Zero Rss

US May Deploy Hypersonic Missiles Against Iran As Centcom Set To Brief Trump On New Military Options

US Central Command has asked to send the Army’s long-delayed Dark Eagle hypersonic missile to the Middle East for possible use against Iran, seeking a longer-range system to hit ballistic-missile launchers deep inside the country Bloomberg reports. 

If approved, this would mark the first time the US will have deployed its hypersonic missile, which is running far behind schedule and hasn’t been declared fully operational even as Russia and China have deployed their own versions. And since Trump isn't shy when it comes demonstrating force, it is unlikely that the request will be denied. 

The military's Request for Forces submission reportedly justifies the move by saying Iran has moved its launchers out of range of the Precision Strike Missile, a weapon that can hit targets at more than 300 miles. If approved, the deployment would also send a signal to Russia and China that the US is finally able to match a capability that they’ve long since mastered. 

Dark Eagle, also known as the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon, or LRHW, has a reported range of more than 1,725 miles, although its exact capabilities are secret. It is designed to glide to its target at more than five times the speed of sound and can maneuver to avoid interception. The missile was designed to fight Chinese or Russian advanced air defenses. The problem is that each Lockheed Martin missile costs about $15 million, and there are no more than eight missiles, so any assault using hypersonics would be rather brief. Also, since each battery will cost about $2.7 billion, according to the Government Accountability Office, they will make attractive targets for Iran's own hypersonics. 

The US already transferred most of its supplies of the stealthy JASSM-ER cruise missile, also designed for a fight with a near-peer adversary, to the Iran fight. About 1,100 of the missiles have been fired so far in the conflict.

The US has said it has local air superiority, meaning that in some parts of Iran its aircraft can operate without facing much of a threat. But dozens of MQ-9 aircraft, plus several crewed fighters, have been downed, showing that other parts of Iran’s airspace remain dangerous.

The Bloomberg report comes as Axios rehashed an earlier report, according to which President Trump will receive a briefing on new plans for potential military action in Iran on Thursday from CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper. The briefing signals that "Trump is seriously considering resuming major combat operations either to try to break the logjam in negotiations or to deliver a final blow before ending the war."

The report goes on to note that CENTCOM has prepared a plan for a "short and powerful" wave of strikes on Iran - likely including infrastructure targets - in hopes of breaking the negotiating deadlock. The hope would be that Iran would then return to the negotiating table showing more flexibility on the nuclear issue.

Another plan expected to be shared with Trump is focused on taking over part of the Strait of Hormuz to reopen it to commercial shipping. Such an operation could include ground forces.

A third option that has been discussed in the past and might come up in the briefing is a special forces operation to secure Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium.

Tyler Durden Thu, 04/30/2026 - 06:44

German Chancellor Claims Relationship With Trump Is Good, Despite Comments About Iran

Authored by Victoria Friedman via The Epoch Times,

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on April 29 said that he is on good terms with U.S. President Donald Trump, despite Merz’s recent remarks about the Iran war and Trump’s criticism of the German chancellor.

“From my perspective, my personal relationship with the ​U.S. President remains good,” Merz told reporters.

“I simply had doubts from the ⁠start about what was begun with the war in Iran. That is ​why I have made that clear.”

On April 27, the German chancellor said that the United States had been “humiliated” by Tehran after U.S. officials agreed to travel to Pakistan for peace talks.

“The Iranians are obviously very skilled ⁠at negotiating, or rather, very skilful at not negotiating, letting the Americans travel to Islamabad ​and then leave again without any result,” Merz said during a talk to students in Marsberg, Germany.

“An entire nation is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership, especially by these so-called Revolutionary Guards. And so I hope that this ends as quickly as possible,” he added.

Trump canceled the visit scheduled for April 25 by U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan, citing a lack of progress in negotiations.

The U.S. president also criticized Merz in a Truth Social post on April 28, saying that the German chancellor “thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon.”

“He doesn’t know what he’s talking about! If Iran had a Nuclear Weapon, the whole World would be held hostage. I am doing something with Iran, right now, that other Nations, or Presidents, should have done long ago. No wonder Germany is doing so poorly, both Economically, and otherwise!”

Merz has said that Iran must not have a nuclear weapon.

Germany’s Economic Concerns

The German chancellor also on April 29 articulated his worries over the economic impact of the Iran war.

“In Germany and Europe we are ​suffering from the consequences, such as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” said Merz.

“This has a direct impact on our energy supply and a huge impact on our economic performance,” ​he said, adding that Berlin and Washington were in communication with each other.

Last week, Germany’s economy ministry cut its growth forecasts ​in half for 2026, with Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Katherina Reiche saying economic recovery will be “slowed down by external geopolitical shocks.”

Germany ‘Stepping Up’

Trump ⁠has criticized NATO allies for not sending naval support to help open the Strait of Hormuz, which carries the traffic of about a fifth of the world’s oil. The strategic waterways has remained virtually shut since early March, causing disruption to energy supplies and market insecurity.

The U.S. president earlier this month said that the defense alliance could face a “very serious examining” for not supporting the United States during the Iran war to keep the Strait open.

“I’m very disappointed in NATO,” Trump told reporters on April 12 as he arrived at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. “They weren’t there for us. We pay trillions of dollars to NATO, and they weren’t there for us.”

Since then, the Department of War (DOW) said that it was working closely with European allies, notably Berlin, to get NATO allies to step up with their defense strategies and responsibilities.

In a series of posts on X, Under Secretary of War Elbridge Colby said that Germany was now “taking a leading role” in this.

“After years of disarmament, Berlin is stepping up,” Colby said. “The DOW is already working closely with European allies, especially Germany, to accelerate this transition to NATO 3.0.”

U.S. President Donald Trump (R) and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz shake hands as they meet in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on March 3, 2026. Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

Colby cited Germany’s new military strategy document, quoting General Carsten Breuer, who wrote in the document’s foreword: “The Military Strategy reflects the idea that, as the largest economy in Europe ... Germany must and will assume a leading role within NATO—also at the military level.

“It represents a paradigm shift and underpins our ambition to play an active and substantial role.”

The strategy also says that Germany will take on “additional burdens,” including “targeted strategic responsibility for Europe at the conventional level.”

“This increases Germany’s strategic weight for our Allies, particularly for the United States.”

Tyler Durden Thu, 04/30/2026 - 06:30

Vance Reportedly Questions Pentagon's Rosy Assessment Of Iran War

Vice President JD Vance is reportedly questioning assessments from the Department of War about the effectiveness of the US military campaign against Iran.

According to two senior White House officials cited by The Atlantic, Vance has expressed skepticism about recent Pentagon estimates on the depletion of US munitions since the launch of Operation Epic Fury. A report released last week by the Center for Strategic and International Studies found the Pentagon used roughly half of its stockpiles of advanced interceptors and standoff munitions in the first five weeks of the conflict, which we reported here. But the Pentagon has consistently downplayed and rejected such negative assessments.

via Reuters

That report found that the US military tore through nearly half its Patriot interceptor inventory while heavily draining multiple other critical missile stockpiles.

The Atlantic article presents a Vance team which carefully seeks to avoid conflict with Trump and his top cabinet officials, by backing the Pentagon's rosy picture of the war in public, while privately pushing back within internal deliberations:

Two senior administration officials told us that the vice president has queried the accuracy of the information the Pentagon has provided about the war. He has also expressed his concerns about the availability of certain missile systems in discussions with President Trump, several people familiar with the situation told us. The consequences of a dramatic drawdown in munitions reserves are potentially dire: U.S. forces would need to draw from these same stockpiles to defend Taiwan against China, South Korea against North Korea, and Europe against Russia.

Vance is concerned that the heavy use of weapons against Iran is degrading America's readiness in the scenario it had to fight wars in Europe and East Asia. Already, the US has had to transfer major anti-air defense systems from the territories of key allies in Asia to the Middle East - and there's little doubt Beijing quietly welcomes this scramble which takes pressure off and dwindles the US defense build-up related to the Taiwan situation.

There have been widespread reports that the White House is being presented with assessments which overemphasize the 'good news' related to the Iran campaign, and not vital information which would provide a more accurate picture. The Atlantic continues:

Pentagon leaders’ positive portrayals present an incomplete picture at best, people familiar with intelligence assessments told us. According to those internal estimates, Iran retains two-thirds of its air force, the bulk of its missile-launching capability, and most of its small, fast boats, which can lay mines and harass traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. At least in terms of resuming stalled maritime commerce, “those are the real threat,” one person told us.

And here is more on Vance's objections, presented in the report:

Officials and outside advisers told us that the use of key weapons—including interceptors that defend against Iranian missiles, and offensive weapons such as Tomahawk and Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff missiles—has produced a serious shortage that erodes America’s ability to fight future wars, despite an effort to quickly manufacture replacements. Vance has raised concern about munitions shortages in meetings with the president and other national-security officials. 

