week ending Jul 4

Where Is the Fed Headed? - by Claudia Sahm, Stay-At-Home Macro -  When talking about inflation, Kevin Warsh says “underlying pace,” Austan Goolsbee says “throughline,” and John Williams says “glide path.” Different words, same idea: where is inflation headed, on its own, if there aren’t any new developments or any changes in monetary policy? Can we be confident inflation is headed to 2%? No, we cannot. Underlying or trend inflation is more likely to be between 2.5% and 3%. That’s good news relative to the current 4.1% pace, but it overshoots the 2% the Fed said it would deliver. That doesn’t mean that 2% inflation is out of reach; it just means either economic conditions will have to shift toward disinflation or the Fed will need to raise rates. Getting from 4.1% down to that 2.5–3% trend doesn't take much; several one-off pressures are already unwinding. PCE inflation was 4.1% in May, more than twice the Fed’s target, but it's not a good read on where inflation is headed. The increase in energy prices from February to May due to the conflict in the Middle East added nearly a percentage point to inflation. Progress in June on reopening the Strait of Hormuz has already led to declining energy prices. While it will still take several months for energy prices to fully normalize, the move is already underway without any action from the Fed. In addition, there are clear signs in recent months that the pass-through of tariffs to goods prices is mostly complete, and core goods inflation has just started to cool (orange line below). A return to the pre-tariffs pace for core goods would subtract more than 1/2 percentage point from overall inflation. Reversing the effects of energy and tariffs on inflation alone could bring inflation back to 2.5%. Rather than relying on stories about specific components, statistical approaches can identify the persistent part of inflation. A common assumption is that outliers—very large increases or very large decreases in prices—tend to be one-offs or temporary. Outliers can distort simple averages like headline inflation. Likewise, core inflation, which excludes food and energy, can still be distorted by outliers that are not food or energy. Median inflation, the middle of the price distribution, and trimmed-mean inflation, which excludes the highest and lowest price changes, are alternatives. The PCE trimmed mean from the Dallas Fed removes the bottom 24% and the top 31% of the distribution, so it can be sensitive to shifts between positive and negative outliers. The skew-adjusted trimmed mean developed at the Cleveland Fed corrects for that. Taken together, these alternative measures (especially after the skew adjustment) are consistent with a 2.5%-3% trend. What's left? Non-housing core services account for that last half percentage point of trend inflation above 2%. Like overall PCE inflation, the excess here is mixed in how likely it is to persist. Within transportation, higher airfares — driven by the recent surge in jet fuel prices — are likely temporary. In financial services, the big mover is portfolio-management fees — charged as a percentage of assets, so a rising stock market mechanically shows up as inflation. An upcoming BEA change will base these prices on the service provided rather than the market, likely revising current inflation down. The rest of the excess in non-housing core services is stickier — health care, for example, which is full of administered prices. And across many labor-intensive services — recreation, hotels, restaurants, and other personal services — inflation has stayed persistently above its pre-pandemic pace. One might argue this is the "cost" of the soft landing. A good read on where inflation is headed is critical to whether the Fed needs to move rates. But trend is not destiny — even a 2% trend is no guarantee of price stability, since actual inflation can diverge from trend as it does now. The Supreme Court sees the Fed as special in its independence from political control, and at a moment when inflation is one of voters' top concerns. Monetary policy won't be made by politicians, but it will have political consequences and shape the lives of millions. That's a lot of power to entrust to Fed officials. To keep that trust and maintain independence, the Fed's guiding principle in communication should be transparency in service of accountability. The Fed cannot guarantee that unemployment and inflation will be low, but it can guarantee it will pursue those goals diligently and show its work. Hiding behind jargon or staying quiet won't deliver.

US added 57,000 jobs in June; Fed outlook muddied - The U.S. labor market continued to grow in June, albeit at a slower pace than recent months, adding just 57,000 jobs. The unemployment rate ticked down to 4.2%.

• Key insight: The report showed the weakest labor market growth since February. 
• Expert quote: "In our business, we don't want to over-determine things, but if there were people in households or the business sector, in the financial markets, who thought that this central bank was going to be comfortable with an inflation objective above 2%, well I guess they'd be disappointed." — Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh. 
• Forward Look: The Fed will receive additional economic indicators, including readings on inflation, before its next policy meeting later this month.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics report showed the labor force continued to expand but at a weaker rate than in recent months. The development weakens the case for a near-term rate hike.

Foreign central banks embrace Warsh's shift to less guidance -  During his first overseas speaking event since taking over as chairman of the Federal Reserve, Kevin Warsh found common cause with other central bankers in his push for more restrained communications and forward guidance to markets.

Court prevents Trump from firing Fed governor -  The Supreme Court on Monday ruled in favor of Lisa Cook, a member of the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors whom President Donald Trump had attempted to fire. By a vote of 5-4, the court held that Cook can continue to remain in her job while her challenge to Trump’s efforts to fire her moves forward. Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts contended that, if the Trump administration were correct, it “would in effect transform the Federal Reserve’s for-cause protection into at-will employment—an interpretive leap out of step with the statute Congress enacted and our Nation’s tradition of central banking protected from political interference.” Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Brett Kavanaugh, and Ketanji Brown Jackson joined the Roberts decision. In his dissenting opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas called the ruling “incorrect.” “Although the Court expresses concern that the President removed a Board member for ‘the first time in the Federal Reserve’s 111-year history,’” he wrote, “it expresses no such concern that it today upholds an injunction against the President’s removal of an executive officer for the first time in the Constitution’s 237-year history.” Justice Samuel Alito also filed a dissenting opinion, which was joined by Justice Neil Gorsuch; Justice Amy Coney Barrett filed her own dissenting opinion. The decision was a major ruling on the president’s power over the seven-member board of the Federal Reserve, the country’s central bank. The Fed is an independent government agency that is not funded by Congress through the normal appropriations process, operating instead using interest on securities that it owns. Congress has also sought to insulate the Fed from outside political influence by requiring members of the board, who are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, to serve staggered 14-year terms, a design intended to prevent any one president from “stacking the deck” with his own nominees. Additionally, federal law only permits the president to remove members of the board “for cause.” Since taking office in January 2025, Trump has attempted to assert control over several multi-member independent agencies, whose officials could also only be removed for cause. In orders issued last year, the Supreme Court allowed Trump to fire members of the Federal Trade Commission, National Labor Relations Board, Merit Systems Protection Board, and Consumer Product Safety Commission while their appeals moved forward.  Cook, however, was different. In August, Trump posted screenshots on social media of a letter to Cook in which he fired her. Trump alleged that Cook, who was nominated to serve on the Fed by then-President Joe Biden in 2023, had committed mortgage fraud in 2021. (Cook has denied the allegations, calling them “flimsy,” “unproven,” and “conveniently timed following the President’s criticism of the board’s policy decisions”; several media outlets have reported that financial documents may undermine Trump’s contentions.) Cook went to federal court in Washington, D.C., and in September 2025, U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb issued an order requiring the Fed to allow Cook to remain in office while litigation continued. Cobb concluded that Cook was “substantially likely” to show that Trump had violated federal law when he fired her because the “for cause” requirement does not allow the president to remove a board member for her conduct before she took office. The firing also violated Cook’s constitutional right to fair treatment, Cobb added, because she did not have notice and an opportunity to contest her firing before it occurred. A divided panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit left Cobb’s order in place while Cook’s challenge continues. The majority agreed that Cook was likely to succeed on her claim that she did not receive all of the procedural protections to which she was entitled under the due process clause of the Constitution before she was fired. In his 26-page opinion, Roberts emphasized that the case came to the court as a request by the government for temporary relief. That means, he said, that the government must show (among other things) that it is likely to prevail on the merits of its appeal – which, he concluded, it has not done.

Supreme Court rejects Trump's attempt to fire Fed's Lisa Cook as legal battle continues - CBS News — The Supreme Court on Monday allowed Lisa Cook to continue in her post as a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors while legal proceedings over President Trump's attempt to fire her continue.In a 5 to 4 decision, the high court rejected the president's bid to allow him to oust Cook from her role as Fed governor following allegations of mortgage fraud. Mr. Trump first came to the Supreme Court for emergency relief last September, and the justices had let Cook remain in her job at the central bank while they considered whether to freeze a lower court decision that blocked her firing.The Supreme Court has now left that lower court decision intact while Cook's legal challenge to her removal proceeds.Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the opinion for the majority, joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Brett Kavanaugh and Ketanji Brown Jackson.To accept the government's arguments that Mr. Trump can fire Cook "would in effect transform the Federal Reserve's for-cause protection into at-will employment — an interpretive leap out of step with the statute Congress enacted and our Nation's tradition of central banking protected from political interference," the chief justice wrote.The court declined to define what constitutes "cause" under the federal law that created the Fed, but said such a definition must reflect the central bank's "unique historical status and role."  The Supreme Court did, however, find that Mr. Trump failed to afford Cook the procedural protections that she was entitled to under the law — namely notice and the opportunity to respond to the allegations leveled against her before she was fired.

Pulte renews mortgage fraud allegations against Lisa Cook after Supreme Court ruling - Bill Pulte, Bill Pulte SCOTUS spares Lisa Cook Trump renews call to force Lisa Cook from Federal Reserve board after Supreme Court decision Supreme Court halts Trump’s firing of Fed’s Lisa Cook More(Bill Pulte) the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), reiterated his allegations of mortgage fraud against Federal Reserve board member Lisa Cook on Monday, after the Supreme Court blocked President Trump from immediately firing her for cause. “As I have repeatedly said, I believe Lisa Cook will be indicted for mortgage fraud,” Pulte wrote on social platform X. On Monday, a divided Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that Cook, an appointee of former President Biden, can remain on the central bank’s board of governors while her legal challenge to Trump’s attempt to remove her runs its course. The decision sent the case to a lower court. The president attempted to fire Cook last August, after Pulte alleged she illegally designated properties in Michigan and Georgia as primary residences for financial purposes. In those allegations, Pulte included photographs of Cook apparently signing on to applications to two different primary residences — one in Michigan and another described as an “Atlanta condo.” Pulte, a Trump campaign donor, has also referred New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) for prosecution over mortgage fraud allegations. James successfully sued the Trump Organization over allegations of fraud between the president’s two terms in office. In addition to his role as director of the FHFA, Pulte has served as acting director of national intelligence since June 19, with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle expressing concern about his credentials and partisanship. The move by Trump to fire Cook marked the first time a president has tried to remove a board member of the central bank in the body’s 112-year history. Cook, meanwhile, has not been criminally charged and has denied wrongdoing. She has also argued Trump is trying to fire her over his dissatisfaction with the Fed not lowering interest rates sooner last year. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh joined liberal justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson in preventing the president from immediately removing Cook. Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett dissented. Roberts wrote in his majority opinion the issue of whether the president can remove Cook “will depend in part on the underlying facts” of the case. “In this opinion, we have not addressed the facts, as they have yet to be found or analyzed under the relevant legal standards,” the chief justice added. “Rather, we have simply addressed the parties’ arguments about the appropriate legal standards under which the facts must be evaluated.”

Key questions for Fed still unanswered after Cook decision  The Supreme Court provided short-term clarity about the composition of the Federal Reserve Board this week, but left many questions about the exact contours and limits of the central bank's independence unanswered.

• Key insight:  The Supreme Court intentionally left many questions about the independence of the Federal Reserve unanswered in its decision to uphold the lower court ruling allowing Lisa Cook to remain on the central bank's board of governors while her legal challenge to her removal plays out.
• Expert quote: "While the Supreme Court ruled that President Trump couldn't simply push out Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve Board, the ruling gives him an opening for him to go forward with future firings, as long as he fills out the right paperwork. Today's ruling is certainly not the end." — Former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra.
• Forward look: It could take years for lower courts and the White House to fully litigate what constitutes a proper channel to remove a sitting governor like Cook from the Fed.

Lisa Cook can keep her seat on the Federal Reserve Board thanks to the Supreme Court's procedural concerns. Deeper questions about the central bank might not come for years — if at all.

Trump, the Fed and the trust question --Donald Trump is free to continue attacking the Fed. That is one way to interpret this week's Supreme Court ruling that actually blocked one of his attacks on the Fed, his attempt to fire Gov. Lisa Cook. But the refutation wasn't a shut-the-door denial, it gave him options to continue his assault on the Fed's independence.  The biggest pressure on the Federal Reserve isn't Supreme Court rulings, an overbearing president or even inflation; it's the public's trust in the bank.

The US-Iran MoU: A mirage of an agreement |  Al Jazeera  --The memorandum of understanding (MoU) the United States and Iran have signed is not a peace treaty. It is not even a credible framework for one. A vocal chorus of critics has rushed to portray it as a humiliation – evidence that President Donald Trump was manoeuvred into negotiations and extracted a poor deal from a regime that outplayed him. That reading mistakes a mirage for reality. The Trump administration entered these talks with a precise understanding of what the Iranian regime is, what it wants and what any agreement with it is actually worth. No one in that negotiating team harbours the illusion that Tehran intends to honour commitments that constrain its core ambitions. The MоU is not a peace settlement. It is a mutually understood pause – a tactical intermission chosen by both sides for reasons that have nothing to do with trust and everything to do with time. To grasp why, one needs only consult Iran’s unbroken record. That record is not a matter of interpretation or political dispute. It is a documented history of agreements made, commitments given and obligations systematically abandoned whenever honouring them conflicted with the regime’s objectives. The pattern is consistent enough to constitute a doctrine: Iran negotiates under pressure, signs what is necessary to relieve that pressure and resumes its course once the immediate threat has passed. The deeply flawed 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was the most prominent recent demonstration of this cycle. Presented as a landmark of multilateral diplomacy, it was in practice a subsidised intermission – a breathing space Iran used to consolidate resources, sustain its proxy networks and continue advancing its strategic programme. The JCPOA did not change Iranian behaviour. It funded and protected it. The Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign was a direct response to that lesson: A regime of this kind cannot be managed through diplomatic lifelines. It can only be constrained by pressure severe enough to leave it no viable alternative to compliance. The new MoU does not signal that Iran has changed. Its calculus remains what it has always been – survival and expansion, pursued through whatever tactical posture the moment requires. When pressure mounts, Iran negotiates. When pressure eases, Iran advances. Its negotiators are, by all available evidence, prepared to offer assurances they have no intention of keeping. This is not a failure of diplomatic craftsmanship. This is simply the nature of any negotiation with a regime like Iran’s. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Iranian nuclear programme. As a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, Iran has repeatedly committed to transparent cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency. It has repeatedly broken those commitments, blocking inspections, constructing clandestine enrichment facilities, destroying evidence and systematically deceiving the international community. The pattern is not one of occasional noncompliance. It is deliberate, sustained deception in pursuit of a single unwavering objective: the acquisition of a nuclear weapon. A state genuinely committed to civilian nuclear energy has no need for a vast and enormously expensive domestic enrichment programme. Nuclear fuel can be purchased – from Russia, among others – at a fraction of the cost and without the international confrontation such a programme inevitably provokes. Iran has chosen the far more costly and dangerous path for one reason: Enrichment is not a means to an end, but the end itself. Its rulers are committed to a nuclear weapon, and that commitment has survived changes in personnel, shifts in rhetoric and decades of pressure. It will not be bargained away – and here lies the critical point that no amount of diplomatic optimism can paper over. Iran’s rulers are not pragmatic actors engaged in a conventional cost-benefit calculation. Their goals are theological and strategic in a way that places them beyond the reach of ordinary negotiation. They do not govern in the interests of the Iranian people. The sanctions they have endured have devastated ordinary Iranians – driven up poverty, hollowed out the middle class, denied the population access to medicines and opportunity. None of that has moved the regime one degree from its course. This is a regime that could, if it chose, transform its position entirely. It could make peace with its neighbours, normalise relations with the international community, shed the sanctions that have devastated its economy and dramatically improve the lives of Iranians. The price is not beyond reach: abandon the nuclear weapons programme, cease development of offensive ballistic missiles and end the sponsorship of terrorist proxies. Iran’s rulers have refused that bargain consistently and completely. That is the essential context for understanding what the Trump administration is actually doing. It would be a serious misjudgement to read this MoU as evidence of American weakness or strategic confusion. The team that designed and executed the most effective pressure campaign against Iran in recent memory is not naive about this adversary. Trump enters this pause knowing that Iran will not honour commitments that genuinely constrain it. He is not expecting otherwise. Neither side, in all likelihood, operates under any such illusion – which is precisely what makes the critics’ alarm about a “bad deal” somewhat beside the point. You cannot be cheated by an agreement you never expected the other party to keep. What this MoU represents is a mutually understood strategic pause, a breathing space both parties have chosen, for entirely different reasons, over immediate confrontation. Iran needs economic relief. A regime facing internal decay and a depleted treasury has strong incentives to buy time, replenish its resources and wait out what it calculates to be a finite window. Tehran is acutely aware that Trump has roughly two and a half years remaining in office. From its perspective, survival through that period is itself a form of victory. Washington’s calculus is different in kind. Keeping the Strait of Hormuz open is an immediate, non-negotiable goal – a choked strait means an energy price shock with global consequences. Beyond that, the US has its own repositioning to accomplish. Military inventories drawn down through recent operations are being restocked. Strategic options are being preserved and expanded. A pause that enables that rebuilding, while avoiding a premature confrontation on unfavourable terms, is not a concession. It is preparation. Trump has never wavered in his commitment to eliminating Iran as a strategic threat – not through wishful diplomacy, but through the kind of pressure that forecloses options. That commitment did not expire with the signing of this MoU. The question for Tehran is not whether American resolve exists but whether it can be outlasted. That is a wager the Iranian regime has made before and lost. The international community will, as usual, observe from a careful distance. Many nations will urge Iran to be stopped while taking few steps to stop it, criticising US action and inaction with equal facility. Trump understands this dynamic. It is the foundation of his approach to alliances – the insistence that partners bear proportionate burdens rather than simply drawing on American resolve while contributing little of their own. The MoU will not resolve the Iranian problem. It was not designed to. When its terms expire or when Iran decides it has served its purpose, the nuclear programme will resume its advance, the proxies will be better resourced, and the Strait of Hormuz will once again become a flashpoint. That outcome is not a possibility. Given Iran’s record, it is a near-certainty. The only consequential variable is whether the US and those willing to stand alongside it will be better positioned to act decisively when that moment arrives. Far from a mirage, the evidence suggests that is precisely what this administration is working to ensure.

Vance defends Iran strategy amid peace negotiations: ‘America wins either way’ - Vice President Vance stood by the administration’s Iran strategy Friday, saying the U.S. will come out on top regardless of whether peace negotiations with Tehran produce a deal. “If we make the final deal, then great. If we don’t make the deal, their nuclear program is still destroyed. They’re still much weaker as a country,” Vance told comedian Bill Maher, He added, “So my attitude is, America wins either way.” His comments come amid a fresh exchange of strikes between the U.S. military and Iran, which threatens to derail the ongoing talks over the 14-point memorandum of understanding (MOU) and a fragile ceasefire already in place. On Friday, the U.S. military struck Iranian missile and drone storage sites, as well as coastal radar locations in response to an Iranian attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. Hours later, Iran launched retaliatory drone strikes against Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet.. Maher pressed Vance on whether the most recent talks with the Islamic Republic to bring an end to the nearly four-month-long war were different from prior failed diplomatic efforts. The vice president pointed to decreasing oil prices and the renewed flow of shipping through the strait, which carries roughly a fifth of the global oil supply, as evidence that the administration’s current approach is working. “If you look at oil right now, it’s back down to $73 a barrel, got up to $126 a barrel,” he said. “So, there’s a signal that there’s something real going on here.” Vance said the MOU, signed by Trump and the regime, centers on keeping the Strait of Hormuz open for maritime shipping and allowing oil to flow while maintaining a ceasefire. But, he conceded, the ceasefire “is always going to be a little messy when you’re dealing with the Iranians.” The latest tit-for-tat strikes also raise questions about the durability of the temporary deal, which established a 60-day truce and looks to bring an end to hostilities and reopen talks on the Middle East nation’s nuclear program.

Tensions in Middle East rise as US, Iran reopen strikes amid shaky ceasefire -The delicate ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran was put to the test on Friday when the U.S. military reopened strikes against the Middle Eastern nation over an alleged infringement of the agreement’s terms.  President Trump called the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’s attack on a commercial ship in the Strait of Hormuz a “foolish violation” of the 60-day truce. The U.S. military said it conducted strikes against Iran’s coastal radar locations and missile and drone storage sites on Friday. Tehran responded early Saturday morning with a drone strike on Bahrain, which houses the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet. Before the ceasefire agreement, Iran regularly struck U.S. bases in the Middle East. However, the U.S. and Iran had agreed to halt fighting during peace deal negotiations led by Vice President Vance and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff.The speaker of Bahrain’s Council of Representatives, Ahmed bin Salman Al Musallam, “strongly condemned” Iran’s attack on Bahrain and called it a “flagrant violation” of the country’s sovereignty in a statement published by Bahrain News Agency. Additionally, the British Navy’s shipping monitor reported later that morning that a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz had been struck by an “unidentified projectile.” The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said that all crew had been reported safe following this incident and that the ship’s bridge sustained damage. Vance defended the U.S. military’s strikes on Iran in a Friday statement shared on social media. “Iran signed a ceasefire agreement. We have honored it,” Vance wrote. “If they have disagreements about how the MOU is being applied, they can pick up the phone. But violence will be met with violence.”In an interview with comedian Bill Maher late Friday, he also defended the administration’s strategy in the Islamic Republic, even if a long-term deal is not reached. Both the U.S. and Iran claimed victory after the signing of a memorandum of understanding earlier this month, but they have offered differing information on the implications of this deal. Trump said in a Truth Social post this week following the initial round of peace deal talks that Tehran “fully and completely agreed” to future inspections at its nuclear facilities. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei disputed the president’s statement, telling state media on Tuesday that the country had no plans to allow inspectors into Iran and that no meeting has been scheduled with the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency.“No protocol exists in this regard,” Baghaei told state media.Tensions over the terms of an Iranian nuclear agreement, control of the Strait of Hormuz and turmoil between Israel and an Iran-backed Hezbollah have endangered the strength of the ceasefire. Iran threatened to again restrict the Strait of Hormuz following the strikes in Lebanon.After Beirut agreed to the terms of a U.S.-backed framework agreement with Israel on Friday, Hezbollah’s leader declared the deal “null and void.” It calls for the disarmament of the Iran-backed militia. “The framework agreement in Washington is a humiliation, a disgrace, and a surrender of sovereignty,” Naim Qassem said in a statement about this deal reported by Hezbollah-aligned media outlet Al Mayadeen.

Rep. Ro Khanna Says Trump's Strikes on Iran Are a Violation of Recently Passed War Powers Resolution - -  Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) said on Saturday that President Trump’s renewed strikes on Iran are a violation of the War Powers Resolution that has been passed by both the House and the Senate.“These strikes are a blatant violation of the War Powers Resolution that we passed,” Khanna wrote on X. “Trump must stop this war now — or we will take him to court to compel him to do so.”Last week, the Senate approved a House-passed concurrent War Powers Resolution directing President Trump to end hostilities against Iran, marking the first time Congress has approved a concurrent resolution under the 1973 War Powers Act.In previous years, Congress has passed joint resolutions directing the president to end wars, such as the 2019 bill to end US support for the Saudi war in Yemen, which President Trump vetoed at the time, but a concurrent resolution doesn’t require the president’s signature.Section 5(c) of the 1973 War Powers Act states that “at any time that United States Armed Forces are engaged in hostilities outside the territory of the United States, its possessions and territories without a declaration of war or specific statutory authorization, such forces shall be removed by the President if the Congress so directs by concurrent resolution.”President Trump has called the passage of the concurrent resolution “meaningless” and convinced some Senate Republicans to flip their position and not support another War Powers bill, which was voted on and defeated in the Senate two days after the concurrent resolution was passed. But the second War Powers vote doesn’t negate the concurrent resolution, and proponents of the War Powers effort say the resolution means Trump is legally bound not to attack Iran without congressional authorization.“Congress passed the first War Powers Resolution in history, legally compelling an end to war on Iran. This means Trump’s strikes today are an unprecedented Constitutional violation,” Just Foreign Policy, a nonpartisan foreign policy advocacy group that supports the War Powers effort, wrote on X.  “Trump must be taken to court to honor the American people’s demand that we exit this war — NOW,” the group added.

Iran launches retaliatory strikes on Bahrain after latest US attacks -- Iran launched a drone attack against Bahrain early Saturday, hours after the U.S. military carried out strikes on Iranian military sites.Bahrain, which hosts the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, said it was attacked by a number of Iranian drones and condemned the latest strikes as a blatant violation of its sovereignty. It accused Tehran of “destabilizing security, exporting chaos and undermining regional stability.”There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties in the Gulf state. Hours later, a shipping monitor run by the British Navy — the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center — said a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz was struck by an unidentified projectile. The ship’s bridge was damaged, but no injuries were reported.The attack appears to be in retaliation to the U.S. Central Command operation on Friday, which zeroed in on Iranian missile and drone storage sites and coastal radar locations. The strike was a response to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Thursday attack on a Singapore-flagged container ship, Ever Lovely, near the coast of Oman as it was exiting the Strait of Hormuz.President Trump, in justifying the operation, said Iran had “foolishly” violated its ceasefire agreement.“We’ll find out,” Trump said, when asked in the Oval Office whether Iran would face consequences for the strike.The tit-for-tat strikes come as the U.S. continues its negotiations with Tehran over the nation’s nuclear program and bringing an end to the conflict. The president signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding with the Iranian regime earlier this month, which included a 60-day truce and a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.The strait is a global maritime chokepoint carrying roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquified natural gas supplies. Iran has asserted its authority over the shipping corridor, issuing warnings that safe passage through the strait is only guaranteed for vessels that coordinate their routes with Tehran.The Islamic Republic’s foreign ministry accused the U.S. on Saturday of breaching the ceasefire and said its military would “defend the country’s sovereignty, security, and national interests with all its strength,” according to Reuters.The United Arab Emirates released a statement on Saturday saying it “strongly condemns the Iranian aggressive attacks on Bahrain using drones.”Kuwait also condemned the drone strike as “reprehensible Iranian aggression” against Bahrain, describing it as a “direct threat to its security and stability.”

Iran attacks Bahrain and Kuwait following US strikes and threatens to halt talks - Iran again launched drone and missile attacks Sunday targeting Bahrain and Kuwait in response to new U.S. airstrikes against the Islamic Republic, and threatened a “complete halt” in negotiations to end the war if Washington continues its attacks. Efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz without Iran’s direct oversight sparked the days of crossfire. A multinational maritime body overseen by the U.S. Navy said Saturday that it would expand a route near Oman for inbound and outbound traffic. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday reiterated the claim that Tehran must govern the strait to the Persian Gulf that once carried a fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas. “Any attempt to establish new or separate arrangements from those currently being carried out by the Islamic Republic of Iran will only lead to further complications, delay the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and increase the level of tension,” Araghchi said. The strait has long been considered an international waterway despite its location in Iran’s and Oman’s territorial waters. In recent days, Iran has twice attacked vessels going through a route near the Omani side. Pakistan, a key mediator, has said talks would resume Tuesday between the U.S. and Iran on the terms of their interim deal. The Trump administration on Sunday said nothing has been canceled and technical talks are on track for the coming days. R Talks include arrangements around the strait, the removal of a U.S. blockade on Iranian ports and sanctions on Iran, and the future of Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium. The two sides have 60 days from their signing of the memorandum of understanding this month to work out details. Continued conflict in Lebanon threatens the agreement, which says fighting must end on all fronts before certain issues can be discussed. Iran’s paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for the attacks in Bahrain and Kuwait. Kuwait’s military said air defenses intercepted Iranian drones and missiles just after the U.S. strikes on Iran. Kuwait, which hosts a major U.S. military base, said it intercepted two ballistic missiles. There were no reports of injuries or damage. Bahrain said the Iranian strikes damaged a residential building near the international airport and no one was killed. Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet. The damaged building was not near its headquarters. Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry denounced what it called “a dangerous escalation that reveals that what Tehran is doing is not a passing act, nor an isolated incident, but rather a deliberate approach and a systematic pattern of repeated aggression.” Later Sunday, Qatar said a civilian had been killed, and another person was hurt, by shrapnel related to “military operations in the area” after a vessel didn’t return at its scheduled time Saturday. It did not give details. The U.S. military said it struck Iranian military “surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defense sites, drone storage facilities and minelayer capabilities” following an attack on a ship at sea Saturday. The Panamanian-flagged tanker Kiku carried crude oil for the state-run energy company of Qatar, another key mediator. President Trump on social media accused Iran of violating the ceasefire and warned of a point at which the U.S. “will be forced to militarily complete the job.” “If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!” Trump wrote. The exchanges of fire began when an Iranian drone struck a merchant vessel off Oman on Thursday and the U.S. military retaliated. Ship traffic on the strait had increased over the last 72 hours, “despite the elevated threat environment,” the multinational maritime body overseen by the U.S. Navy said Sunday, adding that “U.S.-assisted commercial transits continued uninterrupted.” It said 89 such transits had been made, still below the historical average of 138 vessels a day. Last week, Israel and Lebanon signed a framework agreement to end the latest fighting between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group, which began two days after the Iran war began when Hezbollah fired at Israel. Israel responded with an invasion that has occupied large swaths of southern Lebanon, and it has said it will not withdraw until Hezbollah is disarmed. The agreement did not include Iran or Hezbollah, which has criticized the deal and rejected calls to disarm. On Sunday, Araghchi, the Iranian foreign minister, again said the U.S. must force Israel to halt attacks and withdraw. Israel occupies about 230 square miles in southern Lebanon, which it says it needs as a security buffer. Sporadic clashes have continued, and Hezbollah’s leader said Saturday that the group would continue fighting until Israel withdraws from Lebanon. Key Iranian negotiator and parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said Sunday that a meeting of a new “conflict control unit” formed among Iran, the United States and Lebanon should meet as soon as possible, Iran’s state broadcaster reported. Two strikes hit southern Lebanon on Sunday morning — one in Taybeh town and the other in the Nabatiyeh area, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency. There was no immediate word on casualties.

Iran's IRGC Says It Targeted Eight US Military Installations in Response to US Attacks - -Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement on Sunday that its forces targeted eight US military installations in Kuwait and Bahrain in response to US attacks on Iran, as the US and Iranian militaries continue to trade strikes despite the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) meant to end the war.The flare-up began on Thursday when a drone struck an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, and the following day, the US bombed several targets on Iran’s coast. The drone attack came after Iran warned ships against transiting through the strait on a route it didn’t approve, as the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) began evacuating ships through the waterway without coordinating with Iran.After the US bombed Iran on Friday, Vice President JD Vance accused Iran of violating the MoU and said that “violence will be met with violence.” For their part, Iranian officials maintain that the wording of the MoU means Iran is solely responsible for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and that any other arrangements violate the agreement.Video of US strikes on Iran released by US Central Command“Any interference in this matter and any attempt to adopt new or separate arrangements compared to what is underway by Iran will only lead to more complicated situations and delays in the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and will fuel tensions,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday. Following the initial US strikes on Iran, Iran’s military targeted US bases in Bahrain on Saturday, and another commercial ship was hit by a drone. The US then launched another round of strikes against Iran, with US Central Command claiming that 10 military sites were targeted. President Trump also announced the strikes and issued a threat to Iran’s existence.“United States aircraft just struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations, and coastal radar sites, for violating the Cease Fire Agreement, AGAIN! It is very possible that they will never learn!” President Trump wrote on Truth Social. “There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started. If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!” the president added.In its statement announcing the attacks on US bases on Sunday morning, the IRGC warned that “any future aggression by the enemy, regardless of the pretext and even if, as last night and tonight, it targets objectives deemed to be of minor importance, will be met with a crushing response.”The IRGC said that further US attacks could lead to the collapse of the MoU, saying that the “enemy should understand that violating the ceasefire constitutes a breach of Clause One of the Islamabad understanding and will result in the complete suspension of all related processes.” The IRGC said that any traffic through the Strait of Hormuz will be managed by Iran and appeared to threaten to target commercial ships more aggressively if they attempt to transit the strait without coordination. “Henceforth, vessels found to be in violation will be dealt with more firmly than before,” the IRGC said.

Axios: US and Iran Agree To Stop Striking Each Other - -Axios reported on Sunday that the US and Iran have agreed to stop striking each other after several days of attacks across the Strait of Hormuz and that the two sides will meet for talks in Doha this Tuesday.So far, the story hasn’t been confirmed by the Iranian side, and an Iranian official said earlier in the day that Tehran had not participated in technical talks with Washington scheduled for Sunday over the attacks and the US’s failure to fulfill its commitments under the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding.“For example, one of the reasons is checking if we have access to the unfrozen funds, if there is no access then this condition has not been fulfilled,” said Mehdi Fazaeili, a member of the office of Iran’s supreme leader.US officials told Axios reporter Barak Ravid that the talks on Tuesday were initially supposed to take place in Switzerland and focus on Iran’s nuclear program, but they’ve been moved to Qatar and will now focus on the dispute over the Strait of Hormuz. The report said that Nick Stewart, who recently joined US envoy Steve Witkoff’s team, will participate in the talks.Stewart came from the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, an ultra-hawkish pro-Israel think tank that has been pushing for war with Iran for many years. According to Axios, Stewart, who has previously denounced the idea of negotiating with Iran, is leading the US technical team, which doesn’t bode well for the prospects of a long-term deal between the US and Iran.The attacks over the past few days mark the first major flare-up since the US-Iran MoU was announced. After talks with Iranian officials in Switzerland, Vice President JD Vance said Iran had agreed to establish a direct military line with the US to manage tensions, but according to an Axios report, it is not yet operational.

Only Iran can demine Hormuz Strait under MoU with US: Deputy FM - Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi has rejected France’s bid to demine the Strait of Hormuz in collaboration with its allies, saying the operation will exclusively be carried out by the Islamic Republic. Gharibabadi made the remarks on Monday after French President Emmanuel Macron said that his country and Oman had decided to work jointly, in coordination with partners, on demining the Strait of Hormuz to secure maritime routes and ensure free and unconditional passage through the strategic waterway. “Under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) demining [the strait] will be carried out solely by Iran and not by any other country,” he said. The deputy foreign minister also noted that Iran will not allow any foreign meddling in the removal of mines from the Strait of Hormuz given the current “sensitive and complex” situation in the critical energy chokepoint. “We strongly advise France not to make the situation more complicated with its provocations,” he added. Iran restricted transit through the Strait of Hormuz, responsible for a fifth of global oil demand, in response to the illegal US-Israeli aggression on the country that began on February 28 and came to a halt under a ceasefire on April 8.‌ On July 17, Iran and the US signed the Pakistan-brokered MoU, which calls for a permanent end to hostilities across all fronts and includes a commitment from both sides to hold further talks on a final agreement in the next 60 days. Under the 14-point deal, Iran is required to ensure toll-free passage for commercial vessels for at least 60 days, with full restoration of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days. Iran has stressed that the strait will not return to pre-war conditions, emphasizing its legitimate right to sovereignty over the waterway.

Trump says U.S. and Iran to meet in Qatar after weekend attacks : NPR - — President Trump said talks with Iran would resume Tuesday in Qatar, despite the two sides trading attacks in the Gulf over the weekend. Iran did not confirm whether it will participate in the next round of meetings to advance an interim peace deal.The latest exchange of strikes began when Iran attacked a cargo ship on Thursday near Oman, just outside the Strait of Hormuz, setting off attacks by the U.S. in response and counterstrikes by Iran at U.S. military and naval bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, respectively.   Despite the attacks, Trump wrote on social media Monday that Iran had requested a meeting, and said it will take place in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday.Qatar and Pakistan mediated the high-level talks between U.S. and Iranian officials in Switzerland two weeks ago, which paved the way for more negotiations on the terms of the deal.Qatar is also where Iran says it has some $12 billion of its money frozen in bank accounts. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in remarks carried by the local Fars News Agency on Monday that $6 billion of that will be released as part of the interim deal signed with the U.S., in addition to oil sanctions that were temporarily already lifted by Washington. Iran's deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, however, was quoted by Iranian media on Monday saying that while consultations continue with mediator Qatar, technical talks with the U.S. are not yet planned for this week and will be held only "when the conditions are met." He did not elaborate.When asked about the current status of Iran-U.S. talks, a senior White House official not authorized to brief the press told NPR on Sunday that technical talks to implement the memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran "are on track for the coming days as planned." The official did not respond to further questions, but added that "deconfliction channels are up and running after the Lake Lucerne Summit," referring to talks led by Vice President Vance in Switzerland two weeks ago.At the conclusion of those talks, mediators Pakistan and Qatar said the two countries had agreed to establish a communication line "to avoid incidents" in the Strait of Hormuz, and Iranian officials said a "deconfliction cell" was created to monitor a parallel ceasefire in Lebanon between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah. U.S. Central Command says it struck missile and drone sites along Iran's territory bordering the Strait of Hormuz on Friday and Saturday, in response to Iran's attacks on two cargo ships, including one carrying more than 2 million barrels of crude oil. Iran's attacks on cargo ships derailed U.N.-backed efforts to evacuate thousands of seafarers through a route near Oman following months of war and closure of the vital waterway. Iran's Revolutionary Guard, which was not involved in clearing the route near Oman, warned Thursday that ships that do not coordinate passage with its naval forces "will be dealt with" as violators. Iran said on Sunday it launched missiles in counterstrikes at U.S. forces in Bahrain and Kuwait, the two Gulf Arab countries Secretary of State Marco Rubio had visited just days earlier to reassure them of the U.S. commitment to their security and to hear their perspectives on the U.S.-Iran interim deal.The U.S. and Iran accused one another of violating the ceasefire. President Trump warned Iran on Sunday."There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started," Trump wrote on social media. "If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!"Gharibabadi, Iran's deputy foreign minister, said he visited Oman on Monday to exchange views on the future management of the Strait of Hormuz.A day earlier, during a visit to Iraq, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi told reporters that commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is supposed to return to pre-war levels within 30 days of the U.S.-Iran preliminary agreement that was signed, but he said the key waterway is under Iran's sole management.Araghchi added that the responsibility to remove what he described as "obstacles" in the Strait of Hormuz and to ensure it reopens "rests with the Islamic Republic of Iran."It was not immediately clear if Araghchi was referring to mines the U.S. says Iran laid in the waterway during the war.

Trump Claims the US and Iran Will Hold Talks in Qatar After Exchange of Strikes --- President Trump on Monday said that the US and Iran will hold negotiations in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday despite the two sides trading strikes over the weekend, though Iranian officials have denied the claim. “IRAN HAS REQUESTED A MEETING. IT WILL TAKE PLACE TOMORROW IN DOHA! President DJT,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The White House said that President Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, will be traveling to Qatar for the meeting.Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei confirmed that Iranian officials would travel to Qatar but said they wouldn’t hold talks with US officials. “In the coming days, we will have no negotiation meetings at any level with the American side, and the trip by US representatives to Qatar is unrelated to the trip of the Iranian delegation,” he said.Baghaei said there would be no negotiations on reaching a final deal until Iran is satisfied that the US is living up to its commitments under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). “Iran’s current priority is to ensure the implementation of the provisions of the MoU, and we are seriously pursuing our demands in this regard,” he said.Hours earlier, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said that “technical meetings of the working groups have not been scheduled for this week,” though he added that consultations with Qatar have continued.“The first round of technical talks within the framework of the designated working groups will be held once conditions are met and after agreement is reached on the date and venue,” Gharibabadi said, according to Iran’s PressTV.   Axios reported on Sunday that the US and Iran have agreed to stop striking each other and would hold talks in Qatar to discuss the dispute over the Strait of Hormuz rather than hold technical discussions on Iran’s nuclear program in Switzerland. An Iranian official also said that the nuclear talks were suspended due to the US attacks on Iran.Iran has maintained that the language of the MoU means it is solely responsible for transit through the Strait of Hormuz and that any other arrangements violate the agreement. The exchange of strikes began after a drone hit a tanker that was attempting to cross the strait under a UN-backed route that wasn’t coordinated with Iran.The US then bombed Iran on Friday, and Iranian forces hit back at US bases in Bahrain, and another tanker was struck by a drone. The US then struck targets in Iran for the second time, and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targeted US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain on Sunday morning. Since then, there have been no known US or Iranian attacks.

Kushner and Witkoff head to Qatar for Iran peace talks - Special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner are on their way to Qatar for Iran peace talks. “I just spoke with the president about it. Iran has requested a meeting this week, so, special envoy Witkoff and Jared Kushner will be flying to Doha for high-level meetings this week as we continue to discuss the memorandum of understanding. On the sidelines of those high-level talks will be the technical talks,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday morning on Fox News’s “Fox & Friends.” “As far as we’re concerned, we’re holding up our end of the ceasefire. Violence will be met with violence.” In a post on Truth Social on Monday morning, Trump said that Tehran “HAS REQUESTED A MEETING.” On Sunday night, a U.S. official told The Hill that the U.S. and Iran had agreed to “stand down for now” and let ships pass through the Strait of Hormuz after fresh fighting began between the two countries. “Technical talks are slated to continue on all areas of the MOU. Both sides will stand down for now and vessels can move freely,” the official said. The war against Iran, which just passed the four-month mark, has stressed the global economy, increased gas prices in the U.S. and strained American relations with historic allies. Last week, Iran asserted its authority over the Strait of Hormuz, warning that safe passage through the waterway could only be guaranteed for ships that coordinated with the government. Tehran’s move followed Trump accusing Iran of hitting a commercial vessel near the coast of Oman with a one-way attack drone. On Saturday, U.S. Central Command said it had carried out more strikes on Iranian targets in retaliation.

Trump and Iran issue conflicting statements about new talks --  Today's top developments:

• • Mixed signals on US-Iran talks: Iran said that no negotiation meetings are scheduled with the US at any level in the coming days. However, President Donald Trump said the US will meet with Iran in Qatar Tuesday, and two US officials said US envoy Steve Witkoff is en route to Doha.
• • In Lebanon: Fighting between Hezbollah and Israel continued in Lebanon over the weekend despite a recent agreement between the countries. Iran has demanded a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon as part of a final deal with the US.
• • Strait of Hormuz: A growing number of vessels are using a route close to the Omani coast, threatening Tehran’s leverage over the strait. It comes as MarineTraffic data shows a consistent amount of traffic transiting the waterway in recent days, even as shipping continues at a depressed pace.

Qatar Says US Officials in Doha Will Not Hold Direct Talks With Iranians - -  Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that US envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who have arrived in Doha, will hold talks with mediators but will not meet directly with Iranian officials, contradicting Trump’s claim that Iran had “requested” a meeting in the Qatari capital.“Mr. Steve Witfoff and Mr. Jared Kushner are here in Doha to meet with mediators, with Qatari officials, and the talks will be around all regional issues… including, of course, negotiations with Iran, but also including Lebanon,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari.“They are not here for their negotiations with the Iranians … To the best of my knowledge, there are no direct meetings scheduled between the two parties in the coming days,” he added.Trump claimed that the meeting would take place on Tuesday, while Iranian officials denied his statement. Trump administration officials are now telling media outlets that the US and Iran will hold indirect negotiations on Wednesday, with a senior US official telling reporters that they expect the US and Iranian delegations “to participate separately in technical talks with mediators from Qatar and Pakistan.”Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei also suggested indirect negotiations will take place, saying that what will “likely take place in Doha tomorrow is a discussion on the implementation of certain clauses of the MoU, including the release of Iran’s frozen assets, which will be conducted with Qatari officials.”Baghaei added that he emphasized that no “meeting at any level with the American side has been scheduled for the coming days.”The US and Iran are at odds over several core parts of the US-Iran MoU meant to end the war, including the Strait of Hormuz, the continued Israeli war in Lebanon, and the issue of Iran’s frozen funds. Iranian officials have said Tehran will not hold talks with the US on a long-term nuclear deal until these issues are worked out.

Iran War: Iran Disses Witkoff and Kushner in Doha but Does Not Get $6 Billion in Frozen Assets; Strait of Hormuz Traffic Sub-Par but Continues on Oman Side as Talks Over Future Management Continue by Yves Smith - We’ll soon discuss the fact that the Memorandum of Understanding is clearly never going to get done and consider what might come when it officially breaks down. Janta Ka makes his lead item the fact that Trump set up Witkoff and Kushner for humiliation by trying to bounce Iran into a meeting in Doha with them to which Iran had never agreed and rejected: But in the modern information war analogue to the question, “If a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, has it made a sound?” what if “If you are dissed but the media that matters to you pretends otherwise, have you been humiliated?”   Mind you, Trump has such an extreme need to dominate that once he finds out about this slight, he is likely to get all bent out of shape on Truth Social. Right now, he is preoccupied with nursing his rage over his Supreme Court loss on birthright citizenship. This is the latest tweet I could find from him on the Middle East:  But more important, the meetings the Iranians had set in Doha were to get $6 billion in frozen funds held in Qatar released, as had been agreed under the Biden Administration and the US of course reneged. Doha News’ Facebook page has a short video of the Qatar foreign ministry spokesperson basically throwing up his hands. He says Qatar is just the middleman, and the transfer of funds has not yet occurred. Moreover, the Qatar spokesman say Iran was to use these monies in accordance with that deal, only for humanitarian purposes, meaning there were strings attached.¹ So the Trump team might be trying to hang its hat on the old Biden deal to say it can restrict Iran’s use of these monies.  From the Doha News article, Qatar confirms no high-level U.S.-Iran talks in Doha, clarifies status of $6bn frozen funds: During a weekly briefing on Tuesday, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari stated that while Doha continues to facilitate diplomatic engagement, no direct negotiations between Washington and Tehran are taking place. “There is no high-level meeting currently scheduled between the US and Iran,” Al Ansari confirmed….On the issue of Iranian assets, Al Ansari addressed reports concerning the potential release of $6 billion in frozen funds.He confirmed that Qatar continues to act solely as a financial intermediary under a 2023 agreement between the United States and Iran, which established a humanitarian channel for the use of the funds.“Qatar does not own these funds. It is only acting as the financial intermediary to manage these accounts within the framework of this agreement between the parties,” Al Ansari reaffirmed.He added that any transfer of funds depends on mutual agreement between Washington and Tehran and progress in negotiations, which has not yet occurred.   So despite Iran scoring a PR win by blowing off the truly dreadful Kushner-Witkoff tag team, it still does not have any of its frozen funds. Recall that Iran had earlier attempted to have the US return some as a condition of entering into the Memorandum of Understanding.So aside from the US ending the blockade and giving Iran oil sanctions relief so it can sell its oil without hassles, Iran seems to be nowhere on getting the US to honor the MOU. It looks as if Iran assumed because $6 billion was formally in Qatar’s possession and had been agreed to be returned in a Biden era deal, that it would be best place to set the precedent of the US returning frozen funds because it could be spun in a way by the Trump team to be less controversial. But instead, the US is pointing to terms in that Biden deal that restrict the use of the assets to “humanitarian” purposes, which translates into the US restricting/supervising their use. Not only is Qatar backing that position, but it seems further to be falling in line with the US position that there has to be negotiation progress on other issues before it can free up the funds. See from the Qatar remarks in footnote 1: …the matter of transferring the funds or not is done according to mutual agreement between both parties and according to progress of the negotiations, which has not happened so far.And the US seems to be further holding up discussion of any other frozen asset releases until this $6 billion is settled.And recall that the US gave Iran a 30 day waiver for its oil at sea during the war. That was because the US wanted to keep oil supplies as high as possible, given the givens, to contain prices. So this area of compliance is in the US’ interest.Reports on whether the US is even withdrawing its extra forces are contested. Larry Johnson points out in a fresh talk with Nima that Pete Hegseth signed an order to pull out forces and that all the military flight activity reported on Twitter is presumably pursuant to that, as opposed to bringing more assets and men in. Daniel Davis has also said he has heard about redeployment order having been issued.

Iran's top negotiator says country ready for war as peace talks inch along -What to know about the Iran war today:

• Iran's top negotiator told state television that the country is ready for war if the U.S. doesn't fulfill its commitments.
• Iranian and U.S. officials have traveled to Qatar, but aren't expected to hold direct talks.
• An agreement signed four days ago between Israel and Lebanon links an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon to the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah being disarmed. Analysts say that could mean Israel occupying southern Lebanon indefinitely, which could continue hampering efforts toward a full U.S.-Iran peace deal.

Steve Witkoff, President Trump's special envoy, and Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law, met with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani on Tuesday, Qatar's Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement.The officials discussed the ongoing peace talks between the U.S. and Iran and the ceasefire in Lebanon, according to the statement.A senior Trump administration official told CBS News that Witkoff and Kushner had very positive conversations with regional leaders and that good progress continues to be made as technical talks continue.

Qatar Says US and Iran Concluded Indirect Talks in Doha -   Qatar said on Wednesday that the US and Iran had concluded indirect talks on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at ending the conflict between the two nations.“Qatar & Pakistan mediators concluded separate meetings with the US & Iranian negotiators in Doha today, with positive progress made on issues related to the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, building on the outcomes of the Lake Lucerne Summit,” said Watari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari.“The parties agreed to continue discussions over the coming period, with the next meeting to be scheduled at the earliest possible time following the funeral processions of the former Iranian Supreme Leader,” al-Ansari added.Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, said the talks, which came after the US and Iran traded strikes for several days, focused on “US violations” of the MoU and that the two sides agreed on opening a “communication channel” for the implementation of the agreement. “US violations of its commitments under Clause 1 of the Memorandum of Understanding regarding the cessation of war in Lebanon, reports of US efforts to reinforce equipment and forces in the region, and some threatening and interventionist statements by US officials were raised and examined by the Iranian delegation,” Gharibabadi said. “It was decided that a direct communication channel for the monitoring group would be established by tomorrow, and that shortcomings in the implementation of the MoU would be reported, discussed, and decided upon in a formal and documented manner,” he added. Sources told Reuters that the talks focused on the Strait of Hormuz and that US envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner ddn’t take part in the talks with Qatari and Pakistani negotiators despite being sent to Qatar for what the White House said would be “high-level” negotiations with Iran.President Trump previously claimed that Iran had requested to hold a meeting with the US in Qatar, though Iranian officials denied that claim and said they had no plans for direct talks with US officials.On Wednesday, President Trump described the meetings as “very good” and claimed the “denuclearization” of Iran was progressing, but the Reuters report said the issue wasn’t discussed. Iran has been clear that it won’t begin talks on a long-term nuclear deal until it deems the US is living up to its commitments under the MoU, and Iranian officials have ruled out the idea of Iran giving up its civilian nuclear program.Gharibabadi also said that it was agreed that some of the $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds held by Qatar would be released. “In meetings with Qatari officials, including the Central Bank, some issues related to the expenditure of part of the initial $6 billion were examined, and it was decided that, according to our country’s announced needs, the purchase of necessary goods would be carried out and made available to Iran,” he said.

US and Iran hold separate meetings in Qatar and agree to continue discussions (AP) — U.S. and Iranian negotiators met separately on Wednesday with Qatari and Pakistani mediators, with “positive progress made,” and they agreed to continue discussions, host Qatar said.The next meeting will be scheduled “at the earliest possible time” after the funeral of Iran’s previous supreme leader, the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Majed al-Ansari, a spokesman for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, said on X. The funeral is set to start Saturday in Tehran. U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, were in Qatar for talks seeking a permanent end to the war, along with Iran’s top negotiator, Kazem Gharibabadi.  Negotiators aim to nail down specifics to pave the way for top leaders to seal an agreement, though differences over the Strait of Hormuz and Lebanon loom large. A ship ran aground in the strait while using a route not approved by Iran, state television in Tehran reported Wednesday. The vessel was identified as a foreign container ship, with no other details. The report appeared aimed at underlining Tehran’s claims to control the strait, which the world has long considered an international waterway. A fifth of all oil and natural gas passed through it in peacetime. Since the U.S. and Israel launched the war against Iran on Feb. 28, Iran has used its ability to choke off the waterway as a key source of leverage, disrupting global markets for energy and other critical goods. Iran and the United States agreed as part of an interim deal to allow ships to pass without paying charges for 60 days. But Tehran insisted it must control the routes of the vessels and later charge fees for passage, upending decades of practice in the waterway. The U.S. and many Gulf Arab states say they won't agree to the charges. An effort by Oman and a U.N. agency to launch a new route near Oman's shore sparked attacks across the Mideast last weekend, highlighting the tensions. Iranian state TV on Wednesday said the ship “ran aground with its cargo because of shallow waters along the route it had chosen and was unable to continue sailing.” It said shippers needed to follow the instructions of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard in the strait. The Guard’s navy has repeatedly warned that “any entry or exit through routes other than the ‘Route of Authority’ in the Persian Gulf could lead to irreparable incidents.” The report did not mention the two ships Iran attacked in recent days for daring to head out through the strait without Tehran's permission, including one carrying crude oil from Qatar. Witkoff and Kushner met Wednesday with Qatar's ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and its foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, according to a statement by the Qatari government. Discussions included details related to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Vice President JD Vance told reporters in the United States. “Obviously, we’re worried about the nuclear issue,” Vance said. “We’re going to start talking about that.” Sheikh Mohammed also met with Gharibabadi and other Iranian officials, with Pakistani mediators also on hand. Gharibabadi said the Iranian delegation had no direct talks with the American side, and its talks with mediators dealt with Lebanon and plans to return some of Iran’s frozen assets, Iranian state media reported. Lebanon remains a thorny issue in the negotiations. Iran has insisted that all fighting end between the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah and Israeli military forces there. Iran also has called for Israel to give up the land it now occupies in southern Lebanon. Israel insists it must hold the territory and have a free hand to attack Hezbollah, which has been launching attacks into northern Israel. While ship traffic in the strait dropped after the weekend attacks, more countries say their vessels have gotten out. The Thai Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that 10 out of 11 Thai-flagged vessels or vessels chartered by Thai operators have departed the strait safely. South Korean officials say all but two of the country’s 26 vessels that were stranded have left safely. In other developments Wednesday, a U.S. Navy helicopter made an emergency water landing into the Arabian Sea, leaving one crew member missing, the Navy’s 5th fleet said in a statement. The Navy said there was "no indication the emergency was caused by hostile action.” It said the MH-60S Sea Hawk went into the water at 3:30 a.m. Three of the helicopter’s four crew members were rescued, the statement said. The Navy was searching for the missing crew member. The Navy statement did not say whether the aircraft sank or was recovered. The helicopter was assigned to the USS George H.W. Bush, one of two aircraft carriers deployed in the waters off Iran.

How Trump’s peace process in Iran descended into chaos in a week - Two weeks into the 60-day peace negotiation period between Iran and the United States and - despite President Donald Trump’s claims of success - little progress has been made. Instead, both sides appear to be regressing: hostilities have flared and officials from both sides are no longer directly talking to each other as the clock keeps ticking and key issues, such as Iran’s nuclear programme, remain unresolved. Over the weekend both Washington and Tehran traded strikes, threatening the already fragile ceasefire in the region, despite Trump’s initial optimism after signing the memorandum of understanding which ended the four-month war. Mediated by Qatar and Pakistan and signed at a summit on 17 June in Switzerland, the MoU includes a 60-day truce on all fronts including in Lebanon, the reopening of the blockaded Strait of Hormuz, and a timetable for a final deal on the war and Iran's nuclear programme. That deadline is set to expire around mid-August, yet there appears to have been little development on technical talks. On Saturday the US military hit Iran’s Sirik, Bandar-e Lengeh, and Qeshm Island on Iran’s southern coast. US Central Command said its navy and air force “conducted strikes tonight on 10 Iranian military targets at multiple locations in and near the Strait of Hormuz”, saying the attacks were a response to an Iranian drone attack on a Panama-flagged oil tanker while it was near the strait. It was carrying more than two million barrels of crude when it was hit. Tehran said it had targeted a commercial ship it said had strayed from its approved route. Iran’s ministry of foreign affairs “strongly” condemned the US strikes, calling them “brutal attacks” that violate the ceasefire outlined in the MoU. In response, Tehran launched ballistic missiles and drones on the US Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait and the US Fifth Naval Fleet at Port Salman in Bahrain. The attacks come after the US struck Iran on Friday following drone attacks on vessels near the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday. Iran retaliated with strikes on US military targets in the region, and then refused to attend technical talks scheduled for Sunday. Both sides accused the other of violating the ceasefire agreement. US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son-in-law ‌Jared Kushner flew to Doha on Monday to discuss the US-Iran negotiations with Iranian officials, however Iran denied that direct talks would be taking place, according to Qatar. Majed al-Ansari, Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson, told reporters that no high-level meetings or direct talks between the two sides were scheduled. Instead lower level officials ended up speaking to mediators about future talks, while Witkoff and Kushner met Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Tuesday. They also met ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said an Iranian official will also be in Doha, but only to engage in talks with mediators regarding the interim peace agreement and details surrounding the potential release of frozen Iranian assets. "No meeting at any level with the American side has been scheduled for the coming days," he said. There have been conflicting reports on the status of the talks, with Trump declaring on Monday that Iran had “requested” a meeting, but Iranian officials swiftly rejected the idea. The last time the two sides were engaged in indirect talks was when the war was still happening. Trump remains optimistic and claims that progress is being made in the indirect talks with Iran in Qatar, despite the obvious hiccups. "As far as things are going, the denuclearization of Iran is moving along well," Trump told reporters on Wednesday before boarding Air Force One. "We hit them very hard... but we're getting along very well." On Wednesday, sources told the Wall Street Journal that the US president would prefer to continue with diplomatic efforts than a return to all-out war, believing that further conflict could undermine Washington’s efforts to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program. Publicly, Trump maintains the talks are succeeding and that military options remain should they deteriorate. “They’re agreeing to everything that I want, and they have to,” he told reporters last week. “Otherwise, we just go back and do what we have to do.”

Vance Warns 'US Has Options' As Iran Rejects Direct Doha Talks - Trump Insists Diplomacy Is 'Very Good' -- The American side is keeping up the illusion of progress on Iran talks, even as Tehran has once again on Wednesday confirmed no direct meeting has taken in place in Doha - nor are there plans for direct dialogue, its deputy FM has said. President Trump has simultaneously hailed "very good" talks on Iran in Doha - apparently just referencing envoys Witkoff and Kushner merely dialoguing with third country intermediaries. On the same day, Vice President JD Vance played a little 'bad cop' - warning that if Iran fails to acquiesce and destabilizes the region that the US could respond, escalating in several ways. "If Iran attempts to rebuild its nuclear program, threaten its neighbors and support terrorism, President Trump has options to deal with it," Vance said, without specifying further. Earlier the WSJ stated that Trump had been briefed on several military options - including 'all-out war'; however, the US president is said to want to give diplomacy more time.Vance additionally stated that the US "dropped bombs on Iran because it fired on ships, and we used leverage to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz" - and suggested this could be done again. He also mentioned that current indirect Doha talks are "to discuss the details and flow of maritime traffic." According to more: Addressing troops at a naval air base in Virginia, US Vice President JD Vance says Iran’s nuclear program has been set back decades thanks to American military strikes against it. “If you look at what our own intelligence says about their nuclear program, they are further away from developing a nuclear bomb than they have ever been since basically the last 20 or 30 years,” Vance says, stopping short of US President Donald Trump’s claim that Iran’s nuclear program has been “totally obliterated.”“What the president asks you to accomplish is to destroy the defense industrial base of that country, so that if they ever decided to rebuild their military, or if they ever decided to rebuild that nuclear program, they would be harmless to do it. You did that exactly as well,” Vance tells the US troops. Iran has meanwhile consistently denied that it is pursuing nuclear weapons, but very likely many IRGC hardliners are calling for just that. On the Hormuz front, the US believes it is regaining leverage:

Vance Says US Will Use Iran MoU To Replenish Global Oil Supply Then 'See Where the Hand Is' - -Vice President JD Vance said in an interview on “The Michael Knowles Show” published on Tuesday that the US would use the Memorandum of Understanding with Iran to “refill” global oil supplies and stockpiles and to prepare for more potential military action against the Islamic Republic. “I think what the president has told us to do is use this MoU to sort of refill the world’s oil economy, to refill some stocks, and then to see where the hand is,” the vice president said. “And … if the Iranians are willing to make the commitments that we would like them to make and are willing to back those up with verifiable milestones, then we are going to change our relationship with Iran. And if they don’t do that, then nothing has really changed except for what we’ve already accomplished from the military campaign, which is a lot. So, we kind of have two options here. We have the option of pursuing a long-term deal with the Iranians, but that requires a significant change in their behavior. We have the option of banking our wins and then, of course, doing things on top of that if the president feels that we have to. And I think both of those options are very much in play,” he added. Summarizing the position, Knowles said, “So then the message if you’re an Iranian, the message you’re getting from the US is not, okay, we’ve settled this, you get to keep the Strait of Hormuz and we’ll try to play nice. Now, the message is we’re going to serve our self-interest by replenishing the oil coffers and get back to us in 60 days, you might have some fire and brimstone coming back down.” Vance didn’t dispute Knowles’ characterization and said, “And if you actually behave, you won’t, right?” Trita Parsi, the executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, said in a post on X that Vance’s comments heightened suspicion in Iran that the war will restart despite the MoU. He made the comments in a post discussing the view in Iranian political circles that Israel may launch an attack before Israeli elections are held in October. “Will Israel restart the war with Iran before the October elections? This is the consensus view emerging within Iran’s internal national security debate over the past week,” Parsi said. “Several factors are driving Tehran to this conclusion. Beyond its deep—and not entirely unwarranted—suspicion of President Donald Trump’s intentions, heightened by Vice President JD Vance’s recent remark that Trump wants to use the MOU to replenish global oil reserves and then ‘see where the hand is,’ two developments stand out: the recent Israeli-Lebanese agreement and its impact on Hezbollah’s military posture over the coming months,” he added.

Report: Trump Considers Return To Full-Scale War With Iran, Chooses To Hold Off For Now -  The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that President Trump has considered resuming all-out war with Iran, holding talks with US War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine about potential strike options, but has decided to hold off for now and stick with engagement under the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding.The report said the talks focused on whether the US should restart the full-scale war and abandon negotiations, and that while Trump hasn’t made a final decision, he told aides that he believed another round of full-scale strikes would derail negotiations and hurt the chances of dismantling Iran’s nuclear program, though Tehran has maintained it won’t give up its civilian nuclear program.Trump also reportedly said that he was fine with going past the first 60-day deadline for talks under the MoU and that he was happy with launching limited strikes against Iran for allegedly “violating” the MoU, though attacks in themselves are a violation of the agreement, which states each party pledges “not to initiate any war or any military operation against each other, and to refrain from the threat or use of force against each other.”The president has publicly threatened to destroy Iran if the Islamic Republic doesn’t do what he wants, but he has also admitted that bombing the country isn’t a viable path to opening the Strait of Hormuz.“If we go and bomb — which we could do very easily if we want, and we spend another two or three weeks bombing — they’ll have nothing left whatsoever. But you won’t have the strait open for months,” he said in early June, days before the MoU was announced. “If we do the bombing, you know, a lot of people are going to be killed. Who wants to do that? I don’t.”

Iran Says US Compliance Key to Continuation of Islamabad MoU - (Tasnim) – The implementation of the Islamabad memorandum of understanding between Iran and the US remains dependent on reciprocal commitments, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said, warning that continued US violations and failure to uphold obligations could disrupt the diplomatic process. In comments at a weekly press conference on Tuesday, Esmaeil Baqaei said the implementation of the Islamabad memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States was expected to face challenges, stressing that the diplomatic process began after two wars and in an atmosphere of deep mistrust shaped by Washington’s previous breaches of commitments and obstruction by the Israeli regime. Baqaei emphasized that the guiding principle of the memorandum is reciprocal implementation of obligations. “It is clear to everyone that commitment in exchange for commitment means we will fulfill our obligations only as long as the other side does the same,” he stated. The spokesman added that the text of the memorandum had been drafted with precision and explicitly stipulates that the cessation of war must be observed across all fronts, including Lebanon. He noted that Iran would continuously monitor developments and employ its own mechanisms to safeguard national interests. Baqaei further stated that decisions related to Iran’s diplomatic responsibilities are made through an established national process that has evolved over decades, adding that all branches and institutions of the system are involved in decisions concerning war, peace, and negotiations that are fundamental to the country’s present and future. Commenting on US attacks on Iranian territory, the spokesman warned that Washington’s failure to abide by its commitments would inevitably have negative consequences for the continuation of the diplomatic track. “We will not leave any action unanswered. Any action against Iran will face an immediate and decisive response,” he said. Baqaei described those attacks as a violation of Article 1 of the memorandum of understanding and warned that continued violations would create obstacles for continuation of the process. Referring to Article 13 of the memorandum, he said discussions on a final agreement depend on implementation of several provisions. “Regarding some clauses, the situation is relatively satisfactory, including ending the naval blockade and issuing the exemption related to oil sales. But in some areas we are facing serious challenges, and in this regard the other side needs to implement its commitments,” he said.

Iran monitors US compliance moment-by-moment, won’t implement MoU unilaterally: FM spox -- Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman has declared that Tehran will monitor the United States’ compliance with the war‑termination memorandum of understanding (MoU) “moment‑by‑moment” and warned that the Islamic Republic will not implement its commitments unilaterally. “The principle of ‘commitment in exchange for commitment’ in the negotiations means that we will implement our commitments only as long as the other side implements its commitments,” Esmaril Baghaei said in a press briefing on Tuesday. “No commitment is supposed to be implemented unilaterally.” The spokesman's remarks came as the United States and Iran remain at odds over the implementation of the 14‑point MoU signed in mid‑June, which was supposed to end the US‑Israeli war of aggression against Iran and provide for the lifting of the naval blockade and the release of frozen Iranian assets. Baghaei said Tehran had never expected the diplomatic process to proceed without challenges, given the deep mutual mistrust and bitter past experiences of US breaches of commitments and Israeli obstruction. “From the very beginning, when we entered this diplomatic process, no one imagined a smooth and challenge‑free process. Keep in mind that this diplomatic process began after two wars, in less than a year, in an atmosphere of extreme suspicion, distrust, and given previous experiences of US faithlessness and obstruction by the Zionist regime.” The spokesman said the MoU's first clause, which requires a cessation of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, is the most critical provision. “The text of the memorandum is drafted very precisely and clearly. Both in clause one, which specifies that the cessation of war on all fronts must include Lebanon, and in the fact that the United States, as the other party to the memorandum, must adhere to its commitments and do whatever is necessary regarding Lebanon to ensure that the Zionist regime's military aggression against Lebanon is halted.” Baghaei warned that if the US fails to rein in Israeli violations, Iran will not hesitate to use all available tools to protect its national security and interests. Addressing reports of a possible meeting between Iranian and American officials in Doha, Baghaei categorically rejected that any such meeting had been planned. "We had no plans for a meeting with American officials at any level in the coming days, so there was nothing to cancel," he said. "What will likely take place in Doha tomorrow is a discussion on the implementation of certain clauses of the MoU, including the release of Iran's frozen assets, which will be conducted with Qatari officials. I emphasize that no meeting at any level with the American side has been scheduled for the coming days." Baghaei said Iran has not yet entered the phase of final agreement negotiations and will not do so until the US begins implementing five key provisions of the MoU. “We have not yet entered the negotiation phase for the final agreement. According to Article 13 of the Memorandum of Understanding, the start of negotiations for the final agreement is contingent upon the initiation of the implementation of Articles 1, 4, 5, 10, and 11, and the continuation of their implementation.” He said while the US has issued the necessary licenses for Iranian oil exports under Article 10, the process for releasing Iran's blocked funds under Article 11 is still being pursued.

