Russia buys gasoline from India to tackle shortages, sources say
Fuel shortages are being felt across Russia's 11 time zones with rationing, long queues at filling stations and a record gasoline price increase.
This Week in the World Affairs Brief
TRUMP’S IRAN DEAL BARELY HOLDING UP
It’s been a wild week for the US-Iran deal. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) had only been signed a few hours when Iran announced it was closing the Strait of Hormuz again due to Israel’s continued attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon. The MOU clearly states that the United States and its allies (that includes Israel) would “declare the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.” Israel almost immediately defied this first provision of the MOU, but they quickly declared another “ceasefire” with Hezbollah after president Trump demanded it. Israeli PM Netanyahu is not afraid to continue attacks whenever he can offer a justification for them even if it sabotages the Iran deal that He didn’t want from the beginning. Fortunately, both Trump and the leaders of Iran want to see this thing work, despite Israel’s obstinance, so traffic is still flowing through the Strait though at reduced rates and through a shallow channel closer to the Omani side of the Strait. That’s the only reason gas prices have not yet spiked upward again. Whether or not a deal works out in the long-term depends on the ongoing talks on the nuclear issues, and whether or not President Trump can stop insulting the Iranians continually and restore some semblance of diplomacy to the talks. To receive a free, one-time sample of the Brief, click on Request a Sample on the left.
Also:
- Trump’s Missteps with World Leaders
- Domestic Surveillance and Flock Cameras
- Cherubim - a Theo-Political Thriller Book by Philip Skousen
Daily News
"Set Your AC To 78F": NYC Socialist Pleads With Residents As Fragile Grid Faces Blackout Risk
"Set your AC to 78 degrees, turn off lights/electronics you're not using, and unplug what you can," New York City Socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani wrote on X late Wednesday. New Yorkers are now getting a real-world lesson in what Mamdani's recent "warmth of collectivism" comments actually mean: shared sacrifice, including being told to dial back air conditioning during blistering heat as the risk of power blackouts rises.
European Nations Now Believe Some Hormuz Fees Are Inevitable
Some leading European powers now accept that ships transiting the vital Strait of Hormuz will have to pay fees to Iran and Oman, according to people familiar with the matter.
Trans gunman caught in alleged casino terror plot with huge cache of weapons — as cops release chilling footage
Las Vegas cops busted a transgender gunman who allegedly planned a casino massacre using a huge cache of weapons.
Mediators Pledge Quiet Between US, Iran To Allow For Ayatollah Khamenei's Funeral
Apparently things are going to be 'quiet' heading into the weekend, to allow time for the mass funeral events of slain Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Crucially the Qatar-Pakistan statement indicated, "The parties agreed to continue discussions over the coming period, with the next meeting to be scheduled at the earliest possible time following the funeral processions of the former Iranian Supreme Leader." Other sources say a diplomatic 'pause' is on for the moment, as is presumably military action.
Russia unleashes a massive assault on Ukraine’s capital, killing more than 20
“All the windows in the room were shattered, and the door was jammed – I couldn’t open it,” the 61-year-old told CNN. Moskaeva, who was eventually rescued by firefighters, said this was the second time that a Russian attack had damaged her home. “The first time there was an attack like this, I started crying – I was shaking so badly,” she related. Now unable to enter her apartment and going to stay with relatives, she said she was worried about getting to work on Monday. “How am I supposed to get there? There’s no power, no clothes to change into, there’s nothing.”
Japan Takes Next Step In $2.3 Trillion Plan With Domestic AI Model And 10M Robots
The effort reflects a broader global push by countries to build "sovereign AI" capabilities and reduce reliance on dominant U.S. and Chinese technologies.
Vance Warns 'US Has Options' As Iran Rejects Direct Doha Talks - Trump Insists Diplomacy Is 'Very Good'
Vice President JD Vance played a little 'bad cop' - warning that if Iran fails to acquiesce and destabilizes the region that the US could respond, escalating in several ways. "If Iran attempts to rebuild its nuclear program, threaten its neighbors and support terrorism, President Trump has options to deal with it," Vance said, without specifying further. Earlier the WSJ stated that Trump had been briefed on several military options - including 'all-out war'; however, the US president is said to want to give diplomacy more time.
Supreme Court Justice Thomas Says Birthright Citizenship Ruling 'Devalues' US Citizenship
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas issued a lengthy dissent criticizing the high court's majority ruling against President Donald Trump's executive order restricting birthright citizenship, saying the decision would effectively devalue American citizenship as it was understood by those who created the Constitution's 14th Amendment.
Three Reactors Achieved Criticality Before July 4th
On July 1st, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced microreactor developer Deployable Energy had achieved criticality on their Unity reactor design at Idaho National Labs (INL).
The elephant in the room that is fraud
It is clearer every day that most people posing as journalists are essentially Democrat campaign workers instead of reliable sources of the news or the truth.
Israel Moves to Recognize Armenian Genocide
The decision ends years of official hesitation and comes as relations between Israel and Turkey remain strained.
Supreme Court Upholds State Bans on Boys in Girls’ Sports
The court said Idaho, West Virginia laws do not violate the Constitution or Title IX by keeping boys out of girls’ sports.
Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump’s Order Restricting Birthright Citizenship
The president’s executive order sought to exclude children of illegal immigrants and temporary visa holders from automatic citizenship at birth.
Republicans Spar Amid Latest SAVE Push
While the House has advanced the election integrity bill, the Senate is another story. House Republicans are divided on it as the president renews his advocacy.
