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The Prince and Princess of Wales, who tied the knot in April 2011, posed with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis in the sweet snap.

$43,000 Front-Row Seats: How Soccer Fans Are Being Priced Out Of World Cup

Authored by Aaron Gifford via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

First-round match ticket: $280 to $43,000.

Stadium daily parking pass: $150 to $600.

Public transportation to venues: $100 or more in some cities.

In-person 2026 FIFA World Cup experience: Priceless, or somewhere between a mortgage payment and a year or two of college, depending on who you ask.

Cristiano Ronaldo of team Al-Nassr FC scores the team's fourth goal during the Saudi Pro League match between Al Nassr and Al Khaleej at Al Awwal Park in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Nov. 23, 2025. Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images

Americans and international soccer fans alike suffered serious sticker shock over the cost of attending the biggest sporting event on the globe this summer, and that’s before calculating airfare and accommodations.

This year’s event features 48 teams and 104 matches in 16 host cities across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

So far, FIFA’s dynamic pricing system for more than 1 million tickets has even the die-hard fanatics questioning whether this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is worth taking on months—or years—of debt.

Out of Reach

Joyanne Howell of Toronto tried to plan a vacation with her son around the 2026 World Cup. She hoped to see the opening match in Mexico on June 11, and then catch a group play match in Monterrey featuring Portugal, Morocco, Japan, or South Africa. The trip would have exceeded $15,000, with event tickets the largest expense.

“It’s been a lifelong dream of mine to attend the World Cup,” Howell told The Epoch Times. “The corporate greed is at an all-time high, and it’s ruining what used to be a wonderful event. I’m not interested in supporting FIFA in this.”

On top of the sky-high ticket prices, Howell added, there’s the new match format—which adds several subpar squads to the games, increasing the number of teams from 32 to 48—and current global instability.

“It just doesn’t seem worth it to invest in this World Cup,” she said.

Mexico’s Israel Reyes and Belgium’s Jeremy Doku during a friendly soccer game between the Mexican national team and Belgian national soccer team, the Red Devils, in Chicago, on April 1, 2026, in preparation for the 2026 World Cup. Dirk Waem / Belga Mag / Belga / AFP via Getty Images

Dean Foti, a coaching director for a regional youth soccer organization in upstate New York, said complaints about unreasonable World Cup ticket prices were especially spirited among coaches and families who had hoped to visit a venue this summer.

“Unfortunately, the common fan has been priced out of attending,” he told The Epoch Times.

He said many folks also didn’t like FIFA’s initial lottery, in which tickets were sold by venue and date even though the matchups were unknown at the time.

“Haven’t met one yet that said, ‘You won’t believe what a great deal I just got on World Cup tickets,” he said.

Dynamic Pricing

FIFA, a nonprofit serving as professional soccer’s world governing body, entered into individual agreements with host cities and venues to rent the stadiums. It set the initial prices of tickets, which have been sold in phases to adjust to market demand.

The organization maintains that most of the revenue from ticket sales, television broadcasting rights, and licensed merchandise sales covers the cost of organizing and governing more than 200 leagues, competitions, and programs across six continents.

A glance at the StubHub website shows high prices and fluctuation: a nosebleed seat at the Qatar versus Switzerland match on June 13 in Santa Clara, California, for $280; a front-row seat near center circle for the United States against Australia on June 19 in Seattle for $43,900; tickets for the July 14 semi-final in Arlington, Texas, starting at $2,064.

The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Exposition Park is seen in Los Angeles on March 5, 2026. The venue will host the FIFA Fan Festival during the World Cup, as well as track and field events and the LA28 Summer Olympics opening ceremony. Mario Tama/Getty Images

For the U.S. squad’s other two group play matches, SeatGeek lists the June 12 game against Paraguay at $1,500 and against Turkey on June 25 at $1,366. Both games will be held in Los Angeles.

Online ticket sites also show that parking fees in some of the U.S. cities start at $100 and increase by location and phase of competition. Vehicle spots for Argentina versus Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City, Missouri, range from $150 to $600, while the cost at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium for a June 30 quarterfinal match is $225.

An American Concept

Keith Pagello, founder of Kentucky-based analytics company TicketData, said FIFA adopted this method of ticket sales from the major American professional sports leagues, which command sky-high prices for playoff games.

The global soccer organization, he added, is still advertising last-minute sales, in which a limited number of tickets for mediocre seats are released for $1,100 or more “to portray the image of scarcity.”

