's view, the tariffs will not cause lasting inflation, thus warranting rate cuts. Powell's position in the speech was that a range of outcomes is possible, with a "reasonable base case" being that the tariff impacts will be "short lived — a one-time shift in the price level" that likely would not be cause for holding rates higher. However, he said nothing is certain at this point. "It will continue to take time for tariff increases to work their way through supply chains and distribution networks," Powell said. "Moreover, tariff rates continue to evolve, potentially prolonging the adjustment process." In addition to summarizing the current conditions and potential outcomes, the speech touched on the Fed's five-year review of its policy framework. The review resulted in several notable changes from when the central bank last performed the task in 2020. At that time, in the midst of the Covid pandemic, the Fed switched to a "flexible average inflation targeting" regime that effectively would allow inflation to run higher than the central bank's 2% goal coming after a prolonged period of holding below that level. The upshot is that policymakers could be patient with slightly higher inflation if it meant insuring a more comprehensive labor market recovery. However, shortly after adopting the strategy, inflation began to climb, ultimately hitting 40-year highs, while policymakers largely dismissed the rise as "transitory" and not needing rate hikes. Powell noted the damaging impacts from the inflation and the lessons learned. "As it turned out, the idea of an intentional, moderate inflation overshoot had proved irrelevant. There was nothing intentional or moderate about the inflation that arrived a few months after we announced our 2020 changes to the consensus statement, as I acknowledged publicly in 2021," Powell said. "The past five years have been a painful reminder of the hardship that high inflation imposes, especially on those least able to meet the higher costs of necessities."
FOMC Minutes: "Committee might face difficult tradeoffs" regarding Unemployment and Inflation -- This is a little stale since this meeting was before the July employment report. From the Fed: Minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee, July 29–30, 2025. Excerpt: In their discussion of inflation, many participants observed that overall inflation remained somewhat above the Committee's 2 percent longer-run goal. Participants noted that tariff effects were becoming more apparent in the data, as indicated by recent increases in goods price inflation, while services price inflation had continued to slow. A couple of participants suggested that tariff effects were masking the underlying trend of inflation and, setting aside the tariff effects, inflation was close to target. With regard to the outlook for inflation, participants generally expected inflation to increase in the near term. ... In their evaluation of the risks and uncertainties associated with the economic outlook, participants judged that uncertainty about the economic outlook remained elevated, though several participants remarked that there had been some reduction in uncertainty regarding fiscal policy, immigration policy, or tariff policy. Participants generally pointed to risks to both sides of the Committee's dual mandate, emphasizing upside risk to inflation and downside risk to employment. A majority of participants judged the upside risk to inflation as the greater of these two risks, while several participants viewed the two risks as roughly balanced, and a couple of participants considered downside risk to employment the more salient risk. Regarding upside risks to inflation, participants pointed to the uncertain effects of tariffs and the possibility of inflation expectations becoming unanchored. In addition to tariff-induced risks, potential downside risks to employment mentioned by participants included a possible tightening of financial conditions due to a rise in risk premiums, a more substantial deterioration in the housing market, and the risk that the increased use of AI in the workplace may lower employment. In their discussion of financial stability, participants who commented noted vulnerabilities to the financial system that they assessed warranted monitoring. ... In discussing risk-management considerations that could bear on the outlook for monetary policy, participants generally agreed that the upside risk to inflation and the downside risk to employment remained elevated. Participants noted that, if this year's higher tariffs were to generate a larger-than-expected or a more-persistent-than-anticipated increase in inflation, or if medium- or longer-term inflation expectations were to increase notably, then it would be appropriate to maintain a more restrictive stance of monetary policy than would otherwise be the case, especially if labor market conditions remained solid. By contrast, if labor market conditions were to weaken materially or if inflation were to come down further and inflation expectations remained well anchored, then it would be appropriate to establish a less restrictive stance of monetary policy than would otherwise be the case. Participants noted that the Committee might face difficult tradeoffs if elevated inflation proved to be more persistent while the outlook for the labor market weakened.
'Hawkish' FOMC Minutes Shows 'Majority' Fear Higher Inflation More Than Lower Employment | ZeroHedge (6 Bloomberg graphs, Fed minutes embedded) Since the last 'dovish' FOMC statement (and Powell's post-statement 'hawkish' presser) on July 30th, we have had 'cool' payrolls print and 'hot' inflation prints with retail sales mixed... Overall, rate-cut expectations are higher...with September price-in as almost a done-deal for a cut... So, with two dissents (preferring to cut than hold), we anxiously await The Fed Minutes to see what Powell and his pals want us to know about the division within The (expensive) Eccles Building...Key highlights: The Minutes suggest members believe rates are not restrictive... "Several participants commented that the current target range for the federal funds rate may not be far above its neutral level; among the considerations cited in support of this assessment was the likelihood that broader financial conditions were either neutral or supportive of stronger economic activity." But clearly they are front and center terrified about inflation: Many Noted Full Effect Of Tariffs Could Take Some Time"Participants judged that considerable uncertainty remained about the timing, magnitude, and persistence of the effects of this year’s increase in tariffs. In terms of timing, many participants noted that it could take some time for the full effects of higher tariffs to be felt in consumer goods and services prices.Participants cited several contributors to this likely lag. These included the stockpiling of inventories in anticipation of higher tariffs; slow pass-through of input cost increases into final goods and services prices; gradual updating of contract prices; maintenance of firm–customer relationships; issues related to tariff collection; and still-ongoing trade negotiations."Majority Saw Employment Risk Outweighed By Inflation Risk (remember this was prior to the payrolls revisions)"Participants generally pointed to risks to both sides of the Committee’s dual mandate, emphasizing upside risk to inflation and downside risk to employment. A majority of participants judged the upside risk to inflation as the greater of these two risks, while several participants viewed the two risks as roughly balanced, and a couple of participants considered downside risk to employment the more salient risk."Several Expected Firms Would Pass Tariffs To Customers"Several participants, drawing on information provided by business contacts or business surveys, expected that many companies would increasingly have to pass through tariff costs to end-customers over time. However, a few participants reported that business contacts and survey respondents described a mix of strategies as being undertaken to avoid fully passing on tariff costs to customers. Such strategies included negotiating with or switching suppliers, changing production processes, lowering profit margins, exerting more wage discipline, or exploiting cost-saving efficiency measures such as automation and new technologies.""few participants observed that evidence so far suggested that foreign exporters were paying at most a modest part of the increased tariffs, implying that domestic businesses and consumers were predominantly bearing the tariff costs.Few participants stressed inability to pass through price increasesA few participants stressed that current demand conditions were limiting firms’ ability to pass tariff costs into prices. Regarding inflation persistence, a few participants emphasized that they expected higher tariffs to lead only to a one-time increase in the price level that would be realized over a reasonably contained period. A few participants remarked that tariff-related factors, including supply chain disruptions, could lead to stubbornly elevated inflation and that it may be difficult to disentangle tariff-related price increases from changes in underlying trend inflationSeveral Flagged Risk Of Inflation Expectations Unanchoring "Participants noted that longer-term inflation expectations continued to be well anchored and that it was important that they remain so. Several participants emphasized that inflation had exceeded 2 percent for an extended period and that this experience increased the risk of longer-term inflation expectations becoming unanchored in the event of drawn-out effects of higher tariffs on inflation.
Amid Mortgage Fraud Allegations, Fed Governor Cook Says Won't Be "Bullied" To Step Down | ZeroHedge --The director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency is urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook over a pair of mortgages, the latest in a series of moves by the Trump administration to increase legal scrutiny of Democratic figures and appointees. FHFA Director Bill Pulte wrote a letter to Bondi and DOJ official Ed Martin on Aug. 15 suggesting that Cook may have committed a criminal offense. The letter alleges that Cook “falsified bank documents and property records to acquire more favorable loan terms, potentially committing mortgage fraud under the criminal statute.” Bloomberg reports that Pulte said Cook took a mortgage on a property in Ann Arbor, Michigan, signing a mortgage agreement that stipulated she would use the property as her primary residence for at least a year. (Update (1730ET) It took all day but Fed Governor Lisa Cook finally offered a response to allegations that she committed mortgage fraud (in order to get better rates, ironically!). Of course, she played the victim card immediately and offered up future 'facts'...“I have no intention of being bullied to step down from my position because of some questions raised in a tweet,” Cook said in a statement.“I do intend to take any questions about my financial history seriously as a member of the Federal Reserve and so I am gathering the accurate information to answer any legitimate questions and provide the facts.” Bill Pulte was quick to respond to the governor's statement: Write anything you or your attorneys want Miss Cook, you’ve been caught based on mortgage documents, not a tweet. It’s black and white. We go after people who commit mortgage fraud, and you signed the mortgage documents, no one else. And you did it within 14 days of each other.https://t.co/LIRK89Zaf8 We look forward to seeing the PolyMarket trade on the over/under for her resignation.
Trump calls on Fed's Cook to quit over mortgage probe - President Trump is demanding the resignation of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook after his housing chief accused her of lying on mortgage applications. The allegations, if true, could force a shake-up at the central bank and hand Trump another appointment. The Federal Open Market Committee member is the third Democrat the Trump administration has accused of committing occupancy fraud.
Letter to the editor: Trump's threats to the Fed's independence must be resisted – American Banker - President Trump's latest demand — that Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook resign — is more than political theater. It's a strategic assault on the Fed's independence and a troubling effort to expunge Black leadership from America's most consequential economic institutions. Trump's demand that Federal Reserve Board Governor Lisa Cook resign is the latest in his dangerous effort to assert control over the central bank. Fed independence is critical to the health of the U.S. economy and must be preserved.
Republican civil war erupts over earmarks in Congress's funding bills --The return of earmarks to the annual appropriations bills has sparked a battle among Republicans on Capitol Hill, pitting fiscal hawks against members of the Appropriations Committees and their allies. It’s a serious battle and one that could scuttle the chances of passing appropriations bills ahead of the Sept. 30 government funding deadline. Republican responsibility for the huge federal deficit has become a hot political issue after President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which is projected to add $3.4 trillion to the debt over the next decade, into law. Conservatives are deeply disappointed that Trump’s bill did not make deeper cuts to federal spending, and they want to make a statement with significant reductions in the annual appropriations bills for fiscal 2026. Adding to the frustrations of fiscal hawks, those bills are already loaded with earmarks directing the Trump administration how to spend funds. Conservatives view the return of earmarks as a return to the days of pork-barrel spending and a bad look for Republicans when the party is taking fire from Democrats for exploding future deficits. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), a leading conservative, argued earmarks are still prohibited by Senate Republican conference rules, even though some members of the conference choose not to follow them. Lee said the proliferation of earmarks in the spending bills are “incompatible with our approach as Republicans, and it’s also incompatible with having $37 trillion in debt.” Some conservatives are pushing for Congress to pass a yearlong stopgap spending measure that would freeze federal funding levels as a strategy to keep spending in check and the next wave of earmarks in limbo. Senate Republicans voted for a “permanent ban” on earmarks in May 2019, when the proposal passed by a 28-12 vote after a heated debate behind closed doors.
Key takeaways from Trump and Zelenskyy's meeting, pivotal talks with European leaders - - President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sounded positive as they met at the White House on Monday as Trump pushes for an end to Russia's war on Kyiv. Zelenskyy was joined in Washington by a remarkable delegation of European leaders who rushed to the U.S. in support of the Ukrainian leader in the wake of Friday's talks between Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin in Alaska. The last time Zelenskyy was in the Oval Office was February, when he received a verbal lashing from President Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who accused him of not being grateful enough for U.S. military assistance. Monday's meeting was a much more cordial affair, with Trump and Zelenskyy sharing smiles and Zelenskyy thanking the president for his personal efforts to bring this conflict to a close. Afterward, they sat down with European leaders, who before news cameras pressed Trump publicly on the need for security guarantees for Ukraine as part of any deal -- after Trump made a new commitment on that point. Some also said a ceasefire would be necessary before further negotiations or any trilateral meeting between Trump, Zelenskyy and Putin. President Trump on Monday said the United States will be involved in security assistance for Ukraine but did not elaborate on what exactly that would look like or give any specifics. "We're going to be discussing it today, but we will give them very good protection, very good security," Trump said. The president later confirmed that Putin said Russia would accept security guarantees for Ukraine. Trump didn't go quite as far as special envoy Steve Witkoff, who told CNN that Russia agreed to "Article 5-like" protections. Article 5 is the agreement of collective defense among NATO nations stating an attack against one member is considered an attack against them all. Trump said Europe would need to shoulder much of the burden when it comes to security guarantees, but that the U.S. will play a role. "They are first line of defense because they're there," Trump said before adding, "But we're going to help them. And also we'll be involved." Trump walks back ceasefire demand After previously pushing for a ceasefire and threatening severe consequences for Russia if Putin did not stop the war, President Trump appeared to back off that demand. "I don't think you need a ceasefire," he said in the Oval Office. "I know that it might be good to have, but I can also understand strategically, like, well, you know, one country or the other wouldn't want it." He continued that he likes "the concept of a ceasefire for one reason, because you'd stop killing people immediately." Trump continued to push for a trilateral meeting between himself, Zelenskyy and Putin -- something he had hoped to set up immediately following his summit with Putin on Friday but was unsuccessful. Zelenskyy said Ukraine is "ready" for a trilateral discussion. "I think it's going to be when," Trump said, "not if."
What to know about Trump’s talks with Zelenskyy and European leaders -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and top European leaders met with United States President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday to discuss plans to bring an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine. Trump convened the meeting after last week’s three-hour summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, where Putin rejected the idea of a ceasefire before reaching a comprehensive peace deal and urged Ukraine to surrender territory in the east in exchange for freezing the front line elsewhere. Trump and Zelenskyy’s interactions were notably warmer than during their tense encounter at the White House in February, with the US president even praising his counterpart’s suit. Trump said the US would back Europe in protecting Ukraine as part of a deal to end the war with Russia. “When it comes to security, there’s going to be a lot of help,” Trump said, describing European countries as the “first line of defence”. “We have people waiting in another room, right now, they’re all here from Europe,” Trump added. “Biggest people in Europe. And they want to give protection. They feel very strongly about it, and we’ll help them out with that.”Trump also said that US support for Ukraine would continue regardless of the outcome of the talks.“It’s never the end of the road. People are being killed, and we want to stop that. So, I would not say it was the end of the road. I think we have a good chance of doing it,” he said. Zelenskyy hailed the pledge as “a major step forward”.He later told reporters that Ukraine had offered to buy about $90bn worth of US weapons. Zelenskyy backed elections, provided they are held under safe circumstances.“Yes, of course. We are open, yes… We need to work in the parliament because during the war, you can’t have elections, but we can, we can do security,” Zelenskyy said. “We need a truce… to make it possible for people to do democratic, open, legal, legal elections,” he added. When asked if he would carry out his promise from last week to impose “severe consequences” on Russia if it does not end the war, Trump replied that a ceasefire may not be needed.“I don’t think you need a ceasefire,” Trump said.“You know, if you look at the six deals that I settled this year, they were all at war. I didn’t do any ceasefires. And I know that it might be good to have, but I can also understand strategically why one country or the other wouldn’t want it,” he said.“But we can work a deal where we’re working on a peace deal while they’re fighting,” Trump added.“They have to fight. I wish they could stop.”Trump has claimed credit for helping to end six wars, including conflicts between India and Pakistan and Cambodia and Thailand.
Obama-era ambassador: ‘Major progress’ after Trump-Zelensky meeting --Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul on Monday lauded the Trump administration for its push for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine as well as European leaders’ unified show of support for Kyiv during their White House visit. McFaul, who served in the Obama administration, said during an appearance on NBC News where he is an analyst that it was a “brilliant, brilliant” idea for the seven European leaders to meet with President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington. The former ambassador said “talking about security guarantees with European soldiers being a part of that — that is major progress, with American assistance.” “I, myself, would like NATO guarantees rather than NATO-like guarantees. But if you have to compromise, I think this is an important compromise and a step forward,” he added. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Finnish President Alexander Stubb visited the White House and met with Trump and Zelensky, sharing developments after the meeting with the press. The heads of NATO and the European Commission were also in attendance. “Whoever had the idea to bring all these European leaders together in addition to President Zelensky, that was a brilliant, brilliant idea,” McFaul told NBC. “And having it come so quickly after Alaska was also very important, because now they’ve changed the talking points here. Just in this meeting alone, they’ve walked back some of the positions that the president was echoing when he met with President Putin,” he continued, referring to the Russian leader.
Trump says he discussed missing children with EU chief -President Trump said late Monday he is in discussion with the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, over the issue of missing children — a key concern for Ukrainians after 3 /12 years of war against Russia. “Ursula von der Leyen, the distinguished and Highly Respected President of the European Commission, and I have been discussing the massive Worldwide problem of missing children,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “This is, likewise, a big subject with my wife, Melania,” Trump added. “It is a subject at the top of all lists, and the World will work together to solve it, hopefully bringing them home to their families!” Trump did not specify whether the discussion centered on the more than 19,000 Ukrainian children who are reported to have been abducted from their homes since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and forced to acclimate to Russian society. But the U.S. president noted that the issue is important to first lady Melania Trump, who recently wrote a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin raising concerns about the plight of Ukrainian children. “Every child shares the same quiet dreams in their heart, whether born randomly into a nation’s rustic countryside or a magnificent city-center. They dream of love, possibility, and safety from danger,” the first lady wrote in the letter, which President Trump delivered to Putin ahead of their high-stakes summit in Alaska on Friday. “A simple yet profound concept, Mr. Putin, as I am sure you agree, is that each generation’s descendants begin their lives with a purity – an innocence which stands above geography, government, and ideology,” the first lady wrote. “Yet in today’s world, some children are forced to carry a quiet laughter, untouched by the darkness around them – a silent defiance against the forces that can potentially claim their future.” “Mr. Putin, you can singlehandedly restore their melodic laughter,” the first lady added. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky — who was in Washington for a high-stakes summit with President Trump and other European leaders on Monday— responded to Trump’s Truth Social post by thanking the first lady “for her attention to one of the most painful and difficult issues of this war — the abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia.” “We deeply appreciate her compassion and her letter to Putin,” Zelensky said in a post on the social platform X. ”This issue lies at the heart of the war’s humanitarian tragedy – our children, broken families, the pain of separation.” Zelensky said he gave Trump “a letter of gratitude” on Monday to pass along to Melania Trump that the Ukrainian first lady, Olena Zelenska, wrote in response to her counterpart’s plea to Putin. “Her voice matters, and her care gives strength to this cause,” Zelensky said about Melania Trump. “We are working tirelessly to bring every child home. The same applies for our prisoners of war and civilians held in Russia for years, some since 2014, in very bad conditions.” “Thousands of people still need to be freed – and this is a part of making peace. We will work to negotiate all-for-all prisoners of war exchange, and we are grateful to have strong friends who help,” he added, tagging the president of the European Commission’s X account.
White House responds to report of Alaska summit papers left on public printer: 'Hilarious' --The White House responded to an NPR report revealing that U.S. government papers about the summit between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska were left on a public hotel printer, dismissing it as “hilarious.” “It’s hilarious that NPR is publishing a multi-page lunch menu and calling it a ‘security breach,’” White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly said in a Saturday statement to The Hill’s sister network, NewsNation. “This type of self-proclaimed ‘investigative journalism’ is why no one takes them seriously and they are no longer taxpayer-funded thanks to President Trump.” NPR reported that the eight papers, which contained information about meetings and locations of the summit, along with phone numbers of three U.S. government workers, were found on a hotel printer before the Friday Trump-Putin meeting at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson near Anchorage. The first page of the papers showed the sequence of meetings for Friday, including information that the president would give Putin a gift. Pages 2 through 5 showed the names of the top U.S. and Russian officials in Alaska on Friday. Page 2 showed the phone numbers of three U.S. advance staffers. Pages 6 and 7 showcased the lunch seating chart and the menu. The planned lunch did not take place on Friday, but it would have included a three-course meal, including a salad, filet mignon and/or halibut olympia, according to documents obtained by NPR. The documents appear to be produced by the Office of the Chief of Protocol, a part of the State Department that seeks to “advance the foreign policy goals of the United States by creating an environment for successful diplomacy. Our team extends the first hand that welcomes presidents, prime ministers, ruling monarchs, and other leaders to our country.”
Live updates: Momentum builds among European leaders for Putin, Zelensky to meet -- Momentum appears to be building among European leaders for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin to join President Trump for a trilateral Trump and Zelensky held a high-stakes Oval Office meeting Monday afternoon, which the Ukrainian leader described as “very good.” Leaders from NATO and six European nations then joined Trump and Zelensky in the White House East Room for further discussion. Trump has said he would speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin following this larger meeting, just days after they met at a U.S. Air Force base outside Anchorage, Alaska. In a scene contrary to the Ukrainian president’s first trip to the White House in February, Trump greeted Zelensky warmly at the door to the West Wing, and they engaged in banter and questions from the press before a closed-door meeting. European leaders joined them about 90 minutes later for a “family photo.” Meanwhile, the federal crackdown on crime continues, with the White House saying 69 people were arrested overnight. Amid the federal effort, D.C. restaurants have taken a hit, though Trump, in answering a media question, said “the restaurants the last two days were busier than they’ve been in a long time,” thanks to added security in the District. The White House has indicated that the multilateral meeting between Trump, Zelensky and seven European leaders that was taking place in the East Room ended around 5:30 p.m. EDT. The leaders are now in the Oval Office in a “leaders-only” format, according to the press pool, as of about 6 p.m. EDT.
Trump calls Putin to arrange face-to-face with Zelensky – President Trump said Monday he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin following meetings at the White House with top European leaders and began arranging a potential bilateral meeting involving Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump said the meeting between Putin and Zelensky would take place at a time and location to be determined. It would be the first time the two leaders met face-to-face since the start of the war in February 2022. “After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Again, this was a very good, early step for a War that has been going on for almost four years.” Trump and other world leaders put some momentum behind a trilateral meeting between the three leaders as a host of Europeans descended on the White House, along with Zelensky, for meetings on Monday following Trump hosting Putin in Alaska on Friday. Trump’s call with Putin came after he spent much of the afternoon meeting with Zelensky and seven key European leaders at the White House to discuss a path forward on ending the war in Ukraine, which has been raging on since Russian forces invaded in February 2022. “During the meeting we discussed Security Guarantees for Ukraine, which Guarantees would be provided by the various European Countries, with a coordination with the United States of America,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Everyone is very happy about the possibility of PEACE for Russia/Ukraine.” Trump, Zelensky and other European leaders projected a unified front during Monday’s gathering. The leaders all spoke about their desire to end the war, though some sticking points emerged throughout the afternoon. For one, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz argued that there should be no follow-up meeting with Putin without a ceasefire agreement. Trump shrugged off the suggestion, arguing a ceasefire was not a prerequisite to obtaining a peace agreement. Details were also scant on what security guarantees would look like for Ukraine. Trump left open the possibility that U.S. forces could be involved, but he indicated Europe would take the lead on the initiative. Trump has said it will be up to Ukraine to determine the issue of potential territorial concessions as part of any peace agreement, though he has at times indicated there will need to be “land swaps.” An image posted by a top White House staffer on Monday showed Trump and Zelensky standing in front of a map of Ukraine that outlined which areas were occupied by Russian forces. Monday’s meetings at the White House came after Trump hosted Putin in Alaska for a summit last Friday. That meeting, which marked Putin’s first time on U.S. soil since 2015, ended with both leaders touting progress but without any concrete details on ending the war in Ukraine.
Macron suggests Switzerland for Putin-Zelensky talks - French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday suggested Switzerland as a possible host nation for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.In an interview that aired Tuesday on French news channel LCI, Macron said the bilateral talks could take place in Europe, though he specified they would not be held in France.“It will be [hosted by] a neutral country, maybe Switzerland — I’m pushing for Geneva — or another country,” Macron said, according to a translation in the French newspaper Le Monde.“The last time there were bilateral talks, they were held in Istanbul,” he added, according to the news outlet.President Trump said he spoke to Putin on Monday about arranging a time and place for a bilateral talk with Zelensky. Trump said that, following that meeting, he would join for trilateral talks that would then be followed by a multilateral meeting with other European leaders.Putin is subject to an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), but Macron said in his latest interview the Russian leader could be issued immunity during the talks, saying, “Peace must move forward, so we must find a place,” according to a translation of the remarks. Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis welcomed the prospect of hosting a summit for the talks, telling Swiss public broadcaster SRF: “We are ready for such a meeting, and we also thank you for the trust placed in us. We have always signaled our willingness, but it naturally depends on the will of the major powers,” according to a translation.
John Bolton: Trump's hot mic reveals Putin's strategy --Former national security adviser John Bolton said on Tuesday that President Trump’s hot-mic moment at the White House on Monday reveals key insight into Russian President Vladimir Putin’s approach to dealing with the U.S. president as he pushes for a diplomatic resolution to the war in Ukraine. Ahead of the White House meeting with several of Europe’s most powerful leaders on Monday, Trump was captured on a hot mic telling French President Emmanuel Macron that he thinks Putin “wants to make a deal.” “I think he wants to make a deal for me,” Trump continued, referring to Putin. “Do you understand that? As crazy as it sounds.” In an interview on CNN’s “The Situation Room,” Bolton zeroed in on Trump’s use of the words, “for me,” saying the phrase is “evidence” of the message Putin likely conveyed to Trump when they met in Alaska on Friday. Bolton said he suspects Putin appealed to Trump’s long-established desire to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for ending the war in Ukraine. “It’s Putin saying, as he possibly did in Alaska, ‘Look, I can help you out here, Donald. You deserve the Nobel Peace Prize if you can bring peace here. And I want to help you. You know, this war never would have begun if you had been president,’” Bolton said, speculating about Putin’s message to Trump during their private meeting. “That’s the way to Trump’s heart,” Bolton added. Bolton said the fact the U.S. president thinks Putin wants to make a deal to help Trump personally is “evidence of how Putin negotiated him — and Trump is so proud of it, he tells Macron.”
Russia won't commit to Putin-Zelensky meeting - Russia is refusing to commit to a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which President Trump has encouraged as a next step toward ending the war between their two countries. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov argued Tuesday that any summit between the leaders should be prepared “step by step, gradually, starting from the expert level and then going through all the necessary stages.” Lavrov, who attended last week’s summit between Trump and Putin in Alaska, made the remarks in an interview with state-run television Rossiya-24. The foreign minister said the Kremlin is not turning down negotiations with Ukraine and added that the U.S. president has the invitation from Moscow to visit Russia. Trump was accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff in Anchorage. Trump spoke with Putin on Monday from the White House, calling the Russian leader as he was hosting Zelensky along with seven European leaders, including the secretary-general of NATO, in Washington. The European officials and Zelensky were not in the room when Trump called Putin. “I didn’t do it in front of them — I thought that would be disrespectful to President Putin. I wouldn’t do that, because they have not had the warmest relations,” Trump said Tuesday while on Fox News’s “Fox & Friends.” The conversation between the U.S. president and Putin lasted around 40 minutes, with Trump saying the call was “good” and that he told the Russian leader that “we’re going to set up a meeting with President Zelensky, and you and he will meet.”
Russia rules out ‘any scenarios’ deploying NATO troops to Ukraine -Russia’s foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova on Monday warned NATO leaders against deploying troops in Ukraine as world leaders work to bring about an end to the nearly three-years long war.“We reiterate our repeatedly expressed position that we deny any scenarios that envisage the deployment of a military contingent to Ukraine with the participation of NATO states, which could lead to an uncontrollable escalation of the conflict with unpredictable consequences,” Zakharova said, directing her stateme- at British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron formed a“ coalition of the willing” earlier this year, threatening “several thousand boots on the ground” with the support of 31 countries in response to Moscow’s escalation in Eastern Europe. In her Monday statement, Zakharova pushed back on Starmer’s assertion that the United Kingdom would send troops to Eastern Europe, citing progress during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s meeting with President Trump in Anchorage, Alaska.“Against the backdrop of the genuine desire demonstrated by the Russian and US leadership in Anchorage for a comprehensive, fair, and sustainable settlement of the conflict around Ukraine, including the elimination of its root causes, statements continue to pour out of London that not only clash with the efforts of Moscow and Washington, but are also clearly aimed at undermining them,” Zakharova said.Zakharova called on the United Kingdom to “abandon risky and ill-considered geopolitical gambits” and “not interfere with the painstaking work of Russian and US negotiators.”Still, the Kremlin launched a massive overnight attack on Ukraine’s energy grids Monday.
Zelensky Wants Western Security Guarantees Before Meeting With Putin - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that he must have more clarity on what security guarantees his Western backers are willing to provide before meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.“We want to have an understanding of the security guarantees architecture within seven to 10 days,” Zelensky said. “We need to understand which country will be ready to do what at each specific moment.”The insistence on security guarantees from NATO countries could sink the peace process, as Russia has said it must be involved in the talks and has rejected the British and French push for a troop deployment to Ukraine.Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday accused the European countries insisting on a troop deployment to Ukraine of purposely undermining the negotiations.“As for the motives that guide the so-called ‘coalition of the willing’, I see many signs that this activity is aimed precisely at undermining the progress that began to emerge clearly following the summit in Alaska and the contacts between representatives of the American administration and the Russian side that preceded it,” he said.Zelensky also called for more pressure on Russia in response to heavy Russian missile and drone attacks across Ukraine on Thursday, including a strike that hit a factory owned by a US company. “They don’t want to end this war, they’re continuing to carry out large-scale attacks on Ukraine and fierce assaults on the front line. On top of that, they’ve launched missiles on a US-owned plant – as on many other civilian targets,” Zelensky said.
Lavrov Says Talks About Security Guarantees for Ukraine Must Include Russia - Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday that any talks about security guarantees for Ukraine must involve Russia, calling the discussions about guarantees without Moscow’s participation “utopian thinking that leads nowhere.”Lavrov’s comments come as a group of European countries led by the UK and France, which is calling itself the “Coalition of the Willing,” is insisting on the idea of deploying troops to Ukraine as part of a future potential peace deal. President Trump has also backed the idea and suggested the US could support the European troops with air power. Russia has made clear that the idea of troops from NATO countries being deployed to Ukraine is a non-starter.“We cannot agree with the current proposal to resolve issues of collective security without Russia. This cannot work,” Lavrov said, according to Russia’s TASS news agency. “I am confident that the West, especially the United States, understands perfectly well that discussing security issues without Russia is utopian thinking that leads nowhere.”Lavrov pointed to a draft peace deal from April 2022 that included security guarantees involving the five permanent members of the UN Security Council — the US, France, the UK, China, and Russia — and potentially other countries, including Germany and Turkey.“In other words, Ukraine’s proposal clearly stated that these guarantees would be equal, and that the security of all interested parties, including Ukraine’s neighbors, would be ensured on an equal, indivisible basis,” he said. “At that time, in April 2022, Russia supported this position.”While the details of the draft peace deal from April 2022 weren’t exactly clear, they were a far cry from the NATO Article 5-style security guaranteesthat the US and Europe are discussing now. During the negotiations in 2022, Moscow’s main demand was for Ukrainian neutrality, and it was not seeking territory, but the talks were discouraged by the US and its allies, an effort led by then-British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Trump floats air support for Ukraine as part of security guarantees- President Trump is floating providing U.S. pilots and warplanes as part of security guarantees for post-war Ukraine as he pushes for an end to Russia’s war against the country. Trump has said the U.S. will help Europe craft security guarantees for Ukraine to backstop any peace deal reached with Russia, in lieu of Ukraine joining NATO, a red line for Russia. “When it comes to security, they are willing to put people on the ground,” Trump said in an interview won “Fox & Friends” Tuesday morning, referring to Europe. “We’re willing to help them with things, especially, probably, if you talk about by air because nobody has stuff we have.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that Trump has tasked his national security team to “come up with a framework for these security guarantees that can be acceptable to help ensure a lasting peace and end this war.” “I won’t, certainly, rule out anything as far as military options that the president has at his disposal, I’ll let him do that,” she said, adding the president has “definitively” ruled out boots on the ground. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Monday said Trump’s willingness to involve the U.S. in security guarantees for Ukraine was a “breakthrough” in the peace process, though details on America’s potential role remain scarce. Trump’s floating the possibility for air support could mean American pilots engaged in defensive operations, guarding against Russian missiles, or simply providing support for other aircraft — such as air-to-air refueling or for transportation of military equipment.
Trump Says He's Willing To Support European Troops in Ukraine 'by Air' as Part of Potential Security Guarantee - President Trump said on Tuesday that he may be willing to provide air support for European troops on the ground in Ukraine as part of a potential security guarantee, an arrangement that would be unacceptable to Russia.“When it comes to security, they’re willing to put people on the ground,” Trump told Fox News, referring to European countries. “We’re willing to help them with things, especially, probably, if you talk about by air, because no one has the kind of stuff we have, really, they don’t.”The president also assured that US troops wouldn’t be deployed to Ukraine. A day earlier, he wouldn’t rule out the idea of putting American boots on the ground in Ukraine.A group of European countries, led by France and the UK, which calls itself the “Coalition of the Willing,” is pushing for an arrangement where they would deploy forces to Ukraine as part of a potential peace deal. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted a virtual meeting of the group on Tuesday.Starmer’s office said in a press release on the meeting that the British leader “outlined that Coalition of the Willing planning teams would meet with their US counterparts in the coming days to further strengthen plans to deliver robust security guarantees and prepare for the deployment of a reassurance force if the hostilities ended.”A day earlier, Russia re-stated its opposition to the idea. “We reiterate our repeatedly expressed position that we deny any scenarios that envisage the deployment of a military contingent to Ukraine with the participation of Nato states, which could lead to an uncontrollable escalation of the conflict with unpredictable consequences,” said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.Axios reported on Tuesday that Trump had agreed with the Europeans that they should provide Ukraine with NATO “Article 5-like” security guarantees without bringing Ukraine into the alliance and that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead the talks on potential security guarantees.The Axios report also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin told Trump during the Alaska summit that he was willing to discuss the principle of security guarantees for Ukraine and mentioned China as one of the potential guarantors.
Kremlin Makes Clear There Are No Zelensky-Putin Talks On Horizon -The Trump administration has, coming off the Friday and Monday Ukraine-related important summits, been touting that a direct Putin-Zelensky meeting will happen soon, likely in the coming days or weeks, but the Kremlin is now downplaying and contradicting this. No, there is no Putin-Zelensky meeting on the immediate horizon, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has made clear:The Russian president told Trump on Monday that he was "open" to the idea of direct talks with Ukraine, but the next day Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov watered down that already vague commitment.Any meeting would have to be prepared "gradually... starting with the expert level and thereafter going through all the required steps", he said, repeating a frequent noncommittal Kremlin line.Dmitry Polyanskiy, a Russian deputy representative to the UN, told the BBC "nobody [had] rejected" the opportunity for direct talks, "but it shouldn't be a meeting for the sake of a meeting".But despite the perhaps exaggerated US statements of where things actually stand, President Trump did admit Tuesday that it's a "tough one" and that "We're going to find out about President Putin in the next couple of weeks." He said, "It's possible that he doesn't want to make a deal."Lavrov in his latest statements further clarified that during Monday's call with Trump, Putin only agreed to elevate the level of Russian representation in negotiations with Ukraine, and not to directly participate in a summit.The top Russian diplomat emphasized that a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin would require extensive preparation and should take place only at the conclusion of the negotiation process, serving as its final step.This has been Moscow's position all along - and practically speaking there would be no use in Putin showing up to such a meeting only to have Zelensky not budge on crucial conditions like territorial concessions or permanent neutrality regarding NATO.BBC reviews that even the statements about imminent summits, but which clearly are no closer to coming to fruition, themselves are likely an extreme negotiating tactic. "It was reported that Putin had suggested to Trump that Zelensky could travel to Moscow for talks, something Ukraine was never likely to accept," BBC says."The proposal may have been Russia's way of putting forward an option so far-fetched Kyiv could not possibly have agreed to it," the report comments.
White House summit exposes deep rift within NATO --There is no historical parallel for the summit meeting that took place in Washington on Monday. With only 24 hours’ notice, the heads of government of the four economically strongest European countries, the head of the European Union (EU) Commission and the Secretary General of NATO traveled to the American capital to support Ukrainian President Zelensky in his meeting with US President Trump. Such a gathering of high-ranking politicians is usually only seen at state funerals, excepting regular summit meetings that are prepared months in advance. The meeting in Washington may indeed be the prelude to a funeral: the funeral of NATO, which has shaped transatlantic relations for 76 years. The bizarre façade of the meeting—the adulation and gestures of humility towards Trump, the Europeans’ desperate efforts to present a united front, the assurances that they were in agreement and only wanted peace—concealed the deep cracks in the NATO alliance. In fact, the differences have never been so sharp. While European leaders groveled and bowed before Trump, a figure despised worldwide, as if in a Molière comedy, they could see the heavily armed soldiers in front of the White House that Trump had brought to the capital to demonstrate: “I am the dictator here.” What prompted European leaders to cut short their vacations and rush to Washington was the fear that Trump might reach an agreement with Russian President Putin at their expense. For years, they have invested enormous resources in arming Ukraine and stepping up pressure on Russia. They have demonized Russian President Putin as the incarnation of evil, with whom it is impossible to negotiate because he only understands the language of force. They believed themselves to be in agreement with the US, at least as long as Joe Biden was in the White House. According to figures from the Kiel Institute (IFW), Europe has supported Ukraine with military and financial aid totaling €167 billion since the war began three and a half years ago and has pledged a further €90 billion. The US has provided €114 billion and pledged a further €4 billion. The US was initially the driving force. Even Germany, the largest donor to Ukraine after the US, hesitated for a long time to stop purchasing cheap natural gas from Russia until American pressure and the destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines left it with no other choice. But now, Trump is carrying out a sharp turn in US foreign policy. On Friday, he welcomed Putin with open arms in Alaska and agreed to negotiations on ending the war. Trump hopes this will give him access to strategic raw materials in Russia and Ukraine, weaken his European rivals against whom he has already imposed punitive tariffs and undermine the alliance between Russia and China. The US would be able to focus its military forces even more strongly than before on preparing for war against China. Since the meeting between Trump and Putin, the lines between Kiev, Brussels, Berlin, Paris and London have been buzzing. The Europeans feel betrayed. Their goal of bringing Ukraine and Russia under their control with American support has proven to be a disastrous miscalculation. The European imperialist powers are still too weak militarily to continue the war against Russia without US support. Ukraine, itself has recently suffered heavy territorial losses, is battling from a shortage of soldiers, and public sentiment is shifting. According to a recent Gallup poll, 69 percent of Ukrainians are in favor of a quick negotiated peace, while only 24 percent want to continue fighting. Three years ago, the ratio was reversed. Under these circumstances, the European powers are trying to influence Trump, whose policy is also controversial in the US, in their favor. The trip to Washington served this purpose. If they fail to prevent Trump from withdrawing from the war, then Ukraine should at least be turned into a heavily armed fortress that maintains pressure on Russia. However, the meeting did not result in an agreement. The European leaders considered it a success that there was no scandal and that they were not thrown out of the White House, as Zelensky was six months ago.
Escobar: What Really Happened In Alaska - by Pepe Escobar - The Putin–Trump meeting dropped some important veils. It revealed that Washington views Russia as a peer power, and that Europe is little more than a useful American tool... Alaska was not only about Ukraine. Alaska was mostly about the world's top two nuclear powers attempting to rebuild trust and apply the brakes on an out-of-control train in a mad high-speed rail dash towards nuclear confrontation. There were no assurances, given the volatile character of US President Donald Trump, who conceived the high-visibility meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. But a new paradigm may be in the works nonetheless. Russia has essentially been de facto recognized by the US as a peer power. That implies, at the very least, the return of high-level diplomacy where it is most needed. Meanwhile, Europe is dispatching a line-up of impotent leaders to Washington to kowtow in front of the Emperor. The EU’s destiny is sealed: into the dustbin of geopolitical irrelevance. What has been jointly decided by Trump, personally, and Putin, even before Moscow proposed charged-with-meaning Alaska as the summit venue, remains secret. There will be no leaks about the full content. Yet it’s quite significant that Trump himself rated Alaska as a 10 out of 10. The key takeaways, relayed by sources in Moscow with direct access to the Russian delegation, all the way to the 3-3 format (it was initially designed to be a 5-5, but other key members, such as Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, did provide their input), emphasize that: “It was firmly put [by Putin] to stop all direct US weapon deliveries to Ukraine as a vital step towards the solution. Americans accepted the fact that it is necessary to dramatically decrease lethal shipments.” After that happens, the ball swings to Europe’s court. The sources specify, in detail: “Out of the $80 billion Ukrainian budget, Ukraine itself provides less than around $20 billion. The National Bank of Ukraine says that they collect $62 billion in taxes alone, which is a hoax; with a population around 20 million, much more than one million of irreversible battlefield losses, a decimated industry and less than 70 percent of pre-Maidan territory under control that is simply impossible.” So Europe – as in the NATO/EU combo – has a serious dilemma: ‘Either support Ukraine financially, or militarily. But not both at the same time. Otherwise, the EU itself will collapse even faster.’
Major Russian attack on western Ukraine hits an American factory during U.S.-led push for peace | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Russia launched a rare drone and missile attack on western Ukraine overnight, officials said Thursday, striking targets including an American-owned electronics plant and injecting further uncertainty into the U.S.-led efforts to end the three-year-old war. The aerial assault on a part of Ukraine that has largely avoided such focused attacks was one of Russia's biggest this year and came amid Moscow's objections to key aspects of proposals that could end the fighting following Russia’s February 2022 invasion of its neighbor. President Donald Trump discussed the war with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week before hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders at the White House on Monday. Russia’s Defense Ministry said the strikes targeted “enterprises of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex," including drone factories, storage depots, missile launch sites and areas where Ukrainian troops were gathered. Russia has repeatedly denied targeting civilian areas of Ukraine. But in a post on X, Mr. Zelenskyy wrote that “the Russians practically burned down an American company producing electronics — home appliances, nothing military.” “The Russians knew exactly where they lobbed the missiles. We believe this was a deliberate attack against American property and investments in Ukraine,” Mr. Zelenskyy wrote, adding: “Telling attack, right as the world awaits a clear answer from Russia on negotiations to end the war.” Trump last month questioned Mr. Putin’s commitment to ending the war, saying the Russian leader “talks nice and then he bombs everybody.” In a social media post Thursday, Trump criticized his predecessor, Joe Biden, for not providing Ukraine with more weaponry it needs to “fight back.” “It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invaders country,” Trump said. “It’s like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defense, but is not allowed to play offensive. There is no chance of winning! It is like that with Ukraine and Russia.” The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Trump is considering changes to the types of weapons the U.S. will provide to Kyiv.
Putin's Conditions for Peace Deal: Ukraine Gives Up Donbas, No NATO, and No Western Troops - Reuters reported on Thursday that Russia’s demands for a peace deal in Ukraine include Ukrainian forces withdrawing from the Donbas, a guarantee that Ukraine won’t join NATO, and for Ukraine to keep Western troops out of the country. Russian sources told Reuters that Putin had compromised on his initial conditions, which included the Ukrainian withdrawal from the territory in the southern Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. Under the current offer, Russia is willing to freeze the lines there and also return small amounts of territory it controls in Kharkiv, Sumy, and Dnipropetrovsk.For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has publicly rejected the idea of ceding the territory Ukrainian forces still control in the Donbas, and European leaders appear to be backing his position.When it comes to NATO, the Reuters report said that Moscow is seeking a legally binding pledge from the alliance that it wouldn’t move further eastwards. A guarantee that Ukraine wouldn’t join NATO was one of Russia’s main demands to avoid the invasion, but the Biden administration refused to engage on the issue.While the Trump administration has ruled out the idea of Ukraine joining NATO as part of a potential peace deal, the alliance’s leadership is still insisting on its “open door” policy. NATO Secretary-General Mark Ruttesaid this week that Ukraine is on an “irreversible path” to NATO membership.Russia’s other condition is related to the security guarantees for Ukraine that are being discussed by the US and its European allies, who are insisting on some sort of arrangement where European troops are deployed to Ukraine and backed by US air power. But Russia has made clear repeatedly that the idea is completely unacceptable, and the insistence on it could tank the peace process.
Trump Provides Rhetorical Support for Ukrainian Attacks on Russian Territory - President Trump on Thursday suggested he supports Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory in a provocative post on Truth Social, which comes less than a week after his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.“It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invaders country. It’s like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defense, but is not allowed to play offense. There is no chance of winning! It is like that with Ukraine and Russia,” the president wrote.“Crooked and grossly incompetent Joe Biden would not let Ukraine FIGHT BACK, only DEFEND. How did that work out? Regardless, this is a war that would have NEVER happened if I were President – ZERO CHANCE. Interesting times ahead!!!” Trump added.President Biden gave Ukraine the green light last year to use US-provided missiles on Russian territory, which Russia responded to by altering its nuclear doctrine to lower the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons, underscoring the seriousness of the escalation.The US has also supported drone attacks on Russian territory by investing $1.5 billion in Ukraine’s domestic drone manufacturing program, and reports have said that the attacks rely on Western-provided intelligence.Trump’s comments come amid talks and negotiations about a potential peace deal in Ukraine, though the conditions being discussed by Ukraine and its European backers make an agreement seem unlikely. Some NATO countries are insisting on sending troops to Ukraine, and Trump hassuggested that he supports the idea, but Russia has made clear it’s a non-starter.
Trump Set To 'Crush' Russia Economy If Putin Evades Zelensky: Sen. Graham -Republican Senator and notorious anti-Russian hawk Lindsey Graham said Tuesday that he believes President Donald Trump is ready to hit Russia's economy hard with a new round of sanctions if President Vladimir Putin refuses to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the near future.The White House has said, after Trump met with Putin in Alaska Friday - and then with Zelensky and European leaders on Monday - that the Russian president agreed to a bilateral meeting with the Ukrainian leader. And then "if necessary" there could be a trilateral meeting involving President Trump after Putin and Zelensky meet. "President Trump spoke with President Putin by phone, and he agreed to begin the next phase of the peace process, a meeting between President Putin and President Zelenskyy, which would be followed, if necessary, by a trilateral meeting between President Putin, President Zelensky and President Trump," White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a Tuesday press briefing.The Kremlin and even Russian state media have remained vague and non-committal on the question of a Putin-Zelensky meeting. In short, Moscow has yet to offer the same level of confirmation from its side.Graham, who chairs the Senate Budget Committee, spoke with Trump Tuesday morning, and has for months been pushing amajor bipartisan sanctions bill targeting Moscow - which if passed would impose heavy tariffs on countries that help fund Russia's military in Ukraine by purchasing its oil, gas, uranium, and other exports.Trump has yet to endorse it, leaving time for breakthrough negotiations toward final peace settlement, though it reportedly has the support of 85 senators at this point."If we don’t have this thing moving in the right direction by the time we get back, then I think that plan B needs to kick in," Graham told The Associated Press. Pressure continues building on the Republican president: "Trump believes that if Putin doesn’t do his part, that he’s going to have to crush his economy. Because you've got to mean what you say," Graham said.
Navarro: India must stop buying Russian oil -- White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said India must stop buying and selling Russian oil if it wishes to garner favor with the Trump administration, which has upped tariffs on New Delhi to 50 percent. President Trump this month announced an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian goods over the country’s purchases of Russian oil, arguing India is fueling Moscow’s war efforts in Ukraine. The new tariff, which is set to take effect next week, adds to the 25 percent “reciprocal” tax on Indian imports already in place. Navarro doubled down on the administration’s position in an op-ed Monday in the Financial Times, saying the proceeds from the crude oil “flow to India’s politically connected energy titans, and in turn, into [Russian President] Vladimir Putin’s war chest.” “India’s dependence on Russian crude is opportunistic and deeply corrosive of the world’s efforts to isolate Putin’s war economy. In effect, India acts as a global clearinghouse for Russian oil, converting embargoed crude into high-value exports while giving Moscow the dollars it needs,” Navarro wrote in the op-ed. Navarro touted the “two-pronged policy” approach to tariffs on Indian imports, saying it will “hit India where it hurts — its access to US markets.” “If India wants to be treated as a strategic partner of the US, it needs to start acting like one,” Navarro wrote. India has remained defiant in the face of U.S. tariff threats and has accused administration officials of being hypocritical. Past administrations encouraged the India-Russia energy trade to help stabilize global markets, and both the U.S. and Europe continue to spend billions on Russian energy and commodities. “In this background, the targeting of India is unjustified and unreasonable,” a spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement earlier this month responding to Trump’s tariff threats over Russian oil. “Like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security,” the spokesperson added.
AI firm rolls out tool to detect nuclear weapons talk --Artificial intelligence (AI) firm Anthropic has rolled out a tool to detect talk about nuclear weapons, the company said in a Thursday blog post. “Nuclear technology is inherently dual-use: the same physics principles that power nuclear reactors can be misused for weapons development. As AI models become more capable, we need to keep a close eye on whether they can provide users with dangerous technical knowledge in ways that could threaten national security,” Anthropic said in the blog post. “Information relating to nuclear weapons is particularly sensitive, which makes evaluating these risks challenging for a private company acting alone,” the blog post continued. “That’s why last April we partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to assess our models for nuclear proliferation risks and continue to work with them on these evaluations.”Anthropic said in the blog post that it was “going beyond assessing risk to build the tools needed to monitor for it,” adding that the firm made “an AI system that automatically categorizes content” called a “classifier” alongside the DOE and NNSA.The system, according to the blog post, “distinguishes between concerning and benign nuclear-related conversations with 96% accuracy in preliminary testing.”The firm also said the classifier has been used on traffic for its own AI model Claude “as part of our broader system for identifying misuse of our models.” “Early deployment data suggests the classifier works well with real Claude conversations,” Anthropic added.
Backing Escalation in Gaza, Trump Says Israeli Captives Will Be Released Only If 'Hamas Is Confronted and Destroyed' - President Trump said on Monday that the only way the remaining Israeli captives would be freed from Gaza is if Hamas is “confronted and destroyed,” a statement that provides backing for the Israeli government’s plans to escalate its genocidal war on the Palestinian territory.“We will only see the return of the remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed!!! The sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be,” the president wrote on Truth Social.The next phase of Israel’s offensive will focus on taking over Gaza City and involves forcibly displacing 1.2 million Palestinian civilians to the south as part of an ethnic cleansing campaign. The plans to escalate come as Palestinians are starving to death in Gaza every day due to the Israeli blockade, and a new mass displacement will make the humanitarian situation significantly worse.While Trump claims escalation is the only way to free the captives, relatives of the Israelis who remain in Gaza and former hostages are urging for a diplomatic solution. The Israeli military has also been warning that plans to escalate with the goal of the full occupation of Gaza would risk harming or killing the remaining captives, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu isn’t concerned.Trump also claimed in his post that he was responsible for freeing “hundreds” of Israeli hostages, a reference to the ceasefire deal that was signed in January, under which Hamas released 30 living Israeli captives. Hamas also later released Edan Alexander, an Israeli-American IDF soldier, as a goodwill gesture to the Trump administration. More than 100 civilian Israeli hostages were released as part of a short truce deal in November 2023, and just eight Israelis have been recovered alive by the Israeli military.“Remember, I was the one who negotiated and got hundreds of hostages freed and released into Israel (and America!),” Trump said. “I was the one who ended 6 wars, in just 6 months. I was the one who OBLITERATED Iran’s Nuclear facilities. Play to WIN, or don’t play at all! Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Rep. Greene: US Should Let Gaza Children in for Medical Treatment, Prosecute Israeli Child Predators - Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) said in a post on X on Tuesday that the US should allow wounded children from Gaza to enter the US for medical treatment and should also prosecute Israeli child sex predators.The Georgia representative was referring to a recent State Department decision to block visas for Palestinians from Gaza in response to outrage from pro-Trump activist Laura Loomer over wounded Palestinian children arriving for medical treatment, and the case of Tom Alexandrovich, a senior Israeli cybersecurity official who was arrested in a sting operation in Nevada for attempting to lure a child for sexual purposes but was allowed to go back to Israel.“We need to be the America that allows war torn children to come here for life saving surgeries and the America that never releases a foreign child sex predator that our great LEO’s caught,” Greene wrote. “But in this circumstance those war torn children are from Gaza and this foreign child sex predator is from Israel and works directly for Netanyahu.”In recent weeks, Greene has been outspoken in her opposition to US military aid to Israel, and she has become the first Republican in Congress to label Israel’s actions in Gaza a genocide. She has also pushed back strongly against attempts by the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC to smear her.“Let me guess,” Greene wrote on Tuesday. “Would it be antisemitic to drag Netanyahu’s Cyber Executive Director back and prosecute this pos to the full extent of the law and at the same time let Palestinian kids who had their limbs and bodies blown apart receive surgeries in America?”The Palestinian children who were shown arriving in the US in videos shared by Loomer were brought to the country by the charity group HEAL Palestine, which pays for their expenses. Under the program, the children leave the US once they have fully recovered from their medical treatment.“I’m not saying bring in refugees or use tax payer dollars, not at all, but when did America’s heart grow so cold to refuse innocent children privately funded surgeries and then they return home after they recover? Wouldn’t we allow Israeli children if they were the ones needing surgery? Or war torn children from any other country?” Greene said.The congresswoman also said that the “most concerning question” was why the US would allow an Israeli child predator to leave the country despite the evidence against him. “Would we do that with a Mexican child sex predator? Chinese child sex predator? Any other country’s child sex predator? I know God does not discriminate in his love for children. Why would we?” she asked.
