Aggregator

Anya Taylor-Joy, Annette Bening, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and Timothy Olyphant star in the thriller, which is based on Marissa Stapley's novel.

The company shuttered over 140 stores in the last couple of years alone as shopping centers transform their strategy to survive.

Ex-seaman John Merrone, 54, could spend the rest of his life behind bars after he pleaded guilty to all five counts in a sex crimes indictment for spiking a female cadet's drink and raping her aboard the Liberty Glory cargo ship on Sept. 8, 2019.

The Spurs' NBA Finals loss nothing to do with the title-winning Knicks, according to their former top assistant coach.

"If [the prior legislation] had passed, the carriages would have stopped on June 1, 2026 -- Romanch died on June 17," the teen's father said.

Sac authorities confirmed a drug overdose death at the California Capitol building late Tuesday.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has lost yet another top communications official, extending a wave of turnover that has rattled the mayor's press operation as she prepares for a bruising reelection campaign.

"How long do you intend to put up with that Kash Patel character?" a stern-looking Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) chided Todd Blanche at one point in the five-hour hearing.

Among husbands whose wives earn at least 70% of household income, the risk of "serious psychological distress" is almost two and a half times as high, the study found.

Ditch the high-stakes snack selection. As the flight attendant pushes that cart down the aisle while you’re half-asleep, the pressure to choose the perfect snack and beverage is real. The highly anticipated mid-air snack time is disappointing when the options are stale or unpalatable. Delta Airlines dominated the survey with 30% of the vote and...

The WNBA wasn't going to suspend Alyssa Thomas after landing her fist on Caitlin Clark's throat until the NBA got involved.

Trump Wants ICE To Resume Traffic Stops After Deadly Encounter In Maine

President Donald Trump declared Wednesday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) should keep relying on traffic stops as a major enforcement tool, defending the practice after a string of deadly encounters involving immigration officers, including a recent fatal shooting of a Colombian illegal immigrant in Maine. 

In a Truth Social post on Wednesday, Trump commended ICE agents and pushed the agency to maintain vehicle stops, even as officials examine the approach after recent events in Maine, Texas, and Florida.

"The men and women of ICE are doing a Great job, one that has to be done," Trump wrote. "We must be strong, tough, and smart, and we Cannot give up one of I.C.E.'s most important and effective Crime Fighting tools, The Traffic Stop!"

Trump warned that giving up the tactic would seriously harm the mission to remove criminals from the United States.

"Once we do, we are playing right into the criminal's hands," he wrote. "I.C.E., be judicious, fair, and smart, and go back and do your very important job."

Trump also stepped up his attacks on former President Joe Biden’s immigration policies, stating in the post that millions of illegal immigrants had poured into the country without any controls and that ICE must stay "strong, tough, and smart" while executing deportations.

Enforcement Review After Fatal Encounters

As the Epoch Times notes further, Trump's remarks come as immigration officials review vehicle-stop procedures following several deadly incidents involving ICE agents.

Border czar Tom Homan told Fox News on July 14 that ICE had temporarily paused most vehicle stops nationwide while the agency examines whether changes to training or tactics are needed.

FBI investigators work the scene of an alleged ICE-involved shooting in Biddeford, Maine, on July 13, 2026. Joseph Prezioso/AFP/Getty Images

"It's not a policy change. It's a temporary pause," Homan said. "ICE leadership along with DHS believes they want to look at these last couple incidents and look: Is there something that could have been done better? Is there any training that can be improved?"

Homan said the review was unlikely to affect the pace of immigration-related arrests and expressed confidence that ICE agents would continue to use traffic stops when necessary, particularly in cases involving dangerous suspects.

"If we can arrest that alien outside that vehicle and take that two-ton weapon away from them, that's good in some instances," Homan said. "Other instances, we're still going to need to do vehicle stops for a significant criminal."

The review follows a July 13 shooting in Biddeford, Maine, where an ICE officer fatally shot a Colombian national during a traffic stop after the man allegedly attempted to flee. The Department of Homeland Security said the agent opened fire while "fearing for public safety."

The Maine incident came days after another fatal shooting involving ICE agents in Houston. Authorities said officers were searching for a different individual when they attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Mexican national Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who allegedly rammed an ICE vehicle, prompting an officer to fire in self-defense.

A third man died in Florida on Tuesday after being struck by a tractor-trailer while fleeing immigration and other federal officers, according to authorities.

The recent incidents have intensified debate over ICE's enforcement tactics.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said she had urged Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to suspend "non-urgent vehicle stops" following the Maine shooting and welcomed the department's decision to review the practice.