But while Vance apparently privately disputes Hegseth’s assessments, he has not directly challenged the Pentagon. A White House official said he "asks a lot of probing questions about our strategic planning, as do all of the members of the president’s national-security team."

One additional bombshell line from The Atlantic report comes in the following:

Both Pete Hegseth, the secretary of defense, and General Dan Caine, who chairs the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have publicly said that U.S. weapons stockpiles are robust, and portrayed the damage to Iranian forces after eight weeks of fighting as drastic. Vance’s advisers, who spoke with us on the condition of anonymity, told us that the vice president has presented his concerns as his own rather than accusing Hegseth or Caine of misleading the president.

Trump has previously admitted to reporters that Vance was "maybe less enthusiastic" about a conflict which could grow increasingly unpopular among American voters, especially as gas and food prices continue to go up amid the Hormuz Strait standoff.

Still, Vance has recently hyped the nuclear threat out of Iran, strangely floating the idea of a nuclear suicide bomber - though this left experts and analysts wondering how he imagines this would be possible. It has been compared to former National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice under Bush and her "mushroom clouds" moment related to Iraq. "We don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud," she had said, in an infamous moment of peak post-9/11 fearmongering.

Tyler Durden Thu, 04/30/2026 - 05:45

Watch: Migrants Are Literally Clambering Up Embassy Walls In Spain

Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,

Spain is sliding deeper into migrant-fueled disorder. Crowds of illegals have now stormed the Gambian embassy in Madrid, climbing over each other, scaling walls and fences to grab paperwork after socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s government opened the floodgates with legal status for half a million of them.

Registry offices across the country are overwhelmed, social services are on the brink, and the chaos is exactly what critics warned would happen.

This latest outbreak comes just days after the regularization process kicked off. Thousands lined up for hours—or camped overnight—at more than 400 locations in regions like Catalonia, Andalucia, and Asturias. Many are still waiting for their documents to be stamped. But the rush turned frantic at the Gambian embassy on Tuesday when dozens of migrants, unable to secure needed vulnerability certificates, scaled the walls after learning all appointments were already booked.

🇪🇸🇬🇲 | Gambian immigrants storm their embassy in Madrid due to the collapse in the issuance of documents for Sanchez’s extraordinary regularization in Spain.

Inmigración de calidad 👌 pic.twitter.com/QTDbkqj27f

— BowTiedMara (@BowTiedMara) April 29, 2026

Panic set in. Police had to intervene to restore order. No arrests were made, and authorities are now keeping a close eye on the area for more attempts. The scenes, captured on video and shared widely on X, show the raw desperation the policy has unleashed.

As we detailed in our earlier reports, this is no surprise. Spain’s services were already crumbling under the weight of military-aged male migrants overwhelming registry offices.

Thousands have swarmed consulates in cities like Madrid, Bilbao, and Almería after the amnesty was first announced. Now the embassy walls are the new frontline.

Municipal unions in Seville warned last week of “extraordinary pressure” and overcrowding that is “lowering service quality and creating high tension among staff and the public in the Andalusian city.” They are pleading for more staff, better security, and compensation for workers facing the mess.

In Madrid, the pressure is even more glaring. Jose Fernandez, municipal delegate for Social Policies, told 20minutos: “We’ve gone from 1,500 daily requests at social services centres to 5,500. I think a hasty decision was made, perhaps even intended to create a collapse.” He added the process launched “without consulting the relevant authorities” and said, “I believe the best course of action would be to withdraw this decree and implement it through consensus.”

More absolutely mental scenes from Spain… https://t.co/U3iH1jEc0o

— m o d e r n i t y (@ModernityNews) April 23, 2026

Spain’s 50 million population now includes around 10 million foreign-born residents. There are still roughly 840,000 undocumented migrants, mostly from Latin America. The government claims the amnesty will harness economic benefits for an ageing country. Sánchez himself wrote in an open letter: “Spain is ageing… Without more people working and contributing to the economy, our prosperity slows, and our public services suffer.”

He doubled down at a progressive summit in Barcelona, telling critics: “Spain is the daughter of migration and will not become the mother of xenophobia.”

🚨 The man who destroyed Spain, Pedro Sánchez smugly defends fast-tracking HALF A MILLION migrants:

“We are the children of migration in Spain… we will not be the parents of xenophobia… we are proud to be on the right side of history.”

Classic globalist treason — cheering the… pic.twitter.com/p0EsXL6CM6

— Don Keith (@RealDonKeith) April 18, 2026

But the right-wing opposition sees it differently. Vox spokesman Pepa Millán said the plan “attacks our identity” and vowed to appeal to the Supreme Court. Vox leader Santiago Abascal has called it an accelerating “invasion.” The Popular Party’s Isabel Díaz Ayuso, president of Madrid, threatened her own court challenge.

The economic picture tells its own story. Spain’s unemployment has dipped below 10 percent for the first time since 2008, but about 90 percent of new jobs go to immigrants while income per person has barely grown. The country adds 140,000 new households each year but builds only around 80,000 new homes—fueling a housing crisis that hits native Spaniards hardest.

This is the same pattern playing out across Europe: leftist governments signal weakness, migrants pour in, systems buckle, and citizens foot the bill. Sánchez’s progressive agenda may dress it up as “justice” and economic necessity, but the pictures from Madrid’s streets and embassy walls show the reality—uncontrolled inflows reward law-breaking and strain every public service.

Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews.

Tyler Durden Thu, 04/30/2026 - 05:00

What Does The End Of OPEC Mean For The Iran War And Global Energy Prices?

Did the UAE just trigger a once in a century shift in global energy markets?  The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday said it was quitting OPEC by May 1st after 60 years as a member, dealing a blow to the cartel ​as the Iran war exposes discord among Gulf nations and Iran.

The exit of the UAE, one of the group's biggest producers with 15% of total exports, weakens ‌OPEC's control over global oil supplies and widens a rift between the UAE and Saudi Arabia.  Furthermore, the dissolution of OPEC greatly hinders Iran's ability to wield oil exports as economic leverage in the future.  

The name of the game for OPEC is zero competition and artificial supply scarcity.  OPEC was formed in the 1960s as a trade consortium of oil producers but it became an economic weapon in the 1970s to maintain pressure on the US and any other nations providing aid to Israel.  This led to a stranglehold on 40% of the global oil supply and an initial explosion in gas inflation.  Prices quadrupling at the pump, feeding into a decade long stagflation event.

Restricted exports became the status quo, and higher prices the norm in the decades since (with brief moments of relief).  Iran, by extension, has long benefited from this bottleneck as an OPEC member.  But the world of energy just changed dramatically. 

An independent UAE no longer constrained by OPEC limits now has the ability to increase production from 3 million barrels a day to over 5 million barrels per day.  The introduction of renewed competition is likely to inspire higher production rates in Saudi Arabia as well.    

In his first public comments since the announcement, UAE Energy Minister Suhail Mohamed al-Mazrouei told Reuters in ​a telephone interview that the decision was taken after examining the country's energy strategies. He said the UAE had not discussed the issue with any other country. "This ​is a policy decision, it has been done after a careful look at current and future policies related to level of production," ⁠Mazrouei said.

He also said the world would demand more energy, implying the UAE would be positioned to meet that need.  Meaning, the UAE is attempting to strategically jump ahead of the competition in a bid to flood markets with oil as the situation in the Hormuz winds down.  Saudi Arabia has also stated intentions to boost production into 2027.  

This suggests that the post-Iran war era will be a supply side bonanza with far lower energy prices over the course of the next two years.  It could be a complete upending of the last 50 years of throttled markets.  

The UAE is well positioned to weather the crisis in in the Hormuz with its Habshan–Fujairah (ADCOP) pipeline, which bypasses the Hormuz entirely and moves around 2 million barrels per day.  The advantage allows them to lead the export pack when the war ends.  

An inevitable ramp up in competitive production in the Gulf as well as fading opposition to increased drilling and refinement in the US will lead to long term energy security for the west.  However, the short term view is less rosy.  In the best case scenario, with the Hormuz reopened within the next two months, shipping through the strait will still need to recover until the end of 2026.  

Gas prices would fall to around $3.50 per gallon by the end of the year, with prices dropping below $3 per gallon in 2027.  Beyond 2027, the drop in prices will be significant; the breakup of OPEC's largest contributing members is an unprecedented market event with world changing ramifications.

The Iran war is a primary contributor to this shift, but in order to gain any benefits the Hormuz will have to reopen sooner rather than later.  The greater strategic picture is the end of Iran's oil leverage, which the regime will seek to resist as much as possible. 

Recent reports of a "tank top" and Iran's dwindling storage capacity make negotiations a priority for the regime, otherwise, the loss of oil wells caused by shutdowns and pressure damage could ruin their ability to export for years to come.  It would seem that the UAE and other Gulf exporters are positioning for this eventuality.    

Tyler Durden Thu, 04/30/2026 - 04:15

UK Gov't Promises More Social Media "Restrictions"

Authored by Kit Knightly via OffGuardian.org,

While embattled PM Sir Keir Starmer takes a pointless grilling on the even more pointless existence of Peter Mandelson, other members of his cabinet were busily paving the way for the next construction phase of our increasingly dystopian society.

