Aggregator

Jackson and Jaclyn Smith have different views on how they were paid during the "Charlie's Angels" years.

Enter the BetMGM bonus code NYPNEWSGET to access an exclusive offer for Cavaliers vs. Pistons in Game 7.

Attack Drone Hits Near UAE Nuclear Power Plant

Abu Dhabi authorities report that a kamikaze drone struck an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in Al Dhafra. Officials said there were no injuries, no impact on radiological safety levels, and no disruption to plant operations.

Dubai-based newspaper Gulf News cited the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, which said the one-way drone attack on the Arab world's first commercial nuclear facility did not affect the safety of the nuclear power plant or the readiness of its essential systems. FANR added that all systems were operating normally as of late Sunday.

Barakah operates four APR-1400 reactors with a combined capacity of 5.6 gigawatts, generating about 40 terawatt-hours annually, or about 25% of the UAE's electricity. Any successful attack on Barakah would cripple the UAE's power grid.

The incident comes as the broader U.S.-Iran truce remains fragile, with President Trump recently describing the ceasefire as being on "life support."

Trump told reporters on Friday that Iran's latest proposal was "unacceptable" and blamed the Iranians for backtracking on the nuclear issue.

In response to Iranian demands, the Trump administration has set five conditions of its own for Tehran, according to Iran's Fars News Agency.

Those conditions include:

• No U.S. compensation for damages

• Transfer of 400 kg of uranium from Iran to the United States

• Limiting Iran's nuclear activities to only one operating facility

• No release of even 25% of frozen Iranian assets

• Linking any ceasefire across all fronts to the continuation of negotiations

Here are the latest headlines from the Gulf region (courtesy of Bloomberg):

Peace Talks

• The US has set five main conditions for a prospective peace agreement with Iran, including no compensation payments, removal of 400 kilograms of uranium, limiting nuclear infrastructure to a single facility, releasing less than 25% of frozen assets, and suspension of certain activities. [BFW]

• Iran's foreign minister said a lack of trust is the biggest obstacle in negotiations to end the war with the US, citing contradictory messages that have made Tehran reluctant about American intentions. [APW]

• Iran would be open to diplomatic help, particularly from China, to help ease tensions. [APW]

Hormuz Chokepoint

• Iran said transit through the Strait of Hormuz will flow once the conflict with the US and Israel is over, but the sides are no closer to resolving their differences. [BN]

• Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains largely frozen, with only limited vessel movements observed and most tied to Iranian-linked shipping. [BN]

• A Vietnam-bound supertanker carrying 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude, which was halted by US forces after crossing the Strait of Hormuz, has resumed its journey after getting clearance. [BN]

Gulf Attacks

• A drone strike caused a fire at an electrical generator outside Abu Dhabi's Barakah nuclear power plant on Sunday, with no injuries reported and no impact on radiological safety. [BFW] [APW]

• The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia carried out multiple strikes against Iran after their countries were attacked by the regime in the early days of the war. [WSJ]

• Iran seized a support vessel owned by a Chinese security firm near the Strait of Hormuz, appearing to signal it is unwilling to permit armed protection even for ships sailing on behalf of its strongest global backer. [WSJ]

Economic Impact

• Iraq is currently pumping just 1.4 million barrels a day due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the knock-on impact on production facilities.

• Israel's economy contracted 3.3% in the first quarter in annualized terms, deeper than the expected 2% drop, due to security-related shutdowns from the war with Iran.

• The Philippines' gross gaming revenue fell 16% in the first quarter due to economic headwinds from the Iran war impact. [BFW]

Diplomatic Signals

• Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has been named Iran's special envoy for China affairs. [BFW]

• President Trump returned from a two-day summit with China's Xi Jinping, where both agreed the strait should be open but made no apparent progress toward that goal. [BN]

Energy Market

• Great Global Energy Rewiring Accelerates: UAE To Double Crude Export Capacity Bypassing Hormuz Chaos [ZH]

• World Starts To "Build" Around Hormuz; Japan Buying UAE Oil Bypassing Strait As ADNOC To Spend $55 Billion On Pipelines

• Why One Bank Thinks It's "Magical Thinking" That Hormuz Reopens In June

Brent Crude

Professional subscribers can read the latest Hormuz reports from Wall Street at our new Marketdesk.ai portal. 

