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The fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran seems to be holding despite continued attacks, and Tehran forcing ships to pay a toll to transverse the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump announced a pause in the naval escort operation, 'Project Freedom', to allow negotiations to continue, but warns that failure to reach a deal would result in a significantly escalated bombing campaign. FOX's John Saucier speaks with Lucas Tomlinson, FOX News Channel (FNC) correspondent reporting from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, who says complete control of the Strait of Hormuz is still up in the air, and later shares with us how the people of the UAE are handling random drone and missile attacks from Iran. Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The average price of gasoline has soared over the last two months, but the Trump administration insists that relief is coming rapidly once hostilities with Iran conclude. FOX Business Correspondent Lauren Simonetti joins the Rundown to break down the reality of the energy market including why the U.S. is exporting record amounts of natural gas while domestic prices remain high and what it means for your wallet now that the UAE is leaving the world's biggest oil cartel. Plus, they also discuss if the U.S. is poised to become the new global "power center" for energy. The Trump administration's "Make America Healthy Again" initiative is targeting the high cost of healthcare through aggressive drug price negotiations and new transparency mandates. President Trump's National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Dr. Tom Keane, joins to discuss the implementation of a policy requiring drug companies to match the lower prices paid by other countries, the launch of the TrumpRx discount platform, and a new rule requiring doctors to show patients real-time drug costs and cheaper alternatives during appointments.  PLUS, commentary by Jason Chaffetz, FOX News contributor and the host of the Jason In The House podcast on FOX News Radio.  PHOTO CREDIT: ASSOCIATED PRESS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on We Saw the Devil, Robin tears through the most chaotic news cycle of the second Trump administration so far. Donald Trump told a White House crowd he'll be in office "eight or nine years from now," and they applauded. Politico reports the President personally offered Senator John Fetterman a "financial windfall" to switch parties (usually a bag of cash), on the record, while a sitting US senator "absorbed the suggestion." Trump publicly accused Pope Leo XIV of "endangering Catholics" with his pro-peace stance on the Iran war, sending Marco Rubio to Rome on damage control. Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America president Marjorie Dannenfelser told the Wall Street Journal flat out: "Trump is the problem. The president is the problem."Robin breaks down Operation Epic Fury, Project Freedom, and the Strait of Hormuz standoff Pete Hegseth insists is "not a ceasefire violation" while Iran sinks ships and the UAE shoots down Iranian missiles. The Senate's $1 billion taxpayer giveaway for Trump's East Wing ballroom, the Supreme Court's gutting of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in Louisiana v. Callais, RFK Jr.'s campaign to "deprescribe" antidepressants, the closure of the ICE Detention Ombudsman office, the eight Republican AGs arguing in federal court that Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is unconstitutional, and the hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship in the Atlantic that nobody at HHS is equipped to track.Pour something strong. We're going in.Sources:Marjorie Dannenfelser, Pope Leo XIV, Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth, General Dan Caine, John Fetterman, Joaquin Castro, Adam Kinzinger, Karl Rove, Sean Hannity, Hugh Hewitt, Mike Nellis, Mrs. Frazzled, Abraar Karan, Adam Isaacson, Wall Street Journal, Politico, HuffPost, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, CNN, NPR, CBS News, Washington Post, SCOTUSblog, NAACP Legal Defense Fund.Keywords:political podcast May 2026, Trump news this week, Trump second term podcast, Iran war 2026, Pope Leo Trump feud, Fetterman financial windfall, Trump ballroom taxpayer money, Voting Rights Act gutted, Louisiana v. Callais, RFK Jr. HHS, Christofascism, Section 504 lawsuit, ICE detention oversight, hantavirus outbreak 2026, Met Gala 2026, Athena Strand verdict, Secret Service scandal, Susan B. Anthony Trump problem, anti-Trump podcast, progressive podcast, queer podcast host, snarky political podcast, true crime political podcast, We Saw the Devil podcastBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/we-saw-the-devil-crime-political-analysis--4433638/support.Website: http://www.wesawthedevil.comPatreon: http://www.patreon.com/wesawthedevilDiscord: https://discord.gg/X2qYXdB4Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/WeSawtheDevilInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/wesawthedevilpodcast.

WATCH (and LIKE and COMMENT) on YouTube: https://youtu.be/IFExZLzL4fs Trump's Iran war update is getting weirder by the day. Project Freedom lasted about a day and a half, gas prices are jumping, and the same government wants trust on war, death, and Medicaid. Nate and Chuck break down Trump's Iran posts, the paused ship movement through the Strait of Hormuz, the blockade, UAE strikes, renewed airstrike talk, and why nobody should be too confident about what comes next. Then the conversation turns to the death penalty after the Texas FedEx driver case. The argument is not that the guilty never deserve death. The argument is that the government gets things wrong, hides evidence, controls what juries see, and should not be trusted with irreversible power. Finally, the guys hit Luke Rosiak's Ohio Medicaid fraud investigation and ask the obvious question: if government cannot manage war, justice, or welfare payments, why keep handing it more power? Chapters: 00:00 Opening and Nashville weather 01:45 Today's topics: Iran, Massie, death penalty, Ohio fraud 02:45 Thomas Massie primary preview 04:30 Why the Iran war is hard to trust 05:00 Trump announces Project Freedom 09:00 Project Freedom gets paused 12:15 Renewed airstrikes and Iran confusion 17:15 The safest bet: government failure 19:00 Reports of damage to US assets 22:00 Gas prices and the war subscription 27:15 Dollar dominance, empire, and risk 33:00 Death penalty and government trust 40:15 Innocence Project numbers and false convictions 47:00 DNA evidence, incentives, and planted evidence 54:45 Ohio Medicaid fraud and federal failure 56:45 Wrap-up and Dumb Bleep preview Watch All Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi78svKlBr_8o0dDOX8DxO_Wwxu6WYhhA Watch Host Favorites: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi78svKlBr__Zu40RL7mWxCuOOe54zgy2 Join the Fed Haters Club @ joingml.com All links @ gml.bio.link Subscribe, like, comment, share, and leave a rating or review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. #GoodMorningLiberty #IranWar #Trump #Libertarian #DeathPenalty #MedicaidFraud  

WATCH (and LIKE and COMMENT) on YouTube: https://youtu.be/IFExZLzL4fs Trump's Iran war update is getting weirder by the day.Project Freedom lasted about a day and a half, gas prices are jumping, and the same government wants trust on war, death, and Medicaid. Nate and Chuck break down Trump's Iran posts, the paused ship movement through the Strait of Hormuz, the blockade, UAE strikes, renewed airstrike talk, and why nobody should be too confident about what comes next. Then the conversation turns to the death penalty after the Texas FedEx driver case. The argument is not that the guilty never deserve death. The argument is that the government gets things wrong, hides evidence, controls what juries see, and should not be trusted with irreversible power. Finally, the guys hit Luke Rosiak's Ohio Medicaid fraud investigation and ask the obvious question: if government cannot manage war, justice, or welfare payments, why keep handing it more power? Chapters:00:00 Opening and Nashville weather01:45 Today's topics: Iran, Massie, death penalty, Ohio fraud02:45 Thomas Massie primary preview04:30 Why the Iran war is hard to trust05:00 Trump announces Project Freedom09:00 Project Freedom gets paused12:15 Renewed airstrikes and Iran confusion17:15 The safest bet: government failure19:00 Reports of damage to US assets22:00 Gas prices and the war subscription27:15 Dollar dominance, empire, and risk33:00 Death penalty and government trust40:15 Innocence Project numbers and false convictions47:00 DNA evidence, incentives, and planted evidence54:45 Ohio Medicaid fraud and federal failure56:45 Wrap-up and Dumb Bleep preview Watch All Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi78svKlBr_8o0dDOX8DxO_Wwxu6WYhhAWatch Host Favorites: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi78svKlBr__Zu40RL7mWxCuOOe54zgy2Join the Fed Haters Club @ joingml.comAll links @ gml.bio.link Subscribe, like, comment, share, and leave a rating or review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. #GoodMorningLiberty #IranWar #Trump #Libertarian #DeathPenalty #MedicaidFraud  

Experts assess whether the US-Iran ceasefire is holding as tensions escalate around the Strait of Hormuz and “Project Freedom,” with analysis from F. Gregory Gause III on regional dynamics involving Iran, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia. The World Food Programme warns of a growing global hunger crisis tied to the conflict, while Nancy Northup discusses the Supreme Court's move to preserve access to abortion pills. Plus, Barbara F. Walter examines the rising tide of political violence in the United States. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former mayor Rudy Giuliani was in a coma, a fact that wasn't revealed until after his admission to the hospital for pneumonia on Sunday. Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay paid tribute to the late, great John Sterling while calling last night's game. Fans at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx honored Sterling with a huge tribute. A UAE cutter may join the fight against Iran, depending on what happens with ships, drones, or missiles at the Strait of Hormuz. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says having the Strait blocked benefits the USA, but it's crippling Iran's economy to the point where they can't pay their soldiers. Mark recaps last night's Met Gala, noting how the event has changed over the years.