Iran rejects US offer on strait tolls -The Trump administration has offered to release billions of dollars in frozen Iranian funds if Tehran abandons its demand to charge ships for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, but the regime rejected the proposal and continues to insist it controls the strategic waterway, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. The Journal, citing people familiar with the negotiations, reported that U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and White House adviser Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, traveled to Doha, Qatar, this week for indirect talks with Iranian representatives through Qatari mediators aimed at advancing last month's memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran. According to the report, U.S. negotiators offered Iran access to part of roughly $100 billion in frozen overseas assets in exchange for the regime relinquishing its claim to control the strait and dropping plans to collect tolls from commercial shipping. The proposal included the potential release of $6 billion held in Qatar, but the Journal reported that Iran's continued efforts to restrict passage through the strait have delayed any release of the funds. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi, who took part in the talks, returned from Doha and declared Thursday that the Strait of Hormuz remains "under Iran's command," according to the Journal. Later in the day, Iran's military warned that any vessel traveling outside routes approved by the regime would face an "immediate and powerful" response. The Journal reported that Iran wants to impose fees on every vessel using the waterway, arguing the payments would cover maritime security and related services. The proposal reportedly could generate as much as $40 billion annually, but it has been rejected by the United States and Gulf Arab nations. Negotiators are also evaluating an alternative proposal from Oman, which shares jurisdiction over part of the strait. Under that plan, shipping services would be financed through a voluntary fund supported by oil producers and shipping companies rather than mandatory transit fees. Iran has objected, the Journal reported, because the arrangement would not require vessels to pay tolls directly. U.S. officials have also expressed concerns that the proposal could still be viewed as indirectly benefiting Tehran. "Iran is trying to open the strait on its own terms and does not want to relinquish what leverage it has gained," Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House, a London think tank, told the Journal. But "Tehran can disrupt the strait more easily than it can sustainably administer it," she said. The impasse has continued to disrupt one of the world's most important maritime routes. The Journal reported that daily vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz dropped to 43 ships by Wednesday, down from 75 a week earlier. Before the conflict began Feb. 28, more than 100 ships transited the strait each day, carrying roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supply.

Iran's Military Warns Continued Presence of US Aircraft Over Hormuz Strait 'Threatens Regional Security' -   The Iranian military on Thursday warned that the continued presence of US manned and unmanned aircraft over the Strait of Hormuz “has caused insecurity in this waterway and will threaten regional security” as the US has maintained its military buildup and heightened activity in the region.“The Strait of Hormuz is not a playground for an aggressive America, but the undisputed sovereign domain of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The security and stability of this vital waterway are a red line for the powerful armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said in a statement, according to Iran’s Mehr news agency. The statement came a day after the US Navy said that an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush had made an emergency landing in the Arabian Sea and that three out of four of the crew members had been recovered, while one was missing. It’s unclear why the helicopter went down, but the Navy said it didn’t appear to be related to any hostile activity.The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters also issued a warning to ships in the region, saying that any ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz along routes not approved by Iran would face “an immediate and forceful response” from the Iranian armed forces. Last week, an Iranian drone struck a ship attempting to cross the strait without coordinating with Iran, which the US responded to by bombing Iran, starting a back-and-forth of strikes that lasted through the weekend. Iran has maintained that the wording of the MoU means it is solely responsible for traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and that any arrangements it’s not involved in violate the agreement. Tehran is also not dropping its insistence that in the future, ships traveling the strait will pay some sort of service fee.

Can Washington’s Oman Corridor Rewrite the Rules of Hormuz? – – Reports emerged today that a foreign container ship ran aground in the Strait of Hormuz after leaving the officially designated navigation route and entering shallow waters. According to the reports, the vessel had been sailing outside the established corridor, and efforts to refloat it could prove both time-consuming and costly.Regardless of the technical details surrounding the incident, its significance lies in the message it sends to the maritime market: in one of the world’s most sensitive energy chokepoints, the issue is not simply about passing through a route—it is about trust in that route. Every incident, every shift in traffic patterns, and every new risk assessment can influence the decisions of shipping companies and insurers. This is precisely where the new battle over the Strait of Hormuz begins. The Strait of Hormuz has once again become one of the world’s most important arenas of geopolitical competition. According to estimates by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), roughly one-fifth of global seaborne oil trade passes through the waterway. As a result, any disruption or change in shipping patterns is far more than a regional issue; it can directly affect global energy markets, transportation costs, and oil prices.As military tensions have eased, the nature of the competition has entered a new phase. In the early days of the crisis, attention was focused on warships, military movements, and force deployments. Today, however, the primary battleground has shifted to something less visible: the struggle for the confidence of the global maritime transport market.In this competition, the winner is not necessarily the country with the stronger military presence. Rather, success will belong to the actor whose proposed routes are viewed by shipping companies, insurers, and cargo owners as safer, more reliable, and less risky.Within this context, the first commercial vessels choosing post-crisis transit routes have attracted considerable attention from analysts. Their significance lies less in the ships themselves and more in the signal they send to the market: which routes major players in the global shipping industry are choosing under the new circumstances. Following the escalation of tensions, the United States, in cooperation with Oman and through maritime security arrangements, sought to create conditions allowing commercial vessels to transit through the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz. The objective was to reduce dependence on conventional shipping routes closer to Iran’s coastline.The purpose of this initiative was not merely to redirect a handful of ships. From Washington’s perspective, if the route eventually becomes a reliable option for shipping companies, the global market’s dependence on routes where Iran plays a significant role in security provision could decline, thereby weakening part of Tehran’s geopolitical leverage in the Strait of Hormuz. In other words, rather than attempting to alter the geography of the strait, Washington appears to be trying to reshape the market’s “architecture of trust” — gradually encouraging shipping companies to conclude that global trade can continue without relying on routes endorsed by Iran. The reason goes beyond Iran’s geographical position. Although the Strait of Hormuz appears on maps as a relatively wide waterway — approximately 55 kilometers across — the realities of navigation are far more complex. Large oil tankers cannot simply pass through any point they choose. Water depth, underwater formations, currents, traffic separation systems, and international safety regulations limit navigable areas to a handful of specific corridors.For that reason, creating a new route is not simply a matter of political declarations or even military presence. If shipping companies, insurers, or risk-assessment institutions determine that an alternative route carries greater safety concerns, costs, or long-term uncertainties, they are unlikely to adopt it — even if it enjoys the backing of a major power.Recent developments in shipping patterns have added a new dimension to this competition. Maritime tracking data suggests that the so-called “Oman Corridor,” promoted in recent weeks as an alternative route, has experienced a noticeable decline in traffic.According to published tracking information, while a considerable number of vessels initially used the route after its introduction, newer reports indicate that transit numbers have fallen and that some shipping activity has begun returning to established routes.Some analysts link this change to Iranian security warnings and growing risk assessments among shipping operators. Others argue that it remains too early to draw firm conclusions and that a temporary decline in traffic does not necessarily indicate the failure of a new route.Nevertheless, even if these developments prove temporary, they highlight an important reality: in maritime shipping, decisions are ultimately driven less by political statements and more by calculations of cost and risk.

Iran FM vows legal action against US over torpedo attack on defenseless Dena frigate Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Tehran will pursue the US torpedo attack on the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena through all legal and political channels. Speaking after visiting an exhibition of belongings of the martyrs of the Dena, Araghchi condemned the attack as a clear war crime, saying the vessel was hundreds of kilometers away from the war zone, unarmed, and on a routine training and ceremonial mission when it was struck without warning by a US submarine. “What happened is undoubtedly a war crime that will be recorded in history,” Araghchi said. “This action is not a naval victory, it only shows the enemy’s weakness.” The foreign minister added that the attack, which killed 104 sailors, was an act of cowardice against a defenseless target far from the battlefield. Araghchi said the Foreign Ministry’s legal department, in coordination with the Navy, is collecting all documents related to the incident for legal follow-up. “We will never forget or let go of the pure blood of these martyrs,” he said. Araghchi said the sacrifice of the Dena’s crew, along with that of other martyrs including the children of Minab, helped Iran achieve victory in the war. “I never believe that the blood of these dear ones was wasted,” he said. “Rather, it watered the strong tree of the Islamic Republic and led to our final victory against enemies who entered the field with all their might but achieved none of their goals.” The attack occurred on March 4, as the Dena was returning home after participating in the MILAN 2026 multinational naval exercise hosted by India. The frigate was approximately 19 nautical miles off the coast of Galle, Sri Lanka, when it was struck by a Mark 48 torpedo fired from the US Navy’s Los Angeles-class submarine USS Charlotte. The vessel was unarmed at the time, with 136 crew members on board, 104 of whom were martyred and 32 injured. Iran has previously warned that the US would “bitterly regret” the attack. Tehran has described the sinking as a gross violation of international humanitarian law and the 1949 Geneva Conventions.

We investigated damage from Iran to a US naval base. Here’s what we found. - A Wall Street Journal investigation found that the U.S. is rethinking its footprint in the Middle East after Iranian missile and drone attacks caused more damage than previously disclosed to at least 20 U.S. sites, including the Navy’s base in Bahrain. Here are four takeaways from our reporting.Between late February and June, Iran repeatedly targeted Naval Support Activity Bahrain, known as NSA Bahrain. Hit hard were the command headquarters and at least a dozen other buildings, along with two satellite communications terminals. The military said no one was killed at the base and that the strikes didn’t significantly affect operations. The U.S. evacuated most personnel but has kept a small staff on the ground. The military is now considering revamping the base in Bahrain, reducing the U.S. presence in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and moving some bases or base functions west, farther from the reach of Iranian missiles and drones, according to the officials familiar with the deliberations. Structures that were attacked may not be rebuilt. Command and control nodes could be moved underground. And military capabilities could become more spread out across the region, the officials said, though they cautioned that no decisions had been made. Israel is one of the locations being considered for basing, according to two of the officials. Pentagon comptroller Jay Hurst told Congress last month that the department’s estimated cost of the war, then at $29 billion, didn’t include damage to U.S. bases. In a May congressional hearing, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was pressed for a cost estimate of that damage. “What is the cost of Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon?” he replied.The Journal estimates that it would cost about $400 million to construct buildings of the same types as those damaged at NSA Bahrain, according to a review of a publicly available Defense Department cost model and procurement reports.The estimates only cover construction, and don’t include other costs that ​could factor into the total if the buildings were to be rebuilt, such as debris removal and reinforcement. ​The Center for Strategic and International Studies estimated in a report published Tuesday that the total cost of the war was about $40 billion—an estimate that included its calculus of $2.2 billion to $5.1 billion in damage to U.S. bases across the region, based on structures the think tank identified as damaged.  NSA Bahrain was built long before Iran possessed the arsenal of precision missiles and drones it has today, and the war revealed its vulnerabilities.Before the war, some military officials warned that bases in the Gulf were exposed. A proposal to move installations farther west was floated in President Trump’s first term but never acted on.Over the course of the war, “Centcom rightfully prioritized the protection of people over buildings, and our strategy of protecting people worked. Iran shot more than 8,000 missiles and drones and only two hits resulted in U.S. fatalities,” said Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East.

Why US bases in the Persian Gulf are doomed -- The extensive targeting of U.S. bases by Iran throughout the yet-unresolved conflict now in its fourth month is raising new doubts about the sustainability of maintaining large, fixed military installations near the Persian Gulf—and potentially elsewhere across the globe. Among the leading voices calling for a substantial recalibration of U.S. force posture so close to Iran is a man who not long ago oversaw the sprawling base network in the region. General Kenneth F. McKenzie, Jr., commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) from March 2019 to April 2022, said he has long pushed for change on this front, and that the confrontation with Iran has only reinforced his conviction that priorities, including the deployment of aircraft, weapons systems and other capabilities, should be moved further westward. “What you want to do is you want to spread out that necklace of bases far to the west, where you make it harder for the Iranians to see you, you make it harder for the Iranians to range you,” McKenzie said Monday during a virtual conference hosted by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) and attended by Newsweek. “Although over time we should recognize Iranian missiles are going to increase in range,” McKenzie, who is a distinguished senior fellow at JINSA, said, “but I’m solving a problem for today.” Responding to Newsweek‘s question regarding lessons learned from the Iran conflict thus far, he offered the example of Qatar’s Al-Udeid Air Base, which serves as CENTCOM Forward Headquarters, as a “monument to old think” in the midst of a brave new era of modern hybrid warfare undermining the strategic value of static large-scale sites in the Middle East and beyond, to include the Asia-Pacific and Europe. “We need to be able to move, we need to be able to deceive about where our locations are, and that’s going to require not only significant electromagnetic emanation management, it’s going to require an understanding of what’s in space looking at us, and how do we deal with that,” McKenzie said. “And that will require a very sophisticated understanding of not only military overhead non-air breathing systems, but also the plethora of commercial overhead imagery systems that are out there.” “We need to know and understand and master how we use that ability, that capability to help us and to hurt potential foes,” he added. “Those lessons apply everywhere in any conflict anywhere.” When it comes to the Middle East, McKenzie recommended, first and foremost, Israel as a top candidate to consolidate some of the U.S. military‘s most valuable equipment given the country’s robust air defense network. He also saw room to maintain some degree of presence in key Persian Gulf sites, with a focus primarily on shoring up anti-missile and drone defenses, hardening infrastructure and boosting cooperation with host nations. Such a rethinking could bring the current strategy up to date. After all, he pointed out, the roots of U.S. basing in the Persian Gulf were initially devised as part of a Cold War-era effort to safeguard the oil-rich region from a feared clash with the Soviet Union, and later to serve the needs of post-9/11 “war on terror” counterinsurgency campaigns. “What you’ve got really is an artifact of earlier posture decisions,” McKenzie said. “No one in their right mind would ever put the CENTCOM Forward Headquarters 100 miles away from Iran, yet that’s where it is, because when we put it in place many years ago, we were thinking Iraq, we were thinking Afghanistan, we were thinking other things, and not the growing threat from Iran.” “Anticipation is the heart of wisdom,” he added. “Not a lot of wisdom there when we chose the location of the CENTCOM Forward Headquarters.” While the full extent of U.S. force posture abroad is classified, it is widely recognized that the U.S. maintains the most foreign bases of any nation in the world and likely more than every other country combined, with estimates exceeding 750 individual sites.The most exhaustive public accounting comes from David Vine, an author and anthropologist who has written extensively on the U.S. base hegemony. He estimated around 89 U.S. military installations in the greater Middle East region.Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Naval Support Activity Bahrain, Camp Arifjan in Kuwait, Al-Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates, and Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia are among the most crucial hubs.But despite far superior U.S. firepower, each of these sites and many more have been directly targeted by Iranian attacks since the U.S. and Israel launched their joint war against the Islamic Republic in late February.. Much of this came in the form of missiles and drones, such as a deadly strike on a makeshift operations center at Kuwait’s Shuaiba port in March, though a reported Iranian F-5E strike on Camp Buehring, also in Kuwait, appeared to demonstrate even aging conventional assets could prove a threat. The risks have carried well over into the ceasefire first announced on April 8. Even after Washington and Tehran further embraced diplomacy through a June 17 memorandum of understanding and touted progress in follow-up talks, new tit-for-tat clashes saw the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claim strikes against eight U.S. military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait over the weekend. “The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran is inspiring a deep and long-overdue questioning of the profoundly flawed mainstream conventional wisdom that U.S. bases in the Middle East and around the globe are helping defend the United States and other countries,” Vine told Newsweek. “The widespread damage that Iran has inflicted on U.S. military bases in the Persian Gulf and broader region, including dozens of deaths and billions in infrastructure costs, has revealed for all to see the longstanding myths about U.S. bases in the Middle East and globally,” Vine said. These “myths,” he argued, involve the defensive nature, military effectiveness and necessity of such bases to U.S. security. Rather, he said, these installations have encouraged offensive action at great cost, not just to U.S. personnel and taxpayers but to host nations as well. “The U.S.-Israeli war is thus forcing a desperately needed reconsideration of U.S. military presence not just in the Middle East but also globally and leading growing numbers of analysts to conclude that the military should close and consolidate bases abroad and bring large numbers of troops home,”

Report: US Believed Israel Wanted To Kill Iran's Araghchi and Ghalibaf During April Negotiations -- The New York Times reported on Thursday that the US was concerned Israel might try to assassinate Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf during negotiations that were taking place in April.The report, which cited US officials, said that the US agreed that Araghchi and Ghalibaf could have been targets for Israel during the full-scale war, as the US has strongly backed Israel’s assassinations, but that it was concerned that killing them during negotiations could have derailed the diplomatic process.Some officials told the paper that the US went as far as telling other countries to warn Iran about the potential Israeli assassination plot.The report said that Iran was concerned that Israel might have tried to kill Ghalibaf when he traveled to Pakistan for negotiations in April, and that on the way back, Iran’s “security forces notified the plane carrying Mr. Ghalibaf back to Tehran that they had picked up intelligence that Israel planned to attack the plane and that two Israeli fighter jets had entered Iran’s airspace from its western border near Iraq.”Ghalibaf’s plane then landed in the Iranian city of Mashhad, and the officials traveled by land back to Tehran. The account was confirmed by Mahdi Mohammadi, a senior advisor to Ghalibaf.Israeli officials have made clear that they’re eager to restart the full-scale war against Iran despite the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding and would likely want to start with another round of high-level assassinations. At the end of May, Capital & Empire reported that Israel was pressing the US for the resumption of large-scale strikes on Iran that would involve the targeted killing of Ghalibaf.

Pentagon plans US ground troop deployment to force Hezbollah disarmament: Report -  - The Pentagon is reportedly preparing to deploy US ground troops to Lebanon to implement the recently signed and controversial US-brokered agreement between Lebanon and Israel, which calls for the disarmament of Hezbollah. Citing US officials, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that American forces would be stationed in Lebanon to monitor compliance with the agreement by both Lebanon and Israel. According to the report, US troops would also be deployed in the Israeli-occupied territories. The newspaper added that officials from the US Central Command (CENTCOM) would report any violations of the so-called ceasefire agreement directly to the Trump administration. It noted, however, that CENTCOM chief Admiral Brad Cooper would not take a direct role in overseeing the agreement. The report came as Cooper visited Beirut on Monday, where he met Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Army Commander Rodolphe Haykal to discuss the implementation of the agreement’s security provisions. CENTCOM later said Cooper also visited Israel during the trip. The agreement, signed in Washington last week, requires the Lebanese army to oversee the disarmament of Hezbollah and other “non-state armed groups” ahead of a phased Israeli "withdrawal" from southern Lebanon. Hezbollah has rejected the agreement as “null and void,” warning that attempts to impose it could trigger internal unrest. The resistance group reiterated on Monday that it reserves the right to self-defense as Israeli forces continue attacks on southern Lebanon, as a blatant violation of the ceasefire. Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem has also described the US-brokered agreement as “a gratuitous concession” to Israel and “a stab in the back of the resistance.” Instead, he called for the implementation of the Iran-US memorandum of understanding (MoU), whose first provision calls for a permanent end to hostilities across all fronts, including Lebanon. Iran has repeatedly urged the United States to compel Israel to halt its attacks on Lebanon and fully withdraw from the areas it occupies under the Tehran-Washington agreement signed on June 17. Tehran has maintained that all provisions of the MoU, including those relating to Lebanon, must be fully implemented.

As Civilians Suffer in Lebanon, Tlaib Demands US End Military Support for Israel - (Tasnim) – With civilian casualties rising across southern Lebanon, US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib demanded that Washington immediately sever its support for Israeli operations. In a post on X on Monday, Rep. Tlaib called for an immediate end to Washington’s support for the Israeli regime’s brutal aggression in southern Lebanon. She announced she will force another vote in Congress to halt US involvement in the “apartheid regime’s campaign of ethnic cleansing and territorial expansion” in Lebanon. “Congress must vote to end US support for these atrocities and force an end to Israel’s invasion and illegal military occupation of Lebanese territory,” she wrote. Tlaib highlighted the horrific human cost of the ongoing Israeli assault, noting that “over 4,250 people have been massacred” and “twelve children are killed or maimed every day as these US-backed war crimes continue.” The Michigan lawmaker has long been a courageous voice of conscience in the US Congress. She has consistently voiced strong support for the people of Gaza and Lebanon, fiercely condemning Israeli atrocities and US military aid that enables them. Tlaib’s unwavering solidarity with the people of Gaza facing genocide and the Lebanese people defending their sovereignty against occupation has made her a target of pro-Israel lobbies, yet she continues to speak truth to power. Her latest call comes as the resistance in Lebanon and across the region stands firm against Zionist expansionism. By demanding an end to US-backed crimes, Tlaib is exposing the hypocrisy of American foreign policy that arms aggressors while claiming to champion human rights. Congresswoman Tlaib’s says that silence and complicity are no longer acceptable in the face of clear war crimes and occupation. Since March 2, Israeli assaults throughout Lebanon have resulted in the deaths of 4,247 individuals and injuries to 12,195 others, as the nation continues to endure the human cost of the prolonged hostilities. In Gaza, the total death toll from Israel’s genocidal war, which began on October 7, 2023, has now reached 73,058, with 173,488 wounded, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Since the ceasefire came into force on October 11, 1,045 Palestinians have been killed, 3,380 injured, and 786 bodies recovered from the rubble.

House Defeats Lebanon War Powers Resolution - - The House of Representatives on Tuesday voted down a War Powers Resolution to end US support for Israel’s war in Lebanon, which continues despite the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding stating it must end. The bill failed in a 189-235 vote, with just two Republicans — Reps. Thomas Massie (KY) and Lauren Boebert (CO) — voting yes. However, according to Caitlyn Kim, a reporter for CPR News, Boebert said that her vote was a mistake and she meant to vote no. Massie has consistently supported bills aimed at ending wars in the Middle East. The War Powers Resolution, introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib, was backed by House Democratic leadership after they opposed an earlier version, but 22 Democrats still voted against it. A total of seven lawmakers — four Republicans and three Democrats — did not vote.The vote comes days after Israel and the Lebanese government signed a “framework agreement” that Israeli officials say allows the IDF to continue its occupation of southern Lebanon, an arrangement that is not compatible with the implementation of the US-Iran MoU.The Israel-Lebanon deal sparked protests in Lebanon and is strongly opposed by Hezbollah, the Amal Movement, and other non-Shia factions, as many Lebanese see it as giving up sovereignty over the south. The deal was overseen by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has said the war is separate from the negotiations with Iran despite the MoU explicitly linking the two issues.

Congress Blocks Amendment To Stop Integration of U.S. And Israeli Militaries  --Facing backlash over a war with Iran that has led to President Donald J. Trump’s approval rating return to the lowest level of his second term at just 34%, the tone of some senior officials in his administration has shifted toward uncharacteristic criticism of Israel. The abrupt change of posture led by Vice President J.D. Vance has left Americans questioning whether or not that new position signals a paradigm shift in U.S. foreign policy or if it is nothing more than empty rhetoric aimed at appeasing the masses who have become increasingly disenfranchised by the administration over its virtually unconditional support for the Jewish state. A decision from Congress blocking a bipartisan amendment introduced by representatives Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna that would have removed the controversial provision from the National Defense Authorization Act (”NDAA”) integrating the U.S. and Israeli militaries answered that lingering question by showing that unfettered support for Israel remains business as usual in Washington, D.C., despite any empty political posturing to the contrary. The amendment introduced by Massie and Khanna sought to remove Section 219 (formerly Section 224) from this year’s NDAA. That provision is poised to establish a United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative which expands cooperation between the two nations in a manner that opponents have raised criticisms about over how it effectively integrates their two militaries. In the wake of public support in the U.S. declining to record lows, the revelation of Section 219 has been met with vitriol from U.S. taxpayers who have come to view Israel as a pariah on the world stage, a stark departure from the long-standing sentiment inculcated into the American public that the country serves as its greatest ally. Representatives Massie and Khanna harnessed that shifting sentiment by drafting an amendment to the NDAA that would have removed Section 219 from the text of the proposed legislation, only to have their effort blocked by the House Rules Committee after it chose to exclude it from a list of amendments made in order. In doing so, the committee ensured the amendment would not receive any debate or a recorded vote on the House floor.In addition to excluding the amendment put forward by Massie and Khanna, the House Rules Committee also excluded another introduced by Democratic representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez that sought to rein in U.S. arms sales to Israel. The amendment introduced by Ocasio-Cortez would have imposed conditions for offensive and defensive military aid to Israel. Those conditions would have required U.S. foreign military aid to comply with international law by banning the transfer of weapons to countries blocking U.S. or United Nations' humanitarian aid to civilians.The House Rules Committee utilized this mechanism to preserve Section 219 of the NDAA in the face of widespread bipartisan condemnation of the provision. When announcing his intent to offer an amendment striking the provision from the NDAA, Massie highlighted how its passage would further undermine U.S. sovereignty. Massie’s position was echoed across the aisle by Khanna, who ultimately introduced the amendment, which was co-sponsored by other Democratic representatives Jim McGovern, Jesús G. García, and Rashida Tlaib. Their bipartisan effort, though blocked, reflected the popular will of the American people who reached out to lawmakers from both parties to compel them to remove Section 219 from the NDAA after the once-obscure provision fell into the spotlight over the discourse surrounding the proposed legislation. When discussing the provision, Massie succinctly summarized that position felt by U.S. citizens, stating, “If Section 219 is signed into law, the American people should see it as Congress fully capitulating our nation’s autonomy to foreign influence.”In contrast, proponents of Section 219 have downplayed the criticisms raised by the likes of Massie and Khanna by characterizing the provision as a mechanism to improve efficiency and coordination between the militaries of the U.S. and Israel, rather than one to fully integrate them. Ranking Member of the House Committee on Armed Services, Democratic representative Adam Smith of Washington, aimed to dispel the narrative put forward by Massie and Khanna by highlighting how the U.S. already has three existing cooperative programs with Israel to develop new technologies, adding that the United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative created under Section 219 of the NDAA does not create any new programs. “To say that this is us bowing to the bidding of Israel on this is completely inaccurate. The reason we’re doing this is because we benefit from that technology development,” Smith stated. Republican representative Mike Rogers of Alabama, Chair of the Armed Services Committee, attacked Massie’s characterization that the initiative undermines U.S. sovereignty by stating “Claims that this provision somehow cedes authority to a foreign government are simply ridiculous.”Although the House Rules Committee has ultimately struck down the lone attempt to remove Section 219 from the NDAA, that measure has done little to ease concerns over its ramifications. The nonprofit watchdog group Human Rights Watch highlighted how the data fusion and intelligence streams integrated by the United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative raise serious human rights concerns due to the impact they would have on amplifying the Israel Defense Forces (”IDF”) targeting systems. Those systems have faced international condemnation over the massive civilian casualties that have fallen into the crosshairs of the IDF in the Gaza Strip, West Bank, Lebanon, and other theaters of war. Other policy critics have highlighted how further integration of the U.S. and Israeli militaries poses an inherent national security risk by exposing sensitive U.S. systems to foreign penetration risks due to blurring the lines between foreign and domestic defense infrastructure. American political action committee A New Policy, which was founded in 2024 with the mission of reshaping U.S. policymaking toward Israel and Palestine, highlighted the litany of risks posed by Section 219 of the NDAA in their an examination of the provision. In their examination, A New Policy raised significant concerns over how the provision “exposes sensitive U.S. capabilities to counterintelligence risk, normalizes technologies developed in contexts of occupation and civilian harm, disadvantages U.S. defense companies ability to compete with Israeli competitors, deepens U.S. legal and reputational exposure without clear strategic necessity, and aims to hide continuing U.S. military support to Israel from Congressional and public transparency.”Ultimately, those warnings have fallen upon deaf ears in the U.S. House of Representatives following the actions of its rules committee, which will now bring a vote on the NDAA to the floor without any possibility of removing Section 219 from the text of the legislation. With the NDAA’s passage with Section 219 intact being a fait accompli in the House, the only remaining hope that the provision will be struck down lies in the hands of the Senate. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont has been the lone voice in the Senate expressing disapproval of Section 219 and has urged Congress to remove the provision from the proposed legislation. Unlike the House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate has no equivalent to the House Rules Committee that could block any vote on an amendment to remove Section 219 from the NDAA, leaving the fate of any such proposal to fall on a floor vote. However, placing the fate of any such amendment on the Senate, which votes more uniformly in support of Israel on average than the House, renders its passage virtually as impossible.
As the NDAA advances towards its inevitable passage with the inclusion of Section 219, the voices of those amplifying criticism of Israel in Washington, D.C. can be divided into two camps. The first of those contains the few within the U.S. government who have fought to decouple the U.S. from Israel. The second is one whose rhetoric is performative in the face of mounting criticism over Israel in the fallout from the U.S.’ war in Iran. The inner machinations of Washington’s political machine showcased by the House Rules Committee’s decision to block the amendment striking Section 219 from the NDAA show that the sudden change in tone of how U.S. leadership views Israel is not indicative of any shift of principle, let alone policymaking. Instead, it is nothing more than another act of political theater that continues to veil how leadership in Washington, D.C. continues to put the interests of Israel ahead of Americans while draping itself in the American flag.
With that being the status quo in Washington, D.C. on the eve of the 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding, Americans are left to reconcile how they can truly commemorate their independence when it has become clear their government continues to serve a foreign nation, making the nation’s semiquincentennial less of a celebration and more of a eulogy.

Turkey's Tayyip Erdoğan cashes in on Trump relationship - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is cashing in on his relationship with President Trump, scoring benefits from sanctions relief to dropped court cases ahead of a high-stakes NATO summit in Ankara next month. Trump’s decision to greenlight a more than $700 million military sales package to Turkey this week — despite a pushback from some lawmakers — represents Erdoğan’s latest win in Washington. The sale is for advanced jet engines, allowing Turkey to follow through on developing its domestic fleet of next-generation fighter jets. Trump lavished praise on Erdoğan when asked Wednesday about the military sale by a reporter, commending the Turkish leader for holding back aid to Iran when the U.S. and Israel launched the war against that country in late February. “He was a prime candidate to go into the war with Iran, maybe on the Iran side because he’s not a big fan of Israel as you know. And I asked him to stay out. He stayed out,” Trump said. “Erdoğan’s a great leader, very strong person, great military … everything I’ve ever asked him for he’s done.” The president’s revelation drew immediate pushback from Mark Levin, a conservative Fox News host who is typically a vocal Trump supporter but has come out against the memorandum of understanding the administration signed with Iran. “Stop giving our best technology away to Islamist nut job Erdogan! Turkey became a NATO member long before Erdoğan seized power,” Levin, a staunch advocate for Israel, posted on social platform X. Levin’s criticism spoke to the complicated relationship the U.S. and its allies have had with Turkey throughout Erdoğan’s more than two decades in power. Turkey is a strategic and powerful NATO ally. It straddles Europe and the Middle East, borders the Caucasus and Iran, and controls an important maritime route connecting the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. Turkey is also recognized for hosting nearly 3 million refugees, the majority having fled the Syrian civil war and threats from the Islamic State over the course of the 2010s. But Erdoğan is condemned by Europe and pro-democracy groups for exercising an iron fist over his country, threatening allies and cozying up to adversaries. Erdoğan has consolidated power in the presidency and culled the opposition, jailing political opponents, journalists, academics, artists or anyone else with a critical voice. Erdoğan has threatened NATO-members and neighbors Greece and Cyprus. And he has deepened relationships with Russia, China, Iran and its proxy in the Gaza Strip, Hamas. “As long as Turkey is under the leadership of Erdoğan who aligns himself with Iran and Russia, harbors Hamas & remains the only NATO member to not sanction Russia, Turkey should NOT receive our best jets and military equipment,” Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) posted on X. Erdoğan cares deeply about what American presidents think of him, said Gönül Tol, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, adding that there’s an overt personal chemistry with Trump. Loyalty is a priority for Trump, and Erdoğan has seemingly played a good soldier — rarely, if ever, criticizing Trump despite rabid anti-American, anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian sentiment in Turkey. A recent Pew survey found only 6 percent of Turkish respondents had confidence in Trump to do the right thing in world affairs, and only 13 percent had a favorable view of the U.S.

Protester with Tibet flag sets himself on fire outside UN - A protester carrying a Tibetan flag has set fire to himself outside the UN headquarters in New York City. The man was seen on CCTV planting a flag on the pavement near East 42nd Street and First Avenue shortly after 6.30pm local time (11.30pm UK) on Thursday night. He then self-immolated and died from his injuries, police said. A spokesperson for the New York police department said officers responded to an emergency call and found a 52-year-old man with severe burns throughout his body. The man was taken to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan, where he was pronounced dead. Police said their investigations were ongoing and that the man’s identity has not been released because his family had not yet been notified. The New York Post reported that the flag was still in place an hour later as police were investigating the scene. Man ‘livestreamed moment he self-immolated’ According to the newspaper, the man was in monastic clothing and livestreamed the moment he self-immolated. It was reported that two emergency services personnel arrived on the scene in less than a minute and used fire extinguishers to put out the flames. Officers were seen carrying a sign which read “China out of Tibet” from the scene. A UN spokesperson said the incident happened after all scheduled meetings were finished for the day. More than 150 people are known to have self-immolated in Tibet since March 2009 in protest against China’s occupation of their land, according to Free Tibet. China claims Tibet has been part of its territory since the mid-13th century, and its Communist Party has governed the Himalayan region since 1951. But many Tibetans say they were effectively independent for most of their history and the Chinese government wants to exploit the resource-rich region while crushing its cultural identity. China does not recognise Tibet’s government-in-exile, which is called the Central Tibetan Administration, and it has not held dialogue with the Dalai Lama’s representatives since 2010. Washington bears scars of Trump renovations as landmark July 4 approachesOn a burning-hot Tuesday in June, red, white and blue flags flutter above the streets of Washington, in anticipation of the United States’ 250th anniversary.  Navy blue posters read: “We are making DC safe and beautiful.”  It is just four days before the grand Independence Day celebration, for which Donald Trump promised to make the city “the greatest, most beautiful, safest capital anywhere in the world”. Whether this ambition has been achieved in time for the anniversary celebrations, however, is questionable. On the National Mall, two large white tents stand next to what appears to be a small village of plastic portable loos. They sit behind an ugly grey fence, which acts as a barricade to the Washington Monument. “We had to walk probably two and a half miles extra because of all the fencing; that’s ridiculous for a town that should be walkable,” Andy Weinberg, 68, from Northern California, told The Telegraph. “The White House and Trump are supposed to be professionals.” Meanwhile, a large, long metal fence has been erected almost entirely around the White House, blocking views of the building itself and the $500m (£450m) ballroom that Mr Trump has been constructing where the East Wing once stood.. A tourist couple decked out in 250th anniversary outfits was weaving their way around the fence. “To tell you the truth, we’re completely lost,” they said in confusion as they passed by.Standing at the fence trying to catch a glimpse of the White House was Dom, wearing a cowboy hat. He had travelled all the way from Australia with his two teenage children to see the monuments of Washington, DC, but found that he had spent most of the day walking around the fence. “It’s a pain in the arse,” he says grumpily.“Because everything is blocked off, it doesn’t look as nice – so that’s a pain in the arse. We were at the Lincoln Memorial, and we can’t see all the way down because they’re doing celebrations,” he said, before one of his children added: “I’m disappointed.”The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has also been suffering its own set of woes in recent months. The administration commissioned the pool – one of Washington’s best-known attractions, and the scene of Martin Luther King’s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech – to be cleaned in April. The hope was that it might be ready in time for the celebrations. Mr Trump had promised that the pool would be “American flag blue”, and ordered the water to be drained and the bottom repainted in the electric blue hue. But a few weeks after the $14m (£10.5m) renovation was unveiled, the water was thick, green and patchy with algae.  Shards of lining were also protruding from the surface after the lining was “hacked up” by vandals, according to Mr Trump. He also blamed vandals for “creating” the algae.On Tuesday, it was a dark blue colour, with specks of dirt visible at the bottom and wafts of a chemical odour on the breeze. Workers had been seen pouring hydrogen peroxide into the water in an effort to kill the algae. Clusters of CCTV cameras had been erected on six white poles around the pool. Carly, a 60-year-old retiree from DC, said that it looked no better than it did a year ago. “This is superficial bulls---, and they’ve poured millions of dollars into it,” she said.The Lincoln Memorial itself is surrounded by the same grey fences as outside the White House.Over at the Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts, which sits to the west of the city on the Potomac River, things are not looking much better. Last year, Mr Trump announced the addition of his name to the institution, and by December, new lettering bearing Mr Trump’s full name was affixed to the centre’s front portico. At one point, Mr Trump had even touted the venue as a spot for 250th celebrations.“We’re going to use the Kennedy Centre as a big focus of it, and that’s the 250th anniversary celebration that we’re having,” he said.“So we have the Olympics, we have the World Cup and we have the 250th anniversary celebration...the 250th is going to be maybe more exciting than both. It’s a great celebration of our country.”The Kennedy Centre’s role in the celebrations never materialised.In May, a judge ordered the removal of the president’s name from the institution, declaring that it cannot be renamed without congressional approval.         Now, the building stands shrouded in a tarpaulin with scaffolding obscuring the lettering.Back at the White House, the lawn is looking yellow and patchy in places, perhaps as a result of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Freedom 250 cage fighting match held at the beginning of June, after which drone pictures showed a yellow lawn in the aftermath of the event.After the stage was dismantled, a combination of foot traffic and the 92ft steel staging rig had heavily damaged the grass, pictures showed.“All the fencing and all the construction and the barriers,” says Brenda Weinberg, 63, shaking her head.“Why are we doing some of these things?” she asks. “It’s really impacted our ability to enjoy these spaces that are supposed to be for all of us.”After nearly 16 months of renovations, a $12bn (£9bn) fund and hundreds of metres of grey fence, tourists and locals alike remain unconvinced that Mr Trump delivered the “beautiful” Washington DC he promised.

Trump battles time in bid to boost weapons stockpiles - President Trump’s talk of boosting U.S. munitions stockpiles is facing the harsh reality of America’s production capacity. Even if Congress passes his enormous $1.5 trillion request for defense spending, which is looking less likely with each passing week, defense contractors are simply unable to rapidly refill caches that have been badly depleted during the wars in Ukraine and Iran. Trump met last week with the CEOs of Lockheed, Boeing and Honeywell, a gathering during which Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg grilled executives over delays on key programs, Reuters reported. “You’re not doing enough” was the initial message to executives, a source told the outlet. But the highly sophisticated missiles and interceptors take years to churn out at the mercy of government funding cycles. That means recently announced intentions to expand assembly lines are still years away from yielding tangible results. “It’s going to take two to four years to replenish” the likes of the Patriot missile, Tomahawk, Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile and the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD ) anti-ballistic missile system, said Jerry McGinn, the director of the Center for the Industrial Base at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank. “The problem is these systems, they’re really, really great, but they were not designed for producibility, they were designed for performance,” he told The Hill. “They’re not really built to be made at scale. They’re essentially handmade in some ways.” Washington’s weapons cache — which already took a hit during the Biden administration when the U.S. sent billions of dollars’ worth of lethal aid to help Ukraine in its war with Russia — have quickly dwindled thanks to Trump’s war in Iran and heightened tensions in the Middle East. Prior to a tentative ceasefire announced in April, the United States reportedly burned through thousands of missiles in under two months of conflict, using nearly all of the long-range stealth cruise missiles left in Washington’s stockpile, more than half of its THAADs, almost 50 percent of its Patriot interceptor missiles, and depleting its stores of Tomahawks, Precision Strike and ATACMS ground-based missiles. Rebuilding the stockpiles of these weapons to pre-Operation Epic Fury levels will take one to four years, according to an April analysis from CSIS. Even with the ceasefire and recent memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran, U.S. forces have periodically conducted additional strikes against Iran in response to attacks near the Strait of Hormuz, including on Friday and Saturday. The Defense Department has not publicly disclosed how many munitions it has used thus far in the Iran war. Apart from its own missile use, the United States has also supplied allies with large quantities of weapons. Katherine Thompson, a former Trump administration official and now a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, said publicly available information points to a timeframe of well beyond Trump’s term ends before the U.S. would be back to pre-war inventory levels. “Those timelines are not something that the defense contractors are giving, but I think at a minimum we can say we’re not going to be back to pre-war levels until, based on the data that’s out there, the early 2030s,” she told The Hill.

Miller: Every Single Haitian Migrant Is Going Back To Haiti Under Trump - White House Homeland Security Adviser Stephen Miller delivered a clear and forceful message: every Haitian national on Temporary Protected Status will be returned to Haiti under President Trump. The Biden administration's last-year extension of TPS turned what began as a short-term response to a 2010 earthquake into a permanent pipeline. Miller called the deliberate importation of these migrants into places like Springfield, Ohio, one of the most heinous acts the government has ever committed. Miller laid it out without hedging: "There's an earthquake in Haiti. So she's (Former DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano) announcing TPS for a few months while they're recovering from an earthquake. That was in 2010, 15 years ago. Then the Biden administration in its last year extends TPS to every single illegal alien from Haiti while they are flying them en masse into Springfield, Ohio, across the Midwest." He continued, "It was a formal policy of replacing the communities that lived in, settled, and sustained these communities for generations. It was one of the most heinous things this government has ever done." "And yes, under President Trump, let me be very clear, the illegal alien Haitians are going back to Haiti. They can build their country there," Miller further urged. This directly follows the Trump administration's earlier termination of TPS protections for 353,000 Haitians, with those designations set to expire. The move reversed Biden-era renewals that kept hundreds of thousands in the country long after any temporary justification had passed. Springfield became the most visible example of the fallout. Local residents watched as federal policies funneled large numbers of Haitian migrants into their city, straining housing, schools, and public resources. Americans reported being priced out of apartments while migrants received housing assistance. Parks saw geese and other wildlife targeted. In one city commission meeting, Springfield City Manager Brian Heck admitted he had "heard about" reports of Haitian migrants eating pets. The conditions many of these migrants left behind in Haiti only underscore why prolonged TPS extensions made little sense. Armed gangs, including groups with documented histories of extreme violence and intimidation tactics, have dominated large parts of the country.

Questions grow about why ICE arrested a Texas nun -  Questions about why ICE arrested a nun continue to grow after her release from custody. The Catholic Diocese of Brownsville said that on Sunday, Sister Leticia Ugboaja was detained by agents as she was walking to attend mass at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in McAllen, Texas. Sister Ugboaja, a Nigerian national, is a registered nurse at South Texas Health System and was a certified nursing assistant at health center in Edinburg, Texas, for 10 years, the Diocese said in a press release. She's part of the Daughters of Mary Mother of Mercy congregation and volunteers as a minister at Our Lady of Sorrows Church. Sister Ugboaja was released the same day she was detained, according to Rep. Monica De La Cruz, a Republican, who initially posted on Facebook that her office was working with DHS to "resolve Sister Letty's detainment as quickly as possible." In a statement, the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville said: "At this time, we are continuing to gather information regarding the circumstances that led to Sister Leticia's detainment and the manner in which she was detained." The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to multiple requests for comment or requests for additional information about why she was detained. In her social media post, De La Cruz said: "As I have repeatedly said, our immigration enforcement should target violent criminals. A Catholic nun on her way to church is not a threat to our community," she said on Facebook. Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar said in a post on X that reports about the nun's arrest "raise serious concerns about how immigration enforcement resources are being used." In the press release, the diocese thanked local representatives who reached out to DHS on Sister Ugboaja's behalf. Bishop Daniel E. Flores condemned the arrest. "Sister Letty is a well-known source of goodness and hope in our community, and I am grateful she has been released. There are many questions remaining about the circumstances surrounding Sister Letty's arrest and detention," Bishop Flores said in a statement. "For now, it is clear that Homeland Security enforcement protocols that make it possible for a religious sister, or anyone, to be detained and handcuffed while peacefully walking to Church on a Sunday morning are wildly disturbing and need to be reformed," he added.

Supreme Court strikes down Trump’s order ending birthright citizenship | SCOTUSblog --The Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship – the guarantee of citizenship to virtually everyone born in the United States. In a decision by Chief Justice John Roberts, in Trump v. Barbara, the justices agreed with the challengers, as well as all of the lower courts around the country that have considered the issue, that Trump’s order cannot be reconciled with the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which confers citizenship on anyone “born … in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof.” Writing for the majority, Roberts emphasized that the “children born of parents unlawfully or temporarily present in the United States” “satisfy both elements of the Citizenship Clause.” “Under the Constitution,” he concluded, “they are citizens at birth.” In a dissenting opinion, Justice Samuel Alito called the ruling both “one of the most important decisions in the history of the Court” and “a serious mistake.” “Careful analysis of the text of the Fourteenth Amendment and the process that led to its adoption,” Alito argued, “shows that it does not degrade the concept of United States citizenship in this way. Instead,” he contended, “the Fourteenth Amendment confers citizenship on only those children who, at birth, owe allegiance solely to this country.”Trump issued the executive order at the center of the case on Jan. 20, 2025, shortly after he was sworn into office for a second term. It provided that babies who are born in the United States to parents who are in this country either illegally or temporarily are not automatically entitled to citizenship.Although Trump’s order was slated to go into effect 30 days after he signed it, it never did. Instead, several federal judges across the U.S. prohibited the Trump administration from enforcing the order while challenges to it moved forward in court.Faced with the prospect that Trump’s order could be on hold indefinitely, the Trump administration came to the Supreme Court last spring, asking the justices to weigh in on whether the lower courts can issue “universal” or “nationwide” injunctions – orders that bar the enforcement of laws or policies anywhere in the country. By a vote of 6-3, in Trump v. CASA, the court ruled that they cannot.After the Supreme Court’s decision prohibiting universal injunctions, cases challenging the merits of Trump’s order continued in the lower courts. On July 10, a federal judge in New Hampshire issued a preliminary injunction that blocked the government from enforcing the order against a class of babies born after Feb. 20, 2025, who are or would be denied U.S. citizenship by the order. U.S. District Judge Joseph Laplante concluded “that the Executive Order likely ‘contradicts the text of the Fourteenth Amendment and the century-old untouched precedent that interprets it.’”The Trump administration then appealed to the Supreme Court on Sept. 26, asking it to review Laplante’s ruling without waiting for a federal appeals court to weigh in. The justices granted the government’s request on Dec. 5, and the case was argued on April 1.On Tuesday, the Supreme Court upheld the lower court’s decision. Roberts explained that under early English law, children who were born in Britain automatically became British subjects. “This view crossed the Atlantic with the colonists—and was adopted with little fanfare after the Revolution,” Roberts observed. In 1868, the 14th Amendment was adopted to repudiate the Supreme Court’s infamous 1857 ruling in Dred Scott v. Sandford, holding that a Black person whose ancestors were brought to this country and sold as enslaved persons was not entitled to any protection from the federal courts because he was not a U.S. citizen. In so doing, Roberts wrote, the framers of the amendment intended to “permanently enshrine” the existing understanding of birthright citizenship. “A child born on American soil and subject to American law was made an American citizen.”

FBI Says over 1,000 Drones Detected since World Cup Start -  (Tasnim) – As the World Cup hits the halfway mark, more than 1,000 drones have been detected near stadiums and over 300 of them neutralized by authorities, the White House’s tournament czar said Monday. As of Sunday night, “there have been 1,139 drone detections so far at World Cup, World Cup related sites with over 300 mitigations at this point,” Andrew Giuliani said at the FBI-organized International Police Cooperation Center (IPCC) near Washington, AFP reported. The drones were neutralized without force, Giuliani said, without explaining how. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has also “seized over 500 of those drones, to process as evidence in FBI investigations,” Doug Olson, the FBI’s special agent responsible for coordination around the 2026 World Cup. The United States has made counter-drone operations a centerpiece of its efforts to secure the 48-team tournament, which it is co-hosting with neighboring Mexico and Canada, dedicating several hundred million dollars to the effort. Local authorities’ abilities have been expanded to jam and intercept these devices, and dozens of local police officers serving in the 11 US host cities have received specialized training at an FBI training center. In mid-June, the FBI said it had foiled a planned attack targeting the mixed martial arts fight night held at the White House on President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday. The plot apparently involved launching drones loaded with explosives in the surrounding area. During the 2024 Olympics in Paris, French authorities detected more than 350 drone incursions, leading to 81 arrests, according to a report by the National Assembly.

Global Ocean Shipping Rates Hit Two-Year High Due to US Tariffs: Report -  – Global ocean freight rates have risen to their highest level in the past two years ahead of the introduction of new US tariffs, the Financial Times (FT) reported, citing experts. Rates on routes between Asia and the US East Coast, as well as between Asia and Europe, reached their highest level since the summer of 2024 last week, according to digital shipping platform Freightos, TASS reported. According to the platform, the cost of shipping a standard 40-foot container (12.9 meters long, 2.44 meters wide and 2.59 meters high) from China to the US East Coast surged to $7,880, up 62% from a month earlier. The cost of such shipments between China and the Mediterranean increased by 47% to $6,431. As reported earlier, the United States plans to impose new tariffs of 10% or 12.5% on products from approximately 60 countries in July. The decision follows an investigation launched in March into regulations in those countries concerning imports of goods produced using forced labor. The investigation was initiated under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. The provision authorizes the US president to take all necessary measures to counter what the United States considers restrictions imposed by other countries on American trade. 

Trump lifts tariffs on phosphate fertilizer - President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday removing duties on phosphate fertilizer imports from Morocco as the administration scrambles to blunt rising fertilizer costs hurting farmers.The order declares a temporary emergency state around availability of fertilizers needed to meet agricultural demand. It will remove duties the Commerce Department imposed on phosphate fertilizers imported from Morocco and Russia in 2021 after top fertilizer makers Mosaic and J.R. Simplot filed a complaint about foreign competition.The move comes after administration officials spent months searching for ways to respond to price spikes tied to the war with Iran. Agriculture industry groups including the National Corn Growers Association have argued that countervailing duties needlessly increased prices of phosphate fertilizers and that the impact has been exacerbated by the war-related closing of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital passageway for imports of fertilizer and fuel.

US won't renew trade deal with Mexico and Canada that Trump struck in 1st term - ABC News -   The Trump administration announced Wednesday that the U.S. will not renew the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), a key trade deal that President Donald Trump negotiated in his first term. "The United States did not agree to renew the USMCA in its current form," a senior administration official said on a call with reporters. "The United States will continue to engage with Mexico and Canada as appropriate, but -- and during that time the USMCA will remain in effect." The USMCA was negotiated by Trump to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement, signed during the George H.W. Bush administration, which allowed free trade among North American neighbors. In a statement on the decision, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer pointed to "shortcomings and our trade deficits with these countries" as the reason for the U.S. decision not to renew the USMCA. Instead, officials indicated the U.S. will pursue new trade deals with Mexico and Canada. The USMCA deal runs until 2036 and, as officials noted, it will remain in place unless the countries negotiate new trade agreements. But the official made clear that the administration could withdraw sooner than 2036 and emphasized that it seeks to "come to a conclusion quickly." "Just because it has a 10-year timeline, it doesn't mean you have to wait those 10 years to conclude the agreement," the official said. "If the countries can't address problems within that time, the USMCA would end after 10 years, and certainly the president retains an ability to exit the agreement earlier, should he see fit." However, the official added that it would be a "different situation" if Canada and Mexico got on board "completely" with U.S. demands. "For the joint review today, USTR hosted a virtual meeting with Mexico and Canada, and we conducted statutorily required review," the official said. "Both sides went through and gave their views on the operation of the agreement, extension of terms, and potential next steps. President Trump, in the interest of American workers, citizens and farmers, we chose not to rubber stamp a USMCA renewal without addressing existing issues," the official added. During his first term, the president touted the USMCA as the "best agreement we've ever made." "The USMCA is the fairest, most balanced, and beneficial trade agreement we have ever signed into law. It's the best agreement we've ever made," Trump said during an event celebrating the agreement in January 2020. Since then, however, the president has criticized the deal and Mexico and Canada, saying that North American trade partners have been "ripping off" the U.S. Earlier this month, Trump said that he wasn't sure he would renew the USMCA, citing his belief that the U.S. doesn't "need" anything from Mexico and Canada and arguing that "they have to treat us better." The senior administration official said Wednesday that they talked to Mexico about the trade deficit between the countries, strengthening rules of origin issues, and other issues. The official also pointed to the fact that Canada was one of the only countries to retaliate against the president's tariff policies. "We are focused on ensuring that the USMCA benefits U.S. manufacturers, farmers, ranchers, workers, service suppliers and businesses of all sizes. And while there has been some progress over the past year, there is more work to do," the official said. The official also pointed to the president's sweeping tariff actions since taking office for his second term, arguing that this has "already changed the nature of the U.S.-Canada-Mexico trading relationship" in ways that have "superseded" the USMCA. Car companies and their supply chains are particularly dependent on the movement of goods through USMCA and have been in the crosshairs of the administration's tariff policy. "North American economic integration enables enormous competitive benefits for the region, and American Automakers are encouraged by ongoing negotiations with the U.S., Mexico and Canada," American Automotive Policy Council President Matt Blunt said in a statement, calling for "swift and durable resolution" on the USMCA.

Trump halts USMCA: How your grocery bills and car prices could change - President Donald Trump’s decision to move away from an automatic renewal of the United States-Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) has thrown the future of North American trade into uncertainty, raising questions about what the shift could mean for American consumers. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Wednesday that while the administration will not renew the USMCA in its current form, the agreement will remain “in force pending resolution of these issues or until the Agreement’s termination.” “The United States will continue to engage with Mexico and Canada to address the Agreement’s shortcomings and our trade deficits with these countries,” he said. Canada had urged the U.S. and Mexico to renew the trade pact for another 16 years after it ends in 2036, before the July 1 deadline. The Trump administration’s refusal to do so means the pact will now go into an automatic annual review mechanism for the next ten years as the members negotiate. The move does not immediately end the trade deal, but it creates a period of uncertainty for businesses that rely on the agreement’s rules. For shoppers, the biggest question is whether that uncertainty will eventually translate into higher prices for everyday goods—from groceries to automobiles. The U.S. and Mexico are scheduled to meet for a third round of bilateral negotiations in Mexico City during the week of July 20, though formal talks with Canada have not yet been scheduled. Last month, Trump had suggested he did not want to renew the deal, saying, “I made the deal and the primary reason I made the deal is that NAFTA was the worst trade deal I’ve ever seen. Yeah. And I made it better. “But I had the right to terminate,” the president added, referring to the prior North American Free Trade Agreement. Industry leaders and trade experts have urged the U.S., Mexico and Canada to work together to urgently extend the agreement to avoid uncertainty and potentially higher prices for consumers on grocery items, cars and more.

House eyes action on spending, defense after turmoil - House leaders want to put the annual defense policy bill and other major legislation up for a vote this week, but they will have to navigate the fallout from last week’s damaging conservative rebellion to make it all happen. Lawmakers plan to consider at least one Republican-drafted fiscal 2027 bill as well as the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act after a group of far-right members — emboldened by President Donald Trump — effectively shut down the House floor. Wind energy could become a flashpoint in the NDAA debate.Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) appeared to have hashed out a path forward with the president at the end of last week, and now the House will look to make up for lost time. The Senate, meanwhile, is in recess until mid-July.“Congress has work to do, and that’s what we’re going to do,” Johnson said late last week after the president directed the bloc of conservatives holding up floor action to stop their “grandstanding.”House leaders plan to consider the State-Foreign Operations spending bill but are apparently putting off the Energy-Water title until after recess because of time constraints. The fiscal 2027 NDAA may take days of floor time because of amendment votes — including related to the military’s clearinghouse process for making sure wind energy projects don’t interfere with defense needs.Each of those steps could present opportunities for hard-line conservatives to thwart progress once again. Many of them are still angry about the Senate’s lack of action on an election security bill known as the SAVE America Act. Versions of that bill have passed the House multiple times, but the latest version does not have the votes to pass in the upper chamber.“I personally think we should not have any more legislation until the Senate comes back in session, and they’re out for two weeks, ironically,” said Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), one of the critics.Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), who helped lead last week’s revolt, indicated she would ease her resistance this week if House leaders grant a vote on her amendment to attach the SAVE America Act to the NDAA. The Rules Committee will meet Monday afternoon to decide which of the more than 1,300 proposed amendments can be considered on the floor.If her amendment were to be adopted, it could tank the NDAA’s chances of passing before the end of the week, and the Senate would almost certainly reject it during bicameral negotiations later this year.  The House NDAA already includes a host of energy and environment provisions, like language addressing high electricity costs at military bases, promoting nuclear energy and mineral supply chains.A group of lawmakers — including Democrats Joe Courtney and Don Beyer and Republican Andrew Garbarino — are pushing amendments meant to accelerate the Pentagon’s work on reviewing wind energy permits. The industry has accused the administration of a blockade that threatens permitting reform talks in the Senate.The Senate Armed Services Committee already approved an amendment with bipartisan support related to wind energy permitting to its version of the NDAA. Separately, Reps. Young Kim (R-Calif.) and Ami Bera (D-Calif.) are looking to add their House-passed Developing Overseas Mineral Investments and New Allied Networks for Critical Energies (DOMINANCE) Act to the House NDAA. It would create a State Department Bureau of Energy Security and Diplomacy. Several Democrats have filed amendments to scrutinize the energy and water consumption of data centers on military installations. A bipartisan amendment aims to support programs that increase grid security and resilience on bases.Another bipartisan amendment would require the Pentagon to certify that new offshore oil and gas projects off the coasts of California and Florida will not adversely affect military operations before allowing the agency to use any funds for decisions related to those projects.

Trump calls housing bill ‘a yawn,’ concedes SAVE America Act unlikely to pass  - President Trump referred to a bipartisan housing bill as a “yawn” on Monday, arguing that the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act is more important. “It’s so unimportant compared to the SAVE America Act,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “When I look at the bill, it’s a bill. When I look at the SAVE America Act, it’s about saving America.” “It’s a yawn,” he continued. “To me, compared to the SAVE America Act, just about everything is a big yawn.” He conceded, however, the bill is “probably not going to happen because we have four Republican senators, maybe five, that just won’t vote for it. It’s crazy.” Trump sent shockwaves through Washington last week when he canceled the signing of the bipartisan housing legislation known as the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which passed both chambers with overwhelming majorities, saying he would not sign until the SAVE America Act is passed through Congress. The housing bill would block large investors from buying up single-family homes and create pilot programs to expand access to small-dollar mortgages (less than $100,000) in addition to improving fairness within the appraisal industry. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said he would send the legislation to Trump on Monday; however, Trump told reporters he did not know whether he would sign it. The bill does not need to be signed by Trump to become law. According to the Constitution, a bill can become law automatically if a president does not take action for 10 days. Trump’s sights have been set on passing the SAVE America Act, which would require Americans to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections and present a photo ID to cast a ballot. A version of the legislation has passed through the House, but it has been blocked by Democrats in the Senate. Trump has repeatedly called on Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) to abolish or reform the filibuster to pass the bill, but Thune has said each time that there aren’t the GOP votes to do so. Trump told reporters on Monday that the Supreme Court decision upholding a Mississippi law that allows mail-in ballots sent by Election Day to be counted makes it more imperative to pass the legislation, but he conceded it probably would not because of Republican opposition in the Senate.

Speaker Mike Johnson warns GOP over SAVE America Act demands = Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) warned his Republican colleagues on Monday that it would be a “self-defeating” strategy to hold up legislative action in the House over their demands surrounding the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act and other measures. “To my colleagues, whomever is thinking that stopping the work of House Republicans to make Americans safer right now and to bring down the cost of living — impeding that progress just because stubborn Senate Democrats won’t do the job of the American people is self-defeating. It doesn’t make any sense,” Johnson told reporters. His comments come the week after Republican hard-liners in the House blocked unrelated legislation from coming to the House floor as they called on the Senate to pass the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship for voter registration and voter ID to cast a ballot. This week, Republican fury about the voting bill threatens to hold up action on the annual defense authorization bill. Arriving in the Capitol on Monday afternoon, Johnson said he had been at the White House for “the last couple of hours talking about the strategy of moving forward very important legislation.” President Trump last week canceled a scheduled housing bill signing because of his fury at the Senate over the voting bill. Later, though, after a meeting with Johnson, Trump in a Truth Social post urged House Republican rebels to stop “grandstanding,” “unify,” and stop voting down procedural “rules” that held up action on the House floor. Johnson referenced his plan to include aspects of the SAVE America Act in a budget reconciliation bill later this year, which would bypass the Senate’s 60-vote threshold and Democratic opposition without upending the tradition of the filibuster, as Trump and some Republicans have called for. “Remember we passed it three times in the House, and we intend to pass it again,” Johnson said of the voting rule. “But the only way to get that to the president’s desk, we’ve been shown many times, is to put it on a reconciliation bill. So, that is in process. We have a plan to do that, to tie it to reconcile the budget, which should clearly pass the Byrd Rule, the Byrd test over there.” The Byrd Rule stipulates that anything included in a reconciliation bill must relate to a budgetary matter to keep the legislation focused on fiscal issues. But that rule is why Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), a main proponent of holding up House action over the SAVE America Act, is not satisfied by Johnson’s pitch of including some SAVE America Act provisions in a reconciliation bill. “This cannot be done. It is impossible. It will not pass the Byrd bath. I have amendments that should be made in order,” Luna said on the social platform X in response to Johnson’s comments.

Speaker Johnson's plan to merge SAVE America Act with NDAA  Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) announced on Monday that he plans to use an unusual maneuver to merge the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) after conservatives ground the House to a halt over the voter ID bill. Hard-line conservatives have said they would oppose any procedural rules that tee up debate and a final vote on legislation until the Senate passes the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections and the presentation of an ID to cast a ballot, or until the House takes further action to force the issue. Johnson said that he will use a process called MIRVing, in which a procedural rule directs separately passed legislation to be packaged together and sent to the Senate. “We’re going to pass a MIRV, or what’s better known as a merge onto the rule. So what that means is, when Republicans vote for the rule, they’ll be voting not just for the NDAA and everything else is there, but they’ll be voting to merge onto that the SAVE America Act we passed back in February,” Johnson said. “So that will send both of those items together over to the Senate, and so if any Republicans choose to vote against the rule, they will be voting against that outcome. So we think this is another good way to show the resolve of the House,” he added. The plan will likely face obstacles and continue the standoff between the chambers over the SAVE America Act. The upper chamber can still strip out the SAVE America Act, which faces united Democratic opposition, from the NDAA. But the gambit risks complicating the passage of the defense bill, which is considered must-pass legislation. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), who submitted an amendment to the House Rules Committee to attach the SAVE America Act to the NDAA, quickly came out against Johnson’s plan. “’MIRVing’ the NDAA plus either SAVE America or Voter I.D. would still allow the Senate to strip out either or. The only way to ensure the Senate passes this is to make sure it’s in the bill text of the NDAA, meaning that my amendment(s) must be made an order. I’m not trying to be difficult, but this is what 80% of Americans want and what we promised the American people, so I stand by my decision,” Luna wrote on the social platform X. Johnson’s plan also risks alienating Democrats, who are expected to oppose the NDAA if it includes the SAVE America Act. Democrats have fiercely criticized the measure, arguing that it would impose new barriers to voting.

House blocks NDAA wind permitting amendments - -- The House is set to consider hundreds of amendments to the annual defense policy bill before the legislation comes up for a vote this week, but two proposals to accelerate Pentagon reviews of wind projects will not be in the mix. A bipartisan amendment that would have revived a now-defunct State Department bureau focused on energy security also did not make the cut. The Rules Committee on Monday evening made in order more than 300 amendments to the fiscal 2027 National Defense Authorization Act, including some on critical minerals, geothermal energy, electric vehicles and “forever chemicals.” The panel blocked hundreds of others.  Trump is “canceling energy projects all over the country so that we have less energy, because he doesn’t like wind turbines, apparently,” said Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), ranking member on the House Armed Services Committee.

Conservative rebellion keeps House floor frozen - - A handful of House Republicans angry about the Senate’s failure to act on a GOP elections bill and other grievances with party leaders rejected a procedural measure Tuesday, effectively halting progress on the annual defense policy bill and other legislation.The hard-liner rebellion Tuesday at least temporarily extends a freeze on most floor business that began last week amid conservative frustrations over the stalled SAVE America Act, which President Donald Trump has called his No. 1 legislative priority. The “rule” setting up further House votes this week failed 224-198, with 14 Republicans voting with Democrats against the measure. Those Republicans included Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who immediately moved to reconsider the vote at a later time. Leaders also faced absences from several Republicans. If Speaker Mike Johnson can’t placate the holdouts, he will be unable to move the annual Pentagon bill or the fiscal 2027 spending bill for the State Department and other agencies as planned before a scheduled weeklong July 4 recess begins.

Supreme Court hands Trump new power over independent agencies that oversee energy development -   A nearly century-old precedent that has been in conservatives’ cross-hairs for years met its demise Monday, when the Supreme Court ruled to limit the independence of agencies like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.In a 6-3 decision, the justices found that heads of multimember agencies could be dismissed by presidential discretion, without citing a particular “cause.” The case centered on President Donald Trump’s decision last year to remove Rebecca Slaughter, a Democratic nominee from her position on the Federal Trade Commission.The highly anticipated ruling in Trump v. Slaughter reversed the court’s 1935 decision in Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, which restricted the president’s power to dismiss heads of multimember agencies like FERC except for “inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.”The ruling delivers more power to the executive branch, potentially giving Trump — and his successors — the authority to fire members of agencies that regulate the transmission of electricity, gas, oil and nuclear power.It’s the latest Supreme Court victory for Trump, who has sought to restrict the authority of federal agencies involved in energy matters. The move, Trump exalted on TruthSocial, is “ greatly increasing Presidential Power at a time when it is most needed!”But Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) decried the decision, saying “Trump’s MAGA Supreme Court just gave him a permission slip to turn independent federal agencies into members-only clubs for his golf buddies and cronies.”To carry out his duties, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority, “the President must have the assistance of officers he can trust.”Roberts noted that although it is up to the Senate to decide whether to confirm a president’s nominees, “neither Congress nor the courts may saddle him with those with whom he cannot work.”He added, “subordinates who exercise the President’s power are subject to removal by him. Then, and only then, can they remain accountable to the President, and the President to the people.”Justices Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett joined Roberts, along with Justice Neil Gorsuch, who filed a concurring opinion. Justice Clarence Thomas joined, but for part of the opinion.The court’s liberal justices disagreed, with Justice Sonia Sotomayor arguing that some government functions — including nuclear energy — should be above the partisan fray.She noted in a dissent that independent federal agencies have been established to ensure areas such as nuclear energy, the monetary supply and chemical hazards could “operate at a distance from partisan politics.”The new ruling, she said, “gives the president a power unknown even to the English Crown against which the Founders revolted, elevating him above his once-coequal branches.”Sotomayor, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, predicted that “dozens of independent commissions are now likely to become purely executive agencies, shifting tremendous power over broad swaths of American life into the President’s hands.”That includes, she wrote, FERC, which has responsibility for managing the nation’s energy supply, along with the Chemical Safety Board, which investigates chemical disasters, as well as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.“It’s an extraordinarily consequential decision about the reach of presidential power, because agencies that had a degree of independence from the president no longer do,” said Joel Eisen, a law professor at the University of Richmond. He noted that although the decision involved upholding the firing of a FTC commissioner, “its practical reach is that there is no longer any legal doctrine stopping a president from removing any member of FERC if it were to do anything with which that president disagreed.”