Tyler Durden Sun, 05/17/2026 - 08:59

President Trump blasted Democratic climate policies after scientists moved away from one of the most extreme global warming scenarios previously used in United Nations-backed climate modeling.

Most Americans Can't Afford New Homes

Most Americans can’t afford a new home.

A new analysis from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) shows that 65% of U.S. households are priced out of newly built homes, based on current prices and mortgage rates.

In some parts of the country, the situation is even more extreme. More than 80% of households can’t afford a new home, highlighting how widespread the affordability gap has become.

This map, via Visual Capitalist's Dorosthy Neufeld, shows where Americans are being priced out and where barriers to homeownership are highest.

Ranked: Where Americans Are Most Priced Out of New Homes

At the extreme end, buying a new home is nearly out of reach. In New Hampshire, 83.4% of households are priced out of a new median-priced home.

In total, 11 states have at least 80% of households locked out.

This table shows the share of households priced out of new homes by state in 2026. A household is considered “priced out” if total housing costs—principal, interest, taxes, and insurance—exceed 28% of income, based on median new home prices and a 6% mortgage rate.

State % of Households
Priced Out of New Homes Median New Home Price Income Needed to Qualify New Hampshire 83.4% $677,982 $211,080 Hawaii 83.0% $884,781 $234,818 Maine 82.7% $548,493 $160,714 Alaska 82.2% $627,077 $188,313 Connecticut 81.8% $696,752 $224,811 Wyoming 81.8% $580,627 $164,982 Montana 81.5% $495,610 $141,997 Oregon 81.0% $608,135 $173,717 New York 80.5% $656,108 $204,163 Vermont 80.1% $580,627 $181,064 Pennsylvania 80.0% $528,370 $160,900 Massachusetts 79.8% $836,236 $246,370 Wisconsin 77.3% $485,449 $149,085 Ohio 76.5% $443,646 $137,310 Washington 76.1% $649,812 $185,213 Colorado 75.1% $644,149 $179,928 Kansas 73.4% $401,237 $128,372 Rhode Island 72.9% $578,724 $174,451 South Carolina 72.5% $421,098 $118,180 New Mexico 71.7% $362,847 $104,055 Illinois 71.3% $428,712 $143,374 Michigan 71.3% $371,503 $122,158 Kentucky 71.3% $398,741 $109,299 Florida 71.1% $429,644 $127,139 Indiana 70.7% $418,993 $123,219 District of Columbia 70.1% $836,441 $232,260 Iowa 70.0% $348,337 $120,598 Arkansas 70.0% $381,881 $100,780 Alabama 69.2% $375,944 $106,586 New Jersey 69.1% $527,069 $172,356 Utah 68.2% $531,151 $145,638 Tennessee 67.7% $399,580 $111,631 Oklahoma 67.6% $351,771 $107,846 Arizona 66.6% $446,796 $122,364 Missouri 66.6% $371,515 $111,332 Idaho 66.4% $430,280 $117,615 North Carolina 66.4% $394,058 $112,263 Louisiana 66.2% $318,728 $95,895 California 65.6% $545,892 $153,471 Nevada 65.5% $420,782 $115,555 West Virginia 64.8% $308,607 $88,071 Texas 64.5% $369,798 $117,131 Georgia 62.5% $374,579 $109,329 Minnesota 62.1% $402,209 $122,025 Nebraska 62.0% $328,603 $107,185 South Dakota 62.0% $346,894 $106,233 North Dakota 61.4% $382,451 $116,480 Mississippi 61.1% $266,837 $80,174 Virginia 58.9% $429,184 $122,542 Maryland 58.5% $432,949 $127,559 Delaware 56.0% $376,478 $104,282

While high-cost states like Hawaii and Massachusetts rank among the least affordable, others such as Maine and Wyoming show that affordability pressures are no longer limited to major metro areas.

Affordability Isn’t Just a Coastal Problem

The most striking takeaway is how universal the problem has become.

Even in lower-cost states like Mississippi ($267K) and West Virginia ($309K), a majority of households are still priced out new homes. While buyers need under $90,000 in income—compared to over $200,000 in the least affordable markets—that threshold remains out of reach for many.

In other words, moving to a cheaper state is no longer a reliable solution. Instead, the data points to a deeper issue, which is that incomes have not kept pace with rising housing costs across the country.

