Zero Rss

"Can Only Imagine What FCC Has To Say": Open Source Military Radar Plans Appear Online

Someone on GitHub has built an open-source radar system capable of tracking multiple targets up to roughly 12 miles away, at a fraction of the cost that a major defense contractor would typically charge for a comparable system.

AERIS-10 is an open-source phased-array radar system that demonstrates how advanced sensing technology has moved out of the defense-prime world and into civilian hands, with one person releasing all the design and development files on GitHub.

The 10.5 GHz phased-array radar system is available in two versions:

AERIS-10 is an open-source, low-cost 10.5 GHz phased array radar system featuring Pulse Linear Frequency Modulated (LFM) modulation. Available in two versions (3km and 20km range), it's designed for researchers, drone developers, and serious SDR enthusiasts who want to explore and experiment with phased array radar technology.

The developers wrote, "The AERIS-10 project aims to democratize radar technology by providing a fully open-source, modular, and hackable radar system."

"Whether you're a university researcher, a drone startup, or an advanced maker, AERIS-10 offers a platform for experimenting with beamforming, pulse compression, Doppler processing, and target tracking," they added.

X user chiefofautism noted, "One person built what defense contractors charge a quarter million for and open-sourced it."

That's a great question:

I can only imagine what the FCC will have to say about this...

— E__Strobel (@E__Strobel) March 13, 2026

The bigger takeaway is not the project itself, but what it signals: dual-use capability has shifted into the civilian and open-source domain, a shift that is clearly visible in the drone world. It also shows how powerful dual-use technology is now becoming accessible outside the traditional defense-contractor ecosystem - something the Department of War will find increasingly difficult to ignore as funding flows redirect to "war unicorns" promising faster innovation at lower cost. 

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/15/2026 - 23:00

CBS '60 Minutes' Left Out The Most Damning Part Of The Story

Submitted by American Truckers United,

Over the last year, the American people have awakened to the reality of truck drivers unable to speak English, operating with non-domicile CDLs, and wreaking havoc on our roadways. What had yet to gain national attention was the ownership behind these illicit trucking companies. The 60 Minutes special that aired this weekend finally changed that by exposing one of the worst “chameleon carriers” in the industry.

Chameleon carriers are four times more likely to be involved in crashes, according to data from a risk assessment firm, Fusable. pic.twitter.com/3l5LOUQcyQ

— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) April 12, 2026

The CBS report laid out the crisis in stark detail. The motor carrier mentioned is a Serbian-based network that repeatedly sheds its identity—changing names and USDOT numbers—to erase thousands of safety violations and hundreds of crashes. Drivers described forced 18-hour days, ELD cheating orchestrated by dispatchers in Serbia, and paychecks that came back negative after excessive lease, insurance, and repair fees were skimmed off the top. The carrier network racked up nearly 15,000 violations and 500 accidents in just two years while hauling freight for major shippers. Yet the carrier insists it is merely a “leasing company,” not a motor carrier, and therefore bears no responsibility for the trucks or drivers operating under its trailers. 

A whistleblower from a Super Ego-affiliated company says dispatchers and managers in Serbia were told to overwork and exploit American drivers. pic.twitter.com/cdvIbaSL38

— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) April 12, 2026

60 Minutes built a compelling case that dismantled their narrative.  

What 60 Minutes likely left on the cutting-room floor is the most damning part of the story: who keeps loading these illegal carriers with freight in the first place? Who failed—or refused—to vet the motor carrier, its foreign ownership, or its forced-labor operations?

The answer points directly to freight brokers, with industry giant C.H. Robinson at the forefront. Despite the motor carrier not being a registered motor carrier with the USDOT, C.H. Robinson awarded it “Carrier of the Year” in the 1,000+ truck category for 2025. Industry sources allege that the selection process for this award involves rigorous vetting and requires final approval from upper management. Such high-level oversight strongly suggests that senior leadership at C.H. Robinson may have been directly involved in bestowing one of its most prestigious honors on a well-known chameleon carrier.

CH Robinson (ATA & TIA Member) awarded Super Ego as one of their carriers of the year for 2025 https://t.co/A6Q6OaStFx

— American Truckers 🚛🦅 (@atutruckers) April 13, 2026

This is not merely a failure of due diligence. It reflects a pattern of willful blindness, driven by greed, that prioritizes profit margins over safety, regulatory compliance, and the integrity of America’s trucking industry.

Large freight brokers have spent the past six years expanding their market share by abandoning legacy American-owned asset-based carriers and instead tapping a new, captive capacity source: foreign networks running what amounts to organized forced-labor schemes. Dispatch operations remain in foreign countries while unsafe trucks terrorize American highways. The brokers pocket the margin; the public pays the price in crashes, congestion, and national-security risks.

Trucking is the backbone of U.S. supply chains. When middlemen profit by partnering with chameleon carriers that exploit truck drivers, they do more than undercut honest American trucking companies—they corrupt a dangerous occupation that is critical to our economy and national defense. 

Current State of the US Trucking Industry pic.twitter.com/zbG9hZRJQ2

— American Truckers 🚛🦅 (@atutruckers) April 13, 2026

This scandal extends far beyond the chameleon carriers themselves. It lies with the large freight brokers, the real profiteers, who continue to provide them with freight and access to the highways, accelerating the decline of American-owned trucking companies while leaving crash victims and their families without meaningful accountability or support.

Hold the brokers accountable for what they have done to our industry! Demand Accountability! Demand Broker Liability!

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/15/2026 - 22:35

Gabbard Sends Criminal Referrals For 2019 Trump Impeachment Whistleblower, IG Coverup

On Monday, DNI Tulsi Gabbard and the House Intelligence Committee released declassified transcripts revealing that the whistleblower whose complaint about Trump and Zelensky's 'perfect call' as an extreme parisan who had a "prior professional relationship with one of the Democratic Presidential candidates," and despite those facts, former-Intelligence Community Inspector General (ICIG) Michael Atkinson claimed "I did not find the complainant (whistleblower) was biased."

Tulsi Gabbard, director of national intelligence, during a news conference in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on July 23, 2025.Eric Lee / Bloomberg via Getty Images

Well, tonight they're the recipients of two criminal referrals. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Wednesady referred who is believed to be former CIA analyst Eric Ciaramella - along with the former intelligence community inspector general who fast-tracked it - for potential criminal investigation, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence announced Tuesday.

The referrals to the Justice Department, first reported by Fox News and confirmed by multiple officials familiar with the matter, come days after Gabbard’s office declassified more than seven-year-old transcripts and supporting documents that Democrats and the intelligence community had kept under wraps since the fall of 2019. The newly public records raise fresh questions about the origins and handling of the complaint that accused Trump of pressuring Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter.

NEW RECORDS VIA @DNIGabbard @RepRickCrawford ATKINSON TRANSCRIPTS

- First Trump Impeachment + Whistleblower Motive

Whistleblower met with Democrats on House Intelligence Committee (then led by Adam Schiff) BEFORE reporting his allegations to the Intelligence Community… pic.twitter.com/x7A1IxHLLO

— Catherine Herridge (@C__Herridge) April 13, 2026

Ciaramella was a CIA analyst detailed to the National Security Council at the time. According to the declassified materials, he had no firsthand knowledge of Trump’s July 25, 2019, phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and instead relied on secondhand accounts from NSC colleagues. He was a registered Democrat who had previously worked on Ukraine policy under then-Vice President Biden - including traveling with him - and had pre-complaint contacts with Democratic staff on the House Intelligence Committee, including aides to then-Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the records show.

Former Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson, who received the complaint in August 2019, is accused in the declassified files of deviating from standard procedures. He allegedly changed the whistleblower complaint form to accommodate hearsay information, ignored Justice Department guidance that the complaint did not qualify as an “urgent concern,” did not review the actual call transcript, and relied on a narrow set of interviews - including one with a witness who had co-authored the controversial 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment on Russian election interference and had ties to former FBI official Peter Strzok.