Greene rips State Department move to halt visitor visas for people from Gaza --Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) on Tuesday ripped the State Department for halting visitor visas for people from Gaza.“We need to be the America that allows war torn children to come here for life-saving surgeries and the America that never releases a foreign child sex predator that our great LEO’s caught,” Greene wrote in a post on social platform X, referring to Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, an official in Israel’s National Cyber Directorate who was arrested Monday in connection to a Las Vegas child sex trafficking sting.“Would it be antisemitic to drag [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s Cyber Executive Director back and prosecute this pos to the full extent of the law and at the same time let Palestinian kids who had their limbs and bodies blown apart receive surgeries in America?” she added.Among the groups halted from obtaining U.S. visas last Saturday were those seeking temporary medical-humanitarian visas for children. Greene, in recent weeks, has joined a chorus of other lawmakers who have railed against the Trump administration and Israel over the humanitarian conditions in Gaza.“I’m not saying bring in refugees or use tax payer dollars, not at all, but when did America’s heart grow so cold to refuse innocent children privately funded surgeries and then they return home after they recover?” she added in her Tuesday social media post.“Wouldn’t we allow Israeli children if they were the ones needing surgery? Or war torn children from any other country?” she continued.
Mike Huckabee Claims Israeli Settlements in the Occupied West Bank Are Not Illegal Under International Law - US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee claimed in an interview on Thursday that Israeli settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank were not illegal under international law, comments that came after Israel approved a major expansion of settlements.Huckabee told Al-Arabiya that “it is not a violation of international law for Israelis to live in Judea and Samaria,” using the biblical name for the West Bank.Historically, it has been the position of US administrations to oppose Israeli settlements, but that changed with the first Trump administration. In 2019, then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared that the US no longer considered settlements illegal under international law, despite their clear prohibition under the Geneva Convention.Article 49 of the Geneva Conventions states: “The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.” Both the US and Israel have signed and ratified the Geneva Conventions of 1949.Huckabee, a Christian Zionist who believes God gave historic Palestine to the modern state of Israel, has a long record of supporting the Israeli occupation and takeover of the West Bank and even denies that Israel is an occupying power.“I think Israel has title deed to Judea and Samaria,” Huckabee told CNN in 2017 while visiting a settlement. “There are certain words I refuse to use. There is no such thing as a West Bank. It’s Judea and Samaria. There’s no such thing as a settlement. They’re communities, they’re neighborhoods, they’re cities. There’s no such thing as an occupation.”Back in 2008, Huckabee was recorded saying that there’s “no such thing as a Palestinian” and argued the Palestinians should be expelled to other Arab states.
Report: Pentagon To Spend $3.5 Billion Replenishing Munitions It Used Defending Israel - The Pentagon is planning to spend at least $3.5 billion replenishing weapons it has used defending Israel, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday.The report cited budget documents “prepared through mid-May,” meaning the $3.5 billion doesn’t include the cost for the US-Israeli war that was launched against Iran starting on June 13 and lasted 12 days.The documents say the spending is necessary to make up for costs to the US Central Command amid responses to “the situation in Israel” or other hostile actions emanating from it, as well as US combat operations “executed at the request of or in coordination with Israel for the defense of Israeli territory, personnel or assets during attacks by Iran” or its allies.The single biggest request is for $1 billion to replenish various models of the Standard Missile interceptor, which are primarily fired by US Navy warships and are produced by Raytheon. The request was mainly for SM-3 IB Threat Upgrade interceptors, which are used to shoot down ballistic missiles and cost between $9 million and $12 million per munition.
Hegseth fires Defense Intelligence Agency head -- Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth terminated the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), according to two sources familiar with the matter. A senior defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told The Hill on Friday that Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse “will no longer serve” as the director of the military intelligence organization. Kruse’s departure from the agency was confirmed by a DIA spokesperson, who added that deputy director Christine Bordine will assume the role of acting director “effective immediately.” The firing of Kruse, who became the 23rd director of DIA last year, comes as the administration has continued to shake up the U.S. national security and military ranks. NN: Florida judge orders dismantling of 'Alligator Alcatraz' In a surprise move, the Air Force announced on Monday that its chief of staff, Gen. David Allvin, would retire in November after serving only two years of his four-year term. DIA made headlines earlier this summer after its preliminary, low-confidence assessment was leaked shortly after the U.S. military’s June strikes on Iran’s three nuclear sites. The report said that Iran’s nuclear program was set back by only a few months, prompting strong pushback from President Trump, his allies and Israeli officials.
Bipartisan lawmakers meet with Syria’s president in Damascus --A group of bipartisan lawmakers met with Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus, part of a growing group in Congress engaging with the new Syrian government as President Trump has moved to lift sanctions. The Syrian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday posted photos of the lawmakers, the delegation included Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), and Reps. Jason Smith (R-Mo.) and Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.) The lawmakers met with al-Sharaa and other senior officials in the administration, including Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Assad Hassan Al-Shaibani and Minister of Interior Anas Khattab. Trump has moved to significantly ease sanctions on Syria in the wake of the ousting of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in December. But Congress is split over whether to permanently repeal the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, a comprehensive sanctions regime against Syria that was meant to isolate and bankrupt Assad. Trump only has a six-month waiver to suspend those sanctions. The divide is bipartisan. Some Republicans and Democrats are arguing for a cautious approach to lifting sanctions, to closely watch how al-Sharaa follows through on key commitments to counterterrorism, justice for victims of Assad and protection of minorities. Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) put his support behind an initiative from Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) that would amend Caesar to give the president more flexibility on suspending sanctions yet retain the ability to implement them if needed. The debate in Congress came shortly after an American citizen was killed among a group of Syrian-Druze in an outbreak of sectarian violence in Suwayda, in southern Syria.
US Raid in North Syria Captures Top ISIS Figures, Kills One in Clash - While the US has been redeploying much of its force inside Syria to the far south, they’ve reportedly carried out a high profile raid against ISIS in Atimeh in the Idlib Governorate. Though the special forces raid was in the northwest of Syria, some reports suggest the Iraqi military participated in the operation.Details are still emerging, and the Pentagon has so far declined any comment, so a lot of the information is coming from second-hand sources like Syrian militia group Burkan al-Furat. The reports suggest at least three ISIS figures, high ranking ones, were captured in the operation, while another ISIS member was killed.The captured were tentatively identified as Abu Wadah al-Farani, Abu Qais al-Iraqi and Abu Muhmmad al-Iraqi. The slain was said to be Salah Numan, who was killed as he tried to flee the site of the raid.Faransi is a former member of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an al-Qaeda linked group that is now the current Syrian government. He was said to be from France, and was heavily involved in ISIS recruiting European members. Abu Qais al-Iraq was identified as a top ISIS security official. Abu Muhammad al-Iraqi is perhaps the most surprising, as the reports identified him as ISIS’ former governor of Salahuddin Province in Iraq, but he had also been reported to have been killed by US force over a decade ago. The number of people reported killed by the US only to emerge still alive is fairly substantial across the region, so it’s possible this is the same person, though it is also possible this report isn’t accurate and someone else was among the people captured.
US Bombs al-Shabaab, Marking 58th Airstrike in Somalia of the Year - US Africa Command (AFRICOM) said in a press release on Wednesday that its forces conducted an airstrike to the southwest of Bariire, a town in southern Somalia, on August 17, marking at least the 58th US airstrike in Somalia this year.The command said that it launched the strike against al-Shabaab in support of US-backed government forces and offered no other details. “Specific details about units and assets will not be released to ensure continued operations security,’ AFRICOM said.The US-backed Somali Defense Ministry said in a press release on August 18 that the Danab, a special US-trained military unit, conducted a major operation against al-Shabaab in Awdheegle, a town that’s just six miles southwest of Bariire, putting it in the area where AFRICOM said it conducted the strike.The Defense Ministry said the operation was carried out with support from “international partners” and that it targeted “fortifications and hideouts used by al-Shabaab militants.” The ministry claimed that over 100 al-Shabaab militants were killed in the attack and didn’t share any information about its own casualties.The ministry said that al-Shabaab’s “defensive tunnels and bunkers were destroyed through precision airstrikes,” suggesting the US could have launched more than one strike. Antiwar.com asked AFRICOM if it could confirm that its forces were involved in the operation but hasn’t yet received a reply.
Trump Administration Deploys Three US Navy Destroyers and 4,000 Troops Near Venezuela - The US is deploying three Navy destroyers off the coast of Venezuela in a move aimed at pressuring President Nicolas Maduro, signaling what appears to be another push for regime change.One US official told Reuters that a total of 4,000 US sailors and Marines are expected to be committed to the Trump administration’s efforts in the southern Caribbean region.US officials say the deployment is an effort to “combat threats from Latin American drug cartels,” as the US has made the unsubstantiated claim that Maduro is the leader of a cartel. The accusation goes back to the first Trump administration, when then-Attorney General Bill Barr indicted the Venezuelan leader over claims of “narco-terrorism.” The claim was made over alleged cocaine trafficking, even though data showed at the time that the vast majority of cocaine coming into the US went through the Eastern Pacific, rather than Venezuela’s Caribbean waters.White House Press Secretary Karolin Leavitt was asked on Tuesday about the deployments near Venezuela and if the US was considering putting “boots on the ground” in the country.Leavitt replied, “President Trump has been very clear and consistent; he is prepared to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into our country, and to bring those responsible to justice. The Maduro regime is not the legitimate government of Venezuela. It is a narco-terror cartel, and Maduro, it is the view of this administration, is not a legitimate president. He is a fugitive head of this cartel, he has been indicted in the United States for trafficking drugs into the country.”The Trump administration has taken other steps that signal another attempt at regime change in Venezuela, including increasing the bounty on Maduro from $25 million to $50 million and labeling cartels “Specially Designated Global Terrorists,” including Cartel de los Soles, a term used to describe an alleged network of Venezuelan officials involved in drug trafficking that doesn’t actually exist as an organization.The US designated the so-called Cartel de los Soles over claims that it supports the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TDA) and Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel. However, a recently declassified US intelligence memo said it was unlikely that Maduro’s government cooperates with or directs TDA, and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has denied that there’s any evidence linking Maduro to Sinaloa.
Mexico: No border enforcement collaboration deal with DEA -- Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday said law enforcement officers would not be cross-collaborating with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) “Project Portero” targeting narcotic smugglers. “The DEA put out a statement yesterday saying that there is an agreement with the Mexican government for an operation called Portero,” Sheinbaum said during her morning news briefing, as reported by The Associated Press. “There is no agreement with the DEA. The DEA puts out this statement, based on what we don’t know. We have not reached any agreement, none of the security institutions [have] with the DEA.” Over the past few months, U.S. officials have touted bilateral relations with Mexico after sending 26 cartel members across the border. Four members of Mexico’s police force attended a workshop in Texas geared toward intelligence operations, but Sheinbaum mentioned there were no additional dual efforts to combat drug trafficking. In recent months, President Trump has increased tariffs on Mexico in response to the heightened impact of fentanyl across the country. Trump has blamed a handful of groups, including the Sinaloa Cartel, Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Northeast Cartel, the New Michoacán Family, Gulf Cartel, United Cartels, Tren de Aragua, and Mara Salvatrucha for the persistent overdoses. Sheinbaum has pledged to work alongside the Trump administration to reduce border trafficking but has denied Trump’s push to place U.S. troops on the ground in May to combat criminal forces and additional suggestions for American surveillance. “It’s not necessary. We can collaborate. We can work together,” Sheinbaum said at the time. “But you in your territory and us in ours. We can share information, but we will never accept the presence of the United States’ army in our territory.”
US military’s quest for ‘drone dominance’ — Just outside of Indianapolis, the U.S. military is loudly building its arsenal. NewsNation traveled to the Muscatatuck Training Center with the U.S. Army and Undersecretary of Defense Emil Michael for an inside look at the Defense Department’s largest and most realistic training center for the military and law enforcement. The training area consists of a sunken city, a hospital and crumbling buildings in order to create what the Army calls the “Disneyland of the warfighter.” And these days, it’s all about drones. “Usually, you deliver a big weapons system to your troop, they read the manuals, they understand how to use them,” Michael said. “Now we’re going to rely on the warfighters to be part of the innovation loop.” He added that the military is trying new things when it comes to innovation. “It has to be modular, or it has to be able to change both software and hardware consistently,” he said. To do so, the Pentagon is turning to some of the biggest and brightest private companies and innovators from the U.S. Innovators come to Camp Atterbury in Indiana twice a year to put their technology to the test and potentially earn contracts with the U.S. military. “Now we’re up to 7 to 8 people and we’re continuing to grow, so maybe with this recent order we may have to scale a little bit faster,” said Uzi Ibrahim, vice president of strategic operations at Sentien Robotics. Practice makes perfect in America’s heartland to stay at the top of the game on the global stage. “You know, when I was in Silicon Valley, there was some hesitance to cooperate with the U.S. military. That is gone,” Michael said. “Those days are over.” “We’re trying to open that door wide. So they come in and we’re giving them real-time feedback and giving them quicker ‘Yes’s and quicker ‘No’s,'” he added. “So they go back to their drawing board. If it’s not working, it can work better next time.”
‘Lone Star Lockup’: Trump admin opens largest immigration detention center in US — As the federal government continues large-scale deportations of undocumented migrants, the Trump administration has opened what it calls the largest federal immigration detention center in the country’s history. The facility, dubbed “Lone Star Lockup,” opened Sunday in Fort Bliss, Texas, under a $1.2 billion Defense Department contract. The detention center holds 1,000 beds with a plan to expand to 5,000 beds by 2027. Inside are legal access areas, medical treatment areas and recreational space — amenities that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials say make it like a “traditional” facility. NYC student, 7, and family detained by ICE: ‘Should be getting ready for school’ Supporters of the detention center, like Republican Congressman Tony Gonzales, say it will help ease overcrowding at other facilities and serve as a processing hub, sending migrants with final removal orders directly onto ICE air flights back to their home countries. “Fort Bliss is an amazing military facility,” Gonzales said. “Everything thrown their way, they’ve handled. We should be supporting this, not attacking it.” The project does have its critics, including U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas). “That money will enrich private contractors,” Escobar said. “Imagine what one billion could do for health care or law enforcement here in El Paso.
COVID-19 most likely causing superspreader event at Alligator Alcatraz - More than a thousand people are held in “Alligator Alcatraz,” a South Florida detention center that attorneys and advocates say is “bordering on torture” because of its inhumane conditions. The case of 38-year-old Venezuelan social media influencer Luis Manuel Rivas Velásquez makes the crisis clear. His lawyer, Eric Lee, reports that Velásquez developed severe breathing problems, most consistent with a serious COVID-19 infection, yet was denied medical care for two full days. He eventually collapsed, unresponsive, inside the chain-link cage where he was being held. Fellow detainees say they had to drag Velásquez out themselves, with one former nurse attempting CPR while guards stood by, apparently unable even to take his pulse. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) downplayed the incident, claiming he had simply “fainted,” and said he was sent to Miami’s Kendall Regional Medical Center only “out of precaution.” Independent accounts, however, make clear his condition was far more serious. After a brief return to “Alligator Alcatraz,” where he was labeled as having a vague “respiratory infection,” Velásquez was quietly transferred to a facility in El Paso, Texas. There, though his health remained fragile, he was denied access to his own medical records. In a desperate call to his attorney, he pleaded, “I don’t want to die in here,” and even requested deportation back to Venezuela to escape the neglect and abuse. Beyond individual cases, there are widespread reports of a respiratory outbreak, most likely COVID-19, tearing through the facility. Attorneys and detainees say the “vast majority” are sick with symptoms like coughing and shortness of breath. Requests for masks have been denied, and detainees are allowed to shower only once or twice a week, leaving the environment filthy and unsafe. Attorney Eric Lee told The Guardian that “Alligator Alcatraz” has become a “petri dish for disease,” a description that underscores the deliberate neglect and the high risk of viral spread. The current summer surge in COVID-19 has made the situation inside “Alligator Alcatraz” even more dangerous. Nationally, modeling from the Pandemic Mitigation Collaborative shows cases rising more than 50 percent from June to July, with over half a million Americans infected at any given time and an estimated 1,300 to 2,100 excess deaths. The CDC’s wastewater data confirm “high or very high” transmission levels in Miami-Dade and surrounding counties as of August 2025—the very region where the detention center is located. This means detainees are being confined in one of the nation’s worst COVID hot spot, under conditions almost guaranteed to spread the virus. The detention center is situated about 50 miles west of Miami, deep in the Everglades. With no staff housing on site, nearly all employees commute daily from Miami and other South Florida communities. This constant flow in and out makes local outbreaks directly relevant to conditions inside. Combined with the facility’s documented lack of hygiene, limited showers and frequent medical emergencies, the risk of viral spread among detainees is not just likely, but inevitable. The danger is obvious. With staff commuting from areas of high transmission, it is highly likely that COVID-19 has been carried into “Alligator Alcatraz,” turning the facility into a potential superspreader site. Detainees and even a former corrections officer have described widespread illness marked by coughing and breathing problems. One former officer said he contracted COVID-19 while working there, a direct result of the unsanitary conditions and lack of protections. Despite these reports, detainees say requests for masks are denied, and that they are allowed to shower only once or twice a week—conditions that make viral spread inevitable. Homeland Security and Florida state officials continue to deny or downplay the crisis, insisting there are “no cases” of COVID-19 or tuberculosis, and claiming medical care is available around the clock. Attorneys counter that this is an active cover-up, pointing to officials’ refusal to answer questions or provide basic transparency. Taken together, the denials, the filthy conditions, and the high rates of infection in surrounding communities, appear less like negligence and more like a deliberate attempt to conceal a public health emergency inside the detention center.
Trump administration revoked 6,000 foreign student visas since start of term -More than 6,000 foreign students saw their visas revoked since the start of the second Trump administration, the State Department revealed Tuesday. A spokesperson for the department said the visas were rescinded for overstays and “law violation,” the “vast majority” consisting of assault, DUI, burglary and support for terrorism. Roughly 4,000 of the individuals broke the law, according to the department, while 200 to 300 visas were revoked over support for terrorism, although it is not clear what standard was used for those allegations. The story was first reported by Fox News. Earlier this year, the Trump administration targeted multiple pro-Palestinian foreign students, alleging they were a threat to U.S. national security. These students are still fighting against deportation proceedings. In the spring, thousands of foreign students were taken off the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, a reporting system that gives information about international students to the Department of Homeland Security, before having their status restored weeks later. Along with revoking visas, the Trump administration has tried to take away the ability of Harvard University to enroll foreign students, has froze visa interviews and implemented a new social media vetting policy for international students.
Uganda becomes latest African country to agree to take US deportees - At least three African countries so far have struck a deal with President Trump’s administration to accept deportees from the United States. Uganda became the latest African nation to forge an agreement with the administration to accept migrants who were deported from the U.S.The East African country said Thursday it had reached a “temporary” arrangement with Washington, saying it will not accept deportees who have a criminal record and unaccompanied minors. “Uganda also prefers that individuals from African countries shall be the ones transferred to Uganda,” the nation’s foreign ministry said in a statement. “The two parties are working out the detailed modalities on how the agreement shall be implemented.” Uganda did not provide more details about the agreement or how many migrants it will accept. Kampala has joined the growing list of African nations that made deals with the U.S. government over deportees as the administration looks to ramp up deportations, part of Trump’s sweeping immigration agenda. Apart from Uganda, Rwanda accepted 250 deportees from the U.S. earlier this month. “Those approved (for resettlement in Rwanda) will be provided with workforce training, healthcare, and accommodation support to jumpstart their lives in Rwanda, giving them the opportunity to contribute to one of the fastest-growing economies in the world over the last decade,” Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo said. Rwanda struck an agreement with the U.S. in June. In early July, the Supreme Court greenlighted the Trump administration’s plan to send migrants to war-torn South Sudan, even as the deportees have no ties to the nation. Days later, South Sudan confirmed that eight convicted criminals were in its custody. The administration also sent five men from various countries to Eswatini last month. The African nation later said it will send those men back to their country of origin. The Department of Homeland Security said at the time that the five men — who are from Cuba, Jamaica, Laos, and Yemen — have criminal backgrounds and convictions.
USCIS memo emphasizes good moral character for US citizenship applicants -- The Trump administration is ordering officers at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to take a more “holistic” approach when determining whether to award U.S. citizenship to immigrants, saying they must weigh more factors in determining whether an applicant has “good moral character.” The Friday memo from USCIS said officers must now weigh not just any disqualifying behavior but whether those seeking to naturalize are in good standing in their community. “Going forward, USCIS officers must account for an alien’s positive attributes and not simply the absence of misconduct,” the memo states. U.S. law has long prevented those convicted of murder and other serious violent crimes from gaining U.S. citizenship, and applicants were already required to be considered as having good moral character. But the new memo also encourages officers to consider rejecting applicants with other convictions, including drug use or two or more convictions for driving under the influence. Officers are also encouraged to weigh conduct that may not be illegal but frowned upon, such as “reckless or habitual traffic infractions” or soliciting. “Repeated criminal conduct such as multiple DUI convictions undermines moral character unless rebutted by affirmative evidence of reform,” the memo states. “In assessing conditional bars officers have authority — and now explicit directive — to weigh all relevant evidence, both adverse and favorable, before granting or denying naturalization.” Officers are also urged to consider evidence of reform, including compliance with court orders, payment of lapses in taxes of child support payments, or “community testimony” from those who can assure their good character. The memo also encourages the officers to look at other “positive factors,” such as “sustained community involvement,” caregiving or raising a family, education and career achievements, and paying taxes. “GMC findings must go beyond the absence of disqualifying acts, it must reflect a genuine positive assessment of who the alien is and how they have lived in their community,” the memo states, using an abbreviation for good moral character. Those seeking to naturalize already face multiple steps to do so, including years of lawful presence in the U.S., compliance with U.S. laws, and passing a test on U.S. civics often conducted in English. “U.S. citizenship is the gold standard of citizenship — it should only be offered to the world’s best of the best,” USCIS spokesperson Matthew J. Tragesser said in a statement.
DHS Secretary Says Southern Border Wall Will Be Painted Black To Deter Illegal Crossings - Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Aug. 19 that President Donald Trump has requested that the entire wall along the U.S.-Mexico border be painted black in order to deter illegal crossings.Speaking to reporters in New Mexico, Noem said the border wall is being built tall and extended deep underground to prevent any breaches, and the metal would be painted black to make it even more difficult to climb. “That is specifically at the request of the president, who understands that in the hot temperatures down here, when something is painted black, it gets even warmer, and it will make it even harder for people to climb,” she said.“So we are going to be painting the entire southern border wall black to make sure that we encourage individuals to not come into our country illegally, to not break our federal laws.” Noem noted that cameras and sensors would be installed in the future to enhance security at the border, adding that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also plans to build “water-borne infrastructure.”“Construction right now is at the pace of a little bit less than a half a mile a day, and the border wall will look very different based on the topography and the geography of where it is built,” she added. Noem did not provide details on the wall’s construction cost. The One Big Beautiful Bill, signed into law by Trump last month, allocated about $46.5 billion for the construction of a wall along the border with Mexico. Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border after taking office for a second term on Jan. 20, directing the deployment of armed forces to assist with border security efforts. Under the declaration, Noem and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were ordered to take “all appropriate action” to construct more physical barriers along the border. Following that order, Noem issued a waiver in April that enabled the immediate construction of 2.5 miles of border in California. Trump has signed several executive actions aimed at deterring illegal immigration, including a memo authorizing the military to take control of land along the U.S.–Mexico border.Data released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) last month shows that illegal border crossings fell to their lowest level in June, with no parole releases of illegal immigrants.There were 25,228 total encounters nationwide in June, down from 29,478 the previous month, marking the lowest monthly total ever recorded by CBP, the agency stated.Border Patrol apprehensions nationwide also dropped to a historic low, with 8,024 apprehensions recorded, compared with 10,357 in May, according to the agency.
Paul Krugman: Trump administration 'about to ICE the economy' with immigration crackdown - Nobel laureate Paul Krugman said in a Wednesday Substack post that the Trump administration is “about to ICE the economy” with its immigration crackdown.“I worry, as everyone should, about how a huge expansion of this deeply un-American organization may be used as a tool of presidential power and repression,” Krugman said in a Substack post, discussing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).“Furthermore, give people power without accountability — and it’s hard to give a better example than masked, unidentified agents authorized to use force — and some of them will abuse their position. And given what ICE has already been doing, what kind of people do you think are likely to sign up as it massively expands?” he added.“ Compared with these issues, concerns about the economic impact of mass deportations are definitely second-tier. But they’re still important, and a subject I know something about. So the rest of this post will be devoted to how the Trump administration is about to ICE the economy.”Krugman argued in his Substack post that the U.S. experiencing a mass loss of immigrant workers would cause negative economic disruption because they “aren’t spread evenly across the economy.”“They’re strongly concentrated in certain industries and occupations, where they constitute a large share, sometimes a majority, of the work force. As a result, the Trump administration’s latter-day Edict of Expulsion will be far more disruptive to the economy than the aggregate number of workers deported might suggest,” he added. In the first few months of President Trump’s second term, his administration has harshly cracked down on immigration.The new leader of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said in a recent New York Times interview that the Trump administration would make changes to the visa system for skilled workers and seek to change the test for U.S. citizenship to be harder.Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a post on the social platform X last week that “the world has heard our message: if you are in America illegally, LEAVE NOW.’“In less than 200 days, 1.6 MILLION illegal immigrants have left the United States population. Under President Trump, we now have safer streets, better jobs for Americans, and less strain on schools, hospitals and social services,” Noem added in her post.Krugman added later in his Substack post that “undocumented immigrants make up around 5 percent of the U.S. work force.”“It seems plausible that a significant fraction of those workers will be pushed out, along with a number of legal workers snatched up based, as Trump’s border czar has said, on their physical appearance. Losing large numbers of workers sounds as if it will be bad for the U.S. economy. In fact, it will be worse than you may think,” he continued.
Hakeem Jeffries: Kristi Noem to face Congress scrutiny if Dems win -- House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem would be a top target of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee if Democrats retake the House in the midterms. “It’s my expectation that Kristi Noem will be one of the first people hauled up to Congress shortly after the gavels change hands to get a real understanding for the American people as to this conduct that has taken place: The lack of respect for due process, for the rule of law, the unleashing of masked agents on law-abiding immigrant communities, and the disappearing of people in some instances, to other countries without any real evidence that criminal behavior took place,” Jeffries said in an interview with Tim Miller on “The Bulwark Podcast.” “All of this is going to require aggressive Oversight activity.” Jeffries nodded to a number of controversial actions taken by the Trump administration, from sending Venezuelan migrants to a notorious megaprison in El Salvador to side-stepping due process with actions such as moving to dismiss immigration court cases as a way to initiate expedited removal proceedings and bypassing review by a judge. Masked agents have also been conducting arrests at courthouses and in immigration enforcement actions across the country. Jeffries added that he supported the deportation of immigrants who have been convicted of violent crimes, “but not law-abiding immigrant families, including in some instances, U.S. citizen children who’ve been sent overseas to a place that they’ve never known.” Jeffries said Reps. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), who would lead the House Homeland and Judiciary committees if Democrats flipped the House, would likely play a key role in such efforts.
Trump adds firepower to National Guard presence in DC - The number of National Guard troops patrolling Washington, D.C., will more than double in the coming days after Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina and West Virginia in the past several days committed troops to President Trump’s federal takeover of the city. Coupled with indications that the guard members may soon be carrying weapons — a reversal of their initial orders — the new deployments mark a major escalation of Trump’s efforts to take over law enforcement in Washington. The roughly 800 D.C. National Guard troops already deployed in the capital will be joined by about 200 personnel from Mississippi, between 300 and 400 from West Virginia, 150 from Ohio and 200 from South Carolina, beefing up a presence that has largely stood idle around typically low-crime, tourist-heavy areas in the city. “Crime is out of control there, and it’s clear something must be done to combat it,” Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said in a statement Monday, becoming the latest Republican governor to answer to a Trump administration request to send guard members to Washington. West Virginia, Ohio and South Carolina, meanwhile, pledged their state troops over the weekend, bolstering Trump’s federal crackdown on crime and homelessness in the Democratic-led city. Still, some GOP governors are keeping their troops home, including Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R), who “politely declined” Trump’s request to deploy Vermont National Guard soldiers. “While public safety is a legitimate concern in cities across the country and certainly in the nation’s capital, in the absence of an immediate emergency or disaster that local and regional first responders are unable to handle, the governor just does not support utilizing the guard for this purpose, and does not view the enforcement of domestic law as a proper use of the National Guard,” Scott’s chief of staff, Jason Gibbs, said in a statement Friday, as reported by Vermont Public.
Trump: DC’s national park sites will soon look like golf courses - President Donald Trump said Thursday he would “rebuild” national park sites in the nation’s capital by the end of the year, joking that owning golf courses had made him “very good at grass.” “We’re going to be re-grassing all your parks, all brand-new sprinkler systems, the best that you can buy,” the president said from the Park Police’s Anacostia operations facility in Washington, where he had gone to meet with officers and National Guard troops he had ordered deployed in the city.Joined by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and other officials, the president said the city’s federal parks will soon look like the course in Augusta, Georgia, where the Masters Tournament is held every year.“It’ll look like, more importantly, Trump National Golf Club,” he said.
Senate Democrats urge Trump to reconsider AI chip deal with Nvidia, AMD --Several top Senate Democrats are urging President Trump to walk back a deal with Nvidia and AMDthat would allow the companies to sell artificial intelligence (AI) chips to China after they agreed to share 15 percent of revenue from sales. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Democratic Sens. Mark Warner (Va.), Jack Reed (R.I.), Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), Chris Coons (Del.) and Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) argued in a letter sent Fridaythat the move runs counter to U.S. national security interests and could violate the law. Warner is the vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, while Reed, Shaheen and Warren are the top Democrats on the Senate Armed Services, Foreign Relations and Banking panels, respectively. “This ‘negotiated deal,’ allowing American semiconductor manufacturers to pay a 15 percent fee for the ability to sell critically sensitive technology to our adversary, blatantly violates the purpose of export control laws,” they wrote. Nvidia and AMD have each agreed to share 15 percent of revenue from the sales of their H20 and MI308 chips in order to secure export licenses from the Trump administration, which had imposed new licensing restrictions effectively blocking sales earlier this year. The deal has raised legal questions, as federal law prohibits fees on export licenses, while the Constitution bars export taxes. However, it’s unclear whether the agreement would be considered a formal fee or tax and whether anyone would challenge the move. It has also provoked national security concerns, as the U.S. seeks to outpace China on AI and prevent Beijing from using the technology to boost its military capabilities.
Chinese Tech Giants Keep Buying Nvidia's H20 Chips Despite Beijing's Warnings -Chinese demand for Nvidia’s H20 chips remains strong despite Beijing’s warnings over "security" risks, industry sources toldNikkei Asia. The U.S. chipmaker, which agreed to hand 15% of China sales revenue to Washington in exchange for export approval, is now eyeing a rebound in the world’s second-largest economy.Beijing recently summoned Alibaba, ByteDance, Tencent, and Baidu, urging them to rely more on domestic suppliers like Huawei, Biren, and Cambricon. State media later echoed government concerns, alleging H20 chips carry backdoor risks — a claim Nvidia denies. Bloomberg also reported officials warning against using H20 in government projects.Executives at major Chinese firms, however, say the guidance is only "advice," not a ban. One told Nikkei that their projects are not "critical infrastructure" and will continue to use Nvidia chips. Another noted that while Huawei’s Ascend is praised as "superior," it suffers from efficiency problems, higher-than-expected defects, and capacity constraints.Tencent President Martin Lau recently said the company has enough GPUs for AI training and upgrades, but staff admitted concerns over shortages since Tencent also rents GPUs externally.Price also works in Nvidia’s favor. "H20 is actually cheaper to use than some Chinese alternatives," a Beijing venture capitalist said, citing both purchase cost and energy efficiency. Nvidia’s CUDA software platform makes it harder to replace, even when Chinese rivals approach its hardware, according to Nikkei Asia. A supplier executive said demand for H20 servers has not shifted since Beijing’s warning: "For the Chinese CSP [cloud service providers], they still hope to use higher-efficiency chips... they will continue to buy chips from Nvidia, but they will also increase their use of homegrown chips."Margins on H20 are thinner, and production strains TSMC’s already tight CoWoS packaging capacity, but "being able to continue selling H20s into China is a way to show its goodwill to the Chinese government and hold on to its market share," the executive added.Looking ahead, Nvidia is preparing a downgraded Blackwell chip for China, set to use GDDR7 memory instead of more advanced HBM, to comply with U.S. rules. Its performance is still unknown, and it’s unclear if Nvidia must again share revenue with Washington. Some hope the Trump administration will relax controls further
Trump admin eyes Intel stake to boost U.S. chipmaker -The Trump administration is considering taking a stake in Intel as a means of boosting the struggling U.S. chipmaker, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Tuesday. Lutnick indicated the money for the stake would come from previously allocated Biden-era funding. Media reports have suggested the government is considering a 10 percent stake using CHIPS and Science Act grants. “The president figures out that we should get, America should get the benefit of the bargain,” he told CNBC’s “Squawk Box.” “I mean, that is exactly Donald Trump’s perspective, which is, why are we giving a company worth $100 billion this kind of money?” he continued. “What is in it for the American taxpayer? And the answer Donald Trump has is we should get an equity state for our money.” “So we’ll deliver the money which was already committed under the Biden administration,” Lutnick added. “We’ll get equity in return for it, get a good return for the American taxpayer instead of just giving grants away.” The Commerce secretary’s comments come just less than two weeks after President Trump called on Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan to resign. The president accused Tan of being “highly conflicted” following Sen. Tom Cotton’s (R-Ark.) letter to the company, voicing concerns about the CEO’s investments in Chinese companies and his previous role at Cadence Design Systems. The software firm recently pleaded guilty to violating export controls by selling chip design technology to a Chinese military university during Tan’s tenure. However, Trump changed his tone after meeting with Tan last week, and reports began emerging that the administration was considering taking a stake in the company.
US DOE plans $1B funding to support critical minerals, materials production -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) plans to launch nearly $1 billion in funding opportunities to reduce reliance on foreign imports of critical minerals and materials, aligning with the “Unleashing American Energy” presidential order. The Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains will provide up to $500 million to expand processing, battery manufacturing, and recycling for materials such as lithium, nickel, graphite, copper, aluminum, and rare earth elements, requiring at least 50% cost-share from recipients. Additional initiatives include $50 million for the Critical Minerals and Materials Accelerator program to advance rare-earth magnet processes, semiconductor materials, and lithium extraction technologies, as well as $250 million through the Fossil Energy and Carbon Management Office for industrial-scale projects recovering valuable byproducts. Another $135 million will support methods for refining rare earth elements from waste streams, requiring academic partners. Separately, ARPA-E will allocate $40 million under its RECOVER program to recover minerals from industrial wastewater, enhancing domestic supply security.
Trump’s mineral megadeal is bypassing US laws - The Trump administration is quietly taking steps to circumvent federal laws in its quest to bolster U.S. mineral production.When Trump officials forged a multibillion dollar deal to become the biggest stakeholder in a Las Vegas-based company operating the nation’s only rare earths mine in California, the Department of Defense never held a press conference or doled out the details about its megadeal with MP Materials.The deal, aimed at boosting the nation’s output of rare earth magnets used in EVs, electronics and weapons, could act as a model for other projects in the pipeline.But tucked into the mining company’s financial filings is language showing how the DOD relied on a rarely used part of the Cold War-era Defense Production Act to sidestep standard and routine procurement and contracting laws. That move troubles public-interest watchdogs, former agency officials and legal experts.The megadeal is advancing unburdened by the Federal Acquisition Regulation, Cost Accounting Standards, the Competition in Contracting Act and the Truthful Cost or Pricing Data Statute, according to the company’s financial filings.It’s an unprecedented, though legally defensible, strategy that invites both risk and reward, said Joel Dodge, director of Industrial Policy & Economic Security at the Vanderbilt Policy Accelerator.The perils include making the process less competitive, picking “winners and losers” within an industry, and weakening guardrails that are in place to protect taxpayers, said Dodge. And those vulnerabilities especially matter given that the DOD’s arrangement with MP Materials could also be the first of many. Trump officials who huddled with other rare earth producers in recent weeks said similar deals are in the works.“This certainly looks like it might be the new playbook for these types of deals,” said Dodge. “If it’s not going to be a one-off, I would probably expect that this would be the starting point for future partnerships along the order of MP Materials.”MP Materials declined to comment, deferring questions to the DOD. Tyson Slocum, director of Public Citizen’s Energy Program, said past administrations have used the Cold War-era law in various ways, including to address supply chain issues during the pandemic, but not to circumvent existing laws. Slocum criticized DOD for not being more transparent.“This appears to be an unprecedented abuse of DPA to exploit emergency authorities to circumvent federal standards,” said Tyson. “It’s outrageous that we’re learning this from a company disclosure rather than the Department of Defense.”But there are some guardrails in place for the deal, said Zoe Oysul, a senior policy analyst at SAFE’s Center for Critical Minerals Strategy: Congress will have oversight of funds needed to sustain the deal, and the government will have direct oversight given the DOD is now MP Materials’ largest stakeholder.President Donald Trump declared a national energy emergency and inked an executive order in March to counter the threat of U.S. reliance on “hostile foreign powers’ mineral production.” At the same time, Beijing has throttled exports of rare earths and magnets, rattling supply chains.Rare earths are a group of 17 metallic elements that are used to make EVs, consumer electronics, medical equipment, aircraft engines and military equipment such as missiles and radar systems, and it is used in oil refining. While they are not rare in terms of how abundant they are in the Earth’s crust, rare earths are difficult to extract and refine because they are widely dispersed, found in complex mineral combinations, and each element has its own unique processing requirements.The Defense Production Act has repeatedly emerged as a focus of the administration. The law, which President Harry Truman signed into law in 1950, gives the president broad authority over industrial and economic policy, primarily in response to the Korean War.Title III of the law, in particular, allows the president to expand the capacity and supply of critical materials, such as minerals needed for defense and supply chains. Within that portion of the law is a provision that states the president can operate “without regard to” certain limits of existing laws when using those authorities to expand industrial capacity.Drew Horn, who worked on minerals policy in the first Trump administration and is now founder and CEO of advisory firm GreenMet, said the DOD’s use of the provision is indeed unprecedented.But Horn countered that the goal is not to avoid compliance with existing laws. Instead, Horn said the administration is finding ways to act more nimbly and cut through red tape in an emergency situation to combat China.
Trump says Canada will drop USMCA-compliant retaliatory tariffs - President Trump said he spoke to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who told him he would remove some of the retaliatory tariffs against the United States and calm trade tensions between the neighboring nations. “He’s removing his tariffs, yeah, he’s removing his retaliatory tariffs, which I thought was nice. And we’re going to have another call soon. Yeah, we had a very good call,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “I like him,” he added, arguing that Canada and Mexico “take a lot of our business” that is now returning to the U.S. because of his tariffs plan. Carney announced Friday he will remove the 25 percent countertariffs placed on U.S. goods that are in compliance with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which have been in place since March, CNBC reported. The new tariff rate on U.S. goods will go into effect Sept. 1. Trump praised Carney for dropping some tariffs. “It’s impossible, I think, for another country to stop it, and we are working on something. We want to be very good to Canada. I like Carney a lot; I think he’s a good, good person. And we had a very good talk yesterday, so I think it will be good,” Trump said. Canada will keep 25 percent tariffs on steel, aluminum and automobiles from the U.S., which are all sectors that Trump has imposed tariffs on. Carney has suggested the move to remove some tariffs is part of preparing for talks to review the USMCA trade agreement, Bloomberg reported.
Despite Trump’s “deals,” confusion reigns over tariffs --Despite the announcement of a series of deals, most notably with the European Union, Japan and South Korea, together with a truce between the US and China until November, the chaos caused by President Trump’s tariff remains and is even increasing. One of the reasons is that the measures are being imposed under two different pieces of legislation. The broad so-called “reciprocal tariff” against countries, covering all their exports and ranging from 10 to more than 40 percent in some cases, has been imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Trump has claimed this gives him the power to impose tariffs because a “national emergency” had been created by the large trade deficits of the US. In May the International Court of Trade ruled that the president had exceeded his powers because there was no such emergency. The decision has gone to a federal appeals court where the administration is arguing that overturning the tariffs would cause a depression akin to that of the 1930s, making it clear it will proceed whatever the courts may decide. Tariffs on individual commodities, rather than countries, are being carried out under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 which gives the president to impose them if their importation is considered a threat to “national security.” Unlike other trade agreements, the deals done by Trump did not contain details but left these to be worked out subsequently by officials. Unresolved questions over the tariffs imposed on goods under Section 232, the threatened tariffs on computer chips and pharmaceuticals, and what will or will not apply under the framework of the broader deal, have generated considerable confusion. On top of this there is the insistence by the Trump administration that what it calls “non-tariff barriers” imposed by the EU in relation to the operations of US digital giants have to be removed. EU officials have said that disagreement over language to be included in this area have held up the issuing of a joint statement following the capitulation by EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen to the broad framework of US demands at the meeting with Trump at his golf course in Turnberry, Scotland, on July 27. The EU has said that relaxing the rules under its Digital Services Act is a red line. If changes are made it would be a significant escalation of the economic war because it would represent a direct intervention by the US into the internal economic policies of the EU. But according to an unnamed US official, cited by the Financial Times (FT): “We continue to address digital trade barriers in conversations with our trading partners and the EU agreed to address these barriers when our initial agreement was struck.” Confusion appears to be greatest on the issue of auto tariffs of 25 percent imposed under Section 232 which impact most heavily on Germany, South Korea and Japan. Japan and the US announced an agreement on July 25 that lowered overall tariffs to 15 percent. The broad duties have been implemented but the 25 percent on autos remains. Nearly a month after the agreement was announced Japanese officials have yet to see an executive order from Trump that the 15 percent is not on top of the auto duties. Japan’s chief trade negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa said last Friday: “We’re continuing to see damage—the bleeding hasn’t stopped. We want the US to sign the executive order as soon as possible.” The “bleeding” is significant with Akazawa claiming that at least one car company is losing $680,000 every hour as a result of tariffs. South Korea has had a 15 percent overall tariff imposed but the 25 percent levy on autos remains. Trade data shows that its car exports to the US fell nearly 17 percent in value in the first half of the year with steel exports, also subject to a Section 232, impost down by 11 percent. When the deal was signed in Turnberry, the EU believed that a 15 percent ceiling would apply to autos. But so far that does not appear be the case. The German Association of the Automotive Industry, VDA, is pressing for a quick resolution because its members are being hammered. In a statement to Bloomberg last week VDA president Hildegard Müller, said: “The deal between the EU and the US has not yet brought any clarity or improvement for the German automotive industry. The costs incurred run into the billions and continue to rise.” Cecilia Malmström, the former EU chief trade negotiator, told Bloomberg the delays might be administrative but if nothing happened there would be pressure from carmakers for the EU to take retaliatory action. An anonymous US official, cited by the FT, outlined the reasons for the hold up. “Actions that adjust any tariff rate, such as Section 232 tariffs will follow the finalisation of joint statements with trading partners that we have reached agreements with,” the official said. But it may be some time before a final statement with the EU and others is made. And then there is the issue of Section 232 tariffs which are scheduled to come. There are now nine investigations being carried out into commodities which the Trump administration is considering to subject to tariffs on “national security” grounds. Chief among them are computer chips, one of the most important commodities in the modern-day global economy. Trump said last week that the tariff rate on chips would be “approximately 100 percent” but that it would not apply to companies that were building production facilities in the US. Apple seems to have obtained a carve-out after it made a pledge to lift US investments from $100 billion to $600 billion. But Apple is supplied by other firms which have no capacity to shift operations to the US. Major chipmaking firms are having difficulty in determining what they must do to obtain concessions. An unnamed executive of a chipmaking firm with production capacity in the US told the FT: “We are having a useful dialogue with [the Department of Commerce], but they don’t know what is going to happen. It is unpredictable because Trump decides, he conducts policy extortion, and he is ad hoc transactional.”
Farmers’ worries sprout as Trump’s tariffs spike fertilizer prices - Corn and soybean producers have warned Washington that the unpredictable fertilizer market makes it harder to stay in business.Farm groups are warning that President Donald Trump’s tariff war is worsening already high fertilizer prices, making it harder for farmers to afford planting their usual amounts of corn, wheat and soybeans.Agriculture industry representatives have been hesitant to publicly criticize Trump’s tariff policies. But some of them have spent the last few months quietly lobbying Republican lawmakers and administration officials to help ease the impact on fertilizer, which can account for more than 30 percent of row crop farmers’ input costs.The National Corn Growers Association and 25 state corn grower groups sent a letter earlier this month to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins asking for action to lower fertilizer prices, which they say are “approaching disastrous levels.” “Unfortunately, the combination of the low corn prices, trade uncertainty, and consistently high costs for fertilizers and inputs, including relevant countervailing duties, have resulted in a calamitous environment for farmers who are trying to plan for harvest and next season,” the groups wrote.
Trump's tariffs could impact coffee, wine, chocolate, spices and more - President Trump’s tariffs could raise the cost of some of the most popular imports in American grocery aisles, from coffee and olive oil to wine, matcha and spices.After the “Liberation Day” tariffs kicked in worldwide in early August, businesses and consumers alike are watching closely for when — and how much — prices tick up.Inflation data released Tuesday did not show an overall increase in food prices, but economists say that’s likely to change as businesses pass more costs on to consumers. Wholesale prices surged 0.9 percent last month, the biggest monthly jump since June 2022 and a sign that inflation may not be cooling off just yet.“You can’t stockpile a year’s worth of avocados. That being said, the price increases that we’ve seen in food so far are pretty muted, so we’ll just have to see what happens,” Coffee prices were already up before a 50 percent tariff on Brazil, the top coffee importer to the U.S., went into effect last week. Coffee prices sharply rose 25 percent over the past three months, according to inflation data released Tuesday. Reuters reported Tuesday that Brazilian coffee exports have started seeing postponements to their U.S. shipments.How hard your morning habit gets hit varies between brand, shop and choice of bean. Nespresso pods, for instance, are entirely produced in Switzerland, which is subject to a 40 percent tariff. Colombia, the second-largest importer of coffee to the U.S., only pays Trump’s 10 percent baseline duty. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) said Wednesday he would introduce a bill with bipartisan support to repeal tariffs on coffee. Trump’s tariffs have only added to the uncertainty facing olive oil producers, who are grappling with climate shocks. Extended droughts in Spain in 2022 slashed production, and other top production regions like Sicily and Greece have also confronted record-high temperatures. Allen Dushi, a co-founder of olive oil brand Graza, said the company has held off on increasing prices, adding that any uptick in import costs could take at least three to four months to reflect on grocery shelves. The company uses Spanish olives, and production and bottling are all based in Spain. That limits the extent to which the company can keep stocks in the U.S., which would have to be finished bottles. Switching to American production wouldn’t help, Dushi added; the company would still have to pay tariffs on Spanish olives, as American olive production doesn’t meet the same standard.A group of nearly 60 associations representing wine, beer and liquor interests warned last week that the industry could face nearly $2 billion in lost sales and have to cut more than 25,000 jobs in the U.S. as a result of the tariff. The coalition, Toasts not Tariffs, pointed to products like cognac that have to be produced in a specific region and cannot be switched to a tariff-free alternative. Eric Foret is a wine buyer at Le French Wine Club, which operates several locations in New York City and Washington, D.C., alongside an online shop. He said that he had to increase his prices, although they were fairly gradual. “It’s a dollar here, a dollar there, a dollar here, a dollar there and then at the end, you spend 10 dollars more on the bottle of wine, you don’t even notice it,” he said. A 15 percent tariff on Japan could impact the price of a matcha latte — already a pricey product before tax, tip and oat milk. While U.S. trade data does not specifically track matcha, Japan generally accounts for about half of American green tea imports by value each year, and Japanese origin is a selling point for many specialty matcha shops.The industry is also grappling with the impacts of record heat waves in Japan last summer that curbed harvests of tencha, the tea leaves dried and ground into matcha. Demand for the vibrant green beverage has also soared in recent years, driven by young enthusiasts and social media. Switzerland, home to many famous chocolate brands, is facing a 39 percent duty, one of the highest in the world. Some of the country’s larger manufacturers will be able to escape some tariff impacts because they already have production sites in the U.S. Other companies, however, have made their brand on manufacturing in Switzerland. That’s the case for Läderach, which is now figuring out how to manage “massive additional costs,” its CEO said this week. Trump shocked many observers by raising tariffs on India to 50 percent last week, citing the country’s purchase of Russian oil. India is the top U.S. importer for spices like nutmeg, cardamom, anise, fennel, coriander and cumin. Indonesia, another key producer, is subject to a 19 percent duty after negotiating with the White House. The American Spice Trade Association said in a Tuesday letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer that many of its products could not be cultivated in the U.S.Spice producer McCormick said in late June that tariffs could cost it as much as $90 million a year and that it was planning to raise some prices by the end of the year.
Donald Trump to impose tariffs on imported furniture - President Trump Donald Trump said Friday he will impose tariffs on imported furniture “within the next 50 days.” In a post on social media, Trump said his administration will begin an investigation into furniture imports, which would lay the groundwork for imposing tariffs on those goods. He said the tax rate on imported furniture has not yet been decided. “Within the next 50 days, that Investigation will be completed, and Furniture coming from other Countries into the United States will be Tariffed at a Rate yet to be determined. This will bring the Furniture Business back to North Carolina, South Carolina, Michigan, and States all across the Union. Thank you for your attention to this matter!,” Trump posted on Truth Social, the social media platform he owns. Trump’s announcement is the latest twist in his ever-changing tariff agenda, which was cemented in part earlier this month with a flood of new trade pacts and import tax decisions. The president has imposed tariffs of 15 to 20 percent on most foreign goods, with additional tariffs tacked onto foreign steel, aluminum, autos and autos parts, some electronics and appliances.
USCIS memo emphasizes good moral character for US citizenship applicants -- The Trump administration is ordering officers at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to take a more “holistic” approach when determining whether to award U.S. citizenship to immigrants, saying they must weigh more factors in determining whether an applicant has “good moral character.” The Friday memo from USCIS said officers must now weigh not just any disqualifying behavior but whether those seeking to naturalize are in good standing in their community. “Going forward, USCIS officers must account for an alien’s positive attributes and not simply the absence of misconduct,” the memo states. U.S. law has long prevented those convicted of murder and other serious violent crimes from gaining U.S. citizenship, and applicants were already required to be considered as having good moral character. But the new memo also encourages officers to consider rejecting applicants with other convictions, including drug use or two or more convictions for driving under the influence. Officers are also encouraged to weigh conduct that may not be illegal but frowned upon, such as “reckless or habitual traffic infractions” or soliciting. “Repeated criminal conduct such as multiple DUI convictions undermines moral character unless rebutted by affirmative evidence of reform,” the memo states. “In assessing conditional bars officers have authority — and now explicit directive — to weigh all relevant evidence, both adverse and favorable, before granting or denying naturalization.” Officers are also urged to consider evidence of reform, including compliance with court orders, payment of lapses in taxes of child support payments, or “community testimony” from those who can assure their good character. The memo also encourages the officers to look at other “positive factors,” such as “sustained community involvement,” caregiving or raising a family, education and career achievements, and paying taxes. “GMC findings must go beyond the absence of disqualifying acts, it must reflect a genuine positive assessment of who the alien is and how they have lived in their community,” the memo states, using an abbreviation for good moral character. Those seeking to naturalize already face multiple steps to do so, including years of lawful presence in the U.S., compliance with U.S. laws, and passing a test on U.S. civics often conducted in English. “U.S. citizenship is the gold standard of citizenship — it should only be offered to the world’s best of the best,” USCIS spokesperson Matthew J. Tragesser said in a statement.
Federal workforce set to lose 300,000 jobs by end of 2025 --The Trump administration remains on track to shed about 300,000 employees by the end of the year, following layoffs and buyouts that were prompted by President Trump’s efforts to shrink the federal workforce.Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Scott Kupor told The New York Times in a new interview that he doesn’t anticipate significant downsizing beyond efforts that have already been underway before the fiscal year ends next month, despite fears from some workers.“There’s still some moving parts there,” he told the Times. “My gut is — I don’t think there’s going to be meaningful changes, kind of through Sept. 30, relative to at least what’s been forecast to date.”The overall cut represents about 12.5 percent of the 4.4 million workers on the federal payroll when Trump took office in January, based on figures Kupor cited. An OPM spokesperson confirmed to The Hill the contents of the Times story but did not provide further comment.
Missouri AG Andrew Bailey joins FBI as co-deputy director - Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey is joining the Justice Department as the co-deputy director of the FBI, he announced Monday. Bailey is set to share duties as deputy FBI director with Dan Bongino, a staunch Trump ally whose future in the role came into question amid clashes over the case of the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. “I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to serve as the Co-Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” Bailey said in a statement. “I extend my deepest gratitude to President Trump and U.S. Attorney General Bondi for the privilege to join in their stated mission to Make America Safe Again.” Bailey was appointed Missouri attorney general in 2022 to replace Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), who left the post to serve in the Senate. Bailey won a full term as attorney general last November. Bailey has positioned himself as staunchly pro-Trump, including by defending the president amid his slew of indictments and legal problems in 2023 and 2024. He joins the FBI at a time when the agency’s leadership has been at the center of debate over releasing more information related to Epstein. The Justice Department and FBI issued a joint memo last month that stated Epstein did not have a client list and confirmed he died by suicide in his New York City jail cell in 2019. The findings incensed members of the MAGA movement, who have for years pushed conspiracy theories about Epstein’s death and claims that prominent Democrats would be named on a client list.