While existing homes can be more affordable than new construction, this data highlights a key constraint: much of the new housing supply entering the market is already out of reach for most households.

The Bigger Picture

As new home prices continue to outpace income growth, the gap between who can and can’t afford newly built homes is widening. That shift is reshaping where Americans live, how they build wealth, and whether homeownership is attainable at all.

If even the most affordable states are out of reach for most households looking at new homes, the question becomes harder to ignore: where can buyers realistically go next?

Learn More on the Voronoi App 

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on where wealth is moving in America.

Tyler Durden Sun, 05/17/2026 - 08:45

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt was roundly booed by students at the University of Arizona’s graduation Saturday — following backlash over his selection as commencement speaker over sex abuse allegations.

Mayor Sadiq Khan Claims London Devolving Into A Sh*thole Is Just AI-Driven Rage-Bait

Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has claimed that the decline of the city is a myth and that it’s all just lies being spread by MAGA supporters, Russia, and China through AI-generated content.

In a fresh escalation of his war on inconvenient truths, Khan pointed to a surge in online posts highlighting anti-immigration realities, claiming foreign actors and Trump backers are behind it. He insists the dystopian image of lawless streets and cultural erosion is purely fabricated.

“You’ve got state actors,” Khan said, pointing to supposed evidence of Russian and Chinese involvement (there is none) alongside Make America Great Again backers in the US. He warned that “decent people” might start believing these narratives of a dangerous city with no law and order.

Our city is on the front line in the fight against a new kind of disinformation.

Fake AI-generated content has become a profitable industry - created abroad and used to fuel tensions here.

I’m calling on X, Meta, YouTube and TikTok to at least clearly label this content. pic.twitter.com/oJw8hbwHqT

— Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan (@MayorofLondon) May 15, 2026

“Secondly, we’ve seen individuals and companies trying to monetise and make profit from division,” Khan further claimed.

Doesn’t allow replies so no one can point out all the real examples of how dangerous and horrible London has become. https://t.co/RJlDgAjJZ4

— m o d e r n i t y (@ModernityNews) May 16, 2026

He appears to be referring to joke AI videos being circulated showing London strewn with rubbish and rats. Of course these videos are fake, everyone realises that. However, they’re being made as a response to the fact that London is strewn with rubbish and rats, public services are woefully underfunded, and mass migration is causing further social breakdown and an explosion in crime.

Instead of taking responsibility and attempting to fix the problems, Khan is continuing his gaslighting campaign to dismiss London’s very real problems as foreign propaganda or American disinformation.

In April, Khan began a push for a government-backed social media “disinformation” unit, demanding Big Tech and the state crack down on criticism of his record, claiming an “outrage economy” is eroding trust.

He told the Cambridge Disinformation Summit that platforms must do better—or regulators like Ofcom should hit them hard. Khan positioned London as the “canary in the coal mine” for global fights against online dissent.

Critics note he often disables replies on his posts, shutting down Londoners who could share firsthand experiences.

While Khan obsesses over algorithms and foreign bots, official figures from his own tenure paint a grim picture. As highlighted in our April report on his disinformation unit push, Metropolitan Police data since Khan took office in 2016 shows:

• Knife crime: +27%
• Robbery: +57%
• Theft from the person: +37%
• Shoplifting: +109%
• Sexual offences: +64%
• Violence against the person: Significant rises in multiple categories.

Recent reminders underscore the pattern: Every hour in London, a rape is reported. Every 34 minutes, knife crime. Every 4.5 minutes, a phone theft. Every 1.8 minutes, a theft overall.

There has been a broad collapse in everyday safety, theft epidemics and gang violence is plaguing the city.

In addition to completely ignoring reality and pretending London is a utopia, Khan is calling for more state tools to police speech, label AI content, and tweak algorithms against “poison and division.”

Civil liberties voices like Big Brother Watch have warned this risks political exploitation—labeling criticism of crime, migration, and multiculturalism as “disinformation” to protect the narrative.

🚨NEWS: Mayor of London Sadiq Khan wants to CRACKDOWN on social media posts criticising the capital, calling for a state-backed disinformation unit.

Disinformation is a real problem - but it's also a term at risk of political exploitation by governments.

We exposed how counter… pic.twitter.com/OtQuZtOqWu

— Big Brother Watch (@BigBrotherWatch) April 10, 2026

Instead of addressing root causes—open borders policies flooding the city with incompatible elements, straining resources, and importing crime—Khan prefers to shoot the messenger.

The mayor’s record speaks louder than any conspiracy: a capital where shoplifting exploded over 100%, knives dominate headlines, and public trust erodes daily. Blaming MAGA, Putin, or Xi won’t fix failing multiculturalism or restore law and order.

Londoners deserve accountability, not gaslighting and speech police. Britain’s elites continue importing problems then censoring the massive backlash.

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 Sun, 05/17/2026 - 08:10

SAN FRANCISCO — The first domino of the Warriors’ offseason fell last week, when Steve Kerr signed to return as their head coach. Now, the real business can begin. “We have a lot to figure out this summer,” Kerr said. Steph Curry has expressed a desire to get an extension done. There is mutual interest...

West Ham will be fighting for their Premier League lives against Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon.

Conservative watchdog Oversight Project sued to force release of tapes from Joe Biden's talks with a ghostwriter

Audemars Piguet x Swatch's Affordable Watch Launch Sparks Lines Across World

Luxury watchmakers Audemars Piguet and Swatch have done the unthinkable: unveiling a new, affordable collaboration aimed at younger buyers, with prices ranging from $400 to, of course, $420.

Called the "Royal Pop," the affordable handheld watch inspired by pop art is clearly a mass-market move aimed at stimulating the Swiss watch market after muted activity over the last few years, following the massive run-up fueled by cheap money during the pandemic.

Keep in mind that the average Audemars Piguet watch is priced at about $36,000 on the secondary market, according to WatchCharts. Its flagship Royal Oak line averages closer to $48,000.

So why collaborate with Audemars Piguet and Swatch?

As CEO, Ilaria Resta noted, "For the joy and boldness it represents because audacity is often the starting point of innovation and new ideas. And because it invites a broader audience, including younger generations, to experience mechanical watchmaking differently."

Translation: Younger consumers, who will increasingly dominate the labor market in the years ahead, are much poorer than previous generations. If these Swiss watch giants want to stay in business into the 2030s, they must cater to younger buyers.

It appears to be working, with crowds lining up at stores across the West:

A bunch of Swatch boutiques stayed closed and cancelled the Audemars Piguet Royal Pop launch.

Lines out of control at boutiques around the world (see Dubai, Milan, Tokyo below).

Swatch official accounts posted its “not a limited edition” so that people can chill out. Wild. https://t.co/AzWBDVTPXe pic.twitter.com/bnRSTz2YjY

— Trung Phan (@TrungTPhan) May 16, 2026

Have seen 100+ person lines for Swatch stores with people camping over 24 hours in London, Zurich, New York, Singapore, Bangkok and Osaka.

The Audemars Piguet x Swatch collab gonna sell out real quick and those $400 pocket watches will be immediately listed for $5,000 on eBay. https://t.co/WHz69TPYus pic.twitter.com/wEKmzUUU0i

— Trung Phan (@TrungTPhan) May 16, 2026

Millet, Milano'da Swatch mağazından Plastik AP saat almak için birbiri ile kavga ediyor. plastik saate 400 euro verip birde bunu almak için kavga etmek için hakikaten başka bir gerizekalılık seviyesi gerekiyor.

Dünya harbi sikko bir yere gidiyor. pic.twitter.com/ERolOSmhKH

— istblu█̶̳̘͛̄̃͒̄̃͜█̴͇̱̅͒̅█̵̻̣̝͒̈̄̈͝͝█̴̞̜̻̝͍̂̽͜█̴̵̴̶ (@istblu0Iut) May 16, 2026

AP x Swatch collab was such a fail 😂 king of prussia mall CLOSED, cops kicked everyone out, do better @Swatch @AudemarsPiguet pic.twitter.com/uJyNqY5L2c

— Danny Dimes (@DanTheSharp) May 16, 2026

NYPD shuts down swatch AP drop in Time sqr pic.twitter.com/hr25F7ucYY

— M. Maali 🔑 (@cryptodronejr) May 16, 2026

Swatch closed in Battersea London as queues force past security #swatchap #swatch #royalpop pic.twitter.com/yZJeU1MXCh

— Elliott William (@ElliottWilldam) May 16, 2026

Related:

• "Winner Takes All": UBS Speaks With Swiss Watch Industry Insider On "Stabilizing Market"

A bold bet by Swiss watchmakers that may actually pay off. Are pocket watches back?