Former mayor Rudy Giuliani was in a coma, a fact that wasn't revealed until after his admission to the hospital for pneumonia on Sunday. Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay paid tribute to the late, great John Sterling while calling last night's game. Fans at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx honored Sterling with a huge tribute. A UAE cutter may join the fight against Iran, depending on what happens with ships, drones, or missiles at the Strait of Hormuz. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says having the Strait blocked benefits the USA, but it's crippling Iran's economy to the point where they can't pay their soldiers. Mark recaps last night's Met Gala, noting how the event has changed over the years. Mark takes your calls! Mark interviews NY Post columnist Michael Goodwin. Mark and Michael discuss how the US relationship with the British has shifted since King Charles visited Manhattan last week, and how this decline may reflect a broader trend across Europe. They also talk about rising American anxiety over the war in Iran and whether time is running out for regime change. The City of New York is struggling to pass the state budget, partly due to Mayor Mamdani's promise to provide more free services to residents.

Former mayor Rudy Giuliani was in a coma, a fact that wasn't revealed until after his admission to the hospital for pneumonia on Sunday. Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay paid tribute to the late, great John Sterling while calling last night's game. Fans at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx honored Sterling with a huge tribute. A UAE cutter may join the fight against Iran, depending on what happens with ships, drones, or missiles at the Strait of Hormuz. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says having the Strait blocked benefits the USA, but it's crippling Iran's economy to the point where they can't pay their soldiers. Mark recaps last night's Met Gala, noting how the event has changed over the years. Mark interviews NY Post columnist Michael Goodwin. Mark and Michael discuss how the US relationship with the British has shifted since King Charles visited Manhattan last week, and how this decline may reflect a broader trend across Europe. They also talk about rising American anxiety over the war in Iran and whether time is running out for regime change. The City of New York is struggling to pass the state budget, partly due to Mayor Mamdani's promise to provide more free services to residents. The Tony Awards nominations are out, and Pink is set to host the show on CBS. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was pressed about possible insider trading but dodged the question. Former mayor Eric Adams used to call Michael Bloomberg for advice when making big decisions for New York City; maybe more mayors should try that, such as Mamdani. Stephen Colbert's run as CBS's late-night host is wrapping up soon, so what's next for the Ed Sullivan Theater in NYC? Mark has a few ideas. Mark interviews streaming host Bill O'Reilly. They discuss Barack Obama's aim to be a kingmaker for Democrats in 2028, believing the party is in decline. Bill and Mark touch on how mistakes by Michelle and Barack Obama have led to different outcomes for each. They also talk about how tough it is for a President to think clearly with constant pressure, especially Trump, and how this plays out with the current Iran war. Bill notes that networks such as NewsDay and more are censoring stories, leaving viewers confused, like in the recent Long Island Wendy's stabbing case that sparked major attention. 

On this Tuesday edition of Sid & Friends in the Morning, Sid recaps his night spent at Yankee Stadium last night courtesy of his new best friend New York Yankees team president Randy Levine, where the Yankees spent time pre-game honoring the life & legacy of legendary Yankees play-by-play voice John Sterling - who passed away yesterday at the age of 87. In other news of the day, synagogues and homes and a car in Queens were all targeted with antisemitic graffiti early Monday morning, the U.S. sinks 7 small Iranian boats as Iran launches attacks on UAE and ships in Strait of Hormuz - proving just how fragile this "ceasefire" in Iran really is, and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is breathing on his own after being taken off a ventilator - his doctor said - adding he has "9 lives" following a dramatic turnaround from a dire condition. Abraham Hamra, Bo Dietl, Bruce Blakeman, Craig Carton, Joe Gruters, Randy Levine & Samantha Ettus join Sid on this Tuesday installment of Sid & Friends in the Morning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe's Premium Subscription: www.standardgrain.comGrain Markets and Other Stuff Links —Apple PodcastsSpotifyTikTokYouTubeFutures and options trading involves risk of loss and is not suitable for everyone.Crude oil prices surged more than 4% Monday after Iran targeted US vessels and struck the UAE, reigniting fears that the four-week ceasefire could collapse. The move sent soybeans up 14 cents to near $11.97/bu and corn up roughly 6 cents to near $5.05/bu, with wheat also advancing on expected Plains rainfall.US winter wheat conditions remain historically poor—the top 5 HRW states (KS, OK, TX, CO, NE) are rated just 14% good-excellent with 52% poor-to-very-poor. Nationally, 37% of the crop is rated poor-to-very-poor, well above the 5-year average of 27%. Corn planting reached 38% complete, ahead of the 34% average, while soybean planting hit 33%, well above the 23% average.On the export front, corn inspections came in strong at 80 million bushels — up 22% week-over-week and 25% vs. last year. Soybean and wheat shipments came in near the low end of expectations. China accounted for roughly 45% of weekly inspections.The US is urging China to pressure Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Treasury Secretary Bessent noted China buys ~90% of Iran's energy exports. Trump and Xi are expected to meet May 14th. Meanwhile, China ordered its companies to disregard US sanctions on private refiners tied to Iranian oil purchases.Tyson Foods posted $260M in net income last quarter, up sharply from $7M a year ago, despite a $240M loss in its beef segment driven by tight cattle supplies. Chicken profit hit $505M. Ag Secretary Rollins flagged the administration's ongoing investigation into the big four meatpackers.

It's time for another ask-me-anything edition of FP Live. This one takes on the war in Iran from many angles: the economic impact, regional balance of power, the longer-term global impact, and much else. Producer Dana Sherne puts audience questions to FP's editor in chief Ravi Agrawal. Ravi Agrawal: The World Is Paying the Price for America's War Ravi Agrawal: Trump Is Losing the War in Iran Stephen M. Walt: The End of America's Soft Power Amir Handjani: The Real Meaning of the UAE's OPEC Exit Aaron David Miller and Daniel C. Kurtzer: Why Trump Might Come to Regret the Iran War Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the US-Iran ceasefire still holds despite clashes near the Strait of Hormuz, as the US launches “Project Freedom” to protect commercial shipping amid rising tensions and energy prices. The episode also covers Middle East developments involving Iran, Israel, and the UAE; US political updates including key primaries and a California debate preview; a Secret Service shooting in Washington, DC; and a DOJ subpoena battle tied to the 2020 election. Additional stories include a VA investigation, a new youth AI safety initiative, wildfire suspect updates, and an interview with the trainer of Kentucky Derby winner Golden Tempo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

//The Wire//2300Z May 04, 2026// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: VBIED ATTACK CONDUCTED IN OREGON. NAVCENT PUBLISHES TRANSIT PLAN FOR VESSELS IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ, WITH MIXED SUCCESS. IRAN CLAIMS TO TARGET US NAVY "PATROL BOAT" IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ, CENTCOM CLAIMS TO SINK 6X IRANIAN GUNBOATS IN GULF. VEHICLE RAMMING ATTACK REPORTED IN GERMANY.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----  -International Events-Strait of Hormuz: Major developments have taken place in the Strait over the weekend. Last night, President Trump announced the creation of "Project Freedom", a plan to allegedly "guide" third-party commercial ships out of the Persian Gulf, so as to at least get non-affiliated ships out of the combat zone for humanitarian reasons. Today, the details of the plan became more clear, and it also became clear that the Iranians did not agree with this plan, nor were they notified ahead of time. Early this morning, the United States revealed that the plan was actually the publishing of an alternate traffic scheme for merchant vessels to transit the Strait using Omani territorial waters. Immediately after this plan was published, two merchant vessels made the crossing attempt, both of which were either struck with Iranian cruise missiles or drones. Later on, a third vessel was reportedly on fire in the Strait, though the cause of the fire is not yet known. Following this incident, the IRGCN released a new map of the Strait, with two no-go barriers depicted to the east and west, further stressing that the Strait is closed. At some point throughout the day, the United States has claimed that two unidentified vessels were able to make it out of the Gulf, though the names of these vessels have not been released yet.Separately, kinetic targeting between the United States and Iran appears to have resumed on the high seas. After the United States announced the implementation of Project Freedom, US Forces conducted kinetic strikes on 6x Iranian gunboats patrolling either the Strait of Hormuz, or the Persian Gulf itself.On the Iranian side, the IRGCN have claimed to have targeted what they describe as an American Patrol Boat with two cruise missiles during the earlier strikes on merchant vessels. The Iranians claim that these missiles were not targeting the vessel, but were serving as warning shots to prevent the US vessel from proceeding further.Analyst Comment: Due to the linguistic and cultural barrier, all Middle Eastern nations tend to use doctrinally incorrect terminology when referring to American warships. In this case, "patrol boat" might not refer to an actual Riverine Command Boat (RCB), but might refer to a Destroyer (DDG) or maybe a Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). CENTCOM issued a carefully worded statement confirming that a ship had not been hit, but did not address the claims directly. On the other hand, the Iranians have been known to make outlandish claims regarding the targeting of American warships, so it's equally possible that the Iranians tried to sink the vessel, then claimed that the missiles were "warning shots", so as to save face from successful interceptions. However, last night the sky over Hormuz was filled with munitions, and multiple hulls are burning in the Strait as of this morning, so out of all of the prior claims made by the Iranians, this one is the most plausible situation where the Iranians might have actually come close to hitting an American vessel.United Arab Emirates: After this morning's scuffle in the Strait, four Iranian drones/cruise missiles were reported in Fujairah, as Iranian forces targeted the large oil refinery complex which has been used to circumvent the need for merchant tankers to transit the Strait. The UAE indicated that three of these munitions were intercepted, but one made it through to it's target, with several large fires being reported at the refinery this afternoon. In response to these attacks, the UAE has begun to re