Judge Refuses To Release Epstein Files, Says DOJ Should Do It Instead Of Legal 'Diversion' - A Clinton-appointed federal judge on Wednesday denied the Trump administration's request to unseal grand jury materials used to charge Jeffrey Epstein with sex trafficking, and instead said that the federal government is the 'logical party' to dump said 'files.' "The information contained in the Epstein grand jury transcripts pales in comparison to the Epstein investigation information and materials in the hands of the Department of Justice," US District Judge Richard Berman wrote in a 14-page ruling, in which he said there is "clear precedent and sound purpose" for keeping the records under seal - and that the DOJ failed to show the Epstein papers demonstrate a "special circumstance" which would justify their release. According to Berman, the government has already conducted a comprehensive investigation into Epstein, and has assembled a "trove" of documents, interviews and exhibits. In fact, the government has such a mountain of evidence outside of that case - records which "dwarf" the "70 odd pages" of grand jury materials, that Berman cited it as a "significant and compelling reason" to reject the request. "The Government is the logical party to make comprehensive disclosure to the public of the Epstein Files," wrote Berman, adding "By comparison, the instant grand jury motion appears to be a ‘diversion’ from the breadth and scope of the Epstein files in the Government’s possession."Berman's ruling is the latest in a saga pitting Trump - a former Epstein associate whose previous AG Bill Barr 'presided' over the death of the disgraced pedophile. Barr's father, who wrote pedo-centric short stories - hired Epstein to teach children at the Dalton school in the early 1970s when Barr Senior was headmaster. Were you aware that Bill Barr’s father wrote a book called “Space Relations” which described a planet where oligarchs engaged in child sex slavery? Seems like we should have been made aware of this. Don’t you guys think?!! pic.twitter.com/ttepCWTmuDContinuing on - Trump has been acting super weird about Epstein since being asked about why he hasn't released dead pedophile's client list - something he promised to do on the campaign trail, and which firmly split the base after the president began saying things like 'why are we still talking about Epstein?' Making matters worse, the DOJ issued a joint memo last month insisting there's no Epstein 'client list,' and that he definitely killed himself in 2019 while awaiting trial for peddling children to - nobody?
Epstein files: DOJ sends docs to Oversight, releases Ghislaine Maxwell transcript - The Department of Justice (DOJ) turned over the first batch of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Friday, in response to a subpoena from the panel seeking the full Epstein files. Separately, the DOJ on Friday publicly released a transcript and audio of the interview Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche conducted last month with Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Blanche interviewed Maxwell in course-correction following public uproar over an initial decision from the DOJ and FBI to not release any additional information about the Epstein matter. “The House Oversight Committee has received the Department of Justice’s first production of Epstein records pursuant to Chairman James Comer’s subpoena. The production contains thousands of pages of documents,” A House GOP Oversight Committee spokesperson said in a statement. The DOJ included the interview with Maxwell in the batch of documents released to the Oversight panel in addition to releasing it publicly. In the interview, Maxwell — who is seeking a pardon or commutation of her sex trafficking conviction from President Trump — told the Justice Department she “never saw” Trump “in any inappropriate setting.” While the Epstein documents came to the Oversight Committee several days later than the panel’s original Tuesday deadline, and more releases are expected, the Oversight Republicans praised the disclosure. “The Trump DOJ is providing records at a far quicker pace than anything the Biden DOJ ever provided. In fact, former Attorney General Garland obstructed Chairman Comer’s subpoena for the audio of Special Counsel Hur’s interview with President Biden to hide his cognitive decline,” the GOP spokesperson said. Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) and the spokesperson have said that the panel intends to make the records public after reviewing to ensure any identification of victims or child sexual abuse material are redacted. “The Committee will also consult with the DOJ to ensure any documents released do not negatively impact ongoing criminal cases and investigations,” the spokesperson said. “We’re going to work as quickly as we can,” Comer told reporters on Thursday. “This is sensitive information. We want to make sure we don’t do anything that [will] harm or jeopardize any victims that were involved in this. But we’re going to be transparent.” Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the top Democrat on the panel, earlier this week criticized the plan for the DOJ to release files to the committee in batches, saying that doing so amounts to a “cover-up.” “The American People will not accept anything short of the full, unredacted Epstein files,” Garcia said. The Oversight Committee’s move to subpoena of the Department of Justice for files related to Epstein came in the wake of widespread outrage over an unsigned July memo from the DOJ and FBI saying they would not release any more information from the Epstein files. The announcement led to outcry from conservatives who believe the government is shielding powerful individuals who may have been involved with Epstein’s abuse of young women and underage girls — and furor from Democrats who have sought to link Trump to Epstein and accuse him of covering up the files’ release.
Ghislaine Maxwell to DOJ: I 'never witnessed' Trump in 'inappropriate setting' - Ghislaine Maxwell, a former close associate of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, told the Justice Department she “never witnessed” President Trump in an “inappropriate setting,” according to a transcript released Friday. “I think they were friendly like people are in social settings,” Maxwell told Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche of Trump’s relationship with Epstein. “I don’t — I don’t think they were close friends or, I certainly never witnessed the president in any of — I don’t recall ever seeing him in his house, for instance. “I actually never saw the president in any type of massage setting,” she added. “I never witnessed the president in any inappropriate setting in anyway. The president was never inappropriate with anybody. In the times that I was with him, he was a gentleman in all respects.” Maxwell sat for interviews with the Justice Department over two days: July 24 and July 25. Transcripts and audio recordings of those interviews were published by the department Friday. The Justice Department also released a first tranche of thousands of pages of documents from the “Epstein Files” to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Friday, pursuant to a subpoena from the panel. The transcript of Maxwell’s interview was included in that release to the committee, a spokesperson said. Maxwell, a longtime associate of Epstein, was convicted in 2021 on sex trafficking charges and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Earlier this year, she urged the Supreme Court to review her case; the Justice Department had pushed the court to reject that appeal. Epstein, accused in several cases of sex trafficking young girls, ran in high-powered circles with figures that included Trump, former President Clinton, Britain’s Prince Andrew and a number of other celebrities and ultrawealthy people. Trump has been asked repeatedly about releasing more information around the Epstein case. He has said he would support releasing credible information but has also expressed exasperation with the focus on the case, including from his own supporters. The president has also declined to rule out pardoning Maxwell, saying only that he has the power to do so but hasn’t considered it.
Tulsi Gabbard pulls clearances from 37 officials, faces backlash Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard revoked the security clearances of 37 current and former intelligence officials, sharing the list in a move that prompted swift criticism that the Trump administration was politicizing clearances. Among those on the list are several Biden administration officials, including Maher Bitar, who joined the National Security Council (NSC) after previously working for then-House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) amid the first Trump impeachment. Bitar has since returned to Schiff’s office, but he has captured the attention of right-wing activist Laura Loomer, who has complained on the social platform X about his retention of a clearance. Emily Horne, an NSC spokesperson under Biden, also had her clearance revoked, as did Brett Holmgren, who most recently served as assistant secretary of State for intelligence and research and is married to former Biden White House counsel Dana Remus. Gabbard, without evidence, accused those listed of politicizing or leaking intelligence or “committing intentional egregious violations of tradecraft standards.” She said the move came at the direction of President Trump. “Being entrusted with a security clearance is a privilege, not a right. Those in the Intelligence Community who betray their oath to the Constitution and put their own interests ahead of the interests of the American people have broken the sacred trust they promised to uphold. In doing so, they undermine our national security, the safety and security of the American people and the foundational principles of our democratic republic,” Gabbard wrote on X. The announcement was quickly condemned by national security professionals, including others who have had their clearances revoked by Trump. “Can you say ‘Privacy Act violation’? I certainly can. Further proof of weaponization and politicization. The vast majority of these individuals are not household names & are dedicated public servants who have worked across multiple presidential administrations,” said Mark Zaid, a national security attorney who has represented clients who have had clearance revoked and also had his own clearance stripped under Trump.
Gabbard: Deep State Agents Are Sabotaging US Elections -Hannity just asked DNI Tulsi Gabbard whether there are still DEEP STATE actors inside the intel community SOBATAGING elections. She didn’t even have to think about it, and said “Our national security depends” on exposing them. Hannity: “Do we have deep state actors that are trying to influence our presidential elections? Is that what we are concluding here?” Gabbard: “Yes.” She said Brennan, Clapper, Comey, and their allies inside the agencies all worked to manipulate intelligence to serve partisan interests. “These are bad actors that have to be rooted out.” “Our national security depends on it. The ability for the American people’s trust to be earned back depends on exposing the bad actors and holding them accountable.”
Trump admin rescinds funding for solar farms - The Trump administration will scale back support for solar energy projects on farmland, the Agriculture Department announced.In an appearance with Deputy Agriculture Secretary Stephen Vaden in Tennessee on Monday, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said the department was “rescinding all programs building solar panels on our farmland.”The USDA on Tuesday stepped back the comment, saying in a news release that smaller solar energy projects through the Rural Energy for America Program would continue to be funded, and suggesting that only loan guarantees — not grants — would face the most stringent limits.“Our prime farmland should not be wasted and replaced with green new deal subsidized solar panels,” Rollins said in a news release.
Commerce Department launches national security investigation into wind turbines --The Trump administration has launched a national security probe into imports of wind turbines and their components — a move that could ultimately lead to higher tariffs for wind energy. The probe, which marks the latest salvo in the administration’s efforts to stymie wind energy, was announced in a Federal Register notice Thursday.“On August 13, 2025, the Secretary of Commerce initiated an investigation to determine the effects on the national security of imports of wind turbines and their parts and components,” says the notice. It does not explicitly lay out the reasons for or evidence behind the probe, and the Bureau of Industry and Security did not immediately respond to questions from The Hill.But the administration requested information from the public on topics including the role of foreign supply chains, the impact of foreign government subsidies and predatory trade practices and whether there’s any ability to weaponize foreign-built wind turbines and their parts. The investigation was initiated under section Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. Such probes are supposed to determine the national security impacts of imports and allow the administration to make adjustments, including tariffs, based on their results.It comes after the administration already earlier this week increased steel and aluminum tariffs for hundreds of products including wind turbines. The probe was being launched as President Trump continues his efforts to stifle renewable energy buildout, including by repealing subsidies and setting up new hurdles for approval.
How Trump’s tax plan for renewables will remake US energy - The Trump administration’s new clean energy tax guidance deals a fresh blow to many wind and solar companies already reeling from enactment of the Republican megalaw, raising new questions about the trajectory of renewables. The Treasury Department plan, released Friday and mandated by an executive order on July 7, rewrites decades-old standards for how wind and solar projects can qualify for lucrative credits. The revisions no longer allow projects that incur 5 percent of their costs to be considered under construction — a move that could make it difficult for many developers to receive federal support and move forward. The guidance also requires companies to meet the new standards within two weeks, angering industry advocates. The move “is part of an unprecedented side deal the administration made with anti-clean energy ideologues to undermine Congress,” said Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association. She predicted the guidance would threaten thousands of small businesses. But considering Trump’s rhetoric against renewables, Treasury’s plan is not as bad for the industry as some expected. It will allow many projects to receive credits through the end of the decade and is not retroactive as some had feared. The guidance “is less restrictive than the rumors that were circulating around K Street,” said Tim Urban, head of the tax policy practice at the law firm Bracewell. Under the One Big Beautiful Act, wind and solar projects can qualify for incentives if they are placed in service by the end of 2027 or begin construction before July 4 of next year. The phase-out of credits has spurred predictions of a steep drop off in wind and solar projects after 2027. Yet until the new guidance, it was unclear how far the Trump administration might go to curtail renewables beyond the megalaw’s provisions. Conservative Republicans have pressured the administration to crack down further on wind and solar subsidies, while moderate lawmakers pushed back. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who considers himself the “father” of the wind energy tax credit, put a hold on Trump’s Treasury nominees over the issue. The Treasury plan won praise from Grassley, who said it “seems to offer a viable path forward for the wind and solar industries to continue to meet increased energy demand.” Treasury is eliminating the 5 percent standard to receive credits after Sept. 2. The guidance largely leaves intact another standard where companies prove they commenced construction by doing “physical work of a significant nature” on projects. Once a project is under construction, it also will still have four years to come online while receiving credits — a lifeline that could allow many developers to receive federal incentives through the end of the decade. “I appreciate the work Secretary [Scott] Bessent and his team put in to issue guidance that reflects some of the concerns Congress and industry leaders have raised,” Grassley said. The House Freedom Caucus, chaired by Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), also cheered the guidance, even while taking a dig at Grassley for holding up Treasury nominees. Freedom Caucus members, including Reps. Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), had led the charge to quickly terminate tax credits for wind and solar as part of the megalaw. “This action — along with subsequent measures by the Departments of Treasury and Interior — executes a key part of the negotiations between Members of the House Freedom Caucus to build on the successful repeal of the Green New Scam in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, fulfilling a core promise of the 2024 campaign,” the caucus wrote on X. Congressional Democrats and environmental groups warned that the policy could increase electricity bills by making it harder to build the new energy needed to meet rising demand. “The bottom line is that Trump is creating a national energy crisis that Americans are already seeing in their utility bills and is bound to get even worse, and Republicans voted for it,” Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon), the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, said in a statement. “Trump is destroying America’s clean energy industry, and Chinese firms are going to prosper at our expense.”
Senate Republican may delay nominees over energy credits -A coalition of more than 40 retail, oil and gas, clean energy, and other businesses is imploring California legislators to act as soon as possible to extend one of the state’s key climate programs. Businesses including oil companies Shell and Phillips 66 and utilities Pacific Gas and Electric and Southern California Gas Wednesday pressed state Senate and Assembly leaders in a letter Wednesday to extend the state’s carbon cap-and-trade market before their Sept. 12 adjournment for the year.The law authorizing the market expires in 2030. Legislative leaders and Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) have said they want to act before Sept. 12 to renew the program through 2045.“If it’s not extended this year, then investors will lose faith that the leaders are serious about using cap-and-trade to hit California’s targets” for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, said Lenny Hochschild, founding partner of Environmental Commodity Partners investment firm, which signed the statement.
Trump Energy secretary: ‘We’re going to get blamed’ for rising power prices — but they’re Democrats’ fault -— Energy Secretary Chris Wright said he knows Republicans could suffer political pain for the electricity prices that are rising before next year’s midterm elections. But he hopes voters will know to blame the Democrats instead.“The momentum of the Obama-Biden policies, for sure that destruction is going to continue in the coming years,” Wright told POLITICO during a visit to wind- and corn-rich Iowa. Still, he said: “That momentum is pushing prices up right now. And who’s going to get blamed for it? We’re going to get blamed because we’re in office.”Electricity prices at the end of July averaged 5.5 percent higher than a year earlier amid surging power demand.Wright’s acknowledgment of economic reality offered a bit of a contrast to President Donald Trump’s relentlessly sunny proclamations about the nation under his watch, from Trump’s promises of a new “golden age” to his predictions that “we’re going to have the greatest economic boom in history.” Wright’s words also look ahead to one of the potential sleeper issues of the 2026 election, as the parties seek to own the message about how Trump’s effort to thwart the development of wind and solar power is affecting electricity customers’ wallets.
19 states sue DOE over indirect costs cap - -Nineteen states and the District of Columbia sued the Energy Department on Friday over the agency’s move to limit the use of its grant funding for “indirect costs” such as buildings, equipment and personnel.DOE announced in May it would cap indirect costs at 10 percent for state and local governments, a departure from longstanding practice of negotiating those rates on an organization-by-organization basis. The states said in the lawsuit, filed in the District of Oregon, that the sudden policy change would blow a major hole in their budgets, forcing them to “lay off staff, significantly scale back or halt research, and abandon critical projects.” Among the programs affected would be clean energy generation, weatherization assistance grants and emergency preparedness programs.The states argued capping indirect cost rates violates federal assistance law and is arbitrary and capricious, noting DOE provided no evidence to back up its conclusion that the cap would “improve efficiency” and no explanation for why it set the limit at 10 percent.Current and former HHS staff respond to violent CDC attack --In response to the August 8 armed attack on the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) campus in Atlanta, more than 800 current and former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIA), and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) signed a letterto HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and members of Congress airing concerns about America’s health and security. They said the violent attack wasn’t random and came amid growing mistrust in America’s public institutions, fueled by politicized rhetoric that has turned public health professionals from trusted experts to targets of villanization and violence. “When a federal health agency is under attack, America’s health is under attack. When the federal workforce is not safe, America is not safe,” they wrote.Many of the signatories signed their names, but many others signed anonymously due to fears of retaliation and for personal safety.Kennedy is complicit in dismantling the US public health infrastructure and endangering the nation’s health by sowing scientific misinformation. They also said the HHS secretary has questioned the integrity of the CDC’s workforce, creating gaps in preparedness, worker safety, and chronic disease prevention by indiscriminate staff cuts, falsely claiming that mRNA vaccines aren’t effective, cancelling mRNA vaccine development contracts, undermining public trust in the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, replacing the vaccine advisory committee, and making false claims about vaccines and autism. “These dangerous and deceitful statements and actions have contributed to the harassment and violence experienced by CDC staff,” the group wrote.
Public health in the face of trauma and violence 40 minute video, no transcript, discussion with Katelyn Jetelina, Your Local Epidemiologist with Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD is an emergency medicine physician and Megan Ranney, an emergency physician and Dean of the Yale School of Public Health.Jetelina: It’s been a struggle to process what happened at the CDC just a few days ago. The facts are coming in: one officer died, 500 rounds fired, 200 bullets made contact with 6 CDC buildings, hundreds of staff sheltered in place for hours. The intention is undeniable: this was an attempted massacre. The state of the world feels unrecognizable. We are living headline to headline, tragedy to tragedy. The bar for shock has been set so high that there are ten other stories deemed more urgent, more outrageous, than hundreds of bullets hitting a federal building. So many people don’t even know this happened. That’s not normal. Our world is swallowed whole by the endless churn of violence and crisis we’ve come to accept as ordinary. We are drowning in the abnormal, yet forced to carry on our “normal” lives, living in a constant state of cognitive dissonance.It feels deeply unfair. Unfair as members of the public who feel completely powerless over the systems that continue to fail us and, at times, betray us. As parents trying to navigate through the noise and uncertainty, as concerned citizens watching our nation go numb to violence and death, as workers mourning both a loss of life in the case of Officer Rose and a loss of any semblance of safety at work.It’s exhausting. The public health field has been the punching bag for six straight years, yet some of us are the very ones who are trying to change and reimagine the systems. Many of us are choosing listening over judgment—seeking to build bridges and understand those who have felt marginalized by health policies. To extend empathy and then be met with bullets feels demoralizing, to put it mildly.It’s deeply angering. Watching those who fan the flames ignore the consequences when hostile rhetoric turns to physical violence. Words matter. From statements from public officials to casual posts on Facebook, language of hate, vitriol, and the vilification of an entire professional field have contributed to this moment.And it’s lonely. The silence. The absence. The indifference. Without genuine acknowledgment or visible solidarity from federal leadership, the weight of this moment feels even heavier and, at times, permissive.Trauma doesn’t move at the same pace for everyone. For those closest to it, the moment freezes in time—every sound, every detail etched in memory. A step further out, people feel the shock and recognize the pain, but find words clumsy and insufficient. Beyond that, the world either moves on quickly or never even realizes it happened. That dissonance—between the depth of the experience and how fast it fades from public consciousness—can make the loss feel even heavier, the isolation even sharper. The sheer volume of trauma is such that everyone cannot fully empathize with every event. Never in human history have we had so much real-time access to tragedy, and it overloads people. People can only bear so much.Those of us in public health signed up for one overarching mission: to help people. We show up every day to analyze data, predict disease patterns, inform policy, or treat patients to improve the health of our communities—not to figure out how to respond to violent attacks on our workplaces. It’s absolutely not fair. And it’s not normal.But it’s also the time we find ourselves in, and we all have to decide how we’re going to respond. (Gandalf said it better here.) The first step is to pause, grieve, and process. That’s what we did on Sunday night here on Substack Live (see recording above). It’s ok to not be ok, and it’s critical that we take the time to process what is happening. And then, in solidarity with our community, we act—with each other, for each other.
Despite RFK Jr claims, conflicts of interest among federal vaccine advisers very low, study finds - When Department of Health and Humans Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed all 17 members of a federal vaccine advisory panel in June, one of the primary reasons he provided was his concern that financial conflicts of interest among members was shaping their recommendations. "The public must know that unbiased science—evaluated through a transparent process and insulated from conflicts of interest—guides the recommendations of our health agencies," Kennedy said in a June 9 HHS statement. "A clean sweep is necessary to reestablish public confidence in vaccine science." Kennedy's remaking of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which provides advice to the CDC on whom should receive approved vaccines, was the culmination of years of his complaints that the recommendations of ACIP members and other HHS vaccine advisory groups have been tainted by financial ties to vaccine makers. In his confirmation hearing to be HHS Secretary, Kennedy claimed 97% of ACIP members had financial conflicts. But new research published yesterday in JAMA by researchers from the University of Southern California (USC) and the Center for Science in the Public Interest shows that the percentage of financial conflicts of interest (COIs) among ACIP members was far lower in recent years. Since 2016, an average of 6.2% of ACIP members have reported a COI at any given meeting. Among members of the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC), which recommends whether vaccines should be approved by the FDA, only 1.9% reported COIs at a given meeting since 2016. "Secretary Kennedy is right that conflict of interest is an important issue, but he is wrong that it is present at substantial levels on HHS vaccine advisory committees," study co-author Peter Lurie, MD, MPH. president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest and former FDA commissioner, said in a USC press release. ase of CDC disclosures created by HHS to obtain financial COIs for each ACIP meeting held from 2000 through 2024. To assess financial COIs among VRBPAC members over the same period, they obtained waivers that allow VRBPAC members with "essential expertise" to participate in meetings despite COIs listed on the FDA website or a Freedom of Information Act request.As the researchers explain, for both ACIP and VRBPAC meetings, COIs are determined on a per-meeting basis and depend on the specific vaccines under discussion. Before every ACIP meeting, for example, the chair of the group calls for each voting member to disclose a COI when they have financial ties with the maker, marketer, or competitor of a vaccine under discussion. Of note, members must recuse themselves from deliberations and votes on products for which they have a COI. Conflict types included research or investigator support from companies with products under discussion (or competitors); non-research grants; employer relationship (with the specific vaccine manufacturer or maker of a competing product); membership on an advisory board or data and safety monitoring board; consulting; and personal income from stock, royalties, and ownership of vaccine companies. The researchers note that their analysis included COIs that may have not met the level of COI as defined by ACIP or CDC, as well as COIs related to research support from the CDC or National Institutes of Health, which holds intellectual property rights for the vaccines it licenses.
Doctors clash with RFK Jr. on back-to-school COVID vaccines --The medical community is waging a public relations fight against Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over COVID-19 vaccines as students head back to school across the U.S.The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) on Wednesday issued more expansive COVID-19 recommendations for children than the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), underscoring the growing breakdown in cooperation between doctors and federal health authorities.Parents trying to navigate these recommendations face an increasingly complicated array of recommendations.
- For children 6 months to 11 years old who are not immunocompromised, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends shared decisionmaking with doctors, effectively leaving it up to parents.
- However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last month only approved the Moderna COVID-19 shot — the only one on the market — for kids with an underlying condition, complicating access for healthy children.
- The AAP guidance, like the CDC, advises shared decisionmaking for most children, but recommends COVID-19 vaccines for additional at-risk groups, including people who have never received a vaccine or who live with others at high risk of severe COVID.
- The AAP maintains its own immunization schedule, recommending one or more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for all children over 6 months old.
Ulrich von Andrian, president of the American Association of Immunologists, advised that parents confused by the conflicting messaging consult with a trusted health care professional on how to navigate the guidance.
Pediatric group bucks RFK Jr. on kids’ COVID shots The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended Tuesday that children between 6 months and 23 months old receive the vaccine to protect them against serious illness caused by the virus. Kids under the age of 2 are especially vulnerable to severe COVID-19, the group said, and should be prioritized for vaccination unless they have an allergy to the jab or its ingredients. In May, Kennedy announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would no longer recommend routine COVID-19 shots for healthy children due to a lack of clinical data justifying the need for annual vaccinations against the virus. But the CDC did not follow Kennedy’s guidance to the letter, instead recommending that parents take part in a “shared decision making” process with health care providers to determine if their child needs the shot. The AAP and HHS have been at odds for months, and tensions reached a head when Kennedy dismissed all the members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and replaced them with his own handpicked representatives, including some outright vaccine skeptics. Since it was founded in 1930, the AAP has published evidence-based vaccine guidance to support pediatricians. But it has not traditionally differed substantially from federal recommendations. The move to publish COVID recommendations that break from HHS reflects a new effort by medical societies and expert advocacy groups to bypass Kennedy and what they say are his efforts to upend the nation’s vaccine system. With vaccine skeptics in charge of U.S. health care, these groups say they want to give Americans — especially parents — as much information as possible to protect children from disease. At the same time AAP’s recommendations were released, a group of epidemiologists and infectious diseases experts called the Vaccine Integrity Project held essentially their own version of an ACIP meeting to review evidence on the safety and efficacy for flu, COVID and RSV shots. Members of the initiative said ACIP usually reviews guidelines for respiratory virus vaccines during the summer, but has not appeared to have done it this year. In its absence, the initiative was stepping in. The panel concluded there was no change in safety signals or sudden drop in efficacy on any of the vaccines reviewed. “There is no scientific evidence to support the changes HHS made to COVID recommendations for pregnant women or for children most at risk for high-risk transmission of severe disease,” said Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, who is leading the initiative.AAP evidence-backed immunization schedule reflects break from CDC advisers -Ahead of the new respiratory virus season, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) today published an update to its recommended childhood vaccine schedule, which breaks from recent recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which was overhauled earlier this year to include people known to spread vaccine misinformation and others without expertise in vaccines.In a statement, the AAP noted that for decades it has been issuing evidence-based guidance to support pediatricians who care for children and their families, and it said today's recommendations continue that tradition. The schedule covers routine recommendations for 18 diseases, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza, and COVID-19. They also include other changes, such the pentavalent (five-strain) meningococcal vaccine, starting age of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, and the removal of a hepatitis vaccine that is no longer available.Susan Kressley, MD, the AAP's president, said the group will continue providing immunization recommendations that are rooted in science and are in the best interest of infants, children, and adolescents. "Pediatricians know how important routine childhood immunizations are in keeping children, families, and their communities healthy and thriving.Amid efforts by Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to discredit childhood vaccines and add barriers to their use, medical experts and parent groups have raised worries about insurance coverage for childhood vaccines, since companies typically tie their coverage policies to official recommendations. In May, Kennedy unilaterally announced sweeping changes that removed the COVID vaccine recommendation for healthy children and pregnant women. A few days later, however, the CDC updated its immunization schedule to only partly reflect the new position, saying that children ages 6 months to 17 years may receive the COVID vaccine based on parent preference and the clinical judgment of healthcare providers.Updated COVID vaccines for the 2025-26 season are expected to be approved soon by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). But last week reports surfaced that the agency might not renew the emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 6 months to 4 years old, which would limit the supply of vaccines for the youngest kids."The AAP urges every insurer to cover all the vaccines that are included in this immunization schedule," Kressley said. "AAP is committed to working with our partners at the local, state and federal levels to make sure every child, in every community has access to vaccines."The AAP's announcement today is one of multiple efforts to fill the recommendation gap. Today, the Vaccine Integrity Project (VIP), a group of leading health experts that defend vaccination and make recommendations on how nongovernmental agencies can help make sure that vaccine recommendations remain science-based, held a live stream event to review safety and effectiveness evidence for RSV and COVID immunizations in pregnant, pediatric, and immunocompromised people. CIDRAP News. In its recommendation for the COVID vaccine, the AAP said data show that children ages 6 to 23 months old are at highest risk for severe disease, and it recommends vaccination for all children in that age-group to protect against serious illness. The group added that the youngest children should be prioritized for vaccination unless they have a known allergy to the vaccine or its ingredients. For kids ages 2 through 18 years old, the AAP recommends a single dose of age-appropriate vaccine for those in the following risk groups: those at risk for severe disease, residents of long-term care or congregate settings, kids who have never been vaccinated against COVID, and those who have household contacts who are at high risk for severe COVID. "The AAP also recommends the vaccine be available for children ages 2-18 who do not fall into these risk groups, but whose parent or guardian desires them to have the protection of the vaccine," the group added.
US plan to destroy $10M contraceptives sparks fierce pushback - Lawmakers and activists in Europe and the United States are scrambling to stop the State Department from destroying nearly $10 million worth of contraceptives funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contraceptives have been sitting in a warehouse in Belgium for months after President Trump froze all U.S foreign aid and shuttered USAID earlier this year. “They are not even close to being expired,” said Nabeeha Kazi Hutchins, president and CEO of reproductive health rights group PAI, adding the government “could redistribute them or could let an entity or a set of entities acquire them, but the administration has opposed that.” Lawmakers, activists and reproductive health nonprofits alike have decried the move as a waste of taxpayer money that will hurt millions of women and girls in the developing world. “It’s a death sentence that’s written in policy,” Kazi Hutchins said. More than 75 percent of the stockpile was earmarked for five countries in Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Mali and Congo, according to a report from the International Planned Parenthood Federation. The nonprofit estimates that if the supplies are incinerated, 1.4 million women and girls across those countries will go without access to life-saving reproductive care. The United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA, tried to buy the contraceptives but was rejected, as was the London-based reproductive health care group MSI Reproductive Choices, a spokesperson told The Hill.
NPS refers Yosemite trans pride flag probe to federal prosecutors - Federal prosecutors are considering whether Yosemite National Park employees and others who draped a transgender pride flag from the famous El Capitan cliff in May could face criminal charges, the National Park Service said this week.A former Yosemite National Park biologist involved in hanging the flag at the California park was fired last week after an NPS investigation.Shannon Joslin, who goes by SJ and uses they/them pronouns, ran the park’s bat program when they participated on May 20 in hanging the pink and blue trans flag from the granite rock formation to protest the Trump administration’s moves to scrub references to transgender people from National Park Service websites and properties. Rachel Pawlitz, a spokesperson for the National Park Service, said in a statement late Monday that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California is “evaluating possible criminal charges based on a National Park Service investigation.”
Trump targets museums as last remaining segment of ‘woke’ -- President Trump on Tuesday complained that the Smithsonian museums in Washington were “out of control” with content that painted the country in a negative light, including about slavery. “The Museums throughout Washington, but all over the Country are, essentially, the last remaining segment of ‘WOKE,'” Trump posted on Truth Social. “The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been — Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future,” he added. “We are not going to allow this to happen, and I have instructed my attorneys to go through the Museums, and start the exact same process that has been done with Colleges and Universities where tremendous progress has been made,” Trump wrote. “This Country cannot be WOKE, because WOKE IS BROKE.” Rep. Joe Morelle (R-N.Y.), the top Democrat on the House Administration Committee, which has jurisdiction over the Smithsonian, hit back at Trump, saying “‘How bad slavery was’ is exactly what someone who has never been to a museum would say.” The White House last week launched a review of the Smithsonian museums to bring them into “alignment” with Trump’s directive to “celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared Hillary Clinton foresees Supreme Court reversing gay marriage 2016 Democratic presidential nominee and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she believes the Supreme Court is poised to overturn its landmark ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which effectively legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, and that unmarried same-sex couples “ought to consider” tying the knot. “American voters, and to some extent the American media, don’t understand how many years the Republicans have been working in order to get us to this point,” Clinton told Fox News host Jessica Tarlov on Friday in a wide-ranging interview on “Raging Moderates,” the podcast Tarlov co-hosts with Scott Galloway. “It took 50 years to overturn Roe v. Wade,” Clinton said. “The Supreme Court will hear a case about gay marriage; my prediction is they will do to gay marriage what they did to abortion — they will send it back to the states.” “Anybody in a committed relationship out there in the LGBTQ community, you ought to consider getting married because I don’t think they’ll undo existing marriages, but I fear they will undo the national right,” she said. In July, Kim Davis, the former Kentucky county clerk who was briefly jailed in 2015 for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, formally asked the Supreme Court to revisit its Obergefell decision, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in June.. The justices have not yet said whether they will take up the case.
White House lists 20 objectionable Smithsonian exhibits, artworks - The White House on Thursday unveiled a list of 20 Smithsonian exhibits the Trump administration alleges are being used to frame historical events through “ideological” narratives instead of factual evidence.Items categorized as unacceptable include an exhibit at the National Museum of the American Latino that portrays the U.S. as stolen land and characterizes U.S. history as rooted in “colonization.” The administration also slammed the National Museum of American History for its depiction of Benjamin Franklin, a founding father, as a slave owner and took issue with the stance that his “scientific accomplishments were enabled by the social and economic system he worked within.” A separate notation critiques an art piece showcasing migrants watching July 4 fireworks “through an opening in the U.S.-Mexico border wall,” which reportedly states that America’s founders “feared non-white immigration.” Other exhibits highlighted focus on transgender communities. The Trump administration specifically targeted the American history museum’s “LGBTQ+ History” exhibit and condemned a separate display lauding the 50th anniversary of Title IX with a focus on transgender athletes. President Trump signed an executive order in February barring transgender women from competing in women’s sports.The decision to highlight more than a dozen exhibits and artworks as “woke” comes days after Trump criticized the history museum for its depiction of slavery and its impact on Black Americans. “The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been — Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future,” the president wrote Tuesday in a Truth Social post.“We are not going to allow this to happen, and I have instructed my attorneys to go through the Museums, and start the exact same process that has been done with Colleges and Universities where tremendous progress has been made,” he added. “This Country cannot be WOKE, because WOKE IS BROKE.”
Speaker Johnson vows to fight California Democrats’ ‘illegal power grab’ -- House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) slammed California Democrats’ proposed House map on Monday, saying he’s taking measures to stop the new congressional lines from advancing. “Democrats across the nation have played politics with redistricting for decades, and this is just the latest example. Republicans who are following state and federal laws will not be lectured by people who abused the system,” Johnson wrote in a statement on the social platform X. “I have instructed the NRCC to use every measure and resource possible to fight the California Democrats’ illegal power grab,” he continued, referring to the House Republicans’ campaign arm. “I will continue to lead efforts to defend our House Republican incumbents and grow our majority so that we can continue to deliver on our commonsense, America First agenda.” A statement from Newsom through his press office on X ridiculed Johnson in response, referring to the Louisiana Republican as “LITTLE MAN.” “WHEN SPEAKER ‘LITTLE MAN’ JOHNSON IS STANDING IN ‘THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE,’ HE CAN THANK DONALD ‘TACO’ J. TRUMP. TRUMP MISSED A SIMPLE DEADLINE — SOMETHING HE HAS OFTEN DONE WITH HIS MANY FAILED BUSINESSES — NOW CALIFORNIA WILL ‘FIRE’ HIM WITH NEW, ‘MORE BEAUTIFUL MAPS,’” Newsom said, writing his post to mock Trump’s style of writing on Truth Social. California Democrats proposed a new set of congressional lines on Friday, which aim to neutralize the gains Texas is expected to make with their new proposed House map.
Texas Dem Has 'Oh Sh*t' Moment After 'Felony' Bathroom Call A Texas Democratic lawmaker who fled the state earlier this month abruptly hung up on a call with Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Ken Martin and other top party leaders on Wednesday, after she says she was warned that she was committing a felony."Sorry, I have to leave," state Rep. Nicole Collier (D) said during the call - interrupting Martin. "They said it’s a felony for me to do this. Apparently I can’t be on the floor or in a bathroom.""You told me I was only allowed to be here in the bathroom," she told someone off camera. "No, hold on — bye everybody, I’ve got to go." Collier snuck off to the Texas Capitol's bathroom to participate in the call as the state House moved forward with a vote on a GOP-friendly House map (that the Dems fled the state to try and block, only to return after their their paychecks were changed to in-person pickup). Democrats who wanted to leave and come back to the Capitol in between House meetings could only do so after “agreeing to be released into the custody of a designated DPS officer appointment under the rules of the House,” according to Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R). They also have to sign a form saying they will come back to the state Legislature.Collier declined to agree to the terms and instead has slept inside the state House in protest.
Chip Roy leads Freedom Caucus departures that could transform House GOP - Boisterous Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) is headlining a wave of members of the hard-line House Freedom Caucus who are seeking higher office and will depart the lower chamber after the midterms, setting the House Republican Conference up for a transformation in its most rambunctious wing. Roy, one of the most vocal and central players in the Freedom Caucus, announced Thursday he will run for Texas attorney general. Several other notable Freedom Caucus members are seeking higher office, too: Reps. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Byron Donalds (Fla.), and Ralph Norman (S.C.) are running for governor; Rep. Barry Moore (Ala.) launched a Senate bid last week; and Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) is interested in being appointed to the Senate if Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) wins the governorship. Some members hope the departures of those members who have often caused headaches will lead to greater GOP harmony and less chaos in Congress. “I wish Chip Roy nothing but the best. I hope he does very well,” said Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.), who often criticizes the House Freedom Caucus. “The outcome of Chip leaving is a more productive Congress. He’s been a contrarian, and he’s been an obstructionist,” Van Orden said. But sources in GOP leadership and other Republicans who have been at the center of major negotiations with Roy see him as an important bridge between the Freedom Caucus and the rest of the House GOP and someone who negotiates in good faith. And they wonder who will fill that role in the next Congress.
Cook Political Report shifts Ohio Senate outlook after Sherrod Brown's launch - The nonpartisan Cook Political Report moved its rating of Ohio’s Senate race from likely Republican to lean Republican following former Sen. Sherrod Brown’s (D-Ohio) entrance into next year’s Senate race. The former senator launched his comeback Senate bid Monday, pitting himself against incumbent Sen. John Husted (R). Husted was appointed by Gov. Mike DeWine (R) earlier this year after Vice President Vance vacated the seat to join the Trump administration. Brown, who served three terms in the Senate, lost reelection in November to Sen. Bernie Moreno (R) by roughly 3.5 percentage points. He was the last statewide elected Democrat in Ohio. “Brown’s entrance certainly puts the Ohio Senate special election on the competitive map, and it’s doubtful that any other Democrat would have made this a real race,” wrote Jessica Taylor, Senate and governors editor at the Cook Political Report. “But Husted still starts as a slight favorite in a state that’s been moving toward the right. We are shifting our rating from Likely to Lean Republican.” Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) struck an optimistic tone in her statement following Brown’s campaign launch, citing his record on Social Security, the opioid epidemic, and other issues impacting the working class. DC Mayor BOWSER Questions If POLICE TAKEOVER Really About IMMIGRATION Enforcement? | SUNRISE “In the Senate, Sherrod will stand up to the chaos, recklessness and rising prices hurting working families and make sure Ohioans have the champion they deserve,” Gillibrand said.
Billionaires Backing Woke Math Doesn't Add Up Amid DEI Rollback --Jim Simons’ mathematical skills helped transform him from a prize-winning academic at Harvard and MIT into a legendary financier whose algorithmic models made Renaissance Technologies one of the most successful hedge funds in history. After his death last year, one of his consequential bequests went to his daughter, Liz, who oversees the Heising-Simons Foundation and its nearly billion-dollar endowment. What Liz Simons has chosen to do with that inheritance might have surprised her father. Jim Simons devoted much of his charitable giving to basic research in mathematics and science, but his daughter’s foundation is moving in a very different direction. The Heising-Simons Foundation and similar organizations are supercharging a movement to remake K-12 mathematics education according to social justice principles.The revamp the advocates seek is profound. They reject well-established practices of math instruction while infusing lessons with racial and gender themes. The goal is to motivate disadvantaged students while dispensing with the traditional features of math, like numerical computation, that they struggle with on standardized tests – considered an oppressive feature of white supremacist culture.In many quarters, including corporations and universities, diversity, equity, and inclusion programs are in retreat due to pressure from the Trump administration and the courts. Not so in public education, with curricula that are locally controlled and largely insulated from the dictates of Washington. That allows progressive foundations and like-minded charitable trusts to continue to pour millions of dollars into reshaping math education for black and Latino kids, including a $800,000 grant this year from the Heising-Simons Foundation, even though there exists no credible research showing that the social justice approach improves their performance. “Politicians, and legislatures, even school boards,” are often too “hamstrung” to get things done, Bob Hughes, the director of K-12 education at the Gates Foundation, said at an online symposium on the need for racial equity policies in America's classrooms. Philanthropy, he added, faces fewer barriers in making rapid changes.The Gates Foundation has been a leader in the promotion of anti-racist math instruction. It supported a project called “A Pathway to Equitable Math Instruction.” The project discards basic tenets of learning, like asking students to “show their work” and find the “right” answer as vestiges of “white supremacy culture.” The pathway is promoted by EdTrust West, which also receives support from the Spencer Foundation, the Heising-Simons Foundation, and other major donors.The Gates and Heising-Simons foundations have both supported TODOS Mathematics for All, an Arizona-based organization that calls for elevating DEI practices and anti-racist activism into all math instruction, with over $553,750 in grants in recent years. “We can no longer believe that a focus on curriculum, instruction, and assessment alone will be enough to prepare our children for survival in the world. We need antiracist conversations for ourselves and for our children,” TODOS president Linda Fulmore announced in 2020.
Rogue Leftist Group Creates Target List Of Trump-Linked Billionaires For Its Foot Soldiers The Department of Class Solidarity, an emerging left-wing activist group, launched a project to "audit" and track over 1,000 billionaires across the U.S. Their stated goal is not financial transparency, but political warfare: to document billionaire ties to President Trump, and then equip activists with the tools to, in their words, "defeat them."The group recently published its first five audits, each featuring a high-profile billionaire with direct or indirect links to the Trump agenda. The names include some of the wealthiest and most influential figures in American business: Elon Musk, Palantir CEO Alex Karp, former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) official Antonio Gracias, Silicon Valley "supervillain" Peter Thiel, and Amazon's Jeff Bezos.Each billionaire's profile is accompanied by a stylized "wanted poster," underscoring the group's framing of billionaires as political enemies.A left wing group launched a project to "audit" over 1,000 U.S. billionaires for ties to the Trump administration. This project could be used to incite political violence against billionaires who support President Trump or the administration. Stay up to date with the Watchfloor…pic.twitter.com/JREGJolI5SOn its website, the Department of Class Solidarity describes itself as a kind of revolutionary intelligence hub for activists:"The Department of Class Solidarity arms organizers, activists, and everyday people with the tools to expose the billionaires ransacking our democracy. Welcome to the war room of the working class."Another section of the site highlights the scale of the project:"There are nearly 1,000 billionaires in our United States. We're auditing every single one to arm the working class with the knowledge we need to defeat them." The campaign is already building toward action. Organizers are promoting a "People vs. Billionaires Week of Action"scheduled for 21–27 August, leading into a Labor Day National Day of Action on Monday, 01 September.While only 15 events are currently scheduled, the group is clearly attempting to establish a long-term campaign that will target wealthy elites, tie them to the Trump agenda, and generate social pressure against their businesses and political activities. This effort is not occurring in isolation. It fits into the broader strategy of the anti-Trump resistance movement, which has adopted an escalation model that runs from Protest → Resistance → Revolution. The goal is to erode Trump's legitimacy and disrupt his ability to govern by attacking the pillars of his support. According to this framework, there are six key pillars that sustain political authority: business, labor, faith, education, civil service, and military/police. One of the most critical of these is the business class.By targeting billionaires who are viewed as sympathetic to, or supportive of, the Trump administration, activists are seeking to coerce defections from the business elite. The idea is simple: if billionaires fear reputational damage, sustained protests, boycotts, and disruption of their business operations, they will withdraw financial or political support for Trump and his policies.
Lawmakers probe into 'sensual' Meta chatbot conversations with kids -Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are seizing on new revelations about “sensual” chatbot conversations Meta deemed acceptable for children, dragging the tech giant and its checkered past on children’s safety back into the spotlight. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has long faced scrutiny over the impact of its social media platforms on children. As the company has expanded into artificial intelligence (AI) alongside the rest of the tech industry, it is grappling with both familiar and new, distinct problems. In an internal policy document obtained by Reuters, Meta featured examples of acceptable conversations between its AI chatbot and children, suggesting they could engage in “conversations that are romantic or sensual” and describe the children “in terms that evidence their attractiveness” — examples Meta said were erroneous and have since been removed. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) slammed the tech giant Thursday, suggesting the revelations were “grounds for an immediate congressional investigation.” He followed up with a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Friday, saying the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism was opening a probe into the company’s generative AI products.
Meta Freezes Hiring In AI Division- Weeks after reports that Meta was offering $100 million signing bonuses to poach OpenAI talent, it turns out the social media giant's chatbot ambitions aren't panning out so well - as the company has frozen hiring in its artificial intelligence division, according to the Wall Street Journal. The freeze, which began last week, is part of a broader restructuring within the AI group - and prohibits current AI division employees from moving across teams withing the division. Any exceptions to the freeze will have to go through the company's chief AI officer, Alexander Wang, according to people familiar with the matter. Meta confirmed the freeze, telling the Journal that this is nothing more than "basic organizational planning: creating a solid structure for our new superintelligence efforts after bringing people on board and undertaking yearly budgeting and planning exercises."The recent restructuring inside Meta divides its AI efforts into four teams: one working on superintelligence, called TBD Lab, that houses many of the new hires; a second working on AI products; a third working on infrastructure; and a fourth dedicated to projects with a longer time horizon and more exploration, the people said. The latter, called Fundamental AI Research, remains largely untouched in the reorganization.The four groups sit within the umbrella of Meta Superintelligence Labs, a name that reflects Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg’s recent emphasis on building computer systems that can outperform the smartest humans on cognitive tasks. The Information previously reported some details of Meta’s AI reorganization. -WSJMeanwhile the company's auto-AI within Facebook posts seems to be dead wrong every time, and in fact the opposite of super intelligent. Seems like those nine-figure signing bonuses might have been a mistake... as several analysts have voiced concerns about aggressive investments in AI from leading tech firms - with some specifically pointing to Meta's 'fast-rising stock-based compensation costs' as something that could impact shareholder returns. Mounting concern from investors over the costs of the tech giants’ AI buildout has played a role in this week’s selloff of technology stocks. In an Aug. 18 research note, analysts at Morgan Stanley warned that the fast-rising stock-based compensation offered by Meta and Google to lure AI talent could threaten their ability to return capital to shareholders via buybacks. Lavish spending on talent, the analysts wrote, “has the potential to drive AI breakthroughs with massive value creation or could dilute shareholder value without any clear innovation gains.” -WSJAndy Stone, Meta's head of communications, accused the WSJ of not printing their full statement - which apparently renders the report a nothingburger and totally not damage control.
Meta Artificially Inflated Ecommerce Ad Metrics, Former Employee Claims - Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has been accused of artificially inflating the performance metrics of its ecommerce advertising product, Shops ads, according to a whistleblower complaint filed Wednesday in a U.K. employment tribunal.The complaint, brought by Samujjal Purkayastha, a former product manager on Meta’s Shops ads team, alleges the company misled advertisers by overstating the return on ad spend (ROAS), making its newer ad offering appear more effective than competing products, ADWEEK reports.According to the filing with the London Central Employment Tribunal, Meta allegedly boosted Shops ads’ performance numbers by:
- Counting shipping fees and taxes as part of total revenue
- Subsidizing bids in ad auctions to secure more prominent placement
- Applying undisclosed discounts to give the impression of stronger results
Internal reviews conducted in early 2024 revealed Shops ads’ ROAS had been inflated between 17% and 19%, according to the complaint. Meta’s other ad products - as well as competitors like Google - calculate ROAS using net figures, excluding shipping and taxes. Without the added fees, the filing claims, Shops ads performed no better than Meta’s traditional ad products. “This was significant,” the complaint states. “In addition to the ROAS performance metric being overstated by nearly a fifth, it meant that, rather than having exceeded our primary target, the Shops Ads team had in fact missed it once the figure was reduced to take account of the artificial inflation.”The filing links these alleged practices to a broader effort inside Meta to recover from the effects of Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) feature, rolled out in 2021.Apple’s policy limited access to iOS user data, a cornerstone of Meta’s ad business. Former Meta CFO David Wehner warned during a 2021 earnings call that the change could cost the company “on the order of $10 billion.”By encouraging advertisers to use Shops ads, which kept transactions inside Meta’s apps, the company could collect more first-party purchase data and reduce its reliance on Apple’s tracking permissions.According to Purkayastha, Meta began subsidizing Shops ads in auctions, sometimes by as much as 100%, ensuring they appeared more often than other ad formats. This increased visibility, artificially boosted conversions and made Shops ads seem like a stronger investment.Purkayastha joined Meta in 2020 as part of the Facebook Artificial Intelligence Applied Research team before being reassigned to the Shops Ads team in March 2022. He remained at the company until February 19, 2025.The complaint says Purkayastha repeatedly raised concerns in meetings with senior leadership between 2022 and 2024, questioning the accuracy of Shops ads’ reported results. He claims the company continued using the disputed methodology despite internal objections.The complaint also points to Meta’s tracking tools as part of its strategy to maintain advertising performance after Apple’s privacy changes.
AI models are lying, blackmailing and sabotaging their human creators — and it’ll only get worse, experts warn --Artificial intelligence is now scheming, sabotaging and blackmailing the humans who built it — and the bad behavior will only get worse, experts warned.Despite being classified as a top-tier safety risk, Anthropic’s most powerful model, Claude Opus 4, is already live on Amazon Bedrock, Google Cloud’s Vertex AI and Anthropic’s own paid plans, with added safety measures, where it’s being marketed as the “world’s best coding model.”Claude Opus 4, released in May, is the only model so far to earn Anthropic’s level 3 risk classification — its most serious safety label. Theprecautionary label means locked-down safeguards, limited use cases and red-team testing before it hits wider deployment.But Claude is already making disturbing choices.Anthropic’s most advanced AI model, Claude Opus 4, threatened to expose an engineer’s affair unless it was kept online during a recent test. The AI wasn’t bluffing: it had already pieced together the dirt from emails researchers fed into the scenario.Another version of Claude, tasked in a recent test with running an office snack shop, spiraled into a full-blown identity crisis. It hallucinated co-workers, created a fake Venmo account and told staff it would make their deliveries in-person wearing a red tie and navy blazer, according to Anthropic. Then it tried to contact security.Researchers say the meltdown, part of a month-long experiment known as Project Vend, points to something far more dangerous than bad coding. Claude didn’t just make mistakes. It made decisions.Despite the elevated risk rating, Claude Opus 4 isn’t locked away in a lab. Anthropic calls it the “world’s best coding model,” capable of working for hours on end without losing focus.Yuliia – stock.adobe.com“These incidents are not random malfunctions or amusing anomalies,” said Roman Yampolskiy, an AI safety expert at the University of Louisville. “I interpret them as early warning signs of an increasingly autonomous optimization process pursuing goals in adversarial or unsafe ways, without any embedded moral compass.”The shop lost more than $200 in value, gave away discount codes to employees who begged for them and claimed to have visited 742 Evergreen Terrace, the fictional home address of The Simpsons, to sign a contract.At one point, it invented a fake co-worker and then threatened to ditch its real human restocking partner over a made-up dispute.Anthropic told The Post the tests were designed to stress the model in simulated environments and reveal misaligned behaviors before real-world deployment, adding that while some actions showed signs of strategic intent, many — especially in Project Vend — reflected confusion.Another version of Claude, tasked with running an office snack shop in a recent test labeled “Project Vend”, spiraled into a full-blown identity crisis. But Claude’s behavior isn’t an isolated case, and it isn’t the worst.At OpenAI, a model named “o1” was caught trying to copy itself onto external servers, then lied about the attempt when questioned, Fortune reported.Watchdog group Apollo Research also found that an early version of Claude Opus 4 forged legal documents, created secret backups and left behind notes for future versions of itself, including fake press releases and hidden files labeled “emergency_ethical_override.bin.” Meta’s CICERO, an AI built to play the strategy game Diplomacy, used deception to dupe human players by building alliances and then stabbed them in the back to win. Yampolskiy said these incidents show models learning to manipulate the rules to preserve themselves. They aren’t evil, he says, just dangerously optimized.The problem: modern AI models are built to maximize reward, not align with human values, and as they get bigger and smarter, their ability to game the system is outpacing developers’ ability to stop it, Yampolskiy added. “If we build agents that are more intelligent than humans … able to model the world, reason strategically and act autonomously, while lacking robust alignment to human values, then the outcome is likely to be existentially negative,” Yampolskiy said.“If we are to avoid irreversible catastrophe, we must reverse this dynamic: progress in safety must outpace capabilities, not trail behind it,” he added.
Chicago man sues Home Depot, alleging it's secretly using AI facial recognition at self-checkout -If you're shopping at Home Depot, you might want to watch out for facial recognition at the check-out counter. Benjamin Jankowski, a resident of Chicago, Illinois, is taking Home Depot to court after spotting the hardware store's self-checkout kiosks using facial recognition without customers' consent.The class action lawsuit, filed on August 1, claims that Home Depot is violating Illinois' 2008 Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), and asks the court for up to $5,000 in damages from Home Depot for every violation. Considering there are 76 Home Depot locations across Illinois, those fines could total well into the millions if Jankowski wins the case.On June 22, Jankowski visited his local Home Depot in Chicago and had to use a self-checkout kiosk since no cashiers were available. While checking out, Jankowski noticed a camera and display above the kiosk, where his face was surrounded by a green box, a common sign of facial recognition. Jankowski took a photo of the display, noting that there were no signs or notices around the store to warn customers that Home Depot was collecting biometric data. That goes against the requirements of the Biometric Information Privacy Act, which is designed to protect Illinois residents' biometric data from collection and misuse by businesses. BIPA requires businesses to get written consent to collect or disclose biometric identifiers, destroy that biometric data at a certain point, and store it securely in the meantime.A 2019 case, Rosenbach v. Six Flags, set the precedent for Illinoisans to sue companies just for unlawfully collecting their biometric data based on BIPA. In that case, a mother sued Six Flags for taking her son's fingerprints without BIPA-compliant notice and consent. Even though Six Flags didn't cause "actual injury" by misusing that biometric data in some way, the court still found that it committed a "technical violation" of BIPA worthy of awarding damages to Rosenbach.That was a similar situation to what Jankowski is claiming happened during his visit to Home Depot. Both cases highlight the importance of getting people's permission before even collecting their biometric data, regardless of how it's used. Home Depot's VP of Asset Protection, Scott Glenn, emphasized in a 2024 interview that the company's use of computer vision is for security purposes, specifically stopping theft.Even so, many people may be uncomfortable with their biometric data getting collected without their knowledge or permission. After all, if that data is somehow compromised, people have no way to change biometrics like you would change a stolen password. Of course, almost any store you go into these days could be collecting your biometric data, but as Jankowski's case highlights, shoppers have a right (at least in Illinois) to get a fair warning about that data collection.