“I’ve never seen so many last-minute sales,” Pagello told The Epoch Times. “But they’re certainly not softening their price at this point.”

He said the most outrageous prices listed by resellers right now, such as $43,000 for front row at the United States versus Australia, were not set by FIFA.

“Anybody can ask any price for any ticket,” he said.

Fans of Congo cheer their team during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off tournament final match between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Jamaica at Estadio Guadalajara in Zapopan, Mexico, on March 31, 2026. Agustin Cuevas/Getty Images

It may be too soon to determine whether FIFA and resellers can command such high prices, or if they’ll drop closer to the event.

“The big question is, how many tickets do they still have left?” Pagello said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if 10,000 seats still sit in FIFA’s pocket for many of the games.”

Pagello’s data, much of which is publicly available on his website, indicates that after fans from the host nations, fans from Brazil and Argentina are buying the most tickets, based on the prices to see those two national squads play.

Hotel rooms and lodging near the venue sites typically exceed $200 in the summer months. Several major sports publications have reported that the price of accommodation hasn’t yet spiked to the degree initially predicted in part because fans hesitate to pay so much for tickets, so that situation could change either way in the weeks ahead.

Government Pushback

Federal lawmakers also took offense to the high admission prices. In a March 10 letter to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, 69 members of Congress said, “The extreme high demand for World Cup tickets should not be a green light for price gouging at the expense of the people who make the World Cup the most watched sporting event in the world.”

FIFA President Gianni Infantino poses on the red carpet prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final Draw at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington on Dec. 5, 2025. Federal lawmakers recently asked Infantino to address the World Cup’s high admission prices. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

The lawmakers said the federal government will spend $625 million to reimburse municipal law enforcement agencies, and each U.S. host city will spend about $150 million on infrastructure improvements, transportation, and security preparations. Locals who are fortunate enough to afford tickets have already paid taxes for these services.

Moreover, because FIFA prohibits local sponsorships, host cities are collectively facing a $250 million shortfall for this event. They may have to charge admission to World Cup Fan Fests, which have traditionally been free.

“We urge FIFA to take immediate corrective action to address the harms caused by its use of dynamic pricing, which has transformed the world’s largest sporting event into an exclusionary, profit-driven enterprise at the direct expense of fans, host communities, and public taxpayers,” the letter said.

Ticket prices aren’t the only high cost steaming elected leaders. On April 17, New Jersey Transit announced that round-trip rail tickets from Manhattan to MetLife Stadium will be $150. The New York/New Jersey World Cup host committee will also offer a round-trip shuttle bus, with tickets costing $80 each.

Read the rest here...

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/29/2026 - 07:20

"We ache for Andy’s and Cheryl’s families who were denied their day in court. Our anger for what Parrott took from them is matched only by our determination to keep going,” prosecutors said.

A Florida math teacher who allegedly had a romp with a student for five months before he revealed to his parents who his "secret girlfriend" was has been fired.

Real New Yorkers suggested the pair break away from the royal status quo for some real New York fun.

Every week, The Post will bring you our picks of the best one-liners and stories from satirical site the Babylon Bee to take the edge off Hump Day.

The 70-year-old "Kardashians" star also set the record straight Wednesday on the particular procedures she's undergone over the years.

The 70-year-old "Kardashians" star also set the record straight Wednesday on the particular procedures she's undergone over the years.

Goldman's State Of U.S. Consumer Outlook Gets More Grim

Goldman consumer analysts Kate McShane and Bonnie Herzog cut their 2026 discretionary cash-inflow growth forecast for the second time this year, citing a worsening squeeze on U.S. households as slower disposable income growth collides with higher fuel prices at the pump. The revision points to a softening among cash-strapped consumers as the US-Iran conflict enters its third month.

McShane and Herzog cut their 2026 U.S. discretionary cash inflow growth to 3.7% from the previous forecast of 4.2% in early April, as slower disposable income growth and the national average gasoline price over $4 per gallon squeeze household spending power.

Their revision reflects a lower forecast for disposable personal income growth of 4.7%, down from 5.0%, as tax cut benefits from President Trump's OBBBA are now seen largely offsetting higher capital gains tax payments, leaving the overall tax bill roughly unchanged from last year.

The largest drag on consumers is energy, as Goldman analysts at the start of the week raised their fourth-quarter 2026 Brent forecast to $90 a barrel from $80, citing ongoing disruptions in Persian Gulf production, a delayed normalization of Gulf exports to late June, and a slower recovery timeline for output.