Gabbard, a Trump ally installed as DNI earlier this year, framed the declassification and referrals as long-overdue accountability.

“Deep state actors within the Intelligence Community concocted a false narrative that was used by Congress to usurp the will of the American people and impeach the duly-elected President of the United States,” Gabbard said in a statement accompanying the release. “Inspector General Atkinson failed to uphold his responsibility to the American people, putting political motivations over the truth.”

The ODNI general counsel’s referral letter, obtained by outlets covering the story, cited possible violations of federal criminal law by “one or more former employees of the intelligence community,” specifically referencing Atkinson’s 2019 congressional briefings.

The declassified package - released by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence at the request of Chairman Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) following a March 24 committee vote - includes closed-door transcripts of Atkinson’s 2019 testimony before the panel. Those transcripts had been withheld from Trump’s defense team during the impeachment proceedings and from the broader public for more than seven years.

The move revives one of the most contentious chapters of Trump’s first term and comes as his second administration aggressively pursues investigations into perceived abuses by the intelligence community during the Russia investigation, the 2020 election challenges and both impeachments.

Schiff, now a senator from California, and other Democrats involved in the original impeachment have not yet commented publicly on the latest developments. A spokesman for the House Intelligence Committee under Democratic control in 2019 called the declassification “a partisan stunt designed to rewrite history.”

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/15/2026 - 22:10

Human Smuggler Extradited From Brazil To US: DOJ

Authored by Troy Myers via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

A Bangladeshi national, alleged by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to be a “prolific” alien smuggler, made his first appearance Monday in a Laredo, Texas, federal courtroom following his extradition from Brazil, according to a DOJ statement.

Illegal immigrants who are believed to have crossed the border from Mexico into the United States are seen after the truck they were being transported in was interdicted by law enforcement officers in Laredo, Texas, on Sept. 13, 2022. Department of Justice/Handout via Reuters

The indictment against Saiful Islam, 39, in the Southern District of Texas accuses him of being part of a conspiracy that smuggled numerous illegal immigrants through Central America to the United States, the DOJ said.

“Islam participated in a wide-ranging human smuggling operation,” the agency said.

The Bangladeshi man also allegedly helped other smugglers by facilitating the travel of aliens from São Paulo, Brazil, and other locations in South America, Central America, and Mexico, eventually instructing them in how to illegally cross the Rio Grande River or jump the border fence.

Islam’s charges include conspiracy to bring an alien to the United States, multiple counts of bringing an alien to the United States for financial gain, and conspiracy to encourage or induce an alien to enter the United States, according to the DOJ statement. He also faces potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.

A conviction on the charge of bringing an alien to the United States for financial gain carries a mandatory minimum sentence of three to five years in prison, depending on additional factors, and a maximum of 15 years.

Islam would face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the other two charges if he is convicted of them.

There is no listed attorney for Islam yet in his online docket, which shows his case was assigned to a judge in August 2020.

Several agencies are coordinating in the investigation of Islam, including Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection’s International Interdiction Task Force, the U.S. Marshals Service, and INTERPOL.

The DOJ credited its Joint Task Force Alpha, the agency’s lead effort in fighting human smuggling and trafficking by cartels and other criminal organizations, in investigating, charging, and prosecuting Islam.

Joint Task Force Alpha’s main goal is targeting leaders and organizers of cartels throughout the Americas, Mexico, and the “Northern Triangle countries” of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, the Justice Department said.

Former Attorney General Pam Bondi announced last September an expansion of the agency to cover Canada, the Caribbean, maritime borders, and elsewhere.

“This Department of Justice is investigating and prosecuting human smuggling more aggressively than ever before,” Bondi said.

Joint Task Force Alpha has, to date, arrested more than 450 domestic and international leaders, organizers, and facilitators of alien smuggling or trafficking. According to the Monday DOJ statement, the agency’s work has resulted in more than 395 U.S. convictions, more than 345 “significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.”

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/15/2026 - 21:45

Bessent Keeps Running Tally Of China As "Unreliable Global Partner" - Count Now Stands At Three

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters Tuesday that Beijing’s panic hoarding of crude and refined products, while refusing to join the rest of the world in releasing supplies to offset the Gulf energy shock, has now demonstrated for the third time in five years that China is an "unreliable global partner."

"China has been an unreliable global partner three times in the past five years; once during COVID, when they hoarded healthcare products, second on rare earth," Bessent said, referring to Beijing's move last year to weaponize rare earth exports against the US in the tit-for-tat trade war that disrupted US supply chains, including temporary factory shutdowns such as production lines briefly shuttered by Ford Motor Company.

Bessent said China continued to purchase tanker loads of crude instead of helping ease the global supply crunch caused by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, despite already holding a massive strategic reserve. He also noted that China restricted exports of crude products early in the conflict. 

Reuters noted that China's strategic petroleum reserve "was roughly the same size as that of the entire reserve held by the 32-member International Energy Agency, but it was continuing to purchase oil."

Bessent added, "They continued buying, and they've been hoarding, and they have cut off exports of many products." 

On US-China relations, he told reporters he's been in contact with Chinese officials about the hoarding issue. 

He declined to comment on whether the dispute and elevated tensions will derail an upcoming Trump-Xi meeting in Beijing, which has been pushed to mid-May.

"I think the message for the visit is stability. We've had great stability in the relationship since last summer; that emanates from the top down," he said. "I think that communication is the key."

Bessent added that the US military blockade would ensure that no Chinese tankers or other ships would pass the strait: "So they're not going to be able to get their oil. They can get oil. Not Iranian oil." 

Last week, International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol warned that governments must avoid panic hoarding and refrain from imposing fuel export bans as the Gulf energy shock continues to ripple outward to Asia, Africa, Europe, and eventually reaches the US West Coast.

"I urge all countries not to impose bans or restrictions on exports," Fatih Birol emphasized in a Financial Times interview. "It is the worst time when you look at the global oil markets. Their trade partners, their allies and their neighbors will suffer as a result."

The FT noted that Birol was "careful not to name China directly," but made very clear his warning was likely aimed at Beijing.

So Bessent is clearly keeping a running tally of Beijing’s behavior as an "unreliable global partner," and by his count, the number now stands at three.

What comes next is unclear, but the next signal will likely come from the upcoming Trump-Xi meeting.

* * *

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/15/2026 - 21:20

Business Financial Distress Nears COVID Levels As Sole Trader Numbers Rise

Authored by Rex Widerstrom via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

The volume of businesses struggling to pay their debts in Australia is on track to exceed the heights set during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to two reports on the nation’s economic health.

Australian dollar coins and banknotes in Melbourne, Australia on April 4, 2024. AAP Image/Joel Carrett

Up to 13 percent of working-age Australians and 47 percent of secondary school students want to work for themselves or start a business, but that’s not translating into a pipeline of new enterprises, according to the Committee for the Economic Development of Australia (CEDA).

“Our analysis shows the proportion of business owners in the workforce has declined steadily over the past two decades and fell to a record low last year. The decline has been sharpest for owner-managers with employees and less steep for solo owner-operators. It is evident across all age groups, including younger workers,” said CEDA Chief Executive Melinda Cilento.

While the total rate of business formation has grown moderately over the past decade, it has been almost entirely driven by growth in sole traders.

In contrast, entry rates for businesses that employ staff declined steadily through the 2000s and has since been relatively flat.

This trend has coincided with the rise in second jobs, “side hustles,” and digital-platform work.

“Starting a side hustle or taking on gig work can be a flexible way to get started and gain some hands-on experience,” Cilento said. ”But the evidence suggests most of these activities are intended only to top-up household income, and not to build the next generation of employing firms.

“If we want a more productive, competitive, and resilient economy, we need to make it easier for people to turn a good idea into a growing enterprise.”

To help achieve that, CEDA wants the federal government to use next month’s federal Budget to introduce further cuts to “red tape” and to review existing business support programmes.