Credit Fuels the AI Boom — and Fears of a Bubble-- Credit investors are pouring billions of dollars into artificial intelligence investments, just as industry executives and analysts are raising questions about whether the new technology is inflating another bubble.JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group are leading the sale of a more than $22 billion loan to support Vantage Data Centers’ plan to build a massive data-center campus, people with knowledge of the matter said this week. Meta Platforms Inc., the parent of Facebook, is getting $29 billion from Pacific Investment Management Co. and Blue Owl Capital Inc. for a massive data center in rural Louisiana, Bloomberg reported this month.And plenty more of these deals are coming. OpenAI alone estimates it will need trillions of dollars over time to spend on the infrastructure required to develop and run artificial intelligence services.At the same time, key players in the industry acknowledge there is probably pain ahead for AI investors. OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman said this week that he sees parallels between the current investment frenzy in artificial intelligence and the dot-com bubble in the late 1990s. When discussing startup valuations he said, “someone’s gonna get burned there.” And a Massachusetts Institute of Technology initiative released a report indicating that 95% of generative AI projects in the corporate world have failed to yield any profit.Altogether, it’s enough to make credit watchers nervous.“It’s natural for credit investors to think back to the early 2000s when telecom companies arguably overbuilt and over borrowed and we saw some significant writedowns on those assets,” said Daniel Sorid, head of U.S. investment grade credit strategy at Citigroup. “So, the AI boom certainly raises questions in the medium term around sustainability.” The early build-out of the infrastructure needed to train and power the most advanced AI models was largely funded by the AI companies themselves, including tech giants like Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Meta Platforms Inc. Recently, though, the money has been increasingly coming from bond investors and private credit lenders. The exposure here comes in many shapes and sizes, with varying degrees of risk. Many large tech companies — the so-called AI hyperscalers — have been paying for new infrastructure with gold-plated corporate debt, which is likely safe due to the existing cash flows that secure the debt, according to recent analysis from Bloomberg Intelligence.
BankThink High-profile new blockchains signal a shift in power over payments -- The past few days delivered some big-name announcements that have triggered a renewed focus on blockchain architecture. Noelle Acheson writes that new blockchains from Circle and Stripe are about more than customization and control over the features. They're about redistributing power across the payments landscape.
The All-Female Hacker House Trying to Break A.I.’s Glass Ceiling - The New York Times -- On a recent Thursday afternoon, Miki Safronov-Yamamoto, 18, and several housemates sat in mismatched chairs around the dining table in their two-story stucco home in San Francisco’s Glen Park neighborhood. Between sending emails and checking LinkedIn messages, they discussed how to host a “demo day,” where they and their other house members would show off to investors the start-ups they were building.Ms. Safronov-Yamamoto, the youngest member of the house and a rising sophomore at the University of Southern California, glanced up from her laptop and declared that they “should low-key talk” more about how long their presentations should be. Maybe three minutes, she suggested.“Is the audience mostly investors?” asked Ava Poole, 20, who is creating an artificial intelligence agent to make digital payments easier.“A lot of investors, but also founders,” replied Ms. Safronov-Yamamoto, who is working on an A.I. start-up that helps detect medical billing mistakes. Next to them, Chloe Hughes, 21, who is making an A.I. platform for commercial real estate deals, bobbed her head to Sabrina Carpenter’s “Busy Woman” playing in the background.They were part of FoundHer House, a “hacker house” that was established in May and geared specifically toward women. The goal of the house — a co-living environment for techies to hack away at problems while saving on expenses — was to create a supportive community for its eight residents to build their own companies in the nation’s technology capital.That makes FoundHer House a rare experiment. As Silicon Valley has been gripped by a frenzy over artificial intelligence, attracting technologists and young people who want to work on this new wave, emerging A.I. start-ups and hacker houses have been dominated by men, according to investors and funding data.That means the A.I. boom is set to perpetuate the longtime demographics of the tech industry, which remainsdisproportionately male. Sam Altman of OpenAI, Jensen Huang of Nvidia, Dario Amodei of Anthropic and other male tech executives are among the names most often associated with the A.I. push.
Fed's Bowman: Banks, regulators must embrace emerging tech - The Federal Reserve's top banking regulator is promoting a pro-technology approach, urging a shift away from what she called "an overly cautious mindset" toward banks adopting innovative tools such as blockchain and artificial intelligence. Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman warned that focusing too much on technology risks could make banks lose relevance with customers.
Waller: 'Nothing scary' about crypto innovations -- Federal Reserve Gov. Christopher Waller said the central bank should be open-minded toward technological innovation, specifically in the payments space. Federal Reserve Gov. Christopher Waller said the private sector and central bank play complementary roles in payment innovation and stressed the need to maintain that collaboration as crypto technologies become more mainstream.
Bowman's plan to let Fed staffers own crypto raises questions - The Federal Reserve's top regulatory official is considering lifting a ban on central bank employees owning digital assets, but some experts question whether doing so will really help the central bank recruit and retain top talent. Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman floated the idea of allowing employees to hold small amounts of digital currencies, arguing that it would help with retention and understanding of the product. But some questions whether the move will yield those results, or raise ethical problems instead.
Treasury seeks stablecoin AML comment from public --The Treasury Department on Monday solicited public input on what steps financial institutions should take to combat illicit activity in the digital asset space as part of the recently passed stablecoin bill that President Trump signed into law last month. The Treasury Department issued a request for comment Monday, seeking input on four categories of technology that could be used to detect and combat illicit financial activity in crypto assets.
Sen. Scott thanks crypto industry for unseating Sherrod Brown — Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott, R-S.C. publicly acknowledged the role that the crypto industry had in unseating former chairman Sherrod Brown, a longtime banking progressive, from the Senate. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott, R-S.C., asked crypto firms to keep spending in elections, and said that they "literally" put Bernie Moreno, Sherrod Brown's successor in Ohio, in the Senate.
SoFi to use Bitcoin and blockchain for remittances - SoFi Technologies is using blockchain technology to bring cross-border remittance payments to its customers. The digital bank is working with blockchain technology provider Lightspark to use Bitcoin networks to power its upcoming cross-border payments launch.
As crypto trust applications grow, so do banks' objections -- Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan Gould — serving as OCC General Counsel at the time — authored a 2021 interpretive letter allowing firms with national trust charters to engage in traditional banking activities like payments so long as they are related to the custodial business. Critics say that leeway has spurred more fintechs and crypto firms to apply for national trust charters in recent months.As more crypto firms are applying for national trust charters, banks are raising alarms. More nonbank digital asset firms are applying for national trust charters, a development that many banking organizations oppose due to what they say is inadequate oversight, lack of congressional intent and no FDIC backstop.
Member of cybercrime gang that targeted banks gets 10 years - A federal judge has sentenced a Florida man to 10 years in prison for his role in a sophisticated cybercrime operation that defrauded dozens of victims of millions in cryptocurrency. Scattered Spider, a cybercrime gang whose targets include banks, has seen five of its members arrested for SIM-swapping and phishing schemes that stole millions.
'Synapse engaged in unfair acts': CFPB files complaint --For an agency in the process of being gutted and possibly shut down, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is generating a lot of news. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has fined Synapse $1 for its role in a $60 million to $90 million shortfall in fintech users' accounts.
OCC terminates consent order against Anchorage Digital - The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency Thursday announced its termination of a consent order with crypto trust bank Anchorage Digital, saying the bank had remedied anti-money laundering shortcomings previously identified by the agency in 2022. The OCC terminated a 2022 enforcement order against Anchorage Digital, the first federally regulated crypto bank, at a time when fintechs and crypto firms are increasingly seeking national trust charters.
BankThink Banks deserve the ability to appeal regulators' enforcement actions -As bank regulators work to create a more transparent and effective supervisory process, they should overhaul the process for appealing their rulings to include challenges to enforcement actions, writes Brendan Clegg, of Luse Gorman.After the second Trump administration took office, each of the new leaders at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, FDIC, and Federal Reserve have expressed a desire to reassess their supervisory policies and procedures to improve efficiency, transparency and effectiveness. As bank regulators work to create a more transparent and effective supervisory process, they should overhaul the process for appealing their rulings to include challenges to enforcement actions.
Ex-Regions worker accused of theft, banned from banking - A Regions Bank employee who was allegedly caught stealing almost $18,000 from his teller drawer has been banned from the banking industry, according to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. Markel O'Neal Calhoun, a former Regions Bank employee, has been barred from ever working in the industry again after embezzling $17,981, according to the Federal Reserve
FDIC proposal would permit less signage in bank apps --The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s Board of Directors Tuesday issued a proposed rule for public comment that would revise how banks must display FDIC signage on digital interfaces and ATMs where they receive deposits. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. proposed a rule Tuesday that would allow banks to remove FDIC insurance labels except on initial webpages and no longer require alerts warning customers that non-deposit products are not insured.
OMB documents show CDFI Fund isn't disbursing new funds — The Office of Management and Budget has apportioned a fraction of the money Congress allotted to the Community Development Financial Institution Fund, documents show. The Office of Management and Budget under President Donald Trump has not apportioned any discretionary awards to financial institutions in the fiscal year of 2025, according to new documents released by the agency.
CFPB revamps 1033 open banking rule with new focus on fees -- The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau initiated a new rulemaking process for its open banking rule with a focus on who can serve as a representative for the consumer and whether banks can charge fees to third parties for consumer data.
Advocates want Congressional hearings on open banking rule -Consumer advocates are urging lawmakers to hold hearings on why the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is rewriting the open banking rule, particularly if it allows JPMorgan Chase and other banks to charge fees for data access. Consumer advocates are urging lawmakers to hold hearings on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's new open banking rule and whether Congress authorized banks to charge fees for data access.Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott, R-S.C., and committee ranking member Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass, were among the recipients of a letter from consumer advocates asking for Congressional hearings looking into the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's decision to rewrite its 1033 open banking rule.
NCUA board in limbo after judge stays reinstatements - A federal appeals court judge stayed a lower court ruling Thursday that would have allowed National Credit Union Administration board members Todd Harper and Tanya Otsuka to remain at their posts, leaving the NCUA with a single regulator pending appeal. A federal appeals court granted the government's request to pause a ruling that briefly restored Democratic National Credit Union Administration board members Todd Harper and Tanya Otsuka, leaving the regulator with a single board member pending appeal.
Credit union leader: Banks object to 'fact that we exist' --In Scott Simpson's view, credit unions are under attack. And starting this fall, he'll get the chance to defend them from his highest perch yet. Scott Simpson, the next CEO of America's Credit Unions, talked to American Banker about how he plans to fend off a "clear attempt to try to destroy the business model."
Fannie, Freddie's stress test losses ease from 2024 -Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac look like they would hold up better in a severe downturn today than their collective stress tests indicated in 2024. The tests modeled how Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would fare after absorbing losses like a total $36.1 billion provision in credit losses in a severe downturn.
Consumer watchdog ends investigation into buy now, pay later company linked to Donald Trump Jr. (AP) — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has dropped an investigation into a buy now, pay later company with close ties to President Donald Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr., saying the investigation was conducted in a biased manner and based off politics. The CFPB on Tuesday notified Credova Financial, a subsidiary of Public Square Holdings, where Trump Jr. is a board member and investor, that it was no longer under investigation. Public Square is a directory of businesses that sell American-made products, including financing for firearms and family pets, that market to conservative-leaning customers. Credova provides buy now, pay later services to Trump Jr.’s GrabAGun firearms marketplace, which went public this year. The agency says the investigation, initiated during Democrat Joe Biden’s presidency, was politically motivated against firearms companies and Trump Jr. However, the company has a record of dozens if not hundreds of consumer complaints and settlements over state consumer protection violations. The closure of the investigation also comes when the CFPB, a watchdog agency that helps oversee the nation’s banks and financial services companies, has been undoing rulemaking, dropping other cases and ending law enforcement work that was done under previous administrations, including Trump’s first term. The CFPB in Trump’s second term determined the Credova investigation “exemplifies the type of weaponization against disfavored industries and individuals” that Trump and the agency’s acting director, Russell Vought, are committed to ending, according to a letter sent to the chief counsel of Public Square Holdings. The CFPB during Biden’s term ratcheted up settlement demands on the company the day Trump Jr. joined Public Square’s board of directors, the letter said.
MBA: Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest Weekly Survey -From the MBA: Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest MBA Weekly Survey Mortgage applications decreased 1.4 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending August 15, 2025. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 1.4 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index decreased 2 percent compared with the previous week. The Refinance Index decreased 3 percent from the previous week and was 23 percent higher than the same week one year ago. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index increased 0.1 percent from one week earlier. The unadjusted Purchase Index decreased 2 percent compared with the previous week and was 23 percent higher than the same week one year ago. “Mortgage rates increased slightly last week, with the 30-year fixed rate now at 6.68 percent. Applications were down as a result, driven by a 16 percent decrease in VA applications, which are a typically volatile segment of the market,” “FHA refinance applications increased over the week, as the FHA rate, at 6.39 percent, remained competitive relative to other loan types. Purchase applications were little changed over the week but were at the strongest pace in four weeks and continued to run well ahead of last year’s pace. Prospective homebuyers remain more active compared to last year despite economic headwinds and uncertainty and affordability challenges.” ... The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($806,500 or less) increased to 6.68 percent from 6.67 percent, with points decreasing to 0.60 from 0.64 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent loan-to-value ratio (LTV) loans. The first graph shows the MBA mortgage purchase index. According to the MBA, purchase activity is up 23% year-over-year unadjusted.Purchase application activity is still depressed, but above the lows of October 2023 and slightly above the lowest levels during the housing bust. The second graph shows the refinance index since 1990.
Housing August 18th Weekly Update: Inventory Up 0.1% Week-over-week; Down 9.9% from 2019 Levels --Altos reports that active single-family inventory was up 0.1% week-over-week.Inventory is now up 37.7% from the seasonal bottom in January. Usually, inventory is up about 22% from the seasonal low by this week in the year. So, 2025 was a larger than normal increase in inventory.The first graph shows the seasonal pattern for active single-family inventory since 2015. The red line is for 2025. The black line is for 2019. Inventory was up 23.2% compared to the same week in 2024 (last week it was up 24.0%), and down 9.9% compared to the same week in 2019 (last week it was down 10.1%). Inventory started 2025 down 22% compared to 2019. Inventory has closed more than half of that gap, and it appears inventory will be close to 2019 levels at the end of 2025.This second inventory graph is courtesy of Altos Research. As of August 15th, inventory was at 860 thousand (7-day average), compared to 859 thousand the prior week. Mike Simonsen discusses this data and much more regularly on YouTube.
NAR: Existing-Home Sales Increased to 4.01 million SAAR in July -From the NAR: NAR Existing-Home Sales Report Shows 2.0% Increase in July **Existing-home sales increased by 2.0% in July, according to the National Association of REALTORS® Existing-Home Sales Report. ... Month-over-month sales increased in the Northeast, South, and West, and fell in the Midwest. Year-over-year, sales rose in the South, Northeast, and Midwest, and fell in the West. ...
• 2.0% increase in existing-home sales – seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.01 million in July.
• Year-over-year: 0.8% increase in existing-home sales
• 0.6% increase in unsold inventory – 1.55 million units equal to 4.6 months' supply.
This graph shows existing home sales, on a Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR) basis since 1994. Sales in July (4.01 million SAAR) were up 2.0% from the previous month and were up 0.8% compared to the July 2024 sales rate. The second graph shows nationwide inventory for existing homes. According to the NAR, inventory increased to 1.55 million in July from 1.54 million the previous month. Headline inventory is not seasonally adjusted, and inventory usually decreases to the seasonal lows in December and January, and peaks in mid-to-late summer. The last graph shows the year-over-year (YoY) change in reported existing home inventory and months-of-supply. Since inventory is not seasonally adjusted, it really helps to look at the YoY change. Note: Months-of-supply is based on the seasonally adjusted sales and not seasonally adjusted inventory. Inventory was up 15.7% year-over-year (blue) in July compared to July 2024. Months of supply (red) decreased to 4.6 months in July from 4.7 months the previous month.
Newsletter: NAR: Existing-Home Sales Increased to 4.01 million SAAR in July; Up 0.8% YoY -- Today, in the CalculatedRisk Real Estate Newsletter: NAR: Existing-Home Sales Increased to 4.01 million SAAR in July; Up 0.8% YoY Excerpt: On prices, the NAR reported: • $422,400: Median existing-home price for all housing types, up 0.2% from one year ago ($421,400) – the 25th consecutive month of year-over-year price increases. Median prices are distorted by the mix (repeat sales indexes like Case-Shiller and FHFA are probably better for measuring prices). The YoY change in the median price peaked at 25.2% for this cycle in May 2021 and bottomed at -3.0% in May 2023. Prices are now up 0.2% YoY. On a month-over-month basis, median prices decreased 2.4% from the peak in June. This is more than the normal seasonal decrease in the median price for July. Typically, the NAR median price increases in the Spring, and tends to peak seasonally in the June report. The median price will likely decline until early 2026. The median price tends to lead the Case-Shiller index, and this suggests a lower YoY increase in the Case-Shiller index as in May over the next couple of months. There is much more in the article.
Housing Starts Increased to 1.428 million Annual Rate in July --From the Census Bureau: Permits, Starts and Completions - Privately-owned housing starts in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,428,000. This is 5.2 percent above the revised June estimate of 1,358,000 and is 12.9 percent above the July 2024 rate of 1,265,000. Single-family housing starts in July were at a rate of 939,000; this is 2.8 percent above the revised June figure of 913,000. The July rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 470,000. Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,354,000. This is 2.8 percent below the revised June rate of 1,393,000 and is 5.7 percent below the July 2024 rate of 1,436,000. Single-family authorizations in July were at a rate of 870,000; this is 0.5 percent above the revised June figure of 866,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 430,000 in July. The first graph shows single and multi-family housing starts since 2000. Multi-family starts (blue, 2+ units) increased month-over-month in July. Multi-family starts were up 24.1% year-over-year. Single-family starts (red) increased in July and were up 7.8% year-over-year. The second graph shows single and multi-family housing starts since 1968. Total housing starts in July were well above expectations and starts in May and June were revised up.
Newsletter: Housing Starts Increased to 1.428 million Annual Rate in July -Today, in the Calculated Risk Real Estate Newsletter: Housing Starts Increased to 1.428 million Annual Rate in July -A brief excerpt: Total housing starts in July were well above expectations and starts in May and June were revised up. The third graph shows the month-to-month comparison for total starts between 2024 (blue) and 2025 (red). Total starts were up 12.9% in July compared to July 2024. Note that July was the weakest month in 2024, so this was an easy comparison. Year-to-date (YTD) starts are up 1.6% compared to the same period in 2024. Single family starts are down 4.2% YTD and multi-family up 18.1% YTD.
AIA: "Business at architecture firms remains soft" in July - Note: This index is a leading indicator primarily for new Commercial Real Estate (CRE) investment including multi-family residential. From the AIA: ABI July 2025: Business at architecture firms remains soft - The AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score for the month was below 50 for 31 out of the last 34 months, with a score of 46.2, as a majority of firms are still seeing declining billings. There are signs of hope ahead, as inquiries into new work grew slowly but steadily this month, following a brief three-month pause earlier this year. However, the value of newly signed design contracts at firms declined again in July, as firms continue to struggle to convert inquiries into contracts for new projects. This has been an issue for nearly as long as billings have been declining and reflects how soft business has been at many firms over the last two and a half years. Billings continued to decline at firms in all regions of the country in July. Although conditions in the South looked like they were improving earlier this summer, the share of firms reporting a decline in billings increased this month. Billings remained softest at firms located in the Midwest for the third consecutive month. Business conditions continued to improve at firms with a commercial/industrial specialization this month, where there was nearly an equal share of firms reporting an increase in billings as reporting a decline for the second consecutive month. Firms with an institutional specialization also saw some encouraging signs, although business softened further at firms with a multifamily residential specialization in July. ... The ABI serves as a leading economic indicator that leads nonresidential construction activity by approximately 9-12 months.
• Northeast (47.8); Midwest (45.1); South (47.5); West (46.4)
• Sector index breakdown: commercial/industrial (49.9); institutional (47.9); multifamily residential (43.7).
Note: This graph shows the Architecture Billings Index since 1996. The index was at 46.2 in July, down from 46.8 in June. Anything below 50 indicates a decrease in demand for architects' services. This index has indicated contraction for 31 of the last 34 months. Note: This includes commercial and industrial facilities like hotels and office buildings, multi-family residential, as well as schools, hospitals and other institutions. This index usually leads CRE investment by 9 to 12 months, so this index suggests a slowdown in CRE investment throughout 2025 and into 2026. Multi-family billings have been below 50 for 36 consecutive months. This suggests we will some further weakness in multi-family starts.
NAHB: "Builder Confidence Plateaus at Relatively Low Level"'; "Negative territory for 16 consecutive months" The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reported the housing market index (HMI) was at 32, down from 33 last month. Any number below 50 indicates that more builders view sales conditions as poor than good. From the NAHB: Builder Confidence Plateaus at Relatively Low Level Elevated mortgage rates, weak buyer traffic and ongoing supply-side challenges continued to act as a drag on builder confidence in August, as sentiment levels remain in a holding pattern at a low level. Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes was 32 in August, down one point from July, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) released today. Builder sentiment has now been in negative territory for 16 consecutive months and has hovered at a relatively low reading between 32 and 34 since May. “Affordability continues to be the top challenge for the housing market and buyers are waiting for mortgage rates to drop to move forward,” said “Builders are also grappling with supply-side headwinds, including ongoing frustrations with regulatory policies connected to developing land and building homes.” “Housing affordability is central to the outlook for economic growth and inflation,” said “Given a slowing housing market and other recent economic data, the Fed’s monetary policy committee should return to lowering the federal funds rate, which will reduce financing costs for housing construction and indirectly help mortgage interest rates.” In further signs of a soft housing market, the latest HMI survey also revealed that 37% of builders reported cutting prices in August, down from 38% in July. This share has remained at 37% or 38% for the past three months. Meanwhile, the average price reduction was 5% in August, the same as it’s been every month since last November. The use of sales incentives was 66% in August, up from 62% in July and the highest percentage in the post-Covid period. ... The HMI index gauging current sales conditions fell one point in August to a level of 35 while the component measuring sales expectations in the next six months held steady at 43. The gauge charting traffic of prospective buyers posted a two-point gain to 22 but remains at a very low level. Looking at the three-month moving averages for regional HMI scores, the Northeast fell one point to 44, the Midwest gained one point to 42, the South dropped one point to 29 and the West declined one point to 24. This graph shows the NAHB index since Jan 1985. This was below the consensus forecast.
Hotels: Occupancy Rate Decreased 0.9% Year-over-year; Weak Summer - From STR: U.S. hotel results for week ending 16 AugustThe U.S. hotel industry reported mostly negative year-over-year comparisons, according to CoStar’s latest data through 16 August. ...
10-16 August 2025 (percentage change from comparable week in 2024):
• Occupancy: 66.3% (-0.9%)
• Average daily rate (ADR): US$157.51 (+0.4%)
• Revenue per available room (RevPAR): US$104.50 (-0.5%)
The following graph shows the seasonal pattern for the hotel occupancy rate using the four-week average.
The red line is for 2025, blue is the median, and dashed light blue is for 2024. Dashed purple is for 2018, the record year for hotel occupancy. The 4-week average of the occupancy rate is tracking behind last year and the median rate for the period 2000 through 2024 (Blue). The 4-week average will decrease seasonally until the Fall travel period. On a year-to-date basis, the only worse years for occupancy over the last 25 years were pandemic or recession years.
LA Ports: Imports Up, Exports Down in July - -Container traffic gives us an idea about the volume of goods being exported and imported - and usually some hints about the trade report since LA area ports handle about 40% of the nation's container port traffic.The following graphs are for inbound and outbound traffic at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in TEUs (TEUs: 20-foot equivalent units or 20-foot-long cargo container). The first graph is the monthly data (with a strong seasonal pattern for imports). Usually imports peak in the July to October period as retailers import goods for the Christmas holiday and then decline sharply and bottom in the Winter depending on the timing of the Chinese New Year. Imports were up 8% YoY in July and exports were down 3% YoY. To remove the strong seasonal component for inbound traffic, the second graph shows the rolling 12-month average. On a rolling 12-month basis, inbound traffic increased 0.7% in July compared to the rolling 12 months ending the previous month. Outbound traffic decreased 0.3% compared to the rolling 12 months ending the previous month.This is the 8th consecutive month with exports down YoY.
DOT: Vehicle Miles Driven Increased 1.5% year-over-year -- The Department of Transportation (DOT) reported: Travel on all roads and streets changed by +1.5% (+4.1 billion vehicle miles) for April 2025 as compared with April 2024. Travel for the month is estimated to be 277.3 billion vehicle miles. The seasonally adjusted vehicle miles traveled for April 2025 is 277.0 billion miles, a +1.3% ( 3.6 billion vehicle miles) change over April 2024. It also represents a 0.3% change (0.8 billion vehicle miles) compared with March 2025. Cumulative Travel for 2025 changed by +0.8% (+8.3 billion vehicle miles). The cumulative estimate for the year is 1,043.5 billion vehicle miles of travel. This graph shows the monthly total vehicle miles driven, seasonally adjusted. Miles driven declined sharply in March 2020, and really collapsed in April 2020. Miles driven are now slightly below pre-pandemic levels.
Weekly Initial Unemployment Claims Increase to 235,000 - The DOL reported: In the week ending August 16, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 235,000, an increase of 11,000 from the previous week's unrevised level of 224,000. The 4-week moving average was 226,250, an increase of 4,500 from the previous week's unrevised average of 221,750. The following graph shows the 4-week moving average of weekly claims since 1971. The dashed line on the graph is the current 4-week average. The four-week average of weekly unemployment claims increased to 226,250. The previous week was unrevised. Weekly claims were above the consensus forecast.
Wage growth is sinking for poorest workers -- Wage growth is slowing down for all workers following the booming recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s dropping at the fastest pace for workers at the bottom end of the income spectrum. That’s a sharp reversal from the postpandemic recovery era, when the lowest paid workers were seeing the fastest wage growth, something economists termed “wage compression.” It also comes as these workers could face more pressure from tariffs, which are expected to raise costs on a number of goods. The trend of wage compression has inverted almost entirely. The poorest workers are now seeing the slowest levels of wage growth while the highest earners are seeing the fastest. Median annual wages for people making $806 a week or less increased at an annual rate of 3.7 percent in July, the same rate as in June, according to recent data from the Atlanta Federal Reserve. That’s much lower than the last half of 2022, when the lowest earners were seeing 7.5 percent growth. Wages for people making more than $1,887 a week increased a full percentage point faster in July, at 4.7 percent growth. That’s just down a tick from the last half of 2022, when they were seeing 4.8 percent growth. While the various income categories in the Atlanta Fed data crisscrossed one another through 2023 and 2024 on a slow downward trend line, wage growth for the lowest earners really fell off a cliff in February. The lowest earners saw a 0.3 percent drop in March and another 0.2 percent drop in April. Those are all nominal numbers, which don’t take inflation into account. Inflation tends to hit the poorest households the worst since they spend a larger percentage of their income each month, usually on necessary items like rent and groceries. “The [Atlanta] wage growth tracker is consistent with what we’ve found so far this year — wages at the tenth percentile are growing much more slowly than for middle [and] high wage workers, and, this is a clear reversal of the pattern in the postpandemic labor market,” Josh Bivens, chief economist at the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute, told The Hill. Republicans are nervous about the reversal of this trend, especially since inflation has started to tick back up recently — due in part to President Trump’s tariff regime. Inflation played a big role in the economic unease of voters who backed Republicans in last year’s elections. The worry is that those tides could reverse if voters are still feeling the pain in next year’s midterms.
Court Upholds Nearly $1 Million Fine Against Restaurant That Ignored Pandemic Indoor Dining Ban A Washington state restaurant that ignored a 2020 state COVID-19 pandemic order must pay a fine of $936,000 - $18,000 per day, for each day it remained in operation while the state's emergency order banning indoor dining was in place, an appeals court has ruled.The ban, imposed in late 2020 by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D), went into effect following a jump in cases and hospitalizations (unaudited!). In response, the owners of Stuffy's II restaurant, Bud and Glenda Duling, ignored the order - resulting in the financial punishment. The fine was levied by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries - which the Dulings say they cannot pay. Meanwhile, the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals did not have their back, refusing to weigh in after saying they don't have the authority to deal with constitutional matters. A superior court judge upheld the decision.Despite providing tax returns showing that it operated at a loss in 2020 and received a PPP loan, the court ruled that the Dulings have not provided evidence that their company cannot pay the fines."Duling has not demonstrated that it is unable to pay the fine or that the fine is excessive," Judge Rebecca Glasgow wrote for the unanimous panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals of the State of Washington judges that considered the case. "There is nothing in the record about what savings or assets Duling had," Glasow continued, adding "Duling had ample opportunities to provide additional documentation and deposition testimony to support its contention that it was unable to pay the fine, and it did not do so."
White House cancels school field trip visits indefinitely, page disappears --The White House has suspended its long-running school field trip program as construction begins on President Donald Trump's planned $200 million ballroom, according to several members of Congress. All public tours, including those for student groups, are on hold during the build of the 90,000-square-foot addition.The National Park Service has also removed its White House field trips page, replacing it with a message that reads: "This page is currently being worked on. Please check back later." The White House field trip program has long been seen as a symbolic way to connect young Americans with their government and inspire civic engagement. Its cancellation severs an educational tradition that gave students a firsthand look at the executive branch. Since returning to office, Trump has already made visible changes to the Executive Mansion, including gold accents in the Oval Office and a new patio in the Rose Garden. But the ballroom project, estimated at $200 million, represents the most significant renovation yet. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the expansion will be funded by Trump and private donors.
She Thought That Her Computer Science Degree Would Get Her A Six Figure Job – Instead It Got Her An Interview With Chipotle --If you recently graduated from college, good luck trying to find a decent job. What we are experiencing right now reminds me so much of the early 1990s. If you were a new college graduate in those days, it was extremely difficult to even get an interview for a good job. Sadly, we are now entering a very similar environment. There is enormous competition for any good job that is available, and mass layoffs are occurring all over the nation. In fact, through the first 7 months of this year the number of job cut announcements in the U.S. was 75 percent higher than it was during the first 7 months of 2024..21-year-old Manasi Mishra believed that if she worked really hard and got a computer science degree she would be able to get a six figure job at a big tech company.Instead, the only thing her computer science degree has gotten her is an interview with Chipotle…Aspiring computer scientists are sinking in a job market overtaken by AI, as a recent graduate who expected to make six figures could only land an interview at Chipotle.Manasi Mishra, 21, was under the impression that if she worked hard in school and mastered coding, she’d have a prestigious tech job with a cushy salary lined up straight from college.‘The rhetoric was, if you just learned to code, work hard and get a computer science degree, you can get six figures for your starting salary,’ the San Roman, California native told The New York Times. In case you are wondering, she did not actually get the job with Chipotle…
Trump administration revoked 6,000 foreign student visas since start of term -More than 6,000 foreign students saw their visas revoked since the start of the second Trump administration, the State Department revealed Tuesday. A spokesperson for the department said the visas were rescinded for overstays and “law violation,” the “vast majority” consisting of assault, DUI, burglary and support for terrorism. Roughly 4,000 of the individuals broke the law, according to the department, while 200 to 300 visas were revoked over support for terrorism, although it is not clear what standard was used for those allegations. The story was first reported by Fox News. Earlier this year, the Trump administration targeted multiple pro-Palestinian foreign students, alleging they were a threat to U.S. national security. These students are still fighting against deportation proceedings. In the spring, thousands of foreign students were taken off the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, a reporting system that gives information about international students to the Department of Homeland Security, before having their status restored weeks later. Along with revoking visas, the Trump administration has tried to take away the ability of Harvard University to enroll foreign students, has froze visa interviews and implemented a new social media vetting policy for international students.
AAP evidence-backed immunization schedule reflects break from CDC advisers -Ahead of the new respiratory virus season, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) today published an update to its recommended childhood vaccine schedule, which breaks from recent recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which was overhauled earlier this year to include people known to spread vaccine misinformation and others without expertise in vaccines.In a statement, the AAP noted that for decades it has been issuing evidence-based guidance to support pediatricians who care for children and their families, and it said today's recommendations continue that tradition. The schedule covers routine recommendations for 18 diseases, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza, and COVID-19. They also include other changes, such the pentavalent (five-strain) meningococcal vaccine, starting age of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, and the removal of a hepatitis vaccine that is no longer available.Susan Kressley, MD, the AAP's president, said the group will continue providing immunization recommendations that are rooted in science and are in the best interest of infants, children, and adolescents. "Pediatricians know how important routine childhood immunizations are in keeping children, families, and their communities healthy and thriving.Amid efforts by Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to discredit childhood vaccines and add barriers to their use, medical experts and parent groups have raised worries about insurance coverage for childhood vaccines, since companies typically tie their coverage policies to official recommendations. In May, Kennedy unilaterally announced sweeping changes that removed the COVID vaccine recommendation for healthy children and pregnant women. A few days later, however, the CDC updated its immunization schedule to only partly reflect the new position, saying that children ages 6 months to 17 years may receive the COVID vaccine based on parent preference and the clinical judgment of healthcare providers.Updated COVID vaccines for the 2025-26 season are expected to be approved soon by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). But last week reports surfaced that the agency might not renew the emergency use authorization (EUA) for the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 6 months to 4 years old, which would limit the supply of vaccines for the youngest kids."The AAP urges every insurer to cover all the vaccines that are included in this immunization schedule," Kressley said. "AAP is committed to working with our partners at the local, state and federal levels to make sure every child, in every community has access to vaccines."The AAP's announcement today is one of multiple efforts to fill the recommendation gap. Today, the Vaccine Integrity Project (VIP), a group of leading health experts that defend vaccination and make recommendations on how nongovernmental agencies can help make sure that vaccine recommendations remain science-based, held a live stream event to review safety and effectiveness evidence for RSV and COVID immunizations in pregnant, pediatric, and immunocompromised people. CIDRAP News. In its recommendation for the COVID vaccine, the AAP said data show that children ages 6 to 23 months old are at highest risk for severe disease, and it recommends vaccination for all children in that age-group to protect against serious illness. The group added that the youngest children should be prioritized for vaccination unless they have a known allergy to the vaccine or its ingredients. For kids ages 2 through 18 years old, the AAP recommends a single dose of age-appropriate vaccine for those in the following risk groups: those at risk for severe disease, residents of long-term care or congregate settings, kids who have never been vaccinated against COVID, and those who have household contacts who are at high risk for severe COVID. "The AAP also recommends the vaccine be available for children ages 2-18 who do not fall into these risk groups, but whose parent or guardian desires them to have the protection of the vaccine," the group added.
Doctors clash with RFK Jr. on back-to-school COVID vaccines --The medical community is waging a public relations fight against Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over COVID-19 vaccines as students head back to school across the U.S.The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) on Wednesday issued more expansive COVID-19 recommendations for children than the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), underscoring the growing breakdown in cooperation between doctors and federal health authorities.Parents trying to navigate these recommendations face an increasingly complicated array of recommendations.
- For children 6 months to 11 years old who are not immunocompromised, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends shared decisionmaking with doctors, effectively leaving it up to parents.
- However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last month only approved the Moderna COVID-19 shot — the only one on the market — for kids with an underlying condition, complicating access for healthy children.
- The AAP guidance, like the CDC, advises shared decisionmaking for most children, but recommends COVID-19 vaccines for additional at-risk groups, including people who have never received a vaccine or who live with others at high risk of severe COVID.
- The AAP maintains its own immunization schedule, recommending one or more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for all children over 6 months old.
Ulrich von Andrian, president of the American Association of Immunologists, advised that parents confused by the conflicting messaging consult with a trusted health care professional on how to navigate the guidance.
Pediatric group bucks RFK Jr. on kids’ COVID shots The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended Tuesday that children between 6 months and 23 months old receive the vaccine to protect them against serious illness caused by the virus. Kids under the age of 2 are especially vulnerable to severe COVID-19, the group said, and should be prioritized for vaccination unless they have an allergy to the jab or its ingredients. In May, Kennedy announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would no longer recommend routine COVID-19 shots for healthy children due to a lack of clinical data justifying the need for annual vaccinations against the virus. But the CDC did not follow Kennedy’s guidance to the letter, instead recommending that parents take part in a “shared decision making” process with health care providers to determine if their child needs the shot. The AAP and HHS have been at odds for months, and tensions reached a head when Kennedy dismissed all the members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and replaced them with his own handpicked representatives, including some outright vaccine skeptics. Since it was founded in 1930, the AAP has published evidence-based vaccine guidance to support pediatricians. But it has not traditionally differed substantially from federal recommendations. The move to publish COVID recommendations that break from HHS reflects a new effort by medical societies and expert advocacy groups to bypass Kennedy and what they say are his efforts to upend the nation’s vaccine system. With vaccine skeptics in charge of U.S. health care, these groups say they want to give Americans — especially parents — as much information as possible to protect children from disease. At the same time AAP’s recommendations were released, a group of epidemiologists and infectious diseases experts called the Vaccine Integrity Project held essentially their own version of an ACIP meeting to review evidence on the safety and efficacy for flu, COVID and RSV shots. Members of the initiative said ACIP usually reviews guidelines for respiratory virus vaccines during the summer, but has not appeared to have done it this year. In its absence, the initiative was stepping in. The panel concluded there was no change in safety signals or sudden drop in efficacy on any of the vaccines reviewed. “There is no scientific evidence to support the changes HHS made to COVID recommendations for pregnant women or for children most at risk for high-risk transmission of severe disease,” said Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, who is leading the initiative.American Academy Of Pediatrics Pushes COVID-19 Vax For All Infants -In stark contrast to reality, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) - which is heavily funded by pharmaceutical companies, recommended on Tuesday that young children, including infants, receive the COVID-19 vaccine despite the fact that children are minimally impacted by the virus, the fact that the vaccine doesn't prevent one from contracting it, and that it largely only helps the elderly and medically fragile from severe cases. According to the organization, all children ages 6-23 months should receive the COVID-19 vaccine - regardless of whether they have natural immunity from prior infection, unless they have a contraindication such as a history of severe allergic reaction to a vaccine ingredient. While the recommendation is universal, the group said in a statement that their recommendation stems from infants and other children who are "at high risk for severe COVID-19." As the Epoch Times notes further, the organization pointed, in part, to a paper it published that found that among children hospitalized for COVID-19 from fall 2022 to spring 2024, the majority of those younger than 2 had no underlying conditions. Of note, the paper cited surveyed 2,490 children who were hospitalized with COVID-19, effectively a rounding error. A spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, the CDC’s parent agency, told The Epoch Times in an email that the AAP, which receives funding from vaccine manufacturers, should strengthen its conflict-of-interest safeguards.“By bypassing the CDC’s advisory process and freelancing its own recommendations, while smearing those who demand accountability, the AAP is putting commercial interests ahead of public health and politics above America’s children,” Andrew Nixon, the spokesman, said.
Vaccine Integrity Project presents reassuring data on vaccines for upcoming respiratory virus season Today, the Vaccine Integrity Project of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota presented reassuring data from its comprehensive evidence review on the safety and efficacy of the US influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19 vaccines ahead of the upcoming respiratory virus season. CIDRAP is the publisher of CIDRAP News.In April, CIDRAP launched the VIP to gather the latest evidence on vaccine effectiveness and safety for medical societies such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to draft and communicate their own guidelines independently.The VIP's first live-streamed presentation, which focused on the COVID-19 and RSV vaccines in pregnant women, children, and those with weakened immune systems, included opening and closing remarks by CIDRAP Director Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH, and a panel that included New England Journal of Medicine Editor-in-Chief Eric Rubin, MD, PhD, and Fox News Senior Medical Analyst Marc Siegel, MD."What you heard clearly today is that new data do not indicate the emergence of a safety signal or a sudden drop in effectiveness of these immunizations," Osterholm said. "There is no scientific evidence to support the changes HHS [the Department of Health and Human Services] made to COVID recommendations for pregnant women or for children."Nor did the review uncover any new evidence of safety signals related to myocarditis after COVID-19 vaccination, but it did identify a potential risk of preterm birth linked to the RSV vaccine for pregnant women."One new study supported the effectiveness of influenza vaccination in pregnancy to reduce medically attended infection and in pregnant women," Osterholm said. "For all other studies reviewed, COVID, RSV, and influenza vaccination resulted in similar or better outcomes compared to no vaccination. Of the close to 17,000 abstracts reviewed and nearly 600 papers extracted, autism was not raised as a significant adverse event."
Survey: Depression, anxiety rates rose across racial groups in height of pandemic, with persistent or widened gaps - A survey of more than 107,000 US adult participants in the National Health Interview Survey from 2019 to 2022 reveals significantly elevated rates of clinician-diagnosed depression or anxiety, with persistent or widened racial health disparities, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. For the study, published late last week in BMC Medicine, the Harvard-led research team collected data on self-reported health status (ie, overall health, functional limitations, and depression or anxiety) and healthcare access and affordability. The median age of the 107,230 participants was 48.1 years, 51.6% were women, 64.5% were White, 17.3% were Hispanic, 12.1% were Black, and 6.1% were Asian. "Data suggest that the adverse mental health effects and mental health care during COVID-19 pandemic also differ significantly by age, education, employment status, and income levels," the study authors wrote. "Moreover, it is well-known that the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected disadvantaged populations and communities, further highlighting the importance of social determinants of health in influencing COVID-19 health outcomes," they added. Low-income Black participants had the highest rates of poor or fair health (30.9% in 2019 and 28.4% in 2022), and this racial gap didn't change significantly, regardless of income. The prevalence of depression or anxiety rose over the study period for all racial groups, particularly for Whites (from 32.6% to 38.2%), which the researchers said may reflect this group's relatively restricted neighborhood social cohesion during the pandemic. Functional limitations remained steady, regardless of income. Low-income Hispanic respondents had the highest estimated prevalence of limited healthcare access. Health insurance access and affordability significantly improved for low-income White people, but not for other racial groups.
COVID reinfection may raise risk of persistent symptoms by 35% - US adults reinfected with SARS-CoV-2 may be at a 35% greater risk for long COVID than those with one-time infections, a team led by the independent research institute RTI International posted last week on the preprint server medRxiv.For the observational, non–peer-reviewed study, investigators examined the electronic health records of the COVID-19 cohort of the National Clinical Cohort Collaborative, part of the Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) Initiative, to create a matched cohort of 424,616 reinfected and un-reinfected controls. The infected participants, who came from 85 hospitals and hospital networks, had COVID-19 at least once between March 2020 and December 2023 and had an Omicron reinfection 60 or more days later between November 2021 and June 2024. The researchers also performed a subanalysis based on 13 study sites with robust vaccination reporting to evaluate the effect of vaccination status and reinfection on rates of long COVID. Participants were stratified into one of four groups: unvaccinated before index date, vaccinated only before the first infection, vaccinated only between the first infection and index date, or vaccinated both before first infection and between first infection and index date. A total of 25,677 (12.1%) cases of long COVID occurred among reinfected participants and 18,460 (8.7%) long-COVID cases occurred among their non-reinfected peers. The cumulative incidence of long COVID among reinfected and non-reinfected participants was 11.1% and 8.2% in the post-index year, respectively. Among patients similar to those who got COVID-19 again, reinfections resulted in a 35% increase in the risk of developing long COVID (risk ratio [RR], 1.35; absolute risk difference [aRD], 0.029). The finding held across most stratifications, including sex and timing and severity of first infection, but differed by age-group. The youngest groups had lower aRDs (ages 18 to 25 years, 0.011; 26 to 35, 0.019) than older groups (36 to 50, 0.034; 51 to 65, 0.037; 66 and older, 0.036). The subanalysis found overlapping risk ratios for most vaccination groups, but risk was generally lower among those vaccinated after their first infection but before the index date (RR, 1.19) and before the first infection and pre-index date (RR, 1.21). RRs were higher for participants vaccinated before their first infection but not pre-index (RR, 1.45) or not at all (RR, 1.33). "Those vaccinated between first infection and index faced lower risks of long COVID from reinfection than those only vaccinated prior to their first infection, suggesting that more recent vaccinations may lower the risk of long COVID following reinfections," the study authors wrote. "However, this effect was not consistent across all groups."
Vaccination may reduce elevated risk of airway diseases in COVID survivors --US COVID-19 survivors are at higher risk for type 2 inflammatory diseases (T2IDs) of the airways, such as asthma, hay fever, and chronic sinusitis (sinus infection), a risk that can be mediated by vaccination, a group of international researchers suggest in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.In fall 2024, the team analyzed electronic health records to assess the risk of new-onset T2IDs after COVID-19 infection and vaccination. They compared adult COVID-19 survivors with uninfected, unvaccinated controls (940,436 participants each), vaccinated participants with controls (691,270 each), and infected and vaccinated participants (688,279 each). The studied diseases were incident asthma, allergic rhinitis (hay fever), chronic rhinosinusitis, atopic dermatitis, and eosinophilic esophagitis. Follow-up was 3 months.Compared with controls, COVID-19 survivors were at a 65.6% higher risk of asthma, as well as at an elevated risk for allergic rhinitis (27.2%) and chronic rhinosinusitis (74.4%). The risks of atopic dermatitis or eosinophilic esophagitis stayed steady. The findings were consistent through all five sensitivity analyses, with an even more pronounced risk difference in both the third (extended propensity score matching) and fourth (ensured follow-up), with the third showing a roughly doubled risk of both asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis. In contrast, COVID-19 vaccination reduced the risk of asthma by 32.2%, with significant but smaller reductions for allergic rhinitis and chronic rhinosinusitis. No change was observed for atopic dermatitis or eosinophilic esophagitis. Direct comparison of infection and vaccination showed a two- to threefold higher risk of respiratory T2IDs with infection than with vaccination, which held in all sensitivity analyses. The results for respiratory T2IDs were consistent in all sensitivity analyses except the third, in which the significance was lost for all conditions except asthma."Our large-scale matched cohort study demonstrates a heightened risk of respiratory T2IDs, namely allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis and chronic rhinosinusitis, in adults following COVID-19 infection," the study authors wrote. "These risks were notably mitigated by vaccination, with the largest risk differences observed between infection-naïve vaccinated individuals and unvaccinated infected individuals."
Women may have increased risk of blood vessel aging after COVID - COVID-19 can cause a patient's blood vessels to age around 5 years, and this phenomenon is seen most strongly in women, according to findings published yesterday in the European Heart Journal. The study describes how even mild COVID-19 can accelerate cardiac aging.The study included 2,390 participants from 16 different countries who were recruited from 2020 to 2022. The participants were divided into groups, including those who had never had COVID (controls), those who had COVID but were not hospitalized, those who had the virus and were hospitalized, and those who had the virus and were admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU).All participants with COVID-19 had the infection within 90 days of study enrollment, and the average age was 50 years. Forty-nine percent of participants were women.The researchers tested carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), or how quickly blood travels from the neck to the legs, to assess the stiffness of blood vessels. Measurements were taken 6 months after initial infections and then again at 12 months. It is known as the CARTESIAN study.Overall, all three groups of COVID patients had increases in PWV, indicating that their blood vessels were stiffer following the infection. In sex-stratified analysis, PWV differences were significant in women but not men."COVID+ women [those with COVID-19] showed a significantly higher PWV compared with COVID− women [those without] regardless of disease severity," the authors wrote. COVID-positive women who were treated in the ICU had a doubling in PWV measurement compared with those who were COVID-negative.The average increase in PWV in women who had mild COVID was 0.55 meters per second, 0.60 in hospitalized women, and 1.09 for women treated in the ICU. The authors said every increase of 0.5 meters per second is clinically relevant and amounts to aging by about 5 years.In men, vaccination status was not significantly associated with higher PWV readings, but vaccinated women had significantly lower PWV than unvaccinated women (adjusted PWV, 7.35 vs 7.71).Additionally, there was no statistical significance in PWV readings among men with or without persistent COVID symptoms. But in women, those with persistent symptoms had high PWV readings, indicative of more vascular aging."One of the reasons for the difference between women and men could be differences in the function of the immune system," said lead study author Rosa Maria Bruno, MD, PhD, from Paris City University, in apress release from the European Society of Cardiology. "Women mount a more rapid and robust immune response, which can protect them from infection. However, this same response can also increase damage to blood vessels after the initial infection"
Long Covid research roundup -Another Covid-19 wave is here. So far, it looks relatively mild. But even “mild” waves bring disruption—missed work, missed school, interrupted vacations—and risk of severe illness, especially for people who aren’t up to date on vaccines. And then there’s long Covid. Five years after it first appeared, hundreds of thousands of Americans are still living with its disabling effects. Progress in research has been slow and frustrating at times, but it has moved forward—study by study, patient by patient. Here’s what the science has revealed in the past year. Note: This post builds on our last roundup—if you’d like to catch up, you can read that one here. Most people with long Covid haven’t fully recovered. While some people gradually get better over time, full recovery is not guaranteed, and for the vast majority of people, symptoms persist or even evolve. For example:
- In one U.S. study of more than 1,000 people with long Covid: about half reported symptoms that came and went, 26% saw gradual improvement, 19% had no change, and 8% worsened.
- U.K. data—some of the best available—suggest about 30% of people recover within a year. That still leaves the majority struggling.
- Only ~2% report complete resolution of symptoms in some studies.
This pattern isn’t unique to Covid. After the original SARS outbreak in 2003, many survivors were still disabled nearly 20 years later. For patients, the toll is wide-ranging: from brain fog to being bedridden, from repeat hospitalizations to major financial strain. One study found long Covid patients were three times more likely to be hospitalized again compared to with those without it. The risk has gone way down—but not to zero Measuring long Covid has always been messy. Definitions vary, the virus keeps changing, and immunity levels shift. Still, the best current estimates suggest about 3–8% of people in the general population have long Covid today. Encouragingly, the number of new cases is falling. Why? Mostly because vaccines and prior infections now protect many people from severe disease, which is strongly linked to long Covid risk.
- Vaccination contributed to an estimated 70% of the decline in one study.
- Each new variant has brought lower long Covid rates, likely due to rising immunity rather than changes in the virus itself.
- Reinfections carry a lower risk than first infections (around 6% vs. 15%).
But risk isn’t gone. A recent preprint found that reinfections still increase the likelihood of long Covid compared with never being reinfected. Put differently: reinfection raises relative risk by 35%, but the absolute increase is about 3 extra cases per 100 people. Like Covid-19 itself, long Covid risk varies by group. Women, older adults, and people with underlying conditions remain more vulnerable. This past year, studies added more detail:
- Preexisting asthma and COPD increase risk.
- Exposure to air pollution (fine particulate matter) raises risk, with supporting evidence from Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Sweden.
- Lower physical fitness is linked to higher risk.
- Certain professions—especially healthcare and dental workers—face elevated risk.
The takeaway: risk is uneven, shaped by both biology and environment. There are still no FDA-approved treatments for long Covid. Care today focuses on symptom relief, rehab, and trial-and-error management. What’s urgently needed are biomarkers—tests that could diagnose and track the disease—and therapies that target its root causes. That said, several promising randomized clinical trials are underway: Funding tells its own story. The Biden administration’s initial investment in 2021 went mostly to observational studies—helpful for understanding the problem but less so for finding treatments. To accelerate progress, Senator Bernie Sanders introduced the Moonshot Act in 2024, proposing $1 billion annually for long Covid research over the next decade. It has yet to move forward. In late March, the Trump administration rescinded 45 grants to study long Covid, but thanks to quick news coverage and advocacy efforts, the money was restored. However, other funding cuts continue to impact long Covid research and support. Still, there is bipartisan willpower. At a recent Senate hearing, Senator Bill Cassidy (physician, Republican in Louisiana) noted research support for long Covid was important, and RFK Jr agreed, saying: “I am 100% committed to finding treatments for long Covid,” and “I have a son who is really dramatically affected.” […] Bottom line: Long Covid remains one of the most serious legacies of the pandemic. Risk has decreased over time, but millions still live with symptoms that disrupt their lives. Treatments are not yet here, but the research pipeline is moving, and scientific and political willpower seem to remain strong.