"Accordingly, we now expect energy spending to grow by 14.4% in 2026 (vs. 12.3% prior) to reflect higher energy futures," the analysts said.

They warned that $100 Brent will create a 50-basis-point headwind to aggregate U.S. discretionary spending power in 2026, with working-poor households taking the brunt of the hit, at about 135 bps.

Here's their current view on the consumer for 2026:

Our economists expect a total tax benefit of around $75-90bn from the OBBBA but roughly unchanged tax bill y/y, resulting in a limited tailwind for consumer spending. Based on our economists' forecasts, we now expect +4.7% DPI growth in 2026 (vs. +5.0% when we last updated in early April), following +4.4% DPI growth in 2025, which is ahead of historical levels (i.e., 2009-2019 average annual growth of 4.0%).

We expect this to translate into a lower net household cash inflow of +4.2% in 2026 (vs. 4.6% prior from our early April analysis), representing a slight improvement over the +4.1% growth in 2025. Elevated interest rates were a meaningful burden on the US consumer over the past few years and our economists continue expect two 25bps rate cuts in 2026. Accordingly, we model 7.8% growth in mortgage equity withdrawals (MEW) and 7.7% growth in borrowings for 2026. We continue to anticipate modest relief from a slightly more favorable interest rate environment; our forecast for financial obligations remains unchanged at +14.3% of DPI in 2026, compared to +14.5% in 2025.

We model essential expenditures to grow by +7.4% in 2026 (unchanged), well above the +4.3% growth seen in 2025. This is predicated on +14.4% growth in spending on energy goods and services (vs. +12.3% prior) and +5.3% growth in food spending (vs. +6.6% prior), both up from +1.1% and +3.7% growth, respectively, in 2025. We raise our energy goods and services spending expectation to reflect higher energy futures, while we slightly temper our food inflation expectation due to lower than expected Feb data. This, coupled with our lower DPI growth assumption, translates into +3.7% discretionary cash inflow growth in 2026 (vs. +4.2% prior), representing a marginal sequential decline compared to +4.0% growth in 2025.

By income quintile, higher gasoline prices will disproportionately burden the bottom-income quintile, who spend roughly four times as much on gasoline as a share of after-tax income compared to the top quintile. We expect the bottom-income quintile to lag the aggregate US household with +4.2% DPI growth in 2026 (vs. +4.7% aggregate) as our economists continue to expect tepid job growth. Cuts to Medicaid and SNAP benefits, and now greater exposure to the increase in gasoline prices are cost headwinds to this income cohort. Our pre-savings DCF expectations for the bottom quintile remain unchanged at +0.8% for 2026, well below the +3.7% aggregate growth rate. Overall, pre-savings DCF expectations for 2026 have moved lower by 30-40bps across all other quintiles due to the lower expected DPI growth.

Our adjusted discretionary cash flow growth takes consumers estimated savings rate into account. Consistent with historical patterns where consumers dissave to cover higher energy costs, we now expect the savings rate to be lower than previously estimated in 2026, now at 4.3% of DPI (vs. 4.5% prior), below 2025 savings levels of 4.6% of DPI. Ultimately, a nearly 40bps lower discretionary cash inflow for 2026 relative to our prior forecast is balanced by a lower savings rate to drive adjusted DCF growth (a proxy for PCE growth) of +4.2% in 2026 (unchanged), though still below the +5.1% growth seen in 2025.

Exhibit 2:

Exhibit 3:

Exhibit 4:

Exhibit 5/6:

Exhibit 7:

Exhibit 8:

Exhibit 9:

Exhibit 10:

"Given the continued volatility in oil prices, we present a hypothetical sensitivity analysis to estimate the impact on adj. discretionary cash flow for every 10%, 15%, and 20% increase in energy goods and services spending relative to our current modeled assumptions. Additionally, we believe higher energy prices would impact consumer spending power, and we see an over ~50bps headwind for consumer discretionary spending power for US households in aggregate in 2026, and ~135bps headwind for the bottom-quintile, assuming ~$100/bbl pricing holds," the analysts said.

Exhibit 12:

Exhibit 13:

Exhibit 14:

What could change Goldman's consumer outlook is a U.S.-Iran peace deal. But the UAE's exit from OPEC adds another downside risk for crude: the cartel's ability to defend prices is weakened just as any ceasefire and normalization of Hormuz traffic could send Brent and WTI prices cratering. 