Committee sets vote on data center, grid bills   - The House Energy and Commerce Committee will vote on bipartisan legislation this week to shield utility customers from the costs associated with data centers, while also advancing legislation aimed at bolstering the nation’s transmission system to meet surging demand. The Ratepayer Protection Act — which seeks to codify President Donald Trump’s ratepayer protection pledge with major technology companies — will get a full committee vote Wednesday after clearing subcommittee last week.“We must win the race for [artificial intelligence] dominance the right way,” Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) said last week. “When a data center developer comes to town, they should do so eager to grow alongside a community, not looking for handouts at the expense of taxpayers.”The legislation passed in subcommittee by voice vote, reflecting broad bipartisan support despite disagreements on Capitol Hill about how federal lawmakers should respond to data center energy concerns.Energy and Commerce ranking member Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) threw a curveball during last week’s debate when he endorsed a nationwide moratorium on new data centers, making him the highest-ranking Democrat with jurisdiction over energy and the environment to back the idea. .Still, Pallone and other Democrats described the Ratepayer Protection Act as a good first step toward Congress addressing data center demand worries around the country. The bill would require states to consider adopting a federal standard requiring large electricity customers to pay the full cost of new generation and transmission upgrades needed to serve them. It is co-sponsored by Rep. Gabe Evans (R-Colo.) and Energy Subcommittee ranking member Kathy Castor (D-Fla.).The Energy and Commerce Committee will also vote this week on several bills focused on bolstering the grid to meet demand from data centers and other users.One of them, the High-Capacity Grid Act, H.R. 6633, from Rep. Julie Fedorchak (R-N.D.), would direct the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to establish a best-available transmission conductor standard for new interstate lines and rebuilds. Missing from the agenda is Castor’s Expediting Generator Interconnection Procedures Act, H.R. 2986, which would have FERC conduct rulemaking to accelerate the interconnection of electric generation and storage systems to the grid.Even though the bill passed by voice vote in subcommittee, Republicans said it didn’t do enough to prioritize generation like nuclear and natural gas, making its future murky in the GOP-controlled House. Also absent is the Pipeline Safety Authorization Act, H.R. 9338, from Rep. Randy Weber (R-Texas), which would re-up Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration programs. Lawmakers said last week they remained hopeful they could reach a compromise. Democrats had objected to language that would expand the Justice Department’s authority to prosecute people accused of interfering with pipeline operations.The Energy and Commerce Committee has struggled in recent years to reach an agreement on PHMSA legislation. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee already passed its H.R. 5301 and the Senate its S. 2975.

Energy infrastructure security bills clear the House - - The House easily approved several bipartisan bills Monday to address energy infrastructure physical threats and cybersecurity concerns. The bills cleared the Energy and Commerce Committee with broad support earlier this year and passed the House by voice vote under suspension of the rules. That’s a means for fast-tracking legislation on the floor.Lawmakers approved the Energy Emergency Leadership Act, H.R. 7258, from Reps. Laurel Lee (R-Fla.) and Greg Landsman (D-Ohio), which would establish a Senate-confirmed position at the Department of Energy focused on threats to infrastructure.Similar legislation has been under consideration for years. The Biden administration resisted the idea of a Senate-confirmed official that could get caught up in congressional politics.

Dems urge continuation of energy efficiency credits - Two House Democrats are urging Republicans to save certain expiring energy tax credits that have bipartisan support.Reps. David Min (D-Calif.) and Johnny Olszewski (D-Md.) — who chair the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) housing task force — wrote to the Ways and Means Committee in support of the 179D and 45L credits. Both are going away because of the GOP’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.The incentives apply to construction and upgrades that help make homes and buildings more energy efficient — such as heating and cooling systems, lighting and insulation that meet certain efficiency standards.Last year’s Republican budget reconciliation package moved to scrap or phase out a number of energy tax incentives, including credits for wind and solar. Min and Olszewski highlighted two that would help address housing affordability.

Committee schedules markup of water projects bill - -The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a markup Wednesday on a bipartisan water infrastructure bill that Congress typically passes every two years.The panel will mark up the Water Resources Development Act of 2026, which seeks to improve ports, harbors and river navigation and to advance environmental, drinking water and flood risk projects.Released Friday, the bill would authorize four new Army Corps of Engineers projects, six alterations of ongoing projects and 131 new studies of water resource issues.It also touches on various Army Corps policies and operations, urging the agency to increase the use of multiyear contracts to promote cost savings and calling for a study on staffing.

House releases bipartisan water infrastructure bill - -  The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee proposed bipartisan legislation Friday that would authorize infrastructure and studies addressing flood risk and other water challenges, but the package is slimmer on new projects than past versions. The Water Resources Development Act of 2026 includes 10 project authorizations and 131 new studies to be conducted by the Army Corps of Engineers. Four of the projects in the bill are new, while the other six are alterations of projects previously approved by Congress.The bill would also direct the agency to prioritize various issues and studies that have been sidelined by the Trump administration, with provisions seeking to promote nature-based and nonstructural flood solutions. “WRDA 2026 helps build and maintain safe and reliable waterways, flood protection, and other water infrastructure throughout the United States,” Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said in a statement. “This bill streamlines Corps of Engineers’ processes, providing targeted and commonsense reforms to improve project delivery and empower local stakeholders.” Transportation and Infrastructure Committee spokesperson Justin Harclerode said more information was to come this week about when the committee will vote on the bill. Enacted every two years since 2014, the Water Resources Development Act has historically received widespread bipartisan support, but it got a slow start this year.The bill is a chance for Congress to express priorities on flooding, wetlands restoration, dam safety and navigation and for lawmakers to advance pet projects back home.“In the Pacific Northwest and across the country, investments in ports, harbors and inland waterways support good-paying jobs and are key to long-term economic growth,” said Washington Rep. Rick Larsen, the top Democrat on the committee. “I look forward to marking up WRDA 2026 soon.”The bill would direct the Army Corps to continue considering nature-based and nonstructural solutions to flooding, months after Army Corps leaders questioned whether nonstructural projects like home buyouts and elevations justified the costs.It also calls on the agency to maintain “a professional workforce capable of addressing the varied statutory responsibilities,” while requiring a National Academy of Public Administration study on workforce needs. The agency has seen a wave of retirements and departures in the past year.The package would direct the Army Corps to expedite a comprehensive study of the Lower Mississippi River basin, an area heavily engineered via an extensive system of levees and floodways. The Trump administration last year cut funding for the study, which seeks to assess and improve water management in the region.

Senate Democrats demand EPA rehire dissent letter signers - - Almost two dozen senators are calling on EPA employees who were fired after they openly castigated the Trump administration to be restored to their jobs. Democratic caucus senators sent a letter Tuesday to Administrator Lee Zeldin requesting he pull back discipline meted out to those agency staffers. Last year, EPA pushed back against the employees after they signed a public dissent letter that blasted President Donald Trump and his appointees for their treatment of science and staff at the agency.“Overturning the punishments is crucial to prevent a chilling effect on free speech,” the lawmakers told Zeldin. “Stifling dissent cripples the agency’s ability to protect the public and is causing the loss of the experienced staff needed to carry out EPA’s mission.”Twenty-two senators signed Tuesday’s letter, which was led by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.). EPA’s press office acknowledged questions for this story but didn’t provide a response.

Dozens of states sue Trump administration over ‘frail’ Medicaid work requirement exemption - The Hill's Headlines | PM - June 29, 2026 A coalition of 25 states and the District of Columbia is suing the Trump administration over a new rule implementing Medicaid work requirement exemptions for medically frail people. According to the lawsuit, which was filed Monday in federal district court in Massachusetts, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) violated congressional protections when it issued an interim final rule concerning who is eligible for exemptions from new Medicaid work requirements. The lawsuit alleges the administration adopted a rule that “dramatically narrowed the Congressionally established exclusions from the work requirement for some of the most vulnerable Medicaid members.” The states argue the new rule will lead people who are either already working or eligible for an exclusion to lose or be denied coverage. The rule “creates new requirements that constrain who is exempt due to their medically frail status and force medically frail individuals in need of healthcare to jump through unnecessary administrative hoops to get and retain life-saving healthcare coverage,” the lawsuit argues. The rule issued earlier this month is meant to guide 42 states and the District of Columbia in carrying out the work rules implemented by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. GOP lawmakers and administration officials have described the policy as a way to combat waste, fraud and abuse in the Medicaid program. The work requirements are set to take effect in January. Beneficiaries who are part of the Medicaid expansion population must work or volunteer at least 80 hours per month, attend school at least part time or participate in job training. The law included a series of exceptions for certain vulnerable populations, including a carve-out for people who are “medically frail.” But there was no clear definition of what that meant. The new rules implicitly link the definition of medical frailty to a person’s ability to work. To qualify for an exemption, a person must demonstrate that their condition prevented them from meeting the work requirement. States had been discussing implementation plans with the CMS for months ahead of the rule and were blindsided by the much stricter definition. The new standard was not included in the law. As a result, states argued people who should be protected under the law may lose coverage because they cannot get through the administrative barriers to prove they qualify.

Millions dropped ObamaCare plans after subsidies ended -  About four million Americans have dropped out of Affordable Care Act insurance coverage this year as costs soared due to the loss of enhanced subsidies. The figures released late Friday from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services offer the most complete look to date at what happened to enrollment after Republicans in Congress failed to extend enhanced ACA subsidies at the end of last year. The loss of those subsidies spiked many people’s premiums by double digits; the new coverage numbers likely reflect the sticker shock Americans experienced. Unable to pay, they dropped their coverage. The report from the health and human services assistant secretary for planning and evaluation said that an estimated 19.2 million people are enrolled in ACA plans as of February. That’s a drop of more than 16 percent from the 23 million people who signed up for coverage at the end of open enrollment, which itself was about 1 million fewer than last year. Health costs will likely play a key role in November’s midterm elections, with Democrats pointing not just to the subsidy expiration, but also to changes from the One Big Beautiful Bill and other Trump regulatory moves. Democrats shut down the government for a record 45 days last year but failed to get an extension of the enhanced credits in return for their support on voting to reopen the government. Instead, Republicans promised to give them a vote on a bill of their choosing to extend the subsidies. The vote failed, and the subsidies expired at the start of this year. ObamaCare enrollment grew sharply during the Biden administration, and the latest numbers are still the highest enrollment of any year before 2024. Administration officials and congressional Republicans contend the estimates of the numbers of people losing insurance have been overblown. The HHS report focused on fraud and improper enrollments, insisting that the decreased enrollment is because of the Trump administration’s fraud control efforts.

House passes kids online safety package despite watchdog pushback  - The House passed a sprawling package of kids online safety bills Monday night, marking the first time a version of the landmark Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) made it out of the lower chamber. The House passed the Kids Internet and Digital Safety (KIDS) Act in a 267-117 vote, with 47 members not voting. The package, taken from portions of 14 digital safety bills, was brought to the floor Monday under a fast-track process called suspension of the rules, which requires two-thirds majority support for passage. It now heads to the Senate, where it will face an uphill battle over the House’s changes made to KOSA and other provisions. The bill includes provisions on age verification, AI chatbots, data protections and raising awareness about drug sales on social media. Its passage comes just one week after House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) announced the KIDS package received new support from ranking member Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), months after negotiations first fell apart between the two parties. The bipartisan deal notably still eliminated KOSA’s duty of care provision, which would have legally required platforms to “exercise reasonable care” to prevent harms to minors. Harms include eating disorders, suicide, substance use disorders and sexual exploitation. Tech watchdog and parent advocate groups, along with KOSA Senate co-authors Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) argue the duty of care provision is the most important part of KOSA. Blumenthal said last week that the House version of KOSA is “dead in the Senate,” though Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, told reporters last week he is open to negotiations with the lower chamber. This is not the first time the House and Senate have disagreed on KOSA or the duty of care provision. Lawmakers introduced KOSA four times in as many years, and while it passed the Senate easily in 2024, House Republicans’ concerns over censorship and freedom of speech prevented it from ever hitting the House floor. The package also includes provisions seeking to limit the addictive nature of social media, give parents tools to monitor their kids’ online experiences, create new guardrails for AI chatbots, regulate direct messaging on social media and require age verification for adult websites. It also would implement new requirements for data brokers’ handling of kids’ data, along with updating the existing Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act to expand privacy protections. Guthrie, speaking on the House floor earlier Monday, said the committee “worked hard to reach a workable compromise.” “While no single bill will solve every challenge facing families online, this legislation represents a significant and long-overdue step forward in establishing meaningful safeguards,” Guthrie said. “It is an important milestone — not a finish line — in the effort to better protect children online and hold bad actors accountable.”

Controversially, The Supreme Court Rules For Common Sense - by Matt Taibbi - From Mother Jones yesterday: The science is far from settled about whether trans girls who have received gender-affirming treatment actually have a competitive advantage or pose a greater risk of injuring other players. But the majority opinion, by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, glosses over those unknowns - reasoning that "biological sex" is a good enough proxy for athletic ability for states to categorically ban trans girls from girls' sports. It was once uncontroversial to observe that testosterone gives athletes advantages. Baseball's steroid scandals were only a tick of the historical clock ago, and the number of people in the continental United States willing to stand up and say Mark McGwire and Raffy Palmeiro hit their own homers would have fit in a dentist's waiting room. Every working comedian in the country made at least one joke about balloon-headed liar Barry Bonds: This was universal, but once the trans issue with its myriad lifestyle and political considerations came along, the general public was suddenly asked to accept one factual absurdity after another about the same thing. "Far from settled!" Really, Mother Jones? The Supreme Court Tuesday handed down a landmark 6-3 ruling in West Virginia v. BPJ and Little v. Hecox, upholding two state bans on the participation of transgender athletes on women's and girls' sports teams. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who wrote the majority opinion, used strong language in upholding West Virginia and Idaho statutes, saying the court disagreed that "schools must allow biological males... to compete on girls' sports teams." Kavanaugh even used a hated term, asking, "May schools determine eligibility for women's and girls' sports based on biological sex? The answer is yes," upsetting pundits who want officials to stick to activist-approved phrases like "sex assigned at birth.""It's a good decision for women and girls," said Kara Dansky, who wrote an amicus brief supporting the states for the U.S. chapter of the Women's Declaration International.  Dansky was once senior counsel for the ACLU Center of Justice. In this case she was on the other side of the ACLU, whose attorneys (including co-director of LGBTQ and HIV rights, Chase Strangio) argued against the state bans. The ACLU has also split with former feminist allies by arguing for the housing of biological men in women's prisons, including those with records of violent sex offenses. These efforts in trying to force society to reimagine biology are clearly failing, but the outraged reaction yesterday shows the fight isn't over. NBC described the decision as a "major blow to LGBTQ rights," and former VP contender Tim Walz claimed the "Supreme Court says schools can be cruel to my trans kids": Cruel is an extraordinary word to describe the act of allowing states to object to a radical social program that was implemented virtually everywhere ahead of both scientific and (especially) political consensus. The numbers aren't close. A New York Times/Ipsos poll last year found 79% of Americans, including 67% of Democrats, are opposed to "athletes who were male at birth" participating in women's sports. The same poll found 71% of all Americans, including 54% of Democrats, believe no one under 18 should have access to puberty blockers. This was after exposure to years of movement messaging. Strangio and the ACLU don't see that they're asking for something people can't give them, even if they wanted to, namely the honest belief that people who've transitioned have literally changed sexes. The gambit failed for the same reason Spanish speakers rejected "Latinx." Like politics, language has a democratic dynamic. If people don't use Latinx because Spanish (like 38% of all languages) is a gendered tongue with its own distinct sonic system that Spanish speakers love, they won't use it, and you can't make them. The ostensible logic behind Latinx was to "challenge the gender binary" and "remove gender from Spanish," in part because a handful of intellectuals claim gendered language causes unequal economic outcomes. A rational person finds this absurd, unless you believe the early French schemed to consign bananas to girlhood while making boys out of tuna as a weirdly subtle means of oppressing women in future centuries. As with Latinx, activists tried to lobby "sex assigned at birth" into reality, only to have the population spit it back out as "biological sex." The court just recognized another thing that was uncontroversial until ten minutes ago. Yes, a small percentage of human beings have intersex characterstics, but most of the world's population can't be forced to unlearn what it intrinsically knows. Knowing which gametes your body cranks out is another form of "lived experience," one is irrelevant to activists, apparently, because it's "normative." People know they weren't "assigned" a sex by hospital clerks. Some people tried to think that way. It just didn't take.

Supreme Court Denies Pork Industry Appeal of Animal Welfare Law - Amid a flurry of high-profile US Supreme Court rulings, a case that the high court refused to take up has animal welfare advocates claiming a big win.The Supreme Court on Tuesday denied a petition to review the case of Triumph Foods, LLC v. Campbell, which sought to override a Massachusetts’ animal welfare law known as Question 3. Petitioners wanted the high court to find that the federal law preempts the rules imposed by Massachusetts. The law — which is similar to California’s Proposition 12 law — requires that hogs, calves and chickens that are on confined farms or sold in the state are raised with adequate room to turn around, lie down and extend their limbs.A brief submitted to the Supreme Court by 24 states in support of Triumph Foods said Question 3 “appears only to regulate sales of pork that occur in Massachusetts. But its reach is much broader.” The state law “denies market access to out-of-state pork farmers and processors unless their practices comply with Massachusetts’s mandates,” the brief said, adding that Question 3 would raise the estimated cost to raise a sow from between $1,600 and $2,500 up to $3,400.Triumph Foods cited the court’s June 25 ruling in favor of the former Monsanto pesticide company as a precedent that should apply in its case, arguing that state laws cannot preempt federal regulation. In the Monsanto case, the Supreme Court ruled that a federal law regulating pesticides bars states from enforcing claims related to labeling.In an opposition brief,  Massachusetts’ Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, the named defendant in the case, argued that  “petitioners have provided no evidence to support the dire predictions within their complaint of ‘enormous costs on pork farmers.’”The Supreme Court’s decision not to take up the case comes after the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit issued an opinion in 2025 that upheld Question 3.“We are pleased that the Supreme Court declined to review one more tedious pork industry challenge to a voter-approved state farm animal welfare law,” said Rebecca Cary, managing attorney at Humane World for Animals. “The law has now been upheld at every level of the  federal judiciary, confirming that Question 3 is constitutional and not preempted by federal law.”  The petition comes as challenges to California’s and Massachusetts’ laws are also playing out in federal policy discussions, as industry groups have pushed Congress to include a provision — often referred to as the “Save Our Bacon Act” — in the upcoming Farm Bill.  The House draft included such a provision, while the Senate version, released last week, did not.

Lawmakers plan response to Supreme Court’s Roundup ruling - Florida Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna said she plans to introduce legislation that would strip pesticide companies of the liability protections from cancer lawsuits granted by the Supreme Court on Thursday morning.“These companies purposefully omit labeling information knowing their products cause cancer and other health problems,” Luna wrote in a post on the social media site X on Thursday afternoon. “It is time they are held accountable. Enough is enough.”Her statement comes just hours after the Supreme Court issued a devastating blow to the Make America Healthy Again movement in siding with agrichemical giant Bayer in its case contesting cancer warning labels for its flagship weed killer, Roundup.Key MAHA voices were quick to praise Luna’s announcement.

Trump's massive July 4 firework show raises health alarms - An "unforgettable" tribute to America, or a health hazard that will terrorize animals and pollute the environment? That's the question as Washington prepares to break the record for the world's largest fireworks display on the United States' 250th birthday on Saturday. The Trump administration's "Freedom250" project has hired Pennsylvania-based Pyrotecnico to launch more than 850,000 fireworks shells across 10 sites around the Lincoln Memorial and Potomac River, starting at 10:30 pm and lasting 40 minutes. That is around 40,000 more than the current Guinness World Record, set in Bocaue, Philippines in 2016, and roughly 50 times more than Washington's usual annual show. "Freedom250" has billed it as the "unforgettable" capstone for a day of performances, flyovers and acrobatics displays at the National Mall, claiming it will bring hundreds of thousands of visitors and calling it a generational event. They haven't however disclosed the bill for the affair and did not respond to a request seeking the sum. "Fireworks are a tried-and-true American tradition," Jodi Dague, Pyrotecnico's director of marketing, told AFP. "They bring back childhood memories and allow families to create new ones. It's a reason to gather and celebrate." Not everyone is convinced. "First let me say, I like fireworks -- I think they're fun," Russell Dickerson, a professor of atmospheric chemistry at the University of Maryland told AFP, but said the number in question was "frightening." "In my professional opinion, it's probably ill-advised to try to set off 850,000 fireworks... on a hot, stagnant, already polluted day. I'm not going down to the Mall and I certainly would not bring my grandchildren there." The biggest concern is fine particulate matter, he explained -- particles 2.5 micrometers or smaller that can penetrate deep into the lungs, enter the bloodstream and even cross the blood-brain barrier. The EPA's 24-hour standard caps exposure at 35 micrograms per cubic meter. After a fireworks show, "it dissipates substantially in a few hours, but in those few hours, people are going to be exposed to huge amounts," Dickerson said, adding that the smoke could cut visibility to a few hundred yards. Making matters worse is a heat wave gripping the East Coast, with firework smoke and pollution liable to last longer without rain to clear it, and hot weather itself increasing background levels of pollution as the power grid strains under increased demand for cooling and as vehicles emit more. "The amount of pollution that we produce is apocalyptic during this one particular day," Glory Dolphin Hammes, CEO of IQAir's North American division, told AFP. Data compiled by the Swiss-based company from public and private sources showed that hourly PM2.5 in Washington peaked at 11 pm on July Fourth, last year at 133 micrograms per cubic meter. The Air Quality Index peaked at 208, levels more commonly associated with South Asian cities. Epidemiologically, PM2.5 spikes are linked to a rise in emergency room visits, Hammes said, with longer-term impacts on heart and lung health from chronic exposure. Beyond particulate matter, fireworks contain trace metals that produce their bright colors, and burning them releases harmful volatile organic compounds. Fireworks are also traumatizing for pets, particularly dogs, which tremble and even bolt from their homes in fear. Adrian Aceves, a physician living in downtown Washington, said he'd be staying in with his five-year-old mutt Rosy, "trying to distract her with treats and toys, and I will medicate her." Then there's wildlife: a recent European study found Arctic migratory geese flew away from their sleeping sites in response to New Year's Eve fireworks and never returned. And a 2016 US government study found perchlorate, an oxidizing agent used in fireworks, had made its way into groundwater and surface water around Mount Rushmore National Memorial, which holds annual July 4 shows.

Is Trump cutting down DC’s oldest cherry trees for golf course? --A viral social media post is raising alarm over the future historic cherry trees in Washington, claiming that the Trump administration plans to cut down the city’s oldest cherry tree as part of a major renovation of East Potomac Park. “The Trump administration is planning to cut down DC’s oldest cherry tree to make way for a new Trump golf course,” FactPost wrote on X Wednesday. The claim spread after President Donald Trump announced that work on a sweeping renovation of the publicly owned golf course would begin on September 1. While there is some evidence that the golf course redesign could affect areas near some of Washington’s oldest cherry trees, there is currently no confirmation that the administration intends to remove the oldest trees or that it will not. Newsweek reached out to the White House and Fazio Design, which is in charge of the project, for comment. The golf course sits within East Potomac Park, home to one of the capital’s most historically significant cherry tree groves and also a popular destination during cherry blossom season. The cherry blossoms are among Washington’s most recognizable landmarks and trace their roots to Japan’s 1912 gift of thousands of flowering cherry trees to the United States as a symbol of friendship. “The historic cherry tree groves of Washington, D.C., donated by the Japanese to the United States, are unquestionably, among the most iconic, admired and visited sites in our nation’s capital and are irreplaceable,” Webster University adjunct professor Bill Hall told Newsweek. “To destroy and remove them for purposes of another golf course development, would be a tragedy and one that we can only hope and trust will be reconsidered.” The viral post shared on X by FactPost came days after Trump toured East Potomac Golf Links with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and golf architect Tom Fazio. Shortly after, Trump announced plans to transform the aging municipal facility into what he described as a world-class public golf course capable of hosting major tournaments such as the U.S. Open and Ryder Cup. “When completed, this Course will have the ability to host Major Golf Tournaments, including The U.S. Open, The Ryder Cup, The PGA Championship, and other top PGA Tour events,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Work on the new Course, which will go quickly, will begin on September 1st. Tom Fazio will be the Course Architect. It will be built through the Department of the Interior, and designed to the Highest Standards of Golf, but also in such a way that the General Public will love it.”

Justices strike down campaign finance law | SCOTUSblog - The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a major ruling on money in elections. By a vote of 6-3, the justices struck down a federal law that limited the amount of money that political parties can spend in coordination with a candidate for office. The majority opinion, written by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, agreed with the challengers that the coordinated expenditure limits violate the First Amendment.Tuesday’s decision in National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Election Commission overruled the court’s 2001 decision in Federal Election Commission v. Colorado Republican Federal Campaign Committee, in which the court – then by a vote of 5-4 – upheld the same limits. Writing for the court, Kavanaugh said that Tuesday’s ruling “treats all political parties equally. It will allow all political parties—including the DNC and RNC and the respective Senate and House campaign committees, as well as other parties and party committees—to participate more freely and compete more fully in the political process, and to coordinate more closely with their candidates.”In a dissenting opinion joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson, Justice Elena Kagan argued that the majority’s opinion “rewrites the rules, to allow circumvention of the contribution limits.” In so doing, she said, “the majority … jettisons a rule needed to protect our democracy’s integrity.”The expenditure limits at the center of the case are part of the Federal Election Campaign Act. In 2022, four challengers – then-Sen. J.D. Vance, then Rep. Steve Chabot (a Republican from Ohio), and the National Republican Senatorial Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee (which focus on electing Republicans to the U.S. Senate and House, respectively) – went to federal court in Cincinnati. They argued that the coordinated party limits violate the First Amendment by (among other things) preventing the committees from working with candidates to ensure that their advertisements have the same political message.The full U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit upheld the restrictions. Chief Judge Jeffrey Sutton acknowledged that the challengers had made “fair points,” but he concluded that the court of appeals was bound by the Supreme Court’s decision in the 2001 Colorado case.When the challengers asked the Supreme Court to review the 6th Circuit’s decision, the Trump administration agreed that the restrictions violate the First Amendment, and it urged the justices to weigh in. With the federal government no longer defending the limits, the court appointed Roman Martinez, a former clerk to Chief Justice John Roberts and then-Judge Brett Kavanaugh, to do so.In his opinion for the majority, Kavanaugh explained that under the Supreme Court’s current campaign finance cases, the only rationale for campaign-finance restrictions is to prevent “quid pro quo” corruption – that is, “contributions in exchange for official action.” Supporters of the coordinated-expenditure limits, Kavanaugh noted, insist that those limits must remain in place to prevent donors from circumventing the limits on contributions by donating money to a political party and then instructing the political party to use that donation “in order to support a particular candidate—a practice referred to as ‘earmarking.’”

Supreme Court rejects Trump's appeal of 2022 E Jean Carroll defamation case - The Supreme Court has denied President Donald Trump's appeal of the $5 million jury finding in the 2022 defamation case brought against him by the writer E. Jean Carroll.  The decision means the judgment against Trump stands and that he will have to pay it.  A New York jury in 2023 awarded Carroll $5 million in damages after it found Trump liable for sexually abusing her in the dressing room of a Bergdorf Goodman department store in Manhattan in the mid-1990s, and for defaming her in 2022 when he denied the allegations by calling them "a Hoax and a lie" and saying "This woman is not my type!" Responding to Monday's decision, Carroll's attorney, Roberta Kaplan, said in a statement, "Today's Supreme Court decision affirms once and for all the jury's unanimous verdict that President Donald J. Trump sexually assaulted and defamed E. Jean Carroll. His multiple efforts to appeal that verdict have all failed and today's ruling ends his quest to avoid accountability for his actions."Trump had argued that the judge in the case should not have allowed the jury to view an excerpt from the infamous "Access Hollywood" tape, in which Trump is heard describing lewd behavior that he downplayed as "locker room talk." Trump also faulted the trial judge for allowing testimony from two women -- Jessica Leeds and Natasha Stoynoff -- who claimed that Trump had sexually assaulted them, which Trump denies. A federal appeals court said the evidence was properly admitted and, even if it wasn't, there was no major harm to Trump. "The petition does not challenge -- indeed, does not mention -- the Second Circuit's holding that were there any error here, it did not prejudice petitioner," Kaplan argued.Trump is also appealing a separate but related defamation judgment involving Carroll that ordered him to pay $83 million.

Trump surprised by Supreme Court decision to not review E. Jean Carroll case - President Trump on Monday said he was surprised by the Supreme Court’s decision not to review the verdict in E. Jean Carroll’s suit against him, in which he was found liable for sexually abusing the writer inside a dressing room during the mid-1990s and defaming her.“Surprisingly, the Supreme Court declined to ‘review’ a Fake Case brought against me by a woman I never met (Decades old celebrity photo line, standing with her husband, does not count!),” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post condemning the ruling.“I will continue the fight against this Weaponization and Lawfare Case against me, including the ridiculous claim of Defamation, with all of my power and strength,” he added. The president’s personal lawyers originally appealed the lower court’s verdict, arguing a judge allowed jurors to hear biased statements from two other women who’ve separately accused Trump of sexual assault. They also argued the judge shouldn’t have allowed the playing of the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape, in which Trump could be heard bragging about grabbing women by their genitals. The Supreme Court declined to hear his appeal without any noted dissents.When the Supreme Court declines to overturn a verdict by denying a petition for a writ of certiorari, the ruling of the lower court remains final. There are no further direct appeals available in the judicial system, meaning the verdict stands and the mandated judgment or sentence must be carried out, according to the federal court system. The high court’s decision issued on Monday means Carroll will retain her $5 million award for defamation.

Thomas, Gorsuch say Supreme Court should revisit landmark libel ruling - Justice Clarence Thomas renewed his calls for the Supreme Court to revisit its 1964 landmark decision that makes it difficult for public figures to bring defamation suits. The conservative justice’s urging came as his colleagues declined to take up an appeal from longtime Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz on Monday. Dershowitz petitioned the Supreme Court to revive his defamation lawsuit against CNN, which concerned the network’s coverage of President Trump’s first impeachment trial, hoping it would prompt a watershed moment on libel law. The justices declined to take it up, leaving in place lower rulings tossing his lawsuit. Thomas, joined by fellow conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch, publicly dissented. They would’ve heard the case to consider making it easier for public figures to sue for defamation. “Instead, the founding generation believed that, if anything, public figures had stronger claims for damages when they were defamed,” Thomas wrote. Dershowitz, a longtime Harvard law professor known for taking high-profile clients like O.J. Simpson and Jeffrey Epstein, sued CNN in 2020 for $300 million over allegations it deliberately distorted comments he made on the Senate floor defending Trump at his first impeachment trial. Lower courts sided with CNN, agreeing that Dershowitz hadn’t proven actual malice. That’s the high standard required for public figures to prove liability for defamation under the Supreme Court’s landmark 1964 decision, New York Times Co. v. Sullivan. “CNN has offered unrefuted evidence that its commentators believed in the truth of their statements about Dershowitz; all of the journalists testified that they believed their statements were fair and accurate. And Dershowitz did not counter that evidence,” an appeals court wrote in its ruling last year. Dershowitz’s Supreme Court petition urged the justices to re-examine the standard. “I and others have thus called for reconsideration of the actual-malice standard for public figures,” Thomas noted on Monday. In 2019, Thomas said so as the court declined an appeal from one of actor Bill Cosby’s accusers.

Apple’s ‘Hide My Email’ reportedly exposing real email addresses -- Back when it was first revealed alongside iCloud Plus, Apple’s Hide My Email always seemed like magic as anyone could use it to avoid handing out their ‘real’ email address. However, a newly disclosed vulnerability just revealed that this privacy feature isn’t so private after all, leaving a way for attackers to completely uncover your actual email address. For those unfamiliar, Hide My Email is one of the built-in perks that comes with a paid iCloud account. Once enabled, it masks your primary email address and replaces it with a randomly generated one that ends in @icloud.com. From there, Apple makes it easy to view any emails sent to that random address as they’re automatically forwarded to your main email address. Think of Hide My Email as a fast-tracked way to get a burner email address from one of the biggest names in tech. And the best part, you don’t need one of the best iPhones to use this feature since even Android and Windows users can sign up for iCloud Plus.   From signing up for newsletters to free trials, Hide My Email can be an incredibly useful feature, especially for those times when you don’t want to use your work or personal email to avoid ending up with loads of spam in your inbox.Personally, I always thought it seemed too good to be true and according to a new report from 404 Media, that just might be the case. Here’s everything you need to know about this new Hide My Email vulnerability along with some alternatives you might want to try out in the meantime until Apple finally rolls out a real patch for this major flaw.Normally with high-profile vulnerabilities, security researchers discover them and then inform the company in question about their findings. Once this is done, they usually give companies a 90-day window to verify the bug, patch it, and test that their fix actually works. Sometimes though, companies might ask for an extension if they’re dealing with a difficult-to-patch, high-severity vulnerability. According to 404 Media’s reporting, security researcher Tyler Murphy went above and beyond when reporting the Hide My Email vulnerability to Apple back in June of last year. Instead of 90 days, he reported the issue and showed how to replicate it to Apple over a year ago. After waiting all that time, Murphy has finally come out and disclosed the vulnerability to 404 Media. It’s worth noting though that neither Murphy nor 404 Media have revealed the exact details of this major vulnerability. Apparently though, it’s still exploitable as the news outlet independently verified the flaw this week, uncovering their own reporter's real address using a hidden email alias.After reporting the issue to Apple, the company told Murphy that it was looking into the vulnerability. From there, Cupertino said that it was fixed back in March of this year. However, during his follow-up investigation, Murphy discovered that it was still exploitable. He then contacted Apple about the vulnerability again, and Apple effectively begged him not to go public, stating they would "appreciate" him keeping quiet until an actual fix rolls out.As it stands now, Hide My Email can reveal your real email address since a patch that actually fixes this bug hasn’t been released yet.

TikTok Settles Lawsuit Accusing Social Media Giants Of Harming Florida Boy --TikTok has reached a settlement with a Florida teenager who blamed the platform and other social media companies for fueling his addiction, leading to depression, anxiety, and sleep loss, just ahead of a trial to determine the industry’s part in the youth mental health crisis.The settlement, made public Tuesday, lays to rest claims against ByteDance’s TikTok related to the lawsuit filed by the boy.Details of the settlement were not disclosed.Trials against Meta’s Instagram and Snap’s Snapchat remain scheduled for July in California. According to court filings, the plaintiff argues he began using social media at approximately age 8 and became addicted.  As Kimberley Hayek reports for The Epoch Times, the case is one of many taking aim at social media companies, accusing them of designing the platforms to addict young users. Earlier this month, YouTube settled with the same plaintiff. “YouTube’s decision to resolve this case before having to face a jury speaks for itself,” the plaintiff’s attorneys from Morgan & Morgan stated in that settlement.“We will continue fighting on behalf of all those affected by social media addiction to bring these companies to justice and compel them to prioritize the safety of their young users over their bottom lines.” In March, a jury in Los Angeles found Meta and Google liable for harms to a young woman, awarding damages after findings of negligence tied to addictive design features.Jurors found the platforms contributed to addiction and mental health issues, leading to millions in compensatory and punitive damages. A judge upheld the verdict this month.More than 3,300 addiction-related lawsuits remain pending in California state court, with thousands more pending in federal court. School districts and states have also pursued claims, with some settlements reached, such as a Kentucky district’s agreement with several platforms. The TikTok settlement allows the company to avoid what would have been only the second individual trial of its kind in California over social media’s impact on minors.Plaintiffs in these cases argue that features, such as endless scrolling, personalized algorithms, and notifications create a “vicious cycle” of engagement that does harm to young brains.

A new mom's experience falling down the algorithm rabbit hole - Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD - Let me tell you about a small snippet of hell called new mom instagram. I didn’t announce my pregnancy for some time, and most people not in my immediate vicinity found out only after he was born. But my algorithm knew — it was remarkably precise tracking through first trimester, second trimester, third trimester, giving me tailored content sometimes down to the week of my pregnancy. It’s probably not news to anyone that our algorithms are so fine tuned to our lives. We spend a little time lingering on a video or post, and the algorithm serves us up more of the same.  Before I was pregnant, my instagram algorithm was almost exclusively videos about dogs and gardening, because those are two things I highly enjoy. I use social media, I write about social media, and I study social media, so the algorithm shift when I got pregnant wasn’t too surprising to me. But nothing quite prepared me for new mom instagram. Every couple months a new survey comes out measuring what percent of people turn to social media for health advice. Every time I read these surveys, I can’t help but think they’re asking the wrong question. Most people aren’t opening up their instagram app and typing in a health question like a google search. While I have had many questions on this newborn learning curve, I haven’t looked for a single piece of information on any social media app. But, scrolling Instagram to help me stay awake for those 12 am, 3:30 am, and 5:30 am feeds, that information has found me. Intermixed with viral videos of newborns doing cute newborn things is a pernicious tide of health advice that seeps into my mind before I realize what’s happening. Health advice that is well communicated, emotionally charged, unvetted, conflicting, and in some cases, potentially dangerous. The algorithm shift sending me 37 different opinions on how to feed my newborn was already stressful enough. But the part that surprised me most was I started wanting to believe it.   Me — the physician-scientist who writes about the dangers of unvetted health information on social media. I even did half my PhD studying breast milk!  You would think I of all people would be resistant to adopting health advice from a comments section. Turns out, that’s not true. There is something unique about the combination of uncertainty, worry, and the algorithm that can draw anyone in – the impact of which I didn't fully understand until I experienced it myself.  I had questions, and the algorithm was figuring out what those questions were and serving up answers, regardless of accuracy.   This experience is not unique to moms (though other parents I’ve spoken to have had similar experiences). This same social media vortex can happen to anyone with a new health worry, vulnerability, or unanswered questions — someone with a new cancer diagnosis or a newly sowed doubt about vaccines. The algorithm has a sneaky way of figuring out exactly what is worrying you, what your questions are, and providing content to fill that void. There certainly isn’t an easy fix, aside from logging off of social media altogether (which for some is the best option). But as a society, eliminating social media isn’t likely to be a viable solution. Here are a few things we can do: Recognize what’s happening, and don’t give empty solutions. For years, the proposed solution to the problem of inaccurate information on social media has been telling people to stop looking for information there. “Don’t turn to social media for health advice. Look at reliable sources. Ask your doctor.” But this advice misses what’s happening. Most people aren’t turning to social media with their questions — social media is figuring out what their questions are without them asking. Recognize this can impact anyone. This isn’t about intelligence or education — it is a symptom of human nature and insidiously designed algorithms. If this can impact a physician who studies inaccurate health information online, it can impact anyone. Ask the right questions. Surveys assessing the impact of social media on health need to reframe how they ask the questions — if they only ask about who is looking for information on these apps, they will miss the larger impact of algorithms that both identify and tailor content to each individual’s particular health worries. Contribute and share accurate information (especially prebunking). Ironically, next week’s post in The Communication Lab is all about using Instagram for health communication. You may think after this month I want to delete the app — but I’m doing the opposite: working to contribute accurate information so there is a counterweight to the inaccurate content for those who fall down the rabbit hole. In particular, prebunking can help prepare people to resist manipulative tactics when they encounter them. Have empathy. For me, this was the biggest takeaway — I have a newfound empathy for parents who are navigating a sea of conflicting health advice, especially around vaccines. While my newborn questions were not about the hepatitis B vaccine or the vitamin K shot, I understand how even a little bit of doubt can send parents in search of answers, a search that may lead them down an algorithmic quagmire of worry and conflicting advice. A well fed little man, age 1 month. As far as me and the little man, we are both doing well one month in. And I’m working on retraining my algorithm back to dogs and gardens (and spending more time with real life dogs and gardens.)

Poll finds bipartisan support for tighter AI regulation There is bipartisan support for tighter regulation on AI, according to a new poll. In the Artificial Intelligence Policy Institute (AIPI) poll, 68 percent of respondents said they would be in favor of the government making “a formal review process for the most advanced AI models before they can be widely released.” Twenty percent of respondents in the same poll said that they were in favor of the government leaning “mostly on companies to test their own AI models,” intervening “mainly after problems occur.” Twelve percent were unsure about which choice they favored. Sixty-four percent of Republicans and 76 percent of Democrats backed the formal review process, with 63 percent of independents also supporting the idea. The poll also found that 15 percent of Democrats, 24 percent of Republicans and 23 percent of independents were in favor of the government leaning mostly on companies. In recent months, measures attempting to bar or rein in data center construction have gained steam at the state and local level, with Americans’ opinions going south on the massive build-out of AI infrastructure in their communities. Two months ago, the Maine Legislature became the first in the nation to pass a bill stopping the development of large-scale data centers. The backlash against data centers has been increasing within the last few years, with communities anxious about the impacts of the energy-guzzling infrastructure on their cost of living and the environment. In March, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) announced the Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act, which would stop construction of AI infrastructure until lawmakers put in place measures that mandate government reviews of AI products, halt mass job displacement and restrict rises in consumer electricity prices.

Goldman leads $110M bet on Taktile's AI software | American Banker

• Key insight: Goldman Sachs led a $110 million Series C in Taktile, betting AI is ready to make banks' and insurers' high-stakes, regulated decisions.
• Supporting data: Financial institutions spend an average of $72.9 million a year on KYC and AML operations, according to Fenergo, which found 82% already use AI in that work.
• Forward look: The open question is whether 2026 is the year banks trust AI with decisions that, when wrong, cost millions and summon regulators.

Overview bullets generated by AI with editorial review.

Trump administration lifts restrictions on Anthropic's Claude models after cybersecurity alarm (AP) — The Trump administration has lifted restrictions on artificial intelligence company Anthropic's latest versions of its Claude chatbot, ending a weekslong ban tied to cybersecurity concerns. Anthropic said Tuesday night that its AI model called Claude Fable 5 is now widely available. It's also restoring access to its most powerful model, Mythos 5, but only to a select group of U.S.-based organizations approved by the federal government. The Commerce Department blocked foreign nationals from using both AI models on June 12, a move that San Francisco-based Anthropic said forced the company to immediately take the products down for all users just days after it unveiled them. Anthropic said in a blog post this week that the government's concerns were sparked by a report from cybersecurity researchers at Amazon, Anthropic's primary cloud computing provider. The company “had found a method of bypassing Fable 5’s safeguards” that enabled it to discover and potentially exploit software vulnerabilities, Anthropic said. Officials have grown increasingly concerned since Anthropic warned earlier this year that its Mythos model was adept at finding software flaws in a way that could be weaponized by malicious hackers and threaten critical computer networks around the world. Anthropic's chief rival, ChatGPT maker OpenAI, also said Friday it is restricting the release of its new artificial intelligence model at the request of President Donald Trump’s administration. OpenAI said its new AI product, called GPT-5.6 Sol, would be accessible only to a select group of government-approved customers for a temporary period. Trump last month signed an executive order on AI oversight that established a framework for the federal government to vet the national security risks of the most advanced AI systems for up to 30 days before their public release. The order described participation by AI developers as voluntary, but the framework has not yet been fully developed.

Anthropic is restoring Fable 5, but questions linger | American Banker -Anthropic has been given the federal government's green light to start selling Fable 5, its Mythos-with-guardrails model, again.Fable 5 will be available starting Wednesday to users globally of Claude Platform, Claude.ai, Claude Code, and Claude Cowork, and users of other platforms will get access this month.

• Key insight: The U.S. federal government gave Anthropic approval to once again start selling a version of its Mythos AI model called Fable 5.
• What's at stake: The company had been forced to shut down Mythos because it was too good at finding cybersecurity gaps, and then it was forced to table Fable over export controls.
• Forward look: The back and forth between a major frontier model provider and the federal government has some industry observers wondering if companies will rethink their reliance on a small number of big AI vendors that seem to be at the mercy of government officials' whims.

Anthropic, AI powerhouse, announces it will begin developing drugs of its own -  — AI giant Anthropic has already become a dominant player in technology and a household name for everyday users of artificial intelligence. Can it make drugs too?On Tuesday, the company announced it is going to try. Though it’s unclear whether Anthropic intends to bring drug candidates to commercialization, multiple executives emphasized how important it is for Anthropic to get hands-on experience trying to use its own products to solve real scientific problems.  Eric Kauderer-Abrams, the company’s head of life sciences, said Anthropic has been asking itself what it should be doing besides training models and building products. During an event here to launch the company’s newest application, Claude Science, he said Anthropic had come up with one answer.

Tech CEOs are apparently suffering from AI psychosis | TechCrunch  -There is a certain wildness in the tech industry these days that both mimics previous eras of large changes, like cloud computing (runaway costs in the early days), and is like nothing we’ve ever seen before (record revenues accompanied by mass layoffs).One possible explanation: Tech executives, especially CEOs, are collectively suffering from delusions of AI grandeur. And at least one tech CEO has said as much out loud: Box founder Aaron Levie.“CEOs are uniquely prone to AI psychosis because they’re sufficiently distant from the last mile of work that still has to happen to generate most value with AI,” Levie wrote on X. CEOs “play with AI,” develop a prototype, or generate a contract, to use Levie’s examples, and then make the leap to believing agents can do the work.But these top-level executives aren’t the people who have to review code, discover bugs, and identify calls to hallucinated libraries before software is deployed. They aren’t responsible for training AI models on a company’s idiosyncratic contract terms, nor do they have to spend days combing through contracts to find sneaky terms, as Levie indicates.In other words, Levie’s theory posits, CEOs don’t really understand processes well enough to know what really can and can’t be automated. But that lack of knowledge doesn’t stop them from acting on their beliefs.It’s important to note that Levie is not an AI hater. Quite the opposite. He mostly posts AI positivity on X to his 2.7 million followers, writing blogs titled “Headless software is the future” on how software built for AI agents is the way forward. He also puts his money where his mouth is, backing AI startups as an active angel investor. So what are CEOs to do instead? Levie advises CEOs to use AI “a ton” to really see what it can and can’t do, “and come out the other side with an appreciation for both the upside and the real work.”I have enough faith in humanity to believe that there are CEOs out there attempting to do just that, but right now, they seem to be in the minority.In just the first five months of 2026, the tech industry has had nearly as many layoffs as in all of 2025: 115,430 people have been fired from 152 tech companies so far in 2026, compared to 124,636 people let go by 275 companies in 2025, according to industry layoff tracker Layoffs.fyi.And the bulk of companies have pointed to AI as a reason for cutting these jobs. Many argue that the biggest tech companies are AI washing, or crediting AI productivity gains in the past or future, when other business decisions and metrics are really driving the cuts.Still, some of these stories are surprising. Zeb Evans, the CEO of project management and productivity software startup ClickUp, proudly declared on X that he had laid off almost a quarter of his employees — 22% — after rolling out about 3,000 AI agents to do internal work.Evans swore this wasn’t done to reduce costs. Instead, he wants a workforce composed of people who run AI agents and spend their days quickly reviewing the agents’ work. He believes this will create a “100x org,” as he calls it.While AI can be a very useful tool, the data on AI and productivity doesn’t support such assumptions. By miles.A meta-analysis of other research published in October in UC Berkeley’s California Management Review found “no robust relationship between AI adoption and aggregate productivity gain.”Research published in March by the National Bureau of Economic Research did conclude that AI adoption improved productivity but noted “a productivity paradox, in which perceived productivity gains are larger than measured productivity gains.”After creating thousands of agents to work on tasks, researchers at MIT concluded that agents just aren’t doing human-quality work yet in many cases. They predict at the current rate of LLM improvement, models will “be able to complete most text-related tasks with success rates of, on average, 80%–95% by 2029 at a minimally sufficient quality level.”In other words, AI is on track to perform at base competence on most tasks in about three years. These researchers believe agents will need another few years to outperform humans.

Forget Iran — AI Capex Is Now the Real Force Driving Oil Prices --Crude oil is going through a structural shift that I think most coverage is still missing. The market hasn’t stopped reacting to the Gulf — it’s stopped treating the Gulf as the only variable that matters. I think the recent de-escalation between the US and Iran is genuinely good news for markets, but it would be a mistake to read it as the end of uncertainty in energy. Investors know political agreements in the Gulf rarely hold for long, which is exactly why a risk premium remains baked into oil prices even as the probability of immediate supply disruption falls. We’ve watched this pattern repeat itself directly: a fragile ceasefire has already shattered once this year, with Iranian missile strikes wiping out weeks of relief-rally optimism in a single session. The cautious, modest gains we’re seeing in Brent and WTI right now look less like optimism and more like a market that has learned not to fully trust the news cycle. The renewed talks over the Strait of Hormuz read to me as a confidence-building gesture rather than a guarantee. It remains one of the world’s most critical chokepoints, and any disruption there moves shipping costs, insurance premiums and crude prices immediately. But markets have become more disciplined about not overpricing geopolitical risk unless it escalates into an actual physical supply threat. I think the more consequential driver for the second half of the year isn’t geopolitics at all — it’s how OPEC+ manages supply against a softening demand backdrop. If the alliance keeps exercising the same disciplined restraint it showed when it paused planned production increases rather than risk flooding an already fragile market, that should keep prices broadly supported even if global growth cools. An unanticipated output increase, on the other hand, would put real downward pressure on crude, particularly if it lands alongside weaker industrial activity in major economies. My view is that financial markets are gradually shifting weight away from short-term geopolitical headlines and toward macroeconomic data — inflation prints, rate expectations, growth indicators. Oil is no longer driven by security risk alone; it’s increasingly a function of whether the global economy can sustain stable growth. If central banks hold restrictive policy for longer, consumption and investment activity will weaken, and energy demand will soften with it. This is the same dynamic we flagged when the new Fed under Kevin Warsh signalled one to two rate hikes this year rather than the cuts markets had been pricing — a shift driven as much by energy-linked inflation as by AI-fuelled exceptionalism in the US economy. The Bank of New York’s observation about supply-side constraints tied to AI investment deserves far more attention than it’s getting. Markets tend to focus on demand as the primary driver of oil prices while overlooking that the scale-up of data centres, semiconductor fabrication and digital infrastructure requires enormous capital investment — and that investment pulls hard on energy, industrial metals and global supply chains simultaneously. We’ve already seen this collide directly with energy markets once this year, when an AI valuation selloff, a Fed turning hawkish and a Gulf oil spike arrived within the same 48 hours, and the inflationary impact of that crude spike worsened the macro picture before a single jobs report had even landed. The deeper structural version of this story is the one we explored in our look at how the AI data centre buildout is now colliding with a genuine power infrastructure ceiling — securing energy capacity has become as much of a competitive moat for AI players as the algorithms themselves. That’s not a tech story anymore. It’s an energy demand story with the scale to keep inflation stickier than current forecasts assume, even as Gulf tensions ease.

The cost of AI's 'compute' is coming into focus, and it's a lot | American Banker - Artificial intelligence is expensive. We know this. The chips are expensive, the data centers are expensive, the water to cool systems is expensive. Putting all hardware and software together to create this computer program that seems to speak like a human and can do virtually anything infinitely faster than a human is extremely expensive. That is why the AI buildout is costing trillions.

The biggest AI spenders are hiring more, too | American Banker -- Logic would suggest that the companies that use AI the most will inevitably reduce their human workforces. But new data analyses find the opposite is true, at least for now: While a few departments, including back offices and call centers, are starting to see hiring freezes or cutbacks, by and large, the companies spending the most on advanced AI are hiring more humans than those that spend less.

AI boom could cause the next economic crash, BIS warns -- The recent AI spending and investing boom has helped prop up the global economy amid the strains caused by high interest rates, the Iran war and tariffs, the Bank of International Settlements said in a report published Sunday. But if left unchecked, the increasing deployment of AI could also cause the next major economic collapse, the Basel, Switzerland-based financial institution warned.

Hamilton deepfake greets visitors to new finance museum - The Museum of American Finance opened a free, Smithsonian-affiliated home in Boston's Seaport on Friday, betting it can make money history stick. AI Hamilton answers questions about personal finance during a Wednesday preview of the newly opened Museum of American Finance.

• Key insight: The Museum of American Finance is giving its Boston home free admission, underwritten by sponsors, as a bet that removing the price makes financial education stick.
• What's at stake: A free, industry-sponsored museum about finance landing in a major banking market gives the industry a public front door for the financial-literacy cause it heavily promotes.
• Forward look: The final exhibit, "The Future of Finance," ends on crypto, with curator Ric Edelman predicting blockchain and stablecoins will reach nearly everyone within 10 to 15 years.

Overview bullets generated by AI with editorial review.

Woman loses savings in AI scam with deepfake 'Dubai prince' - A Filipino woman thought she had found love with Dubai’s charismatic crown prince after weeks of flirtatious messages and intimate video calls. Instead, she became the latest victim of an increasingly sophisticated AI-powered romance scam that uses deepfake technology to impersonate Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, the heir to Dubai’s throne, according to AFP. The woman, a domestic worker identified only as Maria, said she met a scammer posing as the prince on a dating site before their conversations shifted to WhatsApp, where he flooded her with affectionate messages. Scammers are using AI deepfakes to impersonate Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed in online romance scams that have cost victims thousands of dollars. “He kept on messaging me even when I was sleeping,” the victim told AFP. “It felt like there was a love spell that connected our minds.” The deception reportedly became even more convincing during video calls. In one recording viewed by AFP, an image appeared on screen that looked like the real prince. His lips moved in sync with his words, though the voice did not match the real Sheikh Hamdan’s. “Hello, beloved,” the caller said. “I really appreciate your love and support.” By the time doubts surfaced, she had already lost 100,000 Philippine pesos — or about $1,625 — after the scammer persuaded her to pay for what he claimed were a marriage certificate and a “royal membership card” that would supposedly help her secure a job in Dubai. The amount came to a year’s worth of Maria’s savings. The fraudster later asked for another 60,000 pesos, or about $974, to reserve a hotel room where they would finally meet. That request prompted Maria to look more closely at the Facebook account connected to the supposed prince charming. AI-powered face-swapping and motion-control technology are making real-time deepfake video scams increasingly difficult to detect, experts say. She discovered the account, which has since been removed, was based in Nigeria. She immediately cut off contact. “Go to hell, scammer,” she wrote in her final message. “Many people told me it’s good I didn’t go crazy after this experience,” Maria told AFP. Researchers cited by the wire service traced some of the schemes to criminal syndicates operating in Nigeria, where fraudsters have increasingly embraced artificial intelligence to make online impersonation scams more convincing. The cons are part of a broader wave of “fake Dubai prince” frauds targeting people seeking romance online.

California man gets 'emergency' call, hears his daughter's voice, and loses $18,000 to AI scam Nearly all of one California family's savings disappeared after a single frightening phone call, a father said. Glen Givens told FOX 5 he handed over $18,000 in cash after hearing what sounded like his daughter crying on the phone, and he now believes artificial intelligence may have helped make the scam believable. The network reports that on June 22, the Poway resident said someone called his work phone and identified himself as a police officer. According to Givens' account to FOX 5, the man said his daughter had been arrested after a serious crash that injured a pregnant woman. He relayed that the caller also mentioned private details about his daughter, including a medical condition from her childhood. "He said, 'I know your daughter has a medical condition,'" Givens recalled to FOX 5. "So he knew that, so that checked out." A woman then came on the line, and Givens believed he was hearing his daughter. "It was exactly — I mean exactly — my daughter's voice to a T," he recounted to the station. "She was crying and basically telling me, 'I'm so sorry, Dad. It was an accident.'" After withdrawing nearly all of their savings, Givens and his wife met a courier in a CVS parking lot and turned over the cash, but only after checking the driver's identification, FOX 5 reported. He did not realize it was a scam until later, when he reached his actual daughter, the station noted. "It was very well orchestrated," he assessed in comments to the station. "Unfortunately, in my tired state, I fell for it, and I'm out $18,000."

‘A matter of when’: Fake websites more common in growing AI-powered scam –  — A new wave of online scams driven by AI led consumers to lose almost $1 billion, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s cybercrimes team. Online shopping is facing a new threat of highly realistic fraudulent websites designed to trick unsuspecting users. In a matter of minutes or even seconds, criminals can create fake websites that mimic well-known brands. The growing threat means next time families shop online, the websites selling their favorite brands may be fake. Channel 2’s Tom Regan talked with victims and FBI agents to learn more about their efforts to crack down on this growing cybercrime wave and how AI is supercharging online fraud. Channel 2 has exposed online crime for years. In 2019, early deep-fake scams used older AI technologies to trick users. “I know people are going to fall for this because it looked so amazingly real,” corporate trainer John McDowell told Regan then. In 2019, a Japanese company contacted him saying it had expansion plans for the U.S. after he posted his resume on Indeed. They used a real company’s website; to McDowell, it all seemed real. “They were very professional,” McDowell said. “I guarantee you this was a guy in Nigeria putting on a fake Japanese accent.” They offered him a job but told him he first needed to install some software on his computer and spend money. Right then, he knew he was being scammed. Today, these sophisticated schemes have become easier than ever. “AI did not invent the problem with fake websites; it just industrialized it,” said Daniel Polk, a special agent with the FBI cybercrimes team. He says just last year, the FBI created a new index for cybercrimes using AI. “We had a carve out category for AI specific scams,” Polk said. “This is just what people were reporting, and it was close to a billion dollars.” Polk says many more crimes go unreported, often because of worries about embarrassment or lack of awareness of what steps to take. Using cheap or even free AI tools, cyber criminals can now build polished looking retail or corporate websites, complete with pictures of fake people who supposed work for the company or model their merchandise. The tools let automatically create real company websites in just seconds, complete with a section to enter credit card information. “It’s not going to be a matter of if consumers are going to face fake websites that they used to trust,” Polk said. “It’s a matter of when.” Even Mitch Lierman, an investigative producer for WSB-TV, was fooled by a fake website. He wanted to buy a shirt for an upcoming wedding. “We thought we saw a brand we recognized,” Lierman said. “It’s a moment you have when you let your guard down.” He went to what he believed was a trusted men’s wear site for a brand he had bought before. It was actually fake. They took his money; he never got his shirt; and when he tried to message a consumer help link, nothing happened. “You’re just trying to do something in a rush, and you catch yourself up a creek,” Lierman said. “When you google that brand that you’re looking to make a purchase from, don’t click on the promoted link that pops up first,” Polk advised. “We see criminals using services like Google to pay for promoted links that are in fact malicious and designed to link you to a spoofed website.” The FBI agent said the greatest threats are fake websites and apps posing as investment and banking companies that the victim is already connected to. “By downloading the app and giving away their information and passwords to websites they are used to, scammers have that information and are able to go to the authentic website and login,” Polk said. Lierman says next time when he had his friends buy online, they won’t act impulsively. “We were not really thinking with our head when we were looking at it,” Lierman said. “We thought we were getting a screaming deal, and that’s how they got us.” To protect yourself from online fraud, the FBI advises using strong passwords and two factor authentication as well as checking URLs and web addresses for domain names that seem strange. Polk said if it seems off, it’s probably fake.

Largest Data Center Project Ever Proposed Is Officially Dead - Blackstone-owned QTS Realty Trust withdrew its appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court on July 2, closing out a three-year legal fight over the Prince William Digital Gateway, a planned 2,100-acre campus in Prince William County, Virginia that would have packed 37 buildings and 22 million square feet of data centers next to Manassas National Battlefield Park. At full build-out, the project carried an estimated $100 billion price tag and would have been the largest data center complex in the world.QTS was the last developer standing. Co-developer Compass Datacenters, backed by Brookfield, dropped its own appeal in April, and the Prince William Board of County Supervisors withdrew from the litigation the same month after spending nearly $2 million in taxpayer funds defending the original rezoning. That approval, granted in 2023, was voided by the Virginia Court of Appeals in March, which found the county's public notice for the rezoning hearing fell short of the state's six-day spacing requirement between newspaper notices.In its withdrawal filing, QTS said the project had "advanced through years of planning, analysis, and public review" and would have delivered tens of billions of dollars in capital investment and thousands of jobs to the county. The company added that Virginia remains central to its business, pointing to $5 billion in ongoing investment in the Richmond region on top of its existing Northern Virginia footprint.The retreat comes days after Blackstone agreed to hand Digital Realty full ownership of three built-and-leased Northern Virginia data centers valued at $7.8 billion, in a $3.5 billion cash-and-stock deal. That transaction extends an existing joint venture rather than an exit, but the timing puts fresh attention on how Blackstone is managing its data center bets in the state that hosts more capacity than anywhere else in the world.Northern Virginia remains the industry's biggest hub, and the region's buildout keeps running into local resistance over land, water and grid strain. Several states have floated moratoriums or tighter permitting rules as utilities warn that data centers are driving an outsized share of new electricity demand, and grid operators in some regions have started asking developers to bring their own power generation rather than compete for scarce capacity. A Gallup survey released in May found 71% of Americans oppose data center construction in their area, with 48% strongly opposed, running higher than opposition to a local nuclear plant.For Blackstone, the Digital Gateway collapse doesn't change the broader trajectory. The firm still manages a data center portfolio worth more than $150 billion globally, and in May it raised $1.75 billion taking its acquisition vehicle, Blackstone Digital Infrastructure Trust, public on the NYSE, to keep buying already-built, leased facilities tied to AI demand. What the Prince William outcome shows is that even the biggest players in the space can lose a fight over land use once local opposition organizes and the legal process runs its course.

Trump says he didn't know about his crypto windfall, defends $1.2 billion made in office -  President Trump brushed off questions about the money he’s made while in office, saying his sons run his businesses and that he didn’t know about the lucrative crypto investments that netted him over a billion dollars. “I’ve always made money,” he told CNBC, pointing to his past career. “I’m a business person. I’m a really good business person. I made money. I made a tremendous amount of money.” Others invest his income, and he doesn’t know who they are, he noted. President Trump brushed off questions about the money he’s made while in office, saying his sons run his businesses. “I let people invest it. I don’t even speak to – I don’t even know who they are,” he said. “My son Eric handles it. I don’t talk to him about things such as this.” He went on to say his investments are given to “big firms” who create “semi-blind trusts or blind trusts.” The president didn’t offer further details on which firms oversee his fortune but said one reason his income rose was that “the stock market went up.” Follow The Post’s live coverage of President Trump and national politics for the latest news and analysis But Trump’s latest financial disclosure report showed he took in about $1.2 billion last year from various crypto holdings. He claimed he didn’t know about the investments during a 40-minute interview in the Oval Office on Thursday. But he went on to say, if he did know about them, it wouldn’t be illegal, noting the president and vice president are not required to recuse themselves from decisions that could affect their financial interests. “I didn’t. There’s nothing illegal with that. I could know,” he said, pointing out there is no legal requirement “to recuse yourself on every decision running the country that could have anything to do with you. It just isn’t feasible to do it.” For decades before he entered public service, Trump worked in the private sector, amassing a fortune from real estate deals, casinos, and his popular NBC show “The Apprentice.” He pointed out he doesn’t take a salary from the government while serving as president. “This is the Oval Office,” he added. “It’s a much bigger purpose than whether or not I make money. As an example, the president’s the highest paid person in government, and you know, by some standards it gets a lot of money. … I gave up my salary. I don’t get a salary.” Presidents are usually paid an annual salary of $400,000. Trump established the Trump Organization to run his businesses long before he ran for office. His three children – Don Jr., Eric and Ivanka – were heavily involved, although his daughter has since stepped away. Because of the close ties of a family business, Trump said it was impossible for his children to distance themselves from decisions he made while president.

Everything Trump has done to boost crypto as records show $1.4B profit - President Donald Trump’s newly published financial disclosure report has underscored the substantial rewards from his pivot toward cryptocurrency, an industry transformed by his embrace of digital assets.According to the 927-page report, released Tuesday by the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), the president pulled in billions of dollars last year through various business dealings, including stock trades, his global real estate and business interests and royalties from Trump-branded products.A significant portion—around $1.4 billion, according to estimates from The New York Times and Reuters—came from the president’s cryptocurrency ventures, a relatively recent addition to his business empire but one that has swiftly become its most profitable arm. This stems primarily from his family’s company, World Liberty Financial (WLFI), as well as from the sale of the $TRUMP meme coin. And while the amount earned during his time in office far exceeds earnings from before his second term, the administration has rejected concerns about any alleged conflict between his business interests and public duties. “Neither the President nor his family has ever engaged—or will ever engage—in conflicts of interest,” White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly told Newsweek on Wednesday.  “President Trump proudly made the United States the crypto capital of the world through executive actions, supporting legislation like the GENIUS Act and other commonsense policies to drive innovation and economic opportunity for all Americans,” she added. From being a vocal critic of the industry—dubbing the flagship currency Bitcoin a “scam” in 2021—Trump has since become one of crypto’s highest-profile backers, embracing it during his 2024 campaign before pursuing a pro-crypto agenda once back in office.The early days of his second term saw an immediate regulatory pivot, with the administration rolling back regulations adopted by former President Joe Biden and voicing a desire for the U.S to become “the crypto capital of the world.” Early executive orders included those promoting “responsible growth and use of digital assets, blockchain technology, and related technologies across all sectors of the economy,” as well as the creation of a crypto working group and the appointment of the nation’s first-ever “AI & Crypto Czar.”Trump also replaced key officials viewed as hostile to the industry, such as Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler. Trump said he would fire Gensler, viewed by many as a crypto skeptic, on “day one.” Gensler ultimately stepped down and was replaced with Paul Atkins, a former SEC commissioner and adviser to cryptocurrency firms.Last March, Trump announced the creation of a “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve,” dubbed by his then-crypto czar David Sacks a “digital Fort Knox.” This reserve is set to be filled with Bitcoin seized by the government, and the plan is still moving ahead, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urging lawmakers to codify it by passing the CLARITY Act.As the White House notes, President Trump was also a firm proponent of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act. Signed into law in July, the bill was the first major crypto law to regulate stablecoins, whose value is pegged to a fiat currency like the dollar. Supporters said the law provided long-sought regulatory clarity, encouraging greater institutional participation and wider adoption across mainstream financial markets.According to estimates from Politico, Trump’s $1.4 billion in crypto-linked income in 2025 came from two main sources. Nearly $600 million was generated by WLFI, while around $636 million came from CIC Digital, a business affiliated with the Trump Organization and which developed the $TRUMP coin. And some critics have said Trump’s simultaneous influence over the crypto industry and profits from crypto ventures blur the line between public policy and private gain. On Wednesday, former White House lawyer Ty Cobb accused the president of creating policies that “can only enrich himself and his family” during an interview with CNN. Trump, however, dismissed any concerns over conflicts of interest on Wednesday morning, telling reporters that he “purposely” never speaks to those who handle his finances, and argued that his wealth has increased “because the stock market is going up.”“All actions by President Trump and his administration are taken in the best interest of the American people,” the White House’s deputy press secretary told Newsweek on Wednesday.