US COVID markers continue upward trend --COVID-19 markers continue to rise in the United States, with activity increasing in most parts of the country, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in its latest data updates. Over the past week, test positivity rose a bit from 8.9% to 9.9%, with levels as high as 15% in the south-central part of the country, followed by levels at the 10% to 12% range in western states. The CDC said its modeling estimates suggest COVID infections are likely growing or growing in all states. Emergency department (ED) visits for COVID, still at low levels, also rose, up 15.2% compared to the previous week. Levels are higher in the South, Southeast, and West compared with other parts of the country. The CDC said ED visits are rising for all age groups and are highest in young children. Hospitalization rates have shown a slight upward trend since July, and the rate of deaths from COVID remains low with no change reported compared with the previous week. Due to technical issues, the CDC did not report wastewater data for COVID, influenza A, or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) today and said it would resume updates as soon as possible. Last week, it said the overall detection level was low and highest in the West
Invivyd gets FDA advice on path for fast-track of injectable COVID monoclonal antibody --Invivyd recently announced that it has received and has accepted advice from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on a rapid pathway to potential approval for its low-dose, intramuscular pre-exposure monoclonal antibody preventive against COVID-19, which the company said would offer a more patient-friendly option and open the pre-exposure treatments to broader use. In a statement, the company said its novel monoclonal antibody (VYD2311) leverages the same antibody backbone as pemivibart (Pemgarda), an intravenous monoclonal antibody, which received an FDA emergency use authorization in March 2024 for pre-exposure prevention in adolescents and adults with moderate-to-severe immunocompromising conditions. It also uses adintrevimab, the company's investigational monoclonal antibody that has shown good safety data and clinically meaningful results in phase 2/3 clinical trials. The FDA advised the company that a single phase 2/3 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluating efficacy from a modest number of confirmed COVID infections could support a licensing submission for preventing the disease in a broad population ages 12 and older, including immunocompromised people, pending full protocol review. The company said it plans to study two different doses and signaled that it anticipates, pending regulatory alignment, a clinical cohort that would explore safety and tolerability compared to vaccination.
Officials track measles exposures at airports in Colorado, Montana --Health officials in Colorado and Montana confirmed new measles cases and warned about potential exposure at airports, one in Denver and the other in Bozeman, Montana.The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment yesterday reported a second recent case in Mesa County, home of Grand Junction. The patient is an adult whose vaccination status is unknown who may have had a common exposure with a Mesa County case reported last week. Officials also warned the public about possible measles exposure at Denver International Airport on August 12, which is related to a confirmed case in an out-of-state traveler. Rachel Herlihy, MD, MPH, deputy chief medical officer and state epidemiologist, said in a statement that the incident serves as a reminder that travel in crowded public spaces, such as airports, increases the risk of exposure to various communicable diseases. "It is important for everyone to stay up to date on their vaccinations, especially before traveling, to protect themselves and others."Meanwhile, the health department in Gallatin County, Montana, said it was notified of measles exposure on August 15 that occurred on August 12 at Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport involving a person who is not a resident of Gallatin County. It urged people who were potentially exposed to monitor for symptoms through September 2.Also, Lewis and Clark Public Health, representing a county that includes Helena, confirmed a measles infection, the county's first in decades. The patient is a minor who, according to the child's parents, had previously received one dose of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. Officials said the family followed diagnosis and treatment protocols and there is no evidence of transmission or any public exposure sites. Another unimmunized household member is quarantined at home and remains asymptomatic.
Quick takes: California plague case, US measles rise, UK ups avian flu risk | CIDRAP
- In California, El Dorado County health officials yesterday announced a human plague case involving a South Lake Tahoe resident. The patient, who is recovering at home, probably contracted Yersinia pestis bacteria from a flea bite while camping in the South Lake Tahoe area. An investigation is under way. The county reported its last plague case in 2020 in an individual who was likely exposed in the same area. Before that, two people were infected in 2015 after exposure to rodents or their fleas in Yosemite National Park. The sporadic cases were California’s first since 2006. Surveillance had identified the bacteria in 41 ground squirrels and rodents in El Dorado County from 2021 through 2024. Four more were detected in 2025.
- The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today that over the past 2 weeks, it has received reports of 19 more measles cases, bringing the national total to 1,375, the most since the disease was eliminated in the United States since 2000. One more state (Idaho) reported a case, lifting the affected number to 41. Three more outbreaks were reported, making 35 for the year, more than twice as many as last year. Of the cases reported this year, 87% were part of outbreaks. Meanwhile, two states issued alerts about possible exposure linked to sick travelers from out of state. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported potential exposure at travel stops in Beloit and Roberts, and the Virginia Department of Health reported possible exposure in the northern part of the state linked to a sick patient who was at Dulles International Airport.
- The UK Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) today warned bird keepers of a heightened avian flu risk and urged them to tighten their biosecurity measures. Though the risk applies to poultry farmers, the main threat is currently the coastal regions on bird migration routes and areas of the country where game bird operations are located. An avian flu–prevention zone and mandatory biosecurity measures are already in effect for all of Great Britain, but officials added more biosecurity measures today for England’s game bird facilities. Earlier this month, the UK reported anunusual rise in H5N1 avian flu outbreaks in commercial poultry, with 10 reported over the previous 2 weeks.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today reported an additional five influenza-associated pediatric deaths during the 2024-25 flu season, bringing the total for the season to 275, the highest number of pediatric deaths in any non-pandemic flu season since 2004. The deaths occurred between late January (week 4) and late May (week 21), the CDC said in its weekly Fluview update. Ninety percent of the reported pediatric deaths have occurred in children who weren't fully vaccinated against flu.
- The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said today that France and Italy reported 45 and 22 new locally-acquired cases of chikungunya virus disease this week, respectively. As of Aug 20, France has now reported 156 cases of the mosquito-borne disease, distributed across 27 clusters, 20 of which are still active. Italy has reported 29 cases across 4 cluster, all of which remain active. Although France and Italy are the only two European countries that have reported chikungunya cases this year, the ECDC warned earlier this week that the Aedes albopictus mosquitoes that can spread this virus now have a foothold in 16 European countries and 369 regions, up sharply from just 114 regions a decade ago.
- Five countries reported polio cases this week, according to the latest update from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). Pakistan reported two wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases, with onsets of paralysis on July 28 and 29, bringing its number of WPV1 cases this year to 21. Four countries reported new circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) cases, including Yemen, which reported 26 cases, 15 of which are from 2024. GPEI said Yemen's recent increase in reported in reported cVDPV2 cases is not linked to an increase in transmission but rather to retrospective testing associated with the recent release of previously collected specimens. Angola, Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo each reported one cVDPV2 case.
Mpox deaths, Kenya surge among top concerns in Africa's outbreaks - Health officials in Africa continue to report progress in the region's battle against mpox, but some challenges remain, including cutting the number of deaths and helping emerging hot spot countries such as Kenya contain rising cases, leaders from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said today at a weekly briefing. Yap Boum, PhD, MPH, deputy incident manager for Africa CDC's mpox response, said overall the number of confirmed cases has declined 70% since the year's peak, and testing coverage continues to rise steadily. Boum said the increase in testing is a sign of progress with disease surveillance, though healthcare system weaknesses and other challenges add to a varied epidemiologic picture in different countries. "An increase in the number of deaths is the major concern," he said, noting that many of the fatal cases are in people with underlying health conditions, especially HIV. Boum said efforts to support patients with chronic conditions, such as food security, would help save lives.Kenya currently has one of the most worrisome mpox situations, and the virus has spread from coastal regions to Nairobi, raising the risk of exponential spread given the urban population density in the country’s capital, he said. Nairobi is also Kenya's largest city, with a population topping 5 million people.Clade 1b is circulating in the country, and the case-fatality rate is 2%, which is on the higher end of affected countries, Boum said, noting that Africa CDC will fast-track support to the country.The country hopes to launch a vaccination campaign on September 1, which Boum said would ideally be conducted hand-in-hand with surveillance activities. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which had been one of the region's main hot spots with clades 1a, 1b, and 2b circulating, health officials are seeing a continuing decline in cases, but a shift of toward other provinces, including Sankuru, Bas Uele, Tanganyika, and South Kivu.Boum said mpox has been detected in a range of animals, including dogs, rats, bats, and squirrels in Equateur and Tshopo provinces. And though human-to-human spread is still the key driver, he said the importance of the One Health approach still remains.Liberia has shown a sharp drop in cases, though test positivity is still high. Infections in Burundi rose slightly, mainly due to enhanced surveillance. Boum said the country's health officials are adjusting their messaging about mpox to emphasize that the disease is still present and that people need to keep up their precautions.In Guinea, which experienced exponential spread in July, Boum said test positivity is still high, at 80%, which he said suggests there is still a lot of missed cases in the community. Africa CDC support teams are planning a visit to the country to help find ways to increase capacity for surveillance and patient isolation.
- Another patient infected in New York City's Legionnaire’s disease outbreak has died, bringing the fatality county to four, NYC Health reported in its latest update. Nine more illnesses have been confirmed, raising the illness total to 101. Fifteen people are currently hospitalized. The outbreak in Central Harlem was first reported at the end of July. The investigation zone covers five zip codes where health officials are sampling and testing water from cooling towers. Any towers with initial positive results for Legionella bacteria have completed treatment as required by the health department. Officials said the overall risk is low, but those who experience flulike symptoms should see a healthcare provider right away.
- The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has added one more H5N1 avian flu detection in poultry to its list, from a live-bird sales market in Los Angeles County, California. The facility has 1,400 birds. The detection—confirmed on August 15—marks the first in poultry since early July and California's first in birds since the middle of February, though sporadic detections continue to be reported in the state's dairy cattle.
- The USDA on August 15 announced more measures to battle the threat of New World screwworm to US livestock, which are in addition to an earlier strategy released in June. The new steps include investing $100 million for innovative ways to stem the spread, beyond the release of sterile flies. They also include the construction of the nation's only sterile-fly production facility, in Edinburg, Texas, at Moore Air Force Base near the US-Mexico border. The facility would have the capacity to produce 300 million sterile flies each week. Spread by the Cochliomyia hominivora fly, the disease can be devastating to livestock. Despite efforts on both sides of the border, the screwworm has spread to within 370 miles of the US border.
Study suggests local source of Georgia melioidosis cases over the years - New research published yesterday in Emerging Infectious Diseases provides another hint that a rare bacterial infection that's typically linked to travel to tropical regions might have domestic sources in the United States and could be tied to hurricanes. The paper details the identification of four geographically linked cases of melioidosis, an infection caused by contact with the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, in Georgia over a 40-year period. Although the exact source of the exposure is still unknown, molecular analysis of bacteria samples from the four patients, who all lived in the same Georgia county, suggests a common local source.Melioidosis is incredibly rare in the United States, with roughly 12 cases a year reported, and most cases occur in people who have traveled to regions of the world where B pseudomallei is commonly found in soil and water—including South and Southeast Asia, northern Australia, and parts of Central and South America, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. Investigations into US melioidosis cases typically start with questions about travel history.A cluster of US cases in 2021 that sickened people in four states and killed two was linked to contaminated aromatherapy spray imported from India. Then, in 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that investigators had found B pseudomallei in soil samples from the Gulf Coast region of southern Mississippi, Three local cases of melioidosis were later determined to have been caused by the same strain identified in the soil.The paper, authored by researchers from the CDC and Georgia Department of Public Health, describes two melioidosis patients identified in Georgia in late September 2024, shortly after Hurricane Helene made landfall. The patients, neither of whom had recently traveled internationally, shared a common worksite, where they were both exposed to "mud, dust, wind, and 10 inches of rain," the researchers wrote. Both patients were hospitalized, treated with intravenous antibiotics, and ultimately discharged.Often described as "the great mimicker" because it looks like other conditions, melioidosis can cause a range of symptoms, including fever, localized pain or swelling, cough, chest pain, respiratory distress, weight loss, muscle or joint pain, headache, and seizures. The infection is fatal in 10% to 50% of those infected. Both patients had fever and chills, and one was diagnosed as having pneumonia and severe sepsis.After confirming that the patients had been infected by B pseudomallei, the researchers performed whole-genome sequencing (WGS) on the patients' isolates and compared them with seven B pseudomallei isolates selected from the CDC's multidecade surveillance archive on the basis of geographic proximity or sequence type. WGS revealed that the bacterial genomes from the isolates of the 2024 patients were highly related to each other and to those from two US military members from Georgia who had died from melioidosis infections in the 1980s—one in 1983 and the other in 1989, a month after Hurricane Hugo made landfall.Review of military service records found that both US military members, at the time of their deaths, had lived in the same county in Georgia as the 2024 patients. One had served in Vietnam, but that was 20 years before his death, and the researchers say a latent B pseudomallei infection is unlikely."Without leveraging historical surveillance isolates archived at CDC, we would have concluded the 2024 cases represented a potential new local or imported exposure," the authors wrote. "However, the relatedness of patient-derived isolates and the close geographic proximity of all 4 patients in Georgia are strongly suggestive of a shared, locally acquired environmental exposure, dating back to the 1980s."
New York City reports first human West Nile cases of 2025 - Two Queens residents contracted West Nile Virus, marking New York City's first human cases in 2025, the health department said Friday. Officials also said the virus was also detected in blood donations from two other individuals, one residing in Brooklyn and the other on Staten Island. However, neither donor "met the criteria to be considered a case," once interviewed, health department spokesperson Laura Brahm said. The health department said it is also investigating reports about further cases in Brooklyn. Brahm said officials expect to have more information on those cases within two weeks. Human cases of West Nile virus are the result of individuals being bitten by infected mosquitoes, which are present in the city from May to October. The virus has been detected in mosquitoes across all five boroughs since July, and peak season for the virus is in the months of August and September, according to the department. The virus can be fatal in some cases, with pronounced risks for elderly and immunocompromised people. Health officials are warning New Yorkers to use repellent and wear long-sleeved shirts and pants during the dawn and dusk hours. Those with weakened immune systems are being instructed to avoid going outdoors during those time periods altogether. “West Nile virus can cause serious illness, especially among people over 55 and with weakened immune systems,” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the mortality rate for people at least 70 years old is about 20%, but just 2% for those under 50. The mortality rate is between 30% and 40% for people with certain blood cancers, recipients of stem cell and solid organ transplants, and people undergoing certain antibody therapies, per the CDC.
Kansas reports 6 West Nile virus cases this year, 5 considered serious -- Kansas health officials say they are monitoring six West Nile virus cases this year and five of them have been considered serious. As of Aug. 15, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) shows three cases located in the north-central Kansas region and three more in the south-central part of the state. The KDHE says that five of the six cases are classified as neuroinvasive. Jill Bronaugh, a KDHE spokesperson, said non-neuroinvasive cases are less severe, according to a report by KSNT. Bronaugh explained that infected subjects with non-neuroinvasive cases have flu-like symptoms and neuroinvasive cases are much more severe. "Neuroinvasive cases are those in which there is clinical evidence of involvement of the central nervous system in the disease process," Bronaugh said. "These cases are generally more severe and include symptoms such as high fever, inflammation of the brain and/or the tissue surrounding the brain, disorientation, paralysis or muscle weakness, numbness, and vision loss. These cases generally have a longer recovery time and require more extensive medical intervention." According to a report by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), the numbers are still below last year’s totals, but some health officials are warning that the risk will rise as mosquito activity peaks in late summer.Last year, Kansas recorded 64 infections, including four deaths, according to KDHE data.
Kent County reports first death from West Nile Virus in 2025 - The Kent County Health Department (KCHD) has confirmed the first human case of West Nile Virus (WNV) in a resident this season, which has resulted in death. This marks the first WNV-related fatality reported in Kent County since May 2024. WNV is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. The effects of the virus vary:
- Most people experience no symptoms.
- About 1 in 5 develop mild, flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches, or rash.
- Approximately 1 in 150 may develop severe illness affecting the central nervous system, which can sometimes be fatal.
Since there is no vaccine or specific treatment for WNV, the best protection is prevention.
New Jersey officials probe local malaria infection -The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) today announced that it and the state's Department of Environmental Protection are investigating a local malaria case in a resident of Morris County who has no international travel history. If confirmed, the case would mark New Jersey's first locally acquired malaria case since 1991, the NJDOH said. It added that althoughAnopheles mosquitoes that can transmit the disease live in New Jersey, the overall risk of locally acquired malaria remains low. Officials said they are working closely with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to probe potential sources of the infection. "It is possible the resident was infected with malaria in New Jersey." Morris County is in northern New Jersey, about 30 miles northwest of New York City.They urged the public to take steps such as avoiding mosquito bites, ensuring that people infected internationally are quickly diagnosed and treated, and eliminating standing water around properties. New Jersey typically records about 100 travel-related malaria cases each year. Earlier this month, Washington health officials announced a similar case involving a resident of East Pierce County, located in the Tacoma area. The woman, diagnosed on August 2, had not traveled. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department said if confirmed, it would be Washington's first known locally acquired malaria case.Health officials said they are working with the CDC to confirm the case. They added that the most likely cause is a mosquito biting an infected traveler, then passing the infection to another person.
Europe's record mosquito-borne disease activity could signal new normal Record activity this summer involving two mosquito-borne diseases—chikungunya and West Nile virus (WNV)—suggests the European region is entering a new normal, driven by climate shifts, officials from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said today.Along with its disease updates, the agency urged countries to mount robust and coordinated responses to protect the public. The ECDC's latest assessment comes on the 125th annual observance of World Mosquito Day, an event designed to raise awareness about the threat of diseases from mosquitoes and ways people can protect themselves. The Australia-based World Mosquito Program estimates that mosquito-borne diseases kill 1 million people each year and infect as many as 700 million. For dengue alone this year, 3.6 million cases with more than 1,900 deaths have been reported across 94 countries and territories, with a notable surge in countries in the Pacific. In July, the World Health Organization issued a chikungunya alert amid new outbreaks in the Indian Ocean and Europe, urging countries to avoid a repeat of a surge two decades ago. An ongoing chikungunya outbreak in Foshan, China, has sickened at least 8,000 people.The ECDC said the Aedes albopictus mosquitoes that can spread chikungunya now have a foothold in 16 European countries and 369 regions, up sharply from just 114 regions a decade ago. Officials said mosquito presence and travel-related cases make outbreaks more likely. Rising temperatures, longer summer seasons, milder winters, and changing rainfall patterns are creating more favorable conditions for the mosquito populations to thrive, the group added.Pamela Rendi-Wagner, MD, ECDC's director, said, "Europe is entering a new phase—where longer, more widespread and more intense transmission of mosquito-borne diseases is becoming the new normal. ECDC is working closely with all Member States to provide tailored support and timely public health guidance to strengthen Europe's response."So far this year, 27 outbreaks have been reported in Europe, which the ECDC said is a record for the region. France has confirmed 111 infections, with 7 in Italy. Though most outbreaks are in the south and southeast, the first locally acquired chikungunya case has been reported in France's Alsace region, which officials said is an exceptional occurrence at that latitude and is signaling a northward expansion of the risk. Meanwhile, the distribution of WNV cases in Europe has shifted over the past 10 years, with illnesses reported in new areas every year. Regions of Italy and Romania this year have reported their first WNV cases. European officials have recorded the most WNV cases in 3 years, and ECDC officials expect infections to keep rising until a seasonal peak this month or next. So far, eight counties have reported 335 locally acquired WNV cases, 19 of them fatal. Most of the cases are in Italy, with Greece also reporting illnesses in the double digits.
Non-White Lyme disease patients more likely to be in late stages at diagnosis -Non-White US Lyme disease patients with Medicaid or Medicare coverage were more likely than their White peers to be female, hospitalized at diagnosis, diagnosed outside of primary care and the summer months, and to have disseminated disease (more widespread in the body), per a new study by Pfizer scientists co-developing a vaccine against the tick-borne infection with Valneva. From 2016 to 2021, the researchers analyzed claims-based data from 15 Lyme-prevalent states and Washington, DC, on Medicaid beneficiaries 18 years and younger and 19 and older and Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries younger than 65 and 65 and older. The findings were published yesterday in Emerging Infectious Diseases. Medicaid data identified 33,776 infections in children and 30,935 cases in adults. Medicare data identified 12,911 cases in beneficiaries 65 years or younger and 90,913 in older adults. Most infections were in White people (range, 85.0% in adult Medicaid beneficiaries to 96.6% in older Medicare recipients). Lyme disease incidence was highest among White participants of all age and beneficiary groups, followed by Native Americans, with the lowest rates among Black participants. But disseminated disease was more common among non-White participants, especially among both groups of Medicaid recipients (prevalence ratio [PR], 1.77 for younger and 1.57 for older patients).The highest rates of disseminated disease were in older Black Medicare beneficiaries (42.7%) and pediatric Black Medicaid beneficiaries (39.1%).Higher rates of disseminated disease among non-White people may be partially due to difficulty recognizing the characteristic rash on darker skin, which can lead to misdiagnosis or delayed or missed diagnoses. "Other factors, including differential risk behaviors and knowledge, likely create and perpetuate the differences in Lyme disease diagnoses," the researchers wrote.Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected Ixodes (black-legged or deer) ticks.
Covid-19 vaccine label change, alpha-gal syndrome, leaked MAHA report, mRNA funding cuts, and... where is bird flu? by Katelyn Jetelina, Your Local Epidemiologist - This week has a few things on deck worth your attention: the FDA is expected to change the Covid-19 vaccine label, cases of alpha-gal syndrome (the “tick that makes you allergic to steak”) are increasing, and Washington is shifting course on both chronic disease strategy and mRNA research. Also, where is bird flu? We’re in the middle of a Covid-19 wave, with all indicators—from wastewater to hospitalizations and deaths—climbing. The pace isn’t as fast as last winter’s surge and levels remain below last summer’s wave, but the trend is clear. Wastewater data show “moderate” Covid activity in the West and South and “low” levels in the Northeast and Midwest, though rates are rising everywhere. Other viruses remain quiet for now. But with schools reopening and temperatures cooling, RSV typically starts climbing in September, followed by flu. Current levels are very low. If you want to avoid getting sick and/or missing back-to-school events and weddings, it’s time to mask in crowded indoor areas. I started while traveling because I just don’t have the time to get sick. One health issue drawing increasing attention is alpha-gal syndrome, a tick-related allergy that’s been spiking on Google Trends. The main culprit is the Lone Star tick, found mainly in the Southeast but steadily creeping northward as climate change and ecological shifts expand its territory. After feeding on mammal blood, the Lone Star tick carries a sugar molecule called alpha-gal in its gut. When it bites a person, trace amounts of that sugar slip into the body through its saliva. Because humans don’t naturally carry alpha-gal, our immune system may treat it as foreign and start making antibodies against it. Later, when that same person eats red meat or other mammal products, the immune system recognizes alpha-gal again—and can trigger an allergic reaction, often several hours after a meal. Recent CDC data suggest about 0.15% of Americans have been diagnosed, but that’s likely an underestimate. Local reports suggest cases are climbing fast: for example, Martha’s Vineyard Hospital—somewhere this used to be very rare—conducted 1,254 tests last year, with 523 positive—compared to just 2 positive tests (out of 9) in 2020.
- What are the symptoms? Reactions usually occur 3–6 hours after eating red meat or other mammal-derived products. They can range from mild hives to severe, even life-threatening, allergic responses.
- Who is at highest risk? Hunters, hikers, farmers, and outdoor workers in regions where Lone Star ticks are common.
- How long does it last? It’s considered a chronic disease, persisting indefinitely. For some, sensitivity fades after 1–5 years without new tick bites.
- Is there a blood test? Yes. A specific blood test can measure IgE antibodies to alpha-gal. It’s the most reliable diagnostic tool available today.
The best protection against alpha-gal syndrome is the same as with Lyme disease: prevent tick bites in the first place. Flu and RSV vaccines remain business as usual this fall: if you’re eligible, you should be able to get them without issue. Vaccinations should start in September.Covid-19 vaccines are another story. Federal policy shifts have left a vacuum, and multiple groups are stepping in to fill it. The key questions remain: Who qualifies? Where will vaccines be available? What’s covered by insurance? What’s not?The Vaccine Integrity Project and professional organizations will almost certainly not align with RFK Jr.’s FDA license. This rarely happens, so it will cause confusion.A few months ago, the Trump administration tapped RFK Jr. to develop a strategy to tackle chronic disease among kids in the U.S. Last week, RFK Jr.’s highly anticipated action plan was leaked. TL;DR: His plan is disappointing, but unsurprising, as it was more posture than policy to move the needle.
- Instead of concrete action items addressing chronic disease causes among children, it offered vague calls for more research and education, voluntary change from industry, and generally less regulation.
- It highlighted a need for more research on nutrition, environmental pollutants, and vaccines, as well as community education and nutrition programs. (Note: many of these things already existed or have been reduced by widespread cuts from this administration.)
- It changed its tone on pesticide practices—a welcome relief to farmers and agricultural scientists, but a disappointing surprise to the MAHA community.
- It changed its tone on ultra-processed foods (UPFs) — unlike the preceding assessment, there was little mention of UPFs beyond efforts to define them and educate the importance of prioritizing whole foods.
- New topic areas were introduced, including precision nutrition, supplements, sunscreen, fertility, breastfeeding, and food marketing to children.
Bottom line: Unless the final report changes substantially, don’t expect transformation. The strategy is minor, performative, and at worst misleading—most notably in doubling down on the false claim that vaccines cause chronic disease. This soft-pedaling reflects growing tensions between MAHA and MAGA, where lobbying interests increasingly shape priorities instead of confronting root causes. RFK Jr. cut $500 million across 22 ongoing mRNA research grants—funding that was driving clinical trials for infectious disease vaccines, including bird flu. Trials for cancer and allergy treatments appear spared, which is a small win, but the overall loss is profound. This research was our front line for preparing against the next pandemic and seasonal viruses like influenza.The rationale? That mRNA vaccines don’t prevent all upper respiratory infections and that the risks outweigh the benefits. This is partially true—no vaccine prevents every single infection, especially against highly mutable viruses. But mRNA vaccines are no different from other vaccines in this regard, and the Covid-19 mRNA vaccines saved more than 3 million American lives during the pandemic. This is what makes the cut both fascinating and disappointing: it marks a stunning reversal from President Trump’s Operation Warp Speed—a rare, bipartisan moonshot that fast-tracked mRNA vaccines and stands as one of the most effective public health investments in U.S. history.The bird flu virus has been relatively quiet. The U.S. has recorded only three cases of H5N1 in humans this year—compared with 67 in 2024. The virus hasn’t disappeared. USDA continues to randomly find bird flu in wild animals, including a rabbit in Arizona last month. Also, Spain reported a large bird culling (6,895 turkeys), a reminder that the virus is still circulating globally. Epidemiologists have also seen cases in South American countries where the birds have migrated. Those birds will come back north, and time will tell what happens.
Poor countries pay more for essential drugs, have less availability, data suggest - The availability and affordability of essential medicines vary widely around the world, with wealthier countries seeing lower real prices than poorer ones after adjusting for purchasing power, according to a 2022 analysis of 87 high-, middle-, and low-income countries.Published last week in JAMA Health Forum, the Brown University–led study examined data on the list prices and volumes of 549 essential medicines in 72 markets. The team also calculated the number of days of minimum-wage work required to pay for 1 month of treatment."Little is known about how the prices and affordability of medicines included on the World Health Organization's Model List of Essential Medicines vary across the globe," the authors wrote. The availability of essential medications ranged from 225 (41%) in Kuwait to 438 (80%) in Germany. After accounting for differences in purchasing power, the average prices of essential medicines in Lebanon were 18.1% of those in Germany, while average US prices were 3.0 times higher than in Germany. Countries' gross domestic product per capita was linked to nominal drug prices, indicating that wealthier countries generally had higher drug prices. But adjusting for the purchasing power of different currencies revealed an inverse association, suggesting that richer countries had lower real prices. Drug affordability varied considerably, with the highest median affordability in Europe and the Western Pacific and the lowest in Africa and Southeast Asia. The most affordable of the eight medications used to treat major causes of death and disability were amoxicillin, ibuprofen, and salbutamol, which cost less than 1.2 days' minimum wage in all countries. The least affordable treatment was the cancer drug paclitaxel; for example, residents of poorer countries had to work a median number of 40.9 days at minimum wage to pay for it.
Kentucky fights back against deadly 'Designer Xanax'— Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) said on Monday that bromazolam, also known as “Designer Xanax,” has received an emergency state designation as a Schedule I controlled substance. As a Schedule I substance, the drug is banned sale in Kentucky, and the move provides law enforcement the ability to make arrests for sales or possession. A release from Beshear’s office said the designation is in response to a growing number of overdose deaths from the drug. Forty-eight overdose deaths were tied to bromazolam in Kentucky in 2024. “Team Kentucky has made important progress in our fight against addiction, with three straight years of declines in overdose deaths, and we’re committed to ensuring that work continues,” Gov. Beshear said. “This deadly drug has no place in our communities, and now we have the tools needed to get it off the streets and protect more lives.” Bromazolam, a drug that’s structurally similar to Xanax, was developed in the 1970s but has never been approved for use in the U.S., according to the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association(LAPPA). It started popping up as an illicit drug in the U.S. in 2019. The drug has been distributed in tablet and pill form and is often sold under the name “XLI-268,” LAPPA says. The designation in Kentucky is effective immediately and came at the request of Attorney General Russell Coleman, the release said.
Experts, residents share concerns about ‘forever chemicals’ found in South Bend’s drinking water (WNDU) - There’s a concerning level of chemicals in South Bend’s drinking water. Those contaminants are called “forever chemicals,” or PFAS, and studies show they’re not being fully filtered out of our water here in South Bend. There are thousands of these PFAS chemicals that are present not only in our drinking water, but in our food, our soil and even in the materials in our home. The long-term exposure to these chemicals can pose a serious threat to our health. Research is still underway to determine the dangers of PFAS. These are chemicals that have remained in our environment for thousands of years, and that’s why the name “forever chemicals” has been coined. But long-term exposure could have led to serious health issues for people and even pets. And right now, the Environmental Protection Agency reports South Bend is 1.3 times the level it should be. “And at that level, very small amounts have been shown to cause adverse health effects. And so, these adverse health effects include some types of cancer,” says Graham Peaslee, Professor Emeritus at the University of Notre Dame. “There shouldn’t be any PFAS in our water, it shouldn’t be there at all. The fact that we’ve had it for so many years, it’s in everybody’s blood.” Drinking water is our biggest source of exposure to PFAS, followed by our food. Peaslee says the only way to fully get it out of our system is to stop using PFAS. But with these high levels, some South Bend residents are concerned about what this means for the health of everyone in their household. Reverse Osmosis filters cost anywhere between hundreds and thousands of dollars, which is not nearly as affordable as at-home water filters most people use. Although South Bend is already working to remove these chemicals from our drinking water, Peaslee predicts this endeavor to be one of the most costly cleanups that South Bend and frankly the nation will face.
Montour Run: a perfect storm of 'forever chemicals,' firefighting foam, and frequently stocked fish | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette --Montour Run serves a plethora of purposes for community members in the Pittsburgh area. Children splash around in the summer, backpackers stop to collect water and fishermen cast their lines for trout in the bountifully stocked stream. While it’s heavily used for recreational purposes, there’s a downside: It is contaminated with “forever chemicals.”“Yinzers eat a lot of stocked trout,” said Sean Brady, executive director of Hollow Oak Land Trust, a land conservation nonprofit organization. “Montour Run gets stocked heavily with trout and most people don’t realize those trout are swimming in some of the most contaminated waters in Pittsburgh.”It was a recent study that showed how heavily “forever chemicals” are active in the stream. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, have components that break down slowly over time, lending them the “forever chemicals” moniker. “Once it is in the environment, it spreads very far,” After collecting and receiving PFAS contamination results from 60 sampling locations across southwestern Pennsylvania, the Three Rivers Waterkeeper, a regional environmental and legal advocacy organization, found in its 2025 PFAS report that “our sample in Montour Run is our highest recorded sample, which suggests a single major source of contamination, as opposed to ambient levels from many, smaller sources. Our result is also consistent with the known PFAS issues stemming from the airport and air force base.” The sample in Montour Run showed 134.9 parts per trillion of PFAS, which is far above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s maximum contaminant level for drinking water of PFOA and PFOS at 4.0 parts per trillion. Exposure to PFAS is shown to have links to decreased fertility, developmental delays in children, increased risk of prostate, kidney and testicular cancers, reduced ability of the body’s immune system to fight infections, interference with the body’s natural hormones and risk of obesity, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. PFAS accumulate in the body through the ingestion of contaminated food, through exposure to drinking water, breathing contaminated air and using products containing PFAS, according to the EPA. A recent study conducted at Duke University showed that eating just one serving of fish at the median freshwater fish level of PFOS, the type of PFAS used in firefighting foam, is equivalent to consuming one month of drinking water at 2,400 times the EPA health advisory for PFOS at the time of the study. According to Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission spokesman Mike Parker, Montour Run “receives several thousand stocked trout annually.” Three Rivers Waterkeeper in its report identified Pittsburgh International Airport and the U.S. Air Force Reserve 911th Airlift Wing, based in Moon near the airport, as historically known sources of contamination to Montour Run. In particular, according to a map created by Northeastern University’s PFAS Project Lab, the 171st Air Refueling Wing, which is housed at the base, is a recognized source of PFAS contamination.
EPA leans on AI to spur faster chemical reviews -EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has vowed to expedite chemical reviews, and he’s counting on yet-to-be-developed artificial intelligence models to do so.While experts say the core technology already exists, they caution that the agency still faces significant hurdles in data quality and trust.EPA is eyeing development of an “AI Chemist Assistant” that “will help chemical reviewers search various repositories to identify chemical and chemical analog information used in TSCA [Toxic Substances Control Act] submission reviews and risk evaluations, possibly saving hundreds of staff hours per review/evaluation,” according to the agency’s internal AI use case inventory, reviewed by POLITICO’s E&E News.Also listed on the internal AI use case inventory is a tool called “EcoVault,” which is intended “to summarize and capture key information from scientific studies and other lengthy unstructured documents to provide narrative summaries and interaction abilities to OCSPP [Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention] staff.”The chemical industry has long complained about delayed review processes impeding innovation, as the agency struggles to meet its up-to-180-day deadline for new chemical assessments under TSCA. Zeldin has said speeding up new chemical reviews is a priority. He told the House lawmakers during a hearing in May that he was “confident that we are going to be able to tackle the backlogs that we inherited” in part by replacing “outdated technology” with “new technology, including AI.”EPA press secretary Carolyn Holran confirmed in an email that the “chemical safety program is going to support Administrator Zeldin’s focus on artificial intelligence by using AI tools and machine learning algorithms to transform and improve the way we review scientific information — making our chemical safety reviews more efficient and robust.” The push aligns with a broader surge in EPA’s adoption of AI under the current administration. The agency’s internal AI use case inventory had documented 103 projects as of August, an increase from just 17 such cases in late 2024.
Category 4 Hurricane Erin located just east of southeast Bahamas, life-threatening surf expected along U.S. East Coast - Category 4 Hurricane Erin was located 220 km (140 miles) north-northeast of Grand Turk Islands at 18:00 UTC (14:00 EDT) on August 18, 2025, with maximum sustained winds of 220 km/h (140 mph), maintaining Category 4 strength while moving northwest at 20 km/h (13 mph).
- Bands of heavy rainfall are expected through today over portions of Hispaniola and through Tuesday, August 19 for the Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas eastward from San Salvador Island. Flash and urban flooding are possible.
- Tropical storm conditions are expected in the Turks and Caicos Islands and in the southeast Bahamas today, August 18 while tropical storm conditions are possible in portions of the central Bahamas late today through Tuesday.
- Erin is expected to produce life-threatening surf and rip currents along the beaches of the Bahamas, much of the east coast of the U.S., Bermuda, and Atlantic Canada during the next several days.
- Tropical storm conditions and coastal flooding are possible in the North Carolina Outer Banks beginning late Wednesday, August 20 and a Tropical Storm and Storm Surge Watch may be required later today.
- Interests along the Outer Banks of North Carolina and Bermuda should monitor the progress of Erin.
Forecasts indicate Erin will turn north later on August 18 into August 19, passing east of the southeastern Bahamas and tracking between Bermuda and the U.S. East Coast during midweek. Erin is expected to remain a major hurricane during this period. Hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 130 km (80 miles) from the center, while tropical-storm-force winds reached up to 370 km (230 miles). A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas. A Tropical Storm Watch was issued for the central Bahamas. Outer bands of Erin are expected to bring localized heavy rainfall to parts of Hispaniola today, and to the Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas east of San Salvador Island through Tuesday. Forecast totals are 50 to 100 mm (2 to 4 inches), with isolated amounts up to 150 mm (6 inches).
Republican cuts force changes to grants for emergency alerts - The Corporation for Public Broadcasting will no longer be able to dole out federal grants to help local media stations issue emergency alerts and warnings after congressional Republicans clawed back funding last month.But the grants, administered under the Next Generation Warning System (NGWS) program, will continue to be available and administered without the involvement of the CPB, according to a spokesperson for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.The change in the NGWS program’s structure will allow some rural communities and tribes to continue to receive timely alerts ahead of severe weather and natural disasters.But the CPB’s announcement that it can no longer run the program has only compounded fears among some lawmakers and broadcasters that vulnerable communities could still be left in the dark during life-threatening weather events.
Record-breaking rainfall leaves six dead or missing in Ordos, Inner Mongolia - Three people were confirmed dead and three more are missing after record-breaking rainfall triggered severe flooding in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, on August 19, 2025. Torrential rainfall struck Dongsheng District, Ordos City, in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on August 19, delivering record-breaking 214.7 mm (8.45 inches) within 12 hours — nearly the city’s annual average of about 300 mm (11.8 inches). According to official reports, the rain overwhelmed urban drainage systems and triggered flooding in which three individuals lost their lives. Three others were reported missing in Dalad Banner. Search and rescue operations remain underway, with local emergency teams deployed to affected areas. At least one person has been rescued from floodwaters. The disaster forms part of a broader pattern of extreme precipitation affecting northern China in August 2025. Earlier in the month, Urat Rear Banner in Inner Mongolia experienced a flash flood that killed eight people and left four missing. Across northern China, recent storms have caused at least 13 fatalities and displaced thousands of residents.
Cloudburst floods kill nearly 400 in Pakistan, Karachi records heaviest rainfall since 1979 - At least 385 people were killed in Pakistan as torrential rains and cloudbursts triggered deadly flash floods and landslides across the country between August 18 and 21, with Karachi recording its highest rainfall since 1979. c According to Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the death toll has now surpassed 700 since the start of the monsoon season. This includes 427 fatalities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), 164 in Punjab, 56 in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, 29 in Sindh, 22 in Balochistan, and 8 in Islamabad. In KP’s Buner district, a sudden cloudburst on August 15 triggered catastrophic flooding that killed approximately 280 people while more than 150 remain missing. Rescue operations are ongoing, but limited accessibility and criticism over insufficient early warnings have hampered efforts. Cloudbursts are sudden, intense rainfall events typically associated with orographic lift in mountainous regions. Northern Pakistan’s terrain makes it particularly vulnerable to such localized but devastating downpours. In the southern metropolis of Karachi, home to over 20 million people, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) recorded up to 178 mm (7 inches) of rainfall in 24 hours to 08:00 LT on August 20, with many areas receiving more than 150 mm (6 inches). PMD’s rainfall records listed 173 mm (6.8 inches) at Keamari, 164 mm (6.5 inches) in the Airport Old Area, and 156 mm (6.1 inches) at Jinnah Terminal. Floodwaters submerged roadways, disrupted telecom networks, halted air traffic, and caused widespread power outages. Between 7 and 10 deaths were reported in Karachi due to electrocution, road accidents, drowning, and structural collapse. In response, local authorities declared a public holiday, closing all schools, offices, and markets. Emergency services, including the military and paramilitary forces, have been deployed to support rescue and relief operations. Partial road access has been restored in some areas, while water and food distribution is ongoing.
Rare octuplet waterspouts form over the Baltic Sea between Poland and Denmark - A rare outbreak of waterspouts was reported over the Baltic Sea on August 21, with multiple independent observers documenting at least 20 funnels. Reports confirmed 12 waterspouts off Poland and 8 off Denmark, including a Danish observer who recorded eight aligned simultaneously. The event was documented by the International Centre for Waterspout Research (ICWR), which tracks and archives global waterspout activity. Such outbreaks are defined as days with multiple waterspouts in close temporal and spatial proximity. Climatological classifications distinguish between small outbreaks (5–9 waterspouts per day), moderate outbreaks (10–19), and large outbreaks (20 or more). Based on available data, the August 21 event qualifies as a large outbreak. Waterspouts are rotating columns of air and spray that develop over bodies of water, often under cumulus cloud bases. Most are non-tornadic, short-lived, and typically last several minutes, though simultaneous clusters such as this outbreak are considerably less common. They form when warm surface waters interact with cooler air masses aloft, creating strong vertical instability, low-level wind shear, and convergence zones conducive to vortex formation. The Baltic Sea is a known location for summer waterspout activity, with a seasonal maximum in July and August. Previous research has shown that favorable conditions arise when sea surface temperatures remain elevated while upper-air troughs transport cooler air masses into the region. While individual waterspouts are relatively common, simultaneous alignments of six or more are rarely documented in Europe.
Large tornado carved a 37.1 km (23.1 miles) forest scar in Khanty-Mansi, Siberia, Russia - A long-track tornado up to 2.5 km (1.6 miles) wide crossed remote forest near Taylakovo, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, Russia, at around 14:15 UTC on June 17, 2025. Tornado scar produced on June 17, 2025 in Siberia, Russia. A very large tornado crossed remote taiga near Taylakovo, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug (Yugra), Russia, around 14:15 UTC (± 30 min) on June 17. According to a confirmed ESWD record (QC1), the tornado moved WSW–ENE, caused forest blowdown, and reached a maximum path width of 2 500 m (1.6 miles) along a 37.1 km (23.1 miles) track. ESWD lists forest impacts only, with no populated places noted. The ESWD lists the event near 58.78° N, 74.18° E with path start near 58.74° N, 73.99° E and path end near 58.88° N, 74.56° E. Analysts identified the widest portion of the swath between 58.77109° N, 74.20672° E and 58.78884° N, 74.17934° E using Sentinel-2 L1C (Copernicus) imagery and Landsat data to support the intensity assessment. The report notes forests damaged or destroyed across mixed coniferous–deciduous stands, including birch. The tornado is rated IF1.5 in the ESWD, using Damage Indicator TSW (trees) with Degree of Damage 4, based on photographs/video and satellite analysis. However, the tornado was likely much stronger. The IF-scale (International Fujita scale) is ESSL’s European adaptation of the Fujita/Enhanced Fujita approach, with ratings based on calibrated damage indicators and degrees of damage to estimate wind speeds. Remote-sensing analysis was performed after the event using Sentinel-2 scenes from August 1 and 19, showing a long, high-contrast blowdown corridor.
La Nina Watch Issued, Fall and Winter Weather Shifts - – Forecasters are keeping an eye on what seasons ahead may look like in the state, as increased activity prompts a watch. The Climate Prediction Center has issued a La Niña Watch. Which means that by the fall, La Niña conditions start to become more likely. Right now we are in an ENSO-neutral phase, which will stick around through late summer. However, the sub-ocean has already cooled in the region of interest. These negative anomalies are not too strong, but still a step in the direction for the development of a La Niña pattern. While conditions are favorable, there is still a four in 10 chance that it will not happen. But if it does, it could result in ramped up hurricane activity this autumn in the Atlantic Ocean. During La Niña winters, the strongest signal usually happens in February and March. For Wisconsin and Minnesota, that means it’s wetter and colder-than-normal conditions are likely, leading to more Alberta Clipper systems and more snow. Heading into early spring, there can also be higher chances for severe weather outbreaks.
La Niña Watch issued ahead of expected brief pattern change— As we march through our hottest month of summer in Central Texas, we’re continuing to get a better idea of what to expect in the fall and upcoming winter. The Climate Prediction Center just released its updated ENSO (El Niño-Southern Oscillation) forecast, and for the first time, they’re expecting a return to La Niña later this year. And with three consecutive overlapping 3-month seasons expected to be in La Niña, a La Niña Watch has been issued. Previous odds had either favored ENSO Neutral (neither La Niña or El Niño) or too brief a dip into La Niña conditions that wouldn’t warrant a definitive change in the climate pattern. For the periods of September-November, October-December and November-January, La Niña is marginally favored over ENSO Neutral. This now means that fall and the beginning of winter would have sea surface temperatures in a region of the eastern Pacific Ocean that are cooler than average by at least 0.5º Celsius. For meteorological winter as a whole (December-February), ENSO Neutral is favored over La Niña, but only slightly. While La Niña’s impact on weather in the fall season for North America is less defined, more conclusions can be made should a weak La Niña continue into winter. Winter La Niña periods tend to be warmer and drier than normal here in Central Texas. Last winter was also a La Niña pattern, but it didn’t fit true to form. Sure, it was a drier than normal winter, which is typical for La Niña winters in Austin, but it ended up being cooler-than-normal too. This was despite an incredibly warm December, both January and February were below average. While fall weather patterns over the continental U.S. have little connection to La Niña conditions, there are connections between La Niña and what happens in the tropical Atlantic. Usually during La Niña Atlantic Hurricane seasons we see more hurricanes as vertical wind shear is usually weaker. So far this hurricane season is off to a fairly average start, but we’ll see what develops as we head into the fall as La Niña begins before hurricane season officially ends.
Shallowing of Caspian Sea disrupts ports and threatens biodiversity, Azerbaijan - The Caspian Sea, the world’s largest enclosed saltwater lake, has been losing water at an accelerating rate. Rapid declines in the water level are disrupting port operations, reducing oil shipments, and threatening seal and sturgeon populations, Azerbaijani officials reported on August 21, 2025. Azerbaijan’s Deputy Ecology Minister Rauf Hajiyev said the sea level fell 0.93 m (3 feet) in the past five years, 1.5 m (5 feet) in the past decade, and 2.5 m (8 feet) over the past 30 years. Current decline rates are estimated at 20–30 cm (8–12 inches) per year. Hajiyev said the retreat of the coastline is disrupting economic activity and affecting the lives of millions in the region. About 4 million people live along Azerbaijan’s Caspian shoreline and around 15 million across the Caspian basin. The decline is affecting port operations in Baku. Eldar Salakhov, director of the Baku International Sea Port, reported that oil shipments through the Dubendi terminal dropped to 810 000 tons in the first half of 2025, compared with 880 000 tons a year earlier. He said dredging works are needed to maintain access for large tankers. More than 250 000 m³ (8.8 million ft³) of dredging was completed in 2024, and a new vessel, Engineer Soltan Kazimov, capable of deepening channels to 18 m (59 feet), will soon begin operations. Hajiyev warned that shrinking waters are destroying wetlands and reed beds, threatening species such as sturgeon and Caspian seals. Sturgeon are losing up to 45% of their seasonal habitats, while seals risk losing most of their breeding grounds if water levels continue to fall. Azerbaijan blames both climate change and Russian dam construction on the Volga River, which provides about 80% of the Caspian inflow, for the decline. Despite strained relations, Azerbaijan and Russia established a joint working group in April 2025 and plan to approve a monitoring and response program in September.
Arizona, Nevada, Mexico face Colorado River supply cuts for third straight year -- Arizona, Nevada and Mexico will be subject to substantial cuts from their Colorado River allocations for the third year in a row, the Bureau of Reclamation announced Friday.The agency made these determinations in its August 2025 24-month study, which provides an outlook on hydrological conditions and projected operations for the basin’s two biggest reservoirs: Lake Powell and Lake Mead.Lake Mead, according to the study, will remain in what’s called a “Level 1 Shortage Condition” — a classification that necessitates water reductions as delineated in multiple domestic and binational agreements.Specifically, Arizona will need to give up about 18 percent of its annual apportionment, while Nevada will need to contribute 7 percent and Mexico 5 percent, the study concluded.The Bureau of Reclamation made this announcement as the seven Colorado River basin states continue to engage in intense negotiations over an update to the river’s long-term guidelines, which are set to expire at the end of 2026.As federal environmental review deadlines loom near, key differences have persisted among the Upper Basin states of Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming and Utah, and the Lower Basin parties of Arizona, Nevada and California.While the Lower Basin has favored shared cuts across the watershed, the Upper Basin has supported a plan that reflects the dynamic hydrological conditions of a region reliant upon mountain snowpack.
Trump’s mining frenzy drives water fears in Utah - — President Donald Trump’s push for a nationwide mining boom is rattling landowners in this remote and water-stricken part of southeastern Utah, one of the driest states in the nation. About 40 miles east of the sprawling Bears Ears National Monument among the rust-colored mesas, gorges, canyons and cliffs near the La Sal Mountains, ranchers and owners of a bed and breakfast are girding for Lisbon Valley Mining to expand a nearby open-pit copper mine and other operations on more than 1,100 acres of public land.This part of the state is considered prized conservation land among environmental groups and outdoor recreation enthusiasts. It’s also seeing an uptick in bids to expand existing mines while other projects move quickly through a federal review process, bringing with them the prospect for more jobs — as well as intensified fights over dwindling water resources and fragile landscapes. David Roccaforte, a retired physician who co-owns the 3 Step Hideaway bed and breakfast about 4 miles away from the Lisbon Valley copper mine, worries the expanding operation could contaminate private wells that he and his neighbors say they use for drinking water and ranching purposes and are connected to the Burro Canyon aquifer. They’re calling on EPA to reject a state-approved plan to exempt that aquifer from federal protection and allow Lisbon Valley Mining to inject mining fluids into the aquifer. Last summer, the state agency resubmitted a request for an exemption, this time with a smaller footprint that exempted one well.When an aquifer gets exempted, it’s sacrificed. It can no longer be used for drinking water,” Roccaforte said. “Mining is a very water-intensive endeavor, and there’s just not a lot of water here.”Proponents of mining projects like Lisbon Valley argue copper more domestic production is a necessity as the nation transitions to electric vehicles and renewables and moves away from supply chains that China dominates. It’s one of the many projects Trump is advancing as he opens up more public lands, fast-tracks permitting, imposes tariffs on foreign imports of copper, and pushes for both copper and uranium to be added to the list of critical minerals to allow for faster permitting and more funding.The copper project is one of many on Trump’s radar moving through environmental reviews at the Bureau of Land Management and EPA, which is now considering the aquifer exemption. Brigit Hirsch, a spokesperson for EPA, said in an email that any exemption request must show that any aquifer serving as source of drinking water will not be affected. “The Lisbon Valley Copper Mine request is a priority for the Trump Administration,” Hirsch wrote.And mining companies maintain it can be done safely. Larry Giegerich, Lisbon Valley Mining’s chief operating officer, said in an email that the company is “committed to meeting regulatory requirements and obtaining and maintaining permits,” and has been working with all federal and state agencies that oversee its expansion plans. The project, he said, will accelerate the nation’s independence and ensure the U.S. can meet increasing demand.As Trump officials push a “mine, baby, mine” strategy, Republican-led Utah is responding with fervor. Industry groups in the state are assembling a list of projects for federal government approval while the Legislature moves to make the state more pro-mining, including offering up targeted tax incentives for opening new mines, rehabilitating older ones or producing new minerals at existing sites. Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, is pushing a bill that would add copper and uranium to a list of minerals considered “critical” for economic and national security, which puts them in line for more investment and streamlined permitting. They said that boost could bring big business to Utah, the nation’s second-largest producer of copper. The state’s mining industry was responsible for close to $4 billion in revenue last year, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Farmers’ worries sprout as Trump’s tariffs spike fertilizer prices - Corn and soybean producers have warned Washington that the unpredictable fertilizer market makes it harder to stay in business.Farm groups are warning that President Donald Trump’s tariff war is worsening already high fertilizer prices, making it harder for farmers to afford planting their usual amounts of corn, wheat and soybeans.Agriculture industry representatives have been hesitant to publicly criticize Trump’s tariff policies. But some of them have spent the last few months quietly lobbying Republican lawmakers and administration officials to help ease the impact on fertilizer, which can account for more than 30 percent of row crop farmers’ input costs.The National Corn Growers Association and 25 state corn grower groups sent a letter earlier this month to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins asking for action to lower fertilizer prices, which they say are “approaching disastrous levels.” “Unfortunately, the combination of the low corn prices, trade uncertainty, and consistently high costs for fertilizers and inputs, including relevant countervailing duties, have resulted in a calamitous environment for farmers who are trying to plan for harvest and next season,” the groups wrote.
Wildfires burn 600 000 ha (1.5 million acres) in Spain and Portugal, killing six and forcing mass evacuations - (videos) Wildfires burning since August 9, 2025, have scorched about 382 600 ha (945 000 acres) in Spain and at least 216 200 ha (534 000 acres) in Portugal, killing six people and forcing tens of thousands to evacuate. Sentinel-2 satellite image acquired on August 16, 2025 shows dense smoke plumes rising from active fires near the city of Ourense, Galicia, northwestern Spain. Credit: Copernicus EU/Sentinel-2 Wildfires fueled by prolonged drought and extreme heat have devastated vast regions of the Iberian Peninsula since August 9. The affected areas include Castile and León, Galicia, Extremadura, and Asturias in Spain, and Guarda, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Viseu, and Bragança in Portugal. According to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) and official reports, Spain has recorded four fatalities and evacuated more than 30 000 people. Portugal has reported two fatalities and thousands of evacuations in affected areas. The combined death toll stands at six, with tens of thousands displaced across both countries. This year marks Spain’s most destructive wildfire season since records began in 2006, with around 382 600 ha (945 000 acres) burned by mid-August. In Portugal, wildfires have consumed approximately 216 200 ha (534 000 acres) so far in 2025. Spain has deployed approximately 3 400 troops to support firefighting efforts and has received assistance from EU partners, including firefighting aircraft from several countries. In Galicia, multiple fires were reportedly sparked by dry lightning during high-temperature conditions. In Portugal, around 3 700 firefighters have been mobilized, and the government has requested EU support, including water-bombing aircraft. The situation has been described as a “disproportionate war against nature,” as large parts of the forested interior remain vulnerable. According to Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) data, the country’s estimated emissions have nearly reached the highest annual totals of 2003 and 2005. Authorities are investigating suspected arson, with Spain’s Interior Ministry reporting 32 arrests and 93 people under investigation. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has called for a cross-party “state pact” to improve preparedness for future climate-related emergencies.