Speaking to Sky News earlier today, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson promised…

“more action to keep young people safe online, including around social media”.

Which is delightfully vague.

Education Minister Olivia Bailey kept her cards similarly close to her chest, whilst trying to sound forceful:

“It is a question of how we act, not if, but to put this beyond any doubt, we are placing a clear statutory requirement that the Secretary of State ‘must’, rather than ‘may’, act […] We are clear that under any outcome, we will impose some form of age or functionality restrictions for children under 16.”

So we know they’re going to do something…we just don’t know what. And, if I had to guess, neither do Bridget or Olivia. Neither seems like the kind of people that get kept in the loop, and that flavour of waffle is usually the reserve of those who have no idea what’s going on.

Many commenters – both for and against – have interpreted this promised action as an Australia-style social media ban for children. Certainly, that’s what Conservative MP Laura Trott seems to think in her champagne-popping tweet:

…but the signs might be pointing in another direction.

After all, the Social Media Ban is practically on the books. It was introduced as an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools bill, and has already passed the Lords four times. It could have become law already, but Ministers and MPs have repeatedly overturned the vote, declaring the need for further consultation.

Then, earlier today and coinciding with this government pledge to take action, the Independent published a report that suggests Australia’s social media ban doesn’t work.

Two thirds of Australian teens still using social media despite under-16s ban

The article quotes the head of the Molly Rose Foundation, who warns “an Australia-style ban would not deliver the improvements in online safety that parents and children deserved”:

“These results raise major questions about the effectiveness of Australia’s social media ban and show it would be a high stakes gamble for the UK to follow suit now,” the foundation’s head Andy Burrows said.

“Proponents of a ban argue it offers an immediate and decisive firebreak but the early evidence from Australia shows it only lets tech firms off the hook and fails to give children the step change in online safety and wellbeing they need.”

That’s interestingly timed, don’t you think? Why discredit the ban if the plan is to follow suit?

Sky’s article has their Technology Reporter list potential alternatives, including bans on infinite scrolling, or “digital curfews” that lock children’s accounts after a certain time.

It would be reasonable to assume, based on this, that whatever the UK government eventually does will be somehow…different. Perhaps stricter or enforced differently, perhaps centered on devices rather than platforms.

There are plenty of possibilities.

The head-scratching question is “why?”, and the only answer I can see that makes any sense is that Independent is telling the truth and Australia’s ban doesn’t work –  i.e for its real intended purpose (mass surveillance).

Maybe, and this is rampant speculation, but maybe the inevitable uptick in VPN usage actually made it harder to track people’s data and activity to the extent it offset the utility of and effort required in enforcing the ban.

Like I said, speculation, but we have an explanandum in need of an explanation.

Of course, it could be argued the specifics don’t really matter – because no matter the legislation or regulation, it can only be enforced one way: By mandating age verification for everybody, and using that to introduce digital IDs.

If it’s all heading in the same direction in the end, maybe picking apart the details is a waste of our time, maybe the differences only exist to create the illusion of variety or impression of dissenting views.

But it could be there’s something to learn, and perhaps in reading the wrinkles there’s insights to be gained that could help us resist when the government finally tell us what “restrictions” they’re putting in place.

Tyler Durden Thu, 04/30/2026 - 03:30

This Is What Europeans Are Most Proud Of

What people take pride in says a lot about how they see their country.

Across Europe, those sources range from culture and history to political systems and personal freedoms. But in some countries, a notable share of people say they feel little pride at all.

This visualization via Visual Capitalist, by The European Correspondent, based on Pew Research Center data, breaks down the top three sources of national pride in each country surveyed.

Top Sources of National Pride, by Country

Here’s a closer look at the top three sources of national pride cited by adults in each country:

Culture dominates in countries like Italy (38%) and France (26%), while history plays a major role in Greece (37%). Meanwhile, Sweden stands out with 53% citing politics—by far the highest single-category share.

The Core Drivers of Pride Across Europe

In much of Europe, national pride is rooted in shared identity and heritage. Southern European countries like Italy and Greece emphasize culture and history, reflecting their deep historical legacies and global cultural influence.

Elsewhere, people themselves are a key source of pride. Spain (32%) and France (24%) rank highly in this category, suggesting a strong sense of national community and social cohesion.

Where National Pride Is Weakest

Not all sentiment is positive. In the UK, 29% of respondents cite “negative feeling” when describing their country, which is higher than any single positive category. Hungary (23%) and Spain (25%) also show notable shares of dissatisfaction.

This aligns with broader research. According to Pew, individuals who express less pride are often those who do not identify with the governing political parties. In the UK specifically, findings from British Social Attitudes surveys suggest national identity has become more fragmented in recent years, often tied to political divisions.

These dynamics help explain why politics can be both a source of pride—as in Sweden—and frustration, as seen elsewhere.

Politics as a Source of Pride—and Division

Sweden stands out sharply, with 53% of respondents citing politics as a source of pride, which is the highest share of any single category in the dataset.

Germany (36%) follows at a distance. Meanwhile, in other countries, political dissatisfaction helps explain rising negative sentiment, particularly among those who feel disconnected from leadership.

Tyler Durden Thu, 04/30/2026 - 02:45

Berlin And Hamburg Spend At Least €4 Billion On Housing Asylum Seekers Since 2022

Via Remix News,

Two German cities, Berlin and Hamburg, have spent at least €4 billion to house migrants since 2022, with the cost of hotels proving to be especially high.

In Hamburg, the cost to house asylum seekers alone has amounted to €597 million. In 2025 alone, the costs of hotel accommodation and meals for asylum seekers in Hamburg was €160 million, which does not include security and administrative costs.

However, that is just for hotels. It costs Hamburg approximately €1 billion per year when other accommodations are factored in, such as container villages, asylum centers, and state-run units.

The data on hotel costs was released in a Senate response to a parliamentary inquiry by the AfD, according to Nius news outlet.

The Senate noted that the city first utilized hotels for refugee housing in late February 2022, but the figures are drawing the ire of the AfD. Thomas Reich, the AfD parliamentary group’s budget policy spokesman, pointed out that asylum seekers are creating “ever larger budget holes.”

The Hamburg Senate cited Russia’s war in Ukraine, which required the rapid and significant creation of asylum seeker spots, but the goal, according to the Senate, is to move them out of hotels and into other forms of housing.

Notably, hotels are not the only accommodations that taxpayers are paying for, which means the total cost of housing is far higher than the €593 million figure, which only pertains to hotel costs.

Berlin

Hotel rentals for asylum seekers are perhaps the most expensive housing solution in all Western countries. While a container village costs approximately €20 per person per day, the average price for a hotel or hostel spot is €60. As a result, Berlin has sought to move away from hotel rentals. As of 2025, Berlin’s State Office for Refugee Affairs (LAF) reported housing between 3,300 and 3,500 people in hotels or hostels.

The total figures for Berlin regarding only hotel places are not currently available, but the total cost for the accommodation, care, and integration of refugees in the capital between 2022 and 2025 has reached an incredible €2.24 billion. As Remix News reported last year, the cost for housing migrants in the city had reached nearly €1 billion a year.

Berlin’s senator for integration, Cansel Kiziltepe, confirmed that the city had rented 20 hotels but advocated for a change in strategy:

“I have said again and again: It is more cost-effective for the state of Berlin if we accommodate people in decentralized accommodation – whether in containers or in buildings…I fear that accommodation in hotels and hostels could become a case for the State Audit Office.“

When the Berlin and Hamburg expenses are totaled since 2022, they equal at least €4 billion, but the true cost is actually higher when administrative and security are factored in, not to mention education, welfare transfers, and healthcare.

In total, Germany spends over €50 billion a year on migrants, including accommodation, education, integration, social welfare, and other costs.

Read more here...

Tyler Durden Thu, 04/30/2026 - 02:00

Senate Rejects Resolution To Bar Trump From Attacking Cuba

The US Senate batted down a resolution on Tuesday that would bar President Trump from being able to attack Cuba without first obtaining Congressional approval.

The U.S. Capitol building in Washington on April 22, 2026. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

After Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) invoked the 1973 War Powers Act to force the Senate vote on Tuesday (undoubtedly knowing it would fail) - citing the recent US combat operations in Venezuela and Iran, and Trump's March comments that "Cuba's next" - Senators voted 51-47 against advancing it to a final vote. 

Similar votes related to US military actions against Venezuela and Iran have also failed in the GOP-controlled Senate in recent weeks. 

As the Epoch Times notes further, U.S.–Cuba relations have remained contentious since Fidel Castro swept to power in Havana in 1959 at the head of a communist revolution.

The U.S. government led efforts to overthrow Castro in the 1960s. CIA officers helped arm and train Cuban exiles who led a failed invasion to retake the country in April of 1961. After this failed invasion attempt, the CIA continued to develop covert methods to weaken Castro’s hold on power through an effort known as Operation Mongoose.