Former ethics lawyer says Trump's crypto poses 'clear conflict of interest' -President Donald Trump and his family earned more than $1 billion last year through cryptocurrency ventures and other businesses, according to a 927-page financial disclosure report filed with the Office of Government Ethics.  NPR's Linda Kenyon reports that more than $500 million came from the cryptocurrency venture World Liberty Financial, which was co-founded by Trump family members, while Trump-branded meme coin sales generated more than $600 million. The disclosure also lists more than $50 million from media settlements and millions more from Trump-branded products, including Bibles, sneakers and watches.The White House denied any financial conflicts of interest. Spokesperson Anna Kelly praised the president for making the U.S. "the crypto capital of the world." Trump also said outside institutions manage his investments and that he does not speak with them.Former White House ethics lawyer Richard Painter told Morning Edition that federal conflict-of-interest laws would prohibit other executive branch officials from taking similar actions, adding that Trump "stands alone in having such substantial financial conflicts of interest" as president.Speaking with NPR's A Martínez, Painter discussed the ethics questions surrounding Trump's cryptocurrency earnings, how presidents have traditionally handled their financial holdings and the role blind trusts play in avoiding conflicts of interest.Listen to the full interview by clicking on the blue play button above.

Bessent brushes off critics of Trump’s crypto haul - Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is brushing off criticism against President Trump for raking in more than $1 billion in cryptocurrency profits while in the White House.“I don’t think there’s an appearance problem,” Bessent told CBS News anchor Kelly O’Grady in an exclusive interview Thursday, after being asked about the optics.“This is an innovation presidency, so whether it’s digital assets, whether it’s AI, whether it’s everything that is going on in the tech ecosystem … all Americans are benefiting from that,” the secretary added.Personal financial disclosures released Tuesday showed that Trump last year earned more than $526.8 million from World Liberty Financial, the cryptocurrency venture he launched with his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump in the fall of 2024.The documents also cited more than $635 million in royalties from a licensing agreement between CIC Digital LLC, an affiliate of the Trump Organization, and “celebrations coins.”The president has been widely scrutinized for what critics see as attempts to use his political office for personal financial gain, from refusing to divest from his real estate empire to launching a meme coin ahead of his second inauguration.The disclosure has raised fresh questions about potential conflicts of interest, which the White House has cast aside.  Trump denied having any knowledge of the massive cryptocurrency investments during a Thursday interview with CNBC, while also insisting it would not be an issue if he did.  “By the way, I could know about it. I didn’t. I mean, there’s nothing illegal, there’s nothing wrong with it. I could know,” he said.The 927-page report from the U.S. Office of Government Ethics detailed earnings totaling more than $2 billion for Trump last year, including $220 million in financial transactions from holdings in dozens of large U.S. corporations.

Taxes on Trump's $1.4 billion crypto income could total hundreds of millions - CBS News - President Trump's recent financial disclosure finally put a dollar amount on the web of crypto ventures he's continued to pursue since returning to office. But the revelation he made $1.4 billion off the fledgling industry has rekindled another mystery about his finances: how much is he paying in taxes? The president's crypto windfall appears to be taxable. One accountant who specializes in cryptocurrency income said it was reasonable to believe Mr. Trump would have to pay at least $250 million on this income. Still, multiple tax experts told CBS News that Mr. Trump's actual bill may be far lower, but it would be hard to know because of the lack of transparency around the corporate entities holding the income. Unlike several past presidents, Mr. Trump does not make his tax returns public. "What we know is that he did very well for himself, but we don't know how the beneficial ownership is structured," said Omri Marian, a law professor who specializes in cryptocurrency taxation. "This is like looking at a black box and I can't see inside." The White House declined to respond to questions about any taxes Mr. Trump paid on the crypto income, whether it was taxed on an individual or business basis and whether any operating losses were applied to his crypto-related tax bill. If the entire $1.4 billion were to be taxed at a federal individual income rate, the president would owe the IRS $518 million, based on the maximum statutory rate of 37%, without accounting for potential deductions. According to the IRS, digital assets are subject to the same capital gains taxes as transactions of traditional securities. But Marian said because of the limited descriptions of the income sources on his financial disclosure, it's impossible to determine whether the money would be considered capital gains or ordinary income. For example, the $625 million Mr. Trump collected from his $TRUMP meme coin is described as a royalty from a licensing agreement with a company called Celebration Coins. According to the disclosure, World Liberty Financial, the crypto company he co-founded with his sons, paid him more than $590 million in proceeds from the sales of digital tokens and sale of an equity stake in the business. Then there is the question of whether the income is ultimately being paid to Mr. Trump himself or to a business associated with the president. The latter would command a lower corporate tax rate, but in either scenario, Mr. Trump could offset his gains with losses. "It's really, really difficult for me to say what the tax consequences are for him personally and for the entities involved, without knowing much more about them," Marian said. Knowing much more is likely to prove elusive.

Supreme Court rules constitutional privacy protections apply to cellphone users' location history (AP) — The Supreme Court held Monday that constitutional privacy protections extend to cellphone location information, ruling in the case of a bank robber whose identity was discovered through a geofence warrant. Justice Elena Kagan wrote for the 6-3 court that people don’t forfeit expectations of privacy even when they opt into Google’s location history. “A cellphone user is not to be viewed as sharing private information with third parties—which then can be freely passed on to the government—just by doing the ordinary things cellphone users do,” Kagan wrote. Justice Samuel Alito wrote in dissent that Okello Chatrie had no expectation of privacy in information he voluntarily turned over to Google. The decision is the court’s latest effort to apply a constitutional provision ratified in 1791 to technology the nation’s founders could not have envisioned. Police obtained a geofence warrant after a bank robbery in a suburb of Richmond, Virginia, and used it to locate cellphones that were near the bank around the time it was robbed in May 2019. One of those phones belonged to Chatrie, who had eluded the police until they turned to the powerful technological tool. The warrant kick-started the investigation. After determining that Chatrie was among those near the Call Federal Credit Union in Midlothian at the time, police obtained a search warrant for his home. They found nearly $100,000 in cash, including bills wrapped in bands signed by the bank teller. Chatrie pleaded guilty to robbing the bank and was sentenced to nearly 12 years in prison. His lawyers argued on appeal that none of the evidence should have been used against him. They challenged the warrant as a violation of his privacy because it allowed authorities to gather the location history of people near the bank without having any evidence they had anything to do with the robbery. Prosecutors argued that Chatrie had no expectation of privacy because he voluntarily opted into Google’s location history. The Supreme Court did not decide Monday whether the search complied with the Fourth Amendment, which bans unreasonable searches and seizures. It sent the case back to a lower court for more work. A federal judge had ruled that the search violated Chatrie’s rights, but allowed the evidence to be used because the officer who applied for the warrant reasonably believed he was acting properly. The federal appeals court in Richmond upheld the conviction in a fractured ruling. In a separate case, the federal appeals court in New Orleans ruled that geofence warrants “are general warrants categorically prohibited by the Fourth Amendment.”

BankThink A new tax on digital asset transactions will harm consumers in Illinois - Illinois just became the first state in the country to tax the simple act of using digital money. On June 1, in the dead of night and without stakeholder input or notice, the general assembly buried a new 0.2% gross-value levy on digital asset activity inside a $55.9 billion budget. It takes effect in 2027, and it will impose costs on Illinoisans who hold digital assets, whether they make money, lose money, or do nothing at all.

• Key insight: As stablecoins and other cryptocurrencies enter the mainstream, lawmakers in Illinois have imposed a new transaction tax on digital assets. It will raise costs for everyday consumers and drive away businesses.
• Supporting data: With the new tax in place, a single act could be taxed several times over, pushing the effective rate well above 0.2%.
• What's at stake: A punitive transaction tax tells everyone that innovation faces extra hurdles in Illinois.

As stablecoins and other cryptocurrencies enter the mainstream, lawmakers in Illinois have imposed a new transaction tax on digital assets. It will raise costs for everyday consumers and drive away businesses.

BankThink Looser Basel capital rules don't mean a windfall for bank shareholders After nine years of anxiety over what the final rules might be, bankers are understandably relieved, writes Ugur Koyluoglu.  Lower capital requirements allow banks to lend more money to customers, increasing their long-term profitability and lifting their share prices by a similar amount.

• Key insight: Banks' capital burden will decline, leaving more potential funds available for lending. But the big question is which banks will find a way to deploy those funds to generate meaningful returns.
• What's at stake: Capital relief expands lending capacity, but if too many banks chase the same opportunity, competition will compress margins and may even push some institutions toward riskier market segments.
• Forward look: Winners and losers will be determined by bankers' ability to deploy capital profitably, grow deposit franchises sustainably and make balanced choices to shape securities portfolios.

Yes, banks' capital burden will decline, leaving more potential funds available for lending. But the big question is which banks will find a way to deploy those funds to generate meaningful returns.

SVB, FDIC begin trial over $1.7 billion in deposits - The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the successor to Silicon Valley Bank's former parent company appeared in court Monday, marking the start of a trial over whether the bank holding company can recover roughly $1.7 billion in deposits that remained at the failed bank when regulators seized it in March 2023.

• Key insight: The case litigates whether SVB Financial Trust can recover roughly $1.7 billion in deposits left at SVB when the FDIC took over the failed lender in March 2023.
• Supporting data: The two parties are at odds over whether management's decisions, like a $294 million dividend paid to the holding company, months before the collapse were imprudent. 
• Forward look: The trial will continue in coming weeks, with testimony from SVB's executives including the Chief Financial Officer ongoing.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. says executives "gambled" with depositor funds, while the former parent company argues regulators are using hindsight to second-guess what were reasonable business decisions at the time.

Warren asks Eric Trump about CFPB pick, Capital One lawsuit -  Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., is asking President Trump's son Eric if he plans to refile a lawsuit against Capital One Financial for allegedly "debanking" hundreds of Trump Organization accounts. The letter follows President Trump's nomination of a Capital One executive to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Exclusive: Warren says NCUA deregulation weakens credit unions  — The National Credit Union Administration's deregulation project could undermine the integrity of the credit union system, Senate Banking Committee ranking member Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., told the regulator on Monday.

• Key insight: Warren pressed National Credit Union Administration Chair Kyle Hauptman to turn over the legal analysis backing his claim that a single board member can constitute a quorum at the agency.
• What's at stake: Litigation over the legitimacy of the NCUA's authority with a single member will continue to shadow any deregulatory rules finalized before the board returns to full strength.
• Forward look: John Crews, who was nominated to replace Hauptman on the board, will now go before the full committee for what is expected to be a party-line vote.

Senate Banking Committee ranking member Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said the National Credit Union Administration's efforts to roll back 31 rules without a board quorum could jeopardize the credit union system's stability and legitimacy.

House finance committee passes EWA bill, among others  — The House Financial Services Committee passed earned wage access legislation in a largely party-line vote, as well as a number of other bills in a multiday markup session ahead of the July 4 recess.

• Key insight: A bill dealing with earned wage access would preempt state laws around the products, creating a national standard for the offerings. 
• Forward look: There's few opportunities for the bill to pass this Congress, but since the bulk of the complaints from Democrats were on the state preemption question, the measure could come up again next year. 
• What's at stake: The bill has been supported by financial technology trade groups.

The bill setting national standards for earned wage access programs passed the House Financial Services Committee in a 29-22 vote.

Bill could triple fees for VA interest rate reduction refi loans --  Fees for Veterans Affairs interest rate reduction refinancing loans (IRRRLs) could nearly triple if Congress passes the Take Care of America's Veterans Act as currently proposed. The fee hike, which also raises the cost of assumptions, is part of the House pay-as-you-go rules to support a proposed expansion of veterans benefits.

Case-Shiller: National House Price Index Up 0.8% year-over-year in April -- S&P/Case-Shiller released the monthly Home Price Indices for April ("April" is a 3-month average of February, March and April closing prices). February closing prices include some contracts signed in December, so there is a significant lag to this data. Here is a graph of the month-over-month (MoM) change in the Case-Shiller National Index Seasonally Adjusted (SA).   The National index decreased 0.15% month-over-month (MoM) seasonally adjusted. This was the 2nd consecutive month with a MoM decline,n On the FHFA index: FHFA House Price Index® Down 0.1 Percent in April; Up 2.0 Percent from Last Year:  U.S. house prices fell nationwide in April, down 0.1 percent from the previous month, according to the U.S. Federal Housing (FHFA) seasonally adjusted monthly House Price Index (FHFA HPI^®). House prices rose 2.0 percent from April 2025 to April 2026. The previously reported 0.1 percent price change in March was revised upward to 0.2 percent.For the nine census divisions, seasonally adjusted monthly home price changes ranged from -0.8 percent in the Mountain division to +1.0 percent in the New England division. The 12-month changes ranged from +0.2 percent in the Pacific division to +4.4 percent in the East North Central division. From S&P S&P Cotality Case-Shiller Index Reports Annual Gain in April 2026

• The S&P Cotality Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index posted a 0.8% annual gain for April 2026, up from a 0.7% rise in the previous month.
• For the 11th consecutive month, U.S. home values fell in real terms, as April’s 3.8% inflation ran roughly 3 percentage points above the 0.8% home price gain.
• A nearly 9 percentage-point gap separated April’s strongest market (Chicago +6.5% YoY) and its weakest (Seattle -2.3%), underscoring a stark regional divergence in home price trends. ...

“April’s figures confirm that U.S. home prices remain essentially flat, with the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller National Home Price Index up a scant 0.8% year over year, just above March’s 0.7% pace,” said Nicholas Godec, CFA, CAIA, CIPM, Head of Fixed Income Tradables & Commodities at S&P Dow Jones Indices. “With inflation accelerating to 3.8% in April, U.S. home values have now declined in real terms for an 11th straight month, further eroding inflation-adjusted housing wealth.

US Manufacturing Expanded For 6th Straight Month In June As Inflation Fears Ease- With 'hard data' having deteriorated recently (except in the labor market), 'soft' survey data has been surprisingly strong (especially in the Manufacturing side of the economy).

• S&P Global's US Manufacturing PMI dipped from multi-year highs at 55.1 to 53.9 final in June (below the 55.7 expected).
• ISM Manufacturing also dipped from 54.0 to 53.3 (slightly below the 53.9 exp).

Both solidly above the '50' line suggesting growth... Put simply: US manufacturing activity expanded for a sixth straight month in June as a war-driven surge in input costs eased. Prices paid for raw materials, meanwhile, rose at a much slower pace in June.The group's price measure dropped 9.1 points to 73, the largest single-month drop since July 2022, as an interim agreement between the US and Iran sent oil prices tumbling.New orders growth moderated, but remained solid, while ISM's production gauge dropped to a six-month low. “US manufacturers reported a further marked improvement in growth of output and order books in June, according to S&P Global’s PMI data," said Chris Williamson, Chief Business Economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence.   Despite the slight decline from the flash print, the final June data is extending the growth spurt that has been reported since the outbreak of the war in the Middle East. "Employment was nevertheless cut sharply as firms often sought to offset the rising cost of energy and raw materials.“Supply chain delays and upward price pressures continued to be widely reported, albeit moderating thanks to recent news of an improving situation in the Middle East." On the bright side, while still elevated, Input and Output prices are falling back, according to S&P Global survey respondents.

House passes kids online safety package despite watchdog pushback  - The House passed a sprawling package of kids online safety bills Monday night, marking the first time a version of the landmark Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) made it out of the lower chamber. The House passed the Kids Internet and Digital Safety (KIDS) Act in a 267-117 vote, with 47 members not voting. The package, taken from portions of 14 digital safety bills, was brought to the floor Monday under a fast-track process called suspension of the rules, which requires two-thirds majority support for passage. It now heads to the Senate, where it will face an uphill battle over the House’s changes made to KOSA and other provisions. The bill includes provisions on age verification, AI chatbots, data protections and raising awareness about drug sales on social media. Its passage comes just one week after House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) announced the KIDS package received new support from ranking member Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), months after negotiations first fell apart between the two parties. The bipartisan deal notably still eliminated KOSA’s duty of care provision, which would have legally required platforms to “exercise reasonable care” to prevent harms to minors. Harms include eating disorders, suicide, substance use disorders and sexual exploitation. Tech watchdog and parent advocate groups, along with KOSA Senate co-authors Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) argue the duty of care provision is the most important part of KOSA. Blumenthal said last week that the House version of KOSA is “dead in the Senate,” though Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, told reporters last week he is open to negotiations with the lower chamber. This is not the first time the House and Senate have disagreed on KOSA or the duty of care provision. Lawmakers introduced KOSA four times in as many years, and while it passed the Senate easily in 2024, House Republicans’ concerns over censorship and freedom of speech prevented it from ever hitting the House floor. The package also includes provisions seeking to limit the addictive nature of social media, give parents tools to monitor their kids’ online experiences, create new guardrails for AI chatbots, regulate direct messaging on social media and require age verification for adult websites. It also would implement new requirements for data brokers’ handling of kids’ data, along with updating the existing Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act to expand privacy protections. Guthrie, speaking on the House floor earlier Monday, said the committee “worked hard to reach a workable compromise.” “While no single bill will solve every challenge facing families online, this legislation represents a significant and long-overdue step forward in establishing meaningful safeguards,” Guthrie said. “It is an important milestone — not a finish line — in the effort to better protect children online and hold bad actors accountable.”

TikTok Settles Lawsuit Accusing Social Media Giants Of Harming Florida Boy --TikTok has reached a settlement with a Florida teenager who blamed the platform and other social media companies for fueling his addiction, leading to depression, anxiety, and sleep loss, just ahead of a trial to determine the industry’s part in the youth mental health crisis.The settlement, made public Tuesday, lays to rest claims against ByteDance’s TikTok related to the lawsuit filed by the boy.Details of the settlement were not disclosed.Trials against Meta’s Instagram and Snap’s Snapchat remain scheduled for July in California. According to court filings, the plaintiff argues he began using social media at approximately age 8 and became addicted.  As Kimberley Hayek reports for The Epoch Times, the case is one of many taking aim at social media companies, accusing them of designing the platforms to addict young users. Earlier this month, YouTube settled with the same plaintiff. “YouTube’s decision to resolve this case before having to face a jury speaks for itself,” the plaintiff’s attorneys from Morgan & Morgan stated in that settlement.“We will continue fighting on behalf of all those affected by social media addiction to bring these companies to justice and compel them to prioritize the safety of their young users over their bottom lines.” In March, a jury in Los Angeles found Meta and Google liable for harms to a young woman, awarding damages after findings of negligence tied to addictive design features.  urors found the platforms contributed to addiction and mental health issues, leading to millions in compensatory and punitive damages. A judge upheld the verdict this month.More than 3,300 addiction-related lawsuits remain pending in California state court, with thousands more pending in federal court. School districts and states have also pursued claims, with some settlements reached, such as a Kentucky district’s agreement with several platforms. The TikTok settlement allows the company to avoid what would have been only the second individual trial of its kind in California over social media’s impact on minors.Plaintiffs in these cases argue that features, such as endless scrolling, personalized algorithms, and notifications create a “vicious cycle” of engagement that does harm to young brains.

‘Pure evil’: 16 children found in Ohio home; 4 arrested on child endangerment charges (WOIO) - The Vinton County Sheriff’s Office and Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) conducted a search warrant at a Southeast Ohio home Tuesday morning. According to the Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson, the search warrant was executed at 182 Ohmer St. in Hamden, Ohio. 16 children were discovered inside the home, and the Vinton County Sheriff’s Office said that evidence of other crimes were also discovered. Several of the children were in serious condition, and two were flown to hospitals due to how severe their condition was, Wilson said. The ages of the children ranged between 1 1/2 to 18 years old, and all 16 of them are being evaluated medically. Four people were taken into custody: Gary Siders, Jr.. Gary Siders, Sr., Elizabeth Siders, and Christina Siders. All four of the individuals are being charged with 17 counts of child endangerment, one for each of the children found and one additional because it involves serious physical harm. Wilson said the individuals are not from Vinton County. Vinton County Prosecutor William Archer said the charges will eventually be dropped to 16 counts. “I’ve been doing these types of cases for a long time, a big portion of my career dedicated to prosecuting these types of cases,” Wilson said. “This is pure evil what we saw down here today.” A second search warrant has been issued on the property, and Wilson said analysts are assigned and computer forensic and lab personnel will be assigned to the case. Wilson said that these are serious crimes and allegations that will be investigated fully, and he has also been in contact with the governor’s office for support.

Court rules that states can exclude transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports teams | SCOTUSblog -The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that states can exclude transgender athletes from women’s and girls’ sports teams. The justices ruled unanimously that laws enacted by Idaho and West Virginia do not violate federal civil rights laws, but they divided over whether the West Virginia law violates the Constitution, at least with regard to the athlete in the case before the court. In his 29-page opinion, Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that “[c]onsistent with Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause, we hold that the States may maintain women’s and girls’ sports for biological females. They may determine eligibility for women’s and girls’ sports based on biological sex. The Constitution and Title IX do not require an overhaul of women’s and girls’ sports throughout America.”Justice Sonia Sotomayor, in an opinion joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, contended that “the majority extends great sympathy to those it favors: the young cisgender girls and women who play sports. I share that sympathy. Playing sports can lead to benefits that are immeasurable, and many are understandably invested in ensuring that competition stays fair and safe. Because the majority, however, inflicts a hardship on those it disfavors without giving them the fair and full opportunity the Constitution requires to litigate their contentions, I respectfully dissent.”  The court’s decision in West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox came just over a year after the Supreme Court, also by a vote of 6-3, upheld a Tennessee law banning the use of puberty blockers and hormone therapy by transgender teenagers. Tuesday’s ruling centers on two laws that limit participation on women’s and girls’ teams. Idaho enacted the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act in 2020. The law bars transgender women and girls from participating on any women’s and girls’ sports teams in public schools, from elementary school through college. Idaho was the first state to pass such a law; since then, 25 other states have enacted similar bans.The West Virginia Legislature passed that state’s law, known as the Save Women’s Sports Act, in 2022. The law prohibits transgender women and girls from participating on women’s and girls’ sports team in public secondary schools and colleges.There are two challengers in two separate cases, which were argued on the same day in January. One challenger is Lindsay Hecox, who filed this lawsuit because she wanted to try out for the women’s track and cross-country teams at Boise State University in Idaho. Hecox did not make the NCAA teams at BSU but competed in women’s soccer at the club level.The other challenger is Becky Pepper-Jackson, identified in court filings only as B.P.J., a 15-year-old high school student who has publicly identified as female since the third grade. Pepper-Jackson takes medicine to stave off the onset of male puberty and has also begun to receive hormone therapy with estrogen. Pepper-Jackson’s mother, Heather Jackson, went to federal court in West Virginia when she learned that her state’s law would bar Pepper-Jackson from participating on the girls’ middle school sports teams.The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit agreed with Hecox that the Idaho law violates the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of equal treatment and prohibited Idaho from enforcing the ban. The court of appeals reasoned that the Idaho law was intended “to categorically ban transgender women and girls from public school sports teams that correspond with their gender identity.” The law also discriminates on the basis of sex, the lower court ruled, because athletes on girls’ and women’s teams are subject “to invasive sex verification procedures to implement that policy,” while athletes on boys’ and men’s teams are not. A federal appeals court in Richmond also barred West Virginia from enforcing its law. Specifically, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit ruled that West Virginia’s law violates Title IX, a federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in educational programs and activities that receive federal funding, because it discriminates against Pepper-Jackson on the basis of sex.Writing for the court, Kavanaugh made several overarching points. First, he emphasized, men and women have “inherent physical differences” that are “relevant to athletic performance” – for example, “height, weight, strength, speed, endurance, and jumping ability.” As a result of these differences, “forcing female athletes to compete against males can create significant safety risks” in contact sports. Moreover, he added, “in virtually all competitive sports, forcing female athletes to compete against males can undermine competitive fairness.” As a result, he said, “schools therefore typically maintain separate women’s and men’s sports teams.”

Controversially, The Supreme Court Rules For Common Sense - by Matt Taibbi - From Mother Jones yesterday: The science is far from settled about whether trans girls who have received gender-affirming treatment actually have a competitive advantage or pose a greater risk of injuring other players. But the majority opinion, by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, glosses over those unknowns - reasoning that "biological sex" is a good enough proxy for athletic ability for states to categorically ban trans girls from girls' sports. It was once uncontroversial to observe that testosterone gives athletes advantages. Baseball's steroid scandals were only a tick of the historical clock ago, and the number of people in the continental United States willing to stand up and say Mark McGwire and Raffy Palmeiro hit their own homers would have fit in a dentist's waiting room. Every working comedian in the country made at least one joke about balloon-headed liar Barry Bonds: This was universal, but once the trans issue with its myriad lifestyle and political considerations came along, the general public was suddenly asked to accept one factual absurdity after another about the same thing. "Far from settled!" Really, Mother Jones? The Supreme Court Tuesday handed down a landmark 6-3 ruling in West Virginia v. BPJ and Little v. Hecox, upholding two state bans on the participation of transgender athletes on women's and girls' sports teams. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who wrote the majority opinion, used strong language in upholding West Virginia and Idaho statutes, saying the court disagreed that "schools must allow biological males... to compete on girls' sports teams." Kavanaugh even used a hated term, asking, "May schools determine eligibility for women's and girls' sports based on biological sex? The answer is yes," upsetting pundits who want officials to stick to activist-approved phrases like "sex assigned at birth.""It's a good decision for women and girls," said Kara Dansky, who wrote an amicus brief supporting the states for the U.S. chapter of the Women's Declaration International.  Dansky was once senior counsel for the ACLU Center of Justice. In this case she was on the other side of the ACLU, whose attorneys (including co-director of LGBTQ and HIV rights, Chase Strangio) argued against the state bans. The ACLU has also split with former feminist allies by arguing for the housing of biological men in women's prisons, including those with records of violent sex offenses. These efforts in trying to force society to reimagine biology are clearly failing, but the outraged reaction yesterday shows the fight isn't over. NBC described the decision as a "major blow to LGBTQ rights," and former VP contender Tim Walz claimed the "Supreme Court says schools can be cruel to my trans kids": Cruel is an extraordinary word to describe the act of allowing states to object to a radical social program that was implemented virtually everywhere ahead of both scientific and (especially) political consensus. The numbers aren't close. A New York Times/Ipsos poll last year found 79% of Americans, including 67% of Democrats, are opposed to "athletes who were male at birth" participating in women's sports. The same poll found 71% of all Americans, including 54% of Democrats, believe no one under 18 should have access to puberty blockers. This was after exposure to years of movement messaging. Strangio and the ACLU don't see that they're asking for something people can't give them, even if they wanted to, namely the honest belief that people who've transitioned have literally changed sexes. The gambit failed for the same reason Spanish speakers rejected "Latinx." Like politics, language has a democratic dynamic. If people don't use Latinx because Spanish (like 38% of all languages) is a gendered tongue with its own distinct sonic system that Spanish speakers love, they won't use it, and you can't make them. The ostensible logic behind Latinx was to "challenge the gender binary" and "remove gender from Spanish," in part because a handful of intellectuals claim gendered language causes unequal economic outcomes. A rational person finds this absurd, unless you believe the early French schemed to consign bananas to girlhood while making boys out of tuna as a weirdly subtle means of oppressing women in future centuries. As with Latinx, activists tried to lobby "sex assigned at birth" into reality, only to have the population spit it back out as "biological sex." The court just recognized another thing that was uncontroversial until ten minutes ago. Yes, a small percentage of human beings have intersex characterstics, but most of the world's population can't be forced to unlearn what it intrinsically knows. Knowing which gametes your body cranks out is another form of "lived experience," one is irrelevant to activists, apparently, because it's "normative." People know they weren't "assigned" a sex by hospital clerks. Some people tried to think that way. It just didn't take.

Ohio public school districts face teacher shortages amid reduced state funding, budget woes -- When Izetta Thomas was just starting out on her journey as a special education teacher in Ohio, she quickly learned the history that held up the work she did. “I knew and learned that disability rights and everything that I am able to do as an intervention specialist, or a special ed. teacher, was hard fought for and won, which also means it was under threat,” Thomas said. She left her job to lead the Columbus Education Justice Coalition, but Thomas said she misses the classroom every day, and has held on to the belief that the job of an educator “may be one of the most politically charged careers in this day and age.” “I do think that if you are called to do this work, it is worth it, but you should go in eyes open, and go in knowing public education is under attack, and if certain folks have their way, then other systems and education would be under attack, too,” Thomas said. Educators and advocates like Thomas are worried that reduced public school funding and a lack of resources has taken its toll already, causing teacher shortages both in Ohio and nationwide. But there is hope that opportunities exist, if the state can get behind them. Anyone and everyone in the education field is looking for solutions to staff shortages in public schools. While advocates blame the problem on a lack of financial support from the state government, officials are pushing for more creative recruitment strategies. “The teacher shortage issue, the teacher pipeline issue, whatever buzzword we’re using to identify it at the moment, is something that’s national, pervasive, and has been ongoing for quite some time now,” said Jason Wagner, Ohio’s interim superintendent of public instruction. Wagner told a May meeting of the Ohio State Board of Education that across the country, more than 400,000 teaching positions were unfilled or filled by teachers without full certification in the 2024-2025 school year. That amounts to 1 in 8 teaching positions in the U.S. The biggest shortages are in the areas of special education, science, and math, Wagner said, though deep shortages are also present in English/language arts, elementary education, and career technical education.

More than 110 Ohio school districts and schools have armed staff members -   More than 70 Ohio school districts and 15 Christian schools have staff members who are authorized to carry weapons on school grounds, according to the Ohio School Safety Center A mix of 116 school districts and independent schools have armed staff members, as of June 17. Many of the schools are rural, but there are some urban and suburban districts. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed a bill into law in 2022 that grants local boards of education authority to decide whether to allow their teachers and school workers to carry firearms.  It lowered the required training hours for armed personnel from 700 hours to at least 24, but school boards have the authority to mandate more hours.  “It’s not a sufficient amount of training,” said Ohio Federation of Teachers President Melissa Cropper. “We’re talking about highly intense situations that require a lot of not only tactical training on how to use weapons. but how to deal with making split second decisions.”  She testified against the bill when it was in the legislature in 2021. “I wish that (the lawmakers) would trust us with what we’re actually trained to do, which is to educate students,” Cropper said. “We are firm believers in local control around issues, but we still think it is bad policy for schools to allow teachers to carry guns.” The law did grandfather in some school districts that had previous training, as long as the training met the requirements of the law. There have been more than 430 school shootings since Columbine in 1999, according to The Washington Post.   Antwerp Local Schools in Paulding County has had a few armed staff members for years. The rural school district has about 700 students and about 100 staff members.  Police response was the main factor in the decision to arm staff, said district superintendent Marty Miller.Antwerp has a police department, but they also rely on the sheriff’s department about 10 miles away. “Our concern for us was if there was a situation that unfolded, what kind of law enforcement could we get here, and how fast,” Miller said. “What we could get here if we needed law enforcement obviously was not going to be sufficient. His party can be over for the bad guy in terms of accomplishing what he wants to accomplish.”

Narrowed Education Department definition of ‘professional’ degrees stopped in federal court - — A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked the U.S. Department of Education’s new definition of “professional” fields of study, which set stricter borrowing caps for graduate students pursuing certain degrees. The ruling from U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell specifically halts the department’s new definition of “professional” degrees, which was limited to 11 fields and would impose lower loan caps for groups not included in its definition, including nursing, teaching and social work. The ruling, which covers two consolidated lawsuits, came just a week before the provision was slated to take effect July 1. It marks a setback for a key part of President Donald Trump’s administration’s forthcoming overhaul of the federal student loan system. The department finalized regulations, published May 1, that implement sweeping changes outlined in the GOP’s “big, beautiful” law, including new caps on federal student loans, with different limits based on whether a degree was “professional.” But it overreached by narrowing what degrees qualified as professional, Howell wrote, saying Congress intended to keep the definition in place when the law passed in July 2025.  “The Rule is likely contrary to law,” Howell wrote. “The Rule’s definition of ‘professional degree,’ and thus the category of students benefiting from the high loan caps, is likely narrower (than) what Congress intended.”But she declined to halt the department from enforcing the forthcoming loan caps because they were written into the law. Howell wrote that “this litigation cannot remedy plaintiffs’ primary frustration over the elimination of uncapped borrowing to pursue graduate education and the concomitant benefits of enabling more students from working families to earn a graduate degree in a chosen career field and attracting students more broadly to enter the American workforce in fields understaffed and in areas underserved.”  Wednesday’s ruling stems from a pair of combined challenges by associations representing people in fields that do not fall under the new “professional” definition and would thus face lower annual and lifetime borrowing caps. One suit was filed in May by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners; the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners; the American Association of Colleges of Nursing; the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health; the National Education Association; and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.  The other lawsuit was filed earlier in June by the PA Education Association and the American Academy of Physician Associates. In the May suit, the challengers argued that “the final rule’s definition of ‘professional degree’ excludes many degree programs that prepare students for a specific profession, and that may qualify as a professional degree under the 2007 regulatory definition adopted by Congress, including degrees in nursing, education, public health, and marriage and family therapy.” Part of the regulations eliminate a key loan program for graduate and professional students that allowed for unlimited borrowing and establish new annual and aggregate loan limits for those students.  Graduate student loans will be capped at $20,500 annually and have a $100,000 aggregate limit, while professional student loans would have a $50,000 annual limit and $200,000 aggregate cap. But the programs within the department’s “professional” category and thus subject to the higher loan cap are limited to: pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, chiropractic, law, medicine, optometry, osteopathic medicine, podiatry, theology and clinical psychology.

Tylenol during pregnancy doesn’t increase risk of child’s autism or ADHD, study suggests There is no association between using acetaminophen (Tylenol) during pregnancy and the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, according to a study published today in JAMA Internal Medicine. It adds to the evidence highlighting acetaminophen’s safety during pregnancy. “Paracetamol (acetaminophen) remains a safe and essential analgesic [pain reliever] and antipyretic [fever reducer] during pregnancy, whereas alternatives, such as NSAIDs [non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs] and opioids carry well-documented risks,” wrote the University of Hong Kong–led research team. “Unwarranted reluctance to use paracetamol could lead to undertreatment of pain and fever, or the use of more harmful alternatives, both posing risks to the pregnancy and developing fetus,” they added. The researchers used electronic health records from the Hong Kong Hospital Authority to identify pregnancies in which the mother received an acetaminophen prescription and then created a group of mother-child pairs from January 2001 through December 2023. The final group included mothers who had another child, thus creating a sibling matched cohort. The researchers examined 124,333 children (61,775 girls [49.7%] and 62,558 boys [50.3%]) for autism. Being exposed to acetaminophen during pregnancy did not increase the risk of having an ASD diagnosis. They also looked at 97,285 children (48,455 girls [49.8%]) and 48,830 boys [50.2%]) for ADHD. Again, there was no increased risk of an ADHD diagnosis in children born to mothers who took acetaminophen during pregnancy.

A new mom's experience falling down the algorithm rabbit hole - Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD - Let me tell you about a small snippet of hell called new mom instagram. I didn’t announce my pregnancy for some time, and most people not in my immediate vicinity found out only after he was born. But my algorithm knew — it was remarkably precise tracking through first trimester, second trimester, third trimester, giving me tailored content sometimes down to the week of my pregnancy. It’s probably not news to anyone that our algorithms are so fine tuned to our lives. We spend a little time lingering on a video or post, and the algorithm serves us up more of the same.  Before I was pregnant, my instagram algorithm was almost exclusively videos about dogs and gardening, because those are two things I highly enjoy. I use social media, I write about social media, and I study social media, so the algorithm shift when I got pregnant wasn’t too surprising to me. But nothing quite prepared me for new mom instagram. Every couple months a new survey comes out measuring what percent of people turn to social media for health advice. Every time I read these surveys, I can’t help but think they’re asking the wrong question. Most people aren’t opening up their instagram app and typing in a health question like a google search. While I have had many questions on this newborn learning curve, I haven’t looked for a single piece of information on any social media app. But, scrolling Instagram to help me stay awake for those 12 am, 3:30 am, and 5:30 am feeds, that information has found me. Intermixed with viral videos of newborns doing cute newborn things is a pernicious tide of health advice that seeps into my mind before I realize what’s happening. Health advice that is well communicated, emotionally charged, unvetted, conflicting, and in some cases, potentially dangerous. The algorithm shift sending me 37 different opinions on how to feed my newborn was already stressful enough. But the part that surprised me most was I started wanting to believe it.   Me — the physician-scientist who writes about the dangers of unvetted health information on social media. I even did half my PhD studying breast milk!  You would think I of all people would be resistant to adopting health advice from a comments section. Turns out, that’s not true. There is something unique about the combination of uncertainty, worry, and the algorithm that can draw anyone in – the impact of which I didn't fully understand until I experienced it myself.  I had questions, and the algorithm was figuring out what those questions were and serving up answers, regardless of accuracy.   This experience is not unique to moms (though other parents I’ve spoken to have had similar experiences). This same social media vortex can happen to anyone with a new health worry, vulnerability, or unanswered questions — someone with a new cancer diagnosis or a newly sowed doubt about vaccines. The algorithm has a sneaky way of figuring out exactly what is worrying you, what your questions are, and providing content to fill that void. There certainly isn’t an easy fix, aside from logging off of social media altogether (which for some is the best option). But as a society, eliminating social media isn’t likely to be a viable solution. Here are a few things we can do: Recognize what’s happening, and don’t give empty solutions. For years, the proposed solution to the problem of inaccurate information on social media has been telling people to stop looking for information there. “Don’t turn to social media for health advice. Look at reliable sources. Ask your doctor.” But this advice misses what’s happening. Most people aren’t turning to social media with their questions — social media is figuring out what their questions are without them asking. Recognize this can impact anyone. This isn’t about intelligence or education — it is a symptom of human nature and insidiously designed algorithms. If this can impact a physician who studies inaccurate health information online, it can impact anyone. Ask the right questions. Surveys assessing the impact of social media on health need to reframe how they ask the questions — if they only ask about who is looking for information on these apps, they will miss the larger impact of algorithms that both identify and tailor content to each individual’s particular health worries. Contribute and share accurate information (especially prebunking). Ironically, next week’s post in The Communication Lab is all about using Instagram for health communication. You may think after this month I want to delete the app — but I’m doing the opposite: working to contribute accurate information so there is a counterweight to the inaccurate content for those who fall down the rabbit hole. In particular, prebunking can help prepare people to resist manipulative tactics when they encounter them. Have empathy. For me, this was the biggest takeaway — I have a newfound empathy for parents who are navigating a sea of conflicting health advice, especially around vaccines. While my newborn questions were not about the hepatitis B vaccine or the vitamin K shot, I understand how even a little bit of doubt can send parents in search of answers, a search that may lead them down an algorithmic quagmire of worry and conflicting advice. A well fed little man, age 1 month. As far as me and the little man, we are both doing well one month in. And I’m working on retraining my algorithm back to dogs and gardens (and spending more time with real life dogs and gardens.)

Social media reflected US adults’ emotions at initial COVID vaccine rollout - As the world watched people receiving the first COVID-19 vaccines in December 2020, social media revealed joy, anger, and receding fear in the United States, according to a recent study in JAMA Network Open. The paper showed that social media can provide a richer understanding of the emotions people experience after a major public health achievement.  “These findings suggest that monitoring social media discourse can provide early signals of optimism, skepticism, and division, thereby informing targeted communication strategies,” wrote the authors, who were led by researchers at the National University of Singapore. The scientists examined more than 18 million geotagged posts from Twitter (now known as X) from 100 days before and after the rollout of the first COVID-19 vaccine. More than 1.9 million users from 3,065 counties created the posts.  Unsurprisingly, fear decreased when the vaccines were released. People living in Democratic counties experienced a bigger boost in joy, a larger dip in fear, and smaller increases in anger than those living in Republican areas. People in counties with high COVID-19 death rates also experienced less fear, but vaccine availability did not affect their joy or anger. “The increase in joy aligns with previous research indicating that scientific breakthroughs, such as vaccine rollouts, are often associated with relief and optimism in the public,” the authors wrote. In an accompanying commentary, Anish K. Agarwal, MD, MPH, and Rachel Solnick, MD, MSc, said the study showed that people feel a wide range of emotions when it comes to scientific advances. They believe that the anger revealed in posts could help doctors and public health experts address mistrust. “The presence or rise in anger should not necessarily indicate failure; rather, it signals unresolved concerns at the intersection of people’s values, experiences, and expectations,” wrote Agarwal, from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and Solnick, from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “The anger observed here represents an opportunity to listen and address potentially deep-seated questions and blind spots.”

New US poll identifies large ‘malleable middle’ on vaccine misinformation - Vaccine myths are not new. They have circulated for decades, surviving retracted studies and countless public health campaigns. Now, a new poll suggests that, while relatively few Americans fully believe those falsehoods, many remain uncertain about them—a finding that suggests opportunities to counter vaccine misinformation.The findings arrive amid declining vaccination rates, increasing numbers of vaccine-preventable diseases like measles, and significant upheaval in US vaccine policy. For example, vaccination coverage for the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine among US kindergartners during the 2024-25 school year was 92.5%, a decrease from the year before and below the national target of 95%. As of last week, 30 measles outbreaks have been reported in the United States in 2026. That follows a record-breaking 48 outbreaks in 2025. Cases have climbed to 2,134, compared with 2,288 for all of last year. And the nation’s measles elimination status is in jeopardy.Also, during the Trump administration, public health authorities have attempted to revise the childhood immunization schedule, slashed support for vaccine research, and spotlighted discredited claims about vaccines on official websites. The poll includes a nationally representative sample of 2,480 US adults and was conducted May 7 through May 31.  Fewer than 1 in 10 believe any myth The survey, published today, found that two-thirds of adults (66%) have heard the false claim that MMR vaccines have been proven to cause autism in children. Nearly half (46%) have heard the claim that more people have died from COVID vaccines than from the virus itself, and 36% have heard that mRNA vaccines can alter a person's DNA. Twenty-nine percent have heard that measles vaccines are more dangerous than measles infection. Fewer than 1 in 10 adults said they firmly believed any of the myths, but many expressed doubts. “When it comes to belief in these vaccine myths, more people are on the side of the truth, but we continue to find that at least half of people express uncertainty, falling in this ‘malleable middle,’"  Within the malleable middle, nuances exist. The poll pinpointed five distinct groups that make up this group. For example, consistent myth believers (1% of the public) believe all four vaccine myths and say that at least three out of four are “definitely true,” while those in the “mixed middle” (31%) give a range of true and false responses and at least half of the time provide a “probably” response in either direction. Consistent myth deniers (29%) say all four vaccine myths are false and at least three out of four are “definitely false.” Hispanic and Black adults, Republicans, people without a college degree, and younger adults were more likely to belong to the mixed-middle group. Information sources shape vaccine attitudes The poll found a strong association between trust in healthcare providers and vaccine attitudes, with adults who have a provider they trust being less likely to believe vaccine myths. Just under half of adults (46%) who do not have a trusted healthcare provider to answer questions about their health said it was “probably” or “definitely true” that more people have died from COVID vaccines than from COVID itself. That’s almost twice as many as those who reported having a trusted provider (24%). Researchers noted that the relationship remained significant even after accounting for factors such as age, race and ethnicity, education, political affiliation, and insurance status. Even among parents who are skipping or delaying vaccines for their children, larger shares express uncertainty than consistent, ardent belief, which may present an opening for those looking to dispel vaccine myths. Alex Montero, KFF analyst “We’ve seen in our polling that healthcare providers are one of the most trusted sources of health and vaccine information among the public, and these latest findings show how lacking such a trusted source is linked with a willingness to endorse vaccine myths, which further underscores the role providers may play in this respect,” says Montero. The survey also found that people who regularly use social media or artificial intelligence for health information were more likely to believe or lean toward believing vaccine myths. Thirty-seven percent of adults who use social media for health information at least weekly said the false claim linking MMR vaccines to autism was “probably” or “definitely true,” compared with 16% of those who never use social media for health information. Many hesitant parents remain open to persuasion Parents who reported delaying or skipping recommended childhood vaccines were substantially more likely to endorse vaccine myths than were parents who keep their children up to date on vaccinations. More than half of parents who delayed or skipped recommended vaccines believed or leaned toward believing that MMR vaccines cause autism (57% vs 30%), that COVID vaccines killed more people than the virus (55% vs 29%), and that mRNA vaccines alter DNA (52% vs 23%). More than 40% believed or leaned toward believing that the measles vaccine is more dangerous than measles (43% vs 18%). When the analysts controlled for factors like age, education, and partisanship, the relationship remained significant.

Vaccine double-header: Same-day flu, COVID shots shown to be safe -  Getting the flu vaccine and COVID shot on the same day doesn't increase the risk of adverse reactions, according to a review of the medication records of 2.5 million adults who receive medical care across the Veterans Affairs (VA) health system. The study, published today in the Annals of Internal Medicine, assessed the frequency of 46 adverse reactions of some 1.8 million VA patients who only received the flu shot, and compared that data to the incidence of adverse reactions among more than 705,000 who were vaccinated against both the flu and COVID-19 on the same day. People received this medical care from September 2022 to August 2025, during which time three iterations of the COVID vaccine were available. Cardiovascular and thrombotic events, neurologic disorders, and immune-mediated disorders were among the adverse reactions that researchers looked for in the 90 days following the immunizations. No individual outcome showed a statistically significant increase in risk. "The findings support the short-term safety of coadministration in older adults and may help inform ongoing vaccine policy discussions and individual risk–benefit assessments,” said the study’s authors, all of whom work at the VA St. Louis Health Care System's Clinical Epidemiology Center. The researchers also noted that despite declining fatality rates, COVID-19 continues to cause “substantial morbidity and mortality in the United States.” An estimated 879,000 hospitalizations and 101,000 deaths occurred from October 2023 to September 2024 in the United States.

Artificial intelligence could usher in a new era of vaccine development -  The COVID-19 vaccine was a triumph of science. Governments, researchers, and vaccine manufacturers worked in tandem to speedrun a process that can take decades.  Still, after a year of existential terror and isolation, the rollout of these shots, starting in December 2020, felt glacially slow—especially as COVID cases surged in January 2021, taking the lives of an estimated 445,000 people globally, making it the deadliest month of the pandemic.   If the next coronavirus pandemic were to begin today, the wait for a vaccine could be much shorter because of artificial intelligence (AI), said Lbachir BenMohamed, PhD, an immunologist at the University of California, Irvine, and vice president of research at California-based TechImmune.With the aid of AI, BenMohamed led a team of researchers to create a broad-spectrum coronavirus vaccine that activates T cells to clear the virus. BenMohamed believes this antigenic response can serve as a sort of skeleton key to train the body to mount an immune response to all viruses in the coronavirus family, including SARS-CoV-2 (which causes COVID-19), MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) and SARS-CoV (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus). Clinical trials are slated to begin early next year on a long-COVID therapy based on this discovery. This step determines safety and efficacy in humans and will reveal whether the vaccine can elicit the desired antigenic response. If the trials are successful, BenMohamed said the treatment can be refashioned into a vaccine for the next coronavirus epidemic or pandemic. "If there is a pandemic that is coming in future years, which is just a matter of time, we are much more prepared today than we were the last time around," he said.  BenMohamed is one of several researchers who told CIDRAP News that the field of vaccinology is just starting to realize what's possible with AI, specifically a subtype of AI called machine learning.The technology analyzes specific measurements—such as where antibodies bind to certain receptors or how long it takes B cells to produce those antibodies—to identify complex patterns within the immune system. In some cases, the data are so vast and complex that these patterns would be nearly impossible for researchers to recognize on their own. It costs an average of $886.8 million to bring a novel vaccine to US markets, according to a 2025 report by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The hope is that machine learning will make drug and vaccine discovery less costly and time-consuming, said Duxin Sun, PhD, the founding director of the Institute of AI-Driven Therapeutics Discovery at the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy.Major pharmaceutical companies are starting to invest in AI for general drug discovery. Pfizer recently signed a licensing agreement with the AI startup Chai Discovery to access software for antibody design. Eli Lilly has also partnered with Chai, along with AI companies NVIDIA and Insilico Medicine. The latter told CNBC in March that it had developed at least 28 drugs using generative AI tools, with nearly half already in clinical trials. Moderna is using AI in its vaccine work with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).While there have been exciting, novel publications, Sun notes that none of these drugs discovered through AI have advanced past clinical trials. He's not convinced machine learning will lead to a paradigm shift that enhances the success rate of drug discovery by predicting unintended and potentially dangerous side effects, or finding entirely new ways to solve problems that had never occurred to human scientists to try. Right now, AI tends to kind of regurgitate the scope of known things, said Peter McCaffrey, MD, director of AI initiatives at the University of Texas Medical Branch [UTMB].

Anthropic, AI powerhouse, announces it will begin developing drugs of its own -  — AI giant Anthropic has already become a dominant player in technology and a household name for everyday users of artificial intelligence. Can it make drugs too?On Tuesday, the company announced it is going to try. Though it’s unclear whether Anthropic intends to bring drug candidates to commercialization, multiple executives emphasized how important it is for Anthropic to get hands-on experience trying to use its own products to solve real scientific problems.  Eric Kauderer-Abrams, the company’s head of life sciences, said Anthropic has been asking itself what it should be doing besides training models and building products. During an event here to launch the company’s newest application, Claude Science, he said Anthropic had come up with one answer.

US sees earliest start to West Nile virus season and most cases by late June since 2004 - Noting that the United States is experiencing its earliest-ever start to the West Nile virus (WNV) season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging Americans to take precautions against mosquito bites over the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Along with the early start to the season, the country has seen the most cases of West Nile disease in people by this time of year since 2004. Of the 48 infections reported by 12 states as of June 30, 38 (79%) have caused severe neuroinvasive illness. This is a marked rise from the average 10 cases usually reported to the CDC by June 30. “This surge is driven by early circulation of the virus, with 23 states reporting West Nile virus activity—also the highest number recorded over the last 10 years,” the statement said. WNV is the country’s leading cause of mosquito-borne illness, accounting for an average of several thousand infections and about 100 deaths each year. Most infected people have no symptoms, but about 20% develop a fever and symptoms such as headache, body aches, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea, or a rash. Less than 1% of infected people experiences severe neurologic disease, including meningitis or encephalitis, which can lead to long-term disability or death. Risk factors for severe disease are older age (60 years and older) and having certain underlying medical conditions. So far this year, Arizona has reported the most human cases (32), while Texas has logged four and Tennessee two. Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota, have each documented one, according to the CDC’s ArboNET surveillance system. With millions of Americans expected to celebrate the country’s 250th year of independence this weekend, the CDC recommends use of an insect repellent registered with the Environmental Protection Agency. The CDC also advises wearing long, loose-fitting clothing; avoiding being outdoors at night; and using screens on windows and doors or air conditioning to keep mosquitoes out. "These findings serve as an important reminder that mosquito season is well underway," CDC Medical Epidemiologist Erin Staples, MD, PhD, said in the statement. "As families gather outdoors to celebrate Independence Day, we encourage everyone to enjoy their holiday while taking simple steps to protect themselves and their loved ones from mosquito bites."

Increase of tick-borne diseases in Illinois highlights the need to prevent tick bites year round -  More than 6,400 Illinois residents were diagnosed as having a tick-borne disease from 2004 to 2022, with cases occurring in every county in the state and in every month of the year. That number represents dramatic growth in human cases of tick-borne diseases during that time and reflects the urgency of prevention efforts, according to a new study in Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases. For the study, researchers the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign analyzed 6,423 cases reported to the Illinois Department of Public Health and found that the annual number of reported tick-borne disease cases increased by an average of 23 each year during the study period. Lyme disease accounted for most cases, adding, on average, 18 cases per year. The researchers also compared human disease data with canine disease data and found that exposure patterns in dogs largely mirrored those seen in people. “My big takeaway for the public is that we see tick-borne diseases 12 months out of the year and in every county in the state of Illinois,” senior author Rebecca Smith, DVM, PhD, an epidemiologist and professor of pathobiology at the University of Illinois, said in a university news release. “We have different tick-borne diseases in different places and different risks in different places, but every county, every month, there is a risk.” Every Illinois county reported at least one tick-borne disease case during the study period. Lyme disease was the most commonly reported, with cases concentrated in northern parts of the state. Ehrlichiosis and spotted fever group rickettsioses were more common in southern Illinois, and anaplasmosis occurred most often in the north and south. Cases were more common in rural counties, areas with higher deer-harvest rates, and counties with lower median household incomes. The researchers also found that, while cases peaked in June and July, every tick-borne disease except babesiosis was reported in every month of the year. The surge in cases in early summer corresponded to the peak period of activity for nymphal ticks, which are smaller than adult ticks and harder to spot. The researchers noted that the rise in reported cases likely reflects a combination of factors, including environmental changes and increased awareness and testing. Ticks have become more widespread in recent years—not just in Illinois, but across the country. “Definitely there is a geographic expansion, and we can see the effects of [them] expanding to areas where maybe in the past ticks were limited by overwintering temperatures,” says Pilar Fernandez, PhD, assistant professor at the Allen School for Global Health at Washington State University. And ticks aren’t just expanding their geographic footprint. They’re moving beyond forests into new ecosystems. In endemic areas, “anywhere when you go outside, particularly when you encounter some sort of vegetation—even in your backyard—risk is not zero,” says Alvaro Toledo, PhD, associate professor in the department of entomology at Rutgers University. Neither Fernandez nor Toledo was involved in the study. Because there are no vaccines or other large-scale public health prevention strategies for tick-borne diseases in people, experts say proactively avoiding tick bites when outdoors, performing tick checks after spending time outdoors, and seeking prompt treatment if symptoms develop are the best ways to stay safe. Toledo advises wearing light-color clothing with long sleeves, long pants, and socks when outdoors in endemic areas and treating outdoor clothing and gear with an acaricide (a pesticide specifically designed to kill ticks and mites) like permethrin. (Always apply permethrin to clothes and never directly to the skin.)

Ebola outbreak spreads to 4th province in DR Congo   - The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has spread to a fourth province, according to media reports.Sources at DRC’s National Institute of Biomedical Research told Agence France-Press that an Ebola case was detected in Haut-Uele province after a patient traveled there from Ituri province, which is the outbreak’s epicenter. Haut-Uele is north of Ituri and borders South Sudan and the Central African Republic. Like Ituri, the province sees heavy cross-border movement and trade, which health officials fear is helping the virus spread. North and South Kivu are the other two provinces in DRC that have reported Ebola cases. The outbreak now stands at 1,274 confirmed cases in DRC, with 360 deaths. Neighboring Uganda has 20 confirmed cases and two deaths.  The outbreak was declared on May 15 but is believed to have begun much earlier. Last week, the head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said the rate of contact tracing in DRC is far from where it needs to be to contain the viral hemorrhagic disease, which spreads through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of a person who is sick or has died from Ebola. The growing outbreak has prompted DRC’s government to ban mass public gatherings in the country’s capital, Kinshasa, according to the BBC. Mass gatherings have already been banned in Ituri, North and South Kivu, Haut-Uele, Bas-Uele, and Tshopo provinces. No cases have been reported yet in Kinshasa, but a French doctor who had been treating Ebola patients spent a day in the city before flying back to France and later tested positive. In other news, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), which is part of the US Department of Health and Human Services, last week said it is sending investigational doses of the monoclonal antibody MBP134 to DRC and Uganda for compassionate use.   The virus causing the current outbreak is Bundibugyo, which has no licensed therapeutics or vaccines. The trial, set to begin this week, will test whether MBP134 and the antiviral remdesivir can help reduce mortality in patients with Bundibugyo virus disease, alone or in combination.  Last week, Trump Administration officials said they were planning to request an additional $1.4 billion in funds from Congress to address the outbreak. Reuters reported that $800 million would help fund supplies, treatments, and contact tracing, along with a controversial quarantine center in Kenya for Americans who’ve been exposed to Ebola that has been temporarily stopped by the Kenyan government amid protests. Another $500 million would support efforts to prevent the virus from coming to the United States.

Ebola Outbreak Could Cost Africa up to $3.6 Billion, UN Says - (Tasnim) – The United Nations said on Tuesday that an Ebola outbreak could cost Africa up to $3.6 billion and hundreds of thousands of jobs, potentially causing a development crisis. The outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is no tested vaccine or treatment, has infected 1,307 people and killed 377 in the Democratic Republic of Congo since being declared on May 15, the government says, Reuters reported. A much smaller number of cases have been reported in Uganda and experts warn of the possibility of it spreading to other neighbors, such as South Sudan. "If we have the resources and we step up, we can contain this outbreak and prevent further losses," said Damien Mama, United Nations Development Programme resident representative in Congo. "If we do not, this health emergency risks becoming a much deeper and prolonged development crisis across the region and potentially the continent." The UNDP outlined three scenarios for the outbreak. In the best scenario, where the epidemic remains contained in the two countries, the cost is $1 billion for Congo's GDP, the report said. In the worst-case scenario, the disease spreads to countries including Rwanda and Angola and coincides with higher fuel costs linked to the Iran crisis, cutting continental GDP by $3.6 billion and resulting in 328,000 job losses, the report said.

Ebola outbreak will cause major harm to Africa’s economies, UN warns - The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda could have a long-lasting detrimental effects on Africa’s economies, with the DRC likely being the hardest hit, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said today in a report. The outbreak could lead to an additional 985,000 people living in poverty, with women experiencing the brunt of it. The report also anticipates that the impact on healthcare services could contribute to as many as 2,520 additional infant deaths unrelated to Ebola in the DRC. If the outbreak worsens and spreads to other countries, it could cost as much as $3.6 billion. Already, travel restrictions and quarantines—used to slow the spread of Ebola—limit people’s ability to work and spend money in the local economy.  “Ebola does not stop at the hospital gate,” said Ahunna Eziakonwa, MIA, UN assistant secretary-general and UNDP regional director for Africa, in a UNDP press release. “It affects livelihoods, education, food, security, trade, public finances, and trust. If we treat the Ebola outbreak solely as a health challenge, we risk missing the much larger development emergency unfolding around it.” Even if the outbreak remains limited to the DRC and Uganda, the DRC faces steep economic consequences, with the report estimating its gross domestic product will lose more than $1 billion and 55,000 jobs.  While the official outbreak was declared on May 15, it likely started earlier. So far, 1,307 people in the DRC have been sickened in the outbreak, and 377 have died, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In Uganda, there are 20 confirmed cases and two deaths.  Yesterday, the DRC’s National Institute of Biomedical Research shared with Agence-France-Press that an Ebola case was found in a fourth province, Haut-Uele. A patient from the Ituri province, where the outbreak is centered, had traveled to Haut-Uele. Both Ituri and Haut-Uele experience a great deal of travel, which can contribute to the virus flourishing. The Bundibugyo Ebola virus, which has no dedicated vaccine or treatments, fueled this current outbreak. To slow it, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) asked today for $18 million to trial new treatments and bolster contact tracing efforts, CNBC Africa reported.  “We have the science. We now need the funding to use it,” Jean Kaseya, MD, MPH, director-general of the Africa CDC, said in the CNBC report. “Clinical trials must start this week, and every day of delay costs lives we could save.”

Marburg virus cases reported in Ugandan ebola outbreak area | STAT  - Uganda formally reported to the World Health Organization on Tuesday that it had detected a Marburg disease outbreak in the western part of the country, a spokesperson for the Geneva-based global health agency told STAT. The development could further complicate the effort to contain what is already the third-largest Ebola outbreak on record in Central Africa. Both diseases are viral hemorrhagic fevers. The Ugandan government has not yet publicly disclosed a Marburg outbreak. But the U.S. embassy in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, issued a health alert on Monday, saying it had been made aware of a possible case of Marburg in the country. The alert was a level 4 advisory alerting Americans they should not travel to Uganda. Advertisement The notification from Uganda to the WHO was of a single case. But a well-placed source — who answered questions from STAT on the proviso that their name and place of work would not be identified — said that Uganda had actually detected two cases of Marburg as of Monday. The individual said it appeared that at this point, the outbreak is localized. The source said the WHO’s outreach to other countries to inform them of the information it was receiving about the outbreak also cited two confirmed cases. That notice went out through a password-secure disease news-sharing network run through the International Health Regulations, a treaty to which most countries — including the United States — are signatories. “We continue to request further information, and once this is received from Ugandan health authorities, we will continue to update Member States, and the wider public,” the WHO said in a statement given to STAT. STAT has reached out to Uganda’s health ministry for comment but has not yet received a reply. Nahid Bhadelia, director of Boston University’s Center on Emerging Infectious Diseases, suggested the U.S. embassy’s alert may have been an attempt to force the country to publicly acknowledge something that has been likely known for some days. “The embassy releasing this does make me feel like this is something that is a bit more confirmed,” she said. Marburg is caused by a filovirus, the broad family to which Ebolaviruses belong. The viruses trigger the same type of disease and are spread via the same methods — contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, or the preparation of an infected corpse for traditional burials. Of the 20 or so recorded Marburg outbreaks to have been confirmed since the virus was identified in 1967, five occurred in Uganda, two were in tourists who were infected there but confirmed after returning home, and one involved lab workers infected by monkeys from Uganda.   There are currently no licensed vaccines to prevent Marburg infection, though several candidates are at various stages of being tested. And Marburg vaccine work is further advanced than efforts to test vaccines against Bundibugyo, the species of Ebola responsible for the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, that outbreak’s epicenter. Several are in development, but the entities working on these vaccines don’t currently have doses available to mount a clinical trial. Trials of these vaccines are months down the road.   Uganda is known to be highly effective in containing outbreaks of Ebola and Marburg. But it is likewise known to be hesitant to disclose much information during such outbreaks, possibly driven by the importance tourism plays in its economy. The detection of a Marburg outbreak in Uganda comes at a time when the government there is trying to get countries — including the United States — to roll back entry restrictions on Ugandan nationals or travelers who have been in Uganda within the previous 21 days, the incubation period for Ebola and Marburg.

Ebola deaths in Africa top 400 as Uganda reports death of child from Marburg - --Casualties of the Ebola Bundibugyo virus outbreak in Africa continue to mount, with a total of at least 1,354 infections and 401 deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, as investigators track potential spread to new DRC provinces and Uganda confirms a Marburg infection in a child who died of the virus. Like Ebola, the closely related Marburg virus causes a hemorrhagic fever.The new totals come after the addition of 26 cases and 22 deaths yesterday in the eastern DRC provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu. Now health authorities are tracing people who may have been exposed to the virus in the previously unaffected neighboring provinces of Tshopo and Haut-Uele.In the Tshopo case, officials are looking for people who have been exposed to the body of a pregnant woman who died of Ebola in Ituri on June 27 and was transported roughly 186 miles by motorcycle to the city of Kisangani in Tshopo. The journey was undertaken before the woman was known to have had Ebola.Authorities have apprehended two contacts of Ebola patients who had been isolated for testing in Ituri and had fled to Haut-Uele province, which also borders South Sudan and the Central African Republic. One of the two contacts tested positive for Ebola, while the other was awaiting a confirmatory test. They were returned to Ituri while healthcare teams trace anyone they may have encountered in Haut-Uele.While no Ebola infections have been confirmed in South Sudan, humanitarian groups are working to shore up health-system preparedness because of the country’s transient populations and permeable borders with the DRC. Today, a Relief Web report said that the International Medical Corps is supporting 80 facilities in which workers have conducted more than 53,200 screenings and treated 314 patients, including 110 with confirmed Ebola.Both the DRC and Uganda declared the outbreak on May 15, but it is believed to have begun much earlier.Today, Ugandan health officials confirmed a single case of Marburg in a 1.5-year-old child who died of the virus in Kyegegwa district in the western part of the country, Reuters reports. No contacts of the child have experienced symptoms, and no other cases have been identified. As is true for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus, there is no vaccine to prevent Marburg infection.

The WHO aims to help nations confront growing threat of fungal disease, antifungal resistance --The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a new “blueprint” to help countries respond to the growing threat of fungal infections and antifungal resistance.Released yesterday, the document provides a framework to strengthen national and regional responses to fungal diseases, which affect more than 300 million people each year yet remain widely under-recognized, underdiagnosed, and poorly managed. Although fungi can cause a wide range of easily treatable skin infections, of particular concern are the invasive infections caused by fungal species that have become highly resistant to the limited number of antifungal drugs available and have high mortality rates.The blueprint is the latest in an ongoing effort by the WHO to address a threat that the international health organization believes is expanding because of climate change, increased global travel, and widespread use of antifungal pesticides in agriculture. In 2022, the organization released its first-ever list of fungal “priority pathogens,” identifying 19 fungal species that have emerged as public health threats and should be targets for development of new antifungal therapies and diagnostic tests.The document calls on countries to focus on four core domains to reduce preventable deaths from fungal infections and mitigate antifungal resistance: strengthening awareness, preparedness, and response; expanding equitable access to antifungal medications and diagnostics while also boosting research into new treatments and tests; building lab networks and surveillance systems to track and detect fungal infections; and addressing social, agricultural, and environmental determinants of fungal disease and antifungal resistance.Tom Chiller, MD, MPHTM, former chief of the Mycotic Diseases Branch at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and member of the WHO steering group that helped develop the report, said the aim was to give countries a roadmap to help countries and health systems handle fungal priority pathogens."I think part of the blueprint is to say, 'hey, these aren't your only priorities. We get that,'" Chiller told CIDRAP News. "But put fungi within your public health clinical diagnostic priorities for right now and the future because they're important and they are killing people and they are maiming people and they are causing a lot of disease as well."

Air Force trainee in San Antonio, Texas, died from flu  --The cause of death for an Air Force trainee who died last month at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio was influenza, according to Rep. Joaquin Castro, a Texas Democrat. Keon Talik McDaniel, 25, died June 16, according to his obituary.Influenza swept the air force base in June, one month after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made the flu shots voluntary, rather than mandatory, for American troops.Nearly 300 troops have been sickened by influenza, Castro said in a press release. “The Air Force confirmed that trainee Keon McDaniel died from the flu during the outbreak at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio,” Castro said. “This is a tragedy that could have been prevented were it not for the reckless actions of Secretary Hegseth.”The military reversed its flu vaccine policy, once again making it mandatory, then raced to vaccinate troops before the vaccines expired June 30, according to reporting by The Guardian. Castro and Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, a Pennsylvania Democrat, co-sponsored an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to require military servicemembers to be vaccinated against influenza.  “I will continue to push for the Pentagon to fully restore its vaccine mandate and protect lives,” Castro said in the statement. “Our military must be guided by science, not politics.” Influenza can be extremely contagious in confined settings, and spreads easily among people who live in group housing, such as military barracks, dormitories, and homeless shelters. The influenza vaccine provides "significant protection against serious illness, hospitalization and death,” said Michael T. Osterholm, PhD, MPH, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota (CIDRAP), which publishes CIDRAP News.