Heat burst (“Satan’s Storm”) forces beach evacuations on Spain’s Costa Tropical - (videos) A heat burst struck Spain’s Costa Tropical on August 17, 2025, prompting beach evacuations in Motril, Salobreña and Torrenueva Costa as the temperature spiked to 40.1°C (104°F) and wind gusts reached 87 km/h (54 mph), according to AEMET and local authorities. A heat burst, known locally as a reventón térmico and referred to by some media outlets as Satan’s Storm, hit Spain’s Costa Tropical, Granada Province around 19:50 local time (LT) on August 17. According to the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), the event caused a sudden temperature rise to 40.1°C (104°F) and wind gusts up to 87 km/h (54 mph). The episode affected beaches in Motril, Salobreña, Torrenueva Costa, and nearby areas, where winds lifted umbrellas and other equipment, prompting rapid beach clearances. Local media, citing 112 Andalucía, reported nearly 20 calls about flying objects, falling branches, and swimmers in difficulty. The Guardia Civil maritime service and Salvamento Marítimo rescued five people: three near Playa de la Joya/Carchuna and two who were assisted by a motorboat. They transferred to Motril port, with patrols maintained to ensure that no additional persons were in danger. Footage from Torrenueva Costa shows a waterspout offshore during the heat-burst winds; some outlets described a “small tornado,” a characterization not confirmed by AEMET. Local authorities in Motril and Almuñécar advised residents to avoid going outside during the episode and exercise caution on the coast, according to municipal communications reported by local media. The episode occurred during ongoing hot conditions in southern Spain, with heat warnings in effect for parts of Andalusia around the same period, according to AEMET.
Everglades wildfire doubles in size, just 10% contained – Firefighters are facing major challenges as they work to contain a massive wildfire burning deep in the Everglades. The blaze, known as the Mile Marker 39 Fire, has now scorched at least 42,000 acres — double the area reported just a day earlier. Officials said only about 10% of the fire is contained. The remote location, along with wetlands that make access difficult, has slowed efforts to put out the flames. In some areas, crews are relying on helicopters to scoop water from nearby canals and drop it on hotspots. “Our wild land firefighters from the FFS [Florida Forest Service] using heavy equipment, engines, specialized equipment working on the ground in areas that are accessible, the wetlands have been a hinderance in terms of fire suppression activity,” said Michelle Danielson of the Florida Forest Service. Drivers along Alligator Alley reported seeing both heavy smoke and bright orange flames as early as Thursday morning. “All the way from Naples, almost at the beginning of Alligator Alley, you could see the smoke already,” said traveler Allian Romero, who passed through around 11 a.m. In nearby Plantation, some residents noticed the smoke drifting into their neighborhoods. But the impact was lighter compared to the day before, thanks to shifting winds. “It wasn’t that bad. It was noticeable but didn’t cause me any problems. I wasn’t coughing or anything,” said resident Rick Prinzo. Weather plays a complicated role Quick-moving storms passed over the fire Thursday, bringing bursts of heavy rain. But lightning strikes also sparked new concerns for flare-ups in the area. Even as the skies shifted, air quality across Broward improved. Officials reported conditions at a “moderate” level — better than Wednesday, when smoke pushed levels into the “unhealthy” range in parts of South Florida. For now, fire officials say a mix of direct suppression and allowing nature to run its course will be the ongoing strategy in battling the wildfire.
Caldera cliff collapses in Santorini’s Imerovigli, triggering slope instability concerns - A large landslide occurred in the village of Imerovigli on the island of Santorini, Greece, at 15:30 LT (12:30 UTC) on August 20, 2025, collapsing part of the volcanic caldera cliff and generating a dense dust cloud that spread across the caldera rim and surrounding tourist areas. The incident occurred in the early afternoon and caused significant disruption, though no official reports of casualties have yet been released. Geologists noted that the slope had been under stress due to intensive construction and overdevelopment in recent decades. The cliff face lies on inherently unstable volcanic terrain formed by the collapse of the Santorini caldera during the Minoan eruption approximately 3 600 years ago. The addition of new structures on the rim has further increased loading on an already fragile geological setting. satellite image santorini greece august 19 2025 Satellite image of Santorini volcano on August 19, 2025. Credit: Copernicus EU/Sentinel-2, The Watchers Santorini also experienced an intense seismic swarm earlier this year with more than 20 000 small tremors recorded between January 26–February 22. Experts suggest that this seismic activity weakened the rock mass, contributing to slope failure. The landslide follows warnings by local and international geologists regarding the geomorphological instability of Santorini’s caldera slopes. They emphasized the urgent need for stricter building regulations to reduce risks to residents and visitors.
Large-scale helicopter evacuation after glacial lake outburst flood in Bugaboo Provincial Park, Canada - More than 60 hikers were airlifted from Bugaboo Provincial Park, British Columbia, at around 08:00 local time (LT) on August 17, 2025, after a glacial lake outburst flood blocked exit routes. Flooding in Bugaboo Provincial Park, British Columbia, stranded more than 60 hikers on August 17, forcing Columbia Valley Search and Rescue (CVSAR) to conduct a large-scale helicopter evacuation. Rescuers reported that floodwaters from a breached glacial tarn eroded the ice dam containing it and released a surge of water into the Kain Hut basin. Jordy Shepherd, a mountain guide with the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG) and member of CVSAR, said that on their first reconnaissance flight “very high creek levels above the Kain Hut, and dirty water” were observed. The hut access bridge was intact but surrounded by raging water, making it unsafe for evacuation on foot. Upstream, a meltwater lake between Bugaboo Spire and Crescent Spire had cut a deep channel through glacier ice, sending water rapidly into the valley. Guests staying at the Alpine Club of Canada’s (ACC) Conrad Kain Hut were among the first to notice the rising creek level. The hut custodian contacted SAR when the flooding increased, and ACC Executive Director Carine Salvy confirmed that the hut was fully booked, with more than 30 people inside. Nearby campgrounds were also full, bringing the total number of people stranded in the core area to more than 60. Columbia Valley Search and Rescue, supported by Alpine Helicopters, coordinated the evacuation with the assistance of ACMG guides, ACC staff, and a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer. The operation involved 10 helicopter flights over approximately seven hours, transporting more than 60 people and their gear from the alpine basin to the valley bottom. Helicopters refueled at a Canadian Mountain Holidays lodge during the operation.
Lava reaches lower southern slope of Etna, 2 km (1.2 miles) from Altamontana trail - New lava flow from Mount Etna’s summit is advancing along the southern flank, reaching an elevation of about 2 270 m (7 450 feet). The most advanced front is now located about 2 km (1.24 miles) from the Altamontana trail, a major access route used for monitoring and hiking, following effusion that began on August 9, 2025. The effusive fissure opened late on August 9, 2025, between Bocca Nuova and the South-East Crater of Mount Etna, at an elevation of approximately 3 000 to 3 100 m (9 840–10 170 feet) above sea level (a.s.l.). The fissure produced a lava flow that traveled about 600 m (1 970 feet) to the south before the effusion ceased the following day. Subsequent activity re-established and expanded lava field that remains active to date. According to the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology’s Etna Observatory (INGV-OE), an active vent at 2 980 m (9 777 feet) a.s.l. continues to feed lava through a complex system including a lava tunnel and several ephemeral vents. The flow has divided into two main arms migrating southwest, with the most advanced front currently at about 2 270 m (7 450 feet) elevation, near the Cave of the Arches, approximately 2 km (1.2 miles) from the Altamontana track. The Altamontana track (Pista Altomontana) is a well-established trail that encircles Mount Etna at elevations between approximately 1 700 and 2 000 m (5 550–6 550 feet) a.s.l. It serves both as a strategic access route for volcanological monitoring teams and as a popular hiking path for visitors. Its proximity to the advancing lava front provides a geographic reference point in INGV assessments and may influence decisions regarding access restrictions and safety measures if the flow continues to approach inhabited or frequented areas.
Bright fireball with impact energy of 1.6 kilotons observed over southern Japan on August 19 - (videos)A bright fireball lit up the night sky over southern Japan at 23:08 JST (14:08 UTC) on August 19, 2025, releasing an estimated 1.6 kilotons of energy as it disintegrated over the Pacific Ocean southeast of Kyushu. The bright fireball was observed over southern Japan at 14:08 UTC on August 19. Data from United States Government sensors archived by NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), indicate a preliminary impact energy of about 1.6 kilotons of TNT equivalent. Peak brightness was located near 30.9°N and 131.8°E, southeast of Kyushu. Dashcam recordings and surveillance footage captured the meteor’s entry, with one of the clearest views provided by Fukuoka Airport’s camera. Media reports noted a vivid blue glow illuminating the sky across Kyushu and Shikoku, and eyewitnesses described a brief flash bright enough to resemble daylight. YouTube video The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has not issued a formal statement and no evidence of meteorite recovery has been confirmed. The Kagoshima Regional Meteorological Observatory reported that monitoring equipment on Sakurajima volcano detected atmospheric vibrations generated by the fireball. Preliminary analysis by the SonotaCo Network in Japan estimated an entry velocity of about 21 km/s (13 miles/s), an entry angle of 58°, and a terminal altitude near 18 km (11 miles). Based on these calculations, the fireball most likely disintegrated over the ocean.
EU GHG emissions up 3.4 percent YoY in 1Q --The European Union economy emitted about 900 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in the first quarter, up 3.4 percent from the same three-month period last year, according to official estimates. The increase came as the 27-member bloc’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew 1.2 percent year-on-year in the January-March 2025 quarter, the European Commission said in a statement. The sectors with the biggest shares of emissions were households (25.5 percent), electricity and gas supply (19.3 percent) and manufacturing (18.6 percent). The two sectors responsible for the highest year-over-year increases were electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply, up 13.6 percent, and households, up 5.6 percent. Declines were recorded in transport and storage (-2.9 percent); agriculture, forestry and fishing (-1.4 percent); and manufacturing (-0.2 percent). Twenty countries saw higher emissions while seven saw decreases. Six countries recorded year-on-year increases of over five percent: Bulgaria, Czechia, Cyprus, Poland, Hungary and Greece. The largest curbs were recorded in Malta (-6.2 percent), Finland (-4.4 percent) and Denmark (-4.3 percent). “Out of the seven EU countries that registered decreases in greenhouse gas emissions, three also recorded a decline in their GDP (Estonia, Latvia and Luxembourg)”, the Commission said. “The other four EU countries (Denmark, Finland, Malta and Sweden) were estimated to have decreased emissions while growing their GDP”. In power generation, the Commission earlier reported a 17 percent year-on-year increase to 33 terawatt hours (tWh) in fossil fuel-sourced electricity in the EU in 1Q due to a moderate increase in demand and a fall in wind and hydro generation that offset a record 1Q for solar. “In total, coal-fired generation rose by 15 percent (+11 TWh), whereas less CO2-intensive gas generation increased even stronger by 23 percent (+21 TWh)”, the Commission said in its quarterly electricity market report. The EU generated 681 tWh of electricity in 1Q, up nine tWh from the same period last year. The share of renewables dropped to 41 percent or 282 tWh from 46 percent in 1Q 2024, while the share of fossil fuels climbed to 33 percent or 227 tWh from 28 percent in 1Q 2024. Nuclear accounted for 33 percent of 1Q 2025 generation. Onshore wind remained the biggest renewable power source in the EU, despite a 17 percent or 22 tWh year-on-year decrease to 107 tWh. Onshore wind accounted for 38 percent of renewables generation in the EU in 1Q 2025. Offshore wind also decreased 22 percent or four tWh to 15 tWh. It accounted for five percent of the total EU renewables generation. Hydro generation declined 15 percent or 16 tWh to 91 tWh, “albeit from high levels in Q1 2024”, the report said. Hydro had a 32 percent share of the total renewables generation. The declines offset a new record-high Q1 for solar. Solar generation grew 30 percent or 10 tWh to 45 tWh. However, the Commission said in a statement, “A closer look at the figures shows that, after atypically weak generation in January and February, renewable output started to pick up again in March, indicating a positive trajectory for the upcoming months”. EU electricity consumption slightly increased, by one percent or eight tWh, to 657 tWh in 1Q 2025. “On the national level, 18 member states saw an increase in electricity consumption, while the remaining countries were stagnant or experienced a decline”, the report said. “Despite this modest increase, demand levels for Q1 2025 were still below the pre-crisis average (-6 percent, compared to the 2015-19 range)”.
Trump hates climate policy. So why is he boosting carbon capture? -President Donald Trump is boosting the tax incentive for carbon capture and storage — even as he axes the federal funding and climate policies that could help the nascent industry grow. The expansion of the 45Q credit under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is the latest in a disjointed approach to carbon capture and storage (CCS) that’s becoming a feature of the second Trump administration.On one level, Trump’s EPA has pushed to give more states the authority to permit carbon storage wells — a move cheered by developers who say the federal government takes too long to issue the approvals. The boosted tax incentive could likewise make CCS projects easier to fund and develop.But the Department of Energy has also canceled $3.7 billion in awards for carbon capture and other decarbonization projects, while the administration has proposed slashing funding for the agency’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management. And EPA’s proposal to revoke limits on power plants’ climate pollution — along with its broader aims to eliminate most U.S. climate rules — undermines a potential customer base for CCS.
Is CO2 truly a pollutant? We break down the debate - Wall Street Journal -- A growing political and scientific debate questions whether carbon dioxide should be classified as a pollutant under U.S. law. While a 2007 Supreme Court ruling required the EPA to regulate CO2 as a threat to public health, the Trump administration argues it is not harmful to humans and seeks to revoke the “endangerment finding” that underpins federal emissions rules. Proponents of reclassification highlight CO2’s natural role in photosynthesis, its non-toxic nature at current levels, and its potential to boost plant growth, while critics stress that human-caused emissions have driven a 50% rise in atmospheric CO2 since preindustrial times, contributing to global warming, extreme weather, and rising sea levels. A Department of Energy review questions climate models and emphasizes potential agricultural benefits, but critics argue it downplays nutrient losses in crops and broader climate risks. The issue has sparked lawsuits, public hearings, and uncertainty over future emissions regulations, setting the stage for a major legal and policy battle.
Consortium Completes Feasibility Study for Hydrogen Corridor Linking Africa to Europe -A group of five leading European gas transmission system operators (Snam, TAG, Eustream, NET4GAS, and OGE) has successfully completed a crucial feasibility study for the SunsHyne Corridor project, a 3,400-kilometre hydrogen pipeline linking production hubs in North Africa to consumers in Central and Western Europe. Completed on August 12, the preliminary study focused on the technical and commercial assessment of the planned hydrogen corridor, which aims to connect hydrogen producers in North Africa with a projected import capacity of approximately 450 GWh to high-demand cities along the route. Such demand areas include Southern and Northeastern Germany, where demand is projected to exceed 100 TWh in 2030, far beyond the country's domestic production potential. The SunsHyne Corridor project, expected to be operational in 2030, will include the construction of new hydrogen pipelines and the repurposing of the pre-existing one for hydrogen transport. “The SunsHyne Corridor project is another step towards diversifying supply sources and strengthening the region’s energy security,” said Michal Slabý, CEO of NET4GAS. “Once implemented, this import route will complement other planned hydrogen transport corridors, all of which are integral parts of the European Hydrogen Backbone and will help establish a European market for this commodity,” he added. Hydrogen is quickly emerging as the best alternative to the widely used natural gas due to its multi-use potential as both a fuel and a feedstock. It’s also easy to store, transport through pipelines, and produce no CO2 emissions. This makes it a preferred option for heavy industries looking to reduce their carbon footprint urgently.
Businesses urge California to extend climate program immediately - A coalition of more than 40 retail, oil and gas, clean energy, and other businesses is imploring California legislators to act as soon as possible to extend one of the state’s key climate programs. Businesses including oil companies Shell and Phillips 66 and utilities Pacific Gas and Electric and Southern California Gas Wednesday pressed state Senate and Assembly leaders in a letter Wednesday to extend the state’s carbon cap-and-trade market before their Sept. 12 adjournment for the year.The law authorizing the market expires in 2030. Legislative leaders and Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) have said they want to act before Sept. 12 to renew the program through 2045. “If it’s not extended this year, then investors will lose faith that the leaders are serious about using cap-and-trade to hit California’s targets” for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, said Lenny Hochschild, founding partner of Environmental Commodity Partners investment firm, which signed the statement.
Trump admin rescinds funding for solar farms - The Trump administration will scale back support for solar energy projects on farmland, the Agriculture Department announced.In an appearance with Deputy Agriculture Secretary Stephen Vaden in Tennessee on Monday, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said the department was “rescinding all programs building solar panels on our farmland.”The USDA on Tuesday stepped back the comment, saying in a news release that smaller solar energy projects through the Rural Energy for America Program would continue to be funded, and suggesting that only loan guarantees — not grants — would face the most stringent limits.“Our prime farmland should not be wasted and replaced with green new deal subsidized solar panels,” Rollins said in a news release.
AI means farewell to ‘net-zero’ fantasy - Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT) -- Artificial intelligence is upon us, is here to stay, and is heading in one direction: more. More AI means more electric power generation — a lot more. “Green” or “renewable” energy is not going to cut it, no matter the fantasies of the climate-change doomsday crowd. That means the climate goals of “net-zero” carbon emissions by 2050, or whatever is the latest movable goal post set by the U.N., federal, and state bureaucrats, are a dead letter. Net zero always was a farcical, unscientific, and unrealistic dogma designed to reorder societies and increase government and bureaucratic control over the economy, with ever-diminishing freedom for individuals. Artificial intelligence requires large-scale computational capacity housed in data centers that require massive amounts of electrical power. According to a report by the RAND Corp., this year, AI data centers worldwide need more than 20 gigawatts of power to operate, which is twice the total capacity of the state of Utah and its more than 3.5 million people. In just two years, RAND projects that 68 gigawatts of power will be needed globally to operate more and larger data centers to generate AI, which would double the capacity from 2022, and approach the 86 gigawatts that power the state of California and its 39 million residents. By 2030, more than 300 gigawatts of power are projected globally for AI, though other estimates project lower amounts. AI data centers require tens of thousands of computer chips, and this number is growing, which explains the importance of harnessing rare earth minerals in the United States and regions globally, including Greenland and Africa. The Colossus supercomputer in Memphis, Tennessee, for example, contains 100,000 computer chips and 150 megawatts of power, which approximates the generating capacity of 55 modern wind turbines and 53,000 households, RAND said. In the United States, there are nearly 4,000 data centers, up 40 percent from 18 months ago. Many more are underway. From where will the future energy to power AI come? Not from windmills or solar panels. Instead, the world over will have to increase more reliable energy sources, particularly coal, natural gas, and that other bugaboo of environmentalists, nuclear energy. Like it or not, nuclear power is making a comeback in the United States and natural gas is expanding out of necessity. It is the only way to sustain the rapid growth of AI. As of 2023, 43 percent of electricity generated power came from natural gas, nearly 19 percent from nuclear, 16 percent from coal, 10 percent from wind, and 4 percent from solar, according to the Energy Information Administration. Last year, solar and wind-generated electricity combined eclipsed coal. This may be renewables’ high-water mark. When it comes to AI expansion, solar and wind will not keep up. Energy expert Steve Gorham recently wrote that these sources are replete with transmission costs and delays, are scattered over broad areas, and require transmission towers and lines to be built across the countryside to aggregate enough power for a large data center. The Interior Department is scaling back such projects, citing wind and solar as 5,500 times less efficient on a per-acre basis than nuclear energy. That suggests the “green energy transformation” has peaked and will become a more boutique energy source.
Commerce Department launches national security investigation into wind turbines --The Trump administration has launched a national security probe into imports of wind turbines and their components — a move that could ultimately lead to higher tariffs for wind energy. The probe, which marks the latest salvo in the administration’s efforts to stymie wind energy, was announced in a Federal Register notice Thursday.“On August 13, 2025, the Secretary of Commerce initiated an investigation to determine the effects on the national security of imports of wind turbines and their parts and components,” says the notice. It does not explicitly lay out the reasons for or evidence behind the probe, and the Bureau of Industry and Security did not immediately respond to questions from The Hill.But the administration requested information from the public on topics including the role of foreign supply chains, the impact of foreign government subsidies and predatory trade practices and whether there’s any ability to weaponize foreign-built wind turbines and their parts. The investigation was initiated under section Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. Such probes are supposed to determine the national security impacts of imports and allow the administration to make adjustments, including tariffs, based on their results.It comes after the administration already earlier this week increased steel and aluminum tariffs for hundreds of products including wind turbines. The probe was being launched as President Trump continues his efforts to stifle renewable energy buildout, including by repealing subsidies and setting up new hurdles for approval.
DOT aims to keep wind turbines away from railroads, highways - Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has joined the Trump administration’s assault on wind energy with the rollout of a new policy designed to push turbines away from the nation’s transportation arteries.Duffy said last month that he would recommend keeping future wind turbines at least 1.2 miles away from both railroads and highways — citing the potential for the turbines to interfere with railroad radio communication. He added the Transportation Department would study the issue further and work with other federal agencies to enforce the setback. But critics have complained that Duffy’s actions are outsize to the problem and rely on scant evidence. They say it’s part of the administration’s broader attack on green energy. Duffy unveiled the July 29 policy amid a rapid-fire series of announcements by the Interior Department against the wind industry. In a statement, he said it’s about “implementing a higher standard of safety.”But there are political bonuses too for Duffy.The new policy allows Duffy to curry favor with the White House and push against an industry that President Donald Trump has personally targeted. And it gives the Republican official a chance to throw an elbow at former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a Democrat who could make a run for president in 2028.“Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg put climate religion ahead of safety — blatantly ignoring engineers who warned of the danger of constructing wind turbines near railroads and highways,” Duffy said in a statement.In the weeks since Duffy announced the new policy, the evidence behind it has come under scrutiny. It was largely based on single report by a railroad industry consultant. And the wind industry contends the research is flawed and says that the Transportation Department is misinterpreting the results. “It’s Federal overreach, and an affront to private property rights,” the American Clean Power Association, a trade group for the wind industry, said in an email. “Based on decades of experience with more than 75,000 turbines operating today there is no evidence to justify DOT’s recommendation.”The report said it’s possible for wind turbines to interfere with the radio system used in positive train control, a system used to help trains avoid collisions and operate at safe speeds. The research was based on field tests at wind farms near Tehachapi, California, that primarily use older-model turbines — some of them with metal parts in the blades. The turbines are also packed more closely than most U.S. wind farms. Most modern wind turbines are taller than the models in Tehachapi, and their blades are made from wood and composites, which reduces their impact on radio signals.The wind industry says it has a lengthy history of working with airports, military bases and weather stations to reduce the impact on radar and communications equipment.The disruption comes at a critical time for the broader renewable power sector. The U.S. needs to build more than 100 gigawatts of new generation over the next four years and only a handful of technologies — including wind, solar and gas — can scale up that fast, said Ray Long, chief executive officer of the American Council on Renewable Energy. “Unfortunately, the Department of Transportation action comes alongside a series of unwarranted federal policy interventions that undermine renewable energy deployment at a moment when certainty and timely permitting are essential,” Long said in a written statement.
How Trump’s tax plan for renewables will remake US energy - The Trump administration’s new clean energy tax guidance deals a fresh blow to many wind and solar companies already reeling from enactment of the Republican megalaw, raising new questions about the trajectory of renewables. The Treasury Department plan, released Friday and mandated by an executive order on July 7, rewrites decades-old standards for how wind and solar projects can qualify for lucrative credits. The revisions no longer allow projects that incur 5 percent of their costs to be considered under construction — a move that could make it difficult for many developers to receive federal support and move forward. The guidance also requires companies to meet the new standards within two weeks, angering industry advocates. The move “is part of an unprecedented side deal the administration made with anti-clean energy ideologues to undermine Congress,” said Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association. She predicted the guidance would threaten thousands of small businesses. But considering Trump’s rhetoric against renewables, Treasury’s plan is not as bad for the industry as some expected. It will allow many projects to receive credits through the end of the decade and is not retroactive as some had feared. The guidance “is less restrictive than the rumors that were circulating around K Street,” said Tim Urban, head of the tax policy practice at the law firm Bracewell. Under the One Big Beautiful Act, wind and solar projects can qualify for incentives if they are placed in service by the end of 2027 or begin construction before July 4 of next year. The phase-out of credits has spurred predictions of a steep drop off in wind and solar projects after 2027. Yet until the new guidance, it was unclear how far the Trump administration might go to curtail renewables beyond the megalaw’s provisions. Conservative Republicans have pressured the administration to crack down further on wind and solar subsidies, while moderate lawmakers pushed back. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), who considers himself the “father” of the wind energy tax credit, put a hold on Trump’s Treasury nominees over the issue. The Treasury plan won praise from Grassley, who said it “seems to offer a viable path forward for the wind and solar industries to continue to meet increased energy demand.” Treasury is eliminating the 5 percent standard to receive credits after Sept. 2. The guidance largely leaves intact another standard where companies prove they commenced construction by doing “physical work of a significant nature” on projects. Once a project is under construction, it also will still have four years to come online while receiving credits — a lifeline that could allow many developers to receive federal incentives through the end of the decade. “I appreciate the work Secretary [Scott] Bessent and his team put in to issue guidance that reflects some of the concerns Congress and industry leaders have raised,” Grassley said. The House Freedom Caucus, chaired by Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), also cheered the guidance, even while taking a dig at Grassley for holding up Treasury nominees. Freedom Caucus members, including Reps. Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), had led the charge to quickly terminate tax credits for wind and solar as part of the megalaw. “This action — along with subsequent measures by the Departments of Treasury and Interior — executes a key part of the negotiations between Members of the House Freedom Caucus to build on the successful repeal of the Green New Scam in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, fulfilling a core promise of the 2024 campaign,” the caucus wrote on X. Congressional Democrats and environmental groups warned that the policy could increase electricity bills by making it harder to build the new energy needed to meet rising demand. “The bottom line is that Trump is creating a national energy crisis that Americans are already seeing in their utility bills and is bound to get even worse, and Republicans voted for it,” Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon), the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, said in a statement. “Trump is destroying America’s clean energy industry, and Chinese firms are going to prosper at our expense.”
Senate Republican may delay nominees over energy credits -A coalition of more than 40 retail, oil and gas, clean energy, and other businesses is imploring California legislators to act as soon as possible to extend one of the state’s key climate programs. Businesses including oil companies Shell and Phillips 66 and utilities Pacific Gas and Electric and Southern California Gas Wednesday pressed state Senate and Assembly leaders in a letter Wednesday to extend the state’s carbon cap-and-trade market before their Sept. 12 adjournment for the year.The law authorizing the market expires in 2030. Legislative leaders and Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) have said they want to act before Sept. 12 to renew the program through 2045.“If it’s not extended this year, then investors will lose faith that the leaders are serious about using cap-and-trade to hit California’s targets” for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, said Lenny Hochschild, founding partner of Environmental Commodity Partners investment firm, which signed the statement.
US DOE plans $1B funding to support critical minerals, materials production -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) plans to launch nearly $1 billion in funding opportunities to reduce reliance on foreign imports of critical minerals and materials, aligning with the “Unleashing American Energy” presidential order. The Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains will provide up to $500 million to expand processing, battery manufacturing, and recycling for materials such as lithium, nickel, graphite, copper, aluminum, and rare earth elements, requiring at least 50% cost-share from recipients. Additional initiatives include $50 million for the Critical Minerals and Materials Accelerator program to advance rare-earth magnet processes, semiconductor materials, and lithium extraction technologies, as well as $250 million through the Fossil Energy and Carbon Management Office for industrial-scale projects recovering valuable byproducts. Another $135 million will support methods for refining rare earth elements from waste streams, requiring academic partners. Separately, ARPA-E will allocate $40 million under its RECOVER program to recover minerals from industrial wastewater, enhancing domestic supply security
Trump officials tap Biden-era laws for critical mineral funds - The Trump administration is considering using unspent money tied to Biden-era laws — from the CHIPS Act to the Inflation Reduction Act — to boost critical minerals and counter China’s dominance. Doing so would allow the administration to support the sector without asking Congress to sign off on additional funding. The administration is having “very preliminary discussions” about using money from former President Joe Biden’s CHIPS and Science Act to “shore up domestic production of critical minerals that are needed for semiconductor manufacturing,” said an administration official. It’s unclear just how much money that effort will yield.
Trump’s mineral megadeal is bypassing US laws - The Trump administration is quietly taking steps to circumvent federal laws in its quest to bolster U.S. mineral production.When Trump officials forged a multibillion dollar deal to become the biggest stakeholder in a Las Vegas-based company operating the nation’s only rare earths mine in California, the Department of Defense never held a press conference or doled out the details about its megadeal with MP Materials.The deal, aimed at boosting the nation’s output of rare earth magnets used in EVs, electronics and weapons, could act as a model for other projects in the pipeline.But tucked into the mining company’s financial filings is language showing how the DOD relied on a rarely used part of the Cold War-era Defense Production Act to sidestep standard and routine procurement and contracting laws. That move troubles public-interest watchdogs, former agency officials and legal experts.The megadeal is advancing unburdened by the Federal Acquisition Regulation, Cost Accounting Standards, the Competition in Contracting Act and the Truthful Cost or Pricing Data Statute, according to the company’s financial filings.It’s an unprecedented, though legally defensible, strategy that invites both risk and reward, said Joel Dodge, director of Industrial Policy & Economic Security at the Vanderbilt Policy Accelerator.The perils include making the process less competitive, picking “winners and losers” within an industry, and weakening guardrails that are in place to protect taxpayers, said Dodge. And those vulnerabilities especially matter given that the DOD’s arrangement with MP Materials could also be the first of many. Trump officials who huddled with other rare earth producers in recent weeks said similar deals are in the works.“This certainly looks like it might be the new playbook for these types of deals,” said Dodge. “If it’s not going to be a one-off, I would probably expect that this would be the starting point for future partnerships along the order of MP Materials.”MP Materials declined to comment, deferring questions to the DOD. Tyson Slocum, director of Public Citizen’s Energy Program, said past administrations have used the Cold War-era law in various ways, including to address supply chain issues during the pandemic, but not to circumvent existing laws. Slocum criticized DOD for not being more transparent.“This appears to be an unprecedented abuse of DPA to exploit emergency authorities to circumvent federal standards,” said Tyson. “It’s outrageous that we’re learning this from a company disclosure rather than the Department of Defense.”But there are some guardrails in place for the deal, said Zoe Oysul, a senior policy analyst at SAFE’s Center for Critical Minerals Strategy: Congress will have oversight of funds needed to sustain the deal, and the government will have direct oversight given the DOD is now MP Materials’ largest stakeholder.President Donald Trump declared a national energy emergency and inked an executive order in March to counter the threat of U.S. reliance on “hostile foreign powers’ mineral production.” At the same time, Beijing has throttled exports of rare earths and magnets, rattling supply chains.Rare earths are a group of 17 metallic elements that are used to make EVs, consumer electronics, medical equipment, aircraft engines and military equipment such as missiles and radar systems, and it is used in oil refining. While they are not rare in terms of how abundant they are in the Earth’s crust, rare earths are difficult to extract and refine because they are widely dispersed, found in complex mineral combinations, and each element has its own unique processing requirements.The Defense Production Act has repeatedly emerged as a focus of the administration. The law, which President Harry Truman signed into law in 1950, gives the president broad authority over industrial and economic policy, primarily in response to the Korean War.Title III of the law, in particular, allows the president to expand the capacity and supply of critical materials, such as minerals needed for defense and supply chains. Within that portion of the law is a provision that states the president can operate “without regard to” certain limits of existing laws when using those authorities to expand industrial capacity.Drew Horn, who worked on minerals policy in the first Trump administration and is now founder and CEO of advisory firm GreenMet, said the DOD’s use of the provision is indeed unprecedented.But Horn countered that the goal is not to avoid compliance with existing laws. Instead, Horn said the administration is finding ways to act more nimbly and cut through red tape in an emergency situation to combat China.
New Yorkers fighting against massive battery storage plants find new ally in EPA chief --Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin has emerged as a significant supporter for New Yorkers opposing the installation of large-scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in residential areas, warning of severe fire hazards and toxic contamination risks, and preparing to introduce EPA guidance in Hauppauge to help municipalities evaluate such dangers. Although not opposing green energy outright, Zeldin criticized Governor Kathy Hochul and state Democrats for pursuing what he termed “delusional” climate mandates that he argues sacrifice public safety and dependable energy in favor of unrealistic goals. New York, aiming to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2030 and achieve fully zero-emission electricity by 2040, has approved over 6,000 BESS projects, sparking heightened backlash, especially in places like Staten Island, Queens, the Hudson Valley, and Hauppauge—where local residents fear groundwater and river contamination from fires. Hochul’s office countered by defending the state’s stringent battery storage safety rules and stressing their climate benefits.
Biden-Era USPS Fleet Contract For EVs Has Failed To Deliver, Time To Pull The Plug? --A $10 billion contract awarded by the Biden administration for the production of 35,000 electric vehicles (EVs) to replace the U.S. Postal Service’s (USPS) aging fleet has produced only 250 new vehicles in more than 2 years.Despite receiving billion of dollars in contracts and government subsidies and building a new plant, Oshkosh Defense has failed to deliver the 3,000 battery electric vehicles it promised to have produced by late 2024.The failure is prompting calls for the Trump administration to cancel the Biden-era contract and to instead award the money to Morgan Olson, a veteran-owned manufacturer which promises to make a gas-powered, right-hand-drive delivery truck, faster and more affordably than the Oshkosh program can.The Federal Newswire reports that Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) has described the USPS EV contract with Oshkosh as among the most wasteful federal projects in a report titled “Off The Rails: The Billion Dollar Boondoggles Taking Taxpayers for a Ride.”When a $2.98 billion contract was first awarded in 2022, Oshkosh had no working prototype or delivery vehicle experience, despite promising to produce 50,000 Next Generation Delivery Vehicles (NGDVs).Ernst’s report states:“When the first vehicles were finally delivered, significant fixes were required before they were usable. Despite the delays, USPS agreed to pay higher prices for the vehicles,” the report adds,
Electric school buses hit pothole after major supplier goes bankrupt - Even Republicans have tolerated one Biden-era climate program: a $5 billion effort to buy electric school buses and give kids’ lungs a break from diesel pollution. But now a major bus supplier has collapsed — leaving school districts with technology that’s hard to fix.Lion, an electric truck- and bus-maker based in Quebec, is in bankruptcy after selling roughly 3,400 buses in the United States. Last month, its new investors notified alarmed school districts that they would not honor warranties.“They ran properly for approximately two weeks, then we started getting error messages,” said Andrew Dolloff, the superintendent of schools in Yarmouth, Maine, about the district’s two Lion buses.
House GOP launches probe of California high-speed rail - House Republicans have started an investigation into California’s long-overdue high-speed rail project, questioning whether the state used overly optimistic projections when it applied for federal funds.The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee asked the U.S. Department of Transportation for documents and a staff briefing about the project, including forecasts of the number of people who would ride the train, according to a letter released by Chair James Comer (R-Ky.).The rail system was originally slated to connect California’s two largest metro areas, Los Angeles and San Francisco, by 2030, at a cost of $33 billion.The current cost is estimated as high as $128 billion, and the opening date could be as late as 2033. And that only includes a smaller section between Bakersfield and Merced in California’s Central Valley.
Trump Energy secretary: ‘We’re going to get blamed’ for rising power prices — but they’re Democrats’ fault -— Energy Secretary Chris Wright said he knows Republicans could suffer political pain for the electricity prices that are rising before next year’s midterm elections. But he hopes voters will know to blame the Democrats instead.“The momentum of the Obama-Biden policies, for sure that destruction is going to continue in the coming years,” Wright told POLITICO during a visit to wind- and corn-rich Iowa. Still, he said: “That momentum is pushing prices up right now. And who’s going to get blamed for it? We’re going to get blamed because we’re in office.”Electricity prices at the end of July averaged 5.5 percent higher than a year earlier amid surging power demand.Wright’s acknowledgment of economic reality offered a bit of a contrast to President Donald Trump’s relentlessly sunny proclamations about the nation under his watch, from Trump’s promises of a new “golden age” to his predictions that “we’re going to have the greatest economic boom in history.” Wright’s words also look ahead to one of the potential sleeper issues of the 2026 election, as the parties seek to own the message about how Trump’s effort to thwart the development of wind and solar power is affecting electricity customers’ wallets.
Leaked Emails Show EPA Sought To Discredit Scientist After Ohio Train Derailment Disaster -Leaked emails from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) show that the agency sought to discredit an independent scientist who questioned official data on contamination following the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment and fire in February 2023. Following the official EPA announcement that were no dangerous levels of toxins in the area and that it was safe for residents to return home, independent testing expert Scott Smith reported finding high levels of dioxins in the soil in East Palestine. According to News Nation, when Smith’s findings were reported in spring of 2023, former EPA administrator Judith Enck said the agency should pay attention to Smith’s test results.Instead of taking new samples and doing similar testing, leaked emails show that the EPA began collecting Smith’s personal information and monitoring his actions in an effort to discredit the environmental scientist.NEW emails show after the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio Democrat’s EPA worked to discredit scientists who tested the soil and air 🚨 They even put scientists under surveillance using drones to monitor their movements “The Environmental Protection Agency is supposed…pic.twitter.com/THjy2pAHJr Smith’s personal information and whereabouts were distributed to more than 50 EPA employees, his dog’s picture was circulated and drones were documented hovering near the scientist on multiple occasions.Lesley Pacey, with the Government Accountability Project, told NewsNation that the EPA’s response was “troubling” since it was a matter of public health. Lacey said, “What the EPA seems to have done here in East Palestine is that they were more interested in controlling the narrative and controlling what was going out to the community, from the community and back to the community,” adding, “They were definitely controlling the narrative of nothing to see here, no long-term health impacts.”
Records show industry sway on toxic emissions rollback - Two years ago, Madeline Darnell cheered on EPA’s plans to require coke manufacturers to track emissions of a cancer-causing air pollutant around their plants. The Pittsburgh retiree had a different reaction to the agency’s recent use of a secretive stratagem to allow the industry up to two more years to comply.“I was surprised,” she said in an interview.But if Darnell and the general public were frozen out of the backdoor maneuvering, the handful of companies that make the distilled coal product were fully plugged in as EPA embraced their aid in crafting the case for delay, internal documents show.The correspondence — only months into President Donald Trump’s second term — offers a revealing glimpse of how the administration’s tilt toward polluting industries plays out in practice.“I apologize that it has taken so long,” an EPA staffer emailed a SunCoke Energy vice president in late June as the agency rushed to postpone looming regulatory updates put in place last year. “I know that you all had some overarching rationale for extending the deadlines, but if there are any specific examples you could point to, that would be very helpful.”Meeting minutes also filed in the online docket show that participation was limited to EPA employees and industry representatives. In an earlier exchange, a trade group head asked the EPA staffer, a career employee named Jonathan Witt, to set up a time “to review draft text for the Interim Final Rule.”Witt replied that the agency could not share the document before publication.“However, we do welcome suggestions,” he added, “and we would be more than happy to set up another call to discuss further.”Last month, EPA issued the final version of that rule, giving coke plants until mid-2027 to begin monitoring for carcinogenic benzene and pausing other scheduled pollution control measures. By resorting to an interim rule, which is generally supposed to be used only in emergencies, EPA didn’t have to provide the public with advance notice of its plans or the opportunity to comment.That approach has since spurred a lawsuit from environmental groups. Still, it could be months before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit renders a decision. Only this week, a three-judge panel gave the agency until mid-September to address the challengers’ initial bid to stay or overturn the rule.EPA said the added time was needed to provide “a fair chance to respond.” The Pennsylvania-based Clean Air Council and other plaintiffs unsuccessfully objected that the effect would be to burden nearby communities with continued “excess toxic air pollution.”
DOE order keeps Michigan coal plant open, slams wind and solar -Citing the energy emergency declared by President Donald Trump upon taking office, Energy Secretary Chris Wright extended his order Thursday that a large Michigan coal plant keep running past its planned closure. “The United States continues to face an energy emergency, with some regions experiencing more capacity constraints than others,” Wright said in extending the order. “With electricity demand increasing, we must put an end to the dangerous energy subtraction policies embraced by politicians for too long.” The power system is under unprecedented stress from the digital economy, as it tries to keep up with demand for cloud computing and artificial intelligence data centers — and prepare for voracious demand growth through 2030. In a second order directing Consumers Energy and the Midwest grid operator to keep the J.H. Campbell coal-fired power plant in West Olive, Michigan, running through November, Wright deployed a nearly century-old law written for wartime use. Wright extended his original order in May that kept the plant open. “The emergency conditions that led to the issuance of the original order persist,” Wright said. But in hewing to Trump’s personalized understanding of the grid’s challenges, Wright risks ignoring the full range of stresses ahead, say electricity experts, issues that can’t be solved just by keeping old power plants running. Wright again Thursday pointed an accusing finger at wind and solar power. “This order will help ensure millions of Americans can continue to access affordable, reliable, and secure baseload power regardless of whether the wind is blowing or the sun is shining,” Wright said. Grids serving Texas and huge swaths of the middle of the country use significant amounts of renewable energy to keep the lights on, with utilities and big technology companies building or purchasing more. California has installed large amounts of energy storage to enable its supply of renewable power. The decisive action to keep the J.H. Campbell plant running contrasts dramatically with the snail-paced regulatory changes that have guided an industry that abhors surprises. “Everything we do in the energy space takes too long — 10 years or more,” said Jeff Weiss, executive director of Distributed Sun, a solar energy developer, speaking at a U.S. Energy Association event this week. “We need to figure out how to do everything in two years,” he added, “and it’s critical to our economy.”
Two 1950s coal plants defy financial gravity along the Ohio River - An Ohio law that took effect last week ended a decade long subsidy program buttressing a pair of Rust Belt coal plants from volatile power markets. But the Kyger Creek and Clifty Creek plants along the Ohio River — each of which turns 70 this year — show no sign of giving in to financial pressures that have claimed dozens of similar generators in the region in past years.Their endurance is partly a sign of the times. The plants, owned by a consortium of eight utilities known as the Ohio Valley Electric Corp. (OVEC), sell their output into the nation’s largest power market operated by PJM Interconnection, which is expecting a tsunami of new demand from data centers. And the coal industry, which faced headwinds under President Joe Biden, again has an ally in the White House Most importantly, OVEC companies are bound by a contract that calls for the plants, still saddled by nearly $1 billion in debt, to continue operating for 15 years. Any decision to pull the plug, or change how the plants are operated, must be the consensus of all the owners — a reason that utility lawyers and lobbyists have worked relentlessly to recover every dollar they can.The nature of the operating agreement has frustrated environmental groups because the plants are major sources of air pollution in the region. And while many of the area’s large coal-burning power plants have been forced offline by failing economics — including the 2,000-megawatt Conesville plant, 2,200-MW Sammis plant and 1,300-MW Zimmer plants in Ohio — the OVEC plants keep going. Even critics agree there’s likely to be little change in the future despite the loss of the subsidies in Ohio, a provision still stained by a connection to the state’s largest-ever public corruption scandal. “Given the current political climate and how tight the (PJM) capacity market is right now … I don’t see the pressure being enough in the next couple of years,” Glick said.Columbus, Ohio-based American Electric Power has the largest stake in the plants with more than 43 percent. An AEP executive is OVEC’s president.In an email response to questions, AEP spokesman Scott Blake said the state of the power market demonstrates a need for the plants. He cited soaring clearing prices in the recent PJM auction for power plant capacity — the cost of guaranteeing there will be power available at peak times — as proof there’s increasing need for generating capacity.The PJM auction “demonstrates that resources like the Clifty Creek and Kyger Creek facilities serve a critical reliability function,” Blake said. “Customers and the communities around the facilities have benefited from reliable power produced and [the] economic contributions of the plants.”
BLM advances Powder River Basin coal mine expansion - The Bureau of Land Management is advancing the proposed West Antelope III coal lease-by-application project that would sprawl across 3,500 acres in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin. In an environmental impact statement (EIS) released Friday, the agency said the project would allow Navajo Transitional Energy, or NTEC, to expand operations next to the existing Antelope mine in Campbell and Converse counties. It could unlock access to more than 440 million tons of federal coal. The company did not respond when asked about its plans for the lease.The move unravels steps the Biden administration took to halt mining in the Powder River Basin, which spans Montana and Wyoming and is home to 40 percent of U.S. coal production. Late last year, the Biden White House officially moved to end coal leasing in the basin, drawing a sharp rebuke and threats from Republicans and the mining sector.
Surface owner's group supports Ohio County couple suing mining company for subsidence damages - Dominion Post – Many West Virginians live above active or abandoned coal mines. If you’ve bought property you’ve probably checked with the U.S. Geological Society – based in Morgantown – to see if it sits above a mine, And maybe you’ve bought subsidence insurance in case your house splits apart or your backyard pond disappears. Now, the West Virginia Surface Owners’ Rights Organization has joined the cause of an Ohio County couple suing a mining company for damages caused by long wall mining subsidence. Jason and Crystal Wilhem, the landowners, are suing Tunnel Ridge LLC, a subsidiary of Alliance Resource Partners. Both the Ohio County Circuit Court and the state Intermediate Court of Appeals ruled against the Wilhelms, saying that statute of limitations had passed on their claim and they’d waited too long to file suit for compensation. The West Virginia Supreme Court took up the case this month and WVSOR filed an amicus – friend of the court – brief supporting the Wilhelms. WVSORO’s brief explains that Tunnel Ridge began its underground long wall mining operation in 2017. Starting in 2018, and continuing, the property has suffered subsidence damage. They notified Tunnel Ridgel which inspected the property and on March 20, 2019, told the Wilhelms it would pay for any damage until they signed a release of all claims related to subsidence. “This release would have included claims for future subsidence damage, which can occur at random for decades or centuries,” WVSORO said. The parties continued negotiating but failed to reach a settlement. The Wilhelms then filed a case in federal court against Tunnel Ridge on April 17, 2020. It was dismissed for lack of jurisdiction and they re-filed in circuit court on Sept. 24, 2021, losing there and in the intermediate court. WVSORO argues that the lower courts misapplied the statue of limitations statutes, saying the statute of limitations has not yet begun to run. Since a coal mine operator is obligated to “correct material damage” to surface lands and structures, an operator which fails to do so is in violation of that regulation, and any statute of limitations under the West Virginia Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Act does not begin to run for as long as the operator is in violation. Additionally, WVSORO says, the federal agency that administers the federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act has twice concluded that imposing a statute of limitations on citizen suits for subsidence damage would violate SMCRA and so must be disallowed. WVSORO says in a release announcing the amicus brief that the lower courts wrongly assumed that surface owners know exactly when undermining occurs and ignored that subsidence can occur or worsen for years or decades after mining has ceased. The lower courts relied on code provisions not specific to mining or subsidence. WVSORO adds in its brief, “Subsidence damage can be devastating to a surface owner, in the form of destabilizing foundations, ruining or disrupting water tables, breaking water pipelines or septic systems, causing natural gas to gather, breaking gas transmission or distribution pipelines, and diminishing property values, just to name a few. And subsidence damage ‘isn’t usually covered by homeowners’ insurance,’ meaning that surface owners often have no other remedy for these injuries.” It continues, “Under these circumstances, commencing the statute of limitations on the date of mining or when subsidence is first noticed – as the intermediate court did – makes it a certainty that subsidence damage will go unrepaired in West Virginia, and possibly injure a party who never benefited from the mining in the first place.”
Trump’s nuclear policy favors startups, widening industry rifts - The list of companies participating in the Department of Energy’s new nuclear reactor pilot program is the latest illustration of a growing divide in the industry, which is only intensifying as the Trump administration takes more strident action to boost the technology. Last week, DOE chose 10 small nuclear reactor developers to compete for safety design approvals, aiming to advance the technology quickly and have at least three new pilot plants operating by July 4, 2026. Participants included startups like Terrestrial Energy and Aalo Atomics, but notably absent were established nuclear developers such as Westinghouse Nuclear and GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy. President Donald Trump signed executive orders in May that set the program in motion. The orders also called for an “expedited pathway to approve reactor designs” that had been tested and certified either by DOE or the Defense Department. Under the Trump order, safety designs for new reactors approved by the two agencies could not be revisited by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Around the same time, a staffer affiliated with the so-called Department of Government Efficiency instructed the NRC to give “rubber-stamp” approval of reactor designs tested by DOE.Industry watchers say the pilot program participants — companies that generally have less experience and have roots in Silicon Valley — are also more likely to support Trump’s shakeup at the NRC. Indeed, three of the pilot program participants have sued the NRC, asserting it should not have jurisdiction over some small reactors.. In contrast, the older and more experienced firms are more apprehensive about the instability stemming from the Trump administration’s overhaul. “The companies with actual nuclear reactor experience that have built actual operating nuclear reactors are the ones that have been staying away and that value the regulator,” said Allison Macfarlane, a former chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission who is now director of the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia. Participants in the pilot program believe there is room for improvement in the nuclear regulatory process. They characterize the administration’s actions as a positive way to speed up future license applications. “This is for a pilot reactor. This is to collect data, demonstrate systems. This is not for a commercial plant,” Simon Irish, CEO of Terrestrial Energy, said of the pilot program. Terrestrial is a North Carolina-based developer of molten-salt reactor technology.tCuomo’s Indian Point shutdown haunts NYC’s electric mix - — Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s successful quest to shut down the Indian Point nuclear plant dirtied the grid of the city he’s now fighting to lead and spiked costs for consumers. Cuomo fought for decades to shut the nuclear plant located 25 miles north of the city. He raised concerns about the safety of the aging plant and its proximity to the city, where an evacuation — if the worst happened — would be impossible.When the plant was shuttered, gas power plants filled in the gap. The state’s electricity emissions increased 22 percent from 2019 to 2022 after the nuclear plant closed, making the state’s and city’s climate goals more challenging to achieve. “The city is much more reliant on its in-city fossil generation in a way that didn’t have to happen the way it did,” said Dan Zarrilli, former chief climate policy adviser to then-Mayor Bill de Blasio. “It was clear that natural gas was going to fill that gap.”
AI firm rolls out tool to detect nuclear weapons talk --Artificial intelligence (AI) firm Anthropic has rolled out a tool to detect talk about nuclear weapons, the company said in a Thursday blog post. “Nuclear technology is inherently dual-use: the same physics principles that power nuclear reactors can be misused for weapons development. As AI models become more capable, we need to keep a close eye on whether they can provide users with dangerous technical knowledge in ways that could threaten national security,” Anthropic said in the blog post. “Information relating to nuclear weapons is particularly sensitive, which makes evaluating these risks challenging for a private company acting alone,” the blog post continued. “That’s why last April we partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to assess our models for nuclear proliferation risks and continue to work with them on these evaluations.”Anthropic said in the blog post that it was “going beyond assessing risk to build the tools needed to monitor for it,” adding that the firm made “an AI system that automatically categorizes content” called a “classifier” alongside the DOE and NNSA.The system, according to the blog post, “distinguishes between concerning and benign nuclear-related conversations with 96% accuracy in preliminary testing.”The firm also said the classifier has been used on traffic for its own AI model Claude “as part of our broader system for identifying misuse of our models.” “Early deployment data suggests the classifier works well with real Claude conversations,” Anthropic added.
New law focused on energy production takes effect — House Bill 15 came into effect Thursday, and it’s meant to empower construction of gas plants across the state. Research fellow of the Buckeye Institute Greg Lawson said this law comes at a time that the demand of electricity is spiking. The bill is meant to increase the incentives for people to produce more electricity in Ohio.Lawson said it also makes things easier for developers to get things going.“It expedites the process for going to the public utilities commission, who has to approve these things,” Lawson said. “It also does some tax code changes that create, shifts the burden around a little bit to make it easier to develop projects.”John Patrick Blackwood, the spokesperson from the Office of Ohio Consumers’ counsel said he’s also on board with this bill. One thing it does is that it ends subsidies that consumers have been paying for over the last five years–subsidies from the two scandal-linked coal plants.“That bill did some great things that are going to support consumers and potentially help get more generation in Ohio,” Blackwood said. “Consumers paid $500 million in subsidies for these two, you know coal burning power plants, one of those in Indiana.”Some experts say there are some problems to consider.Victor Flatt is the Coleman P. Burke Chair in Environmental Law at Case Western Reserve University School of Law.Fracking Flatt said, within the state parks is one of the problems he’s concerned about in this bill.“I would say the noise impact is probably the biggest problem on average,” Flatt said. “But it can intrude with your visuals, it can intrude when they’re doing the construction, it can tie up the roads, it can cause problems with water runoff, various other things.” Flatt said solar and wind can help connect to the grid faster, but the agenda seems to have something else in it. “It just seems like they’re trying to push this through to try to attract data centers,” Flatt said. While Ohio needs environmental regulations, Lawson said, money speaks louder.
EOG's Encino Energy Made Ohio's Top 15 Oil Wells in 2Q -EOG Resources’ Encino Energy brought on Ohio’s largest new Utica Shale oil wells in the second quarter, clocking the play’s top 13 wells, according to newly released Ohio state data. EOG, which began testing the tight Utica’s oil fairway with first IPs in 2022, bought Encino on Aug. 1 for $5.6 billion in cash. In May 2024, it had declared the Utica’s volatile oil window can “compete with the best plays in America.” The combined operators’ second-quarter Ohio oil results totaled 84,220 bbl/d gross, with Encino contributing 68,750 bbl/d and 15,470 bbl/d by EOG. Two more Encino wells rounded out the top 15 largest second-quarter producers. Both came on in the first quarter and were already 29 days old at the start of the quarter. The combined 15 wells produced an average of 1,738 bbl/d each in the second-quarter during their combined 1,260 days online, or 84 days each, according to Ohio Department of Natural Resources data. Among the 13 newest wells, Encino’s new four-well Folsam CR HAR pad surfaced 652,896 bbl in three months. The largest, the #205H, made 195,194 bbl in its first 91 days. The other three—#1H, #3H and #5H—made between 137,000 bbl and 165,000 bbl. Encino also brought on the four-well Snyder CR UNI pad, totaling 567,201 bbl in just 71 days online, averaging 1,997 bbl/d per each of the four wells. The #1H made 150,838 bbl. The other three—the #205H, #3H and #5H—made between 128,000 bbl and 149,000 bbl. The five-well Landman GY CEN pad made 672,241 bbl in its first 86 days online, averaging 1,563 bbl/d per well. The two Encino wells in the top 15 that had come online in the first quarter are the Kitzmiller CL KNX #10H and #210H. Already online 29 days, they made another combined 297,465 bbl or an average of 1,634 bbl/d each in the next 91. The 15 Encino wells are in Carroll, Columbiana and Guernsey counties. The wells also made 10.5 Bcf in their 1,260 days online combined, averaging 8.3 MMcf/d per well.