Professional subscribers can read Goldman's full "State of the US Consumer" note here at our new Marketdesk.ai portal

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/29/2026 - 06:55

It seems as if everything around the Jets this year is going to be viewed through the lens of what it means for 2027 and beyond.

In the video, she sarcastically asked, "Aww, they missed?"

Germany Scrambles For Polish Oil Route As Russia Halts Druzhba Flows

Submitted by Julianne Geiger of OilPrice.com

Germany is hunting for solutions to reroute crude oil supplies to the PCK Schwedt refinery after Russia said it would halt Kazakh oil deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline starting May 1, with roughly 43,000 barrels per day (bpd) now at risk.

Berlin is now in talks with Poland over moving replacement barrels through the port of Gdansk, with potential deliveries flowing onward to Schwedt, the refinery that supplies much of eastern Germany, including Berlin, with fuels. The plant has become a recurring pressure point since Germany moved away from Russian crude, and this latest disruption exposes how little slack remains in the system.

Kazakhstan shipped 2.146 million metric tons to Germany through Druzhba last year, up 44% from 2024, with another 730,000 tons delivered in the first quarter.

Poland says it has the technical capacity to handle additional flows, but port access, shipping schedules, crude availability and refinery configurations all matter, too. Replacing pipeline crude with seaborne barrels is rarely a one-for-one swap.

The episode also revives an old vulnerability in European oil security in that the infrastructure can be diversified on paper and still remain concentrated in practice, with Druzbha still running through Russia.

Alternatives do exist for Schwedt, but they are costlier and more complicated. The refinery has increasingly leaned on crude arriving through Baltic routes and Germany’s Rostock port, but those channels are limited.

There is a bigger signal here for the oil market. What looks like a regional supply disruption adds to a broader premium around logistics security, not just crude supply. In Europe, barrels are one question. Moving them is another.

And that distinction matters increasingly for pricing, refinery margins, and the value of secure non-Russian supply routes.

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/29/2026 - 06:30

If James and Ossé truly wanted to help the helpless here, they should be hounding Carmella Charrington rather than backing her cynical games.

President Trump's omnipresence, ambition and willingness to exercise power are making him one of the most dominant figures in American political history.

The Giants had two picks in the first round of the NFL draft, but what if they went in a different direction?

The case over OpenAI's history and public commitments could have major implications for the future of AI.

A South Korean appeals court on Wednesday sentenced ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol to seven years in prison for resisting arrest and bypassing a legitimate Cabinet meeting before his brief imposition of martial law in December 2024.

"No more Mr. Nice Guy!"

Trump Tells Aides US Preparing For Extended Blockade, But Could Be Open To Interim Deal With Iran Summary

• Trump prepares for 'extended blockade' - WSJ reports he has informed aides of risky planning.

• Trump TS claim: Tehran has informed Washington they are in a "state of collapse" and that the Iranians want the US to "open the Hormuz Strait" - as 'tank tops' loom.

• Trump doesn't appear open to Iran's proposal which hinges on US naval blockade ending & nuclear issue being pushed to future negotiations (CNN). Tehran working on revised plan to be sent in 'few days'.

• First crude-laden Japanese tanker from Saudi port exits Hormuz Strait successfully without Iranian interference.

• Iranian analyst describes that Tehran believes it can outlast Trump & the standoff with US in Hormuz, citing "munitions, markets, and the midterms."

//--> //--> //--> Will Donald Trump announce that the United States blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has been lifted by May 31, 2026?
Yes 66% · No 34%
View full market & trade on Polymarket

*  *  *

Trump Preparing for Extended Blockade: WSJ

If confirmed, this constitutes another huge gamble by Trump - on both the economic and political fronts, and with the lingering potential for escalation (towards some kind of ground action as well). According to the WSJ Tuesday evening, 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.

Yet continuing the blockade also prolongs a conflict that has driven up gas prices, hurt Trump’s poll numbers and further darkened Republicans’ prospects in the midterm elections. It has also caused the lowest number of transits through the Strait of Hormuz since the war began.

However, it remains that this could also be some classic Trump signaling of a 'maximalist' position, in order to get Iran to capitulate at the negotiating table. Just as the WSJ report hit, there was this headline over the news wires based on fresh comments: 

TRUMP SAID IRAN WANTS THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ REOPENED AND MAY ACCEPT AN INTERIM DEAL TO END THE US NAVAL BLOCKADE WHILE BROADER WAR-END NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE.