This entails eliminating redundant or out-of-date regulatory obstacles, streamlining the application process for grants and other support programmes, and expanding access to financing and insurance.

The government should also promote business advice and training more effectively, and remove anti-competitive obstacles that hinder the entry and expansion of new businesses, CEDA says.

Auditors Sound Warning

Meanwhile, 2025 was a record year for “going concern” notices for businesses unable to pay their debts with in the next 12 months, according to Chartered Accountants.

The group was concerned about the viability of 28 percent of Australian-listed companies outside the mining sector, up from 20 percent in 2021.

That compares to 15 percent in New Zealand and approximately 8 percent in comparable high‑income countries internationally.

Among Australian miners, the figure increased to nearly half, up from 32 percent in 2021.

“This level of uncertainty exceeds that seen at the height of the COVID disruptions and reflects the cumulative impact of global trade uncertainty, market volatility, higher interest rates, and persistent inflationary pressures on business viability,” said Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ).

Its report, “Insights into 2025 auditor reports: A focus on going concern,” was conducted in partnership with the Universities of Melbourne and Queensland, and took place before the current Middle East conflict and its resulting energy price shock.

“Auditors are now flagging greater uncertainty than during the pandemic itself, which shows how sustained economic pressures around liquidity, refinancing, and future profitability can be just as challenging for businesses as an acute shock,” said Amir Ghandar.

While mining is under particular pressure, the conditions are also affecting other capital-intensive industries such as information technology and health care.

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/15/2026 - 20:55

Major Israeli PAC Flips: Tel Aviv Should Pay Out-Of-Pocket If It Wants US Weapons

via Middle East Eye

The pro-Israel advocacy group J Street is now calling for an end to "direct" US military support to Israel, per a new policy document published this week. The group had previously backed Washington's continued provision of defensive weapons systems, such as the replenishment of Israel's Iron Dome, at no cost to Israelis. 

Now, it says the US "should continue to sell" short-range air and ballistic missile defense capabilities to Israel, but Israel should use its own money to pay for them. 

Source: Times of Israel

"Israel faces real security challenges that require a significant defense investment. With a per capita GDP comparable to leading US allies such as the United Kingdom, France and Japan, as well as an annual defense budget of over $45 billion, it has the financial means to address these challenges," J Street said. 

"It does not require almost $4 billion per year in US financial subsidies to purchase weapons," it added. "Continuing this assistance is both unnecessary and politically counterproductive, creating avoidable tensions in US domestic politics and in the bilateral relationship."

The way the current military aid package operates is that the US provides Israel with American taxpayer funds, and those funds are put into US weapons companies to acquire equipment. 

On its website, J Street says that it "organizes pro-Israel, pro-peace, pro-democracy Americans to promote US policies that embody our deeply held Jewish and democratic values and that help secure the State of Israel as a democratic homeland for the Jewish people". 

Political tide turns

J Street's shift follows a distinct change in attitudes towards Israel among the American public after what has been widely labeled genocide in Gaza, where over 72,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel's war on the enclave broke out in October 2023. 

But perhaps more importantly for the group, whose support base is made up of Democrats, the party's future is changing course. Progressive New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who is widely believed to be seeking higher office, announced earlier this month that she would no longer vote for any US military support to Israel, despite having previously backed the provision of defensive weapons, much to the disappointment of many of her supporters. 

It is notable, however, that her statement followed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's surprise declaration earlier this year that Israel will not seek to renew its military aid package with the US in 2028. "I want to taper off the military aid within the next 10 years," all the way down to zero, Netanyahu told The Economist in January. 

J Street's new position demands that any future US arms sales that Israel pays for out-of-pocket "be fully consistent with American law", which echoed Ocasio-Cortez's statement.

US law prohibits security assistance to any country whose government engages in a consistent pattern of gross human rights violations or blocks or restricts the transport or delivery of US-backed humanitarian aid.

This moment demands a reset. J Street is calling for the U.S. to end unconditional financial military subsidies to Israel and to move towards a relationship where we treat Israel like any other ally.

J Street supports:
– Phasing out taxpayer-funded military aid by 2028, when the…

— J Street (@jstreetdotorg) April 13, 2026

"US arms sales to Israel should be further conditioned to incentivize alignment with American interests and laws - as has been the case with other allies and partners – when their behavior is inconsistent with US interests," J Street said. At the same time, the group acknowledges that Washington and Israel generally share the same interests anyway. "The US also benefits meaningfully from the relationship. Intelligence sharing has been critical in campaigns such as the fight against ISIS, while joint operations such as Israel’s 2006 strike on Syria’s secret nuclear facility have advanced shared security goals."

It added that because "approximately 500,000 American citizens live in Israel", selling it weapons should continue to be a US national security priority. 

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/15/2026 - 20:05

China's Unitree Unveils Robot With "Human-Like Physique" That Can Outrun Most People

The race for bipedal humanoid robot intelligence has certainly been in the news, with robots receiving "AI brains" that have already brought them onto factory floors and will likely become more visible in the public world in the coming years (see UBS). 

But there is another race that Chinese robot maker Unitree is simultaneously part of, and that is actual speed.

In recent days, Unitree posted a video on X titled "Unitree Breaks the World Record Again," indicating that one of its humanoid robots now has the "physique of an ordinary person, running at a world champion's speed."

Unitree said the robot completed a sprint at 10 meters per second, or 22.4 mph. For context, the fastest human sprint speed ever recorded was Usain Bolt's 27.8 mph during his 100-meter world record run at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics.

10m/s!! Unitree Breaks the World Record Again😊
With the physique of an ordinary person, running at a world champion’s speed!
Leg length: 0.4+0.4=0.8m, body weight: approx. 62kg!
H1: “Give me one more chance, give the world one more honor!” pic.twitter.com/Fk4Zo9zKit

— Unitree (@UnitreeRobotics) April 11, 2026

Related:

• Will Chinese Robot Maker Unitree's Shanghai IPO Spark A Humanoid-Investing Bubble

Combine intelligence with speed, and the world is certainly racing toward the rise of robots that could one day chase down a human or even appear on the battlefield.

That's likely already happened. 

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/15/2026 - 19:40

Waymo Partners With Waze To Use Self-Driving Cars To Track Potholes

Authored by Dylan Morgan via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Two Alphabet-owned companies, Waymo and Waze, announced on April 9 that they will team up to detect potholes and share that information with local government agencies to help get them filled more efficiently.

A self-driving Waymo vehicle awaits passengers in Los Angeles on July 1, 2025. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

“Waymo is already making roads safer where we operate,“ said Arielle Fleisher, the company’s policy development and research manager, in a statement. ”We want to build on the safety benefits of our service by partnering with organizations and city officials to help improve the infrastructure we all depend on.”

Waymo, which started out as a Google self-driving car project in 2009 and spun out into its own company under Alphabet in 2016, said the pothole program was inspired from feedback it gathered from city officials over the years and is intended to fill reporting gaps.

Waymos are covered with cameras and sensors. The company said it will use its feedback systems to detect potholes and share that information through Waze’s platform, which users will be able to verify.

Waze, a GPS navigation app that lets drivers alert others with live updates, was acquired by Alphabet-subsidiary Google in 2013 for around $1.1 billion.

“This pilot program with Waymo adds another source of data to that effort, giving cities a clearer picture of road conditions through our Waze for Cities platform. It’s a great example of how working together helps our community and makes our roads better for everyone,” Waze Strategic Partner Manager Andrew Stober said.

Waze and Waymo will launch the pilot program in five areas—the San Francisco Bay Area, where the two companies are headquartered in Mountain View, as well as the Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin, and Atlanta metro areas.

“We appreciate the collaboration with Waymo and Waze as we explore how technology can help identify issues like potholes faster so we can respond more efficiently,” San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said in a statement. “We’re always looking for innovative ways to deliver better services for residents.”