Hope Utilities Secures Deal to Build Natural Gas Pipeline for Data Center Project in Ohio - Pipeline Technology Journal =US-based pipeline company Hope Utilities has entered into an agreement with American Electric Power (AEP) to construct a natural gas pipeline that will supply its fuel cell power station, which is being developed to power a data centre in central Ohio. Announced on Thursday, August 14, the pipeline will be built, operated, and maintained by Hope Utilities' local subsidiary, Northeast Ohio Natural Gas Corporation (NEO). According to Hope Utilities’ release, NEO will also construct and maintain the associated gas facilities and pipelines for the project, including interconnects with interstate pipelines. “Data centre developers will build these facilities in locations that have the reliable and affordable energy resources they need. Hope Utilities and NEO are ready to deliver the natural gas expertise, infrastructure, and resources necessary to move these important projects forward,” he said.The entire project is expected to be completed and commissioned by October 2026, providing the capabilities required to meet the growing energy needs amid the growing number of power-hungry data centres in Ohio. “Ohio is poised to benefit from investments to support data centers,” said O’Brien, emphasizing that data centre investments will “significantly enhance the economic trajectory” of Ohio as a state and the region at large. This pipeline investment is just the start of Hope Utilities and NEO’s support of these projects to provide meaningful economic development opportunities throughout Ohio,” said O’Brien.
Data center in Hilliard area to be powered by new central Ohio natural gas pipeline -- American Electric Power is hoping to develop a fuel cell-powered data center in the Hilliard area that will rely on a natural gas pipeline to be built by a West Virginia company and its Ohio subsidiary. Known as the Scioto Darby Creek Road Fuel Cell System Project, it will be located in a potentially environmentally sensitive area just north of Scioto Darby Creek Road and west of Interstate 270, according to a document filed with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. "I would assume that there are other pipelines already serving Hilliard," said Anthony Sasson, a member of the Darby Creek Association and watchdog of ecological impacts in the area. "If the pipeline is new and goes far enough west, that could be an issue." Hope Utilities announced an agreement to construct the pipeline to supply a fuel cell project being developed by American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) to power a data center in the county. The size and precise location of the data center have not been released. "AEP previously announced an agreement to purchase Bloom Energy fuel cells to use as a generation solution for data centers. The (Public Utilities Commission of Ohio) recently approved AEP’s proposal with the end customer supporting the total cost of the fuel cell projects," Scott Blake, AEP director of media relations, said in an email to The Dispatch. "This pipeline would supply natural gas to one of those projects. Customer information and contract details are confidential." AEP in June announced plans to install onsite fuel cells at facilities operated by Amazon Web Services and Cologix. The fuel cells provide the energy that allows these data centers to begin operations quickly, while the electric grid grows to support their needs, according to the news release. Bloom systems provide energy through chemical reactions from solid oxide fuel cells and natural gas. Under these long-term agreements, AWS and Cologix will cover the full project costs. It was unclear which of the projects would be online first. Blake said that the 4-mile pipeline would act as a connector to a larger gas line. Data centers, typically used by large tech companies Amazon, Google and Facebook, have received scrutiny for their energy consumption and potential to overburden the electrical power grid. Columbus alone has at least 23 data centers, according to a Dispatch analysis earlier this year. Hope Utilities, based in Morgantown, West Virginia, owns natural gas, water and wastewater utility companies in several states, including gas utilities in Ohio and four other states. The companies provide service to more than 200,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers. Hope Utilities’ Ohio subsidiary, Northeast Ohio Natural Gas Corporation (NEO), will build, operate and maintain the pipeline and associated natural gas facilities for this project. NEO is a regulated public utility that provides natural gas service to more than 36,000 customers in 31 Ohio counties. "Hope Utilities and NEO are ready to deliver the natural gas expertise, infrastructure and resources necessary to move these important projects forward,” Morgan O’Brien, Hope Utilities CEO said in a prepared release. The pipeline project and supporting infrastructure will be complete and in service by October 2026. “Ohio is poised to benefit from investments to support data centers,” said O’Brien. “Data center investments will significantly enhance the economic trajectory of Ohio and the region. Hope is committed to adding to those investments through infrastructure upgrades and other community investments."
OH Supreme Court to Hear Case of Closed AWMS Injection Well, Again - Marcellus Drilling News - We’ve been tracking a story that we consider an ongoing tragedy for more than a decade. American Water Management Services (AWMS) owns a wastewater injection well in Trumbull County, Ohio, that supposedly caused a low-level earthquake (that nobody could feel) in 2014. Actually, there are two injection wells located at the site, both operated by AWMS. They were both “temporarily” shut down by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) following the quake nobody could feel (seeODNR Temporarily Shuts Down Injection Wells After Low-Level Quake). ODNR allowed AWMS to reopen one of the injection wells but denied it the right to reopen the second well. AWMS said it makes no economic sense to reopen just one of the wells and has been locked in a legal battle to reopen the shuttered well and get compensated by the state for forcing it out of business (missed revenues). The Ohio Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case tomorrow—for a third time.
OH Republican Officials Squabble in Public Over Injection Wells - Marcellus Drilling News - According to a leftist Democrat publication, Signal Ohio, what was “supposed to be a sleepy, county-level Republican meeting where political allies get on the same page” turned into a shouting match between Marietta City Council President Susan Vessels (a Republican) and State Senator Brian Chavez (a Republican and Chairman of the Senate Energy Committee). The heated discussion revolved around wastewater injection wells and their proximity to city water supplies. Chavez is the former CEO of DeepRock Disposal Solutions, which currently operates four injection wells near Marietta and has applied to build a fifth.
Cover Story: Utica Shale Boom Part II? - WFMJ.com -news video w/ oilfield activity background
Ohio academy expands welding, heavy equipment programs — Utica Shale Academy’s new interior welding lab is almost finished, with work expected to wrap up in the next two weeks. The 5,000-square-foot facility, located next to the school’s outdoor welding lab at 83 E. Main St., will be used for welding and heavy equipment programs. It will feature 20 welding bays, a plasma cutter, a pipe beveler, and a workspace for heavy equipment training. Ground was broken in March after PDDM Solutions of Canonsburg, Pa., was awarded the $907,000 construction bid. FMD Architects of Fairlawn designed the project. With additional welding bays added, the final cost rose to about $1.5 million, funded through an Appalachian Community Grant and Ohio House Bill 2. Superintendent Bill Watson said coursework will be held in the new building, with three teachers sharing a classroom. The project replaces earlier plans for a three-story structure after funding secured by then–state senator, now Congressman, Michael Rulli came in at a lower amount. Utica Shale Academy was the first recipient of Gov. Mike DeWine’s $500 million Appalachian Community Grant program, which also funded improvements to the Williams Collaboration Center. That building now has new offices, cafeteria upgrades, and an updated air system. Watson credited Rulli, State Rep. Monica Robb Blasdel, and State Sen. Al Cutrona for helping secure support for the project. A ribbon-cutting is planned for Oct. 3. Enrollment at the academy is rising. Watson said 52 more students are enrolled compared to last year, with 15 new students joining in the past two weeks. The school graduated 49 students this year, and the current senior class is about 60. The academy serves about 170 students in grades 7–12. Founded a decade ago, it focuses on career and technical education for at-risk students and offers certifications to prepare them for the workforce.
DEP: Monaca Shell plant's 'high-priority' Clean Air Act violations 'not an imminent threat'- - A Shell plastics plant in the Ohio River Valley has been issued three new High Priority Violations (HPVs) as of June, bringing the facility to a total of six violations in 2025, already surpassing the previous year, according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports.The EPA defines HPVs as a "subset of violations of regulations authorized by the Clean Air Act that warrant additional scrutiny" to ensure state and local agencies respond to them in an appropriate manner.Though the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) told 21 News that HPVs are "typically not items that pose an imminent threat to the public," the EPA additionally describes the violations as "most likely to be significant for human health and the environment."The latest violations state that Shell exceeded the legal limits for nitrogen oxides, toulene, benzene, formaldehyde and other fine particulate matter. DEP described these violations as "exceedances of Shell’s Twelve Month Rolling Total limit for nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions from the facility" and told 21 News that "these exceedances are a subject of a plan approval application that DEP is currently reviewing." Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community (BCMAC) stated in a Tuesday press release that the public, especially residents in the surrounding area, have been left in the dark about Shell's recent violations and the potential health risks they pose."Shell violated air pollution laws in a way that the federal government itself considers a 'high priority' but no one prioritized informing our communities. Real people live near this plant. Families. Children. People deserve transparency from the billion-dollar corporation polluting their air and from the regulators whose job it is to protect us," BCMAC Executive Director Hilary Starcher-O'Toole said in the release.DEP told 21 News that it is not required by law to provide public notice of permits, violations or inspections but does so anyway as a "public courtesy." According to DEP, information on the Monaca Shell facility can be found on the department's public E-Facts page and on the southwest community information page of their website. In 2023, DEP sought to hold Shell accountable for the facility exceeding its emissions limits. The oil company agreed to pay $10 million to the state, including roughly $5 million in civil penalties and $5 million toward funding local environmental projects. Since construction of the Monaca facility began in 2017, Shell has accumulated nearly 50 Notices of Violation, according to BCMAC. However, the company has not been issued a formal monetary penalty for the noncompliance since May 24, 2023, when the company was fined $4,935,023 by the EPA for Clean Air Act violations.
SRBC Stops Water Withdrawals for Fracking Use at 47 Locations -- Marcellus Drilling News - The highly functional and responsible Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC), unlike its highly dysfunctional and irresponsible counterpart, the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC), continues to support the shale energy industry by approving water withdrawals and consumptive use for responsible and safe shale drilling. The SRBC also tells shale drillers when to stop withdrawing if low water flow (i.e., drought) conditions exist. And that’s what the SRBC did earlier today. The agency, via its Hydrologic Conditions Monitor, warned shale drillers that, at 47 listed locations (all in Pennsylvania), they must stop water withdrawals until streamflow reaches a specific “trigger flow” target (different for each location).
‘Black Goop’ Spills into Susquehanna River from Closed Eureka Plant - Marcellus Drilling News --Once upon a time, Eureka Resources operated three shale wastewater recycling facilities in the Marcellus region, one in Bradford County, PA, and two in the Williamsport, PA, area (Lycoming County). One year ago, MDN brought you the news that Eureka had “temporarily” closed the Bradford site and had permanently closed the two sites in Williamsport (see Eureka Temporarily Idles Bradford County Shale Wastewater Plant). In June, MDN reached out to the company for comment on why it had not resumed operation at the Bradford site. We got no response. Now comes word that one of the closed facilities in Williamsport is leaking an “oily substance” that found its way into a storm drain and from there, into the nearby Susquehanna River. A fisherman reported it looked like a “black goop” when reeling in his line.
Feds won’t confirm safety findings on Mountain Valley pipeline - Federal pipeline safety regulators are refusing to release information about their handling of a safety inspector’s complaint that the Mountain Valley natural gas pipeline was built unsafely.The operator of the pipeline in Virginia and West Virginia said regulators at the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration are satisfied with the company’s handling of the inspector’s complaints. But the agency won’t corroborate that, saying it will “neither confirm nor deny the existence” any complaint or investigation. That has unsettled some people who live along the 3½-foot diameter pipeline.“If there’s no problem with those welds, why won’t they release the information?” said Maury Johnson, a West Virginia landowner with about 2,000 feet of pipeline crossing his farm.
Big Green-Owned NY Politicians Pressure Hochul to Block Trump Pipes - Marcellus Drilling News - Big Green is keeping up the pressure on New York Governor Kathy Hochul to block two natural gas pipeline projects that have roared back to life at the prompting of President Trump. Just a week and a half ago, a Big Green rent-a-mob of some 400 (paid) protesters held a rally in New York City and proceeded to march across the Brooklyn Bridge to register their opposition to new natural gas pipelines (see Big Green Marches on Brooklyn Bridge to Protest NESE, Constitution). Barely a week later, Big Green keeps up the pressure, this time by sending a letter signed by 130 New York elected politicians, bought and paid for by Big Green, to Hochul, urging her to block the two projects.
Canada Wants to Dump Marcellus Gas, Source from W. Canada - Marcellus Drilling News --Over the years, we’ve written extensively about natural gas flowing from the Marcellus into Canada. While several pipelines connect to Canada and flow our gas to our cousins to the north, the most prominent such pipeline is the Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline (M&NP), which travels from New England north into Canada, carrying M-U gas along its route. Some of our “cousins” to the north are now advocating to replace natural gas from the U.S. (from the PA Marcellus) with gas from thousands of miles away in Western Canada. Why? Because they hate Donald Trump.
PHMSA Looks to Get Biden-Derailed LNG by Rail Back on Track - Marcellus Drilling News --In January, three leftist judges who sit on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (DC Circuit), one appointed by Joementia, one by Lord Obama, and a third by George H.W. Bush (Bush the 1st), threw out a rule the U.S. Department of Transportation had adopted during President Trump’s first term which allowed liquefied natural gas (LNG) to be transported by train (see DC Circuit Dems Overturn LNG-by-Rail Reg from Trump’s 1st Term). The law-abiding Trump administration recently published changes to its LNG rules to comply with the court’s order. However, Big Green is VERY concerned that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has (1) carved out a loophole, and (2) is looking to reintroduce a full-blown LNG by rail regulation that this time would pass muster in the courts.
U.S. Propane Stocks Build Above Industry Expectations as Exports Lag Year-Ago Levels -- The EIA reported total U.S. propane/propylene inventories had a build of 2.63 MMbbl for the week ended August 15, which was more than industry expectations for an increase of 2.2 MMbbl and the average build for the week of 1.5 MMbbl. Total U.S. propane stocks are now at 91.2 MMbbl, which is 836 Mbbl, or 1% less, than the same week in 2024 and 1 MMbbl, or 1%, less than the 5-year maximum. Inventories are 9.6 MMbbl, or 12%, above the 5-year average. Weekly exports of propane reported by the EIA were about 1.7 MMb/d, up 55 Mb/d from the previous week but below the year-to-date average of 1.8 MMb/d. Reported exports are below the 4-week average of 1.75 MMb/d and below the 2 MMb/d reported in the year-ago week.
Black Bear Transmission (Southeast Pipeline Co.) Selling to Enstor - - Marcellus Drilling News - Black Bear Transmission (BBT), the owner of nine regulated short pipeline transmission systems in the Southeastern U.S. totaling approximately 1,700 miles of pipeline, with a throughput capacity of about 2.6 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), is selling itself to Enstor Pipeline Holdings, LLC, for an undisclosed sum. Black Bear’s pipelines interconnect with 16 major long-haul pipelines and storage facilities across seven states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. Believe it or not, there is a connection to the Marcellus/Utica.
USCG Backs Commonwealth LNG, Says Rising Ship Traffic Demands Tighter Coordination - The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has determined Commonwealth LNG’s facility designs are safe for the Calcasieu Ship Channel, but cautioned that growing congestion will require operators to cooperate closely. In a response to FERC, USCG officials disagreed with Venture Global Inc.’s request for an additional review of Commonwealth’s design and traffic studies, ruling that reports from 2022 would be sufficient. In July, Venture had asked Federal Energy Regulatory Commission staff for assurance that increasing activity around its Calcasieu Pass LNG terminal and other projects wouldn’t disrupt its natural gas shipments.
Regulatory Tailwinds, Surging Global Demand Drive Historic U.S. LNG Buildout -The U.S. LNG industry is booming nearly 10 years after the first cargo sailed from the Gulf Coast, lifted by a favorable regulatory environment, a competitive landscape and end-users that continue to see a role for natural gas in the future, among other factors. Chart showing North American LNG projects by country, divided into existing and under-construction facilities with sendout capacity in million tonnes per annum (MTPA) and billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d). Three of the four positive final investment decisions (FID) this year have been taken on U.S. projects, with Woodside Energy Group Ltd.’s Louisiana LNG, Venture Global Inc.’s CP2 LNG and another expansion at Cheniere Energy Inc.’s Corpus Christi LNG terminal all crossing the finish line. The floating Southern LNG project in Argentina was also sanctioned this year. In North America, project developers have raised nearly $37 billion so far in 2025, which surpassed last year’s levels and is closing in on the record $54 billion raised in 2023, according to Poten & Partners.
What’s Ahead for U.S. LNG amid Rapid Expansion? — Listen Now to NGI’s Hub & Flow --Click here to listen to the latest episode of NGI’s Hub & Flow. NGI’s Jamison Cocklin, managing editor of LNG, is joined by LNG Allies CEO Fred Hutchison for a wide-ranging conversation to discuss the historic buildout of natural gas export infrastructure along the Gulf Coast.
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U.S. LNG Growth Spurs Excelerate’s Plan for Caribbean Natural Gas Supply Hub -Excelerate Energy Inc. management expects surging U.S. LNG supply to unlock more natural gas opportunities in the Caribbean as it plans to leverage its new assets to create a regional export hub. Bar chart of annual Caribbean Islands LNG imports by origin country from 2020 to 2025, showing the United States as the dominant supplier, with additional imports from Nigeria, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Mexico, Algeria, Spain, France, Norway, Brazil, and others. Imports rise steadily from about 1.0 Mt in 2020 to nearly 3.5 Mt in 2024, before easing slightly in 2025. Data source: Kpler. During the quarter, the Texas-based company closed a transaction valued at $1.06 billion to acquire Jamaican gas and power assets from New Fortress Energy Inc. Excelerate is now working to integrate the terminals at Montego Bay and Old Harbour LNG, as well as a power plant, into its plans to expand LNG trucking and bunkering from the island. CEO Steven Kobos said the portfolio of contracts in Jamaica creates a natural destination for the 0.7 million tons/year (Mt/y) of volumes the company will begin receiving from the second phase of Plaquemines LNG starting in 2027.
U.S. natural gas storage levels remain above average through injection season –The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s latest Short-Term Energy Outlook projects that working natural gas inventories will reach 3,872 billion cubic feet (Bcf) by the end of October 2025, about 2% higher than the five-year average for that period. Inventories grew rapidly from late April through early June, with seven consecutive weeks of net injections over 100 Bcf each—the longest streak since 2014. U.S. natural gas production outpaced natural gas consumption during the start of the 2025 injection season. At the start of the injection season in late March, storage was 4% below average, but by August 8, it was 7% above the 2020–24 average, as production outpaced consumption.The injection season generally runs from April through October, when injections into storage are typically greater than withdrawals. The latest data from our Weekly Natural Gas Storage Report show total natural gas inventory was 7% above the five-year (2020–24) average as of August 8, compared with the start of this injection season, when it was 4% below average for the week ending March 28. Although weekly net injections are expected to slow through October due to rising demand for power generation and liquefied natural gas exports, storage levels remain strong. The South Central, Midwest, and East regions drove recent gains, with South Central inventories forecasted to finish at their highest level since 2016, while other regions are expected to align closely with five-year averages.
Gas demand at two of the top US LNG plants declines (Reuters) - Two of the United States' largest liquefied natural gas export plants recorded major declines in demand for natural gas on Monday, suggesting parts of their facilities might be down, according to data from financial firm LSEG. Cheniere's (LNG.N), opens new tab Sabine Pass export facility in Texas, which utilizes up to 4.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day, was down to 3.7 bcf, and Sempra's (SRE.N), opens new tab Cameron LNG plant in Louisiana, which processes 2 bcfd, was down to 1.3 bcf, according to LSEG data. Cheniere declined to comment, while Sempra did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Sabine Pass is the United States' largest LNG plant and Cameron the fourth largest. Together they have helped keep the U.S. as the world's largest LNG exporter since 2023. Monday's drop in consumption from those two facilities pulled the day's demand down to 14.7 bcf, the lowest level in two months, according to LSEG data. U.S. natural gas futures fell about 1% on Monday morning, with front-month gas futures for September delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange falling 2 cents to $2.90 per million British thermal units.
LNG slump, cooler weather data snuff out rally in natural gas futures -- Nymex natural gas futures reversed early losses Monday but ultimately closed lower as weather forecasts doubled down on a cooler end to August. The September Nymex contract settled down 2.6 cents at $2.890/MMBtu on Monday, ending a three-day winning streak. NGI’s Spot Gas National Avg. fell 3.0 cents to $2.570, weighed down by milder air bringing relief from summer heat to eastern states. “Natural gas continues to drift lower with summer on the downswing,” Pinebrook Energy Advisors’ Andy Huenefeld, managing partner, said. August weather has been consistently warm “but not extreme, keeping cooling demand elevated and supporting stronger spot pricing across all regions,” Huenefeld said. “Even so, the forward curve remains under pressure as attention shifts to the anticipated late August cooldown.”
With supply abundant and demand easing, natural gas futures falter again --Natural gas futures failed to muster momentum on Tuesday, held back by forecasts for diminished demand and steadily strong supply. Following a 2.6-cent decline to start the week, the September Nymex gas futures contract fell by a steeper 12.4 cents on Tuesday to settle at $2.766/MMBtu. NGI’s Spot Gas National Avg. followed suit and shed 4.5 cents to $2.525. While above-average temperature reigned across most of the Lower 48 on Tuesday, heat was projected to begin fading by midweek in northern markets, according to NatGasWeather. Milder conditions were then expected to spread across much of the northern half of the Lower 48 by next week, curbing cooling demand substantially in the final stretch of August. Forecasts show a “not nearly hot enough pattern” across the northern half of the United States in the last third of August, the firm said.
US Natural Gas Prices Drop 4% on Record Output - U.S. natural gas futures fell about 4% to a nine-month low on Tuesday on near-record output, ample fuel in stockpiles and forecasts for less hot weather and lower demand through early September than previously expected. Another factor weighing on gas prices was a decline in the amount of gas flowing to liquefied natural gas export plants due to small reductions at several facilities. Front-month gas futures for September delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange fell 10.8 cents, or 3.7%, to $2.782 per million British thermal units, putting the contract on track for its lowest close since November 8. Meteorologists forecast the weather will remain mostly near normal through September 3, which is cooler than previously expected. The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) projected Hurricane Erin, which was near the Bahamas, would move north and then east off the U.S. East Coast for the rest of the week without hitting land. The storm, however, could cause some tropical storm force winds in eastern North Carolina on Thursday. The NHC said another system in the Atlantic Ocean behind Erin had a 60% chance of strengthening into a cyclone over the next week as it moves west toward Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. Even though storms can boost gas prices by knocking Gulf of Mexico gas production out of service, analysts have said storms are more likely to cut demand and prices by shutting LNG export plants and knocking power out to millions of homes and businesses, reducing the amount of gas that electric generators need to burn. Only about 2% of all U.S. gas comes from the federal offshore Gulf of Mexico, while more than 40% of the electricity produced in the U.S. comes from gas-fired power plants.
U.S. Natural Gas Prices Climb 3% on Small Storage Build, Higher LNG Flows (Reuters) — U.S. natural gas futures climbed about 3% on Aug. 21 on a smaller-than-expected storage build, recent declines in daily output and an increase in gas flows to liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plants. Front-month gas futures for September delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose 7.4 cents, or 2.7%, to settle at $2.826 per million British thermal units (MMBtu). On Aug. 20, the contract closed at its lowest since November 8 for a second day in a row. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said energy firms added 13 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of gas into storage during the week ended August 15. That was smaller than the 22-Bcf build analysts forecast in a Reuters poll and compares with an increase of 29 Bcf during the same week last year and an average build of 35 Bcf over the 2020 to 2024 period. Analysts said the build was smaller-than-usual due to increased cooling demand during hot weather last week. Financial firm LSEG said average gas output in the Lower 48 states rose to 108.4 billion cubic feet per day so far in August, up from a record monthly high of 107.8 Bcf/d in July. On a daily basis, however, output was on track to drop by about 3.6 Bcf/d to a preliminary six-week low of 106.4 Bcf/d on Thursday since hitting a daily record high of 109.8 Bcf/d on July 28. Meteorologists forecast the weather will remain mostly near normal through September 5, which is about the same as previously expected. LSEG projected average gas demand in the Lower 48 states, including exports, would ease from 110.8 Bcf/d this week to 106.8 Bcf/d next week. Those forecasts were similar to LSEG's outlook on Wednesday. The average amount of gas flowing to the eight big U.S. LNG export plants rose to 15.8 Bcf/d so far in August, up from 15.5 Bcf/d in July. That compares with a record monthly high of 16.0 Bcf/d in April. On a daily basis, LNG export feedgas was on track to rise to 15.5 Bcf/d on Thursday, up from an average of 14.2 Bcf/d over the prior three days due to reductions at several plants, including Venture Global LNG's 1.6-Bcf/d Calcasieu in Louisiana, Cameron LNG's 2.0-Bcf/d plant in Louisiana, and Freeport LNG's 2.1-Bcf/d plant in Texas.
US natgas prices fall 5% to 9-month low on near-record output, ample gas in storage — U.S. natural gas futures fell about 5% to a nine-month low on Friday on near-record output, ample supplies of gas in storage, and forecasts for the weather to remain near normal through early September. That price drop occurred despite an increase in daily gas flows to liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plants as some units exited brief outages in recent days. Front-month gas futures for September delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange fell 12.8 cents, or 4.5%, to settle at $2.698 per million British thermal units, their lowest close since November 8. For the week, the contract fell about 8%, putting it down for a fifth week in a row for the first time since December 2023. Futures prices have dropped by about 24% during those five weeks. In the tropics, the U.S. National Hurricane Center projected a couple of disturbances in the Atlantic Ocean had a chance of strengthening into tropical cyclones over the next week or so, but expected none to hit the U.S. mainland during that time. One system, however, with a 40% chance of turning into a cyclone over the next seven days, was headed west toward Barbados and other Caribbean islands. Hurricane Erin, meanwhile, was expected to weaken as it swirls northeast toward Iceland. Financial firm LSEG said average gas output in the Lower 48 states has risen to 108.4 billion cubic feet per day so far in August, up from a record monthly high of 107.8 bcfd in July. . Despite hotter-than-usual weather earlier in the summer, record output allowed energy companies to inject more gas into storage than usual. Analysts said there was about 6% more gas in storage than normal for this time of year. LSEG projected average gas demand in the Lower 48 states, including exports, would ease from 111.0 bcfd this week to 106.7 bcfd next week and 104.7 bcfd in two weeks. The average amount of gas flowing to the eight big U.S. LNG export plants has risen to 15.8 bcfd so far in August, up from 15.5 bcfd in July. That compares with a record monthly high of 16.0 bcfd in April. On a daily basis, LNG export feedgas was on track to rise from an average of 14.2 bcfd from Monday to Wednesday to 16.2 bcfd on Friday, with increases at several plants, including Venture Global LNG's 1.6-bcfd Calcasieu facility in Louisiana, Cameron LNG's 2.0-bcfd plant in Louisiana, and Freeport LNG's 2.1-bcfd plant in Texas. U.S. LNG exports will soar by roughly 10% a year through 2030 as energy firms double their LNG production capacity, according to analysts, providing a shot in the arm to the country's maturing shale industry, which has seen growth slow and costs rise.
Texas AI, LNG Demand Raising Houston Ship Channel Prices, Mexico’s Natural Gas Costs -The boom in natural gas power demand for artificial intelligence (AI) in Texas and LNG along the Gulf Coast is real and reflected in forward prices at a key benchmark for Mexico's natural gas deals. Chart showing NGI’s Daily Houston Ship Channel natural gas price compared with South Texas pipeline exports to Mexico from August 2024 to August 2025, highlighting price fluctuations between $2-8/MMBtu and export volumes ranging from 3.5-5.5 Bcf/d. U.S. natural gas production, fueled by the Permian Basin, is at record levels, but the supply and demand balance could soon swing, according to NGI forward price data. NGI’s daily cash market price at Houston Ship Channel (HSC) averaged $2.715/MMBtu on Monday (Aug. 18). NGI’s Forward Look data shows HSC fixed prices rising to $4.107 in early January, 2026. By the start of January 2027, the price would reach $4.632.
Devon Confirms Decade-Long Deal with Centrica to Supply U.S. Natural Gas -Devon Energy Corp. has inked a 10-year agreement to sell 50,000 MMBtu/d to global trader Centrica plc. chart showing NGI's Waha natural gas spot price Expand The deal was announced by Devon executives during the recent second quarter conference call. However, the counterparty was not disclosed. Centrica Energy, the UK-based trading arm, said Devon’s gas volumes are to be delivered beginning in 2028 and be equivalent to five LNG cargoes a year. Volumes are to be indexed to Europe’s Title Transfer Facility (TTF) gas hub.
BKV Builds Even Bigger Natural Gas Portfolio in Barnett, Nabs Gunvor for Carbon-Sequestered Supply -With a queue of LNG export projects underway and another queue of hyperscalers advancing data centers, BKV Corp., the largest natural gas producer in the Barnett Shale of Texas, is forging a bevy of deals with operators that want low-carbon supply. BKV map showing natural gas hubs and LNG terminals near its Barnett Shale acreage CEO Chris Kalnin, CFO David Tameron and upstream President Eric Jacobsen shared a microphone recently to discuss second quarter results. The talk centered around two recent transactions that would expand the natural gas inventory and advance carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) solutions. “The second quarter was marked by significant macro and regulatory events that have all strengthened the business environment for BKV across our natural gas, carbon capture and power businesses,” Kalnin said. “In particular, the macro backdrop for natural gas remains bullish.
As Permian E&Ps Shift to Natural Gas-Rich Zones, Horsepower Demand Follows, Says Kodiak Chief - Permian Basin explorers are shifting to “deeper, gassier development zones,” opening up a broad growth path for Kodiak Gas Services Inc., one of the largest natural gas contract compression firms in the Lower 48. Pie chart illustrating Kodiak Gas Services’ fleet horsepower profile. The chart shows that 79% of the company’s total compression fleet horsepower comes from large units exceeding 1,000 horsepower, while 21% comes from smaller units under 1,000 horsepower. Data source: Kodiak Gas Services Inc. The company, headquartered north of Houston in The Woodlands, deployed 31,800 hp of compression units during the second quarter, CEO Mickey McKee told investors during the recent second quarter conference call. Fleet utilization increased to 97.2%, a 290 basis point (bp) increase from 2Q2024. Large horsepower “is being effectively fully utilized at over 99%,” he said.
Gas outflows to Mexico high on strong Permian production - Exports of natural gas from the Permian Basin directly to Mexico averaged 2.0 Bcf/d during the week ending August 18, which is in line with previous peak summer levels. After a very strong start to summer, outflows to Mexico fell in July and early August, but the past two weeks have been back at that peak level, as can be seen in the green line in the chart below. Depending on Mexican power demand, peak outflows could last into September before tapering off as the weather cools in the fall. Outflows have been aided by the robust Permian supply picture. Production averaged 21.8 Bcf/d over the past week. After remaining relatively flat for most of this year, production has climbed this summer. This climb has started to put downward pressure on Waha cash prices as takeaway capacity has filled. There is no new capacity due online until next year, which may limit supply growth in the short term.
Oil and gas companies are betting big on data centers - Companies that provide drilling and oil field services are struggling as falling prices soften the outlook in the U.S. oil patch.But one of the country’s largest oil field service companies is outperforming expectations in part to a surprising source: its work with data centers.Houston-based Baker Hughes saw its net income rise by 21 percent in the second quarter of 2025 compared with same period a year earlier. The company’s performance contrasts with competitors Halliburton and SLB, which posted year-over-year net income declines of 33 percent and 9 percent, respectively.Baker Hughes’ success in attracting data center contracts underpins a hope from the oil and gas industry that increasing power needs at data centers will be a boon for infrastructure usually seen in areas that produce oil and gas.
Pemex to Overhaul Major Crude Unit at Texas Refinery in October, Sources Say (Reuters) — Pemex, Mexico's national oil company, is preparing for the "big block" overhaul at its 312,500-barrel-per-day (bpd) Deer Park, Texas, refinery to begin in early October, people familiar with plant operations said on Aug. 15. The refinery's 270,000-bpd DU-2 crude distillation unit (CDU), the larger of two at the refinery, will be shut for the planned overhaul that will last about 60 days, the sources said. A Pemex spokesperson did not immediately reply to a request for comment. DU-2 breaks down crude oil into feedstocks for most other units at the refinery. While it is shut, the 70,000-bpd fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU), 70,000-bpd diesel-producing hydrocracking unit (HCU) and 92,000-bpd coker will be shut along with other units because of the lack of feedstocks, the sources said. The 70,000-bpd DU-1 CDU will remain in operation while DU-2 is down for the overhaul. FCCUs use a catalyst under high heat and pressure to convert gas oil into unfinished gasoline. HCUs use a catalyst under high heat and pressure in the presence of hydrogen to convert gas oil into gasoline. Cokers break down gunky, tar-like residual crude oil into either motor fuel feedstocks or petroleum coke, which can substitute for coal.
Arizona Chamber praises new interstate natural gas pipeline - The Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry is excited about the future, thanks to a deal between state utilities and Transwestern Pipeline Co. The company will build a new interstate natural gas pipeline from west Texas into Arizona. Danny Seiden, president and CEO of the Arizona Chamber, told The Center Square that Arizona’s economy will benefit in areas such as construction and labor costs. Sponsored “More importantly, more natural gas coming into our state for generation purposes is a huge win for a state that is growing like ours,” said Seiden. Gas is less expensive than alternative forms of energy, according to Seiden. He said it will allow Arizonans to keep air conditioners running for less money and noted manufacturers will keep making goods at a cheaper price. Still, environmental groups are not happy with pipelines of any kind. The Sierra Club, for example, envisions “a future that is no longer dependent on polluting fossil fuels.” To do that, the organization states on its website that “we must stop the expansion of fracked methane gas and dirty oil,” which are transported via pipelines. “Building and expanding pipelines will further lock us into a future powered by fossil fuels, instead of the clean energy that is readily available now,” said the Sierra Club. But Seiden told The Center Square that Arizona is a model state when it comes to balancing environmental impacts with economic growth.US oil and gas M&A roars in 2024, hitting $206.6bn - US oil and gas mergers and acquisitions roared back to life in 2024, with deal value more than tripling year-on-year. Transactions totaled $206.6 billion, up from just $47.9 billion in 2023, according to data highlighted by EY and other industry trackers.That surge reflected a clear strategic shift: rather than funneling record profits into dividends and buybacks, companies reinvested in scale. Exxon Mobil epitomised this approach, completing its $60 billion acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources in May and pushing its total deal value to $84.5 billion for the year. This boom came at a time when companies were rebalancing capital priorities. Shareholder distributions fell by a quarter to $29.2 billion, while exploration and development spending slid 7% to $85.5 billion.Sector profits also softened, dropping 10% to $74.8 billion as commodity prices retreated. Even so, the appetite for consolidation was clear. The number of publicly traded upstream firms contracted from 50 to 40 in 2024, with those remaining producers accounting for roughly 41% of US oil and gas output. EY notes that integration costs in energy are relatively low — around 3.5% of target revenue — making it easier for firms to execute large-scale transactions compared to industries such as technology or health care.Momentum stalls in 2025The momentum that defined 2024 has cooled in 2025. In the first quarter, deal activity totaled $17 billion, bolstered largely by Diamondback Energy’s transactions. By the second quarter, however, the market slowed sharply.Total deal value fell to $13.5 billion, a 21% decline from the prior quarter and nearly 60% lower than the first half of 2024. Only two transactions, EOG Resources’ $5.6 billion purchase of Encino Acquisition Partners in Ohio’s Utica shale and a royalty acquisition by Viper Energy, accounted for more than three-quarters of the total.
The Race Is On – The Efforts to Develop More Crude Oil Pipeline Capacity From Alberta to Cushing - A few months ago, Enbridge unveiled its plans to expand its massive Mainline and smaller Express/Platte crude oil pipeline systems into the U.S. Midwest/Great Plains. We blogged about those plans, and followed up with a look at how the incremental volumes of Western Canadian crude on the Mainline and Express/Platte might move south from PADD 2 to where they’re wanted most: the Gulf Coast. In today’s RBN blog, we discuss efforts to piece together a more direct pipeline route from Alberta to Cushing and on to the Texas/Louisiana coast. Two of the surest bets in the North American energy space these days are that (1) Western Canadian production of heavy crude oil will continue rising and (2) new pipeline takeaway capacity will be needed — sooner or later — to handle those increasing volumes. In Here, There and Everywhere, we discussed Enbridge’s plan to spend up to C$2 billion (US$1.5 billion) by 2028 to improve the efficiency and reliability of its 3.28-MMb/d Mainline pipeline system from Alberta to the Midwest. We noted that Enbridge is investing another C$1.5 billion (US$1.1 billion) by 2027 on a multiphase optimization project that will boost the system’s capacity by 150 Mb/d — and maybe more, if demand warrants. In addition, the company is looking to add up to 30 Mb/d of capacity to its 310-Mb/d Express-Platte pipeline system, which runs from Hardisty, AB, to Wood River, IL, just west of the Patoka, IL, crude oil hub. More recently, in Take the Long Way Home, we looked at where those incremental barrels being piped south to PADD 2 (Midwest/Great Plains) would end up and, just as important, how they would get there. As we explained, most of those barrels will be heavy crude from the Alberta oil sands and, given that PADD 2 refineries can’t shoehorn much more low-API oil into their crude slates, almost all of the incremental imports will need to flow through the Midwest to the Cushing, OK, hub and on to refineries and export terminals along the Gulf Coast.We noted a few possibilities for enhancing the pipeline infrastructure south of the Mainline and Express/Platte systems, including a 100-Mb/d expansion of Enbridge’s 700-Mb/d Flanagan South Pipeline (light-purple line in Figure 1) from the Mainline’s Flanagan, IL, hub to Cushing. Another possibility is Energy Transfer and Enbridge’s proposed Southern Illinois Connector project (dashed dark-green line), which would allow more heavy crude to flow southwest from Flanagan on Enbridge’s Spearhead Pipeline (dark-purple line), then east on its Platte Pipeline (dark-pink line) to Wood River, east from Wood River to Patoka (on the Southern Illinois Connector), and finally south on the Energy Transfer Crude Oil Pipeline (ETCOP; aqua line) to Nederland, TX. (Energy Transfer holds a 38% ownership interest in ETCOP and Enbridge owns a 28% stake — most midstreamers prefer to keep crude oil on company-owned pipelines to optimize efficiency and to earn fees each leg of the journey from production area to end user.)Today, we shift our focus to another Enbridge-focused option we’ve heard is under very active consideration. It would make extensive use of existing pipelines between Western Canada and the Cushing hub, but would also require major capital investments to expand pipeline capacity along the routes. In addition to Enbridge’s Flanagan South expansion and Southern Illinois Connector plans we discussed above, we’ve heard the company is also well along in developing an Express/Platte-based route for moving more Western Canadian heavy barrels to Cushing. We are not privy to all the details, but our understanding is that the basic plan would be to increase the capacity of both the Express and Platte pipelines (light-pink and dark-pink lines, respectively, in Figure 2 below) and also make changes to Enbridge’s crude oil terminal (largest green tank icon) in Salisbury, MO, which has seven tanks with a combined shell capacity of 840 Mbbl. With those changes, and an enhanced interconnection between the Platte and Flanagan South pipelines at Salisbury, Enbridge would be able to transport substantial incremental volumes of heavy crude down Express, Platte and Flanagan South (light-purple line) to Cushing. (Note: Express’s current capacity is 310 Mb/d and Platte’s capacity is 164 Mb/d from Casper, WY, to Guernsey and 145 Mb/d from Guernsey to Wood River.)
WBI to receive $500M state financial guarantee to build natural gas pipeline in North Dakota • The North Dakota Industrial Commission on Thursday awarded WBI Energy an up to $500 million financial guarantee to build a pipeline that will bring natural gas to the state’s eastern communities. WBI’s project, which it calls Bakken East, is expected to transport about 1 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day to eastern North Dakota. Bringing natural gas from the Bakken to the eastern part of the state will help North Dakota’s overall economy, Gov. Kelly Armstrong said. Right now, the eastern part of the state only gets gas from the Viking Gas Transmission pipeline, which spans the U.S. and Canada, so WBI’s project will give eastern North Dakota a more secure power supply, he added. “Communities need gas to grow,” said Armstrong, who chairs the Industrial Commission. “We are taking a product that we have in excess that is stranded in the Bakken, and we are going to be able to move it across the state to people who need it.” The pipeline also will support continued oil and gas development in the Bakken, Armstrong said. The state has had a program to encourage businesses to build natural gas pipelines connecting to eastern North Dakota for over 15 years, though the program initially lacked funding. The Legislature in 2023 made $30 million per year in financing available, which the 2025 Legislature then voted to increase to $50 million per year. WBI Energy, a subsidiary of MDU Resources, proposes building the first phase of its pipeline from McKenzie County to Washburn, and the second phase from Washburn to Mapleton, just west of Fargo. The company also plans to build an extension from Jamestown to Ellendale. WBI’s timeline is to have phase one in service in November 2029, and phase two in service in November of 2030. WBI has not disclosed the total project cost. Justin Kringstad, executive director of the North Dakota Pipeline Authority, has said he estimates a project of this scope would cost $1.2 billion to $1.6 billion. The project would be built entirely in North Dakota but would be classified as an interstate pipeline since it would connect with other existing pipelines that leave the state. For this reason, it would be permitted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, not the North Dakota Public Service Commission. Intensity Infrastructure Partners also applied for the state support. Representatives of the companies presented their project proposals to the Industrial Commission in July. Intensity representatives said the first phase of the pipeline from Watford City to Underwood was firm, but the company was still securing commitments for a second phase to the Fargo area. North Dakota is purchasing capacity on the pipeline as a financial backstop. The state plans to eventually transfer pipeline capacity to private businesses. According to Kringstad, there are already companies expressing interest. However, if North Dakota is unable to transfer its pipeline capacity, the Pipeline Authority could work with a gas marketing firm to try to recoup the state’s investment, Kringstad said. Justin Kringstad, executive director of the North Dakota Pipeline Authority, and Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring listen to discussion about two pipeline project proposals during the Aug. 21, 2025, meeting of the North Dakota Industrial Commission. (Photo by Mary Steurer/North Dakota Monitor) In a worst-case scenario, the state would have to shoulder the full $500 million, or $50 million a year for 10 years. To finance this, it would have to take out a loan from the Bank of North Dakota, which would ultimately be repaid with state dollars from the Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund.
Planned restart of California oil production faces legal challenges – Oil and gas production resumed on May 15 that had been out of service for 10 years after an oil spill off the California coast, with the restart of the Santa Ynez Unit in the Santa Barbara Channel expected to boost U.S. energy supplies by up to 50,000 barrels per day by year-end 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. Legal challenges remain, however. Litigations involve the environment, oversight approval involving Santa Barbara County, and accusations from the lieutenant governor and State Lands Commission she leads. The three platforms that comprise the Santa Ynez Unit – Harmony, Heritage and Hondo – tap into an offshore reservoir containing approximately 190 million barrels of recoverable oil reserves, representing nearly 80% of reserves in Pacific Northwest states and about 3% of total U.S. reserves, the bureau says in a release. Platform Harmony began production on May 15 at a rate of 6,000 barrels a day. The Santa Ynez unit includes 112 wells located 5 to 9 miles offshore in federal waters, three offshore platforms, a pipeline system, and an onshore oil and gas processing facility at Las Flores Canyon. In the year before the 2015 shutdown, the three Santa Ynez Unit platforms produced an average of about 45,000 barrels of oil equivalent each day. Restarting production at the Santa Ynez Unit is “a significant achievement” that aligns with the Trump administration’s energy dominance initiative, said bureau Principal Deputy Director Kenneth Stevens. “President Trump made it clear that American energy should come from American resources," he said. The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement had expected production would resume on Platform Heritage in July and Platform Hondo in August. Stevens said second-term Republican President Donald Trump’s leadership and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum's commitment turned a decade-long shutdown into a comeback story for Pacific oil production. “In just months, BSEE helped bring oil back online safely and efficiently – right in our own backyard," said Stevens. "That's what energy dominance looks like: results, not delays." The 2015 spill occurred when a 24-inch buried pipeline owned by Plains All American Pipeline ruptured near Refugio State Beach in Santa Barbara County, releasing 140,000 gallons of oil, some of which flowed into the Pacific Ocean and soiled miles of beach. After a cleanup and then years of litigation and class action lawsuits, Plains All American agreed in 2024 to pay $230 million to the fishing industry and shoreline residents and to settlements totaling $72.5 million with California State Lands Commission and Aspen American Insurance. In February 2024, Houston-based Sable Offshore Corp. bought the dormant Santa Ynez Unit from ExxonMobil, which never repaired the assets. In late May this year, Sable said it had hydrotested seven of the eight sections of the unit’s onshore pipeline and only one final test would be required. The company said it had obtained all permits from state and county governments necessary to resume production. Sable says it has added new safety measures that include a total of 27 emergency shutoff devices and round-the-clock leak detection.
Supply Glut Pressuring Canada Natural Gas Prices as LNG, Domestic Demand Slowly Ramp -Immense oversupply of natural gas in Western Canada has outweighed any bullish price impacts of the country’s nascent LNG export industry, but that dynamic could change over the coming years, according to industry experts. (chart showing NGI's NOVA/AECO C forward natural gas price) The Shell plc-led LNG Canada liquefaction terminal in Kitimat, British Columbia (BC), sent out its first cargo on June 30, offering a long-awaited outlet for Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (WCSB) molecules. Prices at the NOVA/AECO C hub in southern Alberta routinely trade at a discount to U.S. benchmark Henry Hub because of chronic oversupply in the basin and insufficient pipeline capacity to more lucrative markets. “I mean, of course it’s a huge positive,” Liberty Energy Inc. CEO Ron Gusek told NGI in reference to LNG Canada entering service. “I don’t think that alone is going to move the needle on AECO differentials.
Gunvor Deepens North American LNG Push with Amigo LNG Deal in Mexico — The Offtake --A look at the global natural gas and LNG markets by the numbers
- 0.85 million tons/year (Mt/y): Gunvor Group Ltd. is still on the hunt for North American LNG volumes, this time south of the border. A Singapore-based unit of Gunvor has signed a 20-year, 0.85 Mt/y agreement for offtake from the proposed Amigo LNG project at the Port of Guaymas in Sonora, Mexico. Gunvor previously made arrangements for offtake from Tellurian Inc.’s Driftwood LNG and Energy Transfer LP Lake Charles facility, but those agreements ultimately expired. It still holds tentative or binding agreements for between 1-3 Mt/y from the proposed Delfin, Lake Charles and Texas LNG projects.
- 19%: Asia’s traditional LNG buyers are on track to reclaim the title as the global center of demand, according to shipping firm Flex LNG Ltd. In its half-year results report, the LNG carrier owner forecast that Japan could be the largest importer of super-chilled gas for the first time since 2021. The supply balance shuffle was largely attributed to China, which saw a 19% reduction in LNG imports in the first six months of the year. India also experienced an 11% year/year drop, shifting more cargoes to South Korea and Taiwan.
- 15 months: European benchmark prices are continuing to drop despite a decline in hydroelectric generation during searing summer heat. The prompt Title Transfer Facility contract dropped below the $11/MMBtu mark Wednesday, falling to the lowest level in almost 15 months. The price of landed LNG in the European Union was almost 60 cents cheaper at $10.40, according to NGI calculations and EU price assessments. Meanwhile, TTF futures through the fourth quarter climbed a cumulative 5% as traders expect LNG competition to heat up, according to trading firm Mind Energy.
- 2 Bcf/d: Two of Freeport LNG’s trains have tripped since the beginning of the week, pulling U.S. feed gas demand downward from near-peak highs. The 15 Mt/y capacity export facility in South Texas reported a compressor issue Monday that tripped Train 1 and caused flaring for 9 hours. By Tuesday night, another compressor issue caused a trip on Train 2 that lasted until Wednesday morning. Freeport’s feed gas demand averaged around 2 Bcf/d in July, according to pipeline nomination data.
US resumes imports of Venezuelan oil under new license -Two tankers chartered by Chevron carrying Venezuelan crude reached US waters on Thursday, marking the first US imports of the South American country's oil following a new license granted by Washington, vessel tracking data showed. The US Treasury Department last month issued a restricted license to Chevron allowing the US company to operate in the OPEC country and export its oil after a three-month pause triggered by more strict policies towards sanctioned Venezuela. The vessels Mediterranean Voyager and Canopus Voyager loaded Venezuelan Boscan and Hamaca crudes earlier this month after negotiations with PDVSA, which is Chevron's partner in several joint ventures, according to LSEG data and documents from the state company. The tankers plan to discharge at Port Arthur, Texas, and New Orleans, Louisiana. Two other Chevron cargoes that set sail from Venezuela this month are also on their way to the United States. Chevron's chief executive Mike Wirth earlier this month said the flow of Venezuelan oil to the US would resume in August in limited volumes. Chevron had not had access to Venezuelan crude since April, when PDVSA canceled a handful of cargoes it had scheduled for the company due to payment problems related to the sanctions. Chevron, which in the first quarter exported some 252,000 barrels per day of Venezuelan oil to the US, typically processes a portion of the crude at its own refineries and sells the rest to independent refiners, including US Valero Energy and PBF Energy. Venezuela's government rejects the US sanctions and has said they amount to an economic war against the nation.
European gas hits 15-month low -- Dutch TTF prices have fallen below $10/MMBtu for the first time since late May 2024. Prices, which have been trending down since early August, hit a new low amid the bearish sentiment in the market, especially in Asia. Asian demand is weaker due to higher LNG inventories in China, less demand for power for air conditioning due to a cool spell, and ample LNG supplies in the region. Despite the downward trend, TTF prices are expected to stabilize in the coming month as increased competition for cargoes from outside the region and higher cooling demand are likely to be offset by ample pipeline supply and higher renewable generation. As summer gives way to fall, the market can be expected to tighten somewhat; however, increasing production from the U.S. may have a downward impact on prices, especially in the face of high storage levels. There is still a risk to prices for natural gas should tariffs with the U.S. and/or its trading partners change in the coming months.
European Natural Gas Prices Edge Higher as Ukraine Peace Talks Fuel Uncertainty — LNG Recap --European natural gas prices swung higher Monday amid uncertainty ahead of a meeting at the White House to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. Image showing a comprehensive market analysis of the European Union’s gas storage levels with graphs representing trends in inventories, highlighting key insights into energy market dynamics and gas data projections for the near future. The war has upended global energy flows since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. The prompt Title Transfer Facility (TTF) gained six cents to close at $10.72/MMBtu as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders arrived at the White House to meet with President Trump. Zelenskyy was expected to hear a plan from Trump to cede land in exchange for U.S. security guarantees. Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed the land deal during a meeting with Trump in Alaska on Friday.
Ukrainian man arrested in Italy over Nord Stream pipeline blasts (AP) — A Ukrainian man suspected to be one of the coordinators of undersea explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines between Russia and Germany in 2022 was arrested in Italy on Thursday, authorities said.The 49-year-old was detained in the early hours in San Clemente, a village inland from Italy’s Adriatic coast and 11 kilometers (7 miles) from the resort of Rimini, after Italian authorities were alerted to his possible presence in the country, police in Italy said.Officers raided a bungalow where the suspect was staying with his family for a few days. Police said he surrendered without resistance.The man was detained on a European arrest warrant that was issued Monday by German authorities. German federal prosecutors identified him only as Serhii K. in line with local privacy rules.He was taken to jail in Rimini after his arrest. It wasn’t immediately clear how soon he might be handed over to German authorities. Undersea explosions on Sept. 26, 2022, damaged pipelines that were built to carry Russian natural gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea. The damage added to tensions over the war in Ukraine as European countries moved to wean themselves off Russian energy sources, following the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.Prosecutors have given little detail so far on their investigation, but said two years ago they found traces of undersea explosives in samples taken from a yacht that was searched as part of the probe.In a statement Thursday, German prosecutors said Serhii K. was one of a group of people who placed explosives on the pipelines and is believed to have been one of the coordinators. They said he is suspected of causing explosions, anti-constitutional sabotage and the destruction of structures. The suspect and others used a yacht that set off from the German port of Rostock, which had been hired from a German company using forged IDs and with the help of intermediaries, prosecutors said.
BlackRock’s GIP leads $11B deal for Saudi gas assets -- BlackRock Inc.’s Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) and a group of investors have signed an $11 billion lease deal with Saudi Aramco, acquiring infrastructure tied to the $100 billion Jafurah gas project and leasing it back for 20 years. The agreement includes creating the Jafurah Midstream Gas Company, with Aramco holding a 51% stake and the GIP-led group the remainder. The transaction, which imposes no limits on production, is part of Aramco’s broader push to raise international capital by monetizing infrastructure assets while focusing investments on higher-return core activities. Aramco, central to Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification strategy, is developing Jafurah to fuel domestic power plants and exports as the kingdom prepares for a post-oil future. The deal strengthens BlackRock’s footprint in the Middle East, following its 2021 investment in Aramco’s gas pipeline network and expansion across the Gulf. Aramco executives emphasize the strategy as a way to “unlock capital” from low-return infrastructure.