The new threat of prolonged military action was accompanied late Tuesday by this from the Treasury Secretary:

The Treasury Department, through Economic Fury, has targeted Iran’s international shadow banking infrastructure, access to crypto, shadow fleet, weapons procurement networks, funding for terrorist proxies in the region, and independent Chinese “teapot” refineries that support…

— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) April 29, 2026

And per Bloomberg latest:

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.

Revised Plan Coming in 'Next Few Days'

So at least there is some back-and-forth. Trump is said to have rejected an initial proposal from Iran, which centered on the US opening up the strait, but pushes the nuclear issue to future talks - and only after an end to the war. Tehran is reportedly revising, and is expected to submit a revised draft deal in the coming days. CNN has the latest in the following:

Mediators in Pakistan expect to receive a revised proposal from Iran in the next few days to end the war, after US President Donald Trump indicated that he would not accept an earlier version, sources close to the mediation process told CNN. The sources say Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi was due back in Tehran today after a visit to Russia, adding that he is expected to consult with regime leaders. That process is slow, the sources say, because of the difficulty in communicating with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, whose location is being kept secret.

Currently there's much speculation and armchair quarterbacking regarding 'hardliners' vs 'moderates' in Iran and who is actually in charge, amid reports the IRGC doesn't want engagement with untrustworthy Washington at all. Meanwhile there's no question Iran is using the extended ceasefire interim to rearm and regroup militarily.

Trump claims Iranians in 'State of Collapse'

Literally one minute before market-open, and President Trump issues the following big claim: he says that Tehran has informed Washington they are in a "state of collapse" and that the Iranians want the US to "open the Hormuz Strait". Of course, even if it were true, why would the Iranians admit such a thing to their enemy during a state of war?

There have been some signs of political fracture - especially tensions between IRGC and civilian leadership - but so far the evidence has been anecdotal at best. Currently the internal Iranian government debate seems to be on whether to talk to the US or not - but again, amid the fog of war... all Western MSM can do is speculate, aside from the rare Iranian 'anonymous' source that might whisper in a reporter's ear.

Oil Rises to 3-week High as Trump Doesn't Appear Open To Iran Proposal

Reporting from Monday evening and overnight says President Trump doesn't appear open to Iran's latest proposal to end the war, which hinges on the US naval blockade being lifted but pushes the nuclear issue off to later negotiations. As a result, oil prices have continued to rise, climbing above $110 a barrel Tuesday morning - a first in three weeks, amid concerns of a prolonged strait closure. As for the latest tankers to actually make it through, CBS describes:

Four civilian ships appeared to leave the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday without Iranian interference, including a Japanese oil tanker carrying some two million barrels of crude from Saudi Arabia. 

The Panama-flagged crude oil tanker Idemitsu Maru called at Saudi Arabia's Juamyah industrial port in early March, according to open source data from the MarineTraffic ship tracking website. For the past week it had remained anchored off the coast of Abu Dhabi in the Persian Gulf, until late Monday, when it sailed toward Iran's Larak island in the Strait of Hormuz. 

On Tuesday morning, tracking data showed the vessel passing south of Iran's Larak island, which analysts say the regime had used as a "toll booth" to collect fees from some ships before military authorities declared the strait entirely closed again last week.  

The White House has insisted that there would be no scheme for Iran collecting tolls as part of any future deal, but the Iranians appear to be forcing the issue, and have said the funds will help with the country's reconstruction after the devastation wrought by US-Israeli bombing raids.

via Reuters Three M's

Independent news organization Drop Site says that Iran is now setting its own terms for ending the war as President Trump's narrative on negotiations flails. One Iranian analyst has said that Tehran believes it has the three M's on its side: "munitions, markets, and the midterms."

The report cites Hassan Ahmadian, a well-known Iranian analyst and associate professor at the University of Tehran, who explains: "The Iranians are saying time is working in our favor for the three Ms: munitions, markets, and the midterms. These three Ms help Iran in its position and weaken US positions."

"Obviously in the U.S., they want something to say, 'We squeezed Iran and we got this.' My perception is that the Iranians are keen to deny the United States that - they wouldn't give what Trump wants as a victory," he added.

A separate Iranian official, privy to negotiations and so remaining anonymous, stated: "We’re currently moving forward with our own design, and we feel continuing negotiations doesn’t make sense until the U.S. government lifts the maritime blockade."

"The scope of the conflict has expanded, and naturally the issue is no longer purely nuclear," the official added. Indeed, the latest proposal for ceasefire out of Tehran focuses on the US Navy ending its blockade, and leaves the nuclear issue for future consideration, given it has proven an impasse in the prior Islamabad talks.