Waymo said it has already identified around 500 potholes in these locations and will work to expand the program to more cities it serves.

Alongside these five locations, Waymo also operates in Dallas, Houston, Miami, Nashville, Orlando, and San Antonio.

The Nashville location is the newest addition, as Waymo started allowing users in Nashville on a rolling basis on April 7. The company also announced in February that it will expand to Charlotte, Chicago, and Sacramento, where it has released its fleet to begin gathering data on Sacramento’s streets.

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

Build It, And They Will Come? Not The Case At Baltimore's Harbor East Luxury Tower

The Four Seasons Private Residences in Harbor East, situated in crime-ridden Baltimore City and serving as a flagship luxury development project tied to the Inner Harbor's waterfront revitalization, was originally envisioned as an ultra-luxury tower designed to attract the rich and powerful. The premise for building the tower, which opened in 2017, was very simple: build it, and they will come.

The Paterakis family, one of the most prominent business and real estate families in the Baltimore metro area, best known for their baking empire and for transforming part of the city's waterfront over the decades, backed the Four Seasons Private Residences project, with one-bedroom condos hitting the market in 2017 for $1 million.

Yet the saying "build it, and they will come" didn't play out here, as the latest report from local outlet Baltimore Banner says a third of the 62 condos "have never sold," and the current listing price now "starts in the $500,000s."

Three investors told the local outlet that "the true price is even lower" for these one-bedroom units. That would suggest a 50% collapse in value over just nine years since the 2017 debut.

The outlet continued:

The trio scooped up 11 units at the Four Seasons last year. Now they’re suing Harbor East Parcel D-Residential LLC in Baltimore Circuit Court, accusing the seller of artificially inflating the sale price listed in public records. Harbor East Parcel-D Residential is the limited liability company used by the Paterakis family and other investors to own and sell the condos. George Philippou, a son-in-law of Paterakis Sr., signs deeds and other property records on behalf of the company.

David J. Shuster, an attorney for the limited liability company, said in a statement that the claims in the lawsuit are without merit and declined to comment further, citing the ongoing litigation. The Four Seasons, a Toronto-based company that operates resorts, hotels and condos around the world, did not respond to a request for comment.

Paterakis' bad bet on the ultra-luxury tower in Harbor East appears to be following a similar pattern to other high-profile redevelopment projects around the Inner Harbor, including Under Armor CEO Kevin Plank's Baltimore Peninsula project, which has struggled.

Let's not forget that the actual Inner Harbor is virtually a ghost town:

Downtown Baltimore is witnessing a troubling trend as businesses continue to close, leaving employees without jobs and residents without essential services.

The latest casualty is the Sheraton Hotel, a key fixture of the Inner Harbor, which has left 69 employees jobless.… pic.twitter.com/PagIL8uW9J

— FOX Baltimore (@FOXBaltimore) January 17, 2026

At a broader level, the common denominator behind these redevelopment failures is impossible to ignore: Baltimore's population has collapsed to a 100-year low in a relatively short period, eroding demand for urban revival projects. Much of that decline can be linked to a city and state controlled by unhinged Democratic Party kings and queens, pushing far-left policies that have only backfired into a California-style exodus of residents.

Baltimore's failure is a direct result of the one-party rule of Democratic queens and kings who appear to have done nothing but economically sabotage the state.

But the story here takes a twist because there is a movement inside the business community, especially among Sinclair Executive Chairman David Smith, to combat the far-left crazies who run the city and state through information warfare. Democrats have freaked out that Smith bought the largest paper in the state, The Baltimore Sun, as the left-wing regime has failed to counter the narratives, while left-wing Gov. Wes Moore's polling data implodes.

Alex Soros & Gov. Moore. 

Here's a novel idea for the business community that has watched its state and city implode under a far-left regime: it's time to go on the offensive and ensure common-sense politicians are elected in future elections, rather than left-wing activists who have no problem abusing taxpayers and looting state coffers for progressive projects, such as this:

Maryland Delegate Kathy Szeliga (R) EMBARESSES Democrats who want to force "appropriately sized tampons" into men's bathrooms.

Szeliga: "I've never heard of such a thing... what do you consider appropriate???"pic.twitter.com/jjasHIMtRE https://t.co/gsjXEzXVre

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) March 24, 2026

Meanwhile, just an hour south: "D.C. Economy "Under Strain," Faces Biggest Spending Cuts Since Great Recession." 

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/15/2026 - 18:50

Pentagon Accused Of Cover-Up After Missing Deadline On 46 Military UAP Videos

Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,

The Pentagon has come under fire for failing to meet a congressional deadline to release dozens of military videos showing unidentified aerial phenomena, sparking fresh claims of a bureaucratic stall on one of the most sensitive national security issues in decades.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., had pressed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to deliver 46 specific clips by April 14. Whistleblowers had told her task force that the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) already possessed the records. Yet as the deadline passed with no delivery, critics pointed to a pattern of delay that has long fueled public distrust.

The requested material includes spherical objects maneuvering erratically over Afghanistan, cigar-shaped craft, Tic Tac-style encounters, transmedium vehicles moving between air and water, and multiple formations captured near U.S. military assets, submarines, and sensitive airspace.

🚨Lawmaker asks Hegseth to release UAP videos citing national security concerns

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna. R-Fla., is asking Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to hand over dozens of military “unidentified aerial phenomena” videos by April 14. NBC News' Gadi Schwartz reports. Today is… pic.twitter.com/pQ0yQDCljR

— Skywatch Signal (@UAPWatchers) April 14, 2026

On April 15, with the deadline missed, the War Department moved to address the growing pressure. A U.S. official told Liberation Times that AARO is now actively working with the White House and other agencies to prepare previously unseen UAP records for public release.

“The Department of War’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) is working in close coordination with the White House and across federal agencies to consolidate existing UAP records collections and facilitate the expeditious release of never-before-seen UAP information,” the official stated.

The official added that “Since the office was established, AARO has made progress to make UAP information available and transfer those records to the National Archives in accordance with federal law. We welcome the president’s initiative to supercharge these efforts and make more UAP information available to the public as soon as possible.”

?War Department Says White House Coordinating Release of UFO Material

Ina recent article by @ChrisUKSharp a U.S. War Department official told Liberation Times that the Pentagons dedicated UFO office is working with the White House and federal agencies to prepare the release of… pic.twitter.com/QTlZgMZvKL

— Skywatch Signal (@UAPWatchers) April 15, 2026

The statement comes following mounting outrage over the missed deadline, with Luna herself noting the Pentagon’s initial silence.

https://t.co/cJ39OUywOD ??

— Daily Mail US (@Daily_MailUS) April 14, 2026

This episode fits a broader pattern of incremental movement on UAP transparency. Just days ago, Rep. Tim Burchett indicated that names, dates, people, and locations tied to the phenomenon are set to emerge in upcoming briefings.

Earlier this year the U.S. government quietly registered the domain aliens.gov, adding fuel to speculation that formal acknowledgment of non-human intelligence is being prepared at the highest levels.

And in January an insider warned the Bank of England to ready itself for imminent alien disclosure, suggesting the topic has moved well beyond fringe discussion and into institutional planning.

President Trump directed the process of identifying and releasing government files on UAP, UFOs, and extraterrestrial matters back in February. Yet the slow pace continues to frustrate lawmakers and the public alike.

Luna’s task force has emphasized the national security angle, arguing that unexplained objects operating in restricted airspace warrant full scrutiny rather than continued secrecy. The videos in question were reportedly captured by fighter jets, drones, surveillance aircraft, and naval assets across multiple theaters.

While AARO’s latest statement signals forward momentum and coordination at the White House level, skeptics note that similar promises have been made before without full delivery. The public, long accustomed to partial disclosures and redacted reports, is watching closely to see whether this round produces genuine transparency or another round of managed narrative.

The stakes extend beyond curiosity. If these objects represent advanced technology—human or otherwise—the public has a right to know what their governments have documented in their name. Continued foot-dragging only deepens suspicion that elements within the bureaucracy prefer control over candor.