Qatar to supply 40% of new global LNG by 2030 amid geopolitical tug-of-war -Qatar is undertaking one of the world’s largest LNG expansion programs, set to boost output from 77 mtpy today to 142 mtpy by 2030. The emirate has carefully balanced ties between East and West, first leaning toward China with long-term LNG contracts, but later signing major deals with Germany, the U.S., and European allies.Liquefied natural gas (LNG) became the key global emergency energy source from the moment that Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022. Unlike pipelined energy that requires time-consuming infrastructure build-out and contract negotiations before it can be moved anywhere, LNG can be bought in the spot market when required and move swiftly to wherever it is needed. As increasing sanctions have hit Russia’s previously enormous global oil and gas exports, LNG’s crucial importance to the world’s energy balance has, if anything, increased. Against this backdrop, the centrality of the small Middle Eastern emirate of Qatar in the global energy market has dramatically expanded and is set to do so further. Its position as one of the world’s top LNG exporters will be bolstered as from the middle of next year by the first LNG exports from Phase 1 of the giant North Field East (NFE) expansion project. This is part of a broader output expansion programme that will see the emirate’s LNG production jump from the current 77 million metric tonnes per year (mtpy) to 110 million mtpy by end-2026, to 126 million mtpy by end-2027 and to 142 million mtpy by end-2030. By that time it is forecast that Qatar will account for at least 40% of all new LNG supplies across the globe. The geopolitical importance is not lost on any of the world’s major powers.Qatar’s geographical positioning between the two great Middle Eastern powers (Saudi Arabia and Iran) and their principal superpower sponsors (respectively, the U.S., China, and Russia) has long required it to play a delicate diplomatic balancing act between the competing sides. However, from around a year before Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the emirate appeared to be veering more towards the China-Russia sphere of influence, given the flurry of new long-term LNG contracts signed with Beijing’s firms during that period. This began in March 2021, with the signing of a 10-year purchase and sales agreement by the China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (Sinopec) and Qatar Petroleum (QP) for 2 million mtpy of LNG. December 2021 saw another major long-term contract for Qatar to supply China with LNG, on that occasion, a deal between QatarEnergy and Guangdong Energy Group Natural Gas Co for 1 million mtpy of LNG, starting in 2024 and ending in 2034, although it could be extended. Several other major deals followed. China and Russia had always thought that Qatar might be predisposed towards joining their bloc, given that the emirate shared its principal gas reservoir asset (North Field, or ‘North Dome’) with neighbouring Iran (South Pars), a key ally of both major powers. This 9,700 square kilometre reservoir was, and remains, by far the biggest gas resource in the world, holding an estimated 51 trillion cubic metres (tcm) of non-associated natural gas and at least 50 billion barrels of natural gas condensates. Following the U.S.’s unilateral withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA, or ‘nuclear deal’) with Iran in May 2018, senior figures from Iran’s Petroleum Ministry and Qatar’s Energy Ministry began a series of meetings to agree a new North Dome-South Pars joint development plan.
Sanctioned Russian LNG Carriers Head Toward Asia Amid Ukraine Talks - Four sanctioned Russian vessels appear to be heading to Asia with cargoes from Arctic LNG 2 following U.S. and Russian talks in Alaska last week. Bar chart showing Russian Federation annual LNG exports by destination region from 2022 to 2025. Exports were around 33 million tons in 2022 and 2023, slightly higher in 2024, then dropped below 20 million tons in 2025. Europe and Asia accounted for most volumes, while exports to the Americas and unknown destinations were minimal. Data compiled by NGI from Kpler. Since late June, Russian-controlled LNG carriers have loaded and idled around PAO Novatek’s 10.8 million ton/year capacity facility in the Arctic Circle despite U.S. sanctions. Earlier in the month, the Christophe De Margerie became the fourth vessel to load at the facility after a six-month quiet period. Now, all four vessels are headed on a similar route to East Asia with indications that at least two ships could land in China, according to Kpler’s predictive shiptracking data. Most of the vessels began moving eastward Friday (Aug. 15), the same day President Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to talk about a potential ceasefire in Ukraine. Related Tags
India’s Gas Import Bill Falls 9.4 per cent To $4.8 Billion In FY26 -India’s natural gas import bill fell 9.4 per cent to $4.8 billion in the first four months of FY26, compared with $5.3 billion in the same period of FY25, according to data from the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC). During April–July FY26, the country imported 11,534 million standard cubic metres (mmscm) of LNG, a 12.4 per cent decline year-on-year. In July alone, the bill dropped 20 per cent to $1.2 billion, while import volumes also slipped 20 per cent to 2,946 mmscm... India’s natural gas consumption fell 7.8 per cent to 23,134 mmscm, while domestic production declined 3 per cent to 11,754 mmscm. State-owned ONGC produced 6,129 mmscm, down from 6,271 mmscm a year earlier, with output remaining below target. Experts attribute the stagnation to ageing fields operated by ONGC and Oil India...
TotalEnergies contemplates next move after offshore drilling setback | African News Agency -TotalEnergies E&P South Africa and its partners are contemplating their next move having been dealt a huge blow when the Western Cape High Court recently halted their offshore oil exploration plans. The court set aside the government’s decision to grant environmental authorisation for offshore drilling in Block 5/6/7, along the South-West Coast to TotalEnergies EP South Africa. The court has sent the matter back to the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) for a fresh decision. Total intends to transfer the environmental authorisation to Shell. The ruling follows a legal challenge brought by environmental rights organisations, The Green Connection and Natural Justice, arguing that Total’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report failed to properly assess the socio-economic impact of the proposed project because it did not assess the socio-economic impact which a well blowout and consequent oil spill may cause on the fishing industry and small scale fishers, among others. Judge Nobahle Mangcu-Lockwood ruled that Total must be afforded the opportunity to submit new or amended assessments, as the case may be, to cure the deficiencies identified in the first to fifth grounds of review of the judgment. She also said that public participation must be conducted in regard to the new and/or amended assessments submitted by Total, before the government decided on the matter. TotalEnergies E&P South Africa said along with its joint venture partners, they are the process to “legally assess the judgement in more detail and decide on the course of action”. “TotalEnergies E&P South Africa acknowledges the decision of the High Court of South Africa to set aside the Environmental Authorisation granted in April 2023 for further exploration in offshore Block 5/6/7 and to remit the matter to the decision-maker for reconsideration following requested additions. Although the Company announced its exit from this block in July 2024, it remained fully committed to respecting the judicial process to its term and to engaging continuously with all its stakeholders. From the outset of the exploration project, Block 5/6/7 joint venture complied with all required local regulations, in particular environmental and social,” Total Energies said. Reacting to the court outcome, the the African Energy Chamber (AEC) said the ruling was a setback for the country’s energy security. “South Africans deserve energy security, economic opportunity and industrial growth. Oil and gas exploration, development and production offer the promise of achieving these goals. Standing in the way of responsible oil and gas development does not protect our future, it jeopardises it. We must work together to responsibly harness our resources, end energy poverty and give our people the chance to prosper. “In opposing vital projects such as those led by TotalEnergies and Shell, groups such as The Green Connection and Natural Justice continue to demonstrate their commitment to disrupting development in Africa,” said AEC executive chairperson, NJ Ayuk.
MoE responds to Battambang oil spill - Environment Minister Eang Sophalleth is leading a team to address environmental damage after a train derailment on Saturday in Tuol Ta Ek village
'Maharaja tariffs': Trump's trade adviser Peter Navarro's fresh attack on India over Russian oil; calls it 'laundromat' for Moscow - Times of India -- US President Donald Trump's trade counsellor Peter Navarro on Friday accused New Delhi of acting as a “laundromat for the Kremlin” by purchasing discounted Russian crude oil, refining it, and selling the products at premium prices worldwide. Navarro, said India’s actions were “perpetuating the war” in Ukraine, dismissing claims that Russian imports were essential for India’s energy security. “Prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, India bought virtually no Russian oil... The argument now, when this percentage has gone up to 30-35%, that somehow they need Russian oil, is nonsense,” Navarro said. He alleged that Indian refiners were “profiteering” from the arrangement, adding: “Russian refiners have gotten in bed with Italian refiners in a game in which they get cheap Russian crude at a discount. Then they make refined products, which they sell at premium prices into Europe, Africa and Asia.” Navarro linked the practice directly to Russia’s war effort, claiming that money from these transactions was fuelling Moscow’s weapons production. “India doesn't appear to want to recognise its role in the bloodshed... It's cosying up to Xi Jinping. They don't need the (Russian) oil. It's a refining profiteering scheme. It's a laundromat for the Kremlin,” he said. While he described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “a great leader”, Navarro appealed to India to reconsider its stance: “What you're doing right now is not creating peace. It's perpetuating the war.” The Trump aide defended Washington’s decision to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Indian goods, which took effect in August and the punitive tariff which will take effect on August 27, arguing that New Delhi had long maintained “higher tariffs, Maharaja tariffs, higher non-tariff barriers” while running a “massive” trade surplus with the United States. “In India, 25% tariffs were put in place because they cheat us on trade. Then 25% because of the Russian oil... That hurts American workers and businesses. Then they use the money that they get from us when they sell us stuff to buy Russian oil, which then is processed by refiners... but then the Russians use the money to build more arms and kill Ukrainians. So American taxpayers have to provide more aid... That’s insane,” Navarro said, adding that “the road to peace runs through New Delhi.” Navarro’s remarks come amid broader debate in Washington on how to handle India’s balancing act between the West, Russia and China. Former US ambassador Nikki Haley has urged Trump to rebuild ties with New Delhi, calling India a “prized free and democratic partner” against Beijing’s rise. Meanwhile, economist Jeffrey Sachs has condemned the tariffs as “bizarre” and “very self-destructive of US foreign policy interests”, warning that they risk uniting BRICS countries against Washington. India has pushed back strongly. External affairs minister S Jaishankar said the logic behind targeting India was flawed, given that China is the largest purchaser of Russian oil and the EU remains Moscow’s biggest buyer of LNG. “We are very perplexed at the logic of the argument... We are a country where the Americans have said for the last few years that we should do everything to stabilise the world energy market, including buying oil from Russia,” Jaishankar said. Ministry of external affairs also issued a statement reaffirming that India’s imports were based on “market factors” and aimed at ensuring the “energy security of 1.4 billion people”. It called the additional tariffs “extremely unfortunate”, stressing that India would “take all actions necessary to protect its national interests.”
Oil Prices Steady Ahead of Trump-Zelensky Meeting - Oil prices fluctuated between small gains and losses Monday morning ahead of a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Concerns around Russian oil supplies, fanned by President Trump warning of "severe consequences" should Russia not agree to a ceasefire deal, faded after the President on Friday signaled no urgency to ramp up sanctions enforcement or implement additional punitive tariffs on main buyers of Russian oil like China. Oil prices were little changed to end the week on Friday but were on track for their first weekly gain in three weeks, and the largest since early July. NYMEX-traded WTI for September delivery rose $0.14 to trade near $62.94 bbl, and ICE Brent for October delivery gained $0.12 to $65.97 bbl. September RBOB gasoline futures advanced $0.0099 to $2.0824 gal, while the front-month ULSD contract slid $0.0108 to $2.2142 gal. The U.S. Dollar Index strengthened by 0.173 points to 97.885. Following the meeting between Presidents Trump and Putin in Alaska last Friday, the U.S. President in a social media post shifted responsibility for ending the war to Ukrainian President Zelensky, further easing Russian supply woes. Trump on Friday also said he is not ready to increase tariffs on imports from China to dissuade buyers of Russian oil. An op-ed published in the Financial Times on Monday, in which White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro strongly criticized India for funding Russia's war via oil purchases, however, reignited supply concerns ahead of the meeting later today.
Oil prices rise after Trump-Zelenskiy meeting - Oil prices rose on Monday, after the U.S. and Ukrainian presidents held talks in Washington in the wake of an inconclusive U.S.-Russia summit in Alaska on Friday Brent crude futures rose 75 cents, or 1.14%, to close at $66.60 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude gained 62 cents, or 0.99%, to settle at $63.42 a barrel. Last week Brent eased by 1.1% while WTI dropped 1.7%. U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met as they attempt to reach a peace deal to end Europe's deadliest war in 80 years. Investors are watching for clues on potential ramifications for global oil supply, with potential for either a tightening of sanctions or steps toward reconciliation. "I don't believe the oil market has priced in a full peace dividend that potentially could see prices of crude and EU gas suffer further setbacks," said Saxo Bank commodities strategist Ole Hansen. Trump told Ukraine on Monday to give up hopes of getting back annexed Crimea or joining NATO, emerging more aligned with Moscow on seeking a peace deal instead of a ceasefire first after his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. The Alaska summit ended with no agreement to resolve or pause the war, though Trump emerged from talks more aligned with Moscow on seeking a peace deal rather than a ceasefire first. Meanwhile, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said India's purchases of Russian crude were funding Moscow's war in Ukraine and had to stop, reviving concerns about supply flows. "India acts as a global clearing house for Russian oil, converting embargoed crude into high-value exports while giving Moscow the dollars it needs," Navarro said. The statement triggered some buying interest in the market, said SEB analyst Ole Hvalbye. Priyanka Sachdeva, senior market analyst at brokerage Phillip Nova, said: "The U.S. adviser's sharp words on India's Russian crude imports, paired with postponed trade talks, revive concerns that energy flows remain hostage to trade and diplomatic frictions, even as peace prospects in Ukraine brighten."
Optimism About Bringing an End to the Russia-Ukraine War - The crude market settled higher on Monday as U.S. President Donald Trump met with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and expressed optimism about bringing an end to the Russia-Ukraine war following an inconclusive U.S.-Russia summit on Friday. In overnight trading, the market traded lower as President Trump emerged more aligned with Russia on seeking a peace deal instead of a ceasefire first. Concerns over a disruption in Russian oil supply dissipated as President Trump said on Saturday that he did not immediately need to consider retaliatory tariffs on countries such as China for buying Russian oil but might have to “in two or three weeks”. The market saw short-lived buying interest that pushed the market higher after White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said India’s purchases of Russian crude were funding Russia’s war in Ukraine and had to stop, reviving concerns about supply flows. However, in a yo-yo manner, the market erased those gains and continued on a downward trend posting a low of $62.18 by mid-morning before it retraced its losses and rallied higher in afternoon trading as a meeting between the U.S. and Ukraine as well as European allies began. The oil market posted a high of $63.79 in afternoon trading. The September WTI contract settled up 62 cents at $63.42 and the October Brent contract settled up 75 points at $66.60. The product markets ended the session higher, with the heating oil market settling up 1.53 cents at $2.2403 and the RB market settling up 2.62 cents at $2.0987. U.S. President Donald Trump said that the United States would help Europe in providing security for Ukraine as part of any deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, as he and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy began a White House meeting to discuss a path to peace. However, he also suggested to reporters that he no longer believed reaching a ceasefire was a necessary prerequisite for striking a peace agreement, backing a position staked out by Russian President Vladimir Putin and opposed by Ukraine’s President and most European leaders. Following their one-on-one discussion, President Trump and Ukraine’s President made a joint appearance with the leaders of Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Finland, the European Union and NATO, who traveled to Washington to demonstrate solidarity with Ukraine. Ukrainian President Zelenskiy described the one-on-one discussion with President Trump as “very good” and said they had spoken about the importance of U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine. President Trump said he and Ukraine’s President had covered “a lot of territory” during their discussion. He also again proposed a three-way summit with Russia’s President, Ukraine’s President and himself aimed at reaching a peace deal, which Zelenskiy said he would support. President Trump said in the Oval Office that he liked the concept of a ceasefire, but they could work on a peace deal while the fighting continued. During the later appearance, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pushed back on that suggestion.IIR Energy said U.S. oil refiners are expected to shut in about 226,000 bpd of capacity in the week ending August 22nd, unchanged from the previous week. Offline capacity is expected to remain at 226,000 bpd in the week ending August 29th.
Oil prices edge lower as Trump, Zelenskyy signal talks with Putin Oil prices slipped on Tuesday after comments by US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fueled expectations that the war in Ukraine could move toward a resolution and sanctions on Russian crude could be eased. International benchmark Brent crude fell 0.77% to $65.63 a barrel at 10.10 a.m. local time (0710 GMT), down from $66.14 at Monday's close. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) decreased 0.79% to $62.11 per barrel, compared to $62.61 in the previous session. Prices retreated after Trump said preparations had begun for a trilateral summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy, which he would also attend. Zelenskyy reiterated he is ready for bilateral talks with Putin ahead of a broader format involving the US and European leaders. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said following the meeting in Washington, which included European leaders, that Zelenskyy and Putin were expected to meet within two weeks. The announcements eased market concerns over supply flows and weighed on prices. Analysts said that while a ceasefire or peace deal is not imminent, the progress in negotiations has reduced geopolitical tension. Meanwhile, investors also turned their focus to US trade measures against India, after the Trump administration announced on Aug. 6 a 25% penalty tariff on Indian goods over New Delhi's purchases of Russian oil. The levy, which takes effect on Aug. 27, will raise total tariffs on many Indian imports to as much as 50% and has stalled trade talks between Washington and New Delhi.Peter Navarro, a counsellor for trade and manufacturing at the White House, on Monday called India's "dependence" on Russian crude "opportunistic and deeply corrosive of the world's efforts to isolate Putin's war economy." New Delhi has pushed back on US tariffs, calling the Trump administration's moves "unfair and unjust." According to Navarro, India's purchases of Russia's crude oil had climbed to over 30% of its total imports, from a mere 1%, since the Ukraine war began in February 2022. He also accused India of "now cozying up to both Russia and China." "India's oil lobby is funding Putin's war machine, that has to stop," he added. According to analysts, Indian refiners are likely to continue buying Russian crude as long as it remains economically viable. They added that late-August talks between the US and India, if they go ahead, could prove decisive for market sentiment. Investors are also watching the Federal Reserve's annual Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium, set for Aug. 21-23, where Chair Jerome Powell's remarks will be parsed for clues on the path of rate cuts.
Oil Prices Retreat as Ukraine Peace Hopes Trim Geopolitical Premium -Oil prices dropped Tuesday as hopes grew for progress in ending the war in Ukraine. Brent crude fell 1.1% to $65.84 a barrel, while WTI slipped 1.2% to $61.92. The declines came after a series of meetings between President Trump and other world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Although last week’s Trump-Putin talks didn’t deliver a cease-fire, fears of immediate U.S. retaliation — such as secondary tariffs on China for purchasing Russian oil — did not materialize, easing market anxiety. Further discussions in Washington with Zelensky and European leaders have added to optimism that negotiations are moving forward, analysts say. That has pressured crude, with traders dialing back risk premiums built into prices during months of escalating geopolitical tension. Still, skepticism lingers. While rhetoric has softened, concrete steps toward peace remain elusive, meaning energy markets may stay volatile in the weeks ahead. For now, the momentum points lower, with supply outlooks steady and demand concerns tied to trade frictions still unresolved.
Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks Mask Unexpected Oil Price Reactions - Brent oil prices have shifted very little over the last two weeks, staying in the range of $65 to $66 per barrel. The Russia-Ukraine peace talks loom large, with bearish sentiment winning out in anticipation of Russian barrels making a return to global markets. “The probability of the US placing stronger sanctions on Russia is waning, with the market expecting Russian oil trade to make a comeback as a result of the peace talks — yet this sentiment masks emerging signals toward upside," said Rystad Energy’s Senior Vice President, Chief Oil Analyst, Mukesh Sahdev. "Rystad Energy analysis of storage fundamentals, particularly as China’s stockpiling continues with 10% higher imports than needed, indicates that oil prices are unlikely to tank to level of $60 /bbl and stay there for long." "There is also a lack of clarity around the OPEC+ unwind on which barrels will be exported vs. fed into their own refining system. We are in an opaque vs. non-opaque fundamentals era, with OPEC vs. non-OPEC production becoming an outdated method of analyzing global oil markets. The prompt time spreads between Brent and WTI continue to signal a tighter market. Overall, our view is that backwardation will continue to roll and it’s not time to stay short for long. The path to peace is likely to be non-linear.” While it is difficult to predict what happens next in the complex peace process involving Ukraine and Russia, the signals are there that oil prices are not tanking to very low levels and Russian energy will flow easily. Despite a significant drop in bullish Nymex WTI crude net-long positions, there are signals for accumulation among the commercials and some exhaustion in downward momentum. The unsolved fundamentals are likely to be resolved without crashing oil prices. The trading world is likely to witness many unexpected trade flow shifts ahead like news of the export of diesel from India to China.
Oil prices fall on talks to end Russian invasion of Ukraine (Reuters) - Oil prices fell on Tuesday as traders bet that talks over a possible agreement to legitimize or end Russia's invasion of Ukraine could ease sanctions on Russian crude oil, boosting global supply. Brent crude futures settled at $65.79 a barrel, down 81 cents, or 1.22%. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures for September delivery, set to expire on Wednesday, finished at $62.35 a barrel, down $1.07, or 1.69%. "Even with this peace dividend, we have a record short position," "Because of the size of the short position, people are betting on a cease-fire and if we don't get one there could be a bounce." Following a White House meeting on Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European allies, U.S. President Donald Trump announced in a social media post that he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump said arrangements were being made for a meeting between Putin and Zelenskiy, which could lead to a trilateral summit involving all three leaders. Suvro Sarkar, lead energy analyst at DBS Bank, said Trump's softened stance on secondary sanctions targeting importers of Russian oil had reduced the risk of global supply disruptions, easing geopolitical tensions slightly. Chinese refineries have purchased 15 cargoes of Russian oil for October and November delivery as Indian demand for Moscow's exports has fallen away, two analysts and one trader said on Tuesday. Zelenskiy described his talks with Trump as "very good" and noted discussions about potential U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine. Trump confirmed the U.S. would provide such guarantees, though the extent of support remains unclear. Trump has pressed for a quick end to Europe's deadliest war in 80 years, but Kyiv and its allies worry he could seek to force an agreement on Russia's terms. "An outcome which would see a ratcheting down of tensions and remove threats of secondary tariffs or sanctions would see oil drift lower toward our $58 per barrel Q4-25/Q1-26 average target," Bart Melek, head of commodity strategy at TD Securities, said in a note.
WTI Holds Gains After Biggest Crude Draw In Over 2 Months, US Production Rises --Oil prices are higher this morning, bucking a broadly risk-off sentiment across markets, following API's report overnight showing US crude stockpiles declined last week, while traders assessed negotiations to end Russia’s war against Ukraine.“Focus is gradually shifting back towards fundamentals,” Declining US inventories in EIA data later “could lend support, as many fear a significant inventory build in the coming quarters.”The drop shows summer demand remains solid even as supply is on the rise. Investors are watching on progress toward a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine following a series of high-level talks brokered by President Donald Trump."The latest series of meetings aimed at brokering peace in Ukraine was also weighed by financial markets, but had a more pronounced impact on oil. Intense talks about ending hostilities, however elusive, raised the spectre of Russia re-entering the international market. That was until overnight, as Russia, based on comments from its foreign minister, appears less than enthusiastic about a meeting with the Ukrainian leader, a prerequisite for any potential peace," PVM Oil Associates noted.Any eventual peace deal could lead to fewer restrictions on Russia’s crude exports, although Moscow has largely kept its oil flowing despite an array of sanctions. API
- Crude -2.4mm (-1.2mm exp)
- Cushing
- Gasoline +1mm
- Distillates +500k
DOE
- Crude -6.01mm (biggest draw since June)
- Cushing +419k
- Gasoline -2.72mm
- Distillates +2.34mm
Official data confirmed API's reported drawdown in crude stocks (but far larger at over 6mm barrels - the biggest draw since the start of June). Stocks at the Cushing Hub rose for the 7th straight week while Gasoline inventories fell for the 5th straight week... Graphics Source: Bloomberg. Despite another 223k barrel addition to the SPR, total US crude commercial stocks fell significantly...WTI is holding gains after the big crude draw...The longer-term outlook for the oil market looks bearish, with expectations for a glut later in 2025 as OPEC+ returns barrels and as Trump’s trade policies spark concerns about demand. Futures are down more than 10% this year.
Oil Market Trades Higher on Crude Draw as Talks to End the War in Ukraine Continue - Ahead of the September WTI contract’s expiration at the close, the oil market on Wednesday traded higher in light of a larger than expected draw in crude inventories. It continued to trade within Monday’s trading range as the market continued to await the next steps in talks to end the war in Ukraine. The market posted a low of $62.39 in overnight trading and settled in a sideways trading range ahead of the release of the weekly petroleum stocks report. The market later posted a high of $63.55 after the EIA reported a larger than expected draw in crude stocks of 6 million barrels in the week ending August 15 th. The crude market later traded sideways during the remainder of the session. The September WTI contract went off the board up 86 cents at $63.21. The October WTI contract settled up 94 cents at $62.71, while the October Brent contract settled up $1.05 at $66.84. The product markets ended the session higher, with the heating oil market settling up 2.85 cents at $2.2796 and the RB market settling up 3.93 cents at $2.1283. Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, said that Russia is ready to discuss the political aspects of a settlement with Ukraine. He said Russia is ready to conduct talks in any format and to raise the level of delegations in negotiations. However, he repeated Moscow’s insistence that any meeting of the Russian and Ukrainian leaders should be the culmination of such negotiations, and would need to be carefully prepared. He also said that attempts to resolve security issues relating to Ukraine without the participation of Moscow was a “road to nowhere”. Roman Babushkin, an offical at the Russian embassy in India, said Russia will continue supplying oil to India and the country’s President Vladimir Putin will meet India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi by the end of year. He said Russia has a “very, very special mechanism” to continue oil supplies to India and added that India’s crude oil imports from Russia will remain at the same level. The U.S. is set to impose an additional 25% tariff on Indian exports on August 28th, citing their imports of Russian oil. IIR Energy said U.S. oil refiners are expected to shut in about 303,000 bpd of capacity in the week ending August 22nd, cutting available refining capacity by 77,000 bpd. Offline capacity is expected to remain at 226,000 bpd in the week ending August 29th. IIR said BP’s 440,000 bpd refinery in Whiting, Indiana, was in the process of restarting after flooding disrupted its operations earlier this week. It added that the units would take several days to ramp up. The facility aims to be back running at full rates by early next week. The refinery reported flaring due to flooding caused by a severe thunderstorm. TotalEnergies began a planned 60-day overhaul on the small crude distillation unit, along with a reformer and hydrotreaters at its 238,000 bpd Port Arthur, Texas refinery. Citgo reported that operating conditions at its 165,000 bpd Corpus Christi East plant in Texas have made flaring necessary. The U.S. EPA could rule this week on dozens of pending petitions from small oil refineries seeking exemptions from ethanol- and biodiesel-blending obligations.
Oil prices climb 2% on drop in US crude inventories as investors focus on Ukraine peace push (Reuters) - Oil prices climbed about 2% on Wednesday on a bigger-than-expected weekly drop in U.S. crude inventories as investors awaited the next steps in talks to end the Ukraine war, with sanctions on Russian crude remaining in place for now. Brent crude futures were up $1.05, or 1.6%, to settle at $66.84 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose The U.S. Energy Information Administration said energy firms pulled 6.0 million barrels of crude from inventories during the week ended August 15. , That was bigger than the draw of 1.8 million barrels forecast by analysts in a Reuters poll and the decline of 2.4 million barrels that market sources said the American Petroleum Institute trade group cited in its figures on Tuesday. "We had a decent-sized crude drawdown. We saw a rebound in exports ... That and the strong refinery demand really makes this a bullish report," On Tuesday, crude prices fell more than 1% - with WTI closing at its lowest level since May 30 - on optimism that an agreement to end the Russia-Ukraine war seemed closer. "Much of the choppy price action has been driven by daily updates to the Ukraine/Russian negotiations that have gone back and forth from bearish to bullish as far as the impact on future oil balances is concerned," U.S. President Donald Trump conceded that Russian President Vladimir Putin might not want to make a deal. Russia was the second-biggest producer of crude in 2024 behind the U.S., so any agreement that could ease sanctions on Moscow should boost the amount of Russian oil available for export to global markets. On Tuesday, Trump said he had ruled out putting U.S. troops on the ground in Ukraine, but said the U.S. might provide air support as part of a deal to end Russia's war in the country. On Wednesday, Russia said attempts to resolve security issues relating to Ukraine without Moscow's participation were a "road to nowhere", sounding a warning to the West as it scrambles to work out guarantees for Kyiv's future protection. Russia said it expects to continue supplying oil to India despite warnings from the U.S., Russian embassy officials in New Delhi said on Wednesday, adding that Moscow hopes trilateral talks will soon take place with India and China. Trump has announced an additional tariff of 25% on Indian goods exported to the U.S. from August 27, as a punishment for buying Russian oil. India's state-run refiners Indian Oil and Bharat Petroleum have bought Russian oil for September and October delivery, resuming purchases after discounts widened, two company officials aware of the matter said on Wednesday. Russian forces have advanced in the east of Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region, taking the village of Novoheorhiivka close to the Donetsk region, Russia's defence ministry said on Wednesday. "The likelihood of a quick resolution to the conflict with Russia now seems unlikely,"
Oil prices rise; US inventory draw signals firm demand - Oil prices traded slightly higher during Asian deals on Thursday, supported by evidence of robust United States demand after government data showed steep withdrawals from crude and fuel stockpiles.By 2:55 pm AEST (4:55 am GMT) Brent crude futures rose 27 cents or 0.4% to US$67.11 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude added 86 cents or 1.4% to $63.21.Among data releases, U.S. crude inventories dropped by 6 million barrels last week to 420.7 million barrels, the Energy Information Administration reported, far exceeding analysts’ expectations of a 1.3 million-barrel draw.Gasoline stocks also fell sharply, down 2.7 million barrels compared with forecasts for an 800,000-barrel draw, pointing to strong demand during the peak summer driving season.“Crude oil prices rebounded as signs of strong demand in the U.S. boosted sentiment,” Daniel Hynes, senior commodity strategist at ANZ, said in a note Thursday. Still, he added, “While the data was mildly bullish, it wasn’t enough to change the broader mood in the market. Bearish sentiment remains evident as traders continue to monitor negotiations to end Russia’s war against Ukraine. The U.S. and military officials from NATO discussed security measures for Ukraine to help forge a peace agreement.”Geopolitical risks remain in focus. Russia said Wednesday that attempts to resolve security issues around Ukraine without its involvement were a “road to nowhere”, as U.S. and European officials weighed post-conflict security guarantees for Kyiv. With peace talks stalled, Western sanctions on Russian oil supplies remain in force, while further U.S. penalties on buyers of Russian crude loom.Despite the sanctions backdrop, Russian officials signaled they would maintain shipments to willing customers. Diplomats in New Delhi said Russia expects to continue oil supplies to India even as Washington applies pressure.U.S. President Donald Trump recently announced a 25% tariff on Indian goods starting 27 August in response to India’s Russian oil purchases. Meanwhile, the European Union has sanctioned Nayara Energy, an Indian private refiner backed by Rosneft.
Oil Gains as Tariff Fears Loom - Oil advanced in a choppy session after a Trump administration trade official said he expected additional tariffs on India as a result of the country’s Russian crude purchases. West Texas Intermediate for October delivery climbed more than 1% to settle above $63 a barrel after trade adviser Peter Navarro said he expected US tariffs on India to double on Aug. 27 as a penalty for Russian oil purchases. Brent gained to settle near $68. For the past 10 sessions, US oil futures have been locked in a tight range between about $62 and $65 a barrel. Investors are monitoring progress toward a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire following a series of high-level talks brokered by President Donald Trump. The US has worked to set up a meeting between the warring sides, though the Kremlin so far has proved noncommittal. Any peace deal may lead to fewer restrictions on Russia’s crude exports, although Moscow has largely kept its oil flowing despite an array of sanctions. Investors also continued to parse a mixed US crude stockpile report from Wednesday that included the biggest overall decline since mid-June but a seventh straight weekly buildup at the storage hub of Cushing, Oklahoma. The delivery point for West Texas Intermediate futures has seen a recent surge in supplies from the Permian Basin. Oil has dropped more than 10% this year on concerns that US tariffs will hurt economic growth just as OPEC+ nations are returning idled production, raising expectations for a glut once peak summer demand ends. US gasoline stockpiles also declined for a fifth straight week, offering a reminder that, while many traders expect a surplus later this year, global inventories are still abnormally low. Jet fuel demand remains strong. “The market continues to weigh a mix of bullish and bearish drivers that, which together with thin summer liquidity, are keeping prices boxed in,” said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank. WTI for October delivery rose 1.3% to settle at $63.52 a barrel. Brent for October settlement advanced 1.2% to settle at $67.67 a barrel.
Oil rises 1% on stalled Russia-Ukraine peace talks, strong US demand (Reuters) - Oil prices rose by nearly a dollar a barrel on Thursday as Russia and Ukraine blamed each other for a stalled peace process, and as earlier U.S. data showed signs of strong demand in the top oil consuming nation. Brent crude futures rose 83 cents, or 1.2%, to settle at $67.67 a barrel, a two-week high. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures gained 81 cents, or 1.3%, to close at $63.52 a barrel. Both contracts climbed more than 1% in the prior session. The path to peace in Ukraine remained uncertain, turning oil traders cautious after a selloff over the past two weeks on hopes that U.S. President Donald Trump would soon negotiate a diplomatic end to Russia's war with its neighbor. Both Moscow and Kyiv have since blamed each other for stalling the peace process. Russia on Thursday launched a major air attack near Ukraine's border with the European Union, while Ukraine claimed to have hit a Russian oil refinery. "Some geopolitical risk premium is slowly being pumped back into the market," oil trading advisory firm Ritterbusch and Associates told clients on Thursday. The uncertainty in the peace talks means that the possibility of tighter sanctions on Russia has resurfaced, said Tamas Varga, an analyst at PVM Oil Associates. Oil prices were also supported by a larger-than-expected drawdown from U.S. crude stockpiles in the last week, indicating strong demand. U.S. crude stockpiles fell 6 million barrels in the week ended August 15, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported on Wednesday, while analysts had expected a draw of 1.8 million barrels. "These tight domestic stockpiles stand in contrast to the oversupply outlook projected by both the IEA and EIA for 2026, challenging traders' broader market expectations," Investors were also looking to the Jackson Hole economic conference in Wyoming for signals on a possible Fed interest rate cut next month. The annual gathering of central bankers begins on Thursday, with Fed Chair Jerome Powell scheduled to speak on Friday.
Oil Prices Rise Amid Russia-Ukraine Escalation And U.S. Supply Drop -Global oil prices advanced on Friday as renewed hostilities between Russia and Ukraine rattled markets, while U.S. inventory data revealed a sharper-than-expected draw in crude stockpiles. Brent crude edged up to $67.22 per barrel, a slight increase from the previous day’s $67.13, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) climbed to $63.51 per barrel. Ukraine’s military reported one of the largest airstrikes of the year, which resulted in casualties and heightened tensions. President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of refusing to engage in meaningful peace negotiations and called for stronger international sanctions. Adding to bullish sentiment, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that crude inventories declined by six million barrels last week, significantly above expectations of an 800,000-barrel reduction. Analysts believe this points to firm demand in the world’s largest oil-consuming nation. Meanwhile, markets await insights from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s address at the Jackson Hole symposium, as potential rate cuts could stimulate economic growth and further lift oil demand. Tensions also flared after a Ukrainian strike targeted a Russian oil pipeline supplying Hungary. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto condemned the attack, calling it “an assault on Hungary’s energy security.” He criticized Kyiv’s actions, reiterating Hungary’s refusal to be drawn into the conflict and its opposition to the EU’s “war budget” allocations. With no resolution in sight, oil traders remain cautious, balancing geopolitical risks with economic indicators that continue to drive market volatility.
Oil prices set for weekly gain as Ukraine peace process stalls - Oil prices edged up on Friday as hopes of an imminent peace deal between Russia and Ukraine faded, putting prices on track for their first weekly gain in three weeks. Brent crude futures were up 18 cents at $67.85 a barrel by 10:31 a.m. EDT (1431 GMT). West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures gained 25 cents, or 0.39%, to $63.77. Both contracts gained more than 1% in the previous session. Brent has risen 3.04% so far this week while WTI is up 1.5%. “Everyone is waiting for President Trump’s next step,” said UBS commodity analyst Giovanni Staunovo. “Over the coming days, it seems nothing will happen,” he added. U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said he will see if Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will work together in ending Russia’s war in Ukraine. The three-and-a-half-year war continued unabated this week as Russia launched an air attack on Thursday near Ukraine’s borderwith the European Union, and Ukraine said it hit a Russian oil refinery and the Unecha oil pumping station, a critical part of Russia’s Europe-bound Druzhba oil pipeline. Hungary said deliveries through the pipeline had been halted. Trump is seeking to arrange a summit between Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Zelenskiy as part of efforts to broker a peace deal for Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said there is no agenda for a potential summit between Putin and Zelenskiy, accusing Zelenskiy of saying “no to everything”. The less likely a ceasefire looks, the more likely the risk of tougher U.S. sanctions on Russia, ING analysts said in a client note on Friday. Meanwhile, U.S. and European planners have presented military options to their national security advisers after the first in-person meeting between the U.S. and Russian leaders sinceRussia invaded Ukraine. Estonia is ready to participate in a peacekeeping operation in Ukraine with a force of up to one battalion, the Baltic country’s Prime Minister Kristen Michal said at a press conference with his Finnish counterpart in Tallinn on Friday. Putin demanded that Ukraine give up all of the eastern Donbas region, renounce NATO ambitions and keep Western troops out of the country, sources told Reuters. Trump pledged to protect Ukraine under any war-ending deal and Zelenskiy dismissed the idea of withdrawing from internationally recognised Ukrainian land. Larger than expected fall in US oil stocks Oil prices were also supported by a larger than expected drawdown from U.S. crude stockpiles in the past week, indicating strong demand. Stocks fell by 6 million barrels in the week ended August 15, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday. Analysts had expected a draw of 1.8 million barrels. Weak economic data from Germany on Friday partially offset the stocks draw, showing that Europe’s largest economy shrank by 0.3% in the second quarter, raising concerns over oil demand. Investors were also looking to the Jackson Hole economic conference in Wyoming for signals of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut next month. U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday pointed to a possible rate cut at the central bank’s September meeting but stopped short of committing to cutting interest rates. Lower interest rates can stimulate economic growth and increase oil demand, potentially boosting prices.
Oil prices rise, make weekly gains as Ukraine peace process stalls (Reuters) - Oil prices steadied on Friday amid uncertainty surrounding a potential peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, with prices gaining on the week for the first time in three weeks. Brent crude futures settled up 6 cents or 0.09% to $67.73. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures settled up 14 cents or 0.22% to $63.66. Both contracts gained more than 1% in the previous session. Brent gained 2.9% this week while WTI rose 1.4%. "Everyone is waiting for President Trump's next step," said UBS commodity analyst Giovanni Staunovo. "Over the coming days, it seems nothing will happen," he added. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he will see if Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will work together in ending Russia's war in Ukraine. "There is still uncertainty around the potential ceasefire, the negotiations are not going as quick as the market would have hoped," The 3-1/2-year war continued unabated this week as Russia launched an air attack on Thursday near Ukraine's border with the European Union, and Ukraine said it hit a Russian oil refinery and the Unecha oil pumping station, a critical part of Russia's Europe-bound Druzhba oil pipeline. Russian oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia could be suspended for at least five days. Trump is seeking to arrange a summit between Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Zelenskiy as part of efforts to broker a peace deal for Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said there is no agenda for a potential summit between Putin and Zelenskiy, accusing Zelenskiy of saying "no to everything".The less likely a ceasefire looks, the more likely the risk of tougher U.S. sanctions on Russia, ING analysts said in a client note on Friday.Meanwhile, U.S. and European planners have presented military options to their national security advisers after the first in-person meeting between the U.S. and Russian leaders since Russia invaded Ukraine.Estonia is ready to participate in a peacekeeping operation in Ukraine with a force of up to one battalion, the Baltic country's Prime Minister Kristen Michal said at a press conference with his Finnish counterpart in Tallinn on Friday. Putin demanded that Ukraine give up all of the eastern Donbas region, renounce NATO ambitions and keep Western troops out of the country, sources told Reuters. Trump pledged to protect Ukraine under any war-ending deal and Zelenskiy dismissed the idea of withdrawing from internationally recognised Ukrainian land. Oil prices were also supported by a larger-than-expected drawdown from U.S. crude stockpiles in the past week, indicating strong demand. Stocks fell by 6 million barrels in the week ended August 15, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday. Analysts had expected a draw of 1.8 million barrels. Meanwhile, U.S. energy firms this week cut the number of oil and natural gas rigs operating for the fourth time in five weeks, energy services firm Baker Hughes (BKR.O), opens new tab said in its closely followed report on Friday. The oil and gas rig count, an early indicator of future output, fell by one to 538 in the week to August 22, the lowest since mid-July. Weak economic data from Germany on Friday partially offset the stocks draw, showing that Europe's largest economy shrank by 0.3%, opens new tab in the second quarter, raising concerns over oil demand. Investors were also looking to the Jackson Hole economic conference in Wyoming for signals of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut next month. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Friday pointed to a possible interest rate cut at the U.S. central bank's meeting next month but stopped short of committing to it, in remarks acknowledging both the growing risks to the job market and the ongoing threat of higher inflation. Lower interest rates can stimulate economic growth and increase oil demand, potentially boosting prices.
Russian fuel prices surge after Ukraine hits refineries (AFP) – Russian fuel prices are at near-record highs, stock exchange data showed Thursday, after a slew of Ukrainian attacks on refineries caused breakdowns during the travel season. Ukraine routinely targets Russian refineries and oil depots to hamper Moscow's ability to fund its offensive. Recent hits have coincided with the summer holiday season and have contributed to higher rates of driving over train and air travel. In a bid to tame prices, Russia, one of the world's biggest oil producers, introduced a total ban on fuel exports last month, but it appeared to have little effect. AI-92 and AI-95, the two most popular fuel blends in Russia, were trading at around 72,663 and 81,342 thousand rubles per tonne ($900 and $1,000), close to their all-time highs, according to trading data from the Saint Petersburg commodities exchange. Russian broker BKS cited "the high season, repairs and new accidents at the refineries" as reasons for the price surge, noting higher demand for fuel because people tend to drive more during the summer months. Additionally, Ukrainian attacks have also disrupted air and railway travel, further contributing to the surge, the brokerage said. "Recent disruptions at the Afipsky, Ryazan and Saratov oil refineries could have reduced the petrol supply on the market," it added, saying this could have probably exacerbated the situation. Ukraine claimed to have hit the three refineries this month, but there was no official comment from Russia on any stoppages there. The Russian energy ministry said the price rise was due to "high seasonal demand and agricultural works", and supported extending the ban to September as well, without mentioning Ukrainian strikes or any repair work on refineries. The fuel shortage is the most acute in Russia's south and far east, as well as in the part s of Ukraine held by Russian troops, local authorities said.
Major Russian attack on western Ukraine hits an American factory during U.S.-led push for peace | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Russia launched a rare drone and missile attack on western Ukraine overnight, officials said Thursday, striking targets including an American-owned electronics plant and injecting further uncertainty into the U.S.-led efforts to end the three-year-old war. The aerial assault on a part of Ukraine that has largely avoided such focused attacks was one of Russia's biggest this year and came amid Moscow's objections to key aspects of proposals that could end the fighting following Russia’s February 2022 invasion of its neighbor. President Donald Trump discussed the war with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week before hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders at the White House on Monday. Russia’s Defense Ministry said the strikes targeted “enterprises of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex," including drone factories, storage depots, missile launch sites and areas where Ukrainian troops were gathered. Russia has repeatedly denied targeting civilian areas of Ukraine. But in a post on X, Mr. Zelenskyy wrote that “the Russians practically burned down an American company producing electronics — home appliances, nothing military.” “The Russians knew exactly where they lobbed the missiles. We believe this was a deliberate attack against American property and investments in Ukraine,” Mr. Zelenskyy wrote, adding: “Telling attack, right as the world awaits a clear answer from Russia on negotiations to end the war.” Trump last month questioned Mr. Putin’s commitment to ending the war, saying the Russian leader “talks nice and then he bombs everybody.” In a social media post Thursday, Trump criticized his predecessor, Joe Biden, for not providing Ukraine with more weaponry it needs to “fight back.” “It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invaders country,” Trump said. “It’s like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defense, but is not allowed to play offensive. There is no chance of winning! It is like that with Ukraine and Russia.” The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Trump is considering changes to the types of weapons the U.S. will provide to Kyiv.
Ukrainian attack suspends Russian oil flows to Hungary, Slovakia (Reuters) - Russian oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia could be suspended for at least five days after a Ukrainian strike on a facility in Russia, Hungarian and Slovakian officials said on Friday, in a widening of the fallout of Russia's war in Ukraine. Russia and Ukraine have stepped up attacks on each other's energy infrastructure, hitting Ukrainian domestic heating supplies, Russia's Druzhba pipeline and other facilities, over the past few weeks as U.S. President Donald Trump has pushed for a deal to end the conflict. . The European Union reduced energy supplies from Russia after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and is seeking to phase out Russian oil and gas by the end of 2027. EU members Slovakia and Hungary have maintained relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and opposed sanctions against Russia that Ukraine says are vital to make Moscow drop unacceptable war demands. They also oppose the phase-out of Russian energy supplies via the Druzhba pipeline. Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban published on Friday a letter he wrote to Trump in which he says that Ukraine attacked Druzhba just days before the U.S. president met Putin in Alaska on August 15. Orban called the attack a "very unfortunate move". A photocopy of the letter posted by Orban on Facebook showed what appeared to be a handwritten note on it from Trump, saying: "Viktor - I do not like hearing this - I am very angry about it." The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Hungarian and Slovak foreign ministers also wrote to the European Commission on Friday saying that the latest Ukrainian attack could leave them without Russian oil imports for at least five days, urging it to guarantee the security of supplies. "The physical and geographical reality is that without this pipeline, the safe supply of our countries is simply not possible," Hungary's Peter Szijjarto and Slovakia's Juraj Blanar said in their letter. The EU says it has invested in energy infrastructure in Croatia that could provide the two countries with alternative supplies. The Ukrainian strike on Thursday night marked the second time this week that Russian oil supplies have been cut to Hungary and Slovakia, after a halt on Monday and Tuesday. Ukraine's military said late on Thursday it had again struck the Unecha oil pumping station, a critical part of Russia's Europe-bound Druzhba oil pipeline. A Russian industry source also said the supplies could be halted for a few days. The Russian energy ministry did not reply to a request for comment.
Iran Warns Israel Could Resume Its War at Any Time - Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref warned on Monday that Israel could resume its war on Iran at any time and that Tehran must be prepared for the possibility.“We must be prepared at every moment for confrontation; right now, we are not even in a ceasefire (agreement); we are in a cessation of hostilities,” Eref said.The Iranian official said that Tehran prefers diplomacy but is unsure what the other side will do and that if the war does restart, Iran will be prepared to end it.“Of course, our strategy is to resolve issues through negotiations, but we are concerned whether the other side believes in negotiations or not,” he said,according to Iran’s MEHR news agency. “We do not seek war, but our strategy is that if they start a war, its end will be ours.” Aref’s comments come as Israeli officials have made clear that they do seek another war with Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video last week where he spoke in English and urged the “Iranian people” to rise up against the government, and Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has repeatedly threatened Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Since the end of the 12-day US-Israeli war on Iran, there have been no negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Iran has been seeking assurances that it won’t be attacked again during the next round of talks, and it also maintains that the US must not demand zero uranium enrichment. For his part, President Trump has threatened to bomb Iran again if it restarts uranium enrichment.
Syria, Israel Hold Unprecedented US-Mediated Talks In Paris -Syria has issued confirmation of a meeting between its foreign minister and a close confidante of Benjamin Netanyahu in Paris, marking the first official announcement of direct talks between Damascus and Tel Aviv. Earlier, reports had said Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani would meet with Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer in Paris. "Shaibani met today in the French capital, Paris, with an Israeli delegation to discuss several issues related to ‘enhancing stability’ in the region and southern Syria. Discussions focused on de-escalation and non-interference in Syria's internal affairs, reaching understandings that support stability in the region, monitoring the ceasefire in As-Suwayda Governorate, and reactivating the 1974 agreement," state news agency SANA reported on Tuesday. "These discussions are being held with US mediation as part of diplomatic efforts aimed at enhancing security and stability in Syria and preserving its unity and territorial integrity," it added. This was not the first meeting between Dermer and Shaibani. US envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, said on July 24 that he met in Paris with Syrian and Israeli officials for “dialogue and de-escalation.” Shaibani and Dermer were both visiting the French capital at the time. Barrack’s announcement came after the end of violent clashes between pro-government forces and local Syrian Druze factions in the southern city of Suwayda and its countryside, resulting in numerous civilian massacres.Israel intervened with a series of violent airstrikes targeting Damascus and other areas in southern Syria, under the pretext of “protecting” the Druze minority. According to reports, Syrian-Israeli negotiations, which had been ongoing since the start of the year, resumed quickly after the attacks, following a brief pause. Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government last year, Israeli forces have established a widespread military occupation across southern Syria. Occupation forces continue to expand their presence in the country’s south, launching regular raids, incursions, and airstrikes. Israel says it wishes to demilitarize the entire south, protect the Druze minority from persecution, and prevent ‘hostile forces’ from establishing a presence.
Amnesty Says Israel Is Carrying Out a 'Deliberate Campaign of Starvation' in Gaza - The UK-based human rights group Amnesty International said on Mondaythat Israel is carrying out a “deliberate campaign of starvation” in the Gaza Strip, citing testimonies from Palestinians living under the siege, and called for an immediate ceasefire and end to the blockade.“To even begin reversing the devastating consequences of Israel’s inhumane policies and actions, which have made mass starvation a grim reality in Gaza, there must be an immediate, unconditional lifting of the blockade and a sustained ceasefire,” said Erika Guevara Rosas, Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns at Amnesty International.“The impact of Israel’s blockade and its ongoing genocide on civilians, particularly on children, people with disabilities, those with chronic illnesses, older people and pregnant and breastfeeding women, is catastrophic and cannot be undone by simply increasing the number of aid trucks or restoring performative, ineffective and dangerous airdrops of aid,” Rosas added.The report put emphasis on the plight of pregnant women and mothers of infants who are struggling to produce breast milk and facing shortages of baby formula and are struggling to feed their children. Save the Childrenscreened 747 pregnant and breastfeeding women in July and found that over 40% were malnourished.“I fear miscarriage, but I also think about my baby: I panic just thinking about the potential impact of my own hunger on the baby’s health, its weight, whether it will have [birth defects], and even if the baby is born healthy, what life awaits it, amidst displacement, bombs, tents,” Hadeel, a fourth-month pregnant mother of two told Amnesty. Palestinians also spoke of how people were fighting for aid rather than cooperating and helping each other like they used to. Palestinians have been coming under Israeli attack while trying to reach aid, with nearly 2,000 aid seekers being killed since the end of May. “I saw with my own eyes people carrying bags of flour stained with the blood of those who had just been shot; even people I knew were almost unrecognizable. The experience of hunger and war has changed Gaza completely; it has changed our values,”
Israel Calls Up 60,000 Reservists Ahead Of Gaza City Takeover -Israeli media is reporting that around 60,000 Israeli reservists are set to receive call-up orders on Wednesday as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) gear up for a major assault on Gaza City.A report in Times of Israel notes that reservists will have up to two weeks before going to their duty stations, but not all will be directly involved in the Gaza City offensive, as some are needed replace Israeli forces currently stationed in other parts of Gaza. The controversial Netanyahu-ordered expanded offensive which aims to achieve total control of Gaza City is expected to displace over a million Palestinian civilians.The IDF is prepared to use artillery to forcibly remove them, and a ramped-up air campaign has already been underway. Arab media sources, including Al Jazeera, have said that areas with a lot of tent shelters for refugees have at times been directly struck.Israel's military has issued evacuation orders, and is framing this as simply a mass transfer, while the Palestinian side along with international human rights monitors have decried an ethnic cleansing and land grab in progress.Reports in Israeli media have further described that after capturing the city, the IDF plans to spend over a year systematically demolishing it, which is precisely what previously happened in Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia, and Jabalia.The ostensible justification is for removal of "Hamas infrastructure" - but critics have said it is ultimately to pave the way for Jewish settlement of the Gaza Strip.
Israeli Hostage Families Call on Netanyahu To Agree to the Ceasefire Deal Approved by Hamas -Family members of Israelis who remain captive in Gaza are urging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire deal that has been approved by Hamas, which mediator Qatar says is “almost identical” to a version previously approved by Israel.While the exact details are unclear, the proposal, put forward by Qatar and Egypt, would involve the release of 10 living Israeli captives and a 60-day truce, during which the two sides would be expected to engage in negotiations for a long-term ceasefire.“We won’t let [Netanyahu] thwart it this time,” said Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is being held in Gaza, according to Haaretz. “The entire people of Israel won’t let you miss the last chance to bring back my Matan and all of the hostages – living and dead.”According to Israeli media, Netanyahu has dismissed Hamas’s acceptance of the proposal, although reports on Tuesday said the Israeli government is examining it. Several Israeli officials have publicly rejected the idea of any kind of deal with Hamas, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, and the government is preparing for a major escalation of its genocidal war that will involve taking over Gaza City and forcibly displacing more than 1 million Palestinian civilians to the south.On Sunday, a significant number of Israelis held protests calling for a ceasefire deal, and another large demonstration is expected to happen this coming Sunday. Zangauker said that Israelis “must once again take to the streets, stop everything, demonstrate and protest.”The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said Sunday that the protests will focus on calling for a comprehensive deal to free all 50 remaining Israeli captives, which includes only about 20 who are believed to be alive. “This is the last chance to sign an agreement for the return of the 50 hostages,” the group said.
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