We're old enough to remember when Apple had lines around the block for product launches - not anymore... 

Tyler Durden Sun, 05/17/2026 - 07:35

One podcast slip may have washed her right off the beach.

Is A Future War Between The US And Europe Unavoidable?

Authored by Brandon Smith via Alt-Market.us,

For those who might have been out of the loop over the past few months, there is a war going on between the US and Europe. Largely, it’s western European governments that are the problem – They started the conflict, they continue to perpetuate the conflict, and they tend to cry victim when they suffer any consequences for it.

It’s clear that the European elites have a distaste for US policy. From anti-woke reforms and immigration restrictions to geopolitical interactions, when Americans voted en masse to remove the far-left Biden regime, Europe became an overnight enemy. I think it’s important to understand that the European leadership does do NOT view the Trump Administration as their primary threat. No, they view YOU as their primary threat.

American conservatives, nationalists, patriots, truth activists, etc. are the target of an international demonization campaign. And, as long as we hold sway in American politics, they will treat the US as a potential enemy.

Since 2014, Western European progressives (globalists) have been pursuing a multicultural blitzkrieg of their own respective populations. Open borders and mass immigration from largely Islamic countries became the political standard, with many European citizens suckered or shamed into compliance using two big lies:

Lie #1: Native Europeans are responsible for offering reparations to third worlders for centuries of “colonialism” and decades of war in the Middle East.

Lie #2: Mass immigration is vital to European economies because of cascading population decline and shrinking labor force.

For a decade this has been the methodology in Europe with increasingly horrific results (including a massive spike in sexual assaults and knife crimes).

To address the first lie, the vast majority of migrants entering Europe from the third world are not traveling from war torn countries. This narrative was a fabrication by liberals in Europe in order to grease the wheels for public support of open borders. Furthermore, the argument that western nations are somehow required to compensate the rest of the world for their geopolitical success is a fallacy.

We don’t owe anyone anything and we’re not required to take on immigrants for any reason, ever.

The second lie is much more complicated. Europe does not need immigrants to reinforce the economy, but what if they are useful for something else? An agenda which is not yet clear?

It has long been my position that the globalists in Europe intend on integrating into a wider opposition bloc, a coalition against nationalism, free markets, meritocracy, free democracy, etc. Evidence suggests that this coalition will include elements of Asia and their eyes on resource rich regions of Africa.

Russia is a wild card.

Europe’s leaders are ravenous, they want a greater war and they see Ukraine as the best opportunity. That said, this does not mean Russia is our friend.

I believe European leaders (much like leftists in the US) want the establishment of a “new world order” in which national borders are erased and green authoritarian socialism is enforced under a globally centralized bureaucracy. There are many ways to go about achieving this agenda.

For example, the globalists have tried implementing international climate change laws and carbon controls as a means to limit industry and dominate energy resources. I would argue that this plan has failed as it becomes more and more clear to the public that global warming science is mostly propaganda. The majority of the opposition to the carbon agenda has come from the US.

They tried medical tyranny, using pandemic hysteria through perpetual lockdowns and vaccine passports. This also failed, with twenty-two red states blocking the mandates. If they couldn’t get the US to comply, then the rest of the world would see that a nation could operate perfectly fine without authoritarian micromanagement.

They also tried to lure the US into a war in Ukraine to function as a meat shield against Russia. This would trap America in a perpetual quagmire in the best case scenario, weakening the US while Europe is strengthened through years of resource infusions. This plan also seems to have failed. The American public has zero interest in entering the Ukrainian theater or going to war with Russia without a substantial reason.

A fourth tactic is mass immigration, which has been much more successful. The US was almost overrun under the Biden Administration and now we are faced with a long uphill battle to deport millions of illegals. On the upside, border crossings have dropped by 95% and he majority of the citizenry now supports deportations.

Europe has been overwhelmed by a third world incursion. Between 50 million and 60 million migrants now reside in the region, making up around 20% of Western Europe’s total population. But is this just globalist sabotage of the west? Or, does this army of migrants serve another purpose?

As an economic resource they are a net negative. If the idea is for migrants to increase the labor pool and fill traditional jobs, then there is no positive return. Germany’s unemployment rate has climbed to 6.4% and 54% of the unemployed are migrants. These people they take far more in welfare subsidies than they contribute in economic activity.

The same goes for Spain, where the unemployment rate is 10%, yet the far-left Spanish government continues to flood the country with foreigners. The UK’s unemployment rate has climbed to 5% and 22% of the unemployed are foreign nationals on the take.

The decline is present all across the EU; economic growth is stagnating. So, why would the elites view migrants as a resource rather than mere tools for deconstructing western society? I would ask: What if a broad population increase is useful for events that have not yet occurred?

What if world war is still on the table, or an economic collapse followed by globalist consolidation? What if European leaders see millions of extra bodies as a valuable resource to feed that war, or control the citizenry at home? Is mass immigration just about cultural replacement? Or, are third worlders being lured into the west with promises of easy plunder, only to be caught up as cannon fodder in a future conflict?

Have the globalists placed their bets on foreign hordes and the power of cheap labor (or cheap soldiers) as the key to victory?

This brings us to what appears to be the US strategy in preparation for the schism, and it’s not hard to see, it involves oil. The move on Iran is clearly the catalyst for a US program of energy dominance. Consider for a moment the insane geopolitical changes and energy market mutations that have happened in just the past few months.

Venezuela is now under new leadership and shipping oil to the US, while China has mostly been cut out. Trump has been engaging with Panama to dramatically reduce Chinese influence over canal operations, again, cutting the CCP out of the western hemisphere.

Trump’s visit to China this week was filled with grand gestures and diplomatic talk for the cameras, but what really happened behind closed doors? One has to expect that the CCP is very unhappy.

Canada under globalist Mark Carney refuses to negotiate a tariff deal with the US and is trying to form bilateral trade agreements with Europe and China (to Canada’s detriment). This could lead to direct hostilities between the US and Canada if Carney tries to use oil agreements as leverage against Trump, or if he tries to give China access to Canadian soil.

The war with Iran has led to the UAE leaving OPEC, which essentially signals the end of OPEC and an incoming flood of oil to global markets at lower prices once the war is over (which the US will benefit from). It’s a shock in energy markets that has not happened in decades. It also disrupts the globalist climate agenda and their bid for artificial scarcity.

Iran is where the division between the globalists in Europe and conservatives in the US becomes undeniable. Why didn’t European elites immediately jump on board with the Iran war and the effort to control the Strait of Hormuz. They supported every other war in the Middle East from 2001 onward. With Iran, they’ve tried to undermine the US every step of the way.

We know for a fact that Europe’s leadership is devoid of moral principle or conditions of conscience. Their rhetoric and behavior when it comes to Iran and the Hormuz indicates they want the US to fail, not because they disagree with the war, but because they don’t want the US to gain an edge in energy dominance.

US operations against the regimes in Venezuela and Iran are choking energy supplies to China (the most useful economic and military ally for Europe in the event of conflict with the US). This is detrimental to the Europeans IF they are preparing for deeper hostilities with the US in the future.

NATO is now likely to break apart. Trump is threatening to pull troops from Europe and may shut down military bases entirely. Tariff salvos are going to increase. European governments are cracking down on their own citizens for expressing conservative and nationalist views. The lines are forming.

I would not be surprised to see talk of kinetic conflict between America and Europe in the next few years. Unless, something spectacular happens in the near term and the citizens of Europe take their countries back (most EU countries have to wait until 2027-2029 for elections). After endless abuse by the liberal establishment, if there was a war, millions of Europeans would likely welcome the US with open arms.

If you would like to support the work that Alt-Market does while also receiving content on advanced tactics for defeating the globalist agenda, subscribe to our exclusive newsletter The Wild Bunch Dispatch.  Learn more about it HERE.

Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ZeroHedge.

Tyler Durden Sun, 05/17/2026 - 07:00

The Polymarket promo code NYPMAX can receive a $50 trading bonus, provided you make an initial deposit of $20.

Sinner could make history today.

Officials pronounced three people dead at the scene, while three others were transported to a hospital, two in critical condition.

Team USA is charged with defending the goal against swarming World Cup attackers on the field – while Team Fed is deputizing locals trained to fend off swarms of potentially deadly drones above.

Democrats Devastated After Supreme Court Rejects Attempt To Revive Virginia Congressional Map

Hammering the last nail in the coffin of what could have been a significant midterm factor, the US Supreme Court on Friday rejected Virginia Democrats' request to use a new congressional district map, which was drawn to flip four House seats into Democratic control.

🚨 IT'S OFFICIAL, WE WIN!

"The US Supreme Court moments ago has ruled AGAINST Virginia Democrats when it comes to reviving their pro-Democrat redistricting map ahead of the 2026 midterms."

WOULD'VE BEEN: 10D-1R
MAP WILL REMAIN AS: 6D-5R

Another Dem embarrassment.

🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/sfWWvumcnJ

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 15, 2026

As is typical in this kind of "emergency" ruling, the court provided no legal rationale or vote count -- however no dissents were noted.  

The new map was expected to dramatically alter the composition of Virginia's US House delegation, boosting Democrats from their current slim 6-5 edge to 10-1 domination. For context, in 2024 presidential balloting, Virginia voters were split 52% for Democrat Kamala Harris and 46% for Donald Trump. 

On May 8, the Virginia Supreme Court denied a request from Democrats and state officials to lift a lower-court order blocking certification of the April 21 redistricting referendum.

Voters approved the Democrat-accommodating map by a 52-to-48 margin, but a Virginia circuit court declared the referendum null and void, saying Democrats had run afoul of state constitutional measures that exist to fend off partisan gerrymandering. 

Virginia Gov Abigail Spanberger, seen here as a US House representative on Jan 6 2021, says she now wants to focus on Democrat turnout

After that setback, Democrats sought to salvage their new map with an appeal to the US Supreme Court, which has now failed. Two days earlier, Gov Abigail Spanberger had already waved a white flag of sorts, implying that Virginia's May 12 deadline for map changes made the emergency request to the US Supreme Court something of a moot point.

“What needs to happen is we need to focus on the task at hand, which is winning races in November,” she said.

"I believe, somewhat doggedly, that we will [gain] two to four seats in the House of Representatives. … That is my goal. That is what I know is possible.”

However, after the ruling, she opportunistically lashed out at the Supreme Court: 

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, criticized the decision, which she said had the effect of nullifying “the votes of more than three million Virginians.”

“As Governor, I will make sure voters know when and how to cast their votes this year. Because our votes are how we choose the representation we deserve,” she wrote on X.

The Supreme Court of the United States has now joined the Supreme Court of Virginia in choosing to nullify an election and the votes of more than three million Virginians.

These Virginians made their voices heard — casting their ballots in good faith to push back against a…

— Governor Abigail Spanberger (@GovernorVA) May 16, 2026

The lead respondent, Virginia state Sen. Ryan McDougle, a Republican, who is also legislative commissioner for the Virginia Redistricting Commission hailed the new ruling.

“The Supreme Court of the United States has affirmed what we always knew: you cannot violate the Constitution to change the Constitution,” the state lawmaker wrote on X.

The Virginia battle was part of a nationwide saga that started last year, when Texas Republicans redrew their congressional map to gain seats, straying from what had been a fairly (but not thoroughly) universal norm that saw states refrain from redistricting that wasn't driven by once-a-decade census results. Following the lead of California Democrats who undertook their own maneuvers to offset the Texas map, the Virginia leftists who gained full control of state government in 2025 responded with a constitutional amendment allowing the General Assembly to temporarily redraw congressional districts outside the normal 10-year cycle -- specifically to “restore fairness” if other states gerrymandered (bases on the convoluted implication that varied wrongs against the citizenry of multiple states can add up to a national right).  

Despite the implosion of the Virginia Democrats' scheme, and the view that the net result of the redistricting war will flip seats to the GOP column, prediction-market participants lean heavily toward Democrats wresting control of the House from Republicans, who currently have a 217-212 edge over the Democrats. (One representative is an independent and there are five vacant seats owing to deaths and resignations.) 

Via Polymarket

Chalk up the difference between the redistricting outcome and the predicted 2026 House elections to resurgent price inflation springing from the Trump-Netanyahu war on Iran, disenchantment with the broader economy, and a career-high disapproval rating for party standard-bearer Trump.  

Tyler Durden Sun, 05/17/2026 - 05:40

A woman died after drones hit her house in the city of Khimki, just northwest of the Russian capital, as part of the “massive” strike on the Moscow region.

The 108th PGA Championship has been a round of musical chairs: blink and there’s a new leader.