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 Wed, 04/15/2026 - 18:25

Do White People Even Play Golf?

Nike has long been one of the most recognizable athletic brands in the world, but the sneaker and apparel company has suffered rapid brand deterioration amid its move to fully embrace woke corporate politics, with its stock collapsing roughly 75% from its peak during the Covid era, when the Marxist NGO Black Lives Matter gained traction across corporate America.

Nike’s stock has been a disaster and is trading at 2014 prices. Management just can’t figure out why.

— Time Traveller (@802701AD) April 13, 2026

Even as the face of golf continues to change among the 28.1 million Americans who played in 2024 - with 28% female and 25% Black, Asian, or Hispanic, both the highest proportions ever recorded according to the National Golf Foundation - a viral post on X appears to show Nike’s unhinged corporate culture being criticized once again.

"Do White people even play golf?" one X user asked, after viewing Nike's website, which features all things golf, and finding the lack of diversity ...

Do White people even play golf? https://t.co/JQjgHI87FG pic.twitter.com/oBQbP56zZm

— Pub (@PubWanghaf) April 13, 2026

X users thought it was a joke ...

I thought it was a joke but there are ZERO white people on the Nike app pic.twitter.com/B0CBpo4EPg

— Dean (@Noticed2late) April 13, 2026

X users weren't happy:

That’s why I think @nike can go to hell. I’ll never buy any of their shit.

— Ronald Camillo (@ronald_camillo) April 13, 2026

NIKE has gone woke and it is actually going BROKE: -68% in the last 5Y

— Loris_Luca_I (@BLL_1973) April 13, 2026

Have we already forgotten when @Nike included anti-white training to their employees? Fnck @Nike

— George WOOshington (@rosticles) April 13, 2026

When I saw the 200$ shoes and 80$ shirt I wondered who could afford to dress themselves, let alone green fees and a day off work

— Fred (@Fredheelclicker) April 14, 2026

Pure gold.

Funny how they dropped the one black guy that’s been carrying them for decades in golf

— Strategeristic (@strategeristic) April 13, 2026

This is yet another brand choice by Nike, reflecting not the current audience but instead the audience they want to cultivate or the social message they want associated with the sport. This type of marketing may only push golfers toward other brands, such as Peter Millar, G/FORE, and Holderness & Bourne.

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/15/2026 - 18:00

Former Brazilian Intelligence Chief Detained By ICE In Florida

Authored by Charis Summers via The Epoch Times,

Alexandre Ramagem, a former chief of the Brazilian intelligence agency and a close ally of former President Jair Bolsonaro, has been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Orlando, Florida.

Ramagem was chief of the ABIN intelligence agency from 2019 until 2022, when he was elected to the Chamber of Deputies, representing Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party.

In September 2025, he was sentenced to 16 years in prison for his role in an attempted coup in 2023 by Bolsonaro supporters. His congressional seat was later declared vacant. Brazilian authorities said Ramagem fled the South American nation before he would have started serving his sentence.

Brazil’s federal police said in an April 13 statement that a “fugitive of the country’s justice was arrested” in Orlando, but did not mention Ramagem by name. Police said the unnamed fugitive was recently sentenced by the country’s top court for the same three counts as Ramagem’s conviction.

“The arrest stemmed from international police cooperation between the Federal Police and U.S. law enforcement authorities,” Brazilian authorities said. “The prisoner is considered a fugitive from Brazilian justice after conviction for the crimes of armed criminal organization, coup d’état and attempted violent abolition of the rule of law.”

The Epoch Times reached out to ICE and Immigrex, a visa consultation service and law firm representing Ramagem, for comment, but did not receive a response by publication time.

Bolsonaro was convicted and sentenced to 27 years in jail in September 2025.

‘Traffic Infraction’

Ramagem appeared as “in custody” in ICE’s online detainee database on April 13. The Epoch Times was unable to verify the reason for Ramagem’s arrest, or whether it was related to Brazil’s request to extradite him.

In an April 13 post on X, Paulo Figueiredo, ​a Bolsonaro ally who lives in Florida, said Ramagem was ‌detained after a “minor traffic infraction” in Orlando, and then referred to ICE.

“Ramagem’s status is LEGAL: he has a pending asylum application, filed some time ago and still under review, which allows him to remain lawfully in the United States until a final decision is made in the case,” Figueiredo said.

Brazilian senator and presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro in Grapevine, Texas, at the Conservative Political Action Conference on March 28, 2026. The Epoch Times

Bolsonaro’s son, Flávio, who is also a Brazilian senator, said in an April 13 post on X that Ramagem “has a pending asylum application, is well supported legally, and there is an expectation that he will be released soon.”

Brazil is due to hold presidential elections in October 2026, with the winner taking office in January 2027.

The trials of Bolsonaro and Ramagem stemmed from the aftermath of the 2022 Brazilian presidential election, which included attacks on government buildings by Bolsonaro’s supporters.

Bolsonaro and his aides denied any involvement and said that they were the target of political persecution under the administration of his former competitor, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, or Lula.

During Bolsonaro’s trial, U.S. President Donald Trump referred to it as a “witch hunt” and said Bolsonaro was not guilty of anything, except having fought for the people.

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro (2nd L) greets supporters next to his wife Michelle Bolsonaro during a rally in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Feb. 25, 2024. Nelson Almeida/AFP via Getty Images

Bolsonaro started his prison sentence in November but was released to house arrest last month after suffering a bout of pneumonia.

In an April 13 post on X, Jorge Seif Júnior, who sits in the Brazilian federal senate, said Ramagem’s detention is “another case of political persecution in Brazil.”

“Today I formally submitted to the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia Official Letter No. 013/2026, presenting the relevant arguments regarding the detention, by ICE, of Brazilian Federal Police officer and Congressman Alexandre Ramagem,” he wrote. “This is yet another case of political persecution in Brazil, as seen with Jair Bolsonaro and Eduardo Bolsonaro. In light of this, I advocate for the granting of political asylum. ”

Lula, on April 14, called ‌on Ramagem to return to Brazil to serve his sentence.

“I believe Ramagem will come back to Brazil, he ​has to come ​back to serve his sentence,” Lula ‌said ⁠in an interview with local media.

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/15/2026 - 17:40

IMF Warns US Treasury Market Prone To "Sudden Repricing" Due To Soaring Debt, Overreliance On Bills

The International Monetary Fund warned Wednesday that the relentless US debt issuance is undermining the premium Treasuries have commanded from investors, with implications for government securities across the globe.

“The increase in the US Treasury security supply is compressing the safety premium that US Treasuries have traditionally commanded — an erosion that pushes up borrowing costs globally,” the Washington-based IMF said in its latest Fiscal Monitor report.

The US has been selling large volumes of debt because its budget deficit has averaged roughly 6% of gross domestic product over the past three years, an unprecedented shortfall outside of wartime or recession eras. The gap is expected to stay around those levels throughout the coming decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office. In reality, it will only get wider. 

As Bloomberg reports, the IMF pointed to a narrowing gap between the yields of AAA rated corporate bonds and Treasuries as a sign of reduced appeal for US government securities. While spreads have typically been viewed as a gauge of the risk investors estimate for corporate borrowers, the fund is flipping that analysis on its head to view it as a metric of how much extra buyers are willing to pay for Treasuries.

“A narrowing spread implies that the premium investors pay for the safety and liquidity of Treasuries (relative to high-grade corporate debt) is compressing,” the IMF said. The fund showed that AAA corporate spreads have shrunk to roughly 35 basis points from more than 55 basis points at the start of 2019.

Besides funding runaway US debt, another danger flagged by the IMF was the increasing reliance of the US Treasury on sales of short-dated debt, a process launched by Janet Yellen and her Activist Treasury Issuance, and maintained ever since. Having initially criticized the Bill buildout, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent last year said that it didn’t make sense to expand issuance of longer-dated securities, given that their yield levels were above those of T-Bills, which mature in under a year.