Collins joined Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) and Reps. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) and Jared Golden (D-Maine) in requesting an independent investigation by the Department of Homeland Security inspector general.

Trump, meanwhile, cast traffic stops as an indispensable part of law enforcement, calling on ICE agents to "keep those Crime Stat Records coming" and assuring them that they are "loved and respected in America."

Jack Phillips and Troy Myers contributed to this report.

Tyler Durden Wed, 07/15/2026 - 14:45

Beige Book: Economic Activity Picked Up In 11 Of 12 Districts; Only San Fran Flat As "Employers Invested In AI"

In a modest support of the Fed's recent hawkish pivot, the latest Beige Book released today notes that economic activity across the US improved moderately, increasing at a slight to moderate pace in eleven of twelve Federal Reserve Districts in late May and June, while one District (San Francisco) reported no change. The pace of growth was ever so slightly better than that reported back in June when activity expanded in ten Districts, was flat in one, and down in one.

Here are the big picture highlights:

• The Beige Book, which this month was prepared by the Chicago Fed, found that consumer spending edged up as higher prices, particularly for fuel, dampened sales in other categories. To that point, several Districts noted declines in spending on discretionary items or trading down to more affordable varieties.
• Tourism was up, with some Districts receiving a boost from World Cup visitors.
• Confirming that consumers are hunkering down and not splurging, auto dealers reported little change in sales, but spending on repairs grew as consumers held onto vehicles for longer.
• Agricultural conditions deteriorated due to lower commodity prices, higher input costs, and tighter credit.
• In the energy sector, oil and gas drilling increased, despite the recent drop in oil prices.
• Manufacturing production grew modestly to moderately in most Districts, led by stronger orders from the data center, machinery, and defense sectors. Manufacturers in several Districts said supply chain issues were more common.
• Construction and real estate activity increased slightly overall, with several Districts noting growth in data center building.
• Financial conditions were stable on net, and commercial and consumer loan volumes were both up modestly.
• Commercial loan quality was stable, but consumer loan quality ticked down.
• Transportation activity increased modestly amidst ongoing supply chain changes related to higher tariffs and the conflict in the Middle East.
• Overall, activity in other service industries also was up modestly, with Districts highlighting growth in health care and professional services.
• Social service providers were adjusting to funding declines while demand for basic supports—housing, food, health care—remained high.
• Contacts generally expected the economy to continue to expand in the coming months, but several Districts noted elevated uncertainty in the outlook for fuel costs.

The Beige Book next went through an analysis of Labor Markets: 

• Employment rose on balance, with five Districts showing modest, moderate, or solid gains in employment, and with seven Districts experiencing little to no change.  In the previous report, only one District had modest, moderate, or solid employment gains.
• Employment rose in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, and retail.
• Skilled workers were difficult to find in a range of fields, notably technicians and tradespeople.
• Though there were reports of lower employment in a couple of Districts, the declines were small.
• Wage growth was modest to moderate in most Districts, though two saw only slight wage increases. Some wage increases were attributed to increased competition for skilled workers.
• A few Districts noted that firms had increased their usage of AI, either in the hiring and screening of potential employees or to boost worker productivity.

Prices

• Prices increased moderately overall, with nine Districts reporting moderate growth, two robust growth, and one slight growth; compared with the last reporting period, price growth was the same or slower in all Districts.
• Non-labor input costs increased for a variety of industries—including services, construction, and manufacturing—and reflected in part higher costs for energy, transportation, and raw materials.
• Some contacts tied these cost increases to the conflict in the Middle East; others mentioned tariffs.
• Consumer prices continued to rise, and a few Districts said contacts saw greater price sensitivity among their customers.
• A couple of Districts reported that selling prices grew less than input costs over the period, crimping margins.
• Expectations for price growth over the coming months varied across Districts, with contacts in some expecting inflation to continue at its current pace, while contacts in others expected inflation to slow, in part due to falling fuel prices.