There's been an escalation of the conflict in the Gulf after the US said it had sailed two destroyers through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran said it had fired warning shots at one warship and denied US claims that two US-flagged merchant ships had transited the waterway. Iran has retaliated. The UAE says four cruise missiles were fired towards its territory and a drone hit the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone.Also, Cape Verde has refused docking permission to a cruise ship with a suspected outbreak of hantavirus; and Samsung pays a massive inheritance tax bill in South Korea - but do some super-rich companies dodge tax bills?(Photo: Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz near Bandar Abbas, Iran, 4th May, 2026. Credit: Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA/WANA via Reuters)

Iran has attacked a UAE petroleum site in Fujairah, just days after the United Arab Emirates announced it was leaving OPEC. As the Strait of Hormuz crisis deepens and oil prices keep rising, could this accelerate the shift to renewables, or are we heading into an era of energy volatility? In this episode: Jim Krane (@jimkrane), Co-director of the Middle East Energy Roundtable, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy Episode credits: This episode was produced by David Enders and Sarí el-Khalili with Chloe K. Li, Catherine Nouhan, Tuleen Barakat, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Tamara Khandaker. Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer. Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube

This episode is presented by Create A Video – Iranian gunboats have reportedly fired on civilian merchant vessels in the Persian Gulf prompting retaliatory strikes from the US military - which has launched escorts to allow trapped ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-pete-kaliner-show--6946691/support.Subscribe to the podcast All the links to Pete's Prep are free!Get exclusive content here!Media Bias Check: GroundNews promo code!Advertising and Booking inquiries: Pete@ThePeteKalinerShow.com  

//The Wire//2300Z April 30, 2026// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: TERRORISM CONCERNS REMAIN IN UNITED KINGDOM. UKRAINIAN TARGETING OF RUSSIAN OIL INFRASTRUCTURE CONTINUES. OIL MARKET REMAINS VOLATILE AS GULF WAR REMAINS STAGNANT.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----  -International Events-Lebanon: The ceasefire has mostly collapsed, with fighting resuming between Hezbollah and the IDF. Several FPV drone strikes have targeted Israeli armor in the border regions of Lebanon over the past few days, and Israeli forces continue to mandate the evacuation of the newly created "buffer zone" south of the Litani River.United Kingdom: Counterterrorism policing operations have continued in the wake of the Golders Green attack yesterday, with authorities confirming that the suspect who conducted the stabbing is of Somali origin. The individual has been identified as Essa Suleiman, an individual who had previously been arrested for stabbing two police officers back in 2008. After this incident, he was incarcerated and a flagged as a potential terrorist threat under the Prevent program in 2020. At some point he was released and/or escaped the mental institution he was confined to, before conducting the stabbing yesterday. This morning, the national terrorism threat level was raised to SEVERE, meaning that further terror attacks are highly likely.Russia: Ukrainian targeting efforts throughout the nation have increased over the past few weeks, as Ukrainian forces pivot to targeting Russian oil terminals and refineries. The Lukoil petroleum refinery in Perm was hit overnight, along with the Tuapse Refinery on the Black Sea coast.Analyst Comment: This pivot to targeting Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricant (POL) facilities began in earnest last October, after a prolonged period of stagnation along the various front lines. As the war has been going on for a long time now, these targeting efforts received little attention outside the various communities observing the war. From Ukraine's perspective, these targeting efforts are perfectly reasonable, but for the rest of the world, the timing of this is going to cause an already tenuous oil market to increasingly be threatened. With the Middle East oil markets severely stifled by the Gulf War, the footnote that Russia is one of the largest producers of energy in the world has become a rather important detail. Russian oil refineries being blown up by the Ukrainians, while President Trump has alluded to the war continuing for some time, is almost certain to have follow-on effects which will (in the short term) drive up costs for nearly everything.-HomeFront-New York: This morning an explosion was reported at a residence in Queens. The incident began after one suspect (who has been identified as Anrup Parasram) attempted to break in to the residence, where his wife was living. A domestic disturbance developed, which involved the suspect attempting to conduct a stabbing attack. As authorities arrived on scene, the suspect barricaded himself inside the structure, before setting the house (and himself) on fire. A few moments later, the house exploded, possibly due to the suspect filling the home with natural gas. So far only minor injuries have been reported among responders, and the suspect remains "unaccounted for" per the FDNY.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: Yesterday Brent crude futures briefly jumped to $120/bbl upon the news of the strategic situation regarding the war in the Middle East. In addition to the UAE announcing their departure from OPEC, diplomatic efforts to end the war are stagnant at best and President Trump has indicated that the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz will be in place on more of a long-term basis. Yesterday, a post was made on President Trump's Truth Social account referencing a "nonnuclear deal". Though the meaning of this is not perfectly clear (and thus can be interpreted in any numbe

A big day for the Communist Capitol of America - Chicago!! PLUS, Donald Kendal, Director of The Heartland Institute's Emerging Issues Center, tells Shaun that from Bernie Sanders, to Zohran Mamdani and even Barack Obama, leftists are pushing socialism in the US and predicts their next running point will be Universal Basic Income. The Heritage Foundation's Dr. EJ Antoni talks to Shaun about the complete shift in power after the UAE leaves OPEC, the over-reaching refinery regulations causing our gas prices to sky-rocket, and debates a Spirit Airlines bailout. And our National Anthem: The Temptations!!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Subscribe now to skip the ads and get all of our episodes.  King Charles paid his respects at AP HQ, but was put off by Danny's pet ferrets. In this week's news: Iran talks collapse as Trump weighs a blockade and strikes (1:56); the UAE leaves OPEC (7:45); Mali rebels and jihadists seize Kidal (16:49); Derek interviews Alex Thurston about Mali's escalating rebel offensive and the implications for the junta government (18:08); Israel kills civilians and expands evacuation zones in Lebanon (33:43) as the U.S. and Israel demand a Hezbollah disarmament plan from Lebanon (35:25); Israel adds an orange line to its Gaza map (37:08); Afghanistan and Pakistan exchange border fire (38:59); China blocks the sale of AI startup Manus to Meta (40:46); Sudan's Blue Nile faces a humanitarian crisis (44:23); King Charles visits the United States and addresses Congress (46:27); Trump and Putin discuss a Ukraine ceasefire (48:53), plus Ukraine accuses Israel of procuring stolen grain (48:53); and the United States charges Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha (52:18). Don't forget to download our latest miniseries Marx Prestige. All episodes out now! And paid subscribers will get access to the full interview with Alex Thurston. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman break down a series of national and global collapses in this Weekender edition of the Muckrake Podcast. They analyze the Supreme Court's 6-3 decision regarding Louisiana's voting maps, arguing that the ruling effectively dismantles the Voting Rights Act and signals a return to an era of disenfranchisement. The conversation shifts to the intensifying energy crisis and the indefinite stalemate in Iran. With the UAE withdrawing from OPEC and Saudi Arabia's sovereign fund feeling the squeeze, the duo discusses the fracturing of the petrodollar and the potential for regional conflict. They also take aim at the Democratic Party's recent policy shifts under Hakeem Jeffries, questioning the focus on building data centers for AI while regular Americans face rising energy bills and job insecurity. To wrap things up, the guys find refuge in cinema and comedy. They discuss the brilliance of the Coen brothers, the nuanced acting of Oscar Isaac in Inside Llewyn Davis, and why Fargo remains a perfect lens for viewing the pitfalls of capitalism. Support Independent Media: Become a patron at Patreon.com/muckrakepodcast to help keep the show editorially independent.

This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss the US national debt, the Supreme Court's decision on a provision of the Voting Rights Act, the UAE's exit from OPEC, why Trump doesn't believe the Iran war is the catastrophe the establishment thinks it is, and King Charles' very successful visit to America.