2024 Listeria outbreak that killed 3 traced to pasteurized plant-based milk | A 2024 listeriosis outbreak in Canada that sickened at least 20 people and killed three has been traced to contaminated plant-based milk products, marking what public health authorities believe is the first listeriosis outbreak tied to alternative dairy beverages. A detailed investigation into the source of the outbreak was published this month in Eurosurveillance. Listeriosis is caused by Listeria monocytogenes bacteria, and it is a rare but potentially severe foodborne illness that disproportionately affects people with weakened immune systems. Ready-to-eat meats and soft cheeses are well-known sources of Listeria infection, though novel sources continue to be identified, including products like plant-based milk. Investigators from Public Health Ontario detected the outbreak in June 2024 when routine testing of leftover food collected from a patient's home identified L monocytogenes in an opened coconut-based beverage. Whole-genome sequencing identified a genetic link between the patient’s case and the positive sample collected from the beverage. The researchers identified several more previous genetically related cases that occurred from August 2023 to June 2024. The outbreak resulted in 15 hospitalizations and three deaths. Patients ranged in age from 7 to 89 years old, and 14 of the 20 confirmed case-patients had underlying medical conditions. When listeriosis outbreaks occur, public health investigators follow up with standardized questionnaires to help identify the source of the outbreak. But existing questionnaires did not ask about plant-based dairy alternatives. “Plant-based beverages are not a known source of L. monocytogenes outbreaks and, because the implicated product was pasteurised, contamination was not expected,” write the authors. The investigators created a new, targeted survey that asked about dairy alternatives. The first eight Ontario patients who took the updated survey all reported consuming the same brand of plant-based beverages. Ultimately, 19 of the 20 patients reported consuming products from that brand. Investigators traced the outbreak to a single manufacturing plant in Ontario, collecting hundreds of swabs from pre- and post-pasteurization areas in the facility. While they found L monocytogenes in four non–food-contact areas of the facility, with two of the four samples genetically linked to the outbreak strain, the exact source of contamination was never identified.

Trump's massive July 4 firework show raises health alarms - An "unforgettable" tribute to America, or a health hazard that will terrorize animals and pollute the environment? That's the question as Washington prepares to break the record for the world's largest fireworks display on the United States' 250th birthday on Saturday. The Trump administration's "Freedom250" project has hired Pennsylvania-based Pyrotecnico to launch more than 850,000 fireworks shells across 10 sites around the Lincoln Memorial and Potomac River, starting at 10:30 pm and lasting 40 minutes. That is around 40,000 more than the current Guinness World Record, set in Bocaue, Philippines in 2016, and roughly 50 times more than Washington's usual annual show. "Freedom250" has billed it as the "unforgettable" capstone for a day of performances, flyovers and acrobatics displays at the National Mall, claiming it will bring hundreds of thousands of visitors and calling it a generational event. They haven't however disclosed the bill for the affair and did not respond to a request seeking the sum. "Fireworks are a tried-and-true American tradition," Jodi Dague, Pyrotecnico's director of marketing, told AFP. "They bring back childhood memories and allow families to create new ones. It's a reason to gather and celebrate." Not everyone is convinced. "First let me say, I like fireworks -- I think they're fun," Russell Dickerson, a professor of atmospheric chemistry at the University of Maryland told AFP, but said the number in question was "frightening." "In my professional opinion, it's probably ill-advised to try to set off 850,000 fireworks... on a hot, stagnant, already polluted day. I'm not going down to the Mall and I certainly would not bring my grandchildren there." The biggest concern is fine particulate matter, he explained -- particles 2.5 micrometers or smaller that can penetrate deep into the lungs, enter the bloodstream and even cross the blood-brain barrier. The EPA's 24-hour standard caps exposure at 35 micrograms per cubic meter. After a fireworks show, "it dissipates substantially in a few hours, but in those few hours, people are going to be exposed to huge amounts," Dickerson said, adding that the smoke could cut visibility to a few hundred yards. Making matters worse is a heat wave gripping the East Coast, with firework smoke and pollution liable to last longer without rain to clear it, and hot weather itself increasing background levels of pollution as the power grid strains under increased demand for cooling and as vehicles emit more. "The amount of pollution that we produce is apocalyptic during this one particular day," Glory Dolphin Hammes, CEO of IQAir's North American division, told AFP. Data compiled by the Swiss-based company from public and private sources showed that hourly PM2.5 in Washington peaked at 11 pm on July Fourth, last year at 133 micrograms per cubic meter. The Air Quality Index peaked at 208, levels more commonly associated with South Asian cities. Epidemiologically, PM2.5 spikes are linked to a rise in emergency room visits, Hammes said, with longer-term impacts on heart and lung health from chronic exposure. Beyond particulate matter, fireworks contain trace metals that produce their bright colors, and burning them releases harmful volatile organic compounds. Fireworks are also traumatizing for pets, particularly dogs, which tremble and even bolt from their homes in fear. Adrian Aceves, a physician living in downtown Washington, said he'd be staying in with his five-year-old mutt Rosy, "trying to distract her with treats and toys, and I will medicate her." Then there's wildlife: a recent European study found Arctic migratory geese flew away from their sleeping sites in response to New Year's Eve fireworks and never returned. And a 2016 US government study found perchlorate, an oxidizing agent used in fireworks, had made its way into groundwater and surface water around Mount Rushmore National Memorial, which holds annual July 4 shows.

Houston power plant emerges as dominant source of cloud-forming aerosols -Research by atmospheric scientists at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography and colleagues pinpointed an individual coal-fired power plant in Houston as the main source of particles most likely to encourage the formation of clouds around the metropolitan area. A large portion of aerosols from W.A. Parish Generating Station serve as what are called cloud-condensation nuclei (CCNs). Scripps Oceanography atmospheric scientist Greg Roberts and colleagues found that the plume extended over downtown Houston and more than 110 kilometers (68 miles) downwind. To map it, the team took measurements from aircraft with state-of-the-art instruments, a setup Roberts said gave researchers a unique opportunity to pinpoint emissions sources. Even though the public health impacts of emissions from the coal-fired power plant were not a goal of the study, Roberts observed that such particles cross the entire Houston metropolitan region and are the size most commonly associated with respiratory illnesses. The research breakthrough identified a clear source: the W.A. Parish Generating Station southwest of the city, in a region that includes urban traffic, industrial refineries and a major port."Cloud-forming particles are also the size of particles that go deepest into the lungs," said Roberts. "There's always been a layer of doubt as to where those particles are coming from."Two related studies have been published previously, but the latest, revealing the pollution source, appeared June 28 in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, with Roberts as lead author.For some residents of greater Houston, the findings may provide additional evidence that W.A. Parish is as harmful to health as they suspect. Their contention has been the subject of media coverage in recent months.

America’s wheat harvest set to fall to lowest level in 150 years -America is expected to harvest its lowest acreage of wheat since 1877, due to drought, scorched crops, high input costs and uncertainty in export markets. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service released estimates on June 30 that the total area of all wheat planted was 42.7 million acres in 2026, down six percent from the previous year. This was also 1 million acres below the agency’s March forecasts. The harvested area of all wheat for 2026 is forecasted to be around 32 million acres, which would be the lowest level in about a century and a half, according to USDA data. The figures have renewed concern about the long-term decline of one of America’s most historically important crops and raised questions about what it could mean for farmers, food prices and U.S. agriculture more broadly.

Lawmakers plan response to Supreme Court’s Roundup ruling - Florida Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna said she plans to introduce legislation that would strip pesticide companies of the liability protections from cancer lawsuits granted by the Supreme Court on Thursday morning.“These companies purposefully omit labeling information knowing their products cause cancer and other health problems,” Luna wrote in a post on the social media site X on Thursday afternoon. “It is time they are held accountable. Enough is enough.”Her statement comes just hours after the Supreme Court issued a devastating blow to the Make America Healthy Again movement in siding with agrichemical giant Bayer in its case contesting cancer warning labels for its flagship weed killer, Roundup.Key MAHA voices were quick to praise Luna’s announcement.

Is Trump cutting down DC’s oldest cherry trees for golf course? --A viral social media post is raising alarm over the future historic cherry trees in Washington, claiming that the Trump administration plans to cut down the city’s oldest cherry tree as part of a major renovation of East Potomac Park. “The Trump administration is planning to cut down DC’s oldest cherry tree to make way for a new Trump golf course,” FactPost wrote on X Wednesday. The claim spread after President Donald Trump announced that work on a sweeping renovation of the publicly owned golf course would begin on September 1. While there is some evidence that the golf course redesign could affect areas near some of Washington’s oldest cherry trees, there is currently no confirmation that the administration intends to remove the oldest trees or that it will not. Newsweek reached out to the White House and Fazio Design, which is in charge of the project, for comment. The golf course sits within East Potomac Park, home to one of the capital’s most historically significant cherry tree groves and also a popular destination during cherry blossom season. The cherry blossoms are among Washington’s most recognizable landmarks and trace their roots to Japan’s 1912 gift of thousands of flowering cherry trees to the United States as a symbol of friendship. “The historic cherry tree groves of Washington, D.C., donated by the Japanese to the United States, are unquestionably, among the most iconic, admired and visited sites in our nation’s capital and are irreplaceable,” Webster University adjunct professor Bill Hall told Newsweek. “To destroy and remove them for purposes of another golf course development, would be a tragedy and one that we can only hope and trust will be reconsidered.” The viral post shared on X by FactPost came days after Trump toured East Potomac Golf Links with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and golf architect Tom Fazio. Shortly after, Trump announced plans to transform the aging municipal facility into what he described as a world-class public golf course capable of hosting major tournaments such as the U.S. Open and Ryder Cup. “When completed, this Course will have the ability to host Major Golf Tournaments, including The U.S. Open, The Ryder Cup, The PGA Championship, and other top PGA Tour events,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Work on the new Course, which will go quickly, will begin on September 1st. Tom Fazio will be the Course Architect. It will be built through the Department of the Interior, and designed to the Highest Standards of Golf, but also in such a way that the General Public will love it.”

Some boreal forest species fail to recover even 100 years after clearcutting - Boreal forests are being clear-cut faster than some of their wildlife and plant species can recover, with a few failing to return even 100 years after harvesting, according to University of Alberta-led research. The comprehensive global analysis looked at how clear-cutting—when all trees in an area are felled—affects birds, small mammals, spiders, insects, vascular plants, mosses and lichens in forests that are harvested for lumber or pulp and paper production. The researchers compared logged and unlogged areas over many decades, tracking how long it took to return to the biodiversity levels of a mature forest. The findings are published in the journal Nature Sustainability. While some species came back within 30 years—soon enough to fall within the typical 60- to 80-year logging cycles—others won't fit into that timeline, warns biologist Dr. Ellen Macdonald, a professor emerita in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences and lead author of the study. "If forestry operations continue in the future with repeated cycles of the clear-cutting practices they use now, some of these species are essentially never going to recover; they will start to disappear from the landscape." The biodiversity provided by plant, lichen and animal—or biotic—communities is vital to forest health, adds ecologist Dr. Anne McIntosh, a professor at Augustana Campus and co-lead of the research. "All of these species play important roles in their own ways," she says. "There are many types of interactions that occur, and when species are removed from a forest, there is a danger of losing that biodiversity and their interactions, with unknown consequences."

Black locust deploys peptides to steer root bacteria into nitrogen fixation - Nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients for plants and is therefore essential for high agricultural yields as well as healthy forests. Although nitrogen gas (N₂) makes up about 78% of the air, plants cannot use it directly. Legumes such as peas, clover and black locust rely on nodule bacteria (rhizobia): In small swellings on the roots, known as root nodules, these bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonium that plants can use. In return, the plant supplies the bacteria with energy. "Nitrogen fixation is one of the most important biological processes. It is central to natural ecosystems and, at the same time, reduces the need for energy-intensive fertilizers," explains Dr. Robert Hänsch from the Institute of Plant Biology at Technische Universität Braunschweig. In these nodules, researchers from the Technical University of Braunschweig and Southwest University in Chongqing, China, discovered an unusual group of short proteins—so-called peptides—that are particularly rich in the amino acids proline and glycine. The team calls them NPG peptides (short for "nodule-specific proline-glycine-rich peptides"). They are produced exclusively in the nodules as soon as the bacteria colonize the root and accumulate specifically in the infected cells. When the team exposed the bacterium Mesorhizobium robiniae to one of these peptides in the laboratory, its gene activity shifted significantly toward nitrogen fixation. "What is particularly remarkable about the newly discovered peptides is that they do not impair the nodule bacteria to the extent that they lose their ability to reproduce. This distinguishes them from all previously known peptides used by other legumes to control their symbiosis," says Hänsch.This highlights a remarkable contrast between two strategies. Many annual legumes, such as the pea, rely on coercion: Their NCR peptides drive the bacteria into "terminal differentiation," during which they swell, fix as much nitrogen as possible, but irrevocably lose their ability to divide. This also serves as a form of quality control, since bacteria that fail to supply nitrogen cannot exploit the nodules, which are maintained at great cost.However, it remains a one-way strategy. The black locust takes the opposite approach: Its NPG peptides encourage the rhizobia to settle and fix nitrogen without forcing them into this final stage. The bacteria remain viable and capable of division, becoming permanent cohabitants. For a long-lived tree that must maintain a stable symbiosis over many growing seasons, this gentle form of cooperation is a plausible advantage.

Gut parasite alters honey bee smell as infection progresses, potentially changing hive behavior Honey bees infected with a gut parasite smell different, which could allow bee colonies to detect disease and influence behavior inside the hive, new research finds. A team from Cardiff University has uncovered new information about Vairimorpha infection in bees, showing that the parasite that causes gut infection changes volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions—causing infected bees to smell different from the healthy colony. Dr. Ayman Asiri, Cardiff University School of Biosciences, said, "Infection is known to change the VOCs emitted in a wide range of animals, but the effects in adult honey bees have remained unexplored." Tracking scent changes over time In the new study, researchers collected adult worker honey bees, separating them into an infected group and an uninfected control group. They then tracked infection over 14 days, sampling VOCs and analyzing changes in VOCs emitted by the bees. The research, "Wake Up and Smell the Infected Bees: Volatile Cues of Vairimorpha Infection in Honey Bees," was published in Ecology and Evolution. They found that the profiles of the types of VOCs emitted by infected and uninfected bees differed significantly, with differences at their strongest at six and 12 days post-infection. This suggests that infection odors depend on the stage of infection and may be linked to the level of infection at those time points. The researchers found that no VOCs were exclusive to infected bees. However, the amounts of chemical compounds changed during infection. Two compounds—tetradecane and dodecane—were associated with early infection, and 3,4-dimethylbenzaldehyde was linked to late infection. The progression of the parasite infection aligned with VOC changes, with differences coinciding with periods of rapid parasite growth, suggesting odor changes reflect underlying infection progression. Chemical cues inside the hive The researchers believe the early-stage compounds may act as cues that trigger the avoidance or removal of infected bees. This may mean VOCs contribute to a bee colony's social immunity by helping workers detect and respond to infection through chemical cues.

There may be 3 times more insect species than previously thought -  A new estimate of insect species globally finds that there may be 8 million to 14 million more species than people thought, with few of them discovered.The study, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, claims that a doubling or tripling of estimated insect species—already established as the most diverse group of animals—has profound implications for understanding the scale, richness and future of biodiversity on Earth."We cannot protect species if we don't know that they exist, and so, to be able to understand the biodiversity on our planet, it's important to know how many there are," said Laura Melissa Guzman, assistant professor of entomology at Cornell University and the paper's corresponding author. In the study, the researchers took advantage of intense insect sampling at the Área de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG) protected area, encompassing 169,000 hectares (417,000 acres) in northwestern Costa Rica. They first used three methods to conduct a deep sample of Microgastrinae, an extremely diverse subfamily of small parasitoid wasps, in the ACG. The wasps lay their eggs inside caterpillars, and when hatched, the larvae consume the insides of the caterpillar, grow and eventually emerge.Two of the sampling methods involved tentlike traps called Malaise traps, including a core set of traps and a peripheral set, and the third involved collecting caterpillars and analyzing the wasp species that emerged from them.Fifteen core Malaise traps captured more than 1.6 million insect specimens, and all of these were barcoded—a technique in which a small segment of DNA is sequenced to determine unique species. The core Malaise traps yielded a total of close to 54,000 insect species. In the end, the three sample sets yielded 1,414 Microgastrinae wasp species.The team used statistical techniques to determine a ratio of the number of Microgastrinae wasps detected in the ACG compared with how many more were potentially undetected. This ratio was then applied to the larger number of close to 54,000 total insects to determine the estimated true species count of all insects in the ACG, which equaled close to 333,000.To estimate how many global insect species there might be, they determined the ratio of estimated global tree species (around 73,000) compared with the estimated number of ACG tree species (1,200–1,500). They also calculated this ratio for mammals, amphibians and saturniid moths. By applying that tree ratio to the estimated 333,000 insect species in ACG, the research team ultimately estimated a range of total insect species globally of 14 million to 20 million.

Giraffes combine quantities similarly to addition- In addition to humans, some species of primates and birds have demonstrated under experimental conditions their ability to manipulate quantities in tasks that require combining or separating them, in a manner similar to addition or subtraction. Now, a study by the University of Barcelona, published in the journal Scientific Reports, reveals that some giraffes are also capable of deciding which of two options contains more food after mentally combining two quantities, a process comparable to simple addition. These results suggest that giraffes possess a cognitive foundation that could support more complex arithmetic skills.  The study also challenges the notion that complex cognitive abilities are unique to humans and other primates and supports the hypothesis that certain sophisticated abilities may have evolved convergently across different animal lineages. Giraffes belong to the order Ungulata, a group of mammals characterized by having hooves that includes species such as hippos, camels and deer. These animals have demonstrated strong abilities in numerical tasks, such as distinguishing between different quantities—identifying where there is more and where there is less—or performing simple statistical calculations to determine which of two options most frequently provides their preferred food. As part of the study, the team designed a test involving four specimens from the Barcelona Zoo to see whether they were able to choose the container with the most food from two options, one of which had been changed during the process. "The change could involve adding food, as in addition; removing food, as in subtraction; or carrying out sequential operations, such as removing food from one option and adding it to the other," Loidi said. Each animal was shown two different quantities of carrots in two yellow containers, which were then closed after a few seconds. They were then shown another green container, which held the amount of food that was added to one of the original containers. Once the addition was made, the animals could choose which container they preferred, without ever having seen the final result of the operation. In the subtraction task, the green container was initially empty and served to collect the items removed from the yellow containers. The key factor is that the quantities were no longer visible to the animal after the initial presentation. "If this information were available to the giraffes, we could not conclude that the subjects are performing mental operations, as they might base their choice solely on the perceptual information available after the manipulation," Loidi noted. Finally, two of the four giraffes that took part in the study solved the quantity-addition tasks, suggesting that these animals "can remember quantities they have observed, mentally update that information following changes, and make optimal decisions based on it." However, none of the giraffes managed to solve the subtraction tasks or the sequential calculations. "These results are consistent with what we observe in humans: There are individual differences in numerical problem-solving and, in general, subtraction is more difficult than addition. Furthermore, subtraction activates areas of the brain specializing in complex, controlled processing that addition does not stimulate," Loidi said.

Supreme Court Denies Pork Industry Appeal of Animal Welfare Law - Amid a flurry of high-profile US Supreme Court rulings, a case that the high court refused to take up has animal welfare advocates claiming a big win.The Supreme Court on Tuesday denied a petition to review the case of Triumph Foods, LLC v. Campbell, which sought to override a Massachusetts’ animal welfare law known as Question 3. Petitioners wanted the high court to find that the federal law preempts the rules imposed by Massachusetts. The law — which is similar to California’s Proposition 12 law — requires that hogs, calves and chickens that are on confined farms or sold in the state are raised with adequate room to turn around, lie down and extend their limbs.A brief submitted to the Supreme Court by 24 states in support of Triumph Foods said Question 3 “appears only to regulate sales of pork that occur in Massachusetts. But its reach is much broader.” The state law “denies market access to out-of-state pork farmers and processors unless their practices comply with Massachusetts’s mandates,” the brief said, adding that Question 3 would raise the estimated cost to raise a sow from between $1,600 and $2,500 up to $3,400.Triumph Foods cited the court’s June 25 ruling in favor of the former Monsanto pesticide company as a precedent that should apply in its case, arguing that state laws cannot preempt federal regulation. In the Monsanto case, the Supreme Court ruled that a federal law regulating pesticides bars states from enforcing claims related to labeling.In an opposition brief,  Massachusetts’ Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, the named defendant in the case, argued that  “petitioners have provided no evidence to support the dire predictions within their complaint of ‘enormous costs on pork farmers.’”The Supreme Court’s decision not to take up the case comes after the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit issued an opinion in 2025 that upheld Question 3.“We are pleased that the Supreme Court declined to review one more tedious pork industry challenge to a voter-approved state farm animal welfare law,” said Rebecca Cary, managing attorney at Humane World for Animals. “The law has now been upheld at every level of the  federal judiciary, confirming that Question 3 is constitutional and not preempted by federal law.”  The petition comes as challenges to California’s and Massachusetts’ laws are also playing out in federal policy discussions, as industry groups have pushed Congress to include a provision — often referred to as the “Save Our Bacon Act” — in the upcoming Farm Bill.  The House draft included such a provision, while the Senate version, released last week, did not.

Tens of millions swelter as heat wave blasts US -- Dozens of local temperature records could be broken, the National Weather Service (NWS) warned, with temperatures in many places surpassing 100°F (38°C) and high humidity pushing the heat index as high as 115°F (46°C).It comes as America prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary of independence, and as the United States, along with Canada and Mexico, co-hosts the World Cup soccer tournament amid the extreme heat.Chicago, the nation's third-largest city, announced it was opening cooling centers and sending city employees to carry out wellness checks on vulnerable populations.In New York, Mayor Zohran Mamdani's office said it was launching an "unprecedented, historic" plan to deal with the heat that includes vans to provide residents with hydration, as well as pop-up cooling stations with misting fans and cooling towels.Washington, the capital, meanwhile, was forecast to see 100°F temperatures from Thursday through Saturday, when it will host a fireworks display on the National Mall that organizers said would be the biggest in history.More than 60 million people are currently under heat alerts, the NWS said.

World's oceans break June heat record: EU monitor - The world's oceans just experienced their hottest June on record and could set fresh highs in the months ahead as El Niño and climate change drive temperatures even higher, scientists said Wednesday. Global average sea surface temperatures in June were 20.98°C, beating the previous records of 2023 and 2024, according to the European Union's Copernicus Marine Service. The record capped six months of near-unprecedented ocean warmth in 2026, with prolonged marine heat waves, the service said. Average sea temperatures in the first half of the year were 20.04°C, slightly below the high set in the same period in 2024. And scientists said the onset of a potentially powerful El Niño weather pattern could boost global heat in the oceans and atmosphere even further in 2026 and into next year. "Current conditions could indicate the beginning of a new phase, leading, once more, to uncharted territory," said Carlo Buontempo, director of Copernicus Climate Change Service, the EU's climate monitor. "With ocean temperatures at these levels and El Niño on the horizon, we are likely to see more temperature records fall in the coming months," Buontempo said in a statement. El Niño is marked by unusually warm waters in parts of the Pacific Ocean, releasing more heat into the atmosphere and influencing wind, cloud and weather patterns around the globe. This can raise the risk of weather extremes ranging from floods in Peru to droughts in parts of Africa and wildfires in Australia. But it can also cause a temporary spike in global temperatures, compounding the long-term warming caused by humanity's burning of fossil fuels. Land and sea temperatures reached an all-time high in 2024 at the tail end of the last El Niño. "With the arrival and the onset of an El Niño year ... we can expect that 2026 will be among the warmest (ever) recorded," Simon Van Gennip, lead oceanographer for the Copernicus Marine Service, said in a news briefing. "This is due to El Niño ... but also from the warming due to the greenhouse gas emissions we continue to provide for the atmosphere," Van Gennip said.

Poland sets new all-time national temperature record with 40.5°C (104.9°F) in Słubice - Poland’s western border town of Słubice reached 40.5°C (104.9°F) on June 28, 2026, breaking the station’s previous record of 39.5°C (103.1°F) from 1994 and surpassing the country’s historic temperature benchmark of 40.2°C (104.4°F) measured at Prószków in 1921, just one day after the town set a new national June record. Poland’s western border town of Słubice reached 40.5° The milestone came just one day after Słubice established a new national June record of 38.9°C (102.0°F). Operational observations also reached 40.3°C (104.5°F) in Toruń. IMGW spokeswoman Agnieszka Prasek said operational data indicate the long-standing national benchmark has been exceeded. She added that the 40.5°C observation is undergoing the institute’s standard verification and quality-control process and, if confirmed, will become the highest temperature recorded in the history of meteorological measurements in Poland. Heat warnings remained in force across large parts of the country as authorities urged residents to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun, stay hydrated and limit strenuous outdoor activity. Warsaw was among the cities that activated public misting stations and water curtains to help people cope with the extreme temperatures, while emergency services remained on heightened alert for heat-related illnesses and an elevated wildfire risk.

Europe's deadly heat wave scorches east, Slovakia hits record - Europe's most severe heat wave on record set new temperature records in eastern parts of the continent on Monday and forced Ukraine to order power cuts to cope.The scorching heat, which first smothered Western Europe last week, has already set records in Poland, the Czech Republic and Germany as it moved east in recent days. Slovakia on Monday registered a new record temperature of 41C in Turna nad Bodvou in the southeast, the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMU) said.The mercury reached 41.8C in Aszod in central Hungary, just below the country's absolute heat record of 41.9C from 2007. Hungary's Prime Minister Peter Magyar told reporters the governWith the Balkans also braced for temperatures of up to 40C, firefighters in Bosnia battled blazes sparked during the heat.Ukraine's energy network, already pummeled by Russian attacks over more than four years of war, buckled again under the high temperatures.  Police used water cannon to spray people with water at the concert of Bruno Mars in Berlin on Sunday. Authorities enforced emergency power outages as the state Hydrometeorological Centre said the country would face "intense heat." They said there would be more power cuts on Tuesday for industry and homes.Temperatures of 35C–38C were forecast, though this is some way off the national record of 42C recorded in August 2010. “The heat is also a serious test for equipment that has been operating under wartime conditions for more than four years and has withstood numerous attacks," Sergii Kovalenko, CEO of the Yasno energy company, said at the weekend. He said summer was the peak period for repairing the energy network, battered through the winter by repeat Russian attacks, meaning the grid was already "operating at the limit of its capabilities." At least 130 million people in Europe were expected to swelter through temperatures of more than 35C, down from 190 million on Sunday, according to an AFP analysis of forecast data.People used emergency blankets to protect themselves from the heat in Berlin on Sunday. This heat wave is the most severe ever recorded in Europe and would have been "virtually impossible" this early in the summer without climate change, the World Weather Attribution group of scientists said. More than 1,300 excess deaths were recorded in Europe since June 21, according to the UN health agency, including several children who died in locked cars and youths who drowned as they sought relief in unsupervised swimming spots. France reported at least 74 drowning deaths since June 18, and Poland said 17 drowned on Sunday alone. The head of the National Funeral Federation, Elisabeth Charrier, said funeral home occupancy—typically 30% to 45% in summer—had climbed above 66% nationwide and that funeral parlors in Paris could not cope.  Several thousand homes in the Paris region were also without electricity.

More than 1,300 excess deaths recorded in Europe heat wave: WHO - The World Health Organization said Sunday that more than 1,300 excess deaths had been recorded in Europe since June 21 in connection with the record-breaking heat wave roasting much of the continent. Tens of millions have been braving a weekend of extreme temperatures in Europe as a deadly heat wave moves eastward, with some countries announcing rising death tolls and health services warning of saturation. On Sunday morning, French health officials said there had been around 1,000 more deaths than expected in that country just since Wednesday. And across Europe, "more than 1,300 excess deaths have been recorded since 21 June linked to high temperatures in Europe," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X. "Heat stress is often called the 'silent killer'—and European homes, workplaces and schools were not built for these temperatures," he said. At least 191 million people are forecast to endure temperatures of at least 35C on Sunday in Europe, with the heat particularly intense in Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland, according to AFP estimates. A total of 381 million people in Europe, excluding Turkey, will see temperatures surpass 30C, according to analysis based on forecasts from the German Meteorological Service and 2025 population projections from the Joint Research Centre collated by Austrian NGO Klimadashboard. Millions of people across the continent are currently "living under extreme heat, hundreds have died, schools are shut, grids are buckling," Tedros warned. "Driven by climate change and global warming, the phenomenon of the 'once-in-a-generation' heat wave is now occurring nearly annually," he said, pointing out that "Europe is the fastest-warming continent on Earth, heating at twice the global average." The WHO chief said the United Nations health agency was "working with its Member States and partners to address the health threats posed by extreme heat through focusing on preparedness, prevention and stronger health system responses." He called on European countries to "implement heat health action plans" as part of a push to safeguard health in the face of climate change.

‘More people die in the winter’: Wright downplays Europe’s deadly heat wave -   U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright had a message for Europe as it baked beneath a record heat wave last week: Stop your whining.“Always more people die in the winter than die in the summer, because cold is a vastly larger killer than heat is,” he said last week in video remarks delivered to the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship conference, a gathering of influential conservative figures, many of whom dispute the facts of climate change.Wright zeroed in on European deaths in the winter of 2022 when the Russian invasion of Ukraine drove up energy prices, saying “the mortality impacts of that are devastating.” His comments came as governments across Europe warned that last week’s record-high temperatures posed life-threatening risks, echoing the dangers of a 2022 heat wave that killed more than 60,000 people on the continent. Among those attending the conference were Nigel Farage, leader of the U.K.’s populist right-wing party, Reform U.K., and Steve Koonin, who was handpicked by Wright to co-author a U.S. government report that misrepresented mainstream climate science. House Speaker Mike Johnson also delivered video remarks to an audience that included Boris Johnson, the former prime minister of Britain, and Bill Anderson, the CEO of Bayer. (Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Axel Springer, the owner of POLITICO, also spoke at the conference.)

A severe El Niño could threaten something essential to half of humanity—rice  --Forecasters expect the El Niño now underway in the tropical Pacific to strengthen into a strong or very strong climate driver later this year.When an El Niño arrives, it reorganizes rainfall patterns around the world. Parts of the Americas and East Africa tend to get heavier rain, while monsoonal rains in Asia get weaker and drier conditions settle over eastern Australia, Southeast Asia, India and Southern Africa.This mix of heat and disrupted water supplies could have real consequences for food supply, especially rice. El Niño doesn't tend to hit wheat as hard because a bad season in one region is often offset elsewhere. But rice is different. Production is concentrated in Asia, and only a small share is traded.The last El Niño in 2023–24 threatened rice supplies. This one may be worse for farming because climate change is adding extra heat on top of disrupted rainfall.More than half the world's population relies on rice. India and China grow more than half of the world's supply, and rice supplies more than half of all daily calories in countries such as Bangladesh, Vietnam and Cambodia.Poorer households spend the largest share of income on food, so price spikes hit them first and hardest. In 2007–08, rice prices roughly tripled, food riots broke out in dozens of countries, and in Haiti, the unrest helped bring down the prime minister. Securing rice is about more than food—it underpins public order.Rice is also a thirsty crop. Most high-yielding varieties are bred for flooded paddies, where water suppresses weeds, supports flowering and grain development, and helps keep plants cool. Hardier upland rice can grow with less water but usually yields less. Hence, breeders want to move the drought tolerance of upland rice into lowland varieties that most farmers actually grow.If this year's El Niño is severe, it could hit the water supplies of several major producers at once, so shortfalls compound rather than cancel out.Fertilizer prices have also spiked in 2026 due to the Iran war and disruption to the Strait of Hormuz, making a hard season even harder.Around three-quarters of the world's rice comes from irrigated lowland paddies. Irrigation buffers rice against patchy rainfall in normal years, but it depends on water sources such as rivers, reservoirs and snowmelt, which El Niño can affect.Australia shows this clearly. The Riverina region of New South Wales grows some of the most water-efficient rice in the world. But rice competes for water with permanent plantings such as almonds, which must be watered regularly.In the worst droughts, Australia's rice crop has fallen to a small fraction of normal production.

Aspen Acres Fire destroys 155 structures, three Colorado wildfires burn over 25 000 ha (62 000 acres) - 3 Youtube videos - The Aspen Acres Fire destroyed at least 155 structures in Pueblo and Custer counties. This fire, together with Ferris and Gold Mountain fires burned a combined 25 077 ha (61 969 acres) across Colorado by late June 30, 2026. Critical fire weather conditions are forecast to continue supporting rapid fire growth through at least July 3. The Aspen Acres Fire, which ignited on June 29, burned 11 457 ha (28 314 acres) as of 20:20 LT on June 30, according to the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO). The blaze has destroyed over 100 structures in Pueblo County and 55 structures in Custer County. Authorities believe the fire was human-caused, while the Colorado Department of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) estimated preliminary damage at approximately USD 15 million. Mandatory evacuation orders remained in effect for the towns of Beulah, Rye, and San Isabel, along with the Burnt Mill Road corridor east to Interstate 25 south of Lake Isabel. Additional evacuation areas included a 3 km (2 mile) zone around San Isabel, the Highway 165 corridor from Lazy Acres to Bishop Castle, and the area extending from 12 Mile Road and 3R Road to Crow Cutoff. Youtube video Meanwhile, the Ferris Fire, burning in San Juan National Forest east of Cahone, scorched 8 611 ha (21 279 acres) with 0% containment by 22:21 LT on June 30, according to InciWeb. The fire was first reported at approximately 15:04 LT on June 28 and is believed to have been caused by lightning. The Far Draw, Doe Canyon, and Ferris incidents were subsequently managed together under the Ferris Fire, based on the information available for this draft. DFPC estimated preliminary damage at approximately USD 991 000. Evacuation orders were issued for Bradfield Bridge Campground and nearby areas along Highway 504 and Forest Service Road 521 to McPhee Dam in Montezuma County. Private holdings in Glade Ranch were also evacuated. In neighboring Dolores County, evacuation orders covered private inholdings north of Glade Ranch, while pre-evacuation notifications extended east of Lone Mesa State Park to the Dolores–Norwood Road and north to just below Disappointment Road. Northeast of Ouray, the Gold Mountain Fire burned 5 009 ha (12 376 acres) by 23:24 LT on June 30 after it was first reported at approximately 17:33 LT on June 27. The fire remained 0% contained, its cause was under investigation, and DFPC estimated preliminary damage at approximately USD 660 000. Youtube video Critical fire weather conditions are forecast to persist across much of Colorado through at least July 3. Multiple Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches remain in effect as a warm, dry air mass combines with gusty south to southwest winds and critically low relative humidity, creating conditions favorable for rapid wildfire ignition and spread across central, southern, and western parts of the state. The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Denver/Boulder has a Red Flag Warning in effect from 12:00 MDT to 20:00 MDT on July 1 for South Park, the southern foothills, and the Palmer Divide, including Fire Weather Zones 214, 216, and 241. Sustained south winds of 24–40 km/h (15–25 mph) with gusts up to 56 km/h (35 mph) and a minimum relative humidity of 8% will support critical fire weather. The NWS office in Pueblo has Red Flag Warnings in effect from 10:00 MDT to 22:00 MDT on July 1 across Fire Weather Zones 220 through 230 and 233, covering the Upper Arkansas River Valley, Teller County, Fremont County, the San Luis Valley, Pueblo County, El Paso County, and Las Animas County. Southwest winds of 24–40 km/h (15–25 mph) with gusts up to 64 km/h (40 mph), combined with minimum relative humidity as low as 5%, are expected to support rapid fire growth. Additional Red Flag Warnings remain in effect from 10:00 MDT on July 2 until 00:00 MDT on July 3, while Fire Weather Watches remain in place for July 3, indicating the threat of continued critical fire weather. Across western Colorado, the NWS office in Grand Junction has Red Flag Warnings in effect from 12:00 MDT to 20:00 MDT on July 1 for multiple fire weather zones, including the Lower Colorado River, Colorado River Headwaters, Gunnison Basin, Northern San Juan Mountains, and portions of southwest Colorado. South to southwest winds of 16–32 km/h (10–20 mph) with gusts up to 56 km/h (35 mph) and minimum relative humidity between 5% and 12% are expected to produce dangerous fire weather conditions. Fire Weather Watches also remain in effect for many of these areas on July 2.

Out-of-control wildfires force evacuations in Wrigley and Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories, Canada - Youtube videos - Wildfires burning in Canada’s Northwest Territories prompted evacuation orders for the communities of Wrigley and Fort Simpson on June 28 and 29, 2026, as two lightning-caused fires remained out of control. The blaze threatening Fort Simpson had expanded to more than 8 900 ha (22 000 acres) by June 29, while more than 62 000 ha (153 209 acres) had burned across the territory. Wildfires burning in the Northwest Territories (NWT) Dehcho region prompted evacuations in Wrigley and Fort Simpson on June 28 and 29. A fire burning north of Wrigley is designated FS015-26, prompting evacuation orders for the town on June 29. The fire was first detected on June 26 and is believed to have been ignited by lightning. According to an update issued at 11:45 LT on June 29, the fire had burned 111 ha (274 acres) in the Dehcho region. An evacuation order was issued for the village of Fort Simpson on June 28 due to a wildfire burning west of the town. The fire, designated FS016-26, was ignited by lightning on June 26 and was first detected 9 km (5.6 miles) west of Fort Simpson Airport. It was classified as out of control. By 10:30 local time (LT) on June 29, the blaze had grown to more than 8 900 ha (21 992 acres), based on satellite analysis. It remained out of control. According to NWT Fire, it had moved closer to the town and was located approximately 7 km (4.3 miles) west of the airport. Residents were evacuated to Yellowknife by plane through the night of June 28, with the last flight departing at 00:15 LT on June 29. Highway 7 was closed, while a ferry was operating 24 hours a day to aid evacuations, village officials reported in a community update issued at 09:30 LT on June 29. No additional evacuation flights were available at the time. “Airtankers and helicopters worked on priority areas on the east and northern perimeter to suppress growth toward the community when possible. Heavy smoke in the area is limiting aircraft movement, and aircraft have not been able to fly since 16:00 LT due to low visibility,” NWT fire said in an update at 17:30 LT on June 29. “All residents who remain in town must evacuate as soon as possible. Only essential workers should remain in the community,” the update read. A shelter-in-place order was issued for the town at 18:40 LT on June 29. “All remaining residents and emergency/essential personnel must shelter-in-place at the recreation center. The area has an immediate threat due to wildfire and is not safe,” the NWT government said. Youtube video Wildfires have collectively burned more than 62 000 ha (153 209 acres) across the NWT. A total of 106 wildfires were burning across the region as of 23:00 LT on June 29. At least 98 were classified as out of control, while 11 had been declared out, 5 were being held, and 3 had been brought under control.

3 firefighters killed in burnover as Snyder Fire burns more than 11 330 ha (28 000 acres) along Utah-Colorado border -  At least three firefighters were reported dead while two others were injured amid suppression efforts for Knowles and Gore fires along the Utah-Colorado border on Saturday, June 27, 2026. The fires are believed to have been started by lightning strike on Friday and Saturday. The firefighters were killed while battling the Snyder Fire along the Utah-Colorado border, the Upper Colorado River Interagency Fire Management Unit reported on Sunday, June 28. The firefighters were assigned to suppression operations on the Knowles and Gore fires, which later merged with the Jones Fire to form the Snyder Fire. As of Sunday morning, the Snyder Fire had burned more than 11 330 ha (28 000 acres) and remained 0% contained. The Knowles Fire was first reported at approximately 09:30 local time (LT) on Saturday near Knowles Canyon in the southern section of the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area, southwest of Fruita, Colorado. Officials believe the Knowles and Gore fires were ignited by lightning strikes on Friday and Saturday. According to officials, the five firefighters were caught in a burnover. A burnover occurs when a wildland fire overruns firefighters and their equipment, leaving no escape route. Three firefighters died, while the two injured firefighters were rescued by helicopter. Colorado Governor Jared Polis issued a disaster declaration following confirmation of the fatalities. Fire officials said the Knowles and Gore fires were overtaken by the Jones and Snyder Mesa fires, which started Saturday on the western side of the Colorado-Utah border before spreading into Colorado. These merged with multiple smaller fires, becoming the Snyder Fire. Critical fire weather conditions persisted on Sunday after the National Weather Service upgraded the Red Flag Warning to a Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS). The warning cites strong winds, critically low relative humidity, dry fuels, and the potential for rapid wildfire growth, and remains in effect through 22:00 local time on June 28. Forecasts call for wind gusts of 70 to 90 km/h (44 to 55 mph) across much of southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado, while relative humidity is expected to fall to between 5% and 10%, supporting conditions favorable for extreme fire behavior. Author profile

At least 1,430 dead, more than 3,000 injured in Venezuela quakes -- The death toll from the Venezuela earthquakes rose to 1,430, National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said Saturday in a televised address.More than 3,200 people were injured and many believed to still be trapped under the rubble after the 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes struck in quick succession on Wednesday evening.Families posted images online of loved ones missing since the quakes. Officials and humanitarian agencies estimate that more than 50,000 people remain unaccounted for.Rodríguez told CNN that the public should avoid La Guaira, the hardest-hit area.“We appreciate the overwhelming desire to help, but the roads we are using to transport the injured are becoming congested. The best way to help is to keep the roads clear so that medical teams can transport patients and rescue crews can carry out their work more effectively,” he said.Acting President Delcy Rodríguez announced the new death toll as she welcomed the arrival of rescue crews from all over the world. “We are going to rescue the people who are trapped,” she said, according to the Associated Press (AP).She also said Friday night that President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio called her to reassert America’s pledge to assist in recovery efforts.“They reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the response efforts by sending rescue workers, specialist equipment, support for temporary shelters and humanitarian aid for the affected families. We are deeply grateful for this gesture of friendship and cooperation,” the acting president said in an additional post to X. Missing-person flyers with photos of loved ones were handed out in the streets while others shared handwritten lists of names as they searched, the AP reported. Rescuers are searching for survivors in collapsed buildings in Caracas and the state of La Guaira where cries for help were audible from under debris. Venezuelan state TV showed images of rescues, including one of a woman trapped under a cement slab who was brought out alive. Graciela Mora was conscious as she was pulled from the rubble in La Guaira, telling reporters, “when the earthquake started, I clung as tightly as I could to the doorframe.” Others described the fear and chaos. As previously reported by Newsweek,  Tony Frangie Mawad, a Caracas‑based journalist, was in an elevator when the shaking began. When the doors finally opened in the building’s second basement, he and two others sprinted into the parking lot.“That’s when I realized it wasn’t just a minor shake,” he said. “Buildings hadn’t collapsed in Caracas from a quake since 1967.” He added that “it looked like Gaza.”The second earthquake was the strongest to hit the country since 1900, forming a so-called “doublet” sequence, which differs from the typical scenario in which a larger quake is followed by much smaller aftershocks.  Both earthquakes were shallow at less than 20 miles below ground, potentially adding to the damage.Marcos Ferreira, a geophysicist and researcher at the Geological Survey of Brazil, told the AP the one-two punch of the quakes, along with the shallow seismic movements, amplified the destruction. The U.S. Geological Survey said the two earthquakes were centered near Moron on the Caribbean coast, 105 miles west of the Venezuelan capital Caracas.

Death Toll from Venezuela Earthquakes Surpasses 1,700 -  (Tasnim) – The death toll has topped 1,700, and may rise, five days after massive earthquakes hit Venezuela. The United Nations says a large number of survivors need humanitarian assistance. Rescue operations have been continuing since two earthquakes with magnitudes over 7 struck the country on Wednesday. National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said on Monday that the number of deaths had increased to 1,719. The United Nations said more than 2,200 rescuers from 27 countries have been sent to Venezuela. Amid continuing aftershocks, they are helping local authorities search for people trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings. On Monday, a UN representative in Venezuela said, "At least 2,500 structures are affected, most of which fully collapsed." The representative also said, "We are procuring, and this is something that has been agreed with the authorities here, 10,000 body bags." The official reported that seven people were rescued on Sunday, beyond the 72-hour window, which is the point when survival rates are believed to drop drastically. The UN Children's Fund, or UNICEF, said about 1.8 million people, including 680,000 children, need humanitarian assistance.

Solar radiation storm warning issued and canceled after M5.8 solar flare, major X1.1 flare erupts at 20:50 UTC - A strong solar flare measuring M5.8 erupted from Active Region 4475 located at the west limb at 12:57 UTC on June 30, 2026. The event started at 12:37 and ended at 13:23 UTC. This event was followed by major X1.1 solar flare at 20:50 UTC. The Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) issued an S1 – Minor solar radiation storm warning at 16:00 UTC on June 30 after today’s M5.8 solar flare. The warning was initially valid through 23:59 UTC but was canceled at 16:36 UTC after conditions no longer justified its continuation. While there were no radio signatures detected that would suggest a coronal mass ejection (CME) was produced, the location of the source region near the Sun’s western limb is favorable for solar energetic particles to reach Earth. Western imb eruptions can be magnetically well connected to Earth through the interplanetary magnetic field, allowing high-energy protons accelerated during the eruption, or by a shock if a CME is later identified, to arrive even when the bulk of any associated CME is not directed toward Earth. Although the warning was canceled, Region 4475 remains near a location favorable for particle transport toward Earth, and any further strong eruptions from the region could again raise the chance of a solar radiation storm over the next several days. Radio frequencies were forecast to be most degraded over Europe, Africa, and the Atlantic Ocean at the time of the flare.

City of Cleveland is one step closer to passing a short term data center moratorium -  — Cleveland City Council is set to vote on a three-month moratorium on new data centers after its Utilities Committee unanimously passed the legislation (last) Thursday. Councilmember Charles Slife said the moratorium is necessary until the city can revise its zoning codes, which don’t specifically define data centers. “There is arguably no differentiation between a small server room and a large standalone facility as we’ve seen constructed across the state and across the country,” Slife said. Despite the moratorium, Councilmember Brian Kazy said the council is neither for nor against data centers. “What I don't want to do is I don't want the City of Cleveland to bite our nose, to spite our faces,” Kazy said. “Data centers are here.” During the hours-long committee meeting, members of the Utilities Committee heard from both proponents and opponents of the moratorium. Mike Bremmer, Business Representative for Local 38 IBEW, spoke as an opponent of the legislation. He argued that data centers help ensure national security while also powering the internet and technological innovations like artificial intelligence. “Other states and countries are building them aggressively,” Bremmer said. “Please don't leave Cleveland behind. Cleveland needs an identity. It's not steel. It's not the railroads anymore, and it's not auto. We could be the tech capital of the Midwest.” However, critics of data centers, who are proponents of the moratorium, argue data centers pose serious environmental concerns. “Data centers can produce negative health outcomes for residents living at least 0.6 miles away from a data center, sometimes farther,” Molly Bryden, a researcher at Policy Matters Ohio, said during the committee meeting. Bryden said hyper-scale data centers strain the electrical grid, create noise and use significant water. Currently, the City of Cleveland does not have any hyperscale data centers. However, Ohio is considered a data center hub, with more than 200 facilities across the state.

Cleveland building trades leader knocks Cuyahoga County's data center guidelines - Public opinion is tilting against data centers as more hyperscale facilities crop up to house the computing power for artificial intelligence.  On the other hand, the executive secretary of the Cleveland Building and Construction Trades Council is all for them. After all, construction workers are the ones building and wiring the data centers. Construction tradesmen and women filled the room at a Cleveland City Council hearing this week on legislation temporarily pausing new data centers. And trades council leader Dave Wondolowski rejected Cuyahoga County’s new guidelines for handling data center developments. The guidelines speak favorably of local data center moratoriums, which would give cities time to update their zoning rules. “Growth comes at a cost,” the guidelines say, putting pressure on energy and other resources. Wondolowski took issue with that idea. He wrote in a letter to County Executive Chris Ronayne that Northeast Ohio was falling behind Central Ohio thanks to “Cuyahoga County bureaucrats” and “anti-innovation” policies. “To be clear, NO GROWTH is exacting a tremendous cost from Cuyahoga County residents,” Wondolowski’s letter read. “Just ask the thousands of working union families who are struggling to stay afloat while county bureaucrats are busy eliminating their skilled trades jobs to curry favor with wealthy elitist environmental interests.”It’s one more front where Ronayne and Wondolowski are at odds. The building trades leader vocally backs building a new Browns stadium in Brook Park, which the county executive opposed. There’s also been conflict between the two over Wondolowski’s role as a county appointee to the Port of Cleveland board.

Local communities in Ohio resist data center construction - On a recent week night at the Twinsburg Public Library, residents Sue Clark, Cindy Steele and Laurie Facsina addressed a group of roughly 30 community members about why they should oppose new data center construction in their city. “The companies behind the data center boom are moving quickly into communities across the region, many with the promises of prosperity,” Clark said to the group. “But some communities are pushing back and saying that data centers are not worth the health and environmental impacts at this time.” Supporters say data centers provide a centralized, efficient and secure location for computing resources that allow growth in an advancing technological landscape. Despite benefits, resistance is growing due to the centers’ massive need for electricity and water. Some municipalities in Ohio, including Twinsburg, have placed temporary moratoriums on data center construction. Clark and Steele’s presentations – given June 17 at a Community Conversation hosted by Twinsburg City Council Member at-large Shaun Castillo – addressed specific concerns regarding data centers’ usage of local energy and water resources based on research they conducted. They also provided suggestions to the local officials making decisions on data center development. “The three [suggestions] that we have today in this presentation are to amend the zoning code to specifically state that data centers are not a permitted or conditional use, [to] clarify that data centers are not allowed anywhere within the city limits, and ultimately, this should go to the ballot so residents can make a choice,” Steele said. While rapid development of data centers has sparked concern, they are important infrastructure in an artificial intelligence-driven economy, said Baiju Shah, president and CEO of Greater Cleveland Partnership (GCP). “We all are using data centers every single day,” he said. “Everyone that has a phone or a computer, whether it’s for storage in the quote ‘cloud’ or for compute that’s occurring through AI tools or otherwise, we’re all leveraging this infrastructure.” Data centers are an investment for regions beyond the construction phase, Shah said. They are an integral part of computing-intensive businesses like analytics, which need to be located near compute facilities. “And so, as a region, for us to want to continue to be a region that attracts and grows these types of businesses in an AI-driven economy, we have to have this infrastructure in our geography. Otherwise we are foregoing a segment of our economy.” Shah said the companies make large investments in the initial construction of data center buildings, but the maintenance and upkeep of equipment also provide jobs after the construction is completed. Cleveland-area manufacturing firms will continue to benefit from the equipment and maintenance of data centers after they are built. While data centers help benefit economic development, Steele said their high energy use would raise costs for consumers. Data centers require the construction of new transmission lines and substations; costs which utilities pass on to consumers and defer from data center operators through contracts or incentives. “There’s a major policy debate [over] who should pay for this,” Steele said. “Should it be consumers? Or should it be the companies that are building these data center [hyperscalers]?” Another concern discussed was water usage by data centers. Centers use large amounts of fresh water to cool servers, Clark said in her portion of the presentation. The water used must be clean, fresh water to prevent problems like corrosion or bacteria growth. “Computing power requires enormous amounts of water, leaving little for local communities and farming,” Clark told the group. In Ravenna, Ohio, the city council voted unanimously on a 12-month moratorium to give city leaders more time to study the issues and concerns around data centers and make informed decisions moving forward, said Rob Kairis, Ravenna City Council president. “There’s a lot of things to consider,” Kairis said. “Obviously, the main thing is people don’t want data centers, and we have to be very conscious of what our public thinks.” During the moratorium period, city leaders want to bring in experts to help provide a better understanding on the major concerns of data center development, Kairis said. “I think the major concerns we’re having are environmental, utilities … how much water a data center might use, and obviously the big one is electricity.” The grass-roots organization Conserve Ohio proposed a constitutional amendment to ban data centers and is working to get the issue on the ballot. They did not collect enough signatures to get the issue on the ballot in November and are now looking to the 2027 ballot. GCP outlines a smart-growth approach for data center development that addresses some of the concerns community members have regarding energy and water use. One of the smart-growth principles says that data center developers should bear the cost of energy generation and required grid enhancement, Shah said. As for water use concerns, most new data centers plans and construction use closed-system cooling approaches that do not draw the same high levels of water usage as earlier generations of data centers, Shah said. “There’s a great example of this in the one that is operational already just south of Sandusky,” Shah explained. “Built on a brownfield, so that alone is a good thing … bringing land back into productive use, land that had basically been idled by an old manufacturing site, bringing that back, using or contracting for 100% renewable energy and full closed loop system for cooling.” GCP is working to assemble and share resources to interested organizations at the local level, Shah said. “I think it’s really important … that the officials in these communities and the residents understand what they are evaluating and exploring and being thoughtful about it,” Shah said. “This is a massive opportunity for our region.”

Alliance City Council committee OKs legislation for data center pause - Canton Repository -‒ Alliance City Council is considering an 18-month moratorium on new data centers so it can study their impacts. Council's Property and Lands Committee voted June 30 to draft legislation for a temporary ban and form a sub-committee on data centers. The proposed legislation comes as Mayor Andy Grove revealed that at least one company has interest in bringing a data center to the city. Grove said Alliance Area Chamber of Commerce has received presentations. The issue of large data centers has become a growing concern for communities across the country, because of the strain they can have on water use, power grids and noise. There also are concerns with tax breaks and long-term effects on neighborhoods. In mid-June, City Council approved legislation that restricts future data centers to I-2 industrial zones. Resident Cheryl Parson, who lives near an I-2 zone, said she doesn't want a data center near her backyard. Councilwoman Sheila Cherry said she pushed for the temporary pause to make sure residents are protected, to separate facts from rumors, and to amend the I-2 zoning restrictions to include conditional uses. Cherry, chairwoman of council's Property and Lands Committee, said the recent restrictions still permitted data centers without conditions except location. Cherry said she doesn't want to "leave money on the table," but she wants officials to protect the community and address concerns before allowing data centers. Law Director Andrew Selwa said he already drafted legislation for a 12-month ban but Cherry insisted on 18 months. "I've been here 15 years. It's going to take the whole 18 months because something else is going to come up and take that spot," she said. "If they're going to do it, do it right." Selwa said he would rewrite the legislation for 18 months. Councilman Phillip Mastroianni does not support the mortarium but he said he would accept it, if the others approve it. He has said he views the city as "not open for business," driving away economic growth. "I will work with everybody on council to make sure all the concerns are addressed in the right fashion, Mastroianni said. "I think we need to realize that there's an opportunity and we can benefit from it in some capacity while still protecting the city." Cherry said her concern is not the "small, little data centers" which have been around for decades. Rather, she said, it's for mid- and large-scale facilities. "They can affect people's livelihoods," she said.

Are data centers driving up your power bills? It's a simple question with a complex answer. – WEWS -- — In December, the electric bill inched past $500. By February, it topped $600. Keith and Cheryl Kasnik knew what they were getting into when they bought an all-electric house in Perry Township, just outside Massillon, in early 2023. But their power bills have soared much more than they expected, straining the semi-retired couple’s budget. And Keith can’t help looking across the street — at a cryptocurrency mining campus that sprung up after the Kasniks moved in — and wondering. "Something is having an effect on this area,” he said, “and that was the big thing to change.” A cryptocurrency mining campus in Massillon sits across the street from homes in Perry Township, with a tall green wall in between. In nearby Canton, homeowners’ power bills have been climbing for years, according to surveys from the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. Across the state, residential power pricing is up about 26% since early 2023, U.S. Energy Information Administration numbers show. Experts say data centers are at least partially to blame. “We have increased demand,” said Maureen Willis, who leads the Ohio Office of Consumers’ Counsel, a watchdog agency focused on investor-owned utilities. “And the supply is just not keeping up with that increased demand.” As debates over data centers rage across Ohio, there’s plenty of disagreement about the merits of welcoming the large computing hubs — facilities that protect and process data for everything from medical records and financial transactions to video streaming, artificial intelligence and, yes, crypto mining. But there’s one thing everybody seems to agree on. We’ve got to do something about electricity. "The power issue’s 100% real,” said Steve Stivers, the president and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, a powerful business association. Major data center developers and tech firms say they’re committed to paying their fair share. In March, tech titans including Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Meta, the parent company of Facebook, signed a federal pledge to cover the costs for the power they expect to use and the infrastructure upgrades necessary to get that power to their data centers. But it’s not so simple. “Nothing is easy in the utility field,” Willis said. “It can be very complicated.” Recent studies, regulatory documents and utility-industry reports make it clear that we need better safeguards to ensure that the costs associated with data centers — keeping servers humming and connecting them to the power grid — don’t spill onto everybody else. “The number one thing I hear when people talk about data centers and power is they don’t want to subsidize the data centers, which is the same thing a lot of consumers are saying,” said Stivers, whose organization represents about 8,000 businesses. “And I think that’s a reasonable thing for anybody to say. Nobody wants to subsidize somebody else, especially somebody that is making a lot of money — and has a lot of money already.”

Billion-dollar giveaway: Ohio taxpayers subsidize Silicon Valley's data boom - Ohioans are figuring out that huge, tax-subsidized data centers popping up in pastures like toadstools after a summer shower benefit Silicon Valley and Wall Street, not working Ohioans. That, at a time when Ohio median household income ($80,520 in 2024) lags the national median ($83,720), according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, while gasoline and grocery prices skyrocket. Ohio’s data center tax break appears to have originated as a 2011 Senate amendment to Ohio’s 2011-13 state budget, passed in mid-2011 by a party-line vote — Republicans “yes,” Democrats, “no” — and signed by Republican then-Gov. John R. Kasich. At the time, the legislature’s nonpartisan research arm, the Legislative Service Commission, estimated the computer center tax break would cost the state “several millions of dollars,” according to budget analyses. But recently, cleveland.com’s Anna Staver, who has pioneered coverage of what’s become a lush tax-break for Big Data, reported that “(Ohio) gave up more than $1.5 billion in tax revenue (in 2025),” thanks to the data center giveaway; meanwhile, the General Assembly claims it cannot fairly fund public schools, which in turn drives up homeowners’ property taxes while the legislature unconstitutionally lavishes tax money on religious schools. Among legislators voting “yes” on the 3,200-plus-page 2011 budget that initiated the tax-break for data centers were then-Sen. Keith Faber, a Celina Republican who is state auditor (and now running for attorney general), and now-House Speaker Matt Huffman, a Lima Republican. At the time the General Assembly passed the 2011 budget with the data centers tax break, the late William G. Batchelder, a Medina Republican, was House speaker. The Senate president was Thomas Niehaus, a suburban Cincinnati Republican, now a Statehouse lobbyist whose lengthy list of clients includes data center companies Cologix and Vantage Data Centers Management. Meanwhile, Amazon is fielding seven Statehouse lobbyists; Google is fielding 22 lobbyists; and Meta Platforms (Facebook) is fielding eight. Now, like Capt. Renault in “Casablanca,” people who know better say they’re “Shocked! Shocked!” to find that the General Assembly hands out tax breaks to data centers as if the Statehouse were a giant Pez dispenser. Which, come to think of it, if you have the right ... friends... it kind of is.

Ohio Power Siting Board OKs 5th NatGas Power Plant in New Albany -  In February, MDN alerted you to yet another gas-fired power plant project that Williams (the pipeline giant) was adding to its roster. Williams entered the gas-fired power plant space (actually building and operating them) in April 2025 via a subsidiary called Will-Power (see Williams Subsidiary Unveils Plans for Gas-Fired Power Plant in Ohio). So far, Williams’ Will-Power is working on four projects. Scratch that! You can add a fifth project to the list, recently approved by the Ohio Power Siting Board.

Central Ohio data center will have its own power plant -– An Ohio state board has approved a natural gas-powered electric generation plant in Licking County to serve a data center, saying taxpayers and ratepayers won’t pay for power at the center. The power will be consumed by Sidecat, LLC, an affiliate of Meta Platforms, Inc., according to a news release by the Ohio Power Siting Board, which approved the construction of the 250-megawatt natural gas plant. “Taxpayers and ratepayers will not pay any of the costs,” board spokesman Matthew Butler told The Center Square. The gas plant, which will be built on 109 acres, will not be physically connected to the electric power grid but will serve only the data center, the release said. “The project will incorporate 116 MW of battery energy storage to accommodate fluctuations in demand and mitigate unplanned outages,” according to the news release. The plant will be constructed and operated by Will-Power PH, LLC, the siting board said. “Will-Power OH must adhere to 36 conditions designed to minimize potential impacts during construction and operation.,” the news release said. The project will be “within the city of New Albany’s Technology Manufacturing District (TMD) Zone which is a regionally significant corridor for economic growth and development,” according to state documents. Will-Power will be responsible for the power generation facility design, site development, earthwork, construction, restoration, and operation of the facility. Will-Power will “own the power generation property, equipment, structures, and on-site Improvements,” according to state documents. This is the latest in a string of data centers announced for Ohio. The state already has 224 data centers, according to Data Center Maps, which tracks the industry.

Surprise data center proposal raises questions in Belmont County - WTOV— Plans for a potential data center in Belmont County were revealed to county leaders last week, catching some officials by surprise. The issue surfaced Wednesday morning during a Belmont County commission meeting, when 95th House District candidate Paul Cameron told commissioners about a proposed project by a company called EnergiAcres. “A company under the name of EnergiAcreshas proposed a 2- to 3-gigawatt data center on thousands of acres with a target of Q2 2029,” Cameron said. “They state that they are currently in active planning and permitting.” County leaders said it was the first time they had heard about the proposal. Larry Merry, executive director of the Belmont County Port Authority, said his office had not been contacted. He said that likely would have happened if a project of that size were actively moving forward. “For a project like this to come, there’s a lot of regulatory approvals that will have to be done,” Merry said. He said local officials, including trustees, commissioners or port authorities, would typically be involved in the process. The approval process for developing a data center in Ohio can take several years and includes working with local municipalities to secure land and obtaining environmental permits through the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Merry said he is not opposed to the possibility of future data centers in Belmont County, adding that projects in other parts of the state and country have been addressing concerns about power and water use. “The data centers that are being proposed that I’m hearing about in other areas of the state or other areas in the country, they’re addressing those power and water issues so that the public shouldn’t be near as concerned,” Merry said. EnergiAcres’ website included specifications for the project, including a Belmont County location, through the end of last week. As of Monday, any mention of Belmont County had been removed from the project page. We reached out to EnergiAcres with questions, including those regarding claims that county leaders weren't contacted, questions regarding centers touted by EnergiAcres that use less water and energy, and whether or not the Belmont County project would continue in the wake of mention of the county being scrubbed from their site. "To ensure accurate information is shared with the public, EnergiAcres is currently strictly in a preliminary exploration and feasibility phase in Ohio,” Co-founder and Chief Growth Officer Augustine Bui said. “We are not actively developing or constructing a project in Belmont County, nor have any final decisions been made regarding site selection. Because we are only in the early exploration phase, we have not initiated formal discussions with local county leadership; those meetings take place once a specific site is officially chosen for development.

Xenia holds public hearing on data center construction ban | WDTN.com- Another Miami Valley city is considering suspending data center construction, with Xenia holding a public hearing for a one-year ban. Data centers have sparked a national outcry, but in Xenia, most residents expressed uncertainty. However, city officials want people to know they have no plans for a data center any time soon. “I’m fine with them not being local,” said Xenia resident Matthew Tudor. “I guess I don’t want them in a county community turning our water brown.” When the issue of data centers first came to the Xenia council, it was simply to figure out what zoning designation the buildings would receive. As time went on, officials had to make a decision. “Given a lot of public feedback, mostly negative, some positive about data centers, it felt prudent to put a moratorium out there,” said City Manager Brent Merriman. While Xenia has not been approached for any development, the measure before the council reflects their concerns and priorities, hoping to safeguard the city while federal and state regulations come together. “Folks in our community shouldn’t be worried that there’s something coming and vice versa,” said Merriman. “People who support it shouldn’t be worried about us missing out on an opportunity.” A lynchpin for communities like Xenia is Ohio House Bill 646, a piece of legislation that failed to pass before the end of the state legislative session. The bill would reduce tax breaks for data centers, while incentivizing the companies operating them to generate their own power and limit water consumption. The legislation’s supporters hope it can answer people’s needs.

Concerned residents gather over potential data center, rabies cases rise across Ohio Valley - (WTRF) — Dozens of community members expressed their concerns during a recent town hall meeting called by West Virginia Del. Sean Fluharty over a potential data center at the former Center Foundry site. Delegate Shawn Fluharty hosts town hall meeting to hear crowd’s concern over proposed data center After a thorough question-and-answer session, it appeared those in attendance opposed the proposed redevelopment project. Fluharty said it is important that residents’ voices are heard, but because of past legislative decisions that bypass local conversations, future change may be difficult. “They were provided with no notice and no opportunity to be heard and no recourse. I think that’s the real problem here. If we want these in our backyards, the community should have a say in that. That’s why I opposed the legislation. That’s why so many people here oppose what’s happening right now in their own backyards,” Fluharty said. Residents voiced concerns about quality of life, noise pollution, property values and potential environmental effects. One attendee questioned whether there was still time for changes to the proposal. “It says it was going to take three months for the first power rack to be online. Do we have any room for change in that?” the resident asked. Another attendee expressed opposition to the project. “There’s no, ‘I want it, it’s not a big deal.’ No, I don’t want it. I don’t want it anywhere in the United States,” the resident said. Fluharty said the best course of action at this point is for residents to contact the governor or make their voices heard at the ballot box in November. A recent uptick in rabies cases among raccoons in Brooke and Ohio counties is raising concerns after multiple cases were identified over the past six months. Ohio County Health Department Administrator Howard Gamble said the department works with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to distribute vaccine baits for raccoons and other wildlife to help prevent the spread of the disease. He said the best way to protect yourself and your pets is to avoid wildlife and keep pets up to date on their vaccinations. “If you see wildlife, from deer to raccoons to groundhogs, stay away. They all have their problems, and they all can carry problems with them. If you have domestic animals, cats or dogs, make sure they’re up to date on their vaccines. Both Brooke and Ohio counties have free or low-cost domestic animal rabies clinics, and Ohio County’s are coming up in July,” Gamble said. Signs of a rabid raccoon include appearing sick or injured, abnormal walking, disorientation, aggression or unusually tame behavior. Gamble noted those symptoms can also indicate other illnesses.

After a Week of Data Center Discussion in the Ohio Valley, Here's What We Know - -- The past week has been filled with much discussion in both Ohio and Belmont counties as two possible data center projects -- or one data center and another that will build modules for data centers -- came to light. In Wheeling, the news last weekend of Silicon Foundation Energy's purchase of and possible plans to retool the former Centre Foundry site into a small data center evolved as the week went on. It all started when Stokes Energy, a firm that says it has been hired to build a data center along River Road in Warwood, posted the project on LinkedIn. With no further information other than that post and what existed on Silicon Foundation's own website, which termed the project a "data center," speculation grew over the weekend and into Monday. On Monday, Wheeling City Manager Robert Herron said he and others had met with a Silicon Foundation representative for a preliminary discussion, but no project was officially in the works. Tuesday evening, Delegate Shawn Fluharty held an impromptu town hall in Warwood to discuss the project (state Sen. Laura Wakim-Chapman also was in attendance to answer questions). Then on Wednesday, Andrii Garanin, chief energy and infrastructure officer for Silicone Foundation, spoke with this newspaper in an attempt to clarify the company's intentions not to build a data center but instead to revamp the former foundry to build modules for data centers -- at least in the initial phase. To further that point, on Friday we received communication from Nick Preservati, West Virginia's Deputy Secretary of Commerce, noting the Department of Commerce had spoken with Silicon Foundation officials. "The project in question is not a high impact data center. Instead, it is a mixed-use manufacturing and technology facility, including the manufacturing of modular computing components and software design. Claims that the project includes a 100-megawatt high impact data center are incorrect. The developer has also committed to immediately notifying the department should the intended use of the property change in the future." Garanin is expected to be in Wheeling this coming week to meet with city, county and state officials on the Warwood project. Meanwhile, in Belmont County, commissioners there learned Wednesday that a firm called EnergiAcres wants to construct a 2-3 gigawatt data center on thousands of acres somewhere in Belmont County. No further details were provided, and the announcement didn't come from the company, but instead St. Clairsville resident Paul Cameron. Cameron told commissioners the company plans to have the data center operational by the second quarter of 2029. According to the company's website, the project is in the planning stages and is referred to as "The Real Stargate Ohio." "Located in Belmont County, Ohio -- one of the state's most energy-rich corridors. Proximity to major gas infrastructure and transmission lines enables fast, cost-effective interconnection. (It would use) 2-3 GW of firm power generation across thousands of acres, designed for phased build-out. Behind-the-meter architecture keeps energy costs predictable for large compute tenants," according to the company website. "Currently in active planning and permitting. Target commercial operation date of Q2 2029, with site preparation and civil works beginning ahead of schedule." Cameron also told our reporter that he has learned of proposed data centers in other parts of the region, including one between Toronto and East Liverpool at the Empire-Stratton Power Plant site and another in Harrison County at the former Consol Coal property off Ohio 9. With all that said, here's where we stand right now on both the Ohio County and Belmont County projects, based on what we know:

• • The former Centre Foundry property in Warwood has been purchased by Silicon Foundation Energy Inc. for $1.5 million
• • Company officials say the facility’s primary purpose will be to manufacture modular components used in the construction of AI data centers.
• • The company says those modules would be shipped to projects across the country, creating a manufacturing operation in Warwood.
• • The company is also exploring development of a computing and energy technology campus on or adjacent to the property.
• • Plans could include a regional compute hub with up to 100 megawatts of computing capacity.
• • The proposal has generated significant public interest and concern, prompting a packed community town hall meeting Tuesday in Warwood.
• • Residents have raised questions about noise, power generation, environmental impacts, traffic, emissions and transparency.
• • Company representatives have stressed that the manufacturing operation and the potential computing campus are related but distinct parts of the overall vision.

What we don’t know:

• • Whether the 100-megawatt data center campus will ultimately be built.
• • A final construction timeline.
• • How many permanent jobs would be created by either the manufacturing operation or the data center.
• • Whether backup generation would be required from the current American Electric Power feed, and what type.
• • Total water usage and cooling requirements.
• • Traffic impacts once the project is fully operational.
• • The project’s total investment.
• • Whether state or local incentives will be sought.
• • How HB 2014, the microgrid bill, will work in relation to this particular project.
• Proposed Belmont County AI Data Center

Here’s what we know:

• • A separate proposal has surfaced for a massive data center somewhere in Belmont County.
• • The project is being promoted by EnergiAcres.
• • Company materials describe it as a proposed 2-3 gigawatt AI data center campus.
• • The project is referred to as “The Real Stargate Ohio.”
• • It could be operational by the second quarter of 2029.
• • Belmont County commissioners first learned of the proposal during a public meeting this past Wednesday and had not previously been briefed.
• • The exact site has not been publicly identified, although it is expected to involve thousands of acres.
• • Officials noted the proposal is still in the planning stages.
• • The Belmont County project is entirely separate from the Warwood proposal.

Largest Data Center Project Ever Proposed Is Officially Dead - Blackstone-owned QTS Realty Trust withdrew its appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court on July 2, closing out a three-year legal fight over the Prince William Digital Gateway, a planned 2,100-acre campus in Prince William County, Virginia that would have packed 37 buildings and 22 million square feet of data centers next to Manassas National Battlefield Park. At full build-out, the project carried an estimated $100 billion price tag and would have been the largest data center complex in the world.QTS was the last developer standing. Co-developer Compass Datacenters, backed by Brookfield, dropped its own appeal in April, and the Prince William Board of County Supervisors withdrew from the litigation the same month after spending nearly $2 million in taxpayer funds defending the original rezoning. That approval, granted in 2023, was voided by the Virginia Court of Appeals in March, which found the county's public notice for the rezoning hearing fell short of the state's six-day spacing requirement between newspaper notices.In its withdrawal filing, QTS said the project had "advanced through years of planning, analysis, and public review" and would have delivered tens of billions of dollars in capital investment and thousands of jobs to the county. The company added that Virginia remains central to its business, pointing to $5 billion in ongoing investment in the Richmond region on top of its existing Northern Virginia footprint.The retreat comes days after Blackstone agreed to hand Digital Realty full ownership of three built-and-leased Northern Virginia data centers valued at $7.8 billion, in a $3.5 billion cash-and-stock deal. That transaction extends an existing joint venture rather than an exit, but the timing puts fresh attention on how Blackstone is managing its data center bets in the state that hosts more capacity than anywhere else in the world.Northern Virginia remains the industry's biggest hub, and the region's buildout keeps running into local resistance over land, water and grid strain. Several states have floated moratoriums or tighter permitting rules as utilities warn that data centers are driving an outsized share of new electricity demand, and grid operators in some regions have started asking developers to bring their own power generation rather than compete for scarce capacity. A Gallup survey released in May found 71% of Americans oppose data center construction in their area, with 48% strongly opposed, running higher than opposition to a local nuclear plant.For Blackstone, the Digital Gateway collapse doesn't change the broader trajectory. The firm still manages a data center portfolio worth more than $150 billion globally, and in May it raised $1.75 billion taking its acquisition vehicle, Blackstone Digital Infrastructure Trust, public on the NYSE, to keep buying already-built, leased facilities tied to AI demand. What the Prince William outcome shows is that even the biggest players in the space can lose a fight over land use once local opposition organizes and the legal process runs its course.

Largest US Power Grid On Verge Of Cracking Due To Historic Heat Dome -  Cooling demand across PJM Interconnection's operating area will surge today and into late week as tens of millions of households and businesses crank up air conditioners to stay cool under the emerging heat dome. The spike in power demand is expected to strain the grid, which helps explain why PJM preemptively declared a grid emergency on Tuesday to preserve reserves and reduce the risk of rolling blackouts. PJM forecasts that power demand could reach 165 gigawatts on Thursday. This would test the grid's all-time peak of 165.563 GW set in August 2006. It would also exceed PJM's prior peak forecast for this summer. To mitigate blackout risks, the Department of Energy directed PJM on Tuesday "to dispatch specified units and to order their operation as needed to maintain reliability." There is a chance that the grid operator might have to tap backup generation as a last resort before or during a Level 3 energy emergency. Bloomberg's forecast for maximum temperatures across the Washington, D.C., metro area could reach low triple digits Thursday through Saturday. Natural gas, nuclear, and coal power generation currently make up the top power mix for PJM. A mega heat dome is set to descend on the eastern half of the U.S., prompting the Energy Department to issue two emergency orders to reduce the risk of rolling blackouts in the Mid-Atlantic area as PJM Interconnection braces for record power demand. DOE's first order directs the PJM region, which serves 67 million people across 13 states, "to dispatch specified units and to order their operation as needed to maintain reliability." The second order states that PJM, working with transmission owners and electric distribution companies, must use backup generation as a last resort before or during a Level 3 energy emergency. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said, "Maintaining affordable, reliable, and secure power in the PJM service territory is non-negotiable." Bloomberg's forecast for maximum temperatures across the Washington, D.C., metro area could average in the low triple digits through Saturday. The hot temperatures, beginning tomorrow, will increase cooling demand and boost power demand on the PJM grid, potentially straining the system during peak late-afternoon hours. Concerns about grid reliability have risen as data center buildouts are blamed for soaring power bills - yet aging grids and climate policie should also be blamed.

TVA considers up to 26 GW of gas-fired generation | Utility Dive:

• The Tennessee Valley Authority released its preliminary 2026 integrated resource plan on Monday, saying load growth in its footprint is already outpacing the reference case forecast in its draft IRP, and that it has incremental capacity needs for between 7 GW and 26 GW of natural gas between now and 2040.
• “TVA’s actual and forecasted electricity demand has increased relative to the draft IRP’s Reference scenario and is approaching the Higher Growth Economy scenario primarily due to data center growth (e.g., artificial intelligence, hyperscaler, etc.),” the IRP said. The higher growth scenario “evaluates a higher gas price environment driven by substantial economic growth.”
• The federally-owned utility also plans to add up to 5 GW of nuclear, 1-5 GW of storage, 2-5 GW of renewables (1-8 GW nameplate) and 2-3 GW of energy efficiency and demand response additions.

“New capacity is needed in all scenarios to support load growth or replace expiring and end of life capacity,” the IRP said.TVA said that gas expansion is necessary to provide “firm, dispatchable capacity,” while new nuclear technologies “support load growth and reduce fuel volatility and regulatory risks” and solar expansion can play a “complementary role, meeting customer needs and providing economic energy.”“Storage expansion continues, driven by both battery storage and the potential for additional pumped storage,” TVA said. “Energy efficiency deployment reduces energy needs, particularly between now and 2040, and demand response programs grow with the system and the use of smart technologies.”TVA will take public comment on the preliminary final IRP until July 22, and will hold a public webinar on July 2 to discuss the plan. Final recommendations will be shared at the TVA Board meeting in August. The IRP noted that the region has “recently experienced extreme winter temperatures in each of the last few years,” with a new winter peak record of 35,319 MW being set in January 2025, and for the 2026 IRP the utility used a 26% planning reserve margin target for winter, compared to its 18% planning reserve margin target for summer. TVA established three potential strategies in the IRP: Strategy A, which sticks with TVA’s baseline and relies heavily on natural gas generation; Strategy B, which embraces technological innovation and nuclear expansion in particular; and Strategy C, which focuses on distributed energy and would increase renewables and storage.Strategy A’s higher reliance on natural gas means it has a “higher financial risk exposure than alternative strategies,” while Strategy B is the most expensive overall, and Strategy C “increases the risk of unserved energy or energy curtailment,” TVA said.The IRP recommends the utility “pursue solar to reduce total system costs or meet customer needs,” but “suspend wind additions given cost and portfolio fit challenges.” It also recommends investment in TVA’s hydro and nuclear fleets and pursuing “nuclear license extensions to maintain low-cost generation.”In the IRP’s high growth forecast, the scenario which the region is edging closer to, nuclear capacity growth is the highest due in part to increases in the natural gas price forecast.TVA noted changes in U.S. energy policy since its 2025 IRP, including the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s curtailment of the investment tax credits available to renewable projects, and the Trump administration’s focus on coal and gas generation. President Donald Trump has pushed for TVA to turn back toward coal, and fired three Biden appointees from the TVA board in July after the board authorized the retirement of coal units at TVA’s Cumberland and Kingston power plants so natural gas could be developed there. After Trump appointed three replacements to the board, the board voted to operate Cumberland and Kingston’s coal plants past their retirement dates.In the IRP, TVA’s forecast for coal involves the “continuing operation of [its] coal fleet, subject to regulatory requirements, as an immediate, cost-effective option to reduce total system cost and system reliability risk.” Through 2040, TVA will “evaluate [the] existing fleet, as needed, considering material condition, system reliability, system cost, regulatory requirements, and replacement generation.”

Ohio Approves Leasing 15K More Acres of State Land for Fracking - - Marcellus Drilling News - - Yesterday, the Ohio Oil and Gas Land Management Commission (OGLMC) voted to open another 14,953 acres of publicly owned state land in eastern Ohio to safe fracking. At the same meeting, the OGLMC rejected applications to open about 8,000 acres of land in the same area for development, given the overlap between those parcels and some that were bid out. Anti-fossil fuel nutters showed up at the meeting and made asses of themselves, as they so often do. One anti (who should have been arrested and removed) shouted that the Commissioners should “jump off a bridge.” Sounds like a threat to us. Is anyone investigating?

Two companies win the right to frack 15,000 acres of Ohio public land -- State officials selected winning bids Monday from a handful of out-of-state oil and gas companies to frack about 15,000 acres of state-owned preserved wildlife areas and state parkland in eastern Ohio. The Ohio Oil and Gas Land Management Commission also rejected applications to open about 8,000 acres of land in the same area for development. Despite the rejections, the votes from the Ohio Oil and Gas Land Management Commission amount to a significant expansion of Ohio’s three-year-old practice of leasing out its public lands to the fracking industry. In this case, the decisions will allow access to natural gas trapped in shale thousands of feet underneath Egypt Valley and Jockey Hollow wildlife areas. The two expanses stretch over a hilly section of the state a few miles east of Piedmont Lake. As the winning bidders, the OGLMC selected Grenadier Energy, of Texas for 8,236 acres of Egypt Valley; Gulfport Energy, of Oklahoma, for 4,360 acres of Egypt Valley and 383 acres of Jockey Hollow; and Ascent Resources, of Oklahoma, for about 1,461 acres of Jockey Hollow. The OGLMC also selected a bid from Infinity Natural Resources, of West Virginia, for an additional 513 acres of Salt Fork State Park. The company previously purchased mineral rights to 5,700 acres of the park for about $54.6 million, plus 20% in royalty costs. The OGLMC, as a practice, doesn’t release bid details until after its meeting. A spokesperson from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources couldn’t immediately provide specifics on the bids, or an explanation of why the commission rejected the new land applications. The meeting, as has become commonplace, took place over shouts, jeers and heckling from a crowd of environmentalists, who say the OGLMC is something of a rubber-stamping clearing house that inevitably ends up voting for development. “You know what we would find helpful. If you jump off a bridge,” one yelled, loud enough to seem to startle the commissioners. Acceptance of the bids came despite near-unanimous opposition to the projects in public comments considered by the OGLMC itself. “Public lands are meant for conservation, recreation, and long- term stewardship, not short- term extraction,” said Rebecca Montag in a public comment. “Continuing to approve these projects threatens water quality, ecosystems, and public trust in this process.” Republican lawmakers and Gov. Mike DeWine enacted the current legal process via 2023 legislation, an omnibus package that contained other provisions protecting the use of pesticides in Ohio and declared natural gas, a major contributor to climate change, as “green energy.” The OGLMC, led by appointees of the governor, has since approved most industry requests as they’ve rolled in. DeWine’s administration has said it will not allow development on surface lands of parks and wildlife areas. Instead, it requires companies to drill down vertically thousands of feet before turning laterally and reaching out several miles. From the bore holes, drillers spray a mixture of water, sand and chemicals at high pressure to free gas from shale, and pump it all back to the surface to harvest the gas and dispose of liquid waste. The state acquired the land at both Egypt Valley and Jockey Hollow with conservation in mind. Ohio got Egypt Valley via the Wildlife Restoration Act, which uses money from a special tax on guns and bullets to buy land for conservation purposes. Consol Energy gave Ohio what’s now Jockey Hollow after it was “extensively” surface mined between 1958 and 1968, according to ODNR.

More than 15000 acres of Ohio public land approved to be fracked by out-of-state companies - The Ohio Oil and Gas Land Management Commission approved 21 bids to frack more than 15,000 acres of Ohio’s public land during Monday’s meeting.  Nearly 13,000 of those acres are in Egypt Valley Wildlife Area in Belmont and Guernsey counties. The commission is required to pick the “highest and best bid” per Ohio law.  There was no discussion for most of the bids or nominations. Commission Chair Theresa White did not take questions from the media after the meeting. These bids in Egypt Valley Wildlife Area were approved for fracking during Monday’s meeting:

• Oklahoma-based Gulfport Appalachia, LLC had the winning bid for 4,360 acres for $76,306,755 ($17,500/acre). There is an additional financial incentive of 7.5% of production.
• Oklahoma-based Ascent Resources – Utica, LLC had the winning bid for 366.495 acres for $4,583,752.97 ($12,507/acre). There is an additional financial incentive of 5.5% of production.
• Texas-based Grenadier Energy III, LLC had the winning bid for 3846.934 acres for $61,577,872.54 ($16,007/acre). There is an additional financial incentive of 7.5% of production.
• Grenadier Energy III, LLC had the winning bid for 2792.67745 acres for $44,702,387.94 ($16,007/acre). There is an additional financial incentive of 7.5% of production.
• Grenadier Energy III, LLC had the winning bid for 849.881 acres for $13,604,045.17 ($16,007/acre). There is an additional financial incentive of 7.5% of production.
• Grenadier Energy III, LLC had the winning bid for 746.85 acres for $11,954,827.95 ($16,007/acre). There is an additional financial incentive of 7.5% of production.

There were approximately 2,000 incidents associated with oil and gas wells in Ohio from 2015-2023, according to FracTracker Alliance — a nonprofit that collects data on fracking pipelines.  There’s evidence that shows increased exposure to fracking impacts health, in particular children’s health, including low birth weight, preterm births, congenital anomalies, and asthma, according to Yale School of Medicine.  Bids for about 1,840 acres in Jockey Hollow Wildlife Area in Harrison County were approved for fracking during Monday’s meeting:

• Gulfport Appalachia, LLC had the winning bid for 382.810 acres for $6,699,175 ($17,500/acre). There is an additional financial incentive of 7.5% of production.
• Ascent Resources had the winning bid for 1,460.559 acres for  $18,267,211.41 ($12,507/acre). There is an additional financial incentive of 5.5% of production.

West Virginia-based Infinity Natural Resources was awarded the bid to frack 513 acres in Salt Fork State Park in Guernsey County for $3,848,325 ($7,500/acre). There is an additional financial incentive of 7.5% of production.  Texas-based EOG Resources Incorporated was awarded the bid to frack 6.8 acres at Noble Correctional Institution in Noble County. Gulfport Appalachia, LLC was approved to frack four bids, EOG Resources was approved to frack seven bids, Ascent Resources was approved to frack four bids, and Grenadier Energy III was approved to frack four bids. Each lease agreement includes a 12.5% royalty paid to the state based on production of oil and gas at that site, per state law, with an additional financial incentive paid by the winning bidder to the state, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The lease bonuses for this round of nominations totals more than $241.2 million, according to ODNR.  All but one bid was approved during Monday’s meeting. About six acres in Tuscarawas County along State Route 800 was the only bid that was not approved because the nominator withdrew the bid, so no valid bids were submitted, according to ODNR. The bidders now go through the regulatory and permitting process through the ODNR Division of Oil and Gas Resources Management, as required by law. Four different bid selections totaling more than 8,360 acres of land in Egypt Valley were denied to be frack — 5,439 acres, 1,285 acres, 777 acres, and 863 acres. “Those nominations included parcels that have already been bid out,” said ODNR spokesperson Andy Chow.

A Fiber Crew Struck a Gas Line in Ohio, and Three Homes Were Gone Within Minutes - It started with the smell of gas. A crew installing fiber-optic cable on Hiram Lane had hit a buried gas line, and around 3:20 p.m. on Thursday, June 25, someone called 911. Crews got there fast. Then, within about two minutes of their arrival and before anyone could shut the gas off, it ignited. A house blew up. The explosion destroyed three homes in the Twinsburg Township neighborhood and damaged at least 36 more. The fire didn't stop at one house. It jumped to the two beside it, and all three were gone. Debris flew across the subdivision and turned up two streets away. Siding, glass, and even a mattress ended up in the trees. One man was reportedly blown out of his chair, got up, and walked outside. A 911 caller told a dispatcher it "sounded like a bomb went off." Two people went to the hospital with minor injuries, and both have since been released. Nobody was killed.A couple of lucky breaks kept the toll down. The family in the home where the explosion started was away on vacation, so the place was empty when it went up. Chief Earl Wilson of the Twinsburg Fire Department called it "a miracle in itself," given how many homes stood in the blast radius. Not everyone walked away unscathed, though. Plenty of residents still can't go home, and the Red Cross says it's helping around 11 people.So what went wrong? The crew was laying a fiber-optic internet line for Uniti Group, the company that owns Windstream. On Friday, Uniti said a subcontractor hit the gas line, and it pointed at a third party: it says a separate utility-locating service marked the underground lines wrong. That hasn't been confirmed. The Ohio State Fire Marshal's Office and the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio are both investigating, and they haven't said yet what set the gas off.The gas crew almost didn't get clear of the explosion. Firefighters had already smelled the gas, called Enbridge, and told residents to shelter in place. The utility crew was right there, barely out of the truck. One Enbridge worker figured they were 30 seconds away from standing in the blast zone when it blew.What actually lit the gas may never be known. Chief Wilson said it could have been almost anything: a light switch, a sump pump kicking on, any small spark in any of those homes. The gas was already everywhere by then. He pointed out something else, too. The whole neighborhood was covered in utility paint and flags. Those are the markings crews are supposed to dig by, which are usually pretty simple to discern.

New drone video shows aftermath of gas explosion in Twinsburg Township where 3 homes were destroyed: Watch  — We're getting a new look at the impact and aftermath following a gas explosion in a Twinsburg Township neighborhood that destroyed three homes and damaged at least 20 others.New drone video captured by 3News early Friday morning shows the scope of the damage from Thursday's explosion, including charred rubble with smoke still billowing in spots. You can watch that drone video in the player at the top of this story.Lt. Mike Perlatti of the Twinsburg Fire Department says crews were initially called to the scene along Hiram Lane in the Woodlands neighborhood for a reported gas leak caused by workers striking a gas line. You can see more drone video and photos below:

5 Northeast Ohio cities pause directional drilling after gas explosion - Cleveland 19 News — At least five cities have temporarily halted directional drilling following a gas explosion Thursday that damaged dozens of homes in Summit County. Twinsburg, Hudson, Green, Stow and Kent each issued a temporary pause on directional drilling after a crew working in the Woodlands subdivision in Twinsburg Township struck a gas line June 25, triggering the blast. Twinsburg fire crews said they were on the scene when the explosion happened because they were working on a gas leak. The City of Twinsburg said all boring, missiling, drilling and related underground utility operations have been halted. The city said the contractor performing the work has been informed that operations are to remain stopped until the incident can be reviewed and assurances regarding the safety of those operations can be provided. “The City extends its thoughts and support to everyone impacted by the house explosion and damage to nearby homes,” the city said in a statement. “We understand the concern this has caused for residents and will continue to monitor the situation closely.” In Green, Mayor Rocco Yeargin directed a temporary pause on all directional drilling. The city said Green was not affected by the Twinsburg Township incident and was never in immediate danger, but that the pause was a precaution. “It is important to take time to understand what happened and learn from it before work continues,” the city said. The pause in Green is set to remain in place until after July 4, unless more time is needed. Contractors may continue working on non-drilling activities such as restoration.

Enbridge Gas Ohio issues statement after Twinsburg Township explosion - — “Our primary concern is the safety and well-being of everyone involved.” That’s part of the message from Enbridge Gas Ohio in response to Thursday’s gas explosion that left three homes destroyed in Twinsburg Township. “Our thoughts remain with those who have been impacted by this event, including their families and the community,” the company said in a statement sent to 3News on Friday morning. Enbridge Gas Ohio says their crews were initially called to the scene to respond to a damaged pipeline on Hiram Lane where “an explosion occurred shortly thereafter.”“We shut off gas to the affected neighborhood and the area was made safe,” according to their statement. “We’re working to repair the pipeline and to restore service.”The company says they remain on site, working closely with local emergency responders.“We would like to thank the Twinsburg first responders, and other local fire departments that rendered mutual aid, for their quick action and leadership in responding to this event. An investigation will be led by the State Fire Marshal’s office, and we will assist in any way we can.”    Lt. Mike Perlatti of the Twinsburg Fire Department says crews were initially called to the scene Thursday along Hiram Lane in the Woodlands neighborhood for a reported gas leak caused by workers striking a gas line.  The Twinsburg Fire Department had urged residents in the area to shelter in place "due to the amount of natural gas in the area." One of the homes exploded a short time later, with fire spreading to neighboring properties. While nobody was inside the home when the explosion took place, we're told two people in the area were hurt as a result of the incident.   Uniti Group Inc., which owns Windstream, later confirmed to 3News that contractors from Windstream's Kinetic Fiber Internet team were working in the area where the explosion took place."We are cooperating with authorities and working to understand exactly what happened," Uniti said in a statement. "Our thoughts tonight are with everyone in the Twinsburg Township area who has been impacted."

Gas line strike sparks fire in Perry Township; 2 homes evacuated -— Crews in Lake County battled a fire that sparked after a gas line was struck in Perry Township on Friday afternoon. According to Perry Joint Fire District Chief Dominic Chiappone, a construction crew was working to widen North Ridge Road (U.S. Route 20) when they struck an Enbridge gas pipeline. The crew's utility truck subsequently caught fire.Firefighters were called to the area at approximately 2:50 p.m.Officials said firefighters allowed the fire to burn for more than an hour until Enbridge crews shut off the gas line, preventing natural gas from continuing to feed the flames. An Enbridge spokesperson told 3News that the area was made safe.Two homes next to the road were evacuated, but no one was injured. Enbridge says a total of six customers have been impacted by the incident.Officials plan to reopen the road once they have cleared out the burnt utility truck. Enbridge says that repairs on the gas pipeline may take several hours to complete. Friday's incident in Perry Township is at least the third instance of a gas line being struck in Northeast Ohio in the past 24 hours. Earlier in the day, a portion of Manchester Road in New Franklin was closed for several hours after city officials said a construction crews hit an unmarked gas line. Meanwhile, officials say a gas explosion in Twinsburg Township Thursday destroyed three homes and damaged dozens of others was caused by workers striking a gas line.

Perry Joint Fire District fights blaze after workers struck natural gas line - Perry Joint Fire District battled a blaze that started after leaking natural gas ignited. At about 2:50 p.m. June 26, the fire district was dispatched to the area of North Ridge and Middle Ridge roads in Perry Township for a reported natural gas leak, a news release stated. While responding, firefighters were informed by Lake County Central Dispatch that the leaking natural gas had ignited. Upon arrival, the first responding units found a truck fully involved in fire after workers accidentally hit a natural gas line, the release stated. Flames from the gas-fed fire extended to the top of the power lines. The first arriving crews worked to prevent the fire from spreading to surrounding exposures. Firefighters confirmed that everyone had safely exited the area, and that no injuries occurred before or after the gas ignited. The gas company was immediately requested to respond. However, Central Dispatch told fire officials that the estimated response time was about 50 minutes. As additional crews arrived, firefighters transitioned from handline operations to the apparatus deck gun. This allowed personnel to operate from a safer distance while continuing to control the fire. Firefighters intentionally did not extinguish the burning natural gas until the gas company was able to shut off the gas supply. Allowing the gas to burn in a controlled manner reduced the risk of unburned natural gas accumulating and creating a potentially explosive atmosphere. About one hour after the initial dispatch, the gas company successfully shut off the gas supply. Firefighters then extinguished the remaining vehicle fire, and brought the incident under control. North Ridge Road remained closed throughout the incident and continued to be shut down while crews removed the vehicle and utility personnel completed repairs to the damaged natural gas line.

Northern Utica Lights Up: Columbiana Farmland Sells for $18,750/Acre - Marcellus Drilling News - - Ohio’s Utica shale boom ignited around 2011 in northeastern counties, with Carroll County emerging as the epicenter of early drilling. Operators like Chesapeake Energy targeted the oil and liquids-rich “wet gas” windows in Carroll, Columbiana, and Harrison counties. However, as operators refined their geologic understanding, they discovered the formation’s most prolific “dry gas” window lay to the southeast. Development steadily migrated toward Belmont, Monroe, Jefferson, and Guernsey counties, where deeper, overpressured rock formations yielded massive volumes of natural gas. By the mid-2010s, these southern counties dominated Ohio’s Utica production, eclipsing the northern pioneers that first proved the play’s potential. However, three years ago, Encino Energy “cracked the code” on Ohio Utica oil drilling, and activity began migrating north again (see Oil Prod. in Northern Utica Comes Alive – Encino Cracks Oil Code).

Legacy Wells Still Paying Off - The Youngstown Business Journal Daily — More than a decade after the first wave of Utica shale drilling swept through eastern Ohio, many of Columbiana County’s legacy wells are producing less oil than they once did. But higher commodity prices are helping sustain royalty payments for some landowners even as production declines. Wells in Columbiana County with the strongest output tend to be those drilled more recently, such as those on the Norris pad, Ohio Department of Natural Resources data show. Over time, production from these wells levels off, reducing overall yields. Gloria Mathews, whose land is leased as part of the Tritten well in Center Township, reports that production at that particular well has never been strong when it comes to oil. According to records, the well was drilled by Chesapeake in February 2014. Yet during the first quarter of 2026, the well generated just two barrels of oil and pumped out 47 million cubic feet of gas. Recent international developments have nevertheless boosted her royalty payments, Mathews says. “My check last month was double what it was the month before,” she says. Her brother also reported that his royalty checks have nearly doubled. Mathews says it’s difficult to determine the price point at which these energy companies sell the oil or gas on the market. “There’s a lag from when it’s actually pulled out of the ground and when they actually sell it,” she says. “They may hold onto it until they think they can get a good price.” Mathews reports that there’s been little drilling in Center Township since the Utica push of 10 years ago. “There’s no drilling activity in this particular area,” she says. However, Hilcorp Energy Co., another exploration company that has operated in the Utica for more than a decade, has started new wells in Elk Run Township. Robust oil and gas prices have attracted interest from mineral rights speculators to the area, Mathews observes. One in particular, a 64-acre lot from the Bates Farm sold at auction May 18 to Bruner Land Co. for $1.2 million, or approximately $18,750 per acre, including mineral rights, according to an Instagram posting by Kaufman Realty, the auctioneer. “Maybe they know something we don’t,” Mathews says. While newer wells continue to drive much of the county’s production, Columbiana County remained one of Ohio’s leading oil-producing regions in 2025. Oil produced from wells in Columbiana County stood at 1.43 million barrels in 2025, or 3% of total state production, a drop of 4.2% compared with results a year earlier. In 2024, the county’s approximately 200 horizontal wells yielded 1.49 million barrels, or 4.3% of the state’s total production, the first time the county surpassed 1 million barrels for a year. Much of the attention in eastern Ohio’s Utica was initially focused on geology in the southern and middle tier of the play, as exploration companies tapped vast reservoirs of both natural gas and oil in regions such as Carroll, Guernsey and Harrison counties. EOG’s Folsam CR well in Carroll County, for example, produced 195,194 barrels of oil during the second quarter of 2025, along with 953.5 million cubic feet of natural gas. In all, wells across Carroll County produced 12.34 million barrels of oil in 2025. Harrison County produced even more. Last year, wells drilled in that county pumped out more than 13 million barrels of oil. Wells in Belmont County, on the other hand, produced little oil but yielded nearly 500 billion cubic feet of natural gas in 2025, approximately one-quarter of the state’s entire production.

Ohio Power Siting Board OKs 5th NatGas Power Plant in New Albany -  In February, MDN alerted you to yet another gas-fired power plant project that Williams (the pipeline giant) was adding to its roster. Williams entered the gas-fired power plant space (actually building and operating them) in April 2025 via a subsidiary called Will-Power (see Williams Subsidiary Unveils Plans for Gas-Fired Power Plant in Ohio). So far, Williams’ Will-Power is working on four projects. Scratch that! You can add a fifth project to the list, recently approved by the Ohio Power Siting Board.

Gulfport Energy Acquires Additional Oil and Gas Leases in Ohio's Utica Shale - Gulfport Energy Corporation acquired new oil and gas leases in Ohio’s Utica Shale region during a recent state lease sale, increasing the company’s total acreage in the area. The transaction adds to the firm’s existing inventory within the core Utica play, expanding its operational footprint in the region.  The company secured these leases through a competitive bidding process conducted by the state. This acquisition provides Gulfport Energy with additional drilling rights, which the company intends to integrate into its ongoing development strategy for the Utica Shale. These new holdings supplement the firm’s current portfolio of assets, allowing for potential future exploration and production activities across the expanded acreage. Gulfport Energy maintains its focus on the Utica region as a primary component of its broader energy operations.

PJM Fights Natural Gas Turbine Swap as $2B Ohio Plant Faces 2032 Delay --PJM Interconnection is fighting an Ohio developer’s bid to swap turbine models at a roughly $2 billion natural gas plant, a move the developer calls its only path around a multi-year equipment backlog, and the grid operator says would unfairly bend its fast-track rules. NGI chart compares Texas Eastern M-3, Del natural gas prices with PJM Interconnection daily coal and natural gas thermal generation from April through June 2026, showing prices and gas-fired generation rising into late June. At a Glance:
Turbine shortage threatens 2-year delay
Capacity shortfall sharpens dispute
PJM load could set summer record
Related Tags: Natural Gas Turbines,  PJM Interconnection, Texas Eastern M-3,Delivery

FTAI Buys M-U, Gulf Coast Frac Sand Transloading Operator for $45M - - Marcellus Drilling News - - We love a good railroad story, and at its core, that’s what this story is. Investment firm FTAI Infrastructure has completed its acquisition of Tidewater Logistics, a barge-and-rail transloading company operating in Ohio, West Virginia, and Texas, for about $45 million in cash. Tidewater serves producers, shippers and industrial customers in Appalachian Basin and Gulf Coast shale and energy markets, making it complementary to FTAI’s Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway. Tidewater’s facilities include frac sand transloading in Steubenville, OH; Fairmont, WV; and Allenport, PA.

Surge in Data Centers Helps Drive M-U Gas Demand in the Northeast - - Marcellus Drilling News - -  Data center growth is rapidly reshaping Northeast power and natural gas markets, with projects clustering near transmission lines, substations, gas-fired power generation, and pipeline corridors. Virginia remains the epicenter, led by Northern Virginia’s massive hyperscale hub and tens of gigawatts of planned capacity. Ohio is emerging fast around Columbus, with more than 15 GW proposed. Pennsylvania could become a major growth story, pairing Marcellus/Utica gas resources with large campuses such as Homer City’s planned 4.5-GW gas-fired/data center redevelopment. However, PA is attempting to shoot itself in the foot with talk of both short- and long-term moratoriums on new data center construction. So, the jury is still very much out on how successful PA will be with data centers.

31 New Shale Well Permits Reported for PA-OH-WV Jun 22 – 28 -- Marcellus Drilling News -- The Marcellus/Utica region received 31 new drilling permits last week, June 22 – 28, the very same number issued two weeks ago! Can’t remember the last time that happened. Last week, Pennsylvania issued just 5 new permits. Ohio issued 13 new permits. West Virginia also issued 13 new permits last week. The drillers who received new permits included: Antero Resources, EOG Resources, EQT, Expand Energy, Infinity Natural Resources, Laurel Mountain Energy, and Pennsylvania General Energy.  Antero Resources | Bradford County | Butler County | Carroll County | EOG Resources | EQT Corp | Expand Energy | Guernsey County | Harrison County | INR/Infinity Natural Resources | Laurel Mountain Energy | Lycoming County  | Ohio County  | Pennsylvania General Energy  | Wetzel County

Seneca, Evolution partner on electric fracturing in Appalachian Basin -Seneca Resources, the exploration and production unit of National Fuel Gas, is partnering with Evolution Well Services to deploy electric fracturing technology across its operations in the US’ Appalachian Basin. Seneca’s operations consist of around 1.2mn acres (4,856 square km) in the Appalachian Basin, spanning both the Marcellus and Utica shale plays. According to National Fuel Gas’ website, Seneca produces around 1.2bn cubic feet (34.0mn cubic metres) per day of gas from the region on a net basis. The company has had a presence in the Marcellus since 2007 and, like other shale producers, has sought to boost its performance via innovation. Electric fracturing technology has emerged as one example of shale innovation, with benefits such as increased efficiency, as well as a reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Evolution says on its website that its equipment is designed as a “fully integrated platform built to maximise safety, operational efficiency and output density”. Under the three-year agreement between Seneca and Evolution, the latter will provide its electric fracturing technology, in-house power generation and advanced field gas conditioning services to the partnership. Combined with Seneca’s “responsibly sourced” gas production, the partnership will be aimed at improving operational efficiency while reducing the environmental footprint of completions, Evolution said. Both Seneca and Evolution will be able to “leverage real-time data and engineered solutions to drive efficiency during high-intensity completions” under the partnership, Evolution added. “This initiative reflects Seneca’s focus on disciplined capital allocation and operational execution,” stated Seneca and NFG Midstream’s president, Justin Loweth. “By leveraging our responsibly produced and gathered field gas to power electric fracturing operations, we can reduce fuel and logistics costs, improve reliability and uptime, and lower overall cost of ownership. Our partnership with Evolution demonstrates how thoughtfully integrated technology can drive meaningful operating efficiencies, enhance capital productivity, and deliver durable returns while maintaining strong environmental performance,” he added. “This alignment exemplifies how innovation and disciplined execution can work together to advance natural gas development,” added Evolution’s president and CEO, Steven Anderson. “By integrating our fully electric fracturing technology, in house power generation, and field gas conditioning with Seneca’s responsibly sourced natural gas, we are delivering a completion solution that prioritises safety, reliability and efficiency while reducing operational complexity.” No further details were provided. However, the latest news builds on a series of announcements by Evolution over the past few years about partnerships with other upstream players to deploy its electric fracturing fleets, often also in Appalachia.

The Hammerhead gas gathering system from EQT Corp. - quiet backbone of Appalachian production The Hammerhead gas gathering system from EQT Corp. runs mostly out of sight, a thick steel artery buried under farmland and forest that hums with a low, steady compressor noise when you stand near one of its stations on a cold morning. It is built to collect raw Appalachian gas from dozens of well pads and feed it into larger interstate pipelines for power plants, export terminals and industrial users. Hammerhead is a midstream network of gathering pipelines, compressor stations and measurement points that EQT designed specifically for Marcellus and Utica shale wells in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. It takes high-pressure gas straight from the wellhead, strips out liquids and sends a drier stream toward regional trunk lines and processing plants. For field engineers like operations manager Chris Bailey, Hammerhead is the everyday tool that keeps wells flowing and lets drilling crews focus on the rock instead of the logistics. The system’s pipes range from small-diameter laterals connecting single pads to larger trunk segments that can move hundreds of millions of cubic feet per day. That mix lets Hammerhead flex as new wells come online or older ones decline, without forcing EQT to rebuild its infrastructure grid each time. On the ground, you notice the tidy gravel access roads, fenced valve sites and the faint smell of oil at flange connections that signal a workhorse system rather than a showcase project. Within EQT’s portfolio, Hammerhead sits as a classic long-lived asset that has been in service through multiple commodity cycles. Field crews talk about its consistent operating pressure and the way compressor stations ramp up with a smooth tonal change when demand spikes, instead of the sharp, rattling start-stop you hear on older units. For traders in Pittsburgh and Houston, that stability means they can schedule volumes with confidence during winter peak days. Because Hammerhead ties together dozens of pads over a wide area, it also reduces flaring and venting. Wells can be connected faster, and temporary bottlenecks are less frequent than in scattered, third-party systems. In practice, that means fewer frustrating shut-in days for drilling supervisor Maria Lopez and a more predictable production profile feeding EQT’s sales contracts. Hammerhead is part of the infrastructure web that underpins EQT’s gas output in Appalachia and thus its revenue base, a key point for long-term holders of EQT Corp. shares. Hammerhead reflects EQT CEO Toby Rice’s push to control more of the value chain rather than rely entirely on third-party midstream providers. Owning and operating a large gathering system lets the company optimize routing, minimize downtime and balance maintenance windows against hedged sales positions. It also gives EQT negotiating leverage when it connects to downstream interstate lines and liquefied natural gas export capacity. Hammerhead’s role is more about reducing risk than chasing headline growth. A robust gathering system helps EQT avoid constraint penalties and lost volumes during extreme weather, the kind of hidden costs that can quietly erode cash flow. In the control room, operators see that impact as fewer red alarms on the screens when temperatures swing, and more green throughput bars holding firm. Appalachian gas remains one of the major supply basins feeding North American power generation and LNG projects. Hammerhead’s capacity supports EQT’s position as a top producer, making it easier for the firm to commit to long-term sales and midstream agreements into the 2030s. That structural role turns Hammerhead into a classic longseller asset, with a life measured in decades rather than quarters.

Pipeline pushback: Residents call proposed Shelby County project dangerous - — A company looking to build a pipeline across the country needs access to land in Kentucky, but some Shelby County property owners aren’t on board. For 17 years, Jerry Vandevelde has enjoyed the serenity of his Simpsonville farmland. “We like the privacy, and we like having the woods and the nature,” Vandevelde said. “My wife has bird feeders and squirrel feeders and all those kinds of things.” A few months ago, he was informed that a Texas-based company, looking to run a 265-mile-long natural gas pipeline through multiple states, has interest in sharing part of his land. “The letter itself was just asking for permission to come on the property and do a survey,” Vandevelde said. The letter came from an agent with Texas Gas Transmission, a company looking to use land across Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky for a new natural gas pipeline as a part of “The Borealis Project." Texas Gas has operated in Kentucky for 75 years with existing pipelines running through Central and Western Kentucky. The company says the pipeline expansion will help meet a 60% increase in natural gas demand. Vandevelde says the project requires a 50-foot easement that forces the removal of wooded areas near his home. “This was just going to decimate one of the principal reasons why we moved here in the first place,” Vandevelde said. Vandevelde, who’s worked as a geotechnical engineer, says the Karst terrain in the area makes the land susceptible to frequent sinkholes. He points out several have recently opened on his property, making him worried about the possibility of having a natural gas pipeline sit on the land. “It's a 10-acre tract over here, and I’ve identified 10 sinkholes already,” Vandevelde said. "We could have an explosion, and people could be harmed and property damaged, houses burned. I mean, it's just too dangerous to have something like this close to homes in karst areas." Previous Department of Transportation investigations found other ruptures of natural gas pipelines in the state have been caused by land movement, including one in 2014 that damaged seven structures. In a statement shared with WLKY, the owner of Texas Gas Transmission, Boardwalk Pipelines, says, "Natural landscape and underlying geology are key considerations in how a route is developed." Similar pipelines in Kentucky have ruptured, causing fatalities. A final report by the National Transportation Safety Board revealed a 2019 natural gas pipeline exploded near Danville due to a manufacturing defect. The explosion of the Enbridge Inc. pipeline killed one person, injured six, and displaced 75 people from their homes. Meanwhile, Vandevelde has launched "Kentucky Counties United," comprised of other residents pushing back against the project. “We’re kind of fighting an uphill battle,” Vandevelde said. “But it's something that we have to stay with because of the risk to the people and to the environment.” Boardwalk Pipelines says they are in the early phase of development. According to the company's website, if an agreement can't be reached with landowners, "federal law allows the company to request eminent domain."

Nervous Green Groups Seek to Join NY Frack Ban “Taking” Lawsuit - Marcellus Drilling News - - In mid-April, MDN brought you the great news that a major lawsuit had been filed against New York State, alleging a “taking” of private property by the state through its ban on fracking (see New Lawsuit Brought Against NY Claims State Frack Ban a “Taking”). The state Department of Environmental Conservation and the State Attorney General Leticia James were named as defendants in the initial filing. A couple of weeks later, NY Governor Kathy Hochul was added to the list (see NY Gov. Hochul Added as Defendant in Frack Ban “Taking” Lawsuit). Big Green is obviously VERY nervous that this lawsuit against the state may succeed, so they (and their foreign financial backers) want to join the lawsuit on New York’s side as “intervenors,” giving their high-priced attorneys a seat at the table.

Fed Appeals Court Upholds New York’s Ban on NatGas in New Homes - - Marcellus Drilling News - All we can say is, get the heck out of New York while you still can. Sooner or later, property values in the “Empire” State will crash. (Probably sooner rather than later.) Yesterday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (2nd Circuit) ruled in support of New York State banning natural gas from being used in new home (and business) construction across the entire state. If it stands, it is the beginning of the end for NY. The end will eventually come when Wall Street firms finally give up and move from New York City to Texas or Florida, completely bankrupting the state from lost revenues

Years-Long, 34-Mile CT Pipeline Project “Stalled at the Finish Line” -- Marcellus Drilling News - This is so frustrating. After seven years, $150 million, and 31 of 34 miles already underground, Connecticut has halted a pipeline project designed to provide a more dependable natural gas supply to the booming southeastern Connecticut economy. Ealier this year MDN told you that Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) had determined that Eversource Energy’s plan to install a natural gas pipeline through Hurd State Park and the Connecticut Valley Railroad State Park Trail requires a formal Environmental Impact Evaluation, unnecessarily delaying a tiny portion (1.1 miles) of this critically-important reliability project (see CT DEEP Unnecessarily Delays NatGas Pipe Crossing 2 State Parks).

FERC Speeds Enviro Assessment for Constitution Pipe – Due by Aug 21 -- Marcellus Drilling News - The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) isn’t letting any grass grow under its feet regarding the advancement of the Constitution Pipeline, a 125-mile greenfield pipeline from the Marcellus gas fields of Susquehanna County, PA, to Schoharie County, NY, to deliver Marcellus gas into New York State and New England. FERC is actively reviewing two requests related to reviving the project (see FERC Takes New Look at Constitution Pipeline Before Reissuing Cert). Last week, FERC set a schedule to complete an environmental assessment (EA) for the proposed Constitution Pipeline and the associated Wright Interconnect project, with a deadline of August 21.

FERC Issues Positive Final EIS for 2 Kinder Southeast Pipe Projects -- Marcellus Drilling News - Last September, MDN told you that two major Kinder Morgan pipeline projects that will flow Marcellus/Utica molecules in the southeastern U.S. took a big step forward at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) with FERC actively working on an environmental impact statement (EIS) for both projects (see FERC Begins Enviro Reviews for 2 Key Southeast Pipeline Projects). The two projects are Tennessee Gas Pipeline’s Mississippi Crossing (MSX) Project and Southern Natural Gas/Elba Express’ South System Expansion 4 (SSE4) Project. The 2.1-Bcf/d MSX and 1.3-Bcf/d SSE4 projects will move more Marcellus/Utica gas into Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. Last week, FERC issued a favorable *Final* Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for both projects

Kinder Morgan Forced to Sue SC Landowners for Pipe Survey Access -- Marcellus Drilling News - It never ends well for landowners who believe they can block pipeline surveyors from accessing their land. In April 2025, MDN told you about a new greenfield expansion of Kinder Morgan’s Elba Express pipeline into South Carolina to serve growing demand for natural gas in the state (see KM Pipes Update: Expand Elba to SC; SSE4 Survey Work Done. The $431 million Elba Express Bridge project is designed to provide 325 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of firm transportation capacity to a new gas-fired power plant in Colleton County, SC (see SC PSC Approves Gas-Fired Power Plant Proposed for Edisto River). Read More

TVA considers up to 26 GW of gas-fired generation | Utility Dive:

• The Tennessee Valley Authority released its preliminary 2026 integrated resource plan on Monday, saying load growth in its footprint is already outpacing the reference case forecast in its draft IRP, and that it has incremental capacity needs for between 7 GW and 26 GW of natural gas between now and 2040.
• “TVA’s actual and forecasted electricity demand has increased relative to the draft IRP’s Reference scenario and is approaching the Higher Growth Economy scenario primarily due to data center growth (e.g., artificial intelligence, hyperscaler, etc.),” the IRP said. The higher growth scenario “evaluates a higher gas price environment driven by substantial economic growth.”
• The federally-owned utility also plans to add up to 5 GW of nuclear, 1-5 GW of storage, 2-5 GW of renewables (1-8 GW nameplate) and 2-3 GW of energy efficiency and demand response additions.

“New capacity is needed in all scenarios to support load growth or replace expiring and end of life capacity,” the IRP said.TVA said that gas expansion is necessary to provide “firm, dispatchable capacity,” while new nuclear technologies “support load growth and reduce fuel volatility and regulatory risks” and solar expansion can play a “complementary role, meeting customer needs and providing economic energy.”“Storage expansion continues, driven by both battery storage and the potential for additional pumped storage,” TVA said. “Energy efficiency deployment reduces energy needs, particularly between now and 2040, and demand response programs grow with the system and the use of smart technologies.”TVA will take public comment on the preliminary final IRP until July 22, and will hold a public webinar on July 2 to discuss the plan. Final recommendations will be shared at the TVA Board meeting in August. The IRP noted that the region has “recently experienced extreme winter temperatures in each of the last few years,” with a new winter peak record of 35,319 MW being set in January 2025, and for the 2026 IRP the utility used a 26% planning reserve margin target for winter, compared to its 18% planning reserve margin target for summer. TVA established three potential strategies in the IRP: Strategy A, which sticks with TVA’s baseline and relies heavily on natural gas generation; Strategy B, which embraces technological innovation and nuclear expansion in particular; and Strategy C, which focuses on distributed energy and would increase renewables and storage.Strategy A’s higher reliance on natural gas means it has a “higher financial risk exposure than alternative strategies,” while Strategy B is the most expensive overall, and Strategy C “increases the risk of unserved energy or energy curtailment,” TVA said.The IRP recommends the utility “pursue solar to reduce total system costs or meet customer needs,” but “suspend wind additions given cost and portfolio fit challenges.” It also recommends investment in TVA’s hydro and nuclear fleets and pursuing “nuclear license extensions to maintain low-cost generation.”In the IRP’s high growth forecast, the scenario which the region is edging closer to, nuclear capacity growth is the highest due in part to increases in the natural gas price forecast.TVA noted changes in U.S. energy policy since its 2025 IRP, including the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s curtailment of the investment tax credits available to renewable projects, and the Trump administration’s focus on coal and gas generation. President Donald Trump has pushed for TVA to turn back toward coal, and fired three Biden appointees from the TVA board in July after the board authorized the retirement of coal units at TVA’s Cumberland and Kingston power plants so natural gas could be developed there. After Trump appointed three replacements to the board, the board voted to operate Cumberland and Kingston’s coal plants past their retirement dates.In the IRP, TVA’s forecast for coal involves the “continuing operation of [its] coal fleet, subject to regulatory requirements, as an immediate, cost-effective option to reduce total system cost and system reliability risk.” Through 2040, TVA will “evaluate [the] existing fleet, as needed, considering material condition, system reliability, system cost, regulatory requirements, and replacement generation.”

CP2 LNG Feedgas Pipeline Permit Challenged in Louisiana Court -Environmental groups are using a state court strategy that has briefly delayed LNG export permitting in Louisiana to challenge a 1.9 Bcf/d pipeline that would feed Venture Global’s CP2 LNG export terminal. At a Glance:

• Marais permit challenged in Cameron Parish
• Pipeline would feed CP2 LNG
• Commonwealth ruling frames legal risk

Golden Pass LNG Offline After Sending Out First 3 Cargoes - Marcellus Drilling News -  The Golden Pass LNG terminal is a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal and regasification facility in Sabine Pass (Port Arthur), Texas. It is among the largest LNG facilities in the world. It can accommodate up to 15.6 million metric tons (MT) of LNG per year, the equivalent of approximately 2 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day (Bcf/d). In April, Golden Pass exported its first LNG cargo (see Inaugural Cargo Departs Golden Pass LNG, Heading to Belgium). It exported its second cargo in May. On June 25, the facility exported its third cargo since commissioning began. But by Monday, June 29, almost all feedgas flowing to the facility stopped and has stayed stopped.

Upstart US LNG Export Projects Aiming to Secure Permits in 2027 -The only two greenfield LNG export projects in the United States currently making their way through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) process expect to gain authorization sometime next year.IEA chart tracks global LNG project final investment decisions by region from 2015 through 2026, led by North America and the Middle East. At a Glance:
Gulfstream’s size provides advantage
Argent has signed HOAs
Both projects have secured land

Near-Full NGPL Line Gets OK to Move More Texas Natural Gas to Henry Hub --The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) cleared Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America (NGPL) to turn on the second phase of its Texas-Louisiana Expansion Project that would add much-needed eastbound capacity to a constrained East Texas-Louisiana link. NGI Entropic Analytics chart compares Henry Hub natural gas prices with NGPL eastbound flows at Station 302 from May through June 2026. At a Glance:
NGPL adds 300,000 Dth/d in East Texas
Eastbound segment runs near full
LNG demand lifts Gulf Coast pull

XRG Deepens US LNG Bet With Expanded Rio Grande Equity Deal  -- XRG has expanded its US LNG footprint with the acquisition of an additional equity stake in NextDecade’s Rio Grande LNG expansion, giving the Abu Dhabi-backed investment firm exposure across all five trains currently under construction. At a Glance:

• BlackRock unit sells equity interest
• 5-train exposure strengthens ADNOC strategy
• US supply linked to global demand

US Natgas Advances 3% on Rising LNG Flows, Record Heat - (Reuters) – U.S. natural gas futures climbed about 3% on Tuesday on rising flows to liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plants and forecasts for record power demand in some parts of the country as homes and businesses crank up air conditioners to escape a brutal heat wave. Front-month gas futures for August delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose 10.2 cents, or 3.2%, to $3.283 per million British thermal units. For the month, the front-month was down less than 1% in June after soaring about 19% in May. Looking ahead, the premium of futures for August over September rose to a record high of around 7 cents per mmBtu. High temperatures in New York, the nation’s biggest city, will reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius) on Thursday and Friday, according to weather forecaster AccuWeather. If correct, Thursday’s high would tie a record for that day set in 1966. The normal high for this time of year in the Big Apple is 84 F. With extreme heat expected, PJM, the nation’s biggest electric grid covering parts of 13 states from New Jersey to Illinois, forecast demand on July 2 would reach 166.3 gigawatts (GW), which would top the current record of 165.6 GW in 2006. Financial group LSEG said average gas output in the U.S. Lower 48 states rose to 110.0 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) so far in June, up from 109.7 bcfd in May. That compares with a monthly record high of 110.6 bcfd in December 2025. Analysts said mostly mild weather during the spring allowed energy firms to stockpile more gas than usual. They projected the amount of gas in inventories would edge up to 5.9% above normal during the week ended June 26, up from 5.7% above in the previous week. Meteorologists forecast the weather will remain mostly warmer than normal through July 15, which should boost the amount of gas power generators burn to keep air conditioners humming. About 40% of U.S. power generation comes from gas-fired plants. LSEG projected average gas demand in the Lower 48 states, including exports, would rise from 105.1 bcfd this week to 109.6 bcfd next week. The forecast for this week was lower than LSEG’s outlook on Monday, while its forecast for next week was higher. Average gas flows to the nine big U.S. LNG export plants rose from 17.1 bcfd in May to 17.4 bcfd so far in June with record feedgas to Cheniere Energy’s 3.9-bcfd Corpus Christi plant in service and under construction in Texas. That compares with a monthly record high of 18.8 bcfd in April.

Gas Line Was Not Marked Before Fatal Dallas Explosion, NTSB Says - A preliminary NTSB report says the natural gas line involved in the fatal Dallas apartment explosion had not been identified and marked before drilling began, as investigators continue examining the cause of the May 28 blast. (P&GJ) — A natural gas line involved in the May 28 explosion that destroyed a Dallas apartment building had not been identified and marked before drilling began, according to a preliminary report released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The explosion and subsequent fire killed three people, injured at least six others and remain under investigation. According to the NTSB, a third-party contractor working on behalf of Engineering and Consulting Services Southwest LLP was conducting soil sampling near the apartment building before the explosion. The contractor had submitted a Texas 811 excavation notification on May 21, seven days before the incident. The report states that while some underground utilities had been identified using paint and flags before drilling began, the location of the natural gas line involved in the accident had not been identified and marked. The NTSB did not indicate why the line was unmarked or assign responsibility, noting that the investigation remains ongoing. Dallas Fire-Rescue responded to a reported natural gas leak at 12:49 p.m. local time on May 28 and notified Atmos Energy of a cut gas line two minutes later. The explosion occurred at approximately 1:15 p.m., destroying the apartment building at 409 E. Ninth St. and prompting the evacuation of eight nearby homes and three apartment buildings. Atmos Energy crews arrived shortly after the explosion and isolated the leak by hydraulically squeezing the polyethylene natural gas main in two locations. The first squeeze-off was completed at 2:09 p.m., followed by a second at 2:41 p.m., stopping the flow of gas to the damaged area. The NTSB said the distribution system serving the area included a 4-inch polyethylene natural gas main operating at approximately 38 pounds per square inch gauge (psig), below its maximum operating pressure of 55 psig. A 1¼-inch polyethylene service line connected the main to the apartment building before reducing to a ¾-inch line leading to the building's gas meter. Both the gas main and the ¾-inch section of the service line were installed in 1988. "Although the locations of some of the assets had been marked by painting and flagging, the location of this gas line had not been identified and marked," the NTSB said in its preliminary report. The agency cautioned that its investigation is ongoing and that the report does not identify a probable cause. "All aspects of the accident remain under investigation while the National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause with the intent to issue safety recommendations to prevent similar events," the agency said. Parties participating in the investigation include the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), the Railroad Commission of Texas, Dallas Fire-Rescue, Atmos Energy, Environmental Consulting Services Ltd. and United States Infrastructure Corporation (USIC Locating Services LLC). The NTSB will issue a final report after completing its investigation.

US Oil Production Rose to Record High in April, EIA Says - (Reuters) – U.S. crude oil production rose to 13.93 million barrels per day in April, the highest on record, monthly data from the Energy Information Administration showed on Tuesday, as producers ramped up output in response to higher oil prices owing to the Iran war. Production rose by 216,000 bpd in April, EIA data showed, with production in New Mexico touching a record high of 2.37 million bpd. Crude production in Texas edged 36,000 bpd higher to 5.83 million bpd, the highest since November. Texas and New Mexico are home to the Permian Basin, which accounts for roughly half of U.S. crude output. Output from North Dakota, the third-largest producing state, also rose to 1.13 million bpd, the highest since November. U.S. crude futures were trading around $70 a barrel. They had traded as high as $119.50 in March. U.S. gross natural gas production eased to 135.3 billion cubic feet per day in April from 135.4 bcfd in March and a record 136 bcfd in December. In top gas-producing states, monthly output in April rose 0.2% to a record 38.8 bcfd in Texas, but fell 1.1% to 21 bcfd in Pennsylvania, the EIA said. That compares with a monthly all-time high of 38.7 bcfd in March in Texas and 21.9 bcfd in December 2021 in Pennsylvania. U.S. crude and products supplied overall grew in April to 20.81 million barrels per day, the highest level since February, the data showed, with supplies of finished motor gasoline, a proxy for demand, rising to 9.12 million, the highest in eight months. Distillate fuel oil supplied, however, fell in April to 3.89 million bpd, the lowest since December.

Oil Stocks in US Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fall by 5.5 Million to Lowest Level Since 1983 - (Reuters) – Stocks of crude oil in the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve fell by 5.5 million barrels to 325.7 million barrels, the lowest level since May 1983, according to data from the Department of Energy. The drawdowns are a part of a U.S. agreement to release 172 million barrels from the facility.

US Commercial Crude Stocks hit 8-Yr Low, Gasoline Demand Rises Ahead of Holiday Weekend - U.S. crude stocks fell to their lowest last week since 2018 as domestic refinery demand rose, while gasoline inventories also fell ahead of the July 4 holiday weekend, the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday. Commercial crude inventories fell by 3.8 million barrels to 408.4 million barrels last week, the lowest level since September 2018, compared with analysts’ expectations in a Reuters poll for a 4.5 million-barrel draw. Since the Iran war started at the end of February, total U.S. inventories, including commercial stocks and those in the government’s emergency reserve, have fallen by 120.71 million to 734 million barrels, the lowest since May 1984. Crude stocks at the flagship Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery hub rose by 709,000 barrels, the EIA said, after falling nine straight weeks to below the operational minimum of around 20 million barrels. “Cushing is still at minimum operating levels… the industry is living hand to mouth on Cushing inventories,” said Andrew Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates. Brent futures extended losses and fell by 1.6% while U.S. crude futures were little changed and were down around 1% after the smaller-than-expected drop in crude stocks. Refinery crude runs rose by 85,000 barrels per day in the week ended June 26, while refinery utilization rates rose by 0.5 percentage points in the week to 96.6%. “U.S. refiners are just cranking it out, operating full tilt here and it’s needed,” said John Kilduff, partner with Again Capital. Gasoline supplied, a proxy for demand, rose last week by 356,000 bpd to 9.13 million bpd. “It was a very strong gasoline demand week. I was concerned about the high prices and maybe that the economy was flagging, but to be back over 9 million barrels a day (of demand) is where we should be for this time of year,” Kilduff said. U.S. gasoline stocks fell by 2.3 million barrels in the week to 214 million barrels, the EIA said, compared with analysts’ expectations in a Reuters poll for a 1 million-barrel draw. Stocks along the U.S. Gulf Coast fell last week to their lowest since October 2024. U.S. gasoline futures extended gains and were up 1.1% after the data showed the larger-than-expected draw in U.S. gasoline stocks. The U.S. national gasoline price at the pump was around $3.85 a gallon on Wednesday, according to the AAA. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday gasoline retailers must get ‌prices down immediately and warned that there will be “big problems” ahead if they did not do so. Trump urged retailers to target $2.50 a gallon. Distillate stockpiles, which include diesel and heating oil, rose by 2.5 million barrels in the week to 108.6 million barrels, versus expectations for a 0.5 million-barrel drop. U.S. diesel futures pared gains and rose around 0.4% after the data showed the surprise build in distillate stocks. Net U.S. crude imports rose last week by 370,000 barrels per day, EIA said.

Supreme Court grants North Dakota pipeline case - The Supreme Court on Monday granted a petition from North Dakota landowners asking the justices to weigh in on how much compensation companies owe for using eminent domain to take land to build natural gas pipelines. The landowners are seeking to overturn a March 2025 ruling finding that they were not entitled to compensation for legal fees and other costs associated with determining how much WBI Energy Transmission owed them for taking their land to build a 12-mile gas pipeline in northwestern North Dakota. After the justices sought his input on the case, Solicitor General D. John Sauer also argued the high court should hear the case, Leonard Hoffman v. WBI Energy Transmission, but said the justices should uphold the decision by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in order to resolve a split with other appellate courts. The 8th Circuit ruled that the Natural Gas Act did not explicitly allow compensation for additional legal fees and that the landowners in the case were not entitled to compensation for that expense. This is in contrast to other federal laws, which do require coverage for attorneys fees for federal takings, the court ruled. The 8th Circuit decision overturned a ruling from a lower bench, which granted the landowners more than $383,000 in attorneys’ fees. The district court had held that because federal law did not explicitly mention legal fees, then state law could be applied to determine an amount owed to the landowners.

Proposed oil pipeline to B.C. coast spurs alarm in Washington state - The province of Alberta late Thursday announced a route for a new, one-million-barrel-per-day crude oil pipeline to Canada’s West Coast that terminates within about a mile of Washington state waters. Environmental interests on the U.S. side of the border are worried. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney jointly detailed the fast-tracked plans for the big new pipeline stretching from the Edmonton region to a new export terminal capable of handling supertankers destined for Asian markets. The terminus they identified in the project documents is the Port of Vancouver’s Roberts Bank expansion on the Strait of Georgia. Oil-filled ships traveling from the port pass by the San Juan Islands and Olympic Peninsula as they head out to sea from Vancouver. A spill in Canadian shipping lanes could easily reach north Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Washington’s outer coast, threatening sensitive ecosystems and killer whale habitat. The new pipeline proposal could result in substantial additional oil tanker trips through the shared waters of the Salish Sea, warned Lovel Pratt, marine protection and policy director for the environmental group Friends of the San Juans. “This would significantly elevate the risk of catastrophic oil spills, vessel accidents, underwater noise pollution, and harm to endangered marine wildlife,” the group said in a press release that Pratt shared. “The increase in oil tanker traffic is especially alarming for the critically endangered Southern Resident killer whales, whose population currently numbers just 74 individuals,” Pratt added. Northern Washington tribes, including the Lummi, Samish, Swinomish and Makah, strongly opposed a previous Canadian pipeline expansion and can be counted on to oppose this one as well. The tribes argue that the large increase in vessel traffic endangers their treaty rights and threatens vital fisheries. If there’s a spill in the area, Pratt points out that “Oil knows no boundaries.” The project comes as Canada looks to strengthen its economic ties beyond the U.S. and as Carney has said the nation is seeking to become an “energy superpower.” Alberta Premier Smith said the province chose a southern pipeline route that ends on the shores of the Salish Sea because it can take advantage of the existing Trans Mountain Pipeline corridor as well as established relationships with First Nations. “This route offers the fastest, most cost-effective path to expanding Canada’s energy exports,” Smith said. The province’s West Coast pipeline website asserted that marine safety “will be embedded in every aspect of the project’s design and operation.” It goes on to say that the proposal would incorporate “the most advanced marine protection systems available worldwide” as well as “enhanced navigation protocols to safeguard coastal waters.” In Washington, the state Department of Ecology is the lead agency for oil spill prevention and response. On the cusp of a previous surge in crude tanker traffic in 2024, program managers at the agency told the Standard they felt good about local spill preparedness and had the capabilities to do their job. An Ecology spokesperson said late Thursday that the agency is awaiting more details on the Canadian pipeline proposal before offering a fresh assessment.

Carney Backs B.C. Tanker Ban as Alberta Unveils Pipeline Plan Prime Minister Mark Carney threw a wrench into Alberta's West Coast pipeline ambitions on Thursday just hours before Premier Danielle Smith was set to unveil details of the province's long-awaited proposal. Speaking alongside B.C. Premier David Eby in Vancouver, Carney reaffirmed that Ottawa will maintain the federal ban on oil tankers along British Columbia's North Coast, effectively taking one of the most attractive export corridors off the table before Alberta's proposal even reached the federal government. The announcement came as part of a multibillion-dollar agreement between Ottawa and British Columbia aimed at advancing resource development while preserving the North Coast tanker moratorium. Smith's government is pitching a privately financed, one-million-barrel-per-day pipeline to Canada's West Coast and wants Ottawa to designate it as a project of national interest. The proposal is intended to boost Canada's export capacity, reduce dependence on the U.S. market, and strengthen the country's energy security. But keeping the tanker ban intact immediately narrows the project's options. It doesn’t directly kill the pipeline, but it does remove one of the most politically and geographically attractive export corridors. The political signals coming out of British Columbia, meanwhile, were surprisingly mixed. Eby reiterated his opposition to lifting the tanker ban but also acknowledged that pipelines fall under federal jurisdiction and said his government would not go to court to stop a federally approved project. Instead, B.C. secured a commitment that it would be compensated for the environmental risks should a pipeline ultimately move forward. The result: Alberta gets consideration for its proposed pipeline, British Columbia keeps its tanker moratorium, and both sides claim victory.