Highlights by Federal Reserve District

• Boston: Economic activity expanded slightly. Employment was flat, with some isolated layoffs, and wages rose at a slight pace. Cost pressures remained elevated, but output prices increased only slightly. Consumer spending rose modestly overall, buoyed by the World Cup, but discretionary spending softened among low- and moderate-income households. The outlook improved on balance.
• New York: Economic activity increased modestly, as service sector activity picked up after a long period of weakness. Employment increased modestly, with larger firms starting to hire for growth. Input prices rose strongly under pressure from tariffs and energy costs, though selling price increases remained moderate. Businesses became more optimistic.
• Philadelphia: Economic activity rose slightly in the current period, up from a slight decrease in the last period. Nonmanufacturing activity picked up, while manufacturing activity again rose modestly. Employment again declined somewhat. Wage inflation held steady at a modest pace, and prices continued to grow moderately. Manufacturers have more widespread expectations for future growth than nonmanufacturers.
• Cleveland: Fourth District business activity increased modestly, with faster growth anticipated in the coming months. Manufacturing demand rose moderately, while retailers continued to face soft demand due to higher fuel prices. Higher fuel costs filtered through to both selling prices and wage pressures. Selling prices rose at a robust pace.
• Richmond: The regional economy expanded moderately this cycle as consumer spending continued to grow despite some shifts in consumer behavior, even among higher income consumers. Business activity was generally reported as modestly growing, and employment grew modestly as well. Manufacturing output also increased modestly while producer prices were little changed despite rising input costs. Overall price growth remained moderate.
• Atlanta: Economic activity grew modestly. Employment levels remained largely flat. Wages rose moderately, and prices increased at a moderate pace. Consumer spending expanded modestly. Residential and commercial real estate were little changed. Transportation and manufacturing rose modestly. Energy activity was stable, but agricultural conditions worsened. Lending increased at a modest pace.
• Chicago: Economic activity in the Seventh District increased modestly over the reporting period. Manufacturing demand rose moderately; employment rose modestly; consumer spending, business spending, and construction and real estate activity increased slightly; and nonbusiness contacts saw a small increase in economic activity. Prices rose moderately, wages were up modestly, and financial conditions tightened slightly. Farm income expectations for 2026 edged down.
• St. Louis: Economic activity has slightly increased. Employment was unchanged, and wage growth was moderate. Prices rose at a robust pace, and increases were widespread. The outlook remains unchanged, with contacts noting that persistent uncertainty and elevated fuel costs continue to weigh on overall conditions.
• Minneapolis: The District economy expanded slightly. Employment grew modestly, and contacts reported that labor availability increased. Wage growth was modest to moderate. Prices increased moderately, but input price pressure remained elevated. Retail contacts reported greater discretion among consumers. Services, construction, commercial real estate, and manufacturing activity increased. Agricultural conditions deteriorated.
• Kansas City: Economic activity expanded slightly within the Tenth District, which was supported by increased manufacturing activity. Inflationary pressures continued to compress profit margins, prompting firms to make pricing and investment adjustments. Contacts expect slight growth over the next six months.
• Dallas: Economic activity in the Eleventh District rose moderately. Growth picked up in the banking, energy, and service sectors but moderated in manufacturing. Retail sales improved, and the real estate sector was mixed. Employment strengthened, and wage pressures rose. Outlooks were stable to positive, though inflation, the level of demand, and geopolitical and domestic policy uncertainty remained sources of concern.
• San Francisco: Economic activity was stable but somewhat muted. Employers held head counts steady and invested further in AI. Prices increased moderately, while wages rose slightly. Retail sales and demand for services edged down. Manufacturing activity rose modestly, while agriculture activity was unchanged but weak. Conditions were steady in real estate and financial services.

More in the full Beige Book 

Tyler Durden Wed, 07/15/2026 - 14:30

Fort Knox Standoff: Bessent Says All The Gold Is There, Says America 'Used To Be Backed' By It

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has once again assured the public that America's gold reserves remain fully intact, pushing back against years of speculation surrounding the legendary vaults at Fort Knox. In a Fox News interview with Jesse Watters that aired Monday night, Bessent reiterated his standing assurance that every ounce of the nation's bullion is "present and accounted for" - while making no plans to visit the Kentucky depository himself.

"I am happy to say all gold is present and accounted for. The U.S. has the largest pile of gold in the world, over a trillion dollars, at current market value," Bessent told Watters. 

FORT KNOX GOLD CONFIRMED 🚨

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says all US gold is present and accounted for.

Over $1 TRILLION in gold.

The largest gold pile in the world.🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/Hr9LKBPlyd

— Wall Street Gold (@WSBGold) July 15, 2026

His comments come amid renewed calls from lawmakers and gold advocates for a comprehensive, independent audit - the first large-scale public verification since 1974.

But as ZH contributor Phoenix Capital Research notes, Bessent prefaced his comment with something even more interesting...

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared on Fox News business yesterday. During the conversation with Jesse Waters, he made several key statements.

One of them… “we [the $USD] used to be backed by silver, sometimes gold.”