“When debt is concentrated at shorter maturities, governments must refinance more frequently, increasing their exposure to abrupt shifts in market conditions or investor sentiment,” the fund said, noting that the US - along with all other "developed" governments - has shifted reliance toward sales of bills.

Wednesday’s warnings come three weeks before Bessent’s Treasury sets out its latest plan for US debt issuance, known as the quarterly refunding policy statement.

Finally, the IMF also flagged the increasing role that hedge funds are playing in the Treasuries market, via so-called cash-futures basis trades, as a risk.

“The liquidity that hedge funds supply through such trades can be prone to flight, as it is backed by more-leveraged investors: a spike in volatility or financing costs can trigger forced unwinding, amplifying price dislocations,” it said.

Multiple elements - historically high borrowing needs, the composition of demand for Treasuries tilting toward hedge funds and the increasing reliance on shorter-dated securities - are contributing to increased vulnerability of the market to a “sudden repricing,” according to the IMF. These dynamics can also become self-reinforcing, the fund said.

“If investors grow concerned about a country’s rollover capacity, they may demand higher yields or step back from auctions of sovereign bonds altogether, validating the initial concern,” the IMF said, effectively explaining what happens when a Ponzi scheme stops working.

“The resulting political pressure to address rising costs of servicing debt may itself become a source of uncertainty that markets price in.”

Meantime, the Iran war will stoke new fiscal pressures, forcing governments to choose between cushioning their economies from rising energy costs or keeping a lid on borrowing, the IMF also said.

“The Middle East has added a new source of fiscal pressure to an already strained global landscape,” it said. “In a scenario of prolonged conflict, global debt-at-risk could increase by an additional 4 percentage points,” the IMF said, using a term that refers to the danger of repayment difficulties in an adverse scenario.

As finance ministers and central bankers from around the world gather in the US capital this week for the spring meetings of the IMF and World Bank, the fund chided most major economies on their fiscal policies, starting with the US which has “no debt consolidation plan in sight” - the IMF certainly is correct there - while China’s persistent large deficits are continuing to add to its borrowing load, which is also accurate, but fails to discuss China's relentless dumping of products which are collapsing its core export markets as their manufacturing sectors implode as they can't complete with Chinese state subsidies. Several European Union member nations have triggered escape clauses from the union’s rules on deficits in order to fund defense spending, the IMF noted.

But the US has a special role, given how reverberations in the Treasuries market spread across the world, the IMF said.

“The transmission is global: supply-driven increases in US yields spill over almost one-for-one to foreign bond markets, disproportionately affecting countries reliant on external financing,” the IMF said.

The full IMF Fiscal Monitor report can be found here.

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/15/2026 - 17:20

Treasury Secretary Says Order On Citizenship Proof For Banking Is 'In Process'

Authored by Jack Phillips via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday confirmed that an executive order mandating banks to collect citizenship information on customers is underway.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent addresses journalists in Paris on March 16, 2026. Ludovic Marin / AFP via Getty Images

“It’s in process. And I don’t think it’s unreasonable, because, why don’t we have information on who’s in our banking system?” he told Semafor in an April 13 interview, responding to whether the Trump administration was working on the banking order.

“I have a place in the UK; they want to know who lives in every apartment—and how do we know that it’s not part of a foreign terrorist organization?” he added.

At least one Republican lawmaker has asked the Trump administration to implement such an order, and The Wall Street Journal reported, citing anonymous sources, that banks could be tasked with requiring people to submit passports under the policy.

In a post issued on X in October 2025, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) included a letter he sent to Bessent urging the secretary to carry out a “comprehensive review of current rules that allow illegal aliens to obtain financial services and access to the U.S. banking system.”

“Access to the American banking system is a privilege that should be reserved for those who respect our laws and sovereignty,” Cotton wrote in the letter. “When individuals are allowed to open accounts without verifying legal status, we are permitting illegal aliens to establish financial roots and integrate economically, all while bypassing the legal channels that millions use properly.”

Cotton asked whether the administration could implement the order under the USA PATRIOT Act, a Bush administration-era law enacted in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, or the Bank Secrecy Act, a 1970 anti-money laundering law.

The Trump administration has prioritized cracking down on illegal immigration as well as entitlement fraud. Since he took office in January 2025, President Donald Trump has issued multiple executive orders and memoranda to boost the deportation of illegal immigrants and end temporary deportation protection programs for certain countries.

Trump has also called on Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which has stalled in the Senate, to require photo IDs for voting and proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote.

In a post last month, the president said that there would be no deal to end the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) unless some Democrats join Republicans to pass the measure.

The bill must include “their approval of Voter I.D., (with picture!), Citizenship to Vote, No Mail-In Voting (with exceptions), All Paper Ballots, No Men In Women’s Sports, and No Transgender MUTILIZATION of our precious children,” he wrote in a Truth Social post on March 22. He also called on congressional lawmakers to stay in Washington during the Easter recess, although the lawmakers ultimately went on their break.

Last month, the Trump administration established an anti-fraud task force that would investigate instances of illegal immigrants engaging in benefits fraud as well as other forms of waste and abuse.

The Epoch Times contacted the White House for comment on Tuesday.

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/15/2026 - 17:00

Mullin Blasts Biden Admin After DHS Employee Killed By Naturalized Felon

On Monday, Lauren Bullis, a 40-year-old Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employee, was "brutally shot and stabbed to death" while walking her dog, and DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin is blaming the Biden administration for her murder.

Olaolukitan Adon Abel (left) and Lauren Bullis (Photos: DHS)

Bullis, an auditor with the DHS Office of Inspector General, was found on Battle Forest Drive in DeKalb County, Georgia, around 6:50 a.m. Witnesses saw a man standing over her body before he fled. She was not the only victim. According to reports, a neighbor heard the gunfire and ran out of her house to see what was happening. The neighbor told local media that it appeared Adon-Abel was attempting to sexually assault Bullis.

Before Bullis died, police discovered another woman had been shot multiple times outside a Checkers & Rally’s restaurant. She later succumbed to her injuries. Then, in Brookhaven, a homeless man was ambushed while sleeping outside a shopping center. He was shot several times and remains in critical condition.

That suspect is Olaolukitan Adon-Abel, 26, born in the United Kingdom and naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 2022 under the Biden administration. Adon-Abel was arrested on Monday and now faces two counts of murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As a convicted felon, he not only shouldn’t have had a gun, but according to federal law, he should not have been a citizen either.

Adon-Abel had convictions for sexual battery, battery against a police officer, obstruction, assault with a deadly weapon, and vandalism — a trail of violence spanning years. And yet, in 2022, the Biden administration's U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services granted him full citizenship. The legal standard for naturalization, as outlined in 8 U.S.C. § 1427, requires applicants to demonstrate "good moral character." Someone who has assaulted a police officer and committed sexual battery should not clear that bar. 

"Yesterday, a DHS employee, Lauren Bullis, was brutally shot and stabbed to death by Olaolukitan Adon Abel, a 26-year-old born in the United Kingdom, who was naturalized by the Biden Administration in 2022," DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement to Fox News. "Since President Trump took office, USCIS has implemented measures to ensure individuals with criminal histories and who otherwise lack good moral character do not attain citizenship."

Mullin continued, “He possesses a prior criminal record that includes convictions for sexual battery, battery against a police officer, obstruction, and assault with a deadly weapon, vandalism and now stands accused of murdering DHS employee Lauren Bullis by shooting and stabbing her while she walked her dog. He has also been arrested for the murder of an unidentified woman whom he reportedly shot outside a Checkers, before randomly shooting a homeless man multiple times outside a Kroger in Brookhaven."

He added, “These acts of pure evil have devastated our Department, and my prayers are with the families of the victims.”