But Washington as been asserting its own leverage:

New reporting from Bloomberg shows Iran has 22 more days of available storage.

“The Islamic Republic has enough unused storage capacity to last another 12 to 22 days, Kpler analysts wrote in a report Monday.”

But even more importantly, they highlighted the time horizon until…

— Brett Erickson (@BrettErickson28) April 28, 2026 'Tank Tops' Loom

President Trump explained - in his own inimitable manner - what we described last week: time is running out for Tehran... as oil blockade stalls the flow state of Iran's economy permanently... 

Trump told Fox News on Sunday that the US blockade on traffic to and from Iranian ports is putting major pressure on the country's export infrastructure: 

“When you have, you know, lines of vast amounts of oil pouring through your system, if for any reason that line is closed because you can’t continue to put it into containers or ships, which has happened to them — they have no ships because of the blockade — what happens is that line explodes from within, both mechanically and in the earth."

“It’s something that happens where it just explodes. And they say they only have about three days left before that happens. And when it explodes, you can never, regardless, you can never rebuild it the way it was.”

As Hugh Hendry noted, time is running out for Iran:

"Iran’s oil system is not built to pause. It’s built to flow. It’s a flow system.

Oil cannot simply sit in the ground while strategists argue over maps and how much uranium dust to give over. It has to move. Iran and its system has to move continuously from the rock underground to the tanker in the harbor to the Chinese buyer in Asia.

Pause long enough, and the whole machine breaks.

Interrupt that flow. And the problem isn’t just lost revenues of like forty, fifty, sixty billion dollars. It’s the least of your concerns. The problem is physical and is irreversible.

Because when you suddenly shut the well, remember there’s no physical storage. They pump, they load, they ship.

If they can’t load, if they can’t ship, they can’t pump. And when you suddenly shut the wells, the pressure underground drops fucking fast. 

Do you know what happens?

The heavy, sticky crap in the oil, it gums up, gums up in the tiny holes within the rocks and becomes like glue. It traps the oil. It makes it really fucking hard to extract. And once that damage is done, it’s permanent. You lose a big chunk of the oil. 

The more Iran is actively either through theater or through bluff, the more that it sits in a standoff, the more it is actively destroying the one thing that it actually depends upon. 

That’s the trap. And you’re not reading in in the press, but you’re damn well reading it on your screens.

Because this is where the gap between the narrative of the media and the price stops being subtle and irrelevant, and it’s why stock markets have priced something entirely differently.

The Iranian system, the adversary, cannot afford to stay disrupted without hurting itself. That's what's in the equity market's price."

We covered the timeline for 'tank tops' here in detail - less than 15 days before shut-ins begin.

Tehran Won't Talk Without JD Vance Present

The failed second round of Pakistan talks, which fell apart before they even began, was supposed to see Vice President JD Vance heading up the US side. This was reportedly something the Iranian side desired to see, and is likely still what its negotiating team would rather be dealing with. On the other hand, per Drop Site, "Iran has total disdain for Trump’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and views him as both oblivious of diplomatic processes and totally ignorant of technical issues."

This is because "Kushner is viewed by Iran as Israel’s man at the table." This has led to the following view and alleged conclusion: "Iran, the senior official said, does not see any reason to deal with these two without a figure like Vice President JD Vance present."

Bombs have grown quiet across the Gulf amid the extended ceasefire, with the exception that fighting in southern Lebanon still rages, despite the US-mediated 'Lebanon ceasefire':

⚡️Hezbollah publishes footage of them striking 2 Merkava tanks belonging to the Israeli army in southern Lebanon with FPV drones pic.twitter.com/daqtTEqA4q

— War Monitor (@WarMonitors) April 27, 2026

Last week as an avalanche of headlines said that a second round of talks were imminent, and after the Iranian foreign minister had already landed in Islamabad for bilateral discussions with Pakistani mediators, there were premature reports that Vance was en route to Islamabad. The mainstream media claimed that it was Iran essentially begging Washington for negotiations. "But Vance, it turned out, was not on a plane, and Iran continued to deny it had any intention of meeting with U.S. officials in Pakistan," Drop Site underscores.

Tyler Durden Wed, 04/29/2026 - 06:01

“That was so bad it was good!” the troupe’s venerable leader, Stanley Zareff, 82, is fond of repeating. He volunteered to launch the class in Brooklyn two years ago to build confidence and connection.