King Charles paid his respects at AP HQ, but was put off by Danny's pet ferrets. In this week's news: Iran talks collapse as Trump weighs a blockade and strikes (1:56); the UAE leaves OPEC (7:45); Mali rebels and jihadists seize Kidal (16:49); Derek interviews Alex Thurston about Mali's escalating rebel offensive and the implications for the junta government (18:08); Israel kills civilians and expands evacuation zones in Lebanon (33:43) as the US and Israel demand a Hezbollah disarmament plan from Lebanon (35:25); Israel adds an orange line to its Gaza map (37:08); Afghanistan and Pakistan exchange border fire (38:59); China blocks the sale of AI startup Manus to Meta (40:46); Sudan's Blue Nile faces a humanitarian crisis (44:23); King Charles visits the United States and addresses Congress (46:27); Trump and Putin discuss a Ukraine ceasefire (48:53), plus Ukraine accuses Israel of procuring stolen grain (48:53); and the United States charges Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha (52:18).Don't forget to download our latest miniseries Marx Prestige. All episodes out now!Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

With the Iran War underway, the United Arab Emirates is looking for some economic certainty. The rich Arab nation is home to a lot of foreign-held deposits, and they're worried investors will pull those funds. So, they're looking for an economic backstop. Enter: currency swap lines. Today, we explain why the UAE is looking to its close ally, the U.S., for a currency swap line and how it would work.The Indicator has a weekly newsletter! Be among the first to sign up now: npr.org/indicatornewsletter Related episodes: Where the US got $20B to bail out ArgentinaScott Bessent's $20 billion dollar gamble on ArgentinaFor sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.  See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Oil prices are at their highest since 2022, as a swift end to the Iran conflict proves elusive. Yet, our commodities editor says, markets do not yet yet recognise how deep the supply shock is. Who will contest next year's pivotal election in France? And great expectations in Brazil ahead of the World Cup.Watch “The Insider”: How high will the oil price go Guests and host:Matthieu Favas, commodities editorSophie Pedder, Paris bureau chiefJon Fasman, senior culture correspondentRosie Blau, host of “The Intelligence”Topics covered: Oil, Brent crude, OPEC, Iran, UAEFrance, Macron, Marine Le Pen, National RallyWorld Cup, Brazil, Pele Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oil prices are at their highest since 2022, as a swift end to the Iran conflict proves elusive. Yet, our commodities editor says, markets do not yet yet recognise how deep the supply shock is. Who will contest next year's pivotal election in France? And great expectations in Brazil ahead of the World Cup.Watch “The Insider”: How high will the oil price go Guests and host:Matthieu Favas, commodities editorSophie Pedder, Paris bureau chiefJon Fasman, senior culture correspondentRosie Blau, host of “The Intelligence”Topics covered: Oil, Brent crude, OPEC, Iran, UAEFrance, Macron, Marine Le Pen, National RallyWorld Cup, Brazil, Pele Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Episode 478 of Hidden Forces, Demetri Kofinas speaks with Jon Alterman, the Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, about why the Islamic Republic of Iran has refused to capitulate in its war with the United States and Israel,, how Russia and China are positioning themselves to exploit the conflict, and what recent wars have taught us about the future of warfare and a potential direct military confrontation between the United States and China. The first hour examines the constellation of tools Tehran has cultivated to compensate for its conventional military weakness, and which have been deployed to great effect against the United States and Israel, and the mismatch between the speed of modern warfare and the speed with which political change is demanded in Washington, which has frustrated the architects of this latest military campaign from the outset. They also discuss the deepening of US-Israeli military integration following October 7th, the implications for peace negotiations of an Iranian political economy whose survival is bound up with its pariah status, and what a viable diplomatic off-ramp might ultimately look like for Tehran, Washington, Tel Aviv, and other countries with a vested interest in how this war turns out. The second hour is devoted to how Moscow and Beijing are already positioning themselves to exploit the war, the structural challenges that may render China less ascendant than the consensus narrative suggests, and the rupture in transatlantic and US-Canada relations that Jon believes will leave permanent scars regardless of who occupies the White House at the end of Trump's second term. They also discuss the implications for the Gulf in light of the UAE's announced departure from OPEC, the deepening Saudi-Emirati rivalry, the durability of the "exit narrative" that has flourished among a new class of transnational elites in this more volatile global security environment, and what the war between the US, Israel, and Iran and other recent conflicts have taught us about what a direct military confrontation between the United States and China might actually look like. Subscribe to our premium content—including our premium feed, episode transcripts, and Intelligence Reports—by visiting HiddenForces.io/subscribe. If you'd like to join the conversation and become a member of the Hidden Forces Genius community—with benefits like Q&A calls with guests, exclusive research and analysis, in-person events, and dinners—you can also sign up on our subscriber page at HiddenForces.io/subscribe. If you enjoyed today's episode of Hidden Forces, please support the show by: Subscribing on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, SoundCloud, CastBox, or via our RSS Feed Writing us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify Join our mailing list at https://hiddenforces.io/newsletter/ Producer & Host: Demetri Kofinas Editor & Engineer: Stylianos Nicolaou Subscribe and support the podcast at https://hiddenforces.io. Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @hiddenforcespod Follow Demetri on Twitter at @Kofinas Episode Recorded on 04/28/2026

We speak to the Emirati entrepreneur who set up a business making biodegradable cutlery made from discarded date palm trees, driven by the goal to replace single-use plastics in UAE.Lamis Al Hashimy, co-founder of Palmade, shares how a hobby project became a business producing millions of items, the early failures that nearly stopped it, and the challenges of competing with cheap plastic. How did a failed prototype including a fork that melted in pizza, lead to a growing business?If you'd like to get in touch with the team, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Sarah Rogers Producers: Bisi Adebayo, Victoriya Holland and Jay BehrouziBusiness Daily is the home of in-depth audio journalism devoted to the world of money and work. From small startup stories to big corporate takeovers, global economic shifts to trends in technology, we look at the key figures, ideas and events shaping business.Each episode is a 17-minute, daily deep dive into a single topic, featuring expert analysis and the people at the heart of the story.Recent episodes explore the weight-loss drug revolution, the growth in AI, the cost of living, the economic impact of the war in the Middle East, and why bond markets are so powerful.We also feature in-depth interviews with company founders and some of the world's most prominent CEOs. These include Google's Sundar Pichai, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, and the CEO of Canva, Melanie Perkins.(Picture: Lamis Al Hashimy)

This episode is presented by Create A Video – In a seismic shift in oil markets and Middle East geo-politics, the United Arab Emirates announced they were pulling out of the OPEC oil cartel. UAE has been limited by OPEC in how much oil it can produce and sell. It could lead to a global marketplace that is more free and not beholden to the politics of member nations. Plus, the Arab world is watching the war in a completely different way than most Westerners.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-pete-kaliner-show--6946691/support.Subscribe to the podcast All the links to Pete's Prep are free!Get exclusive content here!Media Bias Check: GroundNews promo code!Advertising and Booking inquiries: Pete@ThePeteKalinerShow.com  

//The Wire//2300Z April 29, 2026// //ROUTINE// //BLUF: CONFLICT INTENSIFIES IN MALI. STABBING ATTACK STRIKES LONDON. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES DECIDE TO LEAVE OPEC.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----  -International Events-Middle East: Yesterday the United Arab Emirates announced their intention to withdraw from OPEC, the organization of Oil Producing and Exporting Countries which are responsible for the coordination of oil production throughout the region.Analyst Comment: This is an important development that might be an early indicator of much more serious changes within the petroleum sector. Most of the major oil refineries in the UAE getting smoked by the Iranians was probably the driving factor behind this decision, or rather the last straw for the Emirates, who has been increasingly annoyed with OPEC's quota system over the years. However, since many other nations also saw catastrophic damage to their main source of national income, it is possible that a free-for-all situation might develop over time, whereby OPEC's stability is called into question. In short, the already volatile oil market is likely to stay insane for quite a while.Africa: The situation remains tense in Mali, as multiple different conflicts begin to come to a head. A few days ago, several separate attacks throughout the nation morphed into becoming a larger-scale uprising. Two groups, JNIM and the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) coordinated to launch major attacks throughout the country, mostly focusing on the capital of Bamako, as well as major military bases in Kati and other major cities. During the attacks, Mali's Defense Minister was killed during an alleged Vehicle-Borne IED attack on his home. Due to the deteriorating security situation, most European nations and the U.S. have recommended either leaving the country as soon as possible or sheltering in place if it's too late to leave.United Kingdom: Two incidents have taken place in Golders Green over the past 24 hours. Yesterday a suspected arson incident was reported at a memorial wall set up for Iranians killed during the war. Separately, a stabbing attack was reported this morning in the same area, which involved a man approaching a bus stop and stabbing people on the street. The man was detained by a Shomrim foot patrol in the area, and a total of two people were wounded during this attack. Hours after the incident, Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia (HAYI) claimed credit for the attack.Separately, a large-scale police raid was conducted at Webb House in Crewe. This former orphanage had been turned into a migrant hotel, before eventually serving as the headquarters for a new religion, the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light. Over 500 police officers raided the compound this morning, in conjunction with investigations which indicated that this facility was serving as a large-scale human trafficking center, as well as clearing house for slaves, who were reportedly being bought and sold at the facility.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: The source material for what's going on in Mali is nearly entirely Russian, as this is Russia's expeditionary fight to protect their interests in the region. However, quite significant events are underway in the Sahel, and the fighting has been widespread over the past few days. For context, after the French and Americans began leaving Mali (or reducing their roles) Russia and China stepped in to control the power vacuum. Nevertheless, the security situation deteriorated anyway, and now al-Qaeda is roaring back to power via splinter groups which have attracted tens of thousands of fighters. The Russian Africa Corp is saying that 12,000 fighters took part in the various attacks throughout the country, but this figure cannot be verified for obvious reasons. Either way, the situation is very hot throughout Mali, and the conflict is likely to intensify if one side gets the upp