The Biden administration routinely dismissed concerns about immigration vetting as fearmongering. Critics who raised red flags about naturalization standards were called nativists or worse. But the standard is not political — it is statutory. Federal law bars naturalization for individuals who cannot demonstrate good moral character, and multiple violent criminal convictions are about as clear a disqualifier as exists in the code.

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/15/2026 - 16:40

White House: 'Era Of Amnesty Is Over'

Authored by Catherine Salgado via PJ Media,

“No more activist judges shielding criminal illegals. No more endless delays. Only results.” The Trump White House is celebrating multiple massive immigration enforcement wins that signal the era of mass migration and mass amnesty is over.

AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

Since Donald Trump came back into office, federal authorities have removed three million illegal aliens from the United States through ICE deportations or voluntary deportations, which is the biggest reduction in illegal migration in modern history, according to a White House press release on April 9. This is exactly what the American people voted for. This is the sort of reform we hoped to see when immigration became one of the top issues in the 2024 election.

Besides the three million deportees, border officers have not released a single illegal alien into the United States at our borders for 11 straight months. The “era of amnesty is over,” indeed.

The overwhelming majority of asylum claims have long been fraudulent, and that is one major area where the Trump administration implemented reform. The U.S. immigration authority now grants asylum in only 7% of cases, slashing the number of criminals and illegal aliens who tried to use asylum claims as a free ticket into our country. In contrast, under Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, the government approved over 50% of asylum claims, according to the release.

I will give just two illustrations of why this is a big deal. First, just this week, the U.S. State Department revoked the lawful permanent resident status it had granted to Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, the niece of mass-murdering Iranian jihad leader Qasem Soleimani. Afshar had obtained residency and a life of luxury in the United States by claiming asylum here. Yet she repeatedly returned to Iran and regularly spouted pro-regime propaganda, illustrating how bogus her asylum claim was. And second, back in 2024, an Ecuadoran “asylum seeker” raped a 13-year-old at knifepoint in New York. These are only two examples of how broken our asylum system was before the Trump administration took over.

The White House release also highlighted the following wins:

Deportations and removal orders are surging: In fiscal year 2025, immigration courts issued nearly 500,000 removal orders — a 57% increase over the prior year — as criminal illegals are removed faster and in far greater numbers than ever before.

The massive court backlog is being slashed: Hundreds of thousands of cases have already been cleared since Inauguration Day, with reductions accelerating every month — ending the years-long delays that let illegals remain indefinitely.

And, as noted above, the Trump administration has successfully closed our borders.

The White House press release enthusiastically concluded, “President Trump promised to end the open borders nightmare — and he is delivering on that promise with unrelenting force. The era of catch-and-release, mass releases, and activist judicial amnesty is over.”

As we celebrate the 250th year of America’s existence, there is no better time to reflect on what national sovereignty and security mean.

* * *

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/15/2026 - 16:20

Beige Book Confirms Uncertainty, Fuel Costs Surged On Iran War As Economy Grew At "Slight To Modest" Pace

US economic activity continued to increase at a "slight-to-modest" pace across most regions as the war with Iran generated a new wave of uncertainty and higher energy costs, the Federal Reserve said. The just released Beige Book - which featured information compiled by the New York Fed and collected through April 6, capturing the early effects of the war on the US economy - was the first one to discuss the state of the US economy after the Iran war started, and came at time when gas prices sstayed above $4/gal for two weeks after the biggest monthly jump in decades, with March fuel spending up 16% according to Bank of America card spending data.

So far, Bank of America said that discretionary spending remains resilient—but risks rise if Hormuz disruptions persist. The Fed agreed, with the Beige Book reporting that overall economic activity increased at a slight to modest pace in eight of the twelve Federal Reserve Districts, while two Districts reported little change (San Francisco and St Louis), and two Districts reported slight to modest declines (Boston and New York).

Price growth remained moderate overall, but energy and fuel costs rose “sharply” in all 12 Fed districts, the central bank reported in its Beige Book survey of regional business contacts released Wednesday.

“The conflict in the Middle East was cited as a major source of uncertainty that complicated decision-making around hiring, pricing and capital investment, with many firms adopting a wait-and-see posture,” the Fed said.

Bloomberg's NLP model that measures net sentiment by evaluating hawkishness (+ score) and dovishness (- score) pictured below. Recent reading comes in at +1.2.

Several policymakers have signaled a preference to keep borrowing costs steady for quite some time while they evaluate the economic data. Officials are expected to leave their benchmark rate unchanged when they meet on April 28-29, according to pricing in futures contracts. A growing number of officials are concerned the war could fuel inflation, and more favored language at their March gathering that would have made it clear the Fed may need to raise interest rates.

Taking a closer look at the Beige Book, the conflict in the Middle East was cited as a major source of uncertainty that complicated decision-making around hiring, pricing, and capital investment, with many firms adopting a wait-and-see posture.

• Manufacturing activity rose slightly to moderately in most Districts. Banking sector activity was generally steady with loan demand stable to up moderately.
• On balance, consumer spending increased slightly despite harsh winter weather in some regions and higher fuel prices.
• Many Districts continued to report signs of consumer financial strain, increased price sensitivity, and rising demand at food banks and other social service organizations, while spending among higher-income consumers was resilient.
• Housing market activity softened across several Districts as heightened uncertainty and rising mortgage rates dampened buyer demand.
• Commercial real estate markets improved, with strength in industrial properties, especially data center projects. Office markets saw solid demand for Class A space but weaker demand for lower-tier properties.
• Energy activity was up slightly as oil prices rose, though many producers remained cautious about increasing drilling due to uncertainty about the persistence of higher prices. Agricultural activity was mixed, and several Districts reported that rising crop prices helped offset steep price increases of fertilizer and fuel.
• Business outlooks varied amid widespread uncertainty about future conditions.

In terms of Labor Markets, the Beige Book noted the following: 

• On balance, employment was steady to up slightly during this reporting period, though one District noted a slight decline.
• Most Districts described labor demand as stable, with low turnover, minimal layoffs, and hiring mostly for replacement.
• Several Districts noted increased demand for temporary or contract workers, as firms remained cautious about committing to permanent hires.
• Many Districts reported that labor availability had improved, although difficulty finding some skilled workers, especially in the skilled trades, persisted.
• While most Districts indicated that AI had not yet significantly impacted overall staffing levels, some noted that AI-driven productivity improvements had enabled many firms to delay or reduce hiring. Wages generally continued to rise at a modest to moderate pace.
• Some Districts noted continued wage pressures for some roles in health care and the skilled trades, though overall wage competition remained muted.

Energy prices were sharply higher 

• Price growth mostly remained moderate overall, with the vast majority of Districts reporting moderate increases and others pointing to modest growth. Generally, input cost increases outpaced selling price growth, compressing margins.
• Energy and fuel costs rose sharply in all Districts, attributed to the Middle East conflict, leading to higher freight and shipping costs and higher prices for plastics, fertilizers, and other petroleum-based products.
• Input cost pressures beyond energy-related increases were also widespread. Several Districts reported rising prices for metals due to tariffs, such as steel, copper, and aluminum. Technology costs rose for both hardware and software. Insurance premiums and health care costs continued to climb.