And a few moments later regarding Fort Knox…

“all gold is present and account for… the U.S. has the largest pile of gold in the world, over a $1 trillion at current market value.”

Officially, the United States holds the world's largest gold stockpile, valued at more than $1 trillion at current market prices. According to Treasury data, the Fort Knox depository alone contains 147,341,858.382 fine troy ounces of gold - roughly 56% of the federal government's total reserves, and about 59% of the bullion held in the Mint's deep storage. Additional holdings are stored at West Point, Denver, and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Also officially, no gold has left Fort Knox in any significant documented capacity since 1974, aside from limited testing samples. Bessent has said he has no plans to travel to Kentucky himself, pointing instead to the Treasury's annual internal verifications and offering to arrange a visit for any senator who asks.

The U.S. shifted to a pure fiat currency system in the 1970s, ending the requirement to back paper money with gold or silver.

Yes, what happened with the audit at Fort Knox? https://t.co/Xbh03T3TlK

— zerohedge (@zerohedge) July 8, 2025 Book Value vs. Market Reality

A major source of public confusion lies in how the gold is valued on the government's books. Federal law still prices gold at the statutory rate of $42.2222 per fine troy ounce, frozen since 1973. At that rate, Fort Knox's holdings carry a book value of approximately $6.2 billion.

At spot prices that have recently traded near $4,500 per ounce, however, the same gold is worth on the order of $660 billion on the open market. This massive gap between accounting value and real-world worth continues to fuel debate over transparency and potential revaluation.

The National Gold Bullion Depository at Fort Knox

Bessent has repeatedly cited annual internal audits by the Treasury Department's Office of the Inspector General as proof the reserves are secure. These reviews reconcile records and conduct limited sampling of vault compartments rather than physically weighing and assaying every single bar. That said, Bessent addressed the idea of revaluing the US's gold last year while discussing sovereign wealth fund plans, stating it was "not what I had in mind."

The last major public inspection took place in 1974, when a congressional delegation and journalists were allowed inside. A smaller visit occurred in 2017 involving then-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Kentucky lawmakers.

That decades-long gap has prompted sharp criticism. Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie introduced the Gold Reserve Transparency Act, which would require the Government Accountability Office to conduct a full independent audit of all U.S. gold holdings and repeat the process every five years. The bill has not advanced.

President Trump has kept the question alive himself. Asked in a May interview what happened to the Fort Knox audit he and Elon Musk once championed, Trump said: "I do want to go to Fort Knox sometime. I want to see if the gold is there, which I'm sure it will be."

Trump's 250th Anniversary Coins Move Forward

Bessent's remarks came in the same interview in which he showed off the Treasury's commemorative currency plans for America's 250th anniversary - and there are two distinct Trump coins in motion.

The first is a special 24-karat gold coin approved unanimously by the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts in March 2026, depicting Trump from the waist up with his fists on a desk. Authorized under the Treasury secretary's statutory authority over gold coinage, it will be struck in an extremely limited run - reportedly just 47 pieces, each containing roughly $90,000 worth of gold - with no on-sale date yet set.

The second is a legal-tender $1 semiquincentennial coin bearing Trump's likeness, intended for circulation. On July 15, Bessent posted an image of it on X and announced that minting is moving ahead:

"As America commemorates 250 years of independence, the U.S. Mint will begin striking this new $1 gold coin to honor the enduring legacy of liberty and a lasting symbol of patriotism. Featuring President Trump, it celebrates the strength of American values, and the promise of a nation dedicated to preserving freedom for all."

Federal law generally bars living persons from appearing on U.S. currency, and critics note the 2020 law the Treasury cites for the $1 coin prohibits living-person portraits on a coin's reverse. Bessent defended the plan to Watters directly: "As Treasury Secretary, I only have two mandates: The currency has to say, 'In God We Trust,' somewhere on it, and there cannot be an image of a living person," he said, distinguishing paper money from coinage. "During that 150th, there was a Calvin Coolidge coin. So, we can put living people's images on a coin." The coins are expected in limited quantities later in 2026 or into 2027, with a court fight over the circulating design considered likely.

Massie Compares To Rome

On Tuesday, Rep. Massie drew a historical parallel on X between pending U.S. coinage reforms and the currency debasement practiced by Roman emperors. He pointed to legislation that would allow cheaper metal alloys for nickels while preserving size, weight, and vending-machine compatibility.