Supreme Court Rejects Trump’s Appeal of Sexual Abuse Verdict in E. Jean Carroll Case
The Supreme Court on June 29 turned down an appeal from President Donald Trump in the case involving magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll. At least six of the nine justices declined to take up the appeal of the finding that Trump sexually abused the writer. The vote count and how each justice voted were not disclosed. Justices did not offer any explanation for the rejection of the appeal, which means that Trump owes Carroll $5 million in damages.
Iran Contradicts Trump, Refuses Talks 'At Any Level' For Coming Days, While US Delegation Travels To Qatar
Iran Foreign Ministry contradicts Trump on Doha talks: "We will not hold any negotiation meetings at any level with the American side in the coming days." US-Iran talks may resume Tuesday in Doha, Trump declaring the plan in a Monday Truth Social, with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner traveling to Qatar, though Tehran denies technical negotiations are scheduled. Qatar suspended most maritime activity as security deteriorates, while shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted & slowed. Recent US-Iran strikes have clouded diplomacy, despite reports both sides have paused military action. Iran warned it could halt negotiations and said further US involvement in Hormuz would escalate tensions and delay the waterway's reopening.
'Problematic But Not Critical': Putin Concedes Fuel Shortages After Ukraine Strikes, Plays It Cool
"As for strikes against critical infrastructure in general, and energy infrastructure in particular, of course, these attacks on our infrastructure facilities create problems," Putin said in the new interview published by the Kremlin. "That's obvious." "Right now we're observing a certain shortage, but it's not critical," he added. He also made wide-ranging public remarks at a major summit of the ruling 'United Russia' party.
Giant Explosion Rocks Lebanon As IDF Destroys Hezbollah's Underground Drone Complex
While the IDF has yet to issue its official post-operation briefing, it took the unusual step of warning residents in northern Israel to expect a massive, earth-shaking blast. The military had actually escorted journalists on a propaganda tour of the complex earlier this month to showcase the scale of the threat, amid the ongoing Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon.
US Boosts Venezuela Earthquake Aid To $300 Million As 50,000 Remain Missing
Earlier this morning, a 4.6-magnitude quake rattled Caracas. Meanwhile... The devastating earthquakes in Venezuela exposed exactly how the socialist government built housing for their people. Look at this video from La Guaira.
Record 1 in 16 People Worldwide Now Use Drugs, UN Report Says
Out of the 14 million who used drugs via injections, almost 7 million had hepatitis C, 1.7 million were living with HIV, and 1.5 million had both....“While cannabis remains the most widely used drug, the global cocaine market has reached record levels,” the U.N. stated in the post. In the 10 years between 2014 and 2024, global production of cocaine has surged by more than 370 percent.
250 Years Ago: South Carolina Defeats the British Empire
On the very day Congress received Jefferson’s draft, more than 6,500 Continental soldiers, militiamen, enslaved laborers, and warriors from the Pee Dee, Waccamaw, Cheraw, and Catawba tribes prepared to defend South Carolina in what history remembers as the Battle of Sullivan’s Island.
Baghdad's Green Zone Locked Down As Officials Arrested In Corruption Sweep
Security forces locked down Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone and carried out raids inside the government and embassy district that sits on the west bank of the Tigris River. It contains key Iraqi state institutions, including parliament and government offices, as well as foreign embassies, most notably the U.S. Embassy.
Tehran Retaliates Against Bahrain, Kuwait After US Bombing Campaign Along Iranian Coast
Iranian state media is also confirming the fresh 'retaliation' for limited US airstrikes over the last two days, triggered initially by the Iranians seeking to enforce 'control' of the Strait of Hormuz, by attacking no less than two foreign vessels in as many days.
Ukraine Closes Week Of Record Drone Attacks On Russia By Hitting Important Weapons Plant
Multiple Ukrainian FP-5 “Flamingo” Cruise Missiles slam into the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology’s “Titan-Barrikady” Defense Plant, which designs and produces parts for artillery and ballistic missile launchers, in the Southern Russian city of Volgograd
Hezbollah Supporters Block Roads, Encircle Govt Buildings In Beirut Over Israel Deal: 'They Sold Us Out'
Mass protests broke out in Beirut on Friday into Saturday, with supporters of Hezbollah voicing their outrage at the Lebanese government having just signed a 'trilateral peace framework' with Israel and the United States, despite the IDF occupation of southern territory and sporadic Israeli bombings persisting.
Russia Says It Downed Almost 700 Ukrainian Drones In Massive Overnight Barrage As Fuel Shortages Worsen
Ukraine's asymmetric warfare against Russia's much-larger and better armed military machine is in a significantly better position than the status of a year or so ago. Russian forces still have the upper-hand on the front line in the east, but the pain clearly being inflicted on Russia's economy can't be ignored at this point.
US Strikes Iran in Response to Attack on Cargo Ship
U.S. President Donald Trump earlier on Friday called Iran’s attack a violation of a ceasefire reached by the two countries. CENTCOM said U.S. aircraft struck missile and drone storage locations, as well as coastal radar sites inside Iran, as part of the retaliatory operation.
Number of Refugees in Germany Hits Record High of Four Million
According to the data, 832,000 of the 3.3 million post-1950 refugees are Ukrainian nationals, or 25 per cent. Meanwhile, over one in five (22 per cent) hailed from Syria, meaning that the two countries account for nearly half of all displaced people living in Germany since 1950. Other significant groups included 316,000 people from Afghanistan, 186,000 from Iraq, 146,000 from Turkey, 120,000 from Poland, and 117,000 from Iran.
‘NATIONAL EMERGENCY’: Trump Cancels Housing Bill Signing Until Congress Passes Voter ID Law
“Today’s Housing News Conference and Signing is hereby cancelled until such time as we pass the desperately needed SAVE AMERICA ACT, which I consider to be a National Emergency,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.