B.C. Signals It Won't Fight New Oil Pipeline Under Federal Deal - Canada will maintain its northwest coast oil tanker ban under a new federal agreement, but British Columbia says it will not challenge a future Alberta oil pipeline if a different export route is proposed. (Reuters) — The province of British Columbia announced a deal with Canada's federal government on July 2 that maintains the federal ban on oil tankers along the country's northwest coast, but appears to open the door to neighboring Alberta's proposal for a new crude oil pipeline if a different route is proposed. The deal was announced just hours before Carney is expected to travel to Alberta to join Premier Danielle Smith as she announces her province's proposal for a new pipeline with the capacity to transport 1 million barrels per day of Alberta crude oil to the B.C. coast for export overseas. Carney has tried to strike a balance between growing Canada's oil industry, reducing its reliance on the U.S., and preserving some of Canada's environmental policies. Canada currently has one West Coast oil pipeline to access Asian markets. Ottawa's environmental policies, especially under Liberal former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, stoked anger in oil-rich Alberta and fueled a nascent separatist movement. The province is due to hold a non-binding referendum on October 19 to decide whether to begin the process of splitting from Canada. While Alberta has said it favors a pipeline route to B.C.'s northwest coast, which is geographically closer to Asia than the province's southern coast, B.C. has long been concerned about the environmental risk of a potential oil spill in the ecologically fragile area. But British Columbia Premier David Eby on July 2 appeared to open the door to a pipeline going through his province, as long as the tanker ban remains in place and the northwest coast is protected. "This agreement doesn't require us to support any pipeline proposal from Alberta, however, as I've said before, we recognize our constitutional position, and we do not have the authority to stop a new pipeline. We will not be going to court to fight a pipeline project," Eby told reporters. Smith is expected to unveil her province's crude oil pipeline proposal at 8 p.m. EDT (midnight GMT). The proposal does not yet have a private-sector proponent. The federal government also pledged to accelerate the building of new liquefied natural gas projects in B.C. to triple LNG production in the next decade.

Hibernia oil spill posed threat of deadly blast and fire: regulator — The agency that oversees Newfoundland and Labrador’s offshore energy sector says a recent oil spill and gas leak aboard the Hibernia oil platform could have caused a deadly explosion and fire. The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Energy Regulator said Friday the spill on May 12 was contained on the platform. But it was classified as a “major hydrocarbon release” based on the amount that leaked from a damaged piece of equipment. No one was injured and none of the 1,600 litres of spilled crude seeped into the ocean. The regulator said Hibernia personnel were preparing to pump crude onto a tanker around 11 a.m. when they noticed unusual noises coming from the platform’s utility shaft, where a drain on a sludge pump had been sheared off, releasing crude oil. At that point, gas was also detected. But the crude discharge was stopped when a worker closed a manual valve on the broken pump. “The incident is classified as having potential for fire, explosion and fatality,” the regulator said in a statement released Friday. The independent regulator said it had requested more information from the Hibernia Management and Development Company, which operates the platform and manages the oilfield about 315 kilometres east of St. John’s. Among other things, the federal-provincial agency says it wants to determine the root causes of the accident and assess the company’s response. Meanwhile, the company is conducting an investigation and on May 27 submitted to the regulator its findings from a preliminary probe. A spokesperson for Hibernia Management and Development could not be immediately reached for comment. Hibernia is one of four oil installations off Newfoundland’s east coast. It was the first to produce oil in November 1997. Earlier this month, the president of ExxonMobil Canada, Kerry Moreland, said new wells and investments will ensure the Hibernia oilfield continue producing “well beyond” its expected 30-year lifespan. Since 2017, Hibernia Management and Development has been fined three times for spills from the massive gravity-based platform, which sits on the ocean floor. In August 2023, Hibernia’s operator was fined $400,000 following an investigation into a spill that released about 12,000 litres of crude into the North Atlantic on July 17, 2019, leaving two large slicks that extended for several kilometres. In January 2023, the company pleaded not guilty to three charges in provincial court in St. John’s. But it later pleaded guilty to a single charge and agreed to pay the fine. Meanwhile, the company was fined $28,000 in April 2022 for a spill in August 2019 that resulted in a 2,200-litre mix of water and crude leaking into the sea after a power outage. The fine had been reduced from $40,000 after the company successfully argued that its cleanup efforts had prevented wildlife from encountering the spill. And in October 2017, the company pleaded guilty to continuing to operate the platform in December 2013 after a leak was detected and about 6,000 litres of crude spilled into the Atlantic. The company was fined $80,000 and ordered to pay $170,000 into the federal Environmental Damages Fund.

LNG Canada’s First Year Tightens Focus on Western Natural Gas Supply - As LNG Canada passed the one-year milestone of the first cargo loaded from the British Columbia (BC) facility, feedgas flows have climbed to near full Phase 1 capacity, even as the flaring and equipment issues persist, according to public data. At a Glance:

• Exports climb near Phase 1 capacity
• Pacific buyers absorb Canadian LNG
• Flaring issues test operating reliability

Argentina LNG Gains Upstream Backing from Eni, XRG Deals - Eni and XRG are doubling down on their bets on Argentine natural gas with a pair of upstream equity deals for Vaca Muerta Shale production blocks expected to supply the country’s next major LNG export push. Argentine Production Graph. At a Glance:
Eni and XRG each take 32% stakes
YPF retains operatorship
Blocks tied to Argentina LNG

Colombia Eyes Upstream Licensing Reversal, Fracking to Slow LNG Imports - Colombia’s incoming president, Abelardo de la Espriella, is set to switch the nation’s stance on fossil fuels and open the nation again to drilling for natural gas. See Latin America Prices.  At a Glance:
LNG imports keep climbing
Offshore discovery reshapes supply outlook
New licensing policy gains momentum

European Natural Gas Prices Gain as Heat Keeps US LNG Demand in Focus A look at the global natural gas and LNG markets by the numbers. Table compares prompt-month natural gas futures prices over five trading days, showing daily price changes, regional cash markets and key market indicators.

• $14.57/MMBtu: Prompt Title Transfer Facility futures climbed to $14.569/MMBtu Tuesday, up from $13.685 on June 24, as heat-driven demand risks kept European gas prices supported, according to NGI data. The move came even as European trading firm Mind Energy noted that last week’s severe heat wave did not produce the same sharp gains in natural gas that it did in power markets. Mind Energy said European gas had moved mostly sideways as increased consumption tied to the heat wave was offset by relief from the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and sustained pipeline flows. The gain came even as European gas storage continued to refill, rising to 48.6% full, from 47.0% a week ago.
• 18.9 Bcf/d: US LNG feedgas demand is on the rise again toward near-record highs, landing at 18.9 Bcf/d on Wednesday, according to NGI’s Entropic Analytics data. The day’s nominations were roughly in line with the seven-day average of 18.7 Bcf/d as maintenance wind downs and global demand boost pipeline flows. Venture Global’s Plaquemines LNG continued to run near high utilization, pulling about 3.8 Bcf/d, while Sabine Pass held in the mid-4 Bcf/d range. Golden Pass LNG rebounded to around 0.6 Bcf/d after briefly falling to minimal flows over the weekend.
• 10.4 Mt: US LNG exports rose in June to around 10.4 Mt, according to Kpler data, rebounding about 4% from May’s seasonal low point. Monthly exports had been trending downward through spring, with terminals sending out 10.7 Mt in April and 11.4 Mt in March. The June total was roughly 3% below the prior three-month average, reflecting some cooling from the record-setting pace earlier in the year. Even so, exports were about 33% higher than June 2025, when US loaded vessels totaled 7.8 Mt. Exports to Asia and Europe were almost tied during June, coming in at 3.99 Mt and roughly 3.98 Mt, respectively.
• 4.90 Mt: Chinese LNG imports have risen to the highest point since January, pointing to heated competition for spot cargoes as sweltering temperatures over Asia cut into the country’s reserves. Imports totaled 4.90 Mt in June, according to Kpler data. Rising prices for Asian spot cargoes combined with more Russian supply and domestic production have limited the country’s imports outside of periods of intense demand. US LNG deliveries to China totaled about 0.36 Mt during the month, accounting for almost all US LNG volumes shipped to China in 2026. The June total was China’s strongest since January and up from April and May, but imports remained about 13% below the two-year monthly average of roughly 5.61 Mt, leaving China behind Japan as the world’s top LNG importer so far this year.

Europe Loses Top Spot for U.S. LNG Exports as Asia Demand Surges - Europe lost its position as the leading destination for U.S. LNG exports in June as higher Asian prices and record Egyptian imports redirected cargoes, reshaping global trade flows ahead of winter. (Reuters) — For the first time in nearly two years, less than half of U.S. LNG exports last month went to Europe as stronger prices in Asia and record imports by Egypt diverted cargoes, according to preliminary ship-tracking data from LSEG. The shift marks the first time since July 2024 that Europe has not taken the majority of monthly U.S. exports of liquefied natural gas. European buyers, who still need to refill storage ahead of the next winter season, have been waiting for better prices. Asian spot prices traded at a premium to Europe last month, encouraging exporters to redirect shipments eastward. The Asian benchmark JKM averaged $17.33 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) in June, compared with the European TTF benchmark at $13.19 per MMBtu, LSEG data showed. Egyptian buyers, meanwhile, paid premiums of up to $1 per MMBtu over TTF-linked prices. Supply constraints from the Middle East, linked to regional geopolitical tensions, and softer European demand widened the price gap and created arbitrage opportunities for U.S. exporters. Total U.S. LNG exports rose slightly to 10.6 million metric tons (MT) in June, despite the month having one fewer day than May. Output was supported by facilities, including those of Cheniere Energy and Freeport LNG, returning from planned maintenance. Of that total, 4.41 MT was shipped to Europe, or just under 42% of exports, down from 5.13 MT, or just over 50%, in May. Analysts noted muted demand from Europe and said some traders have held back purchases amid expectations that global LNG supply could increase and help ease prices later this year. "This backwardation in the forward curve means that traders are holding their ground and are currently purchasing very little gas," said Hans van Cleef, head of energy research at Eqolibrium. "The fear of paying too much prevails." Egypt emerged as a major buyer, importing a record 1.06 MT of U.S. LNG in June, accounting for nearly 10% of total exports, LSEG data showed. Shipments to Asia totaled 3.25 MT, or about 31% of exports, slightly below May levels, but significantly higher than earlier in 2026, according to LSEG data. Exports to Latin America also rose to 0.96 MT as buyers replaced reduced supply from Trinidad and Tobago, where maintenance at Atlantic LNG facilities owned by Shell and BP cut output, LSEG data showed. About 0.73 MT of U.S. LNG was shipped without a fixed destination, with cargoes seeking buyers while at sea. Additional single cargoes were sold to the United Arab Emirates, South Africa and Senegal.

Russian Pipeline, LNG Deliveries to Europe Increase Despite Upcoming Ban - European imports of Russian natural gas continue to increase as the continent prepares for a full ban on those volumes that takes effect late next year and it grapples with another energy supply shock. Chart compares Europe's LNG imports by region of origin from 2020-2025, showing the United States as the largest supplier, followed by Russia, Qatar and North Africa. At a Glance:
Sharp increases since phase-out started
Iran war a factor
Regulators still assessing market

Shell Forecasts 65% Jump in Global LNG Demand --Shell expects LNG demand to continue growing significantly despite the market shock that has come with the conflict this year across the Persian Gulf region.Global LNG chart compares forecast supply, projects under construction and projected demand growth from 2026 through 2035.  At a Glance:
Emerging economies driving demand
LNG bunkering on the rise
New liquefaction capacity needed

Eni, Mercuria Target LNG Trading Growth as US Export Stakes Rise -- Italian energy giant Eni and energy trader Mercuria have formed a joint venture aimed at expanding their global commodities trading reach, a move that could sharpen the companies’ ability to market their growing US LNG portfolios and natural gas assets. At a Glance:

• Trading JV expands LNG reach
• Traders gain US export influence
• LNG portfolios become more integrated

Jera Separates LNG Business as Market Grows More Volatile - Jera, Japan’s largest power generation company and one of the world’s largest LNG buyers, said Wednesday it would create a separate business to run its global natural gas operations. Graph: LNG Imports. At a Glance:
Creates vertically integrated operator
Jera trades 35 Mt/y
One of largest US offtakers

Vance Says US Will Use Iran MoU To Replenish Global Oil Supply Then 'See Where the Hand Is' - -Vice President JD Vance said in an interview on “The Michael Knowles Show” published on Tuesday that the US would use the Memorandum of Understanding with Iran to “refill” global oil supplies and stockpiles and to prepare for more potential military action against the Islamic Republic. “I think what the president has told us to do is use this MoU to sort of refill the world’s oil economy, to refill some stocks, and then to see where the hand is,” the vice president said. “And … if the Iranians are willing to make the commitments that we would like them to make and are willing to back those up with verifiable milestones, then we are going to change our relationship with Iran. And if they don’t do that, then nothing has really changed except for what we’ve already accomplished from the military campaign, which is a lot. So, we kind of have two options here. We have the option of pursuing a long-term deal with the Iranians, but that requires a significant change in their behavior. We have the option of banking our wins and then, of course, doing things on top of that if the president feels that we have to. And I think both of those options are very much in play,” he added. Summarizing the position, Knowles said, “So then the message if you’re an Iranian, the message you’re getting from the US is not, okay, we’ve settled this, you get to keep the Strait of Hormuz and we’ll try to play nice. Now, the message is we’re going to serve our self-interest by replenishing the oil coffers and get back to us in 60 days, you might have some fire and brimstone coming back down.” Vance didn’t dispute Knowles’ characterization and said, “And if you actually behave, you won’t, right?” Trita Parsi, the executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, said in a post on X that Vance’s comments heightened suspicion in Iran that the war will restart despite the MoU. He made the comments in a post discussing the view in Iranian political circles that Israel may launch an attack before Israeli elections are held in October. “Will Israel restart the war with Iran before the October elections? This is the consensus view emerging within Iran’s internal national security debate over the past week,” Parsi said. “Several factors are driving Tehran to this conclusion. Beyond its deep—and not entirely unwarranted—suspicion of President Donald Trump’s intentions, heightened by Vice President JD Vance’s recent remark that Trump wants to use the MOU to replenish global oil reserves and then ‘see where the hand is,’ two developments stand out: the recent Israeli-Lebanese agreement and its impact on Hezbollah’s military posture over the coming months,” he added.

Goldman Sachs Warns Oil Inventory Rebuild Won’t Prevent 2027 Supply Glut - The global race to rebuild depleted oil inventories will not be enough to offset a massive glut that’s coming to the market next year, as traffic through the Strait of Hormuz appears to be headed toward normalization, according to Goldman Sachs commodity strategists.  First, arguing the bullish side, stockpiles of crude and refined petroleum products in many parts of the world have been depleted to multi-decade lows after governments raced to release strategic stockpiles in March after the Middle East crisis trapped millions of barrels of daily crude and product flows in the Persian Gulf. These inventories will now have to be rebuilt - a process that’s likely to put a floor under oil prices, Oilprice reports.. In the United States alone, the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) has been depleted to a 1983 low, while stocks at Cushing, the delivery point of WTI, have crumbled to operational-stress levels.In addition, many countries, especially in Asia Pacific, are looking to build new reserve capacity to boost their energy security and never again be caught off-guard by a massive supply disruption like the one triggered by the closure of the most important oil and LNG chokepoint.But Goldman Sachs takes the bearish side, and says that all these demand-supportive factors cannot erase the major glut coming next year. The investment bank expects the global oil surplus to be about 3 million barrels per day (bpd) next year, Samantha Dart, co-head of global commodities research at Goldman, told Bloomberg Television in an interview on Wednesday.“We do expect a little over 1 million barrels a day just of SPR rebuilding globally, but still, that would leave us close to 2 million barrels a day of a surplus,” Dart added.Other Wall Street banks have also started to predict a glut next year after the U.S. and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding in mid-June to negotiate a peace deal. Morgan Stanley, for example, has slashed its oil price forecasts for the next 18 months as it expects the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to accelerate a new supply glut.

India crude oil imports June 2026 | India crude oil imports hit June record as Russia share crosses 50 per cent mark -  India imported 4.93 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil in June, the highest volume for the month on record, overcoming the impact of the West Asia crisis, data compiled by marine intelligence firm Kpler showed. During the period, Russia remained the top supplier to India, exporting 2.6 million bpd in June, Sumit Ritolia, an analyst with Kpler said. Russian supplies made up for more than half of India’s overall imports in June, up from 36.5 per cent in May when it had imported 2.13 million bpd from Moscow, Kpler data revealed. The ability to sustain record import levels while increasing purchases from Russia underscores the success of Indian refiners in diversifying supply and managing refinery economics, Ritolia argued. “India’s crude imports have quietly demonstrated remarkable resilience. Over the past 100 days, India has arguably been one of the best-positioned major importers, successfully maintaining crude inflows through proactive diversification and procurement strategies,” he said. Following US-Israel’s attack on Iran, shipping of petroleum products through the Strait of Hormuz had come to a standstill. India, which imports 90 per cent of its oil requirement, was badly hit. However, the data showed Indian refiners quickly able to diversify their procurement away from the West Asia to keep the mill rolling. Kpler’s Ritolia did not expect a ‘meaningful resumption’ of Iranian crude imports into India in the near term. While one or two opportunistic cargoes could arrive in July or August, refiners are already largely covered for feedstock requirements through early August, he observed, adding that any sustained return of Iranian crude would depend on the regulatory environment after the current sanction waiver expires on August 21. Rising exports from Africa, Russia, and Venezuela, together with higher OPEC+ production and continued crude flows through the Hormuz, should provide ample sourcing options.

Is Libya Quietly Becoming the Biggest Oil Prize the West Can’t Afford to Ignore? - At around the same time as OPEC raised its long-term oil demand forecast for the third consecutive year — now expecting global consumption to rise 19 million barrels per day (bpd), or 18%, by 2050 — Libya’s state-owned National Oil Corporation (NOC) announced that the country’s oil production is now at the highest level in 13 years. Its current 1.487 million bpd crude output is just a whisker away from the NOC’s short-term strategy of producing 1.5 million bpd of oil, which opens the way for the long-term strategic target of 2.1 million bpd to be achieved within the next three to five years. The reason underpinning OPEC’s latest increase in long-term oil demand — governments increasingly prioritising energy security, rather than aggressively transitioning away from hydrocarbons — has also been key to the rise in foreign investment and oil developments in Libya, especially from Western firms. Since the onset of the Russian war in Ukraine on 24 February 2022, they have been busily sourcing new oil and gas supplies around the world to make up for those lost due to sanctions on Russia’s energy exports. So, how realistic does Libya’s long-term 2.1 million bpd oil output target look? From a geological standpoint, nothing stands in the way of Libya reaching much higher production levels. The country holds around 48 billion barrels of proved crude reserves — the largest in Africa — and before Muammar Gaddafi was removed in 2011, it had no difficulty sustaining output of roughly 1.65 million bpd of high?quality light, sweet crude. The flagship grades, Es Sider and Sharara, were especially prized in the Mediterranean and Northwest Europe for their strong gasoline and middle?distillate yields. Production had also been on a steady upward path, rising from about 1.4 million bpd in 2000, even if still far below the more than 3 million bpd achieved in the late 1960s. Crucially, the NOC had already laid out plans before 2011 to deploy enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques across maturing fields. Its estimate that EOR could add around 775,000 bpd of capacity looked entirely credible, and Western interest in new upstream developments showed no sign of fading at the time. In late 2021, the country’s Government of National Unity (GNU) approved the sale of the 8.16% stake in the country’s giant Waha oil concessions held by the U.S.’s Hess Corporation to the remaining stakeholders. Those were France’s TotalEnergies (with a 16.3% share), and ConocoPhillips (also 16.3%), each of which was to be offered half of Hess’s stake. This followed positive news in April last year after the meeting between NOC chairman, Mustafa Sanalla, and the chief executive officer of TotalEnergies, Patrick Pouyanne. The French firm agreed to continue with its efforts to increase oil production from the giant Waha, Sharara, Mabruk and Al Jurf oil fields by at least 175,000 bpd and to make the development of the Waha-concession North Gialo and NC-98 oil fields a priority, according to the NOC.  The Waha concessions — in which TotalEnergies took a minority stake in 2019 — had the capacity to produce at least 350,000 bpd together, according to the NOC. At around the same time, news emerged that Shell was looking to return to Libya, after senior representatives of the company met with NOC chairman Mustafa Sanalla during their visit to Tripoli. Shell had ceased its operations in Libya in 2012, partly due to contract terms but mainly because of the deteriorating security situation after the removal of Gaddafi.However, by mid-June 2022, another blockade of Libya’s oil had begun, as key elements of the landmark peace agreement negotiated on 18 September 2020 to end the previous mammoth blockade had not been implemented. At the time, Commander of the rebel Libyan National Army (LNA), General Khalifa Haftar, had made it clear to the opposing side with which the deal had been struck —  Tripoli’s U.N.-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) —  that it would be an interim arrangement only while a solution was worked out on how the country’s oil revenues would be distributed over the long term. The key to this in his view, and supported by the GNA back then, would be the formation of a joint technical committee, which would: “Oversee oil revenues and ensure the fair distribution of resources… and control the implementation of the terms of the agreement during the next three months, provided that its work is evaluated at the end of 2020 and a plan is defined for the next year.” To address the fact that the then-GNA effectively held sway over the NOC and, by extension, the Central Bank of Libya (CBL) in which the revenues are held, the committee would also “prepare a unified budget that meets the needs of each party… and the reconciliation of any dispute over budget allocations… and will require the Central Bank [in Tripoli] to cover the monthly or quarterly payments approved in the budget without any delay, and as soon as the joint technical committee requests the transfer.”None of these measures had been sufficiently put into place at that point in 2022 to avoid another major blockade following the one in 2020, and they still have not. Instead, 11 April this year saw rival factions enact a national budget for 2026, with a total value of LYD190 billion (US$29.6 billion). The budget framework also explicitly allocates a LYD12 billion ring-fenced operational budget directly to the NOC to guarantee energy production and stability. Although the budget idea was heavily supported by the recently appointed Governor of the CBL, Naji Mohammed Issa, alongside international mediation by U.S. Senior Adviser Massad Boulos, various factions see it as an elite-driven, anti-democratic carve-up. For example, independent military councils and militias in western Libya (Tripoli, Misrata, and Zawiya) characterise it as the financial baseline for a U.S.-brokered political roadmap that would leave Abdul Hamid Dbeibah as Prime Minister while elevating Saddam Haftar (one of Khalifa Haftar’s sons) to the presidency. Moreover, major institutional players within the western region’s governance structure — including the Presidential Council and High Council of State — have formally rejected the political arrangements underlying the budget, arguing that the deal bypasses the UN-led peace process. Additionally, Libya’s highly influential Grand Mufti, Sheikh Sadiq al-Gharyani, has fiercely opposed the budget on the basis that it amounts to “handing over full power” to Khalifa Haftar and his sons. He has publicly called on Western region military forces and Prime Minister Dbeibah to abandon the pact, framing it as an existential betrayal of the Western region’s autonomy. And finally, several factions maintain that instead of fixing state corruption, the budget has simply institutionalised it into a better-organised and more clearly coordinated framework for theft.Although this backdrop looks just as possible as the previous one to result in future oil blockades in the country, Western countries and their firms appear undaunted. “There’s a basic view that it’s [Libya] been trouble since 2011 and may well continue to be, but at some point it may work itself out, and there aren’t too many other [oil and gas] options of that size available right now,” a senior source who works closely with the European Union’s (E.U.) energy security complex exclusively told OilPrice.com last week. So, as it stands, Italy’s Eni recently announced new offshore gas discoveries in Libya, near the Bahr Essalam field, Libya’s largest producing offshore gas field, with preliminary estimates being that there is more than 1 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of gas in place. This deepwater drilling underlines Western firms’ confidence in their ability to continue their business in Libya over many years, as it requires long-term capital and security guarantees. Great Britain’s BP is also working alongside Eni in the Sirte basin’s Matsola exploration prospect in Contract Area 38/3 in the Mediterranean Sea. The joint venture is committed to drilling a further 16 wells in Libya, across onshore and offshore areas, while BP recently signed a memorandum of understanding to evaluate options for redeveloping the giant Sarir and Messla onshore fields, and to assess potential unconventional oil and gas development. Meanwhile, TotalEnergies also recently announced the restart of production at Libya’s Mabruk oil field, illustrating its “long-term commitment in Libya,” according to the firm. And U.S.-based technology and engineering giant KBR was recently awarded a contract to provide project management and technical services for the South Refinery Project (SRP) in Ubari, southwest Libya, in line with KBR’s efforts to advance key oil and gas infrastructure across the country.

Egypt urgently acts to contain oil spill in Lake Nasser - Egypt Independent - Egypt’s Ministry of Local Development and Environment reported on Saturday that a river barge sank completely at a depth of approximately 15 meters in the High Dam East Port in Aswan Governorate, resulting in an oil slick estimated to be about 200 meters long and 100 meters wide. The oil slick was caused by a fuel and oil leak from the barge’s fuel tank and engines in a slush area of the loading port on Lake Nasser, away from the main waterway. Minister of Local Development and Environment Manal Awad ordered that all necessary measures be taken immediately – in coordination with all relevant ministries and authorities – to ensure environmental protection and maintain water quality in Lake Nasser. Awad also ordered the Aswan branch of the Environmental Affairs Agency to quickly collect water samples from the affected area and conduct the necessary laboratory analyses. The analysis revealed that some water quality indicators exceeded permissible limits due to the presence of a layer of oil and diesel fuel on the water’s surface. Cooperation was immediately established with the Environmental Police and Waterways Department to carry out operations to disperse the oil slick and mitigate its environmental impact, while environmental monitoring and water quality measurements continued. Awad emphasized the importance of continued field monitoring and full coordination among all relevant authorities, as well expediting the containment of any environmental impact. She affirmed that the state possesses a comprehensive system for dealing with environmental emergencies, relying on rapid response and institutional coordination among various entities, which aids in protecting natural resources and safeguarding citizen interests.

Fire at Petrochemical Plant in Eastern India Injures at Least 20 People - – A fire at a petrochemical plant in eastern India injured at least 20 people, five of them critically, police said. The blaze broke out Tuesday in a naphtha pipeline at a facility operated by Haldia Petrochemicals and quickly spread to nearby homes in West Bengal’s Purba Medinipur district, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) southwest of the state capital, Kolkata, AP reported. Firefighters used 12 fire engines to bring the blaze under control, while the injured were rescued and taken to nearby hospitals, police said. The injured included plant workers and at least two security guards. Video from the scene showed firefighters dousing the blaze with water as thick black smoke rose from the burning pipeline. Naphtha is a highly flammable petroleum product used in the production of fuels and other chemicals. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. Haldia Petrochemicals said in a statement it was investigating the incident.

EA confirms no oil spill near Hallaniyat Islands -Environment Authority (EA) is actively monitoring a situation involving a vessel that ran aground near Al Qibliyah Island, located within the marine buffer zone of the Hallaniyat Islands in the Dhofar Governorate.Following the incident, a technical team from the Environment Authority’s Directorate General in Dhofar visited the site on Wednesday, July 1, to conduct a thorough inspection. The team performed a visual examination of the vessel and collected water samples from the surrounding coastal areas.Official test results have confirmed that there is currently no evidence of oil pollution or contamination in the marine environment. The Authority is coordinating with the National Committee for Emergency Management to address the situation and is prepared to implement necessary measures according to established safety protocols. The public is encouraged to rely solely on official sources for information regarding this event and to avoid spreading unverified rumours.

Saudi Supertankers Exit Hormuz in Kingdom’s Biggest Oil Flow Since Iran War Truce --Saudi Arabia is exporting the most crude from inside the Persian Gulf since the the Iran war blocked the Strait of Hormuz, as producers across the region boost shipments following an interim peace deal between Washington and Tehran. Four supertankers hauling crude loaded at Saudi Arabia’s main export hub appeared in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday, ship-tracking shows. That’s the largest number of exits since the peace pact came into effect about two weeks ago.

Saudi Arabia has ramped up oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz since U.S.-Iran deal - Saudi Arabia has ramped up oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz since the U.S. and Iran signed an agreement to reopen the sea lane last month. The Saudis have shipped about 34 million barrels of oil through Hormuz since June 17, according to data from the trade intelligence firm Kpler. Riyadh’s exports over the past two weeks are more than double the 15 million barrels the kingdom shipped through the strait from March 9 through June 17. “Saudi crude flows inside the Gulf are reviving after months of conflict-driven rerouting,” Kpler analyst Jashan Prema told clients in a Thursday note. About 24 million barrels of Saudi oil shipped since June 17 was loaded during or before the U.S.-Iran war, according to Kpler. This indicates the Saudis are clearing a backlog of oil tankers that were unable to exit the Gulf during the conflict, the firm said. About 17 million barrels of Saudi oil loaded before the war remains in the Gulf, it said. Riyadh largely paused shipments from its Gulf export terminals of Ras Tanura and Juaymah on March 9 after tanker traffic through Hormuz plunged due to Iranian attacks. The kingdom redirected a substantial portion of its oil exports through an East-West pipeline to the Red Sea terminal of Yanbu. The Saudis are now restarting their export logistics in the Gulf and not just clearing the pre-war oil backlog, Prema said. Eleven supertankers bound for the kingdom entered the Gulf between June 23 and July 1, the analyst said. Eight of those tankers have loaded up on oil at Saudi terminals and five of them have already exited Hormuz, he said. Ships continue to transit Hormuz after an outburst of hostilities between the U.S. and Iran last week. Tehran attacked two commercial ships and the U.S. responded with strikes on Iran over the weekend. Tanker traffic fell to eight ships on Sunday and then rose to 16 on Wednesday, according to Kpler data. About 8.5 million barrels of crude passed through Hormuz on Wednesday, according to the maritime intelligence firm Windward. Nearly 15 million barrels per day passed through the strait in 2025, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

OPEC Oil Production Jumps, But Gulf Supply Is Still Far From Normal --OPEC's oil production rebounded sharply in June as Gulf producers finally began bringing shut-in barrels back online after months of war-induced disruptions. But despite the impressive headline number, the cartel is still pumping nowhere near where it was before the Strait of Hormuz crisis turned Middle East oil flows upside down. According to Reuters' monthly survey, the 11 OPEC members produced 19.43 million barrels per day in June, up 3.3 million bpd from May, when output plunged to the lowest level recorded by the survey since at least 2000. The biggest gains came from Kuwait and Iran. Tehran was able to restore production after the United States lifted its naval blockade of Iranian ports under last month's 60-day agreement, while Gulf producers gradually restarted wells that had been shut as storage filled and tanker traffic through Hormuz ground to a halt. Saudi Arabia and Iraq also boosted output, while Nigeria and Libya posted smaller increases despite avoiding the worst of the Gulf disruptions. The rebound, however, shouldn't be mistaken for a return to normal. Production remains well below OPEC's collective quotas, and much of the recent recovery reflects producers simply restarting volumes they were forced to shut in rather than adding new supply. Tanker traffic through Hormuz remains well below pre-war levels, and insurers and shipowners are still approaching the waterway with caution after repeated attacks on commercial vessels. That reality helps explain why OPEC+'s repeated production quota increases have had little immediate impact on actual supply. The group has announced several quota hikes since the Iran war began, but until recently, there simply wasn't enough export capacity to move the extra barrels. Meanwhile, another challenge is emerging. The United States has just posted record crude production of nearly 14 million barrels per day, while the UAE—now outside OPEC—is exporting record volumes of its own as it empties storage built up during the conflict. Together, those developments are fueling renewed talk of oversupply and keeping pressure on crude prices.

Oil prices rose after renewed US-Iran strikes disrupted shipping through Strait of Hormuz - Oil prices climbed on Monday as renewed military exchanges between the United States (US) and Iran raised concerns over energy supplies and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil transit routes. Brent crude futures rose 58 cents, or 0.8%, to $72.57 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude gained 88 cents, or 1.3%, to trade at $70.11 per barrel. The gains followed several days of tit-for-tat strikes between the US and Iran, which highlighted the fragility of their interim peace agreement and disrupted tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Shipping activity had previously recovered to its highest level since the conflict began in late February, but recent attacks on commercial vessels have again slowed the movement of oil exports. Market analysts said investors remain concerned about the pace of supply recovery despite reports that Washington and Tehran have agreed to pause hostilities and resume negotiations over regional tensions and maritime security. Analysts at ING said the oil market still faces considerable risks, although many participants appear focused on the eventual recovery of oil flows. They warned that any delays in restoring normal supply could push prices higher. ANZ analysts also noted that the market may need to reassess expectations for a rapid recovery in Persian Gulf oil exports, citing ongoing logistical challenges, damaged infrastructure and production disruptions. Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil company Aramco resumed crude loadings at its Ras Tanura export terminal on Friday after operations had been suspended for nearly four months. Export activity continued despite a helicopter crash at the facility on Sunday that killed 14 people. Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the accident. Analysts said tanker backlogs, infrastructure damage and production shutdowns could continue to limit crude supplies, adding that oil output and exports may not fully recover to pre-conflict levels until later this year. Markets are expected to closely monitor developments in US-Iran negotiations and shipping conditions in the Strait of Hormuz, which remain key drivers of global energy prices.

Oil Prices Climb as U.S.-Iran Flare-Up Shakes Market Complacency - Oil prices were climbing early on Monday morning after a fresh escalation between the U.S. and Iran over the weekend. The price rise was relatively delayed, as markets continue to price in a potential peace deal while discounting more bullish geopolitical catalysts.A growing number of analysts have been arguing that markets are being too optimistic about a quick return of Hormuz traffic and too complacent about the continued drawdown in global inventories to multi-decade lows. At the time of writing, Brent Crude prices were up by 1.18% at $72.84 per barrel, while the U.S. benchmark, WTI Crude, was up 1.73% at $70.43. The latest price movement appears to suggest that the market is concerned about a reduction in tanker traffic through Hormuz following attacks on two commercial vessels on Thursday and Friday last week, and a further flare-up over the weekend.The Thursday attack on the container ship Ever Lovely prompted some shipowners to pull back and wait for additional information about how safe transiting the Strait is. The U.S. military on Friday carried out strikes on Iran in response to the attack on the vessel.  On Saturday, an Iranian attack on a Panama-flagged oil tanker, Kiku, while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz prompted additional strikes by the U.S. forces.  After the flare-up this weekend, the U.S. and Iran appear to have agreed to cease attacks ahead of tentatively planned new talks this week. “Participants appear to be shrugging off these developments, instead focusing on what a continued recovery in oil flows would mean for the global balance,” ING’s commodities strategists Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey warned in a note on Monday.“This complacency is odd and clearly leaves significant upside risk if the supply recovery proves slow – or if we see significant re-escalation. While the oil market is technically in oversold territory, momentum appears to still be to the downside,” they added.ING’s strategists continue to believe “the market is too optimistic about the timeline for a recovery in Persian Gulf supplies.”The recent price movement suggests that reality might be setting in at last.

Oil Market Rises as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Faces New Strains - The crude market posted an inside trading day and settled higher after attacks by the U.S. and Iran increased concerns over the ceasefire. The crude market initially opened higher and traded to $70.97 before it quickly sold off to a low of $69.32 following an Axios report of the U.S. and Iran ending their hostilities after both countries accused each other of breaking the ceasefire. The market was pressured amid the news of U.S. and Iranian technical teams meeting in the coming days to work on the implementation of an interim peace deal. Iran’s Foreign Minister said Iranian and Omani experts will also start talks on redefining transit paths through the Strait of Hormuz in the coming days. The oil market traded mostly sideways for much of the day before it rallied to a high of $71.15 in afternoon trading. The August WTI contract settled up $1.52 at $70.75, while the August Brent contract settled up $1.16 at $73.15. Meanwhile, the product markets ended the session in mixed territory, with the heating oil market settling up 12.35 cents at $3.3317 and the RB market settling down 10.43 cents at $3.0614. According to the Department of Energy, crude oil stocks in the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve fell by 5.5 million barrels to 325.7 million barrels, the lowest level since May 1983. The drawdowns are a part of a U.S. agreement to release 172 million barrels from the facility. The United States said a high-level meeting on Iran would be held in Doha on Tuesday with President Donald Trump’s top envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner attending while technical talks would also continue on the sidelines. President Trump said that Iran had requested a meeting and that it would take place in the Qatari capital without giving any details. A source said Iranian and U.S. technical teams working on the implementation of a memorandum of understanding are set to meet in Doha in the coming days. The source added that mediators have established communications channels to de-escalate any incidents and technical talks are set to continue. However, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, said that technical working group meetings under the Iran-U.S. memorandum of understanding were not scheduled for this week. He also said consultations between Iran and Qatar regarding the U.S. commitments were continuing as planned but that technical working group talks in Doha had not been confirmed. According to BloombergNEF, oil refining capacity is set to increase by 1.1 million bpd this year, reversing a decline of 690,000 bpd in 2025. Much of the gains are due in the fourth quarter when projects in India and China come online. A power outage on Sunday forced the shutdown of Venezuela’s 645,000 bpd Amuay refinery, though the electric service was later restored. Amuay, which is part of the 955,000-bpd Paraguana Refining Center, was the second refinery without electricity following two deadly earthquakes in the country.

Oil settles up on US-Iran strikes; cautious hopes for shipping cap gains (Reuters) - Oil prices settled up more than 1% on Monday after attacks by the U.S. and Iran underscored the fragility of their interim peace deal, while cautious hopes of a continued recovery in energy shipping through the Strait of Hormuz limited gains. Iranian and U.S. technical teams working on the implementation of an interim peace deal are expected to meet in Doha in the coming days, a source told Reuters on Monday, after the tit-for-tat weekend strikes threatened to derail the accord. Brent crude futures settled up $1.16, or 1.61%, at $73.15 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude gained $1.52, or 2.2%, to $70.75. Brent crude fell 10.6% last week in a third consecutive weekly decline after crude shipments through the strait rose to their highest since the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran began in late February. Iranian and Omani experts will start talks on redefining transit paths through the Strait of Hormuz in the coming days, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi told state TV on Monday, adding that his country will try to obstruct vessels outside of defined paths. Outbound Persian Gulf crude exports are quickly rebounding to at least 75% of pre-war levels, Gelber & Associates analysts said in a note on Monday. However, analysts cautioned that traffic through the strait is far from being fully recovered, helping keep prices somewhat elevated. "I think that reality is starting to sink in. Not every barrel is going to come out the Gulf in the next week or two, you can’t really jam as many barrels through there as possible to pre-war levels. As long as the situation is risky, anyone owning a boat runs the risk of having that boat attacked as it heads through the strait," Mines in the waterway as well as insurance companies not yet being fully on board are also factors weighing on traffic through the strait, according to Yawger. Meanwhile, Middle East producers are pushing ahead with loading oil and LNG despite fresh ship attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and renewed strikes between the U.S. and Iran in recent days, shipping data showed. Saudi oil giant Aramco resumed crude oil loadings on Friday at its Ras Tanura terminal, west of the Strait of Hormuz, after they were halted for nearly four months. Loadings continued even after a helicopter belonging to the company crashed on Sunday at Ras Tanura, killing 14 nationals. The cause of the crash was unknown.

(June 30): Brent crude falls to $72/barrel as investors await US-Iran talks - Oil prices declined on Tuesday as investors awaited the outcome of possible talks between US and Iran in Doha after tit-for-tat strikes over the weekend spooked markets about the fragility of their interim peace deal and slowed down shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude futures dropped around 1% to $72.50 a barrel while US West Texas ‌Intermediate (WTI) crude futures ⁠fell around 0.7% to $70.28 per barrel, as seen at 7.20 am on Monday. Brent crude fell nearly 11% last week to mark its third week of loss after crude shipments through the strait rose to their highest level since the US-Israeli conflict with Iran began earlier this year. Possible US-Iran talks in Doha "The meeting in Doha is going to be perhaps important, perhaps not. We're going to find out," US President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. Iranian and Omani experts will start talks on redefining transit paths through ⁠the Strait ‌of Hormuz in the coming days, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said on Monday, adding that his country will try to obstruct vessels ⁠outside defined paths.  However, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said there will not be any negotiation meetings at any level with the American side in the coming days. This uncertainty over whether the two sides would meet highlights the fragility of a June 17 agreement to pause fighting that has disrupted global oil flows through the ‌Strait of Hormuz and posed a political challenge for Trump ahead of November's congressional elections. "Investors are pricing in hopes of a positive outcome from the Doha talks, even though real normalisation of flows through the Strait of Hormuz is not yet visible," Reuters quoted Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade, as saying. "The market is cautiously hopeful but still hedging its bets until we see more tangible signs of de-escalation," he added. "Assuming Persian Gulf flows continue to recover at the same average pace as over the last two weeks... Gulf flows could return to pre-war levels of 23 million barrels per day already by early July," analysts at Goldman Sachs wrote in a note dated June 29, as reported by Reuters.

-Oil Prices Inch Higher Amid Peace Talk Uncertainty - Oil prices were little changed Tuesday morning as market participants were awaiting the next step in negotiations between Washington and Tehran. By 08:15 a.m. EDT, ICE Brent for August delivery was up $0.19 to trade near $73.34 barrel (bbl), and NYMEX WTI for August delivery rose $0.41 to $71.16 bbl. Downstream, NYMEX ULSD futures for July delivery advanced $0.0263 to $3.3580 gallon on their last trading day and front-month RBOB futures edged higher $0.0035 to $3.0649 gallon. The more actively traded August contracts were up $0.0522 and $0.0112 gallon, respectively. The U.S. Dollar Index strengthened by 0.278 points to 101.155 against a basket of foreign currencies. Oil futures were on track for the third consecutive monthly decline as the risk premium tied to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and the ensuing supply disruption has seemingly all but disappeared. While the current ceasefire has largely held and exports from the Middle East have picked up the pace, a permanent settlement of the conflict has yet to be reached, keeping many shippers reluctant to send empty tankers back into the Persian Gulf. Conflicting statements about potential future peace talks, meanwhile, kept the longer-term outlook murky. U.S. President Trump on Monday claimed U.S. and Iranian negotiators were -- at Tehran's request -- set to meet Tuesday in Qatar. Qatari and Iranian officials denied any direct talks taking place but said "technical meetings" would continue. Crude oil prices having shed almost all of their war-time gains were not just a result of easing supply disruptions and heightened peace prospects. Oil flows from the Persian Gulf are still far from pre-war levels, but may be high enough to temporarily satisfy considerably weakened global demand. Refiners in Asia who were forced to slash runs amid the lack of crude availability are unlikely to immediately ramp up operations, but demand may receive a boost from the need to refill commercial and strategic inventories. Globally, oil inventories have in three months plummeted from five-year highs to the lowest in a decade. Record high crude oil exports and releases from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve have also accelerated the seasonal draw in U.S. inventories, with commercial stockpiles falling to their lowest since January 2025. The American Petroleum Institute's weekly inventory estimate is scheduled for release later today, followed by U.S. Energy Information Administration data on Wednesday.

Oil Market Trades Within Range as Focus Shifts to U.S.-Iran Talks -  The oil market on Tuesday continued to trade within Friday’s trading range but posted an outside trading day as the market focused on the potential U.S.-Iran talks on Doha after the strikes against each other over the weekend tested the interim ceasefire agreement. U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Doha on Tuesday but were not expected to hold high level meetings with Iran, casting doubt on the progress to bring a lasting end to the Iran war and fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz. A Qatari official said there would be technical talks this week that could later be elevated to senior level. The crude market breached its previous high and rallied to a high of $71.60 by mid-morning. However, the market erased all of its gains and posted a low of $69.22 ahead of the close. The August WTI contract settled down $1.25 at $69.50 and the August Brent contract settled down 23 cents at $72.92. The product markets ended the session lower, with the heating oil market settling down 1.49 cents at $3.3168 and the RB market settling down 4.7 cents at $3.0144.  The EIA reported that U.S. crude oil production increased to 13.93 million bpd in April, the highest on record, as producers increased their output in response to higher oil prices due to the Iran war. Production rose by 216,000 bpd in April, EIA data showed, with production in New Mexico touching a record high of 2.37 million bpd. Crude production in Texas increased 36,000 bpd to 5.83 million bpd, the highest level since November. Output from North Dakota also increased to 1.13 million bpd, the highest level since November.U.S. President Donald Trump said gasoline retailers must get prices down immediately and warned that there will be “big problems” ahead if they did not do so. Last week, President Trump said he instructed the Department of Justice to look into oil companies for not lowering gasoline pump prices in line with falling crude costs, accusing the companies of “gouging” customers.Morgan Stanley lowered its Brent crude price forecast for the rest of the year and next, citing a faster than expected reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and said market focus has shifted back to a larger surplus expected in 2027. The bank lowered its third-quarter 2026 forecast and fourth-quarter 2026 view to $75/barrel from earlier estimates of $90/barrel and $80/barrel, respectively. It sees Brent at $75/barrel in the first half of 2027 and $70/barrel in the second half, compared with an earlier forecast of $80/barrel. The bank said that with the Middle East exports ramping up again, a supply shortfall that has been rapidly diminishing is now causing a surplus in the Brent and Dubai markets. Morgan Stanley now projects an implied global oil market surplus of 4.8 million bpd in 2027. At the start of 2026, before the conflict, its balances had pointed to a 2 million-3 million bpd surplus for the year and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz temporarily flipped that surplus into a deep deficit. Morgan Stanley analysts said that to balance the market in 2027, flows through Hormuz only need to recover to 11 million-12 million bpd, or about 65% of the pre-conflict level.

Oil prices little changed but set for steepest monthly and quarterly losses since 2020 (Reuters) - Oil prices were little changed on Tuesday but were headed for their ​biggest monthly and quarterly losses since the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, with investors eyeing potential U.S.-Iran talks in Doha amid a strained ‌interim ceasefire in the four-month-long war. Brent futures fell 23 cents, or 0.3%, to settle at $72.92 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell $1.25, or 1.8%, to settle at $69.50 a barrel. Brent futures for August delivery expired on Tuesday and will be replaced by the September contract, which is trading around $73.31 a barrel. Both crude benchmarks were close to where they were trading on February 27, the ​day before the start of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, when Brent closed at $72.48 a barrel and WTI closed at $67.02. "I wouldn't say the market has priced out ​a risk premium, but previously stranded ships have become available with the increase in ships moving out of the Gulf, creating ⁠a temporary wave of new supply," UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo said. Morgan Stanley said it now models an implied global oil market surplus of 4.8 million barrels per day ​in 2027. Top U.S. envoys who arrived in Doha will not hold a high-level meeting with Iran, a Qatari official said on Tuesday, casting doubt on the progress of efforts ​to bring a lasting halt to the Iran war and fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz. About 20% of global oil supplies passed through the strait before the war. Instead, there will be technical talks this week on issues including regional security that could later be elevated to senior level, Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari told a media briefing. The arrival of U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law ​Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff in Doha on Tuesday followed exchanges of fire over the weekend that tested the June 17 interim accord between the United States ​and Iran. The allowed 60 days for the two sides to negotiate a permanent truce and to resolve thorny issues including the future of . Tuesday's lack of price movement ‌kept both crude ⁠benchmarks in technically oversold territory with Brent for 13 days in a row and WTI for 11 consecutive days. For the month, Brent was down about 21% in June after dropping some 19% in May. That was its biggest monthly decline since falling by a record 55% in March 2020 due to COVID demand destruction. Brent was down about 38% in the second quarter after soaring 94% in the first quarter. That was its biggest quarterly decline since falling by a record 66% in the first quarter of 2020. ​Last quarter's 94% gain was the highest ​since futures soared by a record ⁠142% in the third quarter of 1990. Supply of the five North Sea crude oil grades underpinning the dated Brent benchmark in August will not include Brent crude for the first time since at least 2021. In the U.S., crude oil production rose to a monthly record ​of 13.93 million barrels per day in April, monthly data from the Energy Information Administration showed on Tuesday, as producers ​ramped up output in response ⁠to higher oil prices owing to the Iran war. The oil market awaited weekly storage reports from the American Petroleum Institute trade group later on Tuesday and the U.S. Energy Information Administration on Wednesday. Analysts estimated energy firms pulled 4.5 million barrels of crude from storage during the week ended June 26. If correct, that would be the first time energy ⁠firms pulled crude ​out of storage for 10 weeks in a row, tying a record set in January 2018. ​It compares with an increase of 3.8 million barrels in the same week last year, and an average decline of 5.5 million barrels over the past five years (2021 to 2025).

Oil prices rise as Iran skips direct talks with US, ceasefire uncertainty grows - Oil prices climbed in early trading on Wednesday after Iran declined to hold direct talks with US envoys, raising concerns over the stability of the interim ceasefire between the two countries and renewed uncertainty over global crude supplies. Brent crude futures rose 50 cents, or 0.69 per cent, to $73.45 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude gained 63 cents, or 0.91 per cent, to $70.13 a barrel. The gains came after US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Doha for what the White House described as "high-level" discussions. However, Iran and host nation Qatar said the Iranian delegation would not meet the US officials directly and would instead engage through mediators. Qatar confirmed that Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met with Witkoff and Kushner during the discussions. Oil prices had fallen sharply over recent months following signs of easing tensions in West Asia. Brent crude recorded its steepest quarterly decline since the 2008 global financial crisis, while US crude futures posted their biggest quarterly drop since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Analysts have also lowered their oil price forecasts for 2026 for the first time since the Iran conflict began, citing the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and reduced fears of prolonged supply disruptions. US Vice President JD Vance said Iran would not be allowed to impose tolls on ships passing through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, adding that oil shipments through the waterway had returned to pre-war levels. Supporting prices further, industry data released by the American Petroleum Institute indicated that US crude oil inventories fell by 6.1 million barrels during the week ending June 26. Gasoline stockpiles also declined, signalling firm fuel demand. Markets are now awaiting official inventory data from the US Energy Information Administration, due later on Wednesday, for further direction on crude prices. 

Oil Prices Rise As Iran-US Talks Stall, Supply Risks Return To Focus - Oil prices rose in Asian trading on Wednesday as the breakdown in direct talks between the United States and Iran renewed concerns over oil supply risks in the Middle East, offsetting recent optimism that tensions around the Strait of Hormuz were easing. Brent crude futures gained 33 cents (0.45%) to $73.28 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 34 cents (0.49%) to $69.84. The gains followed confirmation that Iranian officials would meet Qatari mediators instead of U.S. representatives in Doha, delaying efforts to reach a broader agreement after the recent conflict.The market is also awaiting official U.S. crude inventory data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) after industry figures pointed to another sharp draw in stockpiles, while investors continue to monitor diplomatic developments that could influence oil exports from one of the world's most important producing regions. Diplomatic efforts suffered a setback after Iran and Qatar said Tehran would hold discussions through mediators rather than engage directly with senior U.S. officials, including special envoy Steve Witkoff, who travelled to Doha for negotiations.  The uncertainty has raised concerns that progress toward a lasting agreement could be delayed, increasing the risk of renewed disruptions to energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway that carried an average of about 20 million barrels per day of crude oil and petroleum liquids in 2024, representing roughly 20% of global petroleum liquids consumption, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Vandana Hari, founder of Vanda Insights, said shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has resumed but remains uneven, adding that markets are likely to remain cautious until Washington and Tehran reach a clearer understanding that reduces geopolitical uncertainty.  Oil prices have retreated sharply from their recent highs as fears of prolonged supply disruptions eased following the end of active hostilities. Brent crude fell by about $45 per barrel between the first and second quarters of 2026, marking its largest quarterly decline since the 2008 global financial crisis, while WTI dropped roughly $31 per barrel, its steepest quarterly fall since the demand collapse during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.A Reuters survey released Tuesday showed analysts lowered their 2026 oil price forecasts for the first time since the Iran conflict began, reflecting expectations that improving shipping conditions through the Strait of Hormuz will support global supply.U.S. Vice President JD Vance said Iran would not be allowed to impose transit charges on vessels using the Strait of Hormuz and added that oil shipments through the waterway had returned to pre-conflict levels, reinforcing expectations that major export disruptions have largely subsided.  Supporting prices, data from the American Petroleum Institute (API) showed U.S. crude inventories fell by 6.1 million barrels during the week ended June 26, according to market sources, while gasoline inventories also declined. Investors are now awaiting official inventory figures from the EIA, which publishes weekly petroleum status reports widely used to gauge U.S. fuel demand and supply conditions. A confirmation of another sizeable draw would indicate continued strength in summer fuel consumption despite elevated interest rates and slowing global economic growth.  participants will continue to monitor both inventory trends and diplomatic developments between Washington and Tehran, as any breakthrough in negotiations or renewed disruption to Middle East exports could significantly influence oil prices during the third quarter.

Oil Extends Decline as More Tankers Return to Persian Gulf  (DTN) -- Crude oil futures extended their decline Wednesday as traffic through the Strait of Horuz picked up amid signs that indirect negotiations between the U.S. and Iran were progressing. By 08:25 a.m. EDT, ICE Brent for August delivery was down $0.94 to trade near $72.01 barrel (bbl), and NYMEX WTI for August delivery fell $0.69 to $68.81 bbl.  Downstream, NYMEX ULSD futures for August delivery advanced $0.0643 to $3.2934 gallon, and front-month RBOB futures edged higher $0.0159 to $2.9108 gallon.The U.S. Dollar Index strengthened by 0.233 points to 101.19 against a basket of foreign currencies. Ship tracking data revealed traffic through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday increased for the first time since last week's Iranian attacks on two vessels. Inbound traffic into the Persian Gulf ticked markedly higher, showing shipper's growing confidence that the chokepoint will remain safely traversable.White House envoys arrived in Qatar on Tuesday to resume technical talks, the first stage on the road to a permanent peace deal. The negotiations, however, took place with Qatari mediators rather than representatives from Tehran. Markets have largely been kept in the dark over the outcome of these latest negotiations, but several media outlets reported technical talks were progressing, citing an anonymous U.S. source.  Meanwhile, markets are expecting OPEC to raise production quotas for August at their monthly meeting scheduled for Sunday. Since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in early March shut production in the region, however, changes to the group's output targets have had no impact on actual oil supply. Producers who rely heavily on the Persian Gulf for exports have been ramping up operations since the reopening of the waterway, but so far, only Iranian oil flows have closed in on pre-war levels. It will likely take weeks before inventories will feel reprieve from the supply resurgence. Commercial crude oil stocks in the U.S. have been depleting rapidly amid record-high exports and the American Petroleum Institute on Tuesday estimated nationwide stockpiles have shrunk by another 6.1 million bbl last week. If confirmed by U.S. Energy Information Administration data scheduled for 10:30 a.m. EDT release Wednesday, the tenth consecutive weekly draw would leave commercial inventories at a seven-and-a-half -year low 406 million bbl.

WTI Holds Losses As SPR Drain Slows, Cushing Just Off 'Tank Bottoms'  - Oil extended its biggest quarterly drop since the pandemic this morning as traders monitored US-Iran peace talks and a market for real-world barrels that’s been in freefall. WTI is holding below $70 as US negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff had positive discussions in Qatar and technical talks with Iran are moving ahead, a senior administration official said, while President Trump said the meeting was good. Crude has fallen in recent days as the warring parties continued discussions to reach a more lasting accord, although recent attacks around Hormuz have marred negotiations. Oil tanker traffic is now showing signs of recovery, and has picked up since the US and Iran exchanged strikes over the weekend, though vessel flows remain below pre-war levels. “We expect that by the end of July this is done,” said Samantha Dart, co-head of global commodities research at Goldman Sachs, referring to the conflict. “Once we have a normalization of flows through the strait, the expectation is that we go into an oversupply.” API reported another sizable crude drawdown... API

• Crude -6.1mm
• Cushing +500k
• Gasoline -2.1mm
• Distillates +2.9mm

DOE:

• Crude -3.775mm
• Cushing +709k - first build in 10 weeks
• Gasoline -2.33mm
• Distillates +2.48mm

The official DOE data shows the 10th straight week of crude drawdowns, but stocks at Cushing rose (for the first time in 10 weeks). Products were mixed... Source: Bloomberg ...BUT... Cushing stocks remain at 'tank bottoms'... On the Gulf Coast, gasoline stocks are down to their lowest since October 2024 -- and the lowest for this time of year since 2015. Nationally, they remain at the lowest for this time of year since 2014... The SPR saw another drawdown last week, but it was notably smaller than recent declines... A total of 89 million barrels of crude has been taken out of the SPR since late March under a program to release 172 million barrels as part of a relief plan coordinated by the International Energy Agency aimed at lowering energy costs. The US still plans to release all those barrels. US crude production remains near record highs as rig counts are rising rapidly... Crude imports from the Middle East fell in the week to June 26. Inflows from Iraq fell to zero, while 56,000 barrels a day of Saudi crude were offloaded. Customs data show that crude came from storage tanks in tanks in the Bahamas. WTI was hovering around $69 ahead of the official print and dipped on the data... In the meantime, Bloomberg reports that physical markets are looking weak. Brent’s nearest timespread remained in contango (red oval in chart below) - a sign of oversupply - after expiry of the August contract. Barrels from West Africa to the North Sea were offered at multiyear lows on Tuesday, as the rise in supply from Hormuz outpaces refinery demand. Saudi Arabia is making rare spot sales of oil as the kingdom’s shipments ramp up. Finally, what Mr Trump really cares about - gas prices - are coming down...

Oil prices fall 1% to 4-month lows as progress in US-Iran talks cools supply concerns (Reuters) - Oil prices fell more than 1% ​on Wednesday to their lowest levels since March as optimism over U.S.-Iran talks allayed supply concerns after U.S. President Donald ‌Trump said talks in Qatar had gone well. Brent futures settled down $1.38, or 1.89%, to $71.57 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude lost 92 cents, or 1.32%, at $68.58 a barrel. Both benchmarks closed at their lowest levels in four months. "The negotiations that are currently taking place in Qatar are ​perceived as being positive (and) that has allowed prices to drift further," Saxo Bank analyst Ole Hansen said. "There is a ​chance that we could see even lower prices." Trump said on Wednesday the U.S. was getting along ⁠very well with Iran and that recent meetings in Qatar went well. The U.S. and Iran held technical talks in Doha as they seek ​to agree on the flow of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and secure a lasting ceasefire, a source with direct knowledge ​of the talks and an Iranian official said. The U.S. and Iran have sparred publicly over the meaning of the interim pact, exchanging military strikes over the past week. "There's more optimism as more oil goes through the Strait of Hormuz," said Phil Flynn, senior analyst for Price Futures Group. "The market ​is signalling that once we get past this, the gloves are going to come off and we're going to probably produce ​more oil in the world than we ever have." Tanker traffic through the strait has started to recover, with U.S. Vice President JD Vance saying ‌oil ⁠flows through the waterway had returned to pre-war levels, without citing figures. In the U.S., crude inventories fell by 3.8 million barrels to 408.4 million barrels last week, the lowest level since September 2018, as domestic refinery demand rose ahead of the July 4 holiday weekend, the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday. The draw, however, was smaller than analysts' expectations in a Reuters poll ​for a drop of 4.5 ​million barrels. Following five straight monthly ⁠increases, analysts have cut their 2026 oil price forecasts for the first time since the Iran war began, as the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz eased concerns over prolonged supply disruptions, a ​Reuters poll showed. Brent fell by around $45 a barrel in the second quarter of this year, its ​largest quarterly drop ⁠since the global financial crisis in 2008. U.S. crude futures, meanwhile, fell by around $31 a barrel, their largest quarterly decline since 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic crushed global oil demand. The declines followed progress towards ending the Middle East conflict, after sharp gains in March triggered ⁠by the ​U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran. Meanwhile, OPEC+ oil-producing countries will likely agree on a further hike ​in their output targets from August when they meet on Sunday, three sources said on Wednesday.

Oil prices decline ahead of key OPEC+ production meeting amid US-Iran talks progress - Pakistan Observer  – Global oil prices declined by around one percent on Thursday, marking a third consecutive day of losses, as signs of progress in indirect negotiations between Iran and the United States eased concerns over potential disruptions to energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude futures fell by 77 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $70.80 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude dropped 84 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $67.74 per barrel in early trading. Both benchmark contracts had already fallen by more than one percent in the previous session, reaching their lowest levels in nearly four months. The decline followed comments from Qatar’s Foreign Ministry indicating that indirect discussions between Tehran and Washington had achieved positive progress on issues linked to the memorandum that ended hostilities in June. However, officials acknowledged that the negotiations have yet to produce a comprehensive agreement capable of ensuring long-term regional stability. Market analysts said the continued operation of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil transit routes, has reduced fears of supply disruptions. With crude exports continuing uninterrupted, expectations of increased global supply and stronger competition among oil producers have added downward pressure on prices. Investors are also closely watching the upcoming meeting of OPEC+ scheduled for Sunday, where member countries are widely expected to approve another increase in oil production targets beginning in August. A further rise in output is anticipated to add more supply to the global market, reinforcing the current bearish sentiment. Meanwhile, global financial institution UBS revised its outlook for Brent crude, lowering its price forecasts for the coming quarters following the easing of geopolitical tensions and the recovery of oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. The bank now expects Brent to average around $80 per barrel during the second half of the year and approximately $75 per barrel in 2027. Despite the improved outlook, analysts cautioned that risks remain, noting that oil tanker traffic entering the Persian Gulf continues to trail outbound shipments, leaving room for renewed market volatility if regional tensions escalate again. Qatar also confirmed that the next round of indirect talks between Iran and the United States is expected to take place after the funeral ceremonies for Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, scheduled for July 9.

Brent Slides to Pre-War Levels on Middle East Supply Surged (DTN) -- Oil futures slid for the third consecutive trading day Thursday as Middle Eastern producers rushed to send barrels through the now reopened Strait of Hormuz. By 08:00 a.m. EDT, ICE Brent for August delivery was down $1.27 to trade near $70.30 barrel (bbl), the lowest since the week before the start of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. NYMEX WTI for August delivery fell $1.41 to $67.17 bbl. Downstream, NYMEX ULSD futures for August delivery retreated $0.0342 to $3.1837 gallon, and front-month RBOB futures slumped $0.0585 to $2.8867 gallon. The U.S. Dollar Index softened by 0.276 points to 100.88 against a basket of foreign currencies. The abrupt surge in oil supply has led to a glut in some markets, given that refiner demand is still reeling from the nearly four-month long disruption and emergency stockpiles continue to be released. This imbalance is likely temporary in nature, given that demand is set to recover and inventories will need to be restocked -- all while oil flows from the region are still trailing pre-war levels by some 4 million to 5 million barrels per day (bpd). Progress in the ongoing U.S.-Iranian peace process also weighed on prices. Qatari officials spoke of "positive progress" in the technical talks between mediators and U.S. diplomats and announced the next round of direct negotiations between Washington and Tehran may take place as early as next Friday, July 10. In the U.S., meanwhile, crude oil stockpiles continued to decline at a rapid pace. The U.S. Energy Information Administration on Wednesday reported commercial inventories have now fallen to an eight-year low 408.4 million bbl. Total crude oil stocks including those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve are the most depleted since 1984, and combined oil, LPG and refined product inventories at their lowest since 2003.

Oil gains on short covering before US holiday  --Oil prices made small gains on Thursday as buyers sought to assure supply over the long US Independence Day weekend. "We're seeing a little short covering here," "The focus has shifted to how much supply are we going to see in the markets from how much supply are we going to lose." Brent futures settled at US$71.80 a barrel, up 23 cents or 0.32%. US West Texas Intermediate crude finished at US$68.69 a barrel, up 11 cents, or 0.16%. During the session, both benchmarks hit their lowest levels since before the US-Israeli war on Iran began in late February. For the week, Brent finished down 0.60%, while WTI was down 0.78%. Mediator Qatar said the US and Iran made progress in talks toward a permanent peace agreement ending the four-month war that shut the key oil shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The talks made "positive progress" on matters related to the memorandum that halted the war in June, a Qatar Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in a post on X. There was no sign yet that the sides made headway towards a lasting peace. The next meeting between Iran and US negotiators will take place after July 9 funeral processions for Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Qatar ministry added. "Oil has been flowing out of the Strait of Hormuz, while at the same time we're also pouring oil out of strategic reserves. And on top of that, crude oil buying from China and oil demand has not really properly revived yet," said Bjarne Schieldrop, chief commodities analyst at SEB. "This could be sort of a dynamical picture of price moving down sharply and then rebounding at some point." At least five supertankers carrying a total of 10 million barrels of Saudi oil loaded from Ras Tanura have exited the Strait of Hormuz, with Saudi Aramco switching to spot pricing to speed up sales in Asia, according to trade sources and shipping data. "It seems the refineries can get as much oil as they need, but squeezing it out of the refineries is harder,". "The market thinks the Iran situation is getting better but there are going to be ups and downs, but it's getting better." US crude stocks fell to their lowest last week since 2018 as domestic refinery demand rose, while gasoline inventories also declined, the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday. UBS cut its Brent forecasts, citing the increase in oil shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world's oil is carried by tanker ships. The bank lowered its Brent crude price forecasts. It cut its third-quarter estimate by US$25 per barrel to US$80 and reduced its fourth-quarter forecast by US$10 per barrel to US$80. It trimmed its 2027 outlook by US$10 per barrel to US$75. Analysts at HSBC expect the market "to absorb returning Middle East barrels through gradual restocking, alongside the end of IEA strategic stock releases in July". "As the near-term 'mini-glut' fades, Brent could move back towards US$80/b or higher," the HSBC note said. Meanwhile, Nigeria has become the first Opec member to join the International Energy Agency as an associate member, a step that deepens ties between the global energy watchdog and Africa's largest oil producer. Elsewhere, Ukrainian forces struck the Lukoil-Nizhegorodnefteorgsintez oil refinery in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod region, Ukraine's General Staff said on Thursday. —

Oil Prices Hold Steady But Headed For Fourth Weekly Loss   - Oil prices held steady on Friday but headed for their fourth straight weekly loss on eased concerns over supply disruptions in the Middle East. Brent crude futures were 0.4 percent higher at $72.11 a barrel, hovering near levels last seen before the Middle East conflict in late February on signs of improved shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz and progress in U.S.-Iran talks. WTI crude futures edged up by 0.2 percent to $68.84. U.S. President Donald Trump said in an interview with CNBC that talks with Iran are moving forward and that Tehran has agreed to "just about everything we need." Trump claimed that Iran will buy U.S. agricultural products as part of a potential peace agreement to end the war - a statement that Iran has refuted. Meanwhile, Iran's main military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said that the Strait of Hormuz is not the "aggressive U.S. playground" and that any U.S. interference in the vital waterway will be met with a "decisive and swift" response. Separately, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghci slammed the U.S. CENTCOM's regional security dialogue in Bahrain, which saw participation from 12 countries. Questioning the U.S. role in the region, he said lasting peace in West Asia could only be achieved without outside interference and claimed, "outsiders cannot even protect themselves." Elsewhere, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country would "definitely" retaliate after Russian forces launched a major drone and missile attack on Kyiv overnight, killing at least 30 people.