Since the 1960s, the U.S. government has maintained pressure on Cuba through economic sanctions and trade restrictions.

Under Castro’s leadership, Cuba aligned with the Soviet Union.

Under the current leadership of Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, Cuba has continued to maintain ties with Russia, China, and Venezuela.

Havana acknowledged 32 Cuban soldiers attached to Nicolás Maduro’s security detail were killed during the Jan. 3 U.S. military raid to capture the Venezuelan leader.

Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 29 declaring Cuba “an unusual and extraordinary threat” to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. The order notes Cuba’s continued military cooperation with China, Russia, and Iran, and asserts Havana has welcomed designated terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.

As part of his Jan. 29 executive order, Trump imposed new tariffs on countries selling oil to Cuba. The Caribbean island nation has faced recent blackouts as it has struggled to maintain its energy supply.

“Donald Trump has bypassed Congress’s sole authority to declare war with attacks on Iran and Venezuela,” Schiff said ahead of the Tuesday vote. “The president’s saber rattling toward Cuba makes clear where his sights are next.”

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) took to the Senate floor to challenge the Democrat-led war powers resolution, arguing that the measure lacks relevance because U.S. troops aren’t currently deployed in Cuba.

“President Trump has never said he wants to put boots on the ground. I don’t think any of my Republican colleagues have said it. Even Lindsey Graham has not said it,” Scott said.

Though Trump recently referred to a potential “takeover” of Cuba, Gen. Francis Donovan, who oversees U.S. military operations for Latin America, testified at a March 19 Senate hearing that his command is not actively preparing for a military operation involving the island.

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/29/2026 - 23:20

Ex-Mossad Chief Stuns By Saying Settler Violence An 'Existential Threat' To State Of Israel

Via Middle East Eye

A former head of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency has said that settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank reminds him of the Holocaust.

Tamir Pardo, who served as director of Mossad from 2011 to 2016, made the remarks in an interview with Channel 13 while touring Palestinian villages affected by ongoing settler attacks, alongside former Israeli army officials. "My mother was a Holocaust survivor, and what I saw reminded me of the events that happened against Jews in the last century," he said.

"What I saw today made me feel ashamed to be Jewish." Pardo warned that settler crimes – met with little response by authorities, which sometimes abet them – could lead to the "next October 7".

Tamir Pardo, via Jerusalem Post

"It will be in a different format, much more painful, because the region is much more complicated. The state has chosen to sow the seeds for the next October 7," he said. 

While he believes Israeli law enforcement is aware of the situation, Pardo suggested that it has “chosen to ignore it”.

“What I saw today is the existential threat to the State of Israel,” he said, noting that efforts to curb such attacks could come at a high cost, including the risk of civil war.

He pointed in particular to the influence of settler groups, which enjoy support at the highest levels of government, including from far-right ministers such as Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir.

“If we want, we can correct this, but the price will be very high,” Pardo said. “It is very much in our interest not to reach that point.”

'Corruption of Israeli society'

Pardo recalled warnings by Israeli philosopher Yeshayahu Leibowitz in 1968, who criticized the occupation of Palestinian territories and the imposition of military rule over millions of Palestinians.

In his article The Territories, Leibowitz warned that control over Palestinians would ultimately lead to the “corruption” of Israeli society. "Rule over the occupied territories would have social repercussions," Leibowitz warned at the time.

"The corruption characteristic of every colonial regime would also prevail in the state of Israel," he added, calling for withdrawal from occupied territories. While Pardo once believed Leibowitz was mistaken, he now says “there was a lot of truth” in his warning.

Israeli settler violence and expansion, while long-standing, have intensified sharply since October 2023, including the systematic forced displacement of Palestinians from their communities and an increased use of live fire against unarmed residents.

The Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission said Israeli settlers have killed at least 16 Palestinians so far this year.

Tamir Pardo, former Mossad Director, commented after observing settler violence in the West Bank

“My mother is a Holocaust survivor, and what I saw here reminded me of the events of the previous century against the Jews” pic.twitter.com/4SuKEEz2Ls

— Ounka (@OunkaOnX) April 28, 2026

A United Nations report released in March recorded that more than 36,000 Palestinians were displaced in the West Bank between November 2024 and October 2025 amid a surge in military and settler attacks.

During the same period, 1,732 incidents of settler violence causing casualties or property damage were documented – a 25 percent increase on the previous year.

More than 1000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank since the Hamas-led attacks on Israel in October 2023.

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/29/2026 - 22:35

Private Sector Struggles In Major Chinese Industrial Base As Export Orders Shrink: Local Businessmen

Authored by Alex Wu via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Amid China’s persistently sluggish economy, Zhejiang Province, a major production and industrial base in eastern China, is seeing a decline in trade orders as private enterprises struggle to stay afloat, according to industry professionals who spoke with The Epoch Times.

Workers load goods for export into a container at a logistics hub in Yiwu, Zhejiang Province, China, on April 29, 2025. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

As the “hollowing out” of the private sector economy in mainland China intensifies, profit margins for industrial enterprises in Zhejiang have been under pressure since 2024, local industry insiders say.

The coastal province bordering the megacity of Shanghai is an economic powerhouse for China. It ranked fourth nationwide in gross domestic product last year, with its capital city of Hangzhou being the primary economic driver, along with other well-known commercial cities in the province such as Ningbo and Wenzhou, according to official data.

However, a large number of family-run export enterprises, which had previously served as pillars of the local county-level economies within the provinces, have had to cease operations in the face of shifting supply chains and shrinking orders over the past few years, according to Huang, an insider in Zhejiang’s textile industry who gave only her last name out of fear of reprisal from the Chinese regime.

“Profits have now dwindled to below 3 percent,” she told The Epoch Times. “Most garment factories are either operating at a loss or have gone under.”

The situation in Zhejiang has changed, Huang said.

“It is no longer the profitable place it once was,“ she said. ”For many enterprises, the issue isn’t merely low profit margins—they are actually reaching their breaking point.

“Private enterprises in the Jiangsu–Zhejiang region have long been regarded as a barometer of the economy.

“If even these firms in this region can no longer hold out and begin shutting down en masse, it signals that the problems facing the entire Chinese economy have become extremely severe.”

Inflated Economic Data

Although Zhejiang’s GDP growth rate appears relatively stable, “the reality is that fabricated data mask the grim operational realities faced by businesses on the ground,” Liu Mao, a businessman in Wenzhou who used a pseudonym out of fear of reprisal, told The Epoch Times.

“Foreign-invested enterprises in China face an operating environment constrained by hostility from authorities. Meanwhile, private domestic enterprises are subjected to tax audits and heavy fines. Under such layers of systematic exploitation, it is nearly impossible for any business—regardless of its nature—to survive.”

In recent years, the business environment in China has continued to deteriorate because of the Chinese regime’s inconsistent policies and tightened controls, as well as geopolitical tensions and increasing trade frictions between China and the West that have led to supply chain diversification. As a result, a significant number of foreign companies, and even some Chinese companies, have been moving their factories from China to Southeast Asian countries.

According to official data released by Hangzhou Customs, the total value of goods trade imports and exports in Zhejiang Province reached 1.38 trillion yuan (about $201.83 billion) in the first quarter of 2026, a year-on-year increase of 7.1 percent, marking the fourth consecutive quarter in which both imports and exports have registered positive growth.

However, Liu noted that the province’s export trade figures are heavily inflated.

“According to internal data I obtained from friends within the system, this year’s export volume actually declined compared to last year,“ he said. ”It certainly did not grow by 7.1 percent.

“My friends told me that the public export data reported by various localities is rife with fraud. Some regions engage in double-reporting or filing false tax returns to swindle government subsidies, while those in higher positions turn a blind eye. This country is beyond saving.”

Workers wear face masks as they polish eyeglass frames at the Azure Eyeglasses Co. in Wenzhou, China, on Feb. 28, 2020. Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images Layoffs and Lowered Wages

As businesses continue to struggle, workers are facing layoffs along with increasing difficulties in finding other jobs, according to local industry professionals.

An Zhiqiang, who works in the electronics business in Hangzhou, told The Epoch Times that local private enterprises are all downsizing and laying off staff.

“Locals are unable to find work, making it even more difficult for people from other provinces,” he said.

“Since the spring, many of our local factories have had to halt production due to a lack of orders, and quite a few foreign-funded enterprises have pulled out as well.

“For instance, a Scandinavian company here that manufactures feed processing equipment has downsized its workforce from 80 employees to just 29, and further layoffs are expected.”

Amid the economic downturn characterized by reduced consumption and diminished purchasing power, the livestock industry’s demand for feed is also declining, resulting in sluggish sales for related equipment, according to An.

“Right now, industries across the board are downsizing,“ he said. ”The only places still hiring are essentially large foreign-funded enterprises—for instance, Japanese companies in Hangzhou. But they only recruit new staff to replace those who retire; consequently, only young applicants who aren’t afraid of hard work stand a chance.”

