This is a good post on the impact of surveillance in Iran:https://t.co/1kT3SrsCyOIt's worth reading.IMO one mistake that freedom advocates often make is that we talk about privacy violation and surveillance as "dystopian", using the word as a semantic stop sign: we know it means "bad", we nod along, and don't really go further to clarify why it's bad. I worry that this approach is long-run unhealthy: when we criticize various companies and countries for being "dystopian" and stop there, then to someone who' ...

Welcome back in just a few hours. President Trump will host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. The Israeli leader is already here in Washington.He met with envoy Steve Whitcoff and President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner last night, posting this image to social media about the meeting. This is the sixth time Netanyahu has traveled to the States since Trump was reelected, marks their seventh meeting in that time overall. It comes amid the backdrop of high-stakes negotiations wit ...

RT Lee Camp [Redacted] (@LeeCamp)The average American (and the average Iranian) does not realize that the US government creates economic collapse in countries they seek to crush. Here is the US Treasury Secretary admitting (or rather bragging) that the US created the Iran protests: https://t.co/IIW6uNoyUq ...

APPEARED TO BE SHARPLY SKEPTICAL OF THE LEGALITY OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S EFFORT TO DISCIPLINE DEMOCRATIC SENATOR MARK KELLY OF ARIZONA. THE PENTAGON HAS BEEN PUSHING TO PUNISH KELLY INCLUDING TAKING STEPS TO DOWNGRADE HIS MILITARY RETIREMENT RANK OVER THIS VIDEO WHERE THE SENATOR AND OTHER DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS REMIND SERVICE MEMBERS OF THEIR DUTY TO REFUSE ILLEGAL ORDERS. LAWYERS FOR KELLY HE ARGUE THE ACTIONS VIOLATE HIS FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.THE JUDGE AND APPOINTEER OF PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH THE ...

All right, joining us right now to discuss the president's pick for Fed Chair and other DC related topics is Tennessee Republican Senator Bill Hagerty. Uh Senator, thank you for being with us this morning. First up, what do you think of the president's pick to run the Fed.>> I'm very pleased that the president's chosen Kevin Walsh. Uh he's going to be the right man for the right moment. I think at this time Kevin is indeed the man for the moment because I think he's going to take the Fed from what has sadly ...

>> LIVE FROM WASHINGTON, D. C. , THIS IS "BALANCE OF POWER" WITH JOE MATHIEU.JOE: PRESIDENT TRUMP HEADS FOR DES MOINES AS HIS BORDER CZAR LANDS IN MINNEAPOLIS. WELCOME TO THE TUESDAY EDITION AS THE PRESIDENT TRIES TO STEER THE NARRATIVE TO THE ISSUE OF AFFORDABILITY, EVEN AS HE ORDERS A CHANGING OF THE GUARD IN MINNEAPOLIS. WE’RE GOING TO GO TO GROUND AND GET THE LATEST ON MEETINGS WITH TOM HOMAN WITH BLOOMBERG’S IMMIGRATION REPORTER ALICIA CALDWELL, WHO IS THERE RIGHT NOW.WE’LL TALK WITH TYLER KENDALL ABOU ...

From @WSJopinion: The Gaza cease-fire diverts Western attention from the real threat—Tehran and its surrogates—and benefits these bad actors. Efforts to bring lasting peace to Gaza without restraining Iran are futile, writes @AmbJohnBolton.https://t.co/e1Gs0QBCJw ...

On his last visit to Tehran, Nick Pelham “delighted in a cultural scene as varied, full, and inspiring as any major capital in the West”. But this time minders “fenced us off from Iran” https://t.co/12TQi3QOm7 ...

Geopolitical Developments & Market Impact - A 20-point proposal for a Gaza ceasefire, agreed upon by U S President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, awaits Hamas approval, potentially impacting regional stability and oil markets [1][5][38] - Qatar's role as a key mediator between Israel and Hamas is crucial for the ceasefire, requiring a face-saving gesture, such as Israel expressing regret for a past attack [8][9][10] - The Israeli Shekel has strengthened against the USD by approximately 10% this year, reflecting the impact of geopolitical developments on local markets [46] - RBA (澳大利亚储备银行) holds cash rate at 36%, notes uncertainties in global environment and upside risks to inflation [40][41][42][43] Economic & Financial Market Trends - Looming U S government shutdown raises market risk, potentially delaying crucial jobs data release and impacting monetary policy assessment [2][3][23][25][44] - Gold hits record highs, massively outperforming Bitcoin, driven by uncertainty and a pullback in USD, with potential for further gains amid Fed rate cuts [3][4][23][32][33][44] - The market has aggressively priced in 3-4 rate cuts by June 2026, making upcoming jobs market data pivotal for determining monetary policy [27] - Potential tariffs on imports of timber and lumber, particularly impacting Canada, add to market uncertainty [23][39] - MSCI China is logging five-month gains, the longest streak since 2018, driven by better-than-expected PMI data and geopolitical signals [48] Energy Sector - Brent crude oil is slipping down by 08% ahead of the OPEC Plus meeting, where increased supply is expected [4] - The oil market is bearish due to well-supplied conditions, with focus on Iran snapback and Russia-Ukraine conflict, leading to investment in gold over oil [52][53] - Afentra is cautious about oil price volatility, focusing on a strong balance sheet and strategic acquisitions [64][65][66] - Nigeria's government intervenes to resolve a clash between the petroleum and natural gas association and oil labor group, potentially impacting crude production of 650 thousand barrels a day [76][77][78]

Oil Market Dynamics - The market had priced in a $15-20 per barrel premium due to Israel-Iran tensions, which is now being eliminated as the worst of the turmoil appears to be over [2] - Prior to the conflict, debates centered on tariffs potentially driving recession and leading to $50 oil price predictions [3] - Better-than-expected oil demand data and underperforming OPEC production quotas were observed [4] - Shale oil drilling had decreased, leading to questions about potential rollover [4] - Demand is hanging in at around 1 million barrels per day of growth [6] Factors Influencing Oil Prices - Transportation costs, particularly shipping, have surged due to Middle East risk premiums [5] - The potential for shale oil growth resumption if oil prices remain above $70 is a key variable [6] - Underlying oil fundamentals should be the primary focus, considering past disruptions' varied impacts [6][7] Geopolitical Considerations - The Israel-Iran conflict has not demonstrated Iran's strong military capabilities [8] - Most of Iran's oil sales go to China, making the closure of the Strait of Hormuz unlikely [8][9] - China's role is significant in preventing actions like closing the Strait of Hormuz [9]