Forget Iran — AI Capex Is Now the Real Force Driving Oil Prices --Crude oil is going through a structural shift that I think most coverage is still missing. The market hasn’t stopped reacting to the Gulf — it’s stopped treating the Gulf as the only variable that matters. I think the recent de-escalation between the US and Iran is genuinely good news for markets, but it would be a mistake to read it as the end of uncertainty in energy. Investors know political agreements in the Gulf rarely hold for long, which is exactly why a risk premium remains baked into oil prices even as the probability of immediate supply disruption falls. We’ve watched this pattern repeat itself directly: a fragile ceasefire has already shattered once this year, with Iranian missile strikes wiping out weeks of relief-rally optimism in a single session. The cautious, modest gains we’re seeing in Brent and WTI right now look less like optimism and more like a market that has learned not to fully trust the news cycle. The renewed talks over the Strait of Hormuz read to me as a confidence-building gesture rather than a guarantee. It remains one of the world’s most critical chokepoints, and any disruption there moves shipping costs, insurance premiums and crude prices immediately. But markets have become more disciplined about not overpricing geopolitical risk unless it escalates into an actual physical supply threat. I think the more consequential driver for the second half of the year isn’t geopolitics at all — it’s how OPEC+ manages supply against a softening demand backdrop. If the alliance keeps exercising the same disciplined restraint it showed when it paused planned production increases rather than risk flooding an already fragile market, that should keep prices broadly supported even if global growth cools. An unanticipated output increase, on the other hand, would put real downward pressure on crude, particularly if it lands alongside weaker industrial activity in major economies. My view is that financial markets are gradually shifting weight away from short-term geopolitical headlines and toward macroeconomic data — inflation prints, rate expectations, growth indicators. Oil is no longer driven by security risk alone; it’s increasingly a function of whether the global economy can sustain stable growth. If central banks hold restrictive policy for longer, consumption and investment activity will weaken, and energy demand will soften with it. This is the same dynamic we flagged when the new Fed under Kevin Warsh signalled one to two rate hikes this year rather than the cuts markets had been pricing — a shift driven as much by energy-linked inflation as by AI-fuelled exceptionalism in the US economy. The Bank of New York’s observation about supply-side constraints tied to AI investment deserves far more attention than it’s getting. Markets tend to focus on demand as the primary driver of oil prices while overlooking that the scale-up of data centres, semiconductor fabrication and digital infrastructure requires enormous capital investment — and that investment pulls hard on energy, industrial metals and global supply chains simultaneously. We’ve already seen this collide directly with energy markets once this year, when an AI valuation selloff, a Fed turning hawkish and a Gulf oil spike arrived within the same 48 hours, and the inflationary impact of that crude spike worsened the macro picture before a single jobs report had even landed. The deeper structural version of this story is the one we explored in our look at how the AI data centre buildout is now colliding with a genuine power infrastructure ceiling — securing energy capacity has become as much of a competitive moat for AI players as the algorithms themselves. That’s not a tech story anymore. It’s an energy demand story with the scale to keep inflation stickier than current forecasts assume, even as Gulf tensions ease.

49 attacks recorded in Hormuz despite ceasefire, IMO says – (news video)  The International Maritime Organization has confirmed 49 separate incidents in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Middle East region, even as a fragile ceasefire technically remains in place. US Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine says Iran has fired at commercial vessels nine times, seized two container ships, and carried out more than ten attacks on US forces since the truce was announced. Washington says the incidents remain "below the threshold" for restarting the war, despite continuing maritime tensions. WooGlobe Ref : WGA706506

Strait of Hormuz traffic was increasing until a fresh wave of strikes - Fresh attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz have exposed the fragility of the 60-day ceasefire deal between the United States and Iran, which was meant to allow ships to transit through the area again. The strait, which carries about a fifth of the world's oil, has become one of the biggest sticking points in efforts to turn the ceasefire into lasting stability. Last week, traffic in the critical waterway rose to its highest levels since the start of the war, according to data from marine intelligence company Kpler. During the height of the conflict, fewer than 10 commodity ships a day were crossing the strait. But on Wednesday, 73 ships passed through, and on Thursday, 54, according to data from Kpler. Then in two separate incidents on June 25 and June 27, two commercial ships were attacked by projectiles in the strait. The United States and Iran have exchanged strikes against targets in the Middle East, underscoring rising tensions that threaten the interim deal between the two nations to stop the war. US President Donald Trump responded by describing it as a "foolish" breach of the ceasefire and carrying out strikes against Iran on Saturday.. Tehran was supposed to fully reopen the strait within 30 days as part of its Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Washington. The agreement stipulates that Iran will use its "best efforts" to ensure ships can "pass safely" through the strait, and states that Iran will work with Oman on the "future administration" of the narrow waterway. But for Iran, re-opening the strait does not appear to mean relinquishing control. Conflicting reports have emerged about US-Iran talks supposedly planned in Qatar for Tuesday to try to resolve the dispute in the Strait of Hormuz and get the fragile ceasefire back on track. US President Donald Trump posted on social media that Tehran had requested the meeting and that it would take place in Doha. The White House said two of the president's closest allies, his son-in-law Jared Kushner and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, would fly to the Qatari capital for the "high-level meetings" as the two countries "continue to discuss the memorandum of understanding". But Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said no talks between Iran and the United States were scheduled in the coming days. The first strike on Thursday came hours after Tehran warned ships not to use what it described as an "unauthorised route". An increasing number of ships had been trying to get around Iranian control by taking the south corridor route, which hugged the Omani coast, rather than the north corridor route that sailed close to Iran. Iran's foreign minister warned any challenge to Tehran's control of the strait and its approved route would delay its reopening. "Any attempt to adopt new or separate arrangements from those currently being implemented by the Islamic Republic of Iran will only complicate the situation, delay the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and raise the level of tension," Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Sunday, local time. Principal freight analyst at Kpler Matthew Wright said Tehran "will want vessels to take the Iranian route so they can exert … control", which will make it harder for traffic to return to normal. "There's a fundamental limitation in getting back to normal transits that way because the navigation is trickier," he told the ABC. "You've got to go through tighter choke-points around the islands … you can't have full vessel movement the way you can with the International Maritime Route." There are effectively three options for ships: the international route through the middle of the strait, the Iranian route along Iran's coast, and a southern route shadowing Oman's coast. Amid new strikes, the future of the Strait of Hormuz has again been plunged into uncertainty, but ships are finding a way through. Mr Wright said very few vessels are choosing the middle route, which is the recommended path by the International Maritime Organisation because of ongoing concerns about sea mines laid by Iran. "Some ships are going through the middle, but very few," he said. "If they were completely confident that they weren't going to be attacked, and there were no mines, all vessels would take that route."

Warnings Against Hormuz Crossings Grow, Pushing Up Commodity Prices - Global natural gas prices climbed again Monday as vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz slowed down significantly after renewed fighting between the United States and Iran. At a Glance:
Crossings fall
TTF, JKM climb
Asia outbidding Europe

Even amid strikes, shipping traffic remains elevated in the Strait of Hormuz -After the US and Iran traded new strikes over the weekend, shipping traffic in the crucial Strait of Hormuz has remained elevated and seems at least partially unfazed by the stop-and-start peace talks. Independent traffic service MarineTraffic reported Monday that three container vessels entered the Persian Gulf over the weekend, a significant sign of confidence as they represent the first commercial container ships to make the journey in that direction since the start of the conflict. One hundred and eight verified crossings were recorded in total from June 26-28, MarineTraffic reported, which was only a modest slowing from levels the week before. "The Strait of Hormuz remained open over the weekend," MarineTraffic said. Positive signals like this keep adding up — even as the political headlines have been causing alarms.  Recent days of attacks have tested the fragile ceasefire before an abrupt cessation of hostilities was announced on Sunday night. President Trump confirmed on Monday that new negotiations are set for this week in Qatar.It was a return to diplomacy for the region after an Iranian projectile hit a cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz last Thursday, leading to more attacks and counterattacks as both the US and Iran accused the other of breaking the ceasefire.Iran also attacked an oil tanker on Saturday, prompting what US Central Command described as strikes on 10 Iranian military targets "at multiple locations in and near the Strait of Hormuz."It was a clear setback for peace efforts and also came as Iran continues to claim it will manage the strait and attack ships that get out of line. The United Kingdom's closely watched Maritime Trade Operations center advised ships to transit with caution. Still, shipping traffic continued, though it remains well below the 100+ ships that crossed the strait daily prior to the war.The data released Monday from MarineTraffic showed that shippers have been utilizing multiple routes and successfully crossing along both Oman's and Iran's coastlines.The varied routes have meant significant traffic is getting through. Bloomberg reported Monday that two empty supertankers had been recorded entering the Persian Gulf, and Saudi Arabia saw a supertanker and three carriers from the country apparently make passage on Monday with their signals off.The White House also continued to sound optimistic. National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett predicted on CNBC on Monday that traffic will soon be "really moving [and] back to more than 100 ships a day," which he added will ease price pressures around the world.

Shipping through Strait of Hormuz rebounding after weekend strikes -Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz began to rebound Monday following weekend tit-for-tat strikes between the U.S. and Iran.Reports from the maritime tracking firm Kpler said 40 vessels passed through the critical waterway on Monday, while 24 ships transited the strait on Sunday in addition to 39 ships on Saturday.Energy markets have responded in tandem with stabilized prices. West Texas Intermediate crude trading sits at around $70-$71 per barrel, and Brent Crude rests at $73-$75. Closure of the strait, a key waterway transporting roughly a fifth of the global oil supply, has been a major hiccup during the more than four-month-long conflict in the Middle East. Iran’s threats to down commercial vessels transiting the channel, the regime’s implementation of pricy tolls to ensure safe travel and the now-lifted U.S. naval blockade added to the struggle.Despite the latest round of strikes — launched after Iran struck a Qatar-operated crude oil tanker on Saturday, a Singapore-flagged cargo vessel last week and targeted U.S. bases in Gulf states on Sunday — both countries agreed to “stand down” for the time being and allow safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.The U.S. and Iran were already under a shaky 60-day ceasefire reached on June 17, when President Trump signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding with Tehran seeking to bring an end to the conflict and open up talks on the regime’s nuclear program.The stalled period of fighting commences as Vice President Vance, Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner lead negotiations with counterparts in the Middle East. The talks scheduled for Tuesday are technical and not direct, regarding low-stakes details of a longer-term deal between the U.S. and Iran. Witkoff and Kushner won’t meet with Iran directly but will speak with the Qatari prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. Qatar, Pakistan and Egypt are serving as mediators.

Container Ship Runs Aground In Hormuz Chokepoint -   Hormuz vessel traffic continues to flow, but at a sharply reduced pace compared to the previous week, as US-Iran technical talks resume in Doha without senior negotiators meeting face-to-face. Data research firm Kpler noted, "Hormuz traffic holds steady." The latest disruption in the strait, beyond the persistent threat of Iranian naval mines and suicide drones, was caused by a foreign container ship running aground after entering shallow waters outside the Iranian-designated shipping route. Qatar-funded international news network Al Jazeera cites Iran's state media, which provided more details on the maritime incident early Wednesday: A foreign container ship has run aground in the Strait of Hormuz after entering shallow waters outside ‌the shipping route designated by Iranian authorities, Iran's state media says. The news report reiterated the Revolutionary Guard's warning that vessels should transit only through the corridor south of Iran's Larak island, which Tehran says is the sole approved entry and exit route ‌for ships passing through the strait. In a separate report, Bloomberg cites the Iranian Navy as saying that it "has repeatedly warned ship captains, owners and officials of global shipping companies that any entry or exit via routes other than the authorized one could lead to irreparable incidents." Beyond the Strait, and focusing on markets, the beginning of the normalization process to reopen the critical waterway sent commodity prices sliding 9% month on month in June, as conflict fears eased following the US-Iran interim peace deal.

CMA CGM ship hit by missile in Hormuz strait may go for scrapping, CEO says (Reuters) - A CMA CGM container ship struck by a missile in the Strait of Hormuz in early May is so ​badly damaged that the French shipping group may send ‌it for scrapping, its chief executive said on Friday. The attack on the CMA CGM San Antonio injured several members of the crew, who ​were evacuated. The ship is one of dozens of ​commercial vessels to be struck during the Iran war. "It ⁠was so damaged that we're wondering whether we should send ​it for scrapping," CMA CGM's Chairman and CEO Rodolphe Saade ​told a business conference in southern France. After being stranded in the strait for weeks, the San Antonio has been escorted to safety, he added, ​without giving further details. The group does not plan for now ​to start sending ships towards the Gulf again, he said, adding it was ‌the ⁠Iranian side that was currently advising not to do so. Saade, who controls CMA CGM with other family members, reiterated his opposition to transit fees for using the Hormuz strait, which are ​among unresolved issues ​in U.S.-Iranian peace ⁠talks. CMA CGM, the world's third-largest container shipping line, had 14 ships inside the Gulf at the start ​of the Iran war that virtually closed the ​waterway. Several ⁠have since exited the zone and of the remaining vessels CMA CGM would like another four to come out, Saade said. The ⁠CEO indicated ​in a French press interview this ​week that some of its vessels there are intended to operate inside the ​Gulf.

On the Strait of Hormuz, BBC finds seized ships and shark fishermen as uneasy calm returns - It's a sweltering summer's day and fishermen are unloading their catch on the docks. In many ways this looks like an ordinary fishing port, but the docks are in Bandar Abbas, an Iranian city on the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most vital shipping lanes and a key focal point of the US-Israeli war with Iran. This is the first time international journalists have visited the Iranian side of the strait since the conflict began. When the US and Israel launched attacks on 28 February, the Iranian regime responded by attacking Israel and neighbouring Gulf states hosting US forces and turned its geography into one of its greatest sources of leverage. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) began firing on commercial ships attempting to go through the strait without its permission, effectively making the waterway impassable. Seafarers from around the world were stranded and oil prices surged, pushing up the cost of energy and fuel, along with a vast range of goods that are shipped around the world. The US retaliated with a blockade of its own, targeting any ships using Iran's Gulf ports. As a result, these waters have been too dangerous to fish for months. Many fishermen stopped going out, while others continued, knowing they were heading into a battlefield. Now, weeks after Iran allowed the partial reopening of the strait - under a ceasefire agreement with the US that is mostly holding - the sea is calm once more and fishermen are returning. One of them, Abdol Rahman, took the BBC through the strait for a close-up view of how the war has affected life in and around Bandar Abbas. As we sailed through the strait, two container ships seized by the IRGC in April, at the height of the conflict, came into view. At the time, the IRGC said the vessels had endangered maritime security "by operating without the necessary permits and tampering with navigation systems". Despite the ceasefire, the MSC Francesca and the Epaminondas, which were flagged to Panama and Liberia respectively, have not been released. Dozens of other cargo ships could be seen offshore, waiting for permission from the Iranian authorities to pass through the strait. As we approached Hormuz Island, 8km (five miles) off the coast of Bandar Abbas, our guide Rahman pointed out an old fortress overlooking the sea. Its weathered red walls are a reminder that control of the strait has been fought over for centuries. Built in the early 16th Century, it was central to the Portuguese Empire's control of this vital waterway - until 1622 when Portugal was driven out by Shah Abbas I of Persia, after whom Bandar Abbas is named. Today, Bandar Abbas remains just as strategically important. Sitting on Iran's southern coast, close to the narrowest point of the strait, it is home to Iran's Navy and the naval arm of the IRGC. Around a fifth of the world's oil and gas shipments pass through these waters in peacetime, making the city central to the world's economy and key to Iran's military doctrine of "asymmetric warfare" designed to fight more powerful adversaries. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened an escalation of the conflict, warning that Iran "won't have a country" if it did not reopen the strait. Yet, despite his threats and the ceasefire, Iran has not fully reopened the strait and analysts argue it remains a key point of leverage for Tehran in the ongoing talks to reach a lasting peace agreement between the US and Iran. When the BBC reached Bandar Abbas city, there were signs of life returning to normal. Families have gone back home, shops have reopened and traffic once again fills the streets. The market, for centuries the place where goods arrive by sea before making their way into southern Iran, is once again bustling. Yet, nearby, the effects of war remain. On Khushnoodi Street, behind Bandar Abbas's main university, an apartment block is in ruins. It was hit on 26 March by an Israeli strike. Half of the building is standing, while the other half has collapsed into a pile of concrete and twisted metal. Exposed rooms where families once lived can be seen, and Iranian flags fly from the shattered façade. The building also had some offices and Fatima, a 40-year-old business owner who worked there, was elsewhere at the time of the strike. "I knew many of the families who lived here," she said. "There were mothers and children. They were asleep when the attack happened. Some survived, but three people were killed. One of them was a military officer who lived here with his family. But it wasn't a military base." Israel Defense Forces said the intended target was IRGC Navy commander Alireza Tangsiri - and four days after the strike, Iran confirmed he had been killed. According to the Red Crescent, 261 people, including civilians and military personnel, have been killed in Hormuzgan province, of which Bandar Abbas is the capital. The strike illustrates how closely civilian and military life can overlap, blurring the distinction between military targets and residential dwellings. There were at least 96 separate US strikes in and around Bandar Abbas between 28 February and when the ceasefire came into effect on 8 April, according to data compiled by the monitor Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (Acled). It says that more than a third were reported to have targeted military infrastructure, including IRGC facilities, missile sites, naval assets and the air base at Bandar Abbas International Airport. Many of these locations are close to residential neighbourhoods. US-Israeli strikes during the war killed senior Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, destroyed military and economic infrastructure and damaged the country's nuclear programme. Yet Bandar Abbas's mayor rejects suggestions the war has left Iran weakened. Speaking to the BBC from a government compound with a gleaming golden minaret, Mehdi Nobani, said neither Israel nor the US had achieved their military objectives, including regime change. He also argued the appointment of the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, Ali's son, had united Iran rather than divided it. If the ceasefire were to break down, "Iran would close the Strait of Hormuz for sure", he said. At the market, many of the people the BBC approached were reluctant to speak to us - not all gave a reason but some said they didn't trust the way the media portrays Iran. Eventually, a young woman, who had recently returned from living in China, told us she had come back to be with her family during the conflict. "Iranians have come together to support each other," she said. Further down the market's winding alleyway, 55-year-old Fatemeh sits selling peaches. There are sections devoted to almost everything: fresh fish brought in that morning from the Gulf, dates from southern Iran, imported electronics, perfumes, household goods, and traditional Bandari clothing. She tells us her son lost his job during the war, and the family now relies on what she earns from her stall. "We didn't want a war. When the bombings happen, we are scared. Trump wanted a war. He attacked us unexpectedly. We didn't want this." Nearby, 40-year-old Masoumeh overhears our conversation and joins in. "Every war creates problems," she says. "It affects the economy and people's lives. But we have to be patient." As negotiations continue, and the ceasefire is tested, the Strait of Hormuz is likely to remain central to the stand-off between Iran and the US. But for the people who live here, the conflict is measured in different terms - livelihoods lost, nights spent under the threat of air strikes, and the hope that this fragile ceasefire will endure.

Can Washington’s Oman Corridor Rewrite the Rules of Hormuz? – – Reports emerged today that a foreign container ship ran aground in the Strait of Hormuz after leaving the officially designated navigation route and entering shallow waters. According to the reports, the vessel had been sailing outside the established corridor, and efforts to refloat it could prove both time-consuming and costly.Regardless of the technical details surrounding the incident, its significance lies in the message it sends to the maritime market: in one of the world’s most sensitive energy chokepoints, the issue is not simply about passing through a route—it is about trust in that route. Every incident, every shift in traffic patterns, and every new risk assessment can influence the decisions of shipping companies and insurers. This is precisely where the new battle over the Strait of Hormuz begins. The Strait of Hormuz has once again become one of the world’s most important arenas of geopolitical competition. According to estimates by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), roughly one-fifth of global seaborne oil trade passes through the waterway. As a result, any disruption or change in shipping patterns is far more than a regional issue; it can directly affect global energy markets, transportation costs, and oil prices.As military tensions have eased, the nature of the competition has entered a new phase. In the early days of the crisis, attention was focused on warships, military movements, and force deployments. Today, however, the primary battleground has shifted to something less visible: the struggle for the confidence of the global maritime transport market.In this competition, the winner is not necessarily the country with the stronger military presence. Rather, success will belong to the actor whose proposed routes are viewed by shipping companies, insurers, and cargo owners as safer, more reliable, and less risky.Within this context, the first commercial vessels choosing post-crisis transit routes have attracted considerable attention from analysts. Their significance lies less in the ships themselves and more in the signal they send to the market: which routes major players in the global shipping industry are choosing under the new circumstances. Following the escalation of tensions, the United States, in cooperation with Oman and through maritime security arrangements, sought to create conditions allowing commercial vessels to transit through the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz. The objective was to reduce dependence on conventional shipping routes closer to Iran’s coastline.The purpose of this initiative was not merely to redirect a handful of ships. From Washington’s perspective, if the route eventually becomes a reliable option for shipping companies, the global market’s dependence on routes where Iran plays a significant role in security provision could decline, thereby weakening part of Tehran’s geopolitical leverage in the Strait of Hormuz. In other words, rather than attempting to alter the geography of the strait, Washington appears to be trying to reshape the market’s “architecture of trust” — gradually encouraging shipping companies to conclude that global trade can continue without relying on routes endorsed by Iran. The reason goes beyond Iran’s geographical position. Although the Strait of Hormuz appears on maps as a relatively wide waterway — approximately 55 kilometers across — the realities of navigation are far more complex. Large oil tankers cannot simply pass through any point they choose. Water depth, underwater formations, currents, traffic separation systems, and international safety regulations limit navigable areas to a handful of specific corridors.For that reason, creating a new route is not simply a matter of political declarations or even military presence. If shipping companies, insurers, or risk-assessment institutions determine that an alternative route carries greater safety concerns, costs, or long-term uncertainties, they are unlikely to adopt it — even if it enjoys the backing of a major power.Recent developments in shipping patterns have added a new dimension to this competition. Maritime tracking data suggests that the so-called “Oman Corridor,” promoted in recent weeks as an alternative route, has experienced a noticeable decline in traffic.According to published tracking information, while a considerable number of vessels initially used the route after its introduction, newer reports indicate that transit numbers have fallen and that some shipping activity has begun returning to established routes.Some analysts link this change to Iranian security warnings and growing risk assessments among shipping operators. Others argue that it remains too early to draw firm conclusions and that a temporary decline in traffic does not necessarily indicate the failure of a new route.Nevertheless, even if these developments prove temporary, they highlight an important reality: in maritime shipping, decisions are ultimately driven less by political statements and more by calculations of cost and risk.

Only Iran can demine Hormuz Strait under MoU with US: Deputy FM - Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi has rejected France’s bid to demine the Strait of Hormuz in collaboration with its allies, saying the operation will exclusively be carried out by the Islamic Republic. Gharibabadi made the remarks on Monday after French President Emmanuel Macron said that his country and Oman had decided to work jointly, in coordination with partners, on demining the Strait of Hormuz to secure maritime routes and ensure free and unconditional passage through the strategic waterway. “Under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) demining [the strait] will be carried out solely by Iran and not by any other country,” he said. The deputy foreign minister also noted that Iran will not allow any foreign meddling in the removal of mines from the Strait of Hormuz given the current “sensitive and complex” situation in the critical energy chokepoint. “We strongly advise France not to make the situation more complicated with its provocations,” he added. Iran restricted transit through the Strait of Hormuz, responsible for a fifth of global oil demand, in response to the illegal US-Israeli aggression on the country that began on February 28 and came to a halt under a ceasefire on April 8.‌ On July 17, Iran and the US signed the Pakistan-brokered MoU, which calls for a permanent end to hostilities across all fronts and includes a commitment from both sides to hold further talks on a final agreement in the next 60 days. Under the 14-point deal, Iran is required to ensure toll-free passage for commercial vessels for at least 60 days, with full restoration of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days. Iran has stressed that the strait will not return to pre-war conditions, emphasizing its legitimate right to sovereignty over the waterway.

Management of Strait of Hormuz solely Iran’s responsibility: Senior MP -The Strait of Hormuz is an “inseparable” part of Iran’s national sovereignty and its management is exclusively the responsibility of the Islamic Republic, says a senior Iranian lawmaker. Ebrahim Azizi, head of Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, on Tuesday dismissed a US-backed statement by the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as “overt interference” in regional affairs. The US-GCC statement followed talks in Manama co-chaired by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, in which foreign ministers from other Persian Gulf nations, including Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, also participated. It defied “any tolls, fees, or attempts to assert control over the strait,” saying free and unrestricted navigation “remains essential to regional and global security.” Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz to hostile states and their allies in response to the US-Israeli aggression and then began asserting more control in retaliation for the US sustaining an illegal naval blockade of Iranian ports and vessels despite a standing ceasefire. The GCC statement also said, “Lasting regional peace and security requires addressing the full spectrum of Iran’s alleged threats, including its ballistic missiles, drones, and support of proxies in the region.” According to Azizi, however, “Iran’s missile and drone capabilities are a red line and will not be restricted by any deal.” Addressing GCC leaders, the senior parliamentarian warned that “Lebanon’s sovereignty is not secured through disarming the Resistance, but through ending occupation and aggression.” He added that “imported security from Washington is nothing but a mirage; gambling on America’s scenario will undermine your stability and security.” “The era of US intervention in the region is over, and the return of the defeated will bring no achievements,” Azizi concluded.

Iran Tightens Grip on Strait of Hormuz Tanker Traffic -  Just when the oil market was getting comfortable with the idea that the Strait of Hormuz was reopening, Iran reminded everyone who's still directing traffic. Iran's joint military command warned on Thursday that all oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz must follow routes approved by Tehran or face an "immediate and forceful response." The warning, carried by Iranian state television, also cautioned that any U.S. interference in the waterway would prompt a "rapid and decisive reaction." The warning came a day after U.S. and Iranian negotiators met in Qatar for another round of talks aimed at turning last month's interim agreement into a broader peace deal. Those discussions reportedly made progress, but the next round is expected only after funeral ceremonies for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei conclude next week. The latest threat also throws cold water on the increasingly popular narrative that Hormuz is returning to business as usual. It isn't. Yes, tanker traffic has recovered from the near standstill seen during the height of the conflict. But it's still running well below pre-war levels. According to AP, 258 vessels transited the strait last week, up from 138 the previous week, while traffic this week has settled into roughly 30 to 60 crossings per day—still nowhere near the roughly 130 daily transits seen before the war. More importantly, Iran isn't backing away from its insistence that it controls navigation through the world's most important oil chokepoint. The interim agreement allows ships to pass toll-free for 60 days, but Tehran continues to argue that it has the authority to dictate routes now and charge transit fees once the temporary arrangement expires. Washington and Gulf Arab states reject that interpretation entirely. That unresolved dispute matters because oil traders have spent the past week pricing in a rapid return of Gulf exports. Brent has slipped back toward pre-war levels as stranded cargoes finally leave the Persian Gulf and expectations of oversupply return.

Iran is jealously competing with Oman as decision-maker over Strait of Hormuz - The strait of Hormuz is Iran’s chief bargaining tool in the negotiations with the US and so it was always likely to be the greatest point of contention. Every inch of the 24-mile-wide waterway is being contested in a test of wills and patience. For Iran, the continuation of the dispute is not a problem so long as it does not lose control. Under the memorandum of understanding signed with Washington on 18 June, substantive talks over Iran’s nuclear programme do not need to start until the lifting of the blockade of the strait – something Iran is required to use only “its best endeavours” to achieve. Moreover, the longer the blockade lasts, the closer come the US midterm elections for Trump. Iran’s government may yet find itself in a reckoning with its inflation-ravaged electorate but no date for that is fixed. Iran is adopting a maximalist interpretation of the memorandum, decreeing that it alone can lift the blockade. Jealously guarding this prerogative, it has been resisting the involvement of any other country or institution in opening the strait. For that reason, Iran rejected the suggestion of a southern route close to the coast of Oman developed with the UN’s International Maritime Organization. The idea was that, as the central route through the strait had been closed because of mines, two new shipping lanes could be opened, one in Omani waters overseen by the US Joint Maritime Information Center, and one farther north close to Iran. The IMO thought it had Iran’s agreement for the proposal. But either different parts of the Iranian regime adopted different positions or the IMO misunderstood Iran’s flexibility. Either way the Iranian attack on a Singaporean ship passing through the southern route on Thursday led the IMO to abandon the plan. For Iran, losing the strait card would mean returning to negotiations on prewar terms and losing an important strategic tool. At a news conference in Baghdad the Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said: “Any attempt to adopt new or separate arrangements from those currently being pursued by the Islamic Republic will only lead to further complications, delays in reopening the strait of Hormuz and an increase in tensions.” But the row over the southern route – likely to be discussed in talks in Doha – has the potential to overshadow the search for a long-term solution to the management of the strait – a solution that has been worked up in considerable legal detail by Oman over the past two months. The plan has been crafted with the aim of meeting the requirements of international law and also securing Iran’s eventual support. But Oman, a neutral nation by temperament and practice, is in a delicate diplomat spot. It knows that if it ignores Iran’s objections, Tehran is less likely to agree to Oman’s plan for the future of the strait. But if Oman does not take the initiative in helping the humanitarian operation to release thousands of trapped sailors, the less likely it is that its proposals for the strait will be accepted by the region or by the UN – and the more likely it is the US will return to all-out war. The very fact that Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, held joint discussions in Muscat with Oman’s minister of state for foreign affairs, Abdulaziz al-Hinai, is a tacit acknowledgment by Tehran that it does not have sole decision-making powers in the strait’s future management. What Oman has tried to do is construct a management system that will ensure littoral states receive income from commercial shipping passing through the strait but the income would come as much as possible in the voluntary contributions, or payments for specific navigational services made by trade groups, ships or states.

Report: Oman Proposes Strait of Hormuz Plan That Involves Collecting Fees - - The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Iran and Oman are moving forward with a plan for the Strait of Hormuz that would involve collecting fees for ships transiting the waterway, despite the US expressing vehement opposition to the idea.Sources told the paper that Oman recently delivered a formal proposal to the US and other Western states outlining a plan in which shipping companies would pay service fees to use the strait.  Some of the sources speaking to the Times said the toll would be voluntary, while an Iranian official said it would be obligatory. Omani Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad , environmental and navigational services” could be discussed voluntarily.There’s no sign of Iran backing down on its demand for an arrangement where it collects fees from ships transiting the strait, a consequence of the war President Trump launched with Israel on February 28. Iranian officials have said they want to cooperate with Oman on the issue, but that Iran is willing to move forward on its own if needed. While the US is strongly opposed to fees, the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) only rules out fees for the first 60 days after it’s signed and doesn’t establish any long-term rules. It states that Iran will “conduct dialogue with the Sultanate of Oman, to define the future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz.”

Oman backs Iran’s plan to charge Strait of Hormuz ‘service fees’ - Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi has expressed support for Iran’s plan to impose “maritime service fees” on vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz. In an interview with Monte Carlo Doualiya, published by Oman’s Foreign Ministry on Monday, al-Busaidi reaffirmed Muscat’s commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). He clarified that Oman opposes any tolls on transit passage itself. However, the minister drew a clear distinction between transit tolls and legitimate maritime, environmental, and navigational service fees, which can be discussed voluntarily with benefiting states and companies. Al-Busaidi explained that such fees would enhance navigational safety, protect the waters from pollution, and improve preparedness for accidents and emergencies, models already successfully implemented in the Strait of Malacca and around Singapore. He stressed that Oman and Iran are in full agreement that any future arrangements for the strait must remain strictly within the framework of international law. Regarding French and British proposals to clear mines in the waterway, al-Busaidi emphasized that primary responsibility for ensuring the safety of the strait and international shipping lanes lies with Iran, in line with the recent memorandum of understanding signed between the Iranian and American presidents. His remarks follow the first meeting of the newly established Iran-Oman joint Hormuz committee, which focused on future governance of the strait. Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz to its enemies and their allies after the latest round of unprovoked American-Israeli aggression against the Islamic Republic. A Pakistan-mediated memorandum of understanding was recently signed between Tehran and Washington to help end the cycle of aggression. Under the 14-point deal, Iran is required to ensure toll-free passage for commercial vessels for at least 60 days, with full restoration of traffic in the Strait of Hormuz within 30 days. The MoU’s fifth clause explicitly recognizes Iran’s sovereignty over this vital chokepoint.

Four ways the Gulf makes Iran’s Hormuz toll backfire | Opinion - When Iran’s chief negotiator said this month that the Strait of Hormuz “will never return” to what it was before the war, it sounded like bravado from a state that had just lost much of its nuclear programme, its arsenal and its supreme leader to a punishing air campaign. It was not bravado. It was a business plan. Iran lost the war it chose to fight. It is now winning the only one it can still win: the right to price the passage of the Gulf’s wealth to the sea. For four months, roughly a fifth of the world’s seaborne oil and gas—the lifeblood of the Saudi, Emirati, Qatari, Kuwaiti and Bahraini economies—moved at Tehran’s discretion or not at all. The June memorandum that ended the war did not resolve this. It deferred it. Iran agreed only to waive transit fees for 60 days while talks continue—waive, not abolish—and has already rejected the alternative corridor Oman set up with the International Maritime Organization, insisting ships use lanes Iran itself designates. The toll booth is built. Only the billing is paused. And the Gulf is being set up to pay at both ends. When the clock runs out, Iran can charge a toll as the price of not closing the strait. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has floated his own counter-fee, musing that Washington might bill the Gulf “for services rendered as the Guardian Angel” of the region. Rent to the threat, a retainer to the protector, and no seat at the table, where the United States and Iran negotiate the terms the Gulf will live by. Refusing that arrangement is the right instinct, but it has to be realist, because the geography is permanent. Iran owns the strait’s northern shore and the longest coastline on the Gulf; no coalition or air campaign erases that. The war just proved the ceiling of force, even a combined American-Israeli assault of extraordinary intensity could not strip Iran’s ability to hold the waterway hostage. The answer is not to eliminate Iran’s leverage but to make using it cost more than it pays. Four moves would do exactly that. First, make the corridor a collective Arab claim, not an Omani solo. Muscat’s IMO-coordinated route is the right instrument: an international, rules-based lane that denies Iran the authority to “approve” who sails. But Oman cannot carry that claim alone while its neighbors issue statements. The Gulf Cooperation Council should adopt the corridor as a bloc and anchor it explicitly in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, as the settled position of the states whose trade actually transits the strait. A rule one small country asserts is a request. A rule six states assert together is a fact. Second, put Gulf hulls behind that rule. For 30 years the region has outsourced the security of its own jugular to the U.S. Fifth Fleet and, lately, to improvised Western coalitions. When the strait closed, the Gulf states were spectators to their own strangulation. Pooled escort and presence operations—Emirati naval technology, Saudi mass, Omani access—would not push the Americans out, but they would end the posture of waiting to be rescued. Borrowed deterrence can be withdrawn. Deterrence you own cannot. Third, devalue the hostage. The most durable answer to a chokepoint is to need it less. The closure vindicated every dollar Saudi Arabia and the UAE have spent on pipelines that bypass Hormuz toward the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, but those lines move a fraction of the volume and do nothing for the imports the Gulf cannot live without, from fertilizer to food. Finishing the long-stalled GCC railway, expanding bypass capacity and building real strategic reserves are not infrastructure projects. They are deterrence by other means. Every barrel that reaches a buyer without passing Iran’s guns is a barrel Tehran can no longer price. Fourth, demand the seat. The Gulf states are the war’s principal casualties and the principal stakeholders in its settlement, yet they are absent from the room. They should make co-signatory status on any Hormuz arrangement a condition of their alignment, and they hold more cards than they admit, from basing rights to the energy and investment flows both Washington and a recovering Iran will need. Sovereignty that is not asserted at the table is simply priced by whoever sits there instead. None of this means choosing war over diplomacy. It means recognizing that the diplomacy is the war now, fought by other means, and that passivity is not neutrality but surrender by installment. The strait will be governed by rules. The only question is whose. Iran has taught the Gulf, at enormous cost, that Hormuz belongs to whoever is willing to set its terms and enforce them. The Gulf can be that party, or it can pay the toll. It cannot do neither.

Iran is selling oil at 20% premium as U.S. blockade removal frees up sales -Iran has exported more than 40 million barrels of crude oil since the U.S. removed its naval blockade of Iranian ports, and is now selling oil at prices roughly 20% higher than before the war, parliament speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tuesday. The U.S. and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding on June 17 to end nearly four months of war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and set ​up 60 days of negotiations to work out a permanent peace deal. The two sides briefly traded strikes over the weekend after Iran attacked two transiting vessels.The ceasefire prompted a surge in crude shipments through the vital waterway where traffic had largely ground to a halt during the conflict, sending oil prices sharply lower.  “Since the day the naval blockade was lifted, we have exported more than 40 million barrels of oil,” Ghalibaf said in a television interview published on his Telegram channel. Iran had been unable to export a single barrel during the roughly two-month blockade that preceded the accord, he added.Tanker tracking firm TankerTrackers.com said Wednesday that it estimated Iran had exported 50 million barrels of crude oil since the U.S. lifted its naval blockade on the country’s energy exports two weeks ago. The firm uses satellite imagery, shoreside photography, and a real-time automatic identification system to monitor vessel movement. Brent crude traded near $73 a barrel Wednesday, down almost 40% from the war’s peak of $118 in April, as diplomatic progress and expectations of a Gulf supply rebound weigh on prices. Iranian crude sold at a discount of $10 to $15 a barrel below Brent before the war to compensate buyers for sanction risks, according to Gregory Brew, senior analyst at Eurasia Group. Iran has agreed to let ships transit Hormuz toll-free for 60 days under the MOU, but insisted that it will retain control over the waterway’s administration. “The sovereignty of the Strait of Hormuz lies with Iran and Oman, and traffic in the strait is subject to arrangements determined by Iran,” Ghalibaf said. “Iran will not give up its rights in the Strait of Hormuz under any circumstances, and these are our territorial waters.” It remains unclear how the strait will be governed once the 60-day window expires. Vessels have crossed the Strait of Hormuz via a southern corridor along Oman’s coast or through Iranian-controlled lanes to the north. Ghalibaf also pushed back on President Donald Trump’s claim that unfrozen Iranian assets will be used to purchase American agricultural goods, saying that $12 billion of the roughly $24 billion in frozen assets abroad would go to the country’s central bank “to purchase any goods it needs, at any price and in any currency in the world.”

Tehran Is Racing the Clock to Export as Much Oil as Possible - Iran is wasting no time in returning full steam to the oil export market after the Islamic Republic and the United States agreed in mid-June on a 60-day window to negotiate a deal. Since the memorandum of understanding was signed and the U.S. blockade aimed at preventing Iranian oil exports was lifted, Tehran has exported millions of barrels of its oil and has probably raised more revenues from these sales as the discounts of the Iranian crude to benchmarks have narrowed. In the memorandum of understanding, Iran won several key concessions for the 60-day negotiations period. Not only was the U.S. blockade in the Gulf of Oman lifted – in exchange for Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz – but the U.S. sanctions on Iran’s oil sales were temporarily waived until August 21. Iran Rushes to Ship Oil While It Can Iran was prepared for a surge in shipments as soon as the U.S. lifted the blockade. Three days after the memorandum was signed, at least three supertankers, carrying a total of 6 million barrels of Iranian crude, moved to transit the Strait of Hormuz, in open AIS navigation showing Singaporean waters as a destination, vessel-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg showed. On June 20, the volumes of Iranian crude transiting the Strait of Hormuz were the most Iranian oil openly making its way out of the key Iranian oil port at Kharg Island and into the Strait of Hormuz in a day since the war began on February 28, according to Bloomberg’s estimates. The surge in Iranian shipments out of the Gulf and into waters near the Malacca and Singapore Straits gives Iran a lifeline to boost its exports that had suffered from the U.S. blockade in the past two months. “Iranian-origin laden departures rose only 16% post-MoU because Iran was already the single largest origin during the blockade period, and a significant number of barrels were already positioned at Chabhahar (outside Hormuz) ready to move when the US blockade was lifted,” Claire Jungman, Director of Maritime Risk and Intelligence at Vortexa, said last week. Iranian cargo movements had soared through March and early April, before the U.S. blockaded shipments, with peaks near 7 million barrels per day (bpd) on some days, according to Vortexa’s crude cargo tracking. Iran’s shipments then collapsed through May as the U.S. tightened the blockade outside the Strait of Hormuz. But after the MoU was signed on June 17, Iran’s crude volumes rebounded sharply, reaching a single-day peak of around 8 million bpd, Vortexa’s Jungman noted. Iran’s rebound remains concentrated in familiar sanctioned-flow channels and opaque shipping patterns, according to Vortexa, despite the U.S. waiving the sanctions on Tehran’s oil sales. “Since the day the naval blockade was lifted, we have exported more than 40 million barrels of oil,” Iran’s chief negotiator and parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said in an interview on state television on Tuesday. Ghalibaf’s claim was largely supported by tanker-tracking services. According to TankerTrackers.com, Iran has exported 50 million barrels of crude oil since the US-imposed blockade was lifted two weeks ago. This equates to 1.66 million barrels per day for June 2026. “Most other countries in the region are still nowhere near pre-war levels,” TankerTrackers.com said. Ghalibaf also admitted that the U.S. blockade effectively choked off all Iranian oil shipments in May and early June, saying that “By contrast, during the previous 50 to nearly 60 days, we were genuinely unable to export even a single barrel of oil.” With the blockade lifted and oil sales de-sanctioned until August 21, Iran is returning vessels to the Persian Gulf to load from Kharg Island and other key ports and clear the backlog it was unable to ship between mid-April and mid-June. China remains Iran’s key customer as other buyers are reluctant to commit to purchases during a 60-day window that may close sooner than expected, if talks collapse. But now Chinese refiners could even buy Iranian oil in U.S. dollars by August 21 without the risk of secondary sanctions. The price of Iranian oil is 20% higher than before the MoU was signed, Ghalibaf said. This is giving Iranians additional income from oil sales, even if international benchmark crude prices have crumbled to pre-war levels. However, visibility beyond August 21, when the 60-day window for negotiations expires, is low. Visibility is actually low on a daily basis during these talks, as U.S. and Iranian officials often contradict in statements to the media on what was discussed and what was agreed. The 60-day negotiations period may be extended, Iran could resume insisting on a toll for Strait of Hormuz passage going forward, fresh attacks on commercial vessels, or U.S. strikes on Iran could derail the talks, yet again. What is certain, though, is that Iran is taking full advantage of the limited free-pass window it was given for several weeks. Tehran appears determined to ship as much oil as it can out of the region, obtaining handsome revenues in the process as the discounts on Iranian crude have narrowed.

Ghalibaf Says Iran Won't Stop Pushing for Full Israeli Withdrawal from Lebanon -   Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf reaffirmed on Sunday that Tehran will continue pushing for a full Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon following the signing of a new “framework agreement” between Israel and the Lebanese government. “Our goal is to end the war in Lebanon, [help] return of refugees to their homes, end the occupation and [secure] withdrawal of the Zionist regime from Lebanese territory,” Ghalibaf told Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in a phone call, according to Iran’s PressTV.  The agreement has been strongly rejected by Hezbollah, which wasn’t involved in the negotiations. Berri, leader of the Amal Movement, a Shia political faction that’s largely aligned with Hezbollah, has also rejected the deal, saying it is “contradictory and impossible to implement” and calling it an “incitement to civil war.”  While not explicitly stated in the text of the agreement that was published, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the deal allows Israel to continue its occupation of southern Lebanon. Israeli media is also reporting that the security annex of the deal maintains the occupation and gives the IDF “full freedom of action.” Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem called the agreement “null and void” and said the Lebanese government had given unilateral concessions and undermined Lebanon’s sovereignty.Like other agreements between Israel and the Lebanese government, the framework agreement failed to achieve a ceasefire as Israeli strikes and clashes between the IDF and Hezbollah have continued in southern Lebanon since the deal was signed.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio oversaw the signing of the framework and has previously said that the situation in Lebanon was separate from the ceasefire with Iran, despite the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding explicitly stating that the agreement includes a full ceasefire in Lebanon.

Katz Says Israel Could Launch a 'Pre-Emptive' Attack on Iran for a Third Time - Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened on Wednesday that Israel could launch a “pre-emptive” attack on Iran for the third time, as Israeli officials continue to make clear they’re eager for the full-scale US-Israeli war against the Islamic Republic to restart. Speaking at a memorial for Israelis killed in the 2006 Lebanon war, Katz said Israel could strike Iran again “if necessary” despite the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding. “We have attacked twice with proactive, preemptive strikes in Iran and, if necessary, we will strike a third time as well,” he said, according to Middle East Eye. Israel launched a sneak attack on Iran in June 2025 under the cover of negotiations that were ongoing between Washington and Tehran. President Trump assisted in keeping Iran off guard, as he said in a post on Truth Social hours before the first missiles hit, that he was “committed” to diplomacy with Tehran. The current war also began as the US and Iran were engaged in negotiations and started with joint US-Israeli strikes. Earlier this week, Katz said Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, was “marked for death.” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded to Katz’s threat on Wednesday, saying that the US had committed to “muzzling” Israel under the MoU. “The terms of the Islamabad MoU are crystal clear and public for all to see,” Araghchi wrote on X. “POTUS has committed the U.S. to muzzling its pets in Tel Aviv. If they ignore their master, Iran will school them. Any threat against our People and Leadership will receive Immediate Powerful Response.” The MoU states that the US, Iran, and their allies in the conflict must “refrain from the threat or use of force against each other.” Katz also said at the ceremony that the IDF will remain in Lebanon, Gaza, and Syria for an “unlimited period of time,” which is not compatible with the MoU as it calls for a complete halt to the Israeli war in Lebanon and commits the US to “ensuring the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Lebanon.”

Katz Says Israel Could Be Back at War With Iran 'Tomorrow' -   Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Monday that the Israeli military was ready to restart the war against Iran and that it could happen as soon as “tomorrow.”Katz vowed that Israel would bomb Beirut’s southern suburb of Dahiyeh if Hezbollah rockets were fired into northern Israel and that the IDF was prepared to respond if that prompted Iranian attacks on northern Israel.“There is no reality in which Israel will not respond to an Iranian attack,” Katz said, according to Israel Hayom. “The equation stands – rocket fire on Israeli communities means an immediate assault on the Dahiyeh. “The possibility exists that Iran will attack Israel not only in response to strikes in the Dahieh. We could find ourselves at war with Iran tomorrow.”The Israeli minister said that a second potential scenario that would lead to a renewed war with Iran would be if President Trump decides to restart the bombing campaign. “There are two scenarios that would resume full-scale fighting – a decision by President Donald Trump or Iranian missile fire. This could happen in two days,” he said.Katz also insisted that Israel was ready to fight Iran on its own, which he called a “blue and white operation,” despite the fact that Israel is extremely reliant on US air defenses. “The IDF is just waiting for it. We have selected targets to strike in Iran, and the IDF is prepared and alert, but we will not interfere with the US President’s current moves vis-a-vis the Iranians,” he said.  Katz also boasted about the destruction of Shia Muslim villages in southern Lebanon. “It was clear during Operation Silver Plow that the Shia villages along the contact line had to disappear,” he said, using the codename for Israel’s recent operations in southern Lebanon.“We are currently in a situation where there is nearly 100% destruction in the contact-line villages of the western and central sectors. In the eastern sector, we are at 73% of villages destroyed,” Katz added.

 Protests in Beirut as Many Lebanese Oppose ‘Shameful’ Israel Deal -  Friday’s announcement of a new “trilateral deal” between Israel, Lebanon and the United States quickly proved controversial, and major protests erupted in the Lebanese capital of Beirut. Centering around the Shi’ite suburbs of southern Beirut, which have been repeatedly attacked by Israel during the war, the protesters complained it did little to nothing to actually end the war. Since it was also the important Shi’ite religious holiday of Ashoura, the religious processions tended to overlap in Shi’ite areas with protests, with many waving flags and holding banners during Ashoura processions.Though some media presented the protests as a Hezbollah-fueled event, the unrest may well span beyond that group itself, including a lot of the displaced people from across southern Lebanon, calling the language of the deal “shameful” and primarily a capitulation to Israel. They also faulted the government for saying the “end goal” of the deal was to ensure a withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon, when in practice there was neither a timeline to that effect nor any guarantee the occupation would ever actually end.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed as much in his presentation of the deal, saying it allows the IDF to remain in Lebanon as long as they want. Rather, he says, the deal is primarily about restraining Hezbollah and Iran within Lebanon. Notably, neither Iran nor Hezbollah were parties to negotiations in the first place, nor were they signatories to the deal. The deal aims to set up a “pilot program” requiring the Lebanese government to fully disarm Hezbollah, which Hezbollah officials have warned could lead to internal conflict. That’s been a concern for some time, as Hezbollah has long refused to disarm without assurances that Israeli invasions and occupations were no longer a threat. Since this deal comes amid an active invasion and occupation, the opposition is likely to be even greater.The Lebanese Army issued a statement warning protesters against blocking traffic or conducting any “threat to civil peace.” Though they conceded the army would respect the right to peaceful freedom of expression, they cautioned protesters to behave responsibly. The Lebanese judiciary issued a decree Saturday calling on security forces to employ all means necessary to deter “civil disobedience.” What that’s going to amount to remains to be seen, but the Army’s statement suggests they prefer not to be directly involved unless the situation turns violent.

IDF Postpones Token Pullouts From Lebanon ‘Pilot Zones’ --- In an effort to make the latest Israel-Lebanon ceasefire agreement seem like it was doing something more than the half dozen that came before, there was talk during negotiations of Israel agreeing to “symbolic” withdrawals from small segments of Lebanon as a good faith gesture. It wouldn’t impact the overall occupation, but it’d be something to reference to present the deal as an accomplishment.That notion ended up in the final deal as so-called “pilot zones” that would be the first ones Israel would withdraw from, with the Lebanese military meant to replace them and immediately crack down on local Hezbollah themselves, to prove to Lebanese people that Israel was leaving, albeit slowly and prove to Israeli hawks that the crackdown would continue even in areas not directly occupied.Now the IDF seems to be backing away from even that token program, announcing that they are “postponing” the withdrawal from Zawtar and Frun, the two pilot areas in the south, until such a time as they are satisfied with the US “monitoring” system to confirm that the Lebanese Army crackdown is being carried out in compliance with the “secret annex” to the deal.How long that’s going to take remains to be seen, and Israeli officials are saying there are “no timetables” at all for any of this to get done, leaving open the question whether even symbolic drawdowns will ever come to pass.Indeed, between the occupation of the south of Lebanon, the ongoing destruction of Shi’ite villages in southern Lebanon, and the continued Israeli strikes on Lebanese territory, this deal appears to be again a deal that comes and goes, while the situation on the ground remains functionally unchanged.The Lebanese Health Ministry has issued an updated casualty figure from the ongoing war, putting the death toll at 4,297 with 12,196 wounded since the Israeli invasion began in early March. This toll has continued to rise despite ceasefires being announced on a fairly regular basis since mid-April.

Lebanon Villages Burned After Israeli DM says Shi’ite Villages Must ‘Disappear’ -- While Israeli officials continue to try to present their ongoing war in Lebanon as aimed exclusively at attacking Hezbollah, the focus is increasingly on religion-driven forced depopulation in southern Lebanon, and the destruction of Shi’ite villages.Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz was quite open about that being a long-standing military goal, saying “it was clear during Operation Silver Plow that the Shia villages along the contact line had to disappear.”Operation Silver Plow was first publicized in April, when Israeli soldiers testified that despite public framing, the war’s goal was exclusively the destruction of Shi’ite homes and villages near the blue line, saying individual IDF commanders are required to provide daily reports as to how many homes they’ve destroyed. Katz’s comments were followed by reports out of Lebanon that the villages of Ayta al-Jabal and Beit Hanoun, in the Bint Jbeil District, have seen a number of homes set on fire, reportedly by Israeli troops. Katz has been playing up the idea that the “Yellow Line” area Israel has defined during the course of their invasion and occupation of southern Lebanon will remain entirely depopulated, and he’s repeatedly been quoted in the press as saying hundreds of thousands of Lebanese civilians will never be allowed to return to their homes.Katz’s argument for this is that the resistance by Hezbollah came when those villages had civilians living in them, therefore since that situation cannot be allowed to continue, the villages “have to disappear.”Amnesty International warned a few weeks back that Israel is almost certainly committing war crimes with their mass force displacement of civilians and prohibition of them returning to their homes. Israel rejected those allegations at the time, arguing that they were not engaged in illegal population transfers. Their own defense minister, however, seems not only to be conceding this point, but actively bragging about it as one of the primary goals on the ongoing war.

Smotrich Says Israel Has Plans Drawn Up To Establish Three Jewish Settlements in Gaza, Waiting for Netanyahu's OK - Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Monday that the Israeli government has plans drawn up to establish three Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip and is just waiting for approval from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.The settlements, which would clearly be illegal under international law, are being planned by the Israeli Defense Ministry’s Settlement Administration, a body created under Smotrich, who also holds a position in the Defense Ministry, in 2023.Smotrich said the administration has “completed the groundwork to establish three settlements in the north Gaza area” and called on Netanyahu to “give the approval” in order to “complete the mission and restore true security for the residents of the south.”Israeli military officials said last week that the IDF now controls 70% of Gaza, a violation of the US-backed ceasefire deal, which left Israeli troops occupying about 53% of the Palestinian territory. The deal explicitly stated that Israel couldn’t take any more territory if Hamas fulfilled its obligations under the agreement, which the group did by releasing all remaining Israeli hostages and retrieving the bodies of the deceased Israelis.Israeli officials claim Hamas has violated the deal by not disarming, but Hamas didn’t commit to laying down its weapons under the ceasefire deal. The issues of the group’s disarmament and Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza were meant to be worked out in follow-up negotiations, which have been impeded by Israel’s constant violations of the agreement, which have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians.Smotrich said in his remarks that Israel should take more than 70% of Gaza, and Netanyahu had hinted last month that taking over all of the Palestinian territory was the ultimate goal. “First 70%. We’ll start with that.” Netanyahu said at a conference last month when someone shouted that Israel should take “100%” of Gaza.Smotrich’s comments about settlements come as Israeli media is reporting that Israeli government officials are reviving their push for an ethnic cleansing plan to forcibly remove the Palestinian population of Gaza, which they are rebranding as a “free movement plan.” So far, Israel has failed to find any countries willing to be complicit in the effort and take in Palestinians from Gaza.

No End in Sight To Israel's Genocidal Conquest of Gaza After 1,000 Days - Thursday marked 1,000 days since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel and the start of Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza, and there’s no end in sight to the destruction campaign as senior Israeli ministers are vowing to take over the entire Palestinian territory and establish Jewish settlements despite the US-backed ceasefire deal, which the IDF has constantly violated.In recent weeks, the IDF has ramped up its ground incursions as it has been taking more territory in Gaza, an explicit violation of the October 2025 ceasefire agreement. Israeli officials have said the IDF now controls about 70% of Gaza, while Gaza officials said on Thursday that the number was closer to 80%. Gaza’s Health Ministry said on Thursday that since October 7, 2023, Israeli forces have killed at least 73,074 Palestinians in Gaza, including 1,059 who have been killed since the so-called ceasefire deal was signed. The ministry said that 21,730 children have been killed, including 1,078 who didn’t make it to their first birthday.The ministry said another 173,537 Palestinians have been injured, putting the total number of Palestinian casualties close to 250,000. While the Health Ministry’s numbers show a massive number of casualties, several studies have found they are likely a significant u ndercount and that the real violent death toll could be as high as 100,000.  The US has kept quiet about Israel’s constant violations of the ceasefire deal, and according to a report from Israel Hayom, the President Trump-led “Board of Peace” is preparing to create “Hamas-free humanitarian zones” in southern Gaza for Palestinian civilians as Israel continues to take territory and launch attacks while “staying below the threshold of international criticism.”The plan sounds very similar to what Israeli officials were calling for last year when they said they wanted to create concentration camps, dubbed “humanitarian cities,” for Gaza’s entire civilian population in a tiny part of southern Gaza, as the IDF destroyed the rest of the Strip, and the ultimate goal was then to push the Palestinian civilians out of Gaza altogether.According to Israeli media, the Israeli government has recently revived its push for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza and has rebranded it as a “free movement plan” in an effort to gain some international support.

Report: Israel Reviving Gaza Ethnic Cleansing Plan, Rebranding It as 'Free Movement Plan' - The Israeli government is seeking to revive its push for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza and is rebranding the plan in an attempt to gain international support, according to reports from Israeli media. Citing Israel’s Channel 13, The Times of Israel reported that Israeli security officials have been told to stop calling the plan “voluntary migration” due to global opposition and now refer to it as a “plan for free movement.” The report cited Israeli officials who expressed optimism that the change in terminology could get countries where Palestinians could potentially go to drop their opposition to cooperating with the plan. One senior Israeli official said that Israel wants as many Palestinians to leave Gaza as possible.The report came five days after Haaretz reported that the new head of Israel’s National Security Council, Shmuel Ben Ezra, convened Israeli officials for a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the potential ethnic cleansing plan for Gaza. During the meeting, Mossad officials said that there are still no countries willing to be complicit in the plan.The Haaretz report suggested that the meeting and revival of the push to cleanse Gaza of its Palestinian population could be related to the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding and the US requests for Israel to de-escalate in Lebanon.The report said: “A defense official who spoke with Haaretz could not rule out that the revival of this plan is connected to quiet agreements reached recently between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump, constituting ‘compensation for painful concessions’ that Washington imposed on Israel as part of its deal with Iran.” While Israel has failed to find countries to absorb Palestinians, Israel has already cleansed much of Gaza of its Palestinian population, as the IDF occupies more than 60% of Gaza, and besides the Israeli-backed militias and gangs and a small number of civilians who live with them, there are no Palestinians in the IDF-occupied part of Gaza.

Israeli Minister Vows Israel Will Control 100% of Gaza -   - Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen, who is also a member of the Israeli security cabinet, vowed on Wednesday that Israel will control 100% of Gaza as the IDF continues capturing more land in the Palestinian territory in violation of the US-backed ceasefire deal.“I say this because I sit in the Security Cabinet, and I understand that we cannot allow Hamas to raise its head again – not even by a millimeter. There is no such thing,” Cohen said in an interview with Galei Israel Radio, according to Israel National News.The Israeli minister said that the IDF is steadily increasing its territorial control of Gaza, which aligns with what Palestinians are reporting on the ground. “We already see that we are progressing. I assume you will speak to me [again] in a few months – our control of the territory will only continue to expand until we reach 100%,” Cohen said. After the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal was signed in October 2025, the IDF was left occupying about 53% of Gaza, and the agreement explicitly said Israel couldn’t take more territory if Hamas lived up to its end of the deal, which the group did by releasing the remaining Israeli hostages and finding the remains of deceased Israelis. In the months following the signing of the deal, the IDF increased its control to 60% of the territory, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in May that he ordered an increase to 70%. “If two months ago we controlled 53% of the Strip, about a month ago around 60%, and today we’re approaching 70% of the Strip’s area,” Cohen said.Israeli military officials speaking to media outlets have said that the IDF has already taken control of 70% of Gaza, and the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on Tuesday that Palestinians on the ground say that the Israeli military is controlling more than 70%. For weeks now, there have been reports of increased Israeli ground operations and Israeli troops moving the “yellow line,” which separates the IDF-occupied side of Gaza from the rest of the Strip, further west.The increase in Israeli ground operations comes amid reports that say the Israeli government is reviving its plans for the ethnic cleansing of Gaza and rebranding it as a “free movement plan” to gain some international support. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also holds a position in the Defense Ministry, said that a Defense Ministry committee he oversees has drawn up plans to establish three Jewish settlements in Gaza and is seeking Netanyahu’s approval.

Ukrainian Drone Attacks in Russia Kill Two, Set Oil Refinery on Fire - Ukrainian drones killed at least two civilians in Russia on Sunday and set another oil refinery on fire, according to local Russian officials, as Ukraine continues sending drone swarms into Russian territory on a daily basis.According to the Russian news agency TASS, a civilian was killed in Russia’s Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, and another was killed by falling debris in the southern Krasnodar region, where drones also set a local refinery on fire. On the Ukrainian side, Ukrainian officials reported that at least four civilians were killed by Russian attacks. In the southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, strikes killed two people, including a 53-year-old woman. The latest exchange of attacks came two days after Ukraine launched one of its largest drone swarms of the war, with the Russian Defense Ministry reporting that more than 660 drones were shot down over 12 Russian regions.Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday acknowledged that Russia had begun using its fuel reserves amid Ukraine’s intensified attacks on its oil infrastructure. He added that Russia’s gasoline reserves stand at about 1.7 million tons, down 4% from last year.“I’ll add that previously accumulated fuel volumes have entered the domestic market,” Putin said, according to the Anadolu Agency. “However, despite the fact that we’ve begun using these reserves, gasoline reserves are currently almost at the same level as last year.”While Ukraine’s intensified drone attacks have had an impact on Russia’s energy supplies, they haven’t changed the situation on the frontline, where Russian forces continue to make slow but steady gains. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on Sunday that its forces captured two more villages in Zaporizhzhia. Ukraine’s drone attacks always risk an escalation between Russia and NATO since they are known to be supported by US and NATO intelligence.

Russia Launches 'Largest Attack' on Kyiv, Killing at Least 21 -   Russia launched a massive missile and drone bombardment on Kyiv on Thursday, which the Russian Foreign Ministry described as the “largest attack” on the Ukrainian capital, and said was a response to Ukrainian drone attacks that have killed civilians inside Russia. According to Ukrainian officials, the Russian bombardment killed at least 21 civilians in Kyiv and injured more than 90, and children were among the casualties. The Associated Press reported that the attack lasted for 11 hours, and about 50,000 Ukrainians took shelter in subway stations. Ukraine’s air force said that Russian forces fired 74 missiles and 496 drones at Kyiv. It claimed that most were intercepted, while 25 ballistic missiles and 12 drones struck 33 locations in the Ukrainian capital.The Russian Defense Ministry claimed the attack targeted “enterprises of the military-industrial sector, fuel, and energy” located in Kyiv, though photos show apartment buildings were also hit during the bombardment. The ministry said the attack was launched in retaliation for “Ukraine’s terrorist attacks on civilian facilities on Russian territory.”In recent months, Ukraine has dramatically ramped up its drone attacks on Russia, which have targeted oil infrastructure and killed many civilians. A Russian Foreign Ministry official said on Tuesday that Ukrainian drone attacks over the past week have killed 42 Russian civilians, including two children, and, on the same day, a six-month-old baby was killed during a drone attack on the Moscow region. Ukraine’s drone attacks are known to be supported by NATO and the US, which provide intelligence for the operations, meaning they always risk an escalation between Russia and NATO.

Kremlin Confirms Rare Talks To Import Gasoline Amid Drone Strike Mayhem - Russia has confirmed its government is currently in negotiations with other countries to purchase gasoline while desperately seeking to stabilize its domestic market after months drone mayhem out of Ukraine. "Discussions are actively being held," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a press briefing Tuesday, though without specifying which countries. "If agreements can be reached at acceptable price points, then [imports] will move forward," he added. The development is surprising given that Russia remains the world's second-largest crude oil exporter and third-largest supplier of refined petroleum products - and yet it is now facing the somewhat humiliating prospect of importing gasoline. Last week, Reuters dropped a bombshell citing industry insiders who revealed that Moscow has been in backroom talks to import a staggering 50,000 metric tons of AI-92 grade gasoline from neighboring Kazakhstan. India has also been mentioned in reports. President Putin just over the weekend estimated Russia's total gasoline reserves to be at at 1.7 million metric tons, which would constitute a 4% decline compared to the same period last year.Politico notes further: Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak has described imports as one of the government's key tools for stabilizing the market, while Russian lawmakers last week approved tax changes creating subsidies to help finance gasoline purchases from abroad. Putin had further in a speech and separate interview belatedly acknowledged Sunday that his country is facing a "certain shortage" of fuel following weeks of ramped-up drone warfare coming out of Ukraine, which has chiefly targeted oil refineries and domestic supply facilities, including in the Moscow region."As for strikes against critical infrastructure in general, and energy infrastructure in particular, of course, these attacks on our infrastructure facilities create problems," Putin said. "That's obvious." "Right now we're observing a certain shortage, but it's not critical," he added. He also made wide-ranging public remarks at a major summit of the ruling 'United Russia' party.

Russia Says Finland's Lift of Its Ban on Nuclear Weapons Requires a Response -  - Russia said on Monday that Finland’s reversal of its long-standing ban on nuclear weapons requires a response as tensions between NATO and Moscow continue to rise.   Finland’s parliament voted on June 17 to lift the ban, which allows the country to receive, transport, and facilitate the movement of nuclear weapons on its territory as part of allied operations, a step it took to align itself with NATO, which the country joined in 2023. The parliament approved the government-proposed amendment in a vote of 125 to 61. “The results of the vote represent both bright and unflattering victory of the blind Russophobia of the past few years over what we have always viewed as pragmatic sanity in Finland,” said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, according to TASS.  “And let nobody doubt that [response] measures will be taken timely and effectively. In this light, the Finnish people need to think whether this decision made by their elites will actually enhance security in Finland itself,” she added. The changes to Finland’s law open up the possibility of the country, which shares a border with Russia of more than 800 miles, joining NATO’s nuclear sharing program, under which the US has nuclear bombs stationed in five NATO states: Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Turkey. When Russian France is also looking to deploy its nuclear weapons to other countries, with French President Emmanuel announcing in March that Paris plans to expand its arsenal and will allow the deployment of nuclear-armed French aircraft to eight allied countries: Germany, Britain, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Sweden, and Denmark.So far, there are no confirmed plans for French deployments to the eight states listed above, but if the plan does come to fruition, it would put NATO nuclear weapons much closer to Russia. Finland’s president, Alexander Stubb, said earlier this year that his country doesn’t intend to host nuclear weapons in “peacetime,” but if the law is changed, such deployments would be possible.

Russia’s neighbor to scrap ban on nuclear weapons, says ‘situation is getting worse’ -Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda on Thursday said the Baltic country’s top political leaders had agreed that a constitutional ban on the domestic deployment of nuclear weapons should be removed. The decision comes shortly after lawmakers in Finland, another NATO member that shares a border with Russia, voted to lift its longstanding ban on nuclear weapons. Speaking to reporters shortly after the decision, Nauseda said Article 137 of Lithuania’s constitution had become “outdated” and “obsolete,” according to a report from state broadcaster LRT. He added that parliamentary and government leaders were “practically unanimous” in their support for removing the policy — as opposed to amending it — and that it would have been “truly unfortunate” if Lithuania had become the weak link within NATO. Lithuania’s Article 137 had explicitly prohibited the deployment of weapons of mass destruction and the establishment of foreign military bases on Lithuanian territory.“The geopolitical situation is getting worse. Our constitution was written when geopolitical circumstances were totally different,” Nauseda said, according to Reuters.

German Prosecutors Charge Ukrainian Over Alleged Role in Blowing Up Nord Stream Pipelines - German prosecutors have charged a Ukrainian national over his alleged role in the September 2022 bombing of the Nord Stream pipelines, which previously brought natural gas from Russia to Germany.The prosecutors say that the man, identified as Serhii K, a former Ukrainian military officer, led a sabotage team on the yacht Andromeda, from which the attack was allegedly carried out on behalf of Ukrainian authorities. Serhii K, who was extradited from Italy, is being charged with attacking civil energy infrastructure, a war crime under international law. For his part, Serhii K has denied involvement, and his lawyer told Reuters he was confident the charges would be dropped.Germany also sought the extradition of another Ukrainian allegedly involved in the attack, who was arrested in Poland. But last year, a Polish court ruled against his extradition and ordered his release. Polish officials also said they opposed the extradition and expressed support for the attack on Russia and Germany’s energy infrastructure.There have been conflicting narratives over the Nord Stream bombings, with investigative journalist Seymour Hersh first reporting in February 2023 that President Biden himself ordered the attack and that it was carried out by US Navy divers who planted explosives during NATO drills in the Baltic Sea.In the aftermath of the attack, US officials spoke positively of it, with then-US Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling it a “tremendous opportunity” to get Europe off Russian gas.