The Supreme Court blocks the Democrats attempt at racial gerrymandering. PLUS, Townhall Special Correspondent, Kyle Olson, tells Shaun about Biden' horrific legacy of 450,000 unaccompanied migrant children and the atrocities they faced being exploited by cartels, sold by their parents, and sexually trafficked in Midtown Manhattan. And Scott 'The Cow Guy' Shellady, host of Cow Guy Close on RFD-TV, discusses how much the price of oil will drop after the UAE exits OPEC and the price of the War in Iran versus the price of the War in Ukraine. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oil has been at the center of the war on Iran. Ben Norton explains how the United States became the biggest oil producer on Earth, and how the US empire uses petroleum as a geopolitical and economic weapon, pushing for monopolistic Big Oil corporations to dominate the global market. Ben also discusses why Trump pressured the UAE to withdraw from OPEC, and he debunks the myth that the USA is "energy independent". VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh-E3q6tGEw Check out our related video on the biggest oil crisis in history: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUdyPJM_rOw Topics 0:00 Iran war and oil 0:36 Petrodollar 1:52 USA is biggest oil producer 3:39 US oil exports increase 4:32 Oil price skyrockets 5:03 Corporate profits rise 5:37 Strait of Hormuz 6:30 UAE withdraws from OPEC 7:31 Abraham Accords 8:37 OPEC history 9:14 Seven Sisters: Big Oil 11:01 OPEC members 12:13 OPEC+ participants 13:18 Goal of OPEC 14:25 State-owned oil companies 15:12 Why USA dislikes OPEC 16:56 Oil is political 17:18 Venezuela economic war 19:06 Big Oil execs in US govt 20:55 Cuba oil blockade 22:29 Energy and food crisis 23:36 US "energy independence" 25:06 US oil imports 26:12 Types of crude oil 27:26 US oil refineries 28:47 US imports by country 30:36 Oil benchmarks 32:47 Oil futures market 33:53 Price predictions 36:04 Economic crisis fears 37:02 Outro

The President's speech to the king, the king's speech to the people, UAE leaves OPEC, and Kimmel double's down. Plus, the Message of the Day, it's high noon for Disney and Jimmy Kimmel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump's Justice Department targets former FBI Director James Comey a second time after he's indicted for alleged threats against the President. Then, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth prepares to go before Congress to make a case for the Pentagon's $1.5 trillion budget request. Plus, a stunning move from the UAE as it annouces plans to leave OPEC. What this could mean for the global energy crisis triggered by war in Iran. Carol Leonnig, Jeff Mason, Leigh Ann Caldwell, Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, Max Chafkin, Brendan Greeley, Charlie Sykes, and Teddy Schleifer join The 11th Hour this Tuesday night. To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Every five years or so, Congress considers and passes a new version of the farm bill. It is a massive law covering not just agriculture, but also food assistance programs. And it comes at a particularly tough time for farmers, who are being pinched by drought, tariffs, and rising fuel and fertilizer costs. Then, what's the UAE's departure from OPEC mean for oil prices? And later, from "Marketplace Tech," we hear how Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act opens the "backdoor" for warrantless searches.

Headlines for April 29, 2026; “Political Disaster for Donald Trump”: Jeremy Scahill on Stalled U.S.-Iran Talks; UAE Quits OPEC as Many Countries Ramp Up Oil Production Despite Worsening Climate Crisis; “We Are Bombarding America’s Forests with Roundup”: Despite Cancer Fear, Trump Admin Pushes Herbicide

The UAE's exit from OPEC. Plus, Powell's final meeting as Fed chair… Trump's Strait of Hormuz blockade… Big Tech is reporting—and this stock's results matter most… And The Wall Street Journal's OpenAIpiece. In this episode: Will we see you at the 2026 Curzio One Wealth Forum? [0:44] Why Powell will be hawkish at today's meeting [7:47] Will Trump's Strait of Hormuz blockade work? [17:59] The UAE's exit is the beginning of the end for OPEC [21:11] Big Tech is reporting—and this stock's results matter most [29:36] The Wall Street Journal's piece on OpenAI is B.S. [33:55] Bloom Energy is up 10x… and big changes coming to Curzio Research [50:19] Betting tips for the Kentucky Derby [57:09] Did you like this episode? Get more Wall Street Unplugged FREE each week in your inbox. Sign up here: https://curzio.me/syn_wsu Find Wall Street Unplugged podcast… --Curzio Research App: https://curzio.me/syn_app --iTunes: https://curzio.me/syn_wsu_i --Stitcher: https://curzio.me/syn_wsu_s --Website: https://curzio.me/syn_wsu_cat Follow Frank… X: https://curzio.me/syn_twt Facebook: https://curzio.me/syn_fb LinkedIn: https://curzio.me/syn_li

The macro backdrop might look fragile, but the markets are ripping higher. On this episode of Money Moves, hosts Matty A. and Ryan Breedwell cut through the noise to explain why Wall Street is shrugging off the US-Iran conflict and driving the S&P 500 to new all-time highs.The guys break down the UAE's shocking exit from OPEC, JP Morgan's record-breaking quarter, and why Paul Tudor Jones' warning of a 35% market correction might be missing the mark. Plus, Matty and Ryan discuss the latest real estate data showing price dips, offering a silver lining and creative buying opportunities for investors willing to navigate the current housing market.Episode HighlightsGeopolitical Chess: The UAE removes itself from OPEC after 59 years to strategically drop oil prices and put financial pressure on Iran.Market Melt-Up: The S&P 500 is up 9.9% in April, largely driven by a 37.2% surge in semiconductor stocks and strong Magnificent Seven performance.The Fed's Next Move: With the DOJ closing its investigation into Jerome Powell, the guys preview his final FOMC speech and predict a dovish new Fed Chair with a potential rate cut in July.Fading the Fear: Ryan counters billionaire Paul Tudor Jones' prediction of a 35% bear market correction, explaining how modern retail traders and fast-moving liquidity have altered traditional market cycles.AI Trading Bots: Gemini becomes the first to launch "agentic trading," allowing AI models like ChatGPT and Claude to autonomously execute crypto trades.Real Estate Reset: US home prices dipped in February for the first time since June 2025, opening the door for creative seller financing and unique buying opportunities.Episode Sponsored By:Discover Financial Millionaire Mindcast Shop: Buy the Rich Life Planner and Get the Wealth-Building Bundle for FREE! Visit: https://shop.millionairemindcast.com/CRE MASTERMIND: Visit myfirst50k.com and submit your application to join!FREE CRE Crash Course: Text “FREE” to 844-447-1555FREE Financial X-Ray: Text  "XRAY" to 844-447-1555IIMAGOS INCOME FUND: Full Investor Presentation: Text “INCOME” to 844-447-1555

In part two of Red Eye Radio with Gary McNamara and Eric Harley, former Vice President Kamala Harris' support for the 2028 Democratic presidential primary surged to 50 percent in a new survey from the Center for American Political Studies and the Harris Poll, strengthening her position as the early front-runner if she chooses to run. Chatter about the 2028 election is underway as potential candidates test their message, even though the first votes will not be cast in the primaries until early 2028. The poll signals that Harris would have an early lead for the Democratic nomination. Also the UAE pulls out of OPEC, domestic violence reaches it's highest level in years and between the likes of Alan Dershowitz and Jonathan Turley, the Republican party gains high profile intellectuals. For more talk on the issues that matter to you, listen on radio stations across America Monday-Friday 12am-5am CT (1am-6am ET and 10pm-3am PT), download the RED EYE RADIO SHOW app, asking your smart speaker, or listening at RedEyeRadioShow.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

DOJ Goes After Comey. FCC vs Jimmy Kimmel. 1100 TSA Officers Quit Since Shutdown. Kid Rock's Apache Joy Ride with Hegseth. UAE Leaves OPEC. Gov Moore on Open Primaries.  A real king is in Washington this week, and the wannabe king in the Oval Office is making the most of the pomp. Paul Rieckhoff opens with King Charles and Camilla's visit, the Epstein questions nobody at the White House wants to touch, and the through-line that drives this entire briefing: Trump is busting up Congress, the UN, NATO, the World Bank, the EU, and now OPEC — and the institutions that held this country and this world together are being stress-tested in real time. Gas hits $4.18, the UAE bolts from the cartel, 1,100 TSA officers walk off the job, and most Americans have no idea any of it is happening. From there it's a no-BS sweep across the front lines: a $400 million ballroom funded by your tax dollars after Trump promised to pay himself, a no-bid contract inflated 3X, Pete Hegseth taking Kid Rock on Apache joyrides while the chain of command rots, the FCC weaponized against ABC and Jimmy Kimmel, a renewed indictment push against Jim Comey over seashells on a beach, and 185 people killed in 54 unauthorized strikes on so-called narco boats with Cuba telegraphed as next. Then the inspiration: Ukraine killing 30,000 Russian troops a month, Norway co-producing drones for Kyiv, independent veteran Todd Achilles taking on an 83-year-old senator in Idaho, Wes Moore endorsing open primaries, and Horace Grant's goggles. Country over party. People over politics. Light over heat. -WATCH full video of this episode here. -Ditch your expensive carrier and support Independent Americans! Make the switch to Noble Mobile. -Join IVA and stand up to Trump's Forever Wars. -Learn more about Paul's work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Learn more about American Veterans for Ukraine here. -Get some of Maine's finest gear - check out Loyal Citizen. -Remember Independent is an Attitude. -Learn more about The Headstrong Project for Veterans, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Department of Veterans Affairs resources in your area. Seeking support is not a sign of weakness. It's a show of strength. If you or a loved one are in immediate crisis, dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255. Connect with Independent Americans: Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all podcast platforms Read more at Substack Support ad-free episodes at Patreon  Connect: Instagram  • X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook  Follow on social: @PaulRieckhoff on X, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power.  -And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch now in time for the new year.  Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media.  And now part of the BLEAV network!  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The UAE ditches OPEC and leaves the oil cartel tattered.... as now Saudi Arabia joins the UAE in increasing its oil output by millions of barrels a day by DRILLING, BABY DRILLING! Iran is rendered all but useless and China's access to oil gets even slimmer. A leaked phone call of LA Mayor Karen Bass speaking cryptically about leaving the country just days ahead of projected fierce winds and fire hazards is raising more than eyebrows: Why are reporters at Fox11 in Los Angeles not allowed to report on the story? The FCC wades into the Disney/Jimmy Kimmel mess... but why?      