A worker is shown on the floor of a steel machinery factory in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, on June 6, 2025. STR/AFP via Getty Images

Currently, temporary workers are being paid 13 yuan ($1.91) per hour, whereas the government-mandated rate is 25 yuan ($3.66) per hour, he said.

“Although in the suburban districts of Tonglu and Chun'an, hourly rates of 22 yuan [$3.22] can still be found,” he said.

According to the latest official standards released in February, the minimum hourly wage in Hangzhou is 25 yuan ($3.66).

The current issue is not merely a shortage of jobs in Hangzhou, Liu said, “but rather that [all of] mainland China is undergoing a phase of accelerating economic downturn.”

Wang Yibo contributed to this report.

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/29/2026 - 21:45

Governor Powell

By Philip Marey, senior US strategist at Rabobank

Summary

• As widely expected, the FOMC remained on hold. Governor Miran dissented again because he wanted a rate cut.
• However, there were also three dissenters (Hammack, Kashkari and Logan) who wanted to remove the bias toward cutting from the statement.
• On balance, Powell said that the center of the Committee was moving toward a more neutral place in thinking about cuts versus hikes.
• Powell announced that this was his last press conference as Chair, but he would stay on as a Governor until he thinks it’s appropriate to leave, because of the legal attacks on the Fed.
• Our baseline forecast is still two rate cuts this year, one in September and one in December. Once Warsh becomes the new Chair, he will try to convince the Committee to make more than the single cut in their most recent projections. However, given the developments in the Middle East, we think that in the coming months we are more likely to drop a rate cut from our forecast than add one.

Introduction

As widely expected, the FOMC decided to keep the target range for the federal funds rate unchanged at 3.50-3.75% this month. Governor Miran repeated his dissent, preferring a ¼ percentage point rate cut at this meeting.

However, there were also three dissents (by Hammack, Kashkari and Logan) because they “did not support inclusion of an easing bias in the statement at this time.” This easing bias is currently expressed in the statement “In considering the extent and timing of additional adjustments to the target range for the federal funds rate…”. Since the last three adjustments were rate cuts, this sentence would suggest that the FOMC is still biased toward cutting.

In its assessment of the economy, the statement replaced “The implications of the developments in the Middle East for the U.S. economy are uncertain” by “Developments in the Middle East are contributing to a high level of uncertainty about the economic outlook”, not a major change content-wise. However, inflation is now explicitly linked to global energy prices and described as elevated rather than somewhat elevated. “Inflation is elevated, in part reflecting the recent increase in global energy prices” instead of “Inflation remains somewhat elevated” This is a clear nod to the rise in CPI inflation to 3.3% in March from 2.4% in February.

Press conference

In his prepared speech, Powell reiterated the economic assessment in the FOMC statement, including that economic activity has been expanding at a solid pace. However, after announcing that this was his last press conference as Chair, he said he would stay on as a Governor. He was encouraged by the recent developments, meaning the suspension of the criminal inquiry against him – which in a Senate Banking Committee vote earlier today was sufficient for Senator Tillis to support advancing Warsh’s nomination to the Senate floor – but he was clearly not entirely persuaded yet. Nevertheless, he promised to maintain a low profile as a Governor.

The two main topics during the Q&A were Powell’s decision to stay on as Governor and the dissents on the easing bias.

When asked why he wanted to stay on as a Governor, Powell said it was because of the legal attacks on the Fed. He added this had nothing to do with the verbal attacks. He said he will leave when he thinks it’s appropriate to do so. Powell said he was staying because of the actions that have been taken (by the administration), and he actually had planned to retire. But first he wants to see things calming down. Comparing the Fed’s independence now to when he started, he said “I think it’s at risk because of legal assaults.” When asked what he exactly needed from the DOJ, he said “for the investigation to be well and truly over with finality and transparency.” Powell did not answer the question what message he was sending to the President by staying on and said he’ll stand by what he said earlier. In response to the question whether he was going to act as a Shadow Chair, he said that was something he would never do. He intends to be a constructive (FOMC) participant out of respect for the office of the Chair.

Regarding the easing bias, Powell said that the majority in the Committee – including himself – thought there was no rush to change this language. However, Powell said that the center (of the Committee) was moving toward a more neutral place in thinking about cuts versus hikes. He also said there were non-voters who favored changing the easing bias. He stressed that monetary policy was in a good place and if necessary the FOMC could hike or cut, but nobody was calling for a hike right now. In response to a question whether he was handing over a divided Fed to Warsh, Powell said that this was an unusually difficult situation with 4 supply shocks in 5-6 years, referring to the pandemic, Ukraine, tariffs and Iran. So it’s only natural that you have a range of views.

Conclusion

Our baseline forecast is still two rate cuts this year, one in September and one in December. Once Warsh becomes the new Chair, he will try to convince the Committee to make more than the single cut in their most recent projections. However, given the developments in the Middle East, we think that in the coming months we are more likely to drop a rate cut from our forecast than add one.

Finally, the attempts of the Trump administration to influence the Fed through legal attacks seems to have backfired, because Powell would have left on his own volition. Instead, he now intends to stay on until the legal attacks have ceased. This means that President Trump will have to delay his plan to nominate a Governor to replace Powell, which would give the Trump-loyalists a majority in the Board of Governors.

 

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/29/2026 - 21:32

Canadian Education Minister Says Parents Have No Rights Over Their Children

Canada is losing its collective mind.  During a recent debate in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly, Education Minister Brendan Maguire (Progressive Conservative MLA for Halifax Atlantic) responded angrily to concerns about school policies on gender transitioning (without parental notification in many cases) and provincial funding for gender-related medical interventions for minors. 

His argument?  Parental rights are not a factor and, essentially, do not exist in the eyes of the Canadian government.

The debate was sparked by concerns raised by another MLA about provincial funding for gender-reassignment surgeries for minors, school policies on social transitioning without parental notification, and reporting by groups like the Citizens’ Alliance of Nova Scotia (CANS).  Since 2014, Canada has instituted an ever expanding far-left initiative to encourage gender ideology in public schools and prevent parents from knowing about or interfering with this indoctrination.  

Parents "absolutely don't" deserve to have rights over their children, Nova Scotia Education Minister Brandan Maguire says, as he voices support for secret gender transitions at schools and taxpayer-funded gender reassignment surgeries. pic.twitter.com/qs5yxjqCyJ

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) April 27, 2026

“I’ll be damned if I’m going to stand here and listen to someone say that the parents deserve rights over a child. No, they don’t. They absolutely don’t..."

The assertion is a common one among woke political adherents who believe that children have the ability to "consent" to life changing psychological and chemical transitioning as well as sexualized LGBT propaganda programs.  These are, of course, the same kinds of people who ran rampant in the US during the Biden Administration, promoting gender reassignment for minors and exposing elementary school kids to drag queens. 

Maguire goes off the rails, asserting that because his parents abandoned him at a young age, this is a rationale for why parents in general do not deserve the right to dictate the decisions of their vulnerable kids.  But his logic is incredibly flawed.  The mistakes of deadbeat parents do not negate the overall need for good parents to protect their children from malicious indoctrination. 

Child consent concepts are so central to the woke left's ideology because they normalize state control of children and remove the greatest obstacle to progressive control:  The nuclear family. Leftists often appeal to "empathy" and "human rights", but what they are really doing is promoting moral relativism and destructive degeneracy in the name of "civil liberties".  At bottom it should be common sense - Children are not mentally mature enough to consent.    

Nova Scotia has used the "Guidelines for Supporting Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Students" as policy since 2014, and like most Canadian provinces, has resisted any efforts by parents or conservatives to change the rules. 

For grades 7–12, if a student "has the capacity to consent" for using preferred pronouns and gender identity, parental consent is not required. Schools must get the student’s permission before disclosing their transgender/gender-nonconforming identity to their parents. 

Canadian authorities claim this prioritizes student self-identification and confidentiality "to protect the child" from potential harm at home. A planned update was abandoned in late 2025, with the province instead incorporating related expectations into a broader school code of conduct.  Citizens do not get a vote on these policies, they are implemented unilaterally by the education bureaucracy.  

Nova Scotia’s policies against parental rights also extend to gender-affirming care, including puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for minors. These are publicly funded treatments with no hard age minimums. Eligibility starts after the onset of puberty (typically around ages 8–14).  Parents do not have to be told that these treatments are taking place, and schools can hide the information.   

Canada is what happens when leftists are allowed free rein to do as they please.  The kinds of horrific social and political revisions that take place can disrupt or destroy a nation for generations to come.  In such an environment, something as fundamental as parental rights can be flipped on its head and turned into a crime.  

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/29/2026 - 21:20

Iran War Cost $25 Billion in First 2 Months, Pentagon Says

Authored by Ryan Morgan via The Epoch Times,

Combat operations against Iran have cost the U.S. military about $25 billion in two months, a top Pentagon accounting official told House Armed Services Committee members on April 29.