Finally, here are the main highlights by Fed districts:

• Boston: Economic activity declined slightly, employment and wages were flat, and prices rose at a moderate pace. Consumer spending was flat, as was activity in most sectors, but home sales slowed further. The conflict in the Middle East contributed to rising energy prices and created fresh uncertainty, though the outlook remained optimistic on balance.
• New York: Economic activity continued to decline modestly amid heightened uncertainty in large part due to shifts in tariff policy and the Middle East conflict. On balance, employment held steady, and wage growth remained modest. The pace of selling price increases remained moderate, and input price increases picked up markedly. Consumer spending grew slightly. Businesses generally expected little improvement in the months ahead.
• Philadelphia: Economic activity in the Third District grew slightly, down from a modest pace last period. Employment declined slightly, and wages again rose modestly. Prices continued to rise moderately, although cost pressures increased. Activity held steady for nonmanufacturers and increased moderately for manufacturers. Firms expect growth over the next six months, but uncertainty has risen further.
• Cleveland: Fourth District business activity increased modestly, with similar growth expected in the months ahead. Manufacturers reported increased demand, while retailers saw modest declines amid higher fuel prices. Residential real estate rebounded after a harsh winter. Employment grew slightly, and wages increased moderately. Nonlabor costs remained robust, while selling prices grew moderately.
• Richmond: The regional economy continued to grow modestly in recent weeks. Consumer spending on retail, travel, and tourism increased modestly. Nonfinancial service providers also reported modest growth in demand. Other sectors of the regional economy reported little change this cycle. Employment expanded slightly, wages picked up modestly, and price growth remained moderate.
• Atlanta: Economic activity grew at a modest pace. Employment remained flat and wages rose modestly. Prices and input costs also increased modestly. Retail sales and travel continued to expand. On balance, residential and commercial real estate conditions improved. Transportation and manufacturing activity expanded. Energy activity rose, but agricultural conditions were flat.
• Chicago: Economic activity in the Seventh District increased slightly over the reporting period. Manufacturing demand rose modestly; consumer spending increased slightly; construction and real estate activity, employment and business spending were flat on balance; and nonbusiness contacts saw no change in economic activity. Prices rose moderately, wages rose modestly, and financial conditions tightened modestly. Farm income expectations for 2026 declined some.
• St. Louis: Economic activity has remained unchanged since our previous report. Employment levels were unchanged and wage growth was moderate. Prices have risen moderately, but several contacts expressed concern about escalating energy costs. The outlook remains cautiously optimistic, yet contacts are attentive to risks to the economy associated with the conflict in the Middle East.
• Minneapolis: District economic activity increased slightly. Employment increased slightly and labor demand turned positive over the past two months. Prices increased modestly overall, but input price pressures intensified as oil price spikes fed through to freight and raw materials. Contacts across industries reported significant uncertainty.
• Kansas City: The Tenth District's economy grew slightly over the reporting period, while employment levels remained flat. Manufacturing firms indicated suppliers have implemented automatic surcharges tied to logistics and energy inputs. District oil and gas activity remains steady. Overall, prices have increased modestly.
• Dallas: Economic activity in the Eleventh District expanded slightly. Manufacturing output growth slowed, while activity in services was largely flat. Energy sector activity ticked up, and bank lending increased on strength in commercial real estate, while home sales were slow. Employment grew slightly, while wages and prices increased modestly to robustly. Outlooks deteriorated amid elevated geopolitical uncertainty and fuel price concerns.
• San Francisco: Economic activity was stable at subdued levels over the reporting period. Employment levels were unchanged on net. Prices rose moderately, driven primarily by higher energy costs, while wages grew slightly. Retail sales grew slightly. Conditions were stable in services and manufacturing, down in agriculture, and mixed in real estate.

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/15/2026 - 15:45

Russia Vows To 'Fill China's Energy Resource Gap' Amid Hormuz Crisis In Lavrov-Xi Meeting

At a moment it remains a serious open question over just how vulnerable China is to the Hormuz Strait crisis, and now with the US-imposed US naval blockade of the vital oil transit waterway, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is in Beijing pledging energy support to China. 

Lavrov met with President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, during which Xi urged China and Russia to "give full play to the advantages of geographic proximity and complementarity, deepen all-round cooperation and raise the resilience of each other's development."

Russia remains China's top energy supplier. "Both sides should maintain strategic focus, trust each other, support each other, develop together," Xi continued, according to a Chinese state media readout.

via Russian Foreign Ministry

Lavrov in turn told Xi that Chinese-Russian relations play a "stabilizing role in world affairs" at a time of global "chaos and turmoil." This has been a consistent theme on which relations and trust have been built between Beijing and Moscow going back to the start of the Ukraine war over four years ago.

Importantly, after the meeting the Russian foreign minister announced to a press conference that Moscow stands ready to increase energy supplies to China.

"Russia can certainly fill the resource gap that has arisen in China and other countries interested in working with us on an equal and mutually beneficial basis," Lavrov stated.

The two-day Lavrov visit is toward laying the groundwork for an upcoming summit between Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin. It's expected for the first half of this year, but likely after Trump's upcoming May 14-15 summit with the Chinese leader.

The Hormuz crisis is a threat to Chinese energy given Asia's largest power still depends heavily on global supply routes it does not fully control. While Beijing has for many years sought to diversify through pipelines from Russia and Central Asia, the reality is that those projects take years to build and remain far too limited to replace the volume of oil moving through Hormuz.

However, there's a strong counterargument pushing back against the assumption that Trump's Iran moves will ultimately squeeze and devastate China. Alongside Russia coming to Beijing's side with its recently unsanctioned oil, there are also these aspects to consider:

While China is to some extent dependent on Gulf oil, so is the rest of Asia. While the United States might be insulated from some of the worst consequences of the Hormuz closure, the economies of our Asian allies are not. Asian economies are among the most dependent on Middle Eastern oil, with South Korea receiving around 70 percent and Japan receiving a whopping 95 percent of their oil from the Middle East. The Council on Foreign Relations notes that in 2024, 84 percent of the oil and 83 percent of LNG shipped through Hormuz were bound for Asia. That is not a targeted squeeze. Instead, such a move looks to be made without much heed to Asia at all, hitting the very states Washington is supposedly positioning against Beijing.

China is actually one of the best-positioned countries in Asia to handle this exact crisis because of existing stockpiles, diversified supply chains, a coal-dependent electric grid, and pipeline alternatives. While China is vulnerable, it is more insulated than most of Asia, only receiving around 20 percent of its oil from Hormuz.

There's a certain irony in the fact that an early element of blowback from the Iran war was that Washington scrambled to remove sanctions on Russian crude oil transiting the high seas, to bat down soaring global oil prices, and yet it is this very unsanctioned oil flow which will benefit China.

And the 'unintended consequences' continue to trickle over. The American Conservative writes, "This damage to our Pacific allies is not theoretical. Across Asia, partner governments are already scrambling as their economies face the worst crisis in decades. Asian nations are shortening workweeks and implementing fuel controls, disrupting their economies as tension mounts. Many Asian economies have turned to Russia amid this turmoil, bolstering the economy of another supposed U.S. enemy."

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/15/2026 - 15:40

Tax Freedom Day Underestimates How Long You Work For The Government

Authored by Jonathan Newman via The Mises Institute,

Tax Freedom Day, calculated by the Tax Foundation, “represents how long Americans as a whole have to work in order to pay the nation’s tax burden.”

It appears that they stopped publishing this in 2019, but others have picked up where they left off.

The idea is that the income earned by taxpayers over a certain proportion of the year goes to Uncle Sam.

In 2025, that date was April 16th.

But the burden of government is much larger than the amount we pay in taxes.

The government spends much more than it collects in taxes, diverting valuable resources away from where they would be used in the private market economy, subject to the profit and loss test of the market.

The difference is made up by new government debt.

Much of that debt is purchased by the Federal Reserve with new money, resulting in price inflation, exacerbated income inequality, booms and busts, and financial fragility.

The cost of government is much more than what we pay in taxes.

Rothbard suggested a measure of “total government depredation on the economy” that involves starting with net national product (like GDP but takes capital depreciation into account) and deducting all government spending at all levels, including transfer payments, government officials’ salaries, and the salaries of those employed by government enterprises.

Rothbard considered all government activity as a depredation.

In 2025, this total fiscal burden was $11 trillion.

Net national product was $25.7 trillion, which gives us a ratio of 42.7%.

When we turn that ratio into a date on the calendar, we get June 5.

In short, while Tax Freedom Day is mid-April, Rothbard’s measure of the government’s fiscal burden reveals that Americans don’t truly start working for themselves until June 5, over seven weeks later.

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/15/2026 - 14:40