Brian Szytel recaps a mixed market day with the Dow down 280 while the Nasdaq and S&P 500 were flat, as blue chips lagged and tech was positive. Treasury yields rose (10-year up 7 bps to 4.42%; 30-year briefly above 5%) alongside higher oil prices (WTI up ~8%, Brent up ~1%) amid Middle East tensions. He highlights three crosscurrents: the UAE leaving OPEC and its implications for oil-price control and potential benefits to U.S. shale; the FOMC holding rates with Powell signaling no cuts this year, inflation risks, unusual four dissents, and Kevin Walsh set to lead the Fed starting May 16; and “Mag Seven” earnings (Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Meta) shaping sentiment as overall earnings growth runs ~15.1% YoY. He also addresses real estate divergence (Class A diversified vs weaker markets), notes strong durable goods orders and steady housing starts, and says the S&P is up ~5% YTD with a modest upside bias despite volatility.| 00:00 Market Close Recap 00:32 Oil Surge and Rising Rates 00:54 UAE Exits OPEC 02:31 Fed Decision and Dissents 03:34 Mag Seven Earnings and AI Spend 04:25 Real Estate Divergence Explained 05:14 Durables and Housing Data 05:44 Rangebound Outlook and Signoff Links mentioned in this episode: DividendCafe.com TheBahnsenGroup.com

Every five years or so, Congress considers and passes a new version of the farm bill. It is a massive law covering not just agriculture, but also food assistance programs. And it comes at a particularly tough time for farmers, who are being pinched by drought, tariffs, and rising fuel and fertilizer costs. Then, what's the UAE's departure from OPEC mean for oil prices? And later, from "Marketplace Tech," we hear how Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act opens the "backdoor" for warrantless searches.

A week ago, the UAE said it was in consultation with the US government trying to arrange a dollar swap line. Since then, Treasury Secretary Bessent told Congress MANY allies were, too, and not just those in the Middle East. Just hours ago, huge news as the UAE says it's outright leaving OPEC. There is big stuff going on behind the scenes because the energy shock is indeed a dollar shock and much bigger than people think, and the chances of becoming uncontained are not trivial.Eurodollar University's Money & Macro AnalysisUAE to Leave OPEC in May as Iran War Reshapes Oil Markethttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-28/uae-to-leave-opec-and-opec-next-month-to-pursue-new-strategyBessent Says Gulf, Asian Allies Requested Currency Swap Lineshttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-22/bessent-says-many-us-allies-in-gulf-asia-requested-swap-linesPimco's $10 Billion Private Deals Fuel Middle East's Wartime Cash Questhttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2026-04-27/pimco-buys-abu-dhabi-qatar-kuwait-private-bonds-dubai-homes-prices-fallDubai's DIFC introduces temporary economic support for businesses, retail communityhttps://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/dubais-difc-introduces-temporary-economic-support-businesses-retail-community-2026-04-09/

It has been a tumultuous 24 hours for the global energy landscape. Yesterday, the United Arab Emirates sent shockwaves through the oil industry by announcing its withdrawal from OPEC, marking a historic break with Saudi Arabia in the midst of the ongoing regional crisis. This move comes as the Strait of Hormuz remains almost entirely shut, with the US intensifying its naval blockade and threatening to cut off major Chinese banks from the US financial system to halt the processing of Iranian oil. Despite a diplomatic impasse, the physical realities of the market are reaching a breaking point. Brent crude is trading over $118 a barrel, near its wartime highs, and gasoline prices in the US have climbed to an average of $4.22 a gallon—its highest level ​since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war. With the world burning through crude inventories and jet fuel costs in Asia more than doubling since the Iran war began, the oil market appears to be losing hope for a swift reopening of the strait, forcing a painful calibration between dwindling supply and record-high prices. So, what does a "dysfunctional" OPEC mean for the future of market management without one of its most important shock absorbers? How much of the world's energy infrastructure has been permanently damaged by the conflict? And what does the tipping point for global demand destruction actually look like? Today on the show, host Daniel Sternoff talks with Yasser Elguindi about the latest developments in the Middle East. They discuss the UAE's motivations for leaving the cartel, the growing dichotomy between physical and futures markets, and how a "post-Hormuz" world will fundamentally reshape the global energy industry. Yasser is a partner and co-portfolio manager at the Westbeck Energy Opportunity Fund and a veteran oil market strategist with over 25 years of experience advising institutional investors through every major market shock of the 21st century. Credits: Hosted by Daniel Sternoff. Produced by Mary Catherine O'Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Engineering by Gregory Vilfranc.