Gold coin image shared by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. Image source: X. Tyler Durden Wed, 07/15/2026 - 14:22

US Gasoline Prices Could Top $4 Per Gallon Within Days

After several weeks of reprieve for drivers, the US national average price of gasoline could top $4 per gallon within a week, as crude oil prices rallied by about 12% in the three days since Friday amid the all-but-collapsed U.S.-Iran ceasefire.

The renewed hostilities in the Middle East have fueled a new crude oil price rally this week, while tight fuel markets globally are also pushing US prices at the pump higher, OilPrice notes.

“I've seen enough and believe the national average price of gasoline will again reach $4/gal in the next 7-10 days, if not sooner,” Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, wrote late on Monday, when crude had surged by 9% on the day following the announcement of U.S. President Donald Trump that the U.S. blockade on Iran would be re-imposed on July 14.

GasBuddy’s key analyst expects price increases of $0.15-0.45 per gallon, depending on price cycling, in the next week or so.

Early this week, the average U.S. national price of gasoline rose for the first time since May, as the re-escalation of hostilities in the entire Middle Eastern region prompted an oil rally with prices hitting more than one-month highs.

As of the end of the day on July 14, the national average was $3.8590 per gallon, according to AAA data. That’s up from the $3.79 average from a week ago.

“The pain at the pump is about to intensify, and this time it's not one story driving it, it's two,” GasBuddy’s De Haan wrote earlier this week, noting the double gas price whammy of the re-escalation in the Middle East and Ukraine systematically knocking out Russian refining capacity.

“I now expect the national average price of gasoline to reach $4 per gallon in the next 7-10 days, if not sooner, while the U.S. average diesel price is likely to again reach $5 per gallon by the end of this week, potentially as soon as Friday,” De Haan said.

Tyler Durden Wed, 07/15/2026 - 14:20

Share trading in Elon Musk’s rocket company has been volatile since it went public a month ago.

UN Maritime Boss Warns Ships To Avoid Hormuz As Transits Continue

The International Maritime Organization warned Wednesday that the Strait of Hormuz remains too dangerous for commercial shipping, even as vessels continue to transit the narrow waterway.

US Central Command said its latest round of strikes against Iranian coastal military targets concluded early Wednesday. Tehran retaliated with missile and drone attacks against US-allied Gulf states while continuing to disrupt some maritime traffic through the strait.

Yet commercial ships are still transiting, suggesting Iran's ability to fully weaponize the maritime chokepoint is gradually eroding under sustained US air and naval superiority.

Speaking on Bloomberg Radio, Arsenio Dominguez, the secretary general of the IMO, said the waterway remains dangerous and unsafe for tankers and bulk cargo ships.

"I will maintain the message of upholding international law, for countries to do the same thing, and for companies — at this stage, particularly with the volatility — not to take risk to transit through the strait of Hormuz," Dominguez said.

Dominguez's warning appears to be ignored by some ships.

Strait of Hormuz risks deepen despite slight rise in crossings

Vessel activity through the Strait of Hormuz increased slightly on 14 July, with 21 confirmed crossings recorded, according to #MarineTraffic data. Commercial traffic accounted for most movements, including vessels… pic.twitter.com/oIkrtu2kGl

— MarineTraffic (@MarineTraffic) July 15, 2026

Bloomberg data show that vessel traffic continues in the narrow waterway, at lower volumes than last week, even as fighting between the US and Iran intensified overnight.

With or without Tehran's cooperation, US-allied Gulf countries are in the beginning innings of what we've described as a "great energy rewiring"...

Latest:

• Great Rewiring: US Supports Iraq-Syria Oil Pipeline To Erode Tehran's Hormuz Leverage
• Dubai's New East Coast Port Signals The Beginning Of End For Iran's Hormuz Leverage
• "Zero Hormuz Dependency": UAE Races To Rewire Energy Flows, Bypassing Chokepoint Chaos
• Hormuz Bypasses Maxed Out: Saudi East-West Pipeline Hits Record 7 MMb/d, As UAE Fujairah Crude Loadings Reach Capacity

We compiled evidence for readers showing that US-allied Gulf countries are poised to undertake a generational rewiring of regional energy flows to bypass the Hormuz chokepoint. Over time, that infrastructure buildout - from pipelines to ports - could render Tehran's leverage over the critical waterway increasingly irrelevant.

Tyler Durden Wed, 07/15/2026 - 14:00

Whimsical styles up to 50% off.

Gary Glowacz, 70, was arrested for the brutal 1987 killing of young mom Melissa Taylor Ellison within hours of calling cops on July 8, according to police.

It's no fun being on Lindsay Hubbard's bad size.