The Wednesday hearing marked the first time Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine have testified publicly to Congress since U.S. and Israeli forces commenced attacks on Iran on Feb. 28. U.S. and Iranian forces exchanged fire for about five and a half weeks before the parties entered into a ceasefire agreement on April 8.

Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), the ranking member on the committee, asked the Pentagon to account for the costs of U.S. munitions expended as well as for equipment destroyed in the course of the fighting.

Jules Hurst, the acting War Department comptroller, estimated those costs at about $25 billion.

Hurst said munitions accounted for most of it, but said he also factored in operations and maintenance and equipment replacement costs. Hurst joined Hegseth and Caine at the hearing, as Congress weighs military funding requests for fiscal year 2027.

The Trump administration has been working on submitting a supplemental funding request to Congress to cover the war’s costs, but has yet to finalize it or settle on an exact figure.

“We will formulate a supplemental through the White House that will come to Congress once we have a full assessment of the cost of the conflict,” Hurst said.

The Pentagon is already seeking a $1.5 trillion military and defense spending budget for fiscal year 2027. The request amounts to a 42 percent increase over fiscal year 2026 military spending, which totaled approximately $1.03 trillion.

Among other items, the Trump administration’s 2027 military budget request seeks $52.9 billion to boost procurement for 12 weapons systems that the Pentagon has classified as critical munitions.

In March, President Donald Trump announced he had met with the CEOs of BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon parent RTX Corp., Boeing, Honeywell, and L3Harris Technologies to discuss boosting their munitions production levels. Weapons produced by the companies—including the Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense missile defense systems and offensive weapons like the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile—have featured heavily in the Iran war.

Beyond the immediate material costs to replace weapons and equipment, the Iran war has also disrupted global oil and gas flows out of the Middle East, leading to rising prices for consumers.

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/29/2026 - 20:55

Iran Announces Fuel Rationing As Brent Sets New War Highs, After Trump Rejects Tehran's Latest Offer Summary

• Brent crude reaches $120/barrel - new Iran war high, and highest since June 2022. Simultanously, Iran's currency has collapsed to a record low, plunging to 1.8 million rial per dollar - also amid mass layoffs in various Iranian sectors.

• CENTCOM reportedly preparing for "short wave of strikes" on Iran in order to potentially break the Hormuz impasse & force Tehran back to the negotiating table. Trump rejects Iran proposal as it won't give up nuclear program.

• Trump recently met this week with oil and gas executives at the White House to address energy fallout, and as oil pushes higher: Axios.

• Trump warns Iran to "get their act together" and to "get smart" - and for the second time writes "no more Mr. Nice Guy".

• Fresh White House statement indicates communication still open with Tehran, but still says "Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon."

//--> //--> Will the U.S. invade Iran before 2027?
Yes 34% · No 67%
View full market & trade on Polymarket

*  *  *

Iran Currency Plunges To Record Low

Iran's currency has collapsed to a record low, plunging to 1.8 million rial per dollar amid the prolonged US-Israel war and uneasy ceasefire, also as surging global energy prices hit the economy.

The rial began sliding sharply two days ago after weeks of artificial stability. In the early phase of the war that kicked off on February 28, the currency held steady due to a near-total halt in imports and limited market activity.

The renewed freefall reflects runaway inflation driven by sanctions but also economic mismanagement, intensifying pressure on households also amid mass layoffs especially in Iranian industries like textiles. In some cases whole major steel factories have been obliterated, for example. Currently, the US is maintaining three aircraft carriers in the region and is sending additional troops and equipment, while Israel signals readiness to resume fighting. The Israelis have a stated goal of government overthrow or else total societal collapse. WSJ meanwhile writes:

To contain the economic fallout, the Iranian government has raised wages, subsidized basic goods and handed out cash to the poor. But authorities are confronting a level of hardship not seen in decades, according to residents.

“It is an authoritarian regime, and it can claim that resisting economic pressure is a question of national pride,” said Alex Vatanka, a senior fellow and Iran expert at the Middle East Institute. At the same time, “as the money dries up because of the blockade, we may find that more and more folks have no choice but to mobilize politically,” he said.

Such suffering is being intentionally engineered by Washington, as Bessent and others have previously boasted.

Brent War Highs, Iran Announces Fuel Rationing

Brent crude oil prices have briefly reached their highest level of the Iran War, at $119.50/barrel $120, which is also the highest since 2022. Iran is meanwhile starting to ration fuel, according to state sources, with the country's oil minister newly announcing the following:

IRAN OIL MINISTER: JUSTIFIES RATIONING FUEL CONSUMPTION BY "WAR CONDITIONS"

IRAN OIL MINISTER: NO INTERNAL CONCERNS REGARDING THE SECURING AND DISTRIBUTION OF FUEL

Brent crude oil futures rose above $110 soon after Trump's earlier morning threat and warning to Iran.

West Texas Intermediate futures also trading well above $100 a barrel.

Trump Rejects Iran Offer, Prepares 'Short Wave' Strikes

When in doubt, escalate higher? US Central Command is reportedly preparing for a "short wave of strikes" on Iran in order to potentially break the Hormuz impasse and force Tehran back to the negotiating table, where the US wants it to hand over its enriched uranium and finally abandon its nuclear program. We're in the "just one more thing will do it" in the escalation ladder, which was all easily predictable.

"Trump told Axios the U.S. will maintain a naval blockade on Iran until a nuclear deal is reached, rejecting Tehran’s plan to ease restrictions before talks," per Barak Ravid. "He said the blockade is more effective than bombing and will continue as key leverage, insisting Iran must not obtain a nuclear weapon."

So there are more plans at least 'on the table' for possible 'limited strikes' as diplomacy has clearly been faltering; however, Iran is saying it is prepared to fight back hard in the scenario that the US naval blockade of Iranian ports continues. Meanwhile this is doing nothing to help soaring oil prices, and prices at the pump for Americans and people globally. Congress is getting nervous, and they should be after rejecting several War Powers initiatives. Brent inches toward hitting Iran war highs:

And more: Trump told Axios he saw the blockade as "somewhat more effective than the bombing," and the sources said he had yet to order any kinetic action as of Tuesday night.

Unnamed GOP Senator tells Semafor as Iran War set to hit 60-days on Friday: "People cross some sort of threshold and start to be very uncomfortable with it. I am sensing restlessness among many of my colleagues."

Trump Huddles with Oil Execs: Axios

President Trump recently met this week with oil and gas executives at the White House to address the energy fallout from the Iran war, per fresh Axios reporting, as supply disruptions push prices higher and create both opportunity and risk for the industry. Among those attending were Mike Wirth of Chevron, along with senior officials including Susie Wiles, Scott Bessent, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner.

A White House official said, "The president meets with energy executives frequently to get their feedback on domestic and international energy markets," with discussions covering domestic production, Venezuela, oil futures, natural gas, and shipping. It should be noted that while Trump "huddles" with oil CEOs, Republicans in Congress are still too scared to so much as pass a simple War Powers Resolution, or to have real robust debate over the merits of the Iran War.

The Middle East supply shock is obviously driving up global crude and US gasoline prices, which sets up for huge implications for Republicans come next fall's midterms. Oil prices have extended their multi-day rally, surpassing $116 a barrel:

Brent crude futures for June rose $4.24, or 3.81%, to $115.50 a barrel by 1255 GMT, climbing for an eighth day to the highest level since March 31. The June contract expires on Thursday and the more active July contract was up 3.86% at $108.43.

Oil Pushing Toward Iran War Highs

Earlier in the morning, Brent crude oil has neared $115 per barrel, driven by the ongoing Hormuz Strait blockade and standoff, and war fears - in a seventh straight session of gains.

This latest move higher follows Tuesday night's WSJ report that the US plans to extend its blockade of Iranian ports, intensifying fears of prolonged disruption through the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz. 

As a reminder, the president has told aides and his staff that he's prepared to implement an extended blockade:

President Trump has instructed aides to prepare for an extended blockade of Iran, U.S. officials said, targeting the regime’s coffers in a high-risk bid to compel a nuclear capitulation Tehran has long refused.

In recent meetings, including a Monday discussion in the Situation Room, Trump opted to continue squeezing Iran’s economy and oil exports by preventing shipping to and from its ports. He assessed that his other options—resume bombing or walk away from the conflict—carried more risk than maintaining the blockade, officials said.

4am Truth Social

This isn't exactly a 'new' threat, as it's something he said on April 19 as well, but President Trump in a 4am Truth Social post warned Iran to "get smart soon" as the White House reviews military options for the Strait of Hormuz.

"Iran can't get their act together. They don't know how to sign a nonnuclear deal. They better get smart soon!" Trump wrote early Wednesday, alongside an image showing him with a weapon and the message "NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!"

Members of Trump's national security team presented multiple options during a Situation Room meeting this week, including whether to increase or reduce the US military presence in the strait and whether to adopt a more aggressive operational posture, NBC News reported, citing an unnamed US official and a person familiar with the discussions. According to the WSJ Tuesday evening, the president has told aides and his staff that he's prepared to implement an extended blockade.

WH still Communicating With Tehran

And yet, the White House says negotiators are still in communication with the Iranians, who are "struggling to sort out their leadership situation" amid the war. Trump on Tuesday claimed Tehran officials told him the country is in a "State of Collapse" - though obviously it's highly dubious they would communicate that to him.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told media that Trump would only enter into an agreement with Iran that "puts US national security first" and that "He has been clear that Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon." However, the Iranians themselves have made it clear they would never just transfer their enriched uranium out of the country. Their latest proposal has centered on lifting the blockade on the Strait of Hormuz first, and then leaving the nuclear issues for future negotiation after the war is resolved.

More Latest Developments

via Newsquawk

• Donald Trump told officials to prepare for an extended blockade of Iran, The Wall Street Journal reported citing sources; Trump has opted to keep squeezing Iran’s economy, judging other options as higher risk than maintaining the blockade.
• Trump posted, “Iran can’t get their act together. They don’t know how to sign a nonnuclear deal. They better get smart soon! President DJT,” alongside an image of himself holding a rifle with explosions behind him and the caption “NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!”.
• Trump said the US is “doing very well in the Middle East,” adding that King Charles III agrees Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb.
• Iran’s Vice Chairman of the National Security Council Alaeddin Boroujerdi said negotiations are being handled directly by Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who “personally manages” them.
• Iran pushed back on US claims regarding pipeline explosions, Islamic Republic News Agency reported.
• A senior Pakistani official said mediation efforts continue, working to narrow the gap between the US and Iran.
• Scott Bessent said the Treasury has targeted Iran’s financial infrastructure, disrupting tens of billions in revenue; Kharg Island is nearing maximum storage capacity, forcing Iran to cut oil production.
• The Israeli army carried out a large-scale bombing operation east of Gaza City.
• The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said new capabilities are ready to counter any new US attack, Press TV reported.
• Israel Hayom reported that Israel may accept a limited ceasefire with Lebanon contingent on Hezbollah’s disbandment, according to Al Hadath.
• An Israeli army commander said, “we are not talking about destroying terrorist infrastructure in southern Lebanon, but rather destroying everything,” according to Haaretz.
• A political aide to the IRGC said, “we will respond to any new aggression with surprises and new capabilities, will burn America's giant ships at sea if they miscalculate again,” Al Jazeera Mubasher reported.
• Sanae Takaichi said Japan will engage with Iran to ensure safe passage of ships.
• The US Treasury has frozen $344 million in crypto linked to Iran, Fox Business reported citing officials.

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/29/2026 - 20:55

"We Can't Move Forward": Brookfield-Backed Compass Abandons Virginia Data Center Project

Compass Datacenters is abandoning a massive data center project in Northern Virginia after what Bloomberg described as "intense pushback from local residents."

The retreat comes as local opposition to data center buildouts accelerates nationwide, with residents increasingly furious over surging power demand, soaring electricity bills, land-use battles, and transmission lines cutting through neighborhoods and farmland.

We were the first to describe the epicenter of the data center buildout revolt in the Mid-Atlantic area, all the way back in the summer of 2024. This is happening as the AI infrastructure boom collides with local resistance.

Many Marylanders were upset about transmission lines and rising power bills, some of which were not necessarily due to data centers, but rather failed "green" policies by the far-left regime in Annapolis.

The Brookfield-backed data center company told Bloomberg, "Compass has reached the unfortunate conclusion that we cannot move forward. While we still believe this project offered significant benefits for the region and our neighbors, recent legal actions and compounding regulatory hurdles have effectively closed a viable path forward."

Compass Datacenters was planning to develop more than 800 acres in Prince William County as part of the proposed 2,100-acre Digital Gateway corridor.

The project, along with a neighboring QTS development backed by Blackstone, would have created one of the world’s largest data center hubs to expand Northern Virginia’s global data dominance.

Earlier this month, Chamath Palihapitiya, founder of Social Capital and co-host of the All-In Podcast, warned on X that polling data shows data centers are more disliked than ICE by the American people.

Palihapitiya posted the polling data:

He warned that local opposition is growing against data centers:

Meanwhile, our most recent report shows that nearly half of U.S. data centers scheduled to break ground this year are at risk of being canceled or delayed.

The great data center land rush is no longer a story about chip stacks and power. It is becoming a localized fight over power bills against tech bros.

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/29/2026 - 20:30

China Loses Monopoly Over The Rarest Of Rare Earths

With less than three weeks to go the Trump-Xi summit in China, the scramble for leverage and superiority - whether in terms of the Iran war or the just as important supply chain of rare earths - is on. That explains why the Pentagon’s push to get its hands on the rarest of the rare-earth elements leads all the way to this small port city in Malaysia.

As the WSJ reports, Australia's Lynas Rare Earths has begun pumping out heavy rare earths, the elusive kind that China dominates. 

“No one had made a separated heavy rare earth outside of China in 20 years,” said Amanda Lacaze, Lynas’s chief executive. The company’s chief operating officer, Pol Le Roux, said it had actually been 30 years.

When China cut off exports of heavy rare-earth elements during trade tensions last year, automobile factories in the US and Europe were forced to stop production. Now, Lynas is at the vanguard of an effort by the US and allies to prevent Beijing from using its monopoly power to squeeze the rest of the world.

To minimize China's monopoly on rare earth supply, the Pentagon has been opening its wallet in unusual ways to ensure supplies. In March 2026, Lynas announced a preliminary $96 million deal in which the Pentagon would purchase Lynas’s rare earths.

Others are in hot pursuit of the Pentagon's money: Las Vegas-headquartered MP Materials, backed by billions of dollars in U.S. government support, is planning its own refinery for heavy rare earths that is set to come online later this year. And last week, USA Rare Earth announced a "transformative" $2.8 billion acquisition of Brazil's Serra Verde Group, owner of the Pela Ema rare earth mine and processing plant in Goiás, Brazil, which is a "one-of-a-kind asset and the only producer outside Asia capable of supplying all four magnetic rare earths at scale, together with other vital REEs, such as Yttrium."

Last month, Lynas began producing samarium oxide, a difficult-to-source rare earth in high military demand that is used in heat-resistant magnets for jet fighters and missiles.

“There is no doubt that 2025 was the wake-up call the United States needed to undertake bold industrial policy,” said Gracelin Baskaran, who leads the critical minerals program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

Rare-earth minerals are actually not that rare when it comes to mining: it is the refining - usually a very toxic process - that is the bottleneck, which is why China which has zero environmental regulation, has become a global leader in their producftion. As the WSJ notes, rare earth minerals are already mined outside of China, including Lynas’s, which come from Western Australia. But to gain independence from Chinese supplies, "the hard part is building refining capacity. It often requires hundreds of stages to separate the rare earths using industrial acids."

It often requires hundreds of stages to separate rare earths using industrial acids. Suzanne Lee for WSJ

For more than a decade, Lynas has had a refinery here in Kuantan, a Malaysian chemical-industry center. But it only produced light rare earths, which tend to be more common, while it sold heavy rare earths to China for processing. Last year, as the U.S.-China trade war was at its peak, Lynas finished a new heavy rare-earths processor in Kuantan.

Eliminating China from the supply chain looks as follows: machinery whirs loudly as a rare-earth mixture is bathed in hydrochloric acid and gradually separated into pure oxides that can be shipped to customers. Terbium, used in powerful magnets, comes out a deep, rich brown. Dysprosium appears as a whitish powder.

Because of their small quantities, the heavy rare earths are fitted into knee-high 55-pound cans that could be worth tens of thousands of dollars, while less-valuable rare earths such as cerium are stuffed into 1800 pound sacks. 

Heavy rare-earth elements are sprinkled in magnets so they can function at higher temperatures. That is important in cars and planes whose engines run hot.

Lynas and MP Materials are two of the leading Western rare-earths producers, and Washington wants more suppliers. In February, the U.S. International Development Finance Corp. extended $565 million in loans to Serra Verde, which operates a mine in Brazil with significant reserves of heavy rare earths. Then, as noted above, last week USA Rare Earth, the Stillwater, Okla., company that has recently commissioned equipment to make rare-earth magnets, said it would acquire Serra Verde in a deal valued at about $2.8 billion, part of an arrangement that will ensure a steady supply of heavy rare earths to the U.S.

Not everything has gone smoothly with U.S. efforts. Lynas has said there is “significant uncertainty” on whether it will go ahead with an effort to build a rare earth processing facility in Texas, which was allocated $258 million in Pentagon grant funding in 2023. The estimated project costs ballooned because of challenges in handling wastewater. Instead, Lynas is building out a second, larger heavy rare-earth processing facility in Kuantan, expected to be completed in 2028. Needless to say, environmental regulations are more "lax" in Malaysia.

The big break hit last month, when Lynas achieved commercial production of samarium. The mineral had been refined almost exclusively in China, causing a scramble among defense suppliers last year when China cut off exports in April. A report from the U.S. Geological Survey last year found samarium was the highest-risk mineral for disruption, with shortages potentially costing U.S. industry billions of dollars.

As the clock counts down to the Trump-Xi summit, where China still retains sole supplier monopoly across most rare earths, another clock is also counting down: American defense companies face a 2027 government deadline to ensure that no rare earths in their supply chain for magnets come from China. Lacaze said Lynas were supplying its non-Chinese rare earths to Japanese magnet makers that in turn supply the U.S. defense industry.

Still, Lacaze expressed concern that Western nations weren’t doing enough to ensure adequate demand. Military demand for rare earths is relatively small, so she advocated tax credits to induce larger commercial buyers—such as makers of cars and electronics—to choose non-Chinese rare-earth magnets.  

Baskaran, the critical-minerals specialist, told the WSJ that the effort to achieve rare-earth independence was still in its early stages. “While momentum is real, translating these announcements into production takes years,” she said.

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/29/2026 - 19:40

Billionaire Tim Draper: You Should Be Scared If You Don't Own Bitcoin

Authored by Micah Zimmerman via Bitcoin Magazine,

Speaking on the Nakamoto Stage, Tim Draper told attendees that bitcoin has entered the financial mainstream and that governments now roll out “the red carpet” for the industry. He said the community is “starting to feel like something is happening” as adoption grows, and he cast that shift as the early phase of a larger transition in the money system.

In his view, people will move in stages: first from dollars to stablecoins, then from stablecoins to bitcoin as the final store of value and unit of account.

Draper praised Satoshi Nakamoto’s design of BTC as a system with no government control, no middleman banks, and no traditional account records. He described his own early journey with the asset, including buying large amounts of BTC, then losing those holdings amid front-running and failures at Mt. Gox. That episode led him to question whether the experiment was worth the risk until he watched crypto usage spread in markets around the world and decided to buy again.

To illustrate the fragility of fiat money, Draper told a personal story about a “one–million–dollar bill” that his father gave him when he was young. The bill turned out to be a Confederate note with no value, which he held up as a warning that government currencies can fail, leaving savers with worthless paper.

He connected that story to his decision to purchase bitcoin from the U.S. government in an auction of seized coins, where he paid above market because he viewed bitcoin as a superior long-term asset.

Draper: You should be scared if you don’t own bitcoin

Draper outlined a scenario in which retailers begin by accepting bitcoin alongside other payment methods and then transition to accepting only bitcoin.

In that world, he said, consumers would rush to banks to pull out their money and convert into BTC as trust in national currencies declines. He told the audience that anyone who manages a family “ought to have about six months’ worth of bitcoin” as protection against such a breakdown.

He extended that warning to sovereigns facing inflation or fiscal stress. If a government encounters hyperinflation and holds no BTC on its balance sheet, Draper argued, its currency and the wealth of its officials could become worthless in real terms.

“You should be scared if you don’t own bitcoin,” Draper said he is telling people these days, adding that those without exposure “should be very, very worried.”

Draper closed with a call to action aimed at the entire BTC ecosystem around him. He said that “those of us who have bitcoin are gonna help steer the world” as legacy currencies lose value, and he told attendees to go home and tell their families to buy bitcoin, their governments to buy bitcoin, and their friends to buy BTC.

Addressing founders and builders, he urged entrepreneurs to “push it as hard as you can,” saying that broad BTC ownership is both a hedge against currency risk and a path to a new monetary standard.

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/29/2026 - 19:15

KPMG Ends U.S. Gov't Audit Business After Losing Army Contract

KPMG, one of the Big Four accounting firms, is winding down its federal government audit business after losing a $64 million-a-year U.S. Army audit contract, a major setback as the Department of War under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth moves to bring in another accounting firm.

According to the Financial Times, the Army's shift to a new auditor comes as pressure intensifies on Hegseth to gain control of the DoW's finances after nearly a decade of failed independent audits.

The DoW, which oversees an annual budget of roughly $840 billion, has not passed an independent audit in eight years, and Washington lawmakers have set a deadline for the department to do so by 2028.

"We're ending the wasteful process of agency-by-agency opinions and slashing the number of disjointed separate audits by two-thirds," Hegseth said. "The mission is simple: break down bureaucratic barriers to get you, the taxpayer, concrete results."

FT sources said the Army was KPMG's largest federal audit client, and 450 U.S. staff who oversaw the federal audit work will be transitioning to other roles.

"Over the past few years, KPMG has prioritized advisory services for the federal government," KPMG said, adding, "We are transitioning out of federal audit roles through an orderly, multiyear process, meeting all client and regulatory obligations. As demand continues to grow across both audit and advisory, we will be redeploying our talented federal audit professionals across the firm to meet client needs."

Meanwhile, EY remains the prime auditor for the Air Force, Navy, and Marines. The Marines are the only military branch to have received an unqualified audit opinion.

The DoW says the new consolidated audit strategy will streamline the process toward full audit compliance by 2028.

Last month, Platte Moring, the Pentagon's inspector general, stated, "This new composite approach to auditing and its implementation reflect meaningful progress toward compliance with the statutory mandate for the department to achieve a clean audit opinion by 2028."

We have previously reported that DOGE has placed more than 400,000 DoW contracts under scrutiny, while Goldman has been bearish on government IT services for the same reason: the Trump administration is trying to clean up the financial mess inside the DoW.

The problem is that entrenched bureaucracy and swamp-like career DoW personnel appear more focused on preserving the status quo than fixing the department.

Whether Hegseth can fix the DoW remains an open question.

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/29/2026 - 18:50

Japan's Largest Airport Deploys Humanoid Robots For Baggage, Cargo

Authored by Jijo Malayil via Interesting Engineering,

Humanoid robots will soon assist ground crews in Tokyo as Japan Airlines launches a trial to address growing labor shortages.

Starting in May, the Chinese-made machines will assist with moving baggage and cargo on the tarmac at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, working alongside human handlers.

The initiative, run with GMO Internet Group, comes as Japan faces rising tourism and a shrinking workforce. The trial will continue through 2028, with hopes of easing workloads and paving the way for permanent deployment.

Last month, researchers in Tokyo developed a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi chip resisting extreme radiation, enabling untethered robot operations in hazardous sites like Fukushima.

Smart baggage handling

During a recent media demonstration, a compact humanoid robot carefully pushed cargo onto a conveyor belt beside a Japan Airlines aircraft and gestured toward a nearby worker, highlighting early-stage coordination in real airport conditions, reports the Guardian.

Japan Airlines officials said deploying robots for physically demanding tasks could significantly reduce strain on workers and improve overall working conditions. However, the airline emphasized that critical responsibilities such as safety management will remain under human control.

As seen in the footage, the humanoid model, known as G1, stands about 1.32 meters tall and weighs 77 pounds (35 kilograms), with a foldable design for compact storage. It features 23 degrees of freedom, enabling stable and coordinated movement. Equipped with 3D LiDAR, a depth camera, and voice input systems, the robot can navigate and interact effectively. Powered by a 9,000 mAh battery, it operates for up to two hours and can move at speeds of up to 4.5 mph (7.2 km/h).

The Unitree G1 demonstrates an expanded range of motion, highlighting significant gains in flexibility, coordination, and adaptability in humanoid robotics. According to Unitree, its development begins in a virtual setting using Nvidia Isaac Simulator, where the robot is trained to perform complex behaviors.

Engineers create a digital twin of the G1 using motion capture and video data to replicate human actions. These movements are refined through reinforcement learning, allowing the system to improve through repeated simulation. The learned skills are then transferred to the real robot using the Sim2Real approach, enabling smooth execution in physical environments.

“By combining cutting-edge AI technology with the unique flexibility of humanoid forms, the project aims to realize a sustainable operational structure through labor savings and workload reduction,” said Japan Airlines in a statement.

Ground crew augmentation

Airport ground operations still rely heavily on manual labor, with workers managing baggage, cargo, and equipment in tight, high-pressure environments. The physically demanding nature of the job, combined with Japan’s shrinking working-age population, has created a growing labor gap across the aviation sector.

The challenge is intensifying as inbound tourism continues to rise. More than 7 million visitors arrived in the first two months of 2026, following a record 42.7 million the previous year, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. At the same time, demographic trends suggest Japan may require over 6.5 million foreign workers by 2040 to sustain economic growth, even as political pressure mounts to limit immigration, reports The Guardian.

Attempts to automate airport tasks have so far been constrained by the limitations of conventional robots, which struggle in dynamic, unpredictable environments. Humanoid robots are now being considered as a more adaptable solution, as their human-like design allows them to function within existing airport infrastructure without extensive modifications.

The rollout will proceed in stages, starting with detailed observation of operations to identify suitable use cases, followed by testing in simulated real-world conditions. The long-term objective is to integrate robots alongside human workers, assigning them repetitive and physically intensive tasks to reduce strain and improve efficiency. Continuous evaluation will guide development, focusing on safety, performance, and practical deployment, reports Aero Time.

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/29/2026 - 18:25