All-time highs – SP500 up 9% MTD – NAS100 even more Balanced risk – up or down from here is evenly matched All tech right now (Example Monday Equal Weighted up 0.33%, SP500 down 0.35%) Worried about No More Mr. Nice Guy The new “Blockchain” , “SPAC”, “MEME” that is pushing stocks PLUS we are now on Spotify and Amazon Music/Podcasts! Click HERE for Show Notes and Links DHUnplugged is now streaming live - with listener chat. Click on link on the right sidebar. Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter Warm-Up - HUGE MOVES - All from Tweets - Earnings seasons - banks did goooood -- Earnings season - carrot ahead of next week when the tech giants report (lots of bulls on this) - A belated 420 day to all you stoners out there! Grab a gummy, come back in about 45 minutes and listen - show will be much better... - Tariff refunds now available Markets - All-time highs - SP500 up 9% MTD - NAS100 even more - Balanced risk - up or down from here is evenly matched -- All tech right now (One day Equal Weighted up 0.33%, SP500 down 0.35%,) - Equal weight up 4.5% MTD, S&P up 9% - Worried about No More Mr. Nice Guy ? - Seems like Trump is bored with the Iran thing... - The new "Blockchain" , "SPAC", "MEME" that is pushing stocks Announcing the Winner of the Closest to the Pin for NetGear... Open /Closed - Straits of Hormuz closed again, and again - The brief opening allowed for a cruise ship to sneak through last week. - Celestyal Discovery, a 1,360-guest vessel operated by Greece-based Celestyal Cruises, departed Port Rashid in Dubai, U.A.E., on April 17 at 11:36 a.m. local time, becoming the first cruise ship known to exit the strait since the crisis began earlier this year. - No passengers aboard - aside from Captain and Crew. - - That must have been a pretty scary passing.... OIL - Oil hovering in the $80-$90 range for a while, now topping $100 - WTI and Brent flipped back to the normal relationship - UAE leaving OPEC - (accounts for 12% of OPEC and 4% of global oil) ---- They need more flexibility and there seems to be a rift  with Saudi Arabia and others as they have not been protected -- China! China to begin exporting jet fuel, diesel and gasoline - DOES THIS MEAN PRICED IN YUAN? Economics - Retail sales up more than expected. - Some is due to the high cost of gas - but stripping out gas prices - still beat expectations - How do we square this with the UMich at all-time lows? Consumer Confidence Retail Sales YoY Chips - MRVL Shares jumped more than 7% after a report by The Information said the company is in talks with Google to build two new AI chips. - AVGO (Broadcom) dipped as they had a deal announced prior and this seems to have watered down some of the importance. - Fast forward a few days and then we see a story about OpenAi missing user and revenue projections. Commentary about concern that if they do not meet their numbers, may not have enough money to fund all the build-outs they promised. (Lots of names dropping on this concern) Tim Apple - Apple announces that Tim Cook will become executive chairman of Apple's board of directors and John Ternus, senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, will become Apple's next chief executive officer effective on September 1, 2026. - Ternus joined Apple's product design team in 2001 and became a vice president of Hardware Engineering in 2013. He joined the executive team in 2021 as senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. Throughout his tenure at Apple, Ternus has overseen hardware engineering work on a variety of groundbreaking products across every category. He was instrumental in the introduction of multiple new product lines, including iPad® and AirPods, as well as many generations of products across iPhone®, Mac®, and Apple Watch. - Ternus's work on Mac has helped the category become more powerful and more popular globally than at any time in its 40-year history. Prior to Apple, Ternus worked as a mechanical engineer at Virtual Research Systems. He holds a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. Mo Money - Vendor Financing - Anthropic to secure up to 5 gigawatts (GW) of current and future generations of Amazon's Trainium chips to train and power their advanced AI models. - Anthropic's Claude Platform available on AWS, providing their full AI developer experience in one place. - Amazon to invest $5 bln in Anthropic today and up to an additional $20 bln in the future. Operation Vaccu Suck - AST SpaceMobile — Shares fell 15% after a satellite launched  was placed into the wrong orbit. - The company said in a release it expects the cost of the satellite to be recovered by an insurance policy, and it still plans to conduct orbital launches once every month to two months in 2026. - DH Space Cleanup - this is going to be huge. Like the Spaceballs Mega Maid Scene - goes from suck to blow. Mega maid cleaning up space trash - Operation Vaccu Suck Fed Chair Nominee - Fed Chair nominee Kevin Warsh told Senate hearing that Fed must stay independent and "stay in its lane" - Opening statement (Senate) : "I do not believe the operational independence of monetary policy is particularly threatened when elected officials—presidents, senators, or members of the House—state their views on interest rates. Central bankers must be strong enough to listen to a diversity of views from all corners. - But the actual confirmation may still be stuck until the lawsuit against Powell is dropped (Which it seems is in process) Drugs man... - Compass Pathways — The biotechnology company surged nearly 25% after President Donald Trump signed an executive order that directs his administration to speed up reviews of psychedelic drugs. - Compass is conducting studies of psychedelics to create drugs for treatment-resistant depression and PTSD. HOW? - A refund system for businesses that paid tariffs which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled President Donald Trump imposed without the constitutional authority to do so is scheduled to launch Monday. - Importers and their brokers will be able to begin claiming refunds through an online portal beginning at 8 a.m., according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the agency administering the system. - It's the first step in a complicated process that also might eventually lead to refunds for consumers who were billed for some or all of the tariffs on products shipped to them from outside the United States. SUBS Emerging - Sandwich chain Jersey Mike's has confidentially filed for an IPO. - - Blackstone bought a majority stake in the sandwich chain in 2024 in a deal that valued the company at roughly $8 billion. - - - With more than 3,000 locations nationwide, Jersey Mike's is the second-largest hoagie sandwich chain in the U.S. -- Did some research - typical franchisee makes about $100-$200k per store. ----- Initial cost to get store going ~ $700k (3-7 year make-good on initial investment plus risks) NEW Stock MOVER - SPACS were HOT - now by all accounts one of the worst performance groups EVER - AI Pivot - - - Not sure this has legs like some of the ones in the past... - Myseum shares more than doubled after the social media firm became the latest company to refocus efforts on artificial intelligence. -----Shares of Myseum, which has been renamed Myseum.AI, will still trade under the MYSE ticker - The New Jersey-based company announced Wednesday that it would change its name to Myseum.AI amid a concentration on integrating AI into its platforms like Picture Party and DatChat. Myseum will use AI agents to manage personal media in a way that adapts to users' preferences while also maintaining privacy, the company said. - Allbirds' shares during the previous session after the struggling shoemaker announced a pivot to AI (Went from $3 to $24 and now $11) Crypto News - Charles Schwab is rolling out crypto trading, allowing clients to buy bitcoin and ether in the coming weeks. - The move places the brokerage in direct competition with Robinhood and Coinbase, both of which tend to serve younger clients and offer commission-free trading on stocks (but still carry a fee on crypto). - Schwab is the latest example of increasing crypto acceptance by traditional financial firms that previously were waiting on the sidelines to launch crypto offerings. (Only Ether and Bitcoin) -- Stock was down on this news an some earnings hangover (8% from recent high) - Robinhood and Coinbase had some selling on the news too.... OpenAi - Nastyness - Sam Altman is seeking the dismissal of punitive damages claims in his sister's civil lawsuit accusing the OpenAI co-founder and chief executive of repeated sexual abuse more than two decades ago, an accusation he denies. - Annie Altman accused her brother of sexually abusing and raping her between 1997 and 2006 at the family home in suburban Clayton, Missouri, starting when she was three and he was 12. She said the "last acts of sexual abuse and rape" occurred when Sam Altman was an adult. He is now 40. - Sam Altman is countersuing his sister for defamation over her posts, including a video that said "an almost tech billionaire" molested her. (He is seeking $1) Other Strange - FBI Director Kash Patel filed a defamation lawsuit against the Atlantic and its reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick following the publication of an article on Friday alleging the director had a drinking problem that could pose a threat to national security. - The magazine's story, initially titled “Kash Patel's Erratic Behavior Could Cost Him His Job," cited more than two dozen anonymous sources expressing concern about Patel's “conspicuous inebriation and unexplained absences” that “alarmed officials at the FBI and the Department of Justice.” - The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, seeks $250 million in damages. Netflix News - Netflix beat Wall Street expectations for first-quarter revenue and reported a big jump in earnings per share thanks in part to a termination fee related to its proposed Warner Bros. Discovery deal. - The company said it expects second-quarter revenue to increase 13% and reiterated its earlier warning that content spending would be weighted in the first half of the year due to the timing of title launches. - The company announced Reed Hastings, Netflix's co-founder and current chairman, would exit the board in June when his term expires. - Netflix reiterated that it's on track to reach $3 billion in advertising revenue in 2026, which would mark a doubling year over year, as that newer revenue line shows growth. ----Shares fell 9% after the announcement QVC - QVC Group Inc. has filed for bankruptcy protection in an effort to shed $5 billion in debt, as the company struggles with declining network viewership and stiff competition for its e-commerce operation. - QVC's business model, which relies on live sales sessions and call-in ordering, gave customers a sense of a personal relationship with their favorite peddlers, but the company's best year ever was in 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, and its revenue has dropped by more than a third since then. - The rise of short-form video platforms like TikTok, which has seen success with live shopping and has brought in more than $15 billion in US revenue in 2025, poses a significant challenge to QVC as it tries to restructure its debt and evolve its business model. - There will still be QVC for a while - really just a debt restructure - but eventually they are toast Spirit - 9 Lives? - Spirit Aviation Holdings Inc. has floated offering the US government an equity stake in the discount carrier to help stave off its potential liquidation, according to people familiar with the matter. - The Air Current first reported that Spirit is seeking a bailout from the US government. - Any proposed bailout is likely to get pushback from competitors that are also struggling with a spike in jet fuel prices during the conflict in the Middle East, some of the people said. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy plans to meet with low-cost airline chief executives this week to discuss their challenges, the people said. Just IN - Jetblue CEO told employees it isn't considering filing for bankruptcy protection this year. - Geraghty's comments come amid higher fuel costs and speculation sparked by the New York-based carrier's founder that the airline could go bust. - The airline has sufficient liquidity and access to additional capital, Geraghty said in an internal memo reviewed by Bloomberg. That includes a recently secured $500 million loan backed by aircraft, with an option to raise another $250 million. Robot 1/2 Marathon - A humanoid robot completed a half-marathon in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, about seven minutes faster than the men's world record. - The second annual robot half marathon showed rapid advances in artificial intelligence, with 40% of the robots running autonomously and demonstrating improvement in handling generalized environments. - The race, which featured over 100 teams and 300 robots, showcased China's industrial policy priorities, including progress in artificial intelligence and robotics to mitigate the economic risks of an aging population. - About 40% of the robots this year rant autonomously Crazy Short Squeeze AVIS Earnings on the way... Microsoft EPS: ~$4.00–$4.05 (+15–17% YoY) Revenue: ~$81–82 billion (+15–16% YoY) Focus: Azure growth, AI monetization, and whether heavy AI spending is translating into margins. Alphabet (Google) EPS: ~$2.60–$2.70 (~5% YoY decline, due to higher depreciation) Revenue: ~$106–107 billion (+18–20% YoY) Focus: Strong Cloud growth and proof that AI investment is turning into sustainable revenue. Meta Platforms EPS: ~$6.60–$6.70 (+20%+ YoY) Revenue: ~$55–56 billion (+18–22% YoY) Focus: AI?driven advertising performance, core margins, and cost discipline outside Reality Labs. Amazon EPS: ~$1.60–$1.65 (+10–12% YoY) Revenue: ~$177–180 billion (+13–14% YoY) Focus: AWS growth, advertising margins, and clarity around large AI capital spending plans. Apple EPS: ~$1.90–$2.00 (+15–16% YoY) Revenue: ~$90–95 billion (mid?teens YoY growth) Focus: Services growth, iPhone demand stability, and capital return priorities.       Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? THE WINNER OF THE CLOSEST TO THE PIN for NETGEAR Winners will be getting great stuff like the new "OFFICIAL" DHUnplugged Shirt!     FED AND CRYPTO LIMERICKS   See this week's stock picks HERE Follow John C. 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Today is likely Jay Powell's final FOMC meeting as Federal Reserve Chair, with Kevin Warsh expected to be sworn in as his successor. Carlyle Group co-founder and co-chairman David Rubenstein discusses the Fed's two-day policy meeting and Powell's legacy leading the central bank. Then, a heated debate over a potential federal rescue of Spirit Airlines: Association of Flight Attendants international president Sara Nelson and Advancing American Freedom senior fellow Joel Griffith break down the pros and cons of a $500 million bailout. Plus, Elon Musk continues his testimony in the high-profile trial against OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and CNBC's Dan Murphy reports on the UAE's departure from OPEC.    Dan Murphy - 06:35 David Rubenstein - 16:00 Sara Nelson & Joel Griffith - 30:32   In this episode: David Rubenstein, @DM_Rubenstein Sara Nelson, @FlyingWithSara Joel Griffith, @JoelGriffith Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Cameron Costa, @CameronCostaNY Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week we talk about the Strait of Hormuz, oil, and Russia.We also discuss Patriot missiles, expensive weapons, and peer rivals.Recommended Book: Tiny Experiments by Anne-Laure Le CunffTranscriptDuring 2025 and early 2026, about 20 million barrels of crude oil and other petroleum products was shipped through the Strait of Hormuz every day. That's about a quarter of the world's total seaborne oil, and essentially all of that oil, and gas, and those other energy products that pass through this strait are from Middle Eastern suppliers like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, and Iran.Beginning at the tail-end of February 2026, however, the Iranian military has shut down the Strait by threatening to take out or capture any vessels that attempt to pass through it. This has had the practical effect of initially reducing tanker traffic through the Strait by about 70%, but in recent weeks traffic has dropped to nearly zero. As of April 2026, about 2,000 ships are stranded in the area as a result of this closure.As a result of this shutdown, though, other energy product suppliers have seen demand for their oil and gas and the like increase, and that's led to higher prices for these products.Russia, for instance, which doesn't rely on the Strait to get its oil and gas out to its customers, has seen its oil tax revenue double in April, and the price of one grade of oil that it sells increased by 73% from February, alone.That's a big windfall for Russia, which has had trouble selling its oil and gas at a significant profit, due in part to heavy sanctions that have resulted from its invasion of Ukraine. It's continued to sell to countries like China and India, but those customers have been able to pay lower prices due to the lessened demand for what Russia is selling.This increased demand has thus goosed profits for Russia at a moment in which it could really use those sorts of profits—its economy is not doing terribly well, again because of its invasion of Ukraine, which has also not been going terribly well—so while inflation caused by this gas price-spike has been near-universally not great for much of the world, because energy cost increases tend to increase the price of just about everything, Russia's government, at least, has been pretty happy with the shutdown of the Strait, and would probably love to see it continue.Another moderate benefactor of this shutdown has been the United States government. The US is the number one exporter of liquified natural gas, and one of the top exporters of oil and petroleum products. US export numbers are poised to hit new records with the closure of the Strait, too, because, just like with Russia, fewer products of this kind available on the global market means those who have such products to sell can charge higher prices for them.There's a good chance this disruption, even if it ended today, for good, will have permanently rewired at least some of the global petroleum industry, as companies and countries that have been left in the lurch have adjusted their risks analyses and determined that it makes more sense to buy from different suppliers, to sell to different customers, or, in some cases, to use fewer of these products and invest more enthusiastically in renewables, like solar and wind—so while the US and Russia and a few other players are somewhat pleased with how things are going, oil and gas price-wise at least, long term this could actually harm them, the most, as more of their customers decide to stop paying irregular prices for what they're selling and to opt for less turbulent solar and wind power, instead.What I'd like to talk about today is another knock-on effect of the war in Iran that could have significant international, possibly even military implications.—Since Trump first stepped into office, winning the US presidency back in 2016, allies have openly wondered whether the US could be relied upon as a military ally, should push come to shove.Trump has repeated said that he thinks NATO is a rip-off for the US, as the US has long provided the vast majority of funding and weapons for the alliance, and he's pushed European NATO members to step up their own investment, lest he decide to just led Russia or whomever else attack them; he's openly speculated that he might do exactly that.As a result of the US's pivot away from happily playing the role of world police and invasion deterrent, European governments have been hastily putting together contingency plans that don't include the US: if Russia turns its attention away from Ukraine and starts attacking the Baltics or Poland, they want to be ready, and they don't want to have to rely on the unreliable Trump administration for their survival.Other governments that have long assumed they would be protected, at least in part, by the overwhelming force of the US military, have also been rethinking things, based on Trump's stated, if not always practiced, isolationism.Taiwan, for instance, which is persistently menaced by China, which considers Taiwan to be a rebel asset that it will someday reclaim, has also been investing in its own defenses, no longer certain that the US will step up and help them out at their moment of greatest need, despite historical assumptions.Adding to that uncertainty, though, is the increasingly depleted state of the US military following its attack on Iran, which began in earnest in late February of this year.Since February, the US has expended around 1,100 long-range stealth cruise missiles, more than a thousand Tomahawk cruise missiles, more than 1,200 Patriot interceptor missiles, and more than a thousand Precision Strike and ATACMS ground-base missiles.For context, those Patriot missiles cost $4 million apiece, and again, 1,200 of them have been used since February, and the US military only buys about 100 Tomahawks a year, so the military has spent 10-years worth of them already during this new conflict in Iran. And those 1,100 stealth cruise missiles were built for a potential war with China, but now they're gone.This rapid depletion of armaments, weapons that take a long time to make and which are very expensive to procure, has required that stockpiles from elsewhere around the world be quickly packed up and shipped to the Middle East; and while the majority of what's been fired so far by the US have been missiles, these shipments include all sorts of bombs, vehicles, and personnel equipment like guns and bullets, too, because they have to be ready for anything.The military has also redirected assets, like missile systems and carrier strike groups, from other theaters, like the Pacific Ocean, to the Middle East, which leaves allies, like Taiwan and South Korea, less well-defended against potential incursions.The US has refused to release any estimates as to the cost of the attack on Iran so far, but a pair of independent groups have estimated that price tag to be somewhere between $28 and $35 billion, which is about a billion dollars a day.What's more, it's estimated that it will take about six years just to get armament stores back up to where they were in February, before this attack; it's not just costly, it also takes a long time to produce that many missiles and rockets. And notably, a lot of these weapons were already considered to be in short supply before this conflict, at levels not suitable for a full-on shootout with an enemy like China, according to military experts. So six years plus whatever would be necessary to get up to more suitable levels.This shortfall is partly the result of how the US military deals with defense contractors, and there are efforts by new military startups to remedy this sort of situation, making manufacturing a lot more nimble, while also shifting to cheaper weapons, like drones and inexpensive interceptors, to replace the pricy, conventional ones that the country has long relied on.This expanded production hasn't begun in earnest, though, and conventional military hardware suppliers have been slow to spin up new production because new funding hasn't yet been confirmed by the Pentagon.So the US military is currently low on the weapons it would need to defend its allies in Europe or the South China Sea against attacks by rival, near-peer nations, at a moment in which such nations are making big moves, like China's persistent expansion into the South China Sea, and Russia's adventurism in Ukraine.What's more, these stockpiles are unlikely to be resupplied any time soon, the capacity to produce what's needed simply doesn't exist, not in the US, anyway, and next-step options, like mass-scale drone production, also haven't kicked off in earnest, yet, and might not arrive for another 5 or 10 years.This already precarious moment has been made all the more precarious by the US government's decision to attack Iran, then, and that decision still hasn't been fully explained, the actual end-goal unknown. Consequently, there also doesn't seem to be a clear end-point to aim and plan for.Show Noteshttps://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/iran-war-complicates-contingency-plans-to-defend-taiwan-some-u-s-officials-say-4384f7c1http://nytimes.com/2026/04/16/world/middleeast/iran-war-cost-congress.htmlhttps://www.aei.org/foreign-and-defense-policy/epic-fury-costs-as-of-the-april-8-cease-fire/https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/23/us/politics/iran-war-cost-military.htmlhttps://gulfnews.com/world/mena/is-the-iran-war-depleting-us-weapons-too-fast-1.500517800https://www.moneycontrol.com/world/iran-war-drains-us-munitions-raises-taiwan-defence-concerns-report-article-13898019.htmlhttps://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-rearms-iran-ceasefire-advanced-munitions-supplies/https://www.ft.com/content/1a5a2502-a45a-40c1-af6f-b30ecc34bacbhttps://archive.is/20260424042150/https://www.ft.com/content/1a5a2502-a45a-40c1-af6f-b30ecc34bacbhttps://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/24/world/europe/europe-defense-nato-trump-eu.htmlhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/04/23/aircraft-carrier-bush-iran/https://archive.md/T9tD1https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2026-03-31/trump-s-iran-war-is-accelerating-the-global-energy-transitionhttps://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/apr/18/fossil-fuel-trump-green-revolution-us-iran-renewable-energyhttps://www.axios.com/2026/04/24/trump-oil-export-ceiling-iran-strait-hormuz This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letsknowthings.substack.com/subscribe

There seems to be little movement on the resumption of talks between the U.S. and Iran. There is also almost no movement through the Strait of Hormuz, the vital bottleneck that's essentially cut off 20% of the world's oil and gas supply. Tuesday, the UAE announced it will leave OPEC, the cartel that has largely controlled oil supplies for decades. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Karen Young. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

President Donald Trump rolled out the red carpet for King Charles and Queen Camila at the White House. A Trump admin official is criticizing Jimmy Kimmel for not apologizing for his most recent joke involving First Lady Melania Trump. The UAE is shaking up the consortium of the world's largest oil producers. Severe thunderstorms are battering parts of the South for a sixth straight day. Plus, Taylor Swift has moved to protect her voice and likeness from AI impersonations.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices