President Trump declared on July 7 that the ceasefire is over and went back on the attack against Iran. Iran then announced that it is again closing or severely restricting passage through the strait in response to renewed US military strikes. Commercial shipping has slowed dramatically. According to Reuters, only a handful of tankers have transited recently, with many vessels delaying voyages or turning back because of the military threat and soaring insurance costs. Oil prices are again rising in response. VP Vance hinted last week that Trump didn’t have confidence the MOU would hold but wanted to see how many ships could get through while it lasted to replenish stockpiles in the West. This tranche of oil that got through will refill some of the empty storage containers in Europe and California, but it won’t be enough to build reserves back up. If Trump were smart about this instead of being so bull-headed, he would have allowed Iran to restrict transit on the Omani side, which directed all shipping to Iran’s preferred southern route. They claimed to be doing mine clearing, which probably was just an excuse. Iran attacked 3 ships, and Trump responded by giving up the ceasefire completely. Accommodating Iran, at least during the MOU period would have been a good compromise which would have allowed the West to build more reserves during the 60-day period. Iran still clearly wants to control the oil through the strait, and earn some revenue off of it, to pay for some of the damage the US and Israel have caused. Even though Trump doesn’t want that to happen, he should have given a little in order to keep the ceasefire going. To receive a free, one-time sample of the Brief, along with options on how to subscribe, click on Request a sample on the left
Iran-US fighting is sustained but slowed, with new reported strikes across the Gulf. Trump declares FULL blockade on Iranian ports, while IRGC asserts 'wartime control' of Hormuz. Trump drops 20% transit fee plan; oil prices ease. Multiple tanker attacks over past day again disrupt shipping & cause casualties. Regional conflict expands with reported Houthi missiles on Saudi Arabia.
US Central Command forces says it has “began launching an additional round of strikes against Iran to continue degrading Iranian capabilities used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz”. In a social media post, President Donald Trump has reiterated the US blockade of Iranian ports and has made a u-turn on his 20-percent tariff announcement.
A Minneapolis sheriff has triggered an uncomfortable conversation by saying out loud what you are not supposed to talk about in Minnesota. “Out of control” gangs of Somali youths are terrorizing the city, and the mayhem is poised to get worse. Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher released a livestream video on July 6 decrying widespread violence by Somali gang members over the Fourth of July weekend. He also took the opportunity to criticize media outlets in the Twin Cities and the state for refusing to cover the problem.
A large group of foreigners armed with knives and sticks show up at the protestant area of Dungannon in Northern Ireland. A police officer runs past them to arrest a local man who had picked up a stick to defend his community. Two-tier policing...
Helen Comperatore reveals insights about her husband’s death, as others join her in calling for release of more records.
Mohammed Mokhber, an adviser to Iranian leader Mojtaba Khamenei, responded to Trump’s recent comment by saying on Monday that Tehran will fight for the Strait of Hormuz, according to the semi-official Tasnim News agency. Days after an initial ceasefire was announced in April, Trump said the United States would impose a blockade on Iranian ports. More than 100 ships were redirected or disabled by CENTCOM forces before the memorandum was signed in June.
Trump formally notifies Congress US has resumed war with Iran. Trump warns will hit Iran 'hard' tonight or tomorrow; Pentagon confirms 3rd night of strikes has begun. Reports of Houthi missiles launched on Saudi Arabia: oil extends gains near month-highs. Trump says US blockade of Iran ports 'reinstated': states that US to be reimbursed at rate of 20% of cargo shipped for vessels wishing to transit. CENTCOM affirms with closure message. Strikes escalated over weekend: US hit over 140 Iranian military targets; Iran attacks US-linked facilities across the Gulf. Shipping tensions boil: Iran claims the strait is closed, but commercial vessels continue transiting under US protection. Oil prices climb: on rising risk to global shipping & energy markets, as diplomacy clearly unraveling.
New data show that Saudi Arabia purchased a record $47.2 million worth of small drones from Taiwan last month, underscoring how governments are beginning to rapidly procure suicide drones.
An article written by Steve Watson in Modernity.news, gives an account of how the surveillance state has found its new frontier: the dashboard of your car. What was once a symbol of American freedom and independence, automobiles are rapidly transforming into a high-tech cage that watches their every move and can override their decisions at will. In a post shared on X, users detailed the multiple complaints about Subaru’s improved “EyeSight” AI system, which is present in the latest models. According to drivers, the system gets quick glimpses beyond their intentions to plan their route. At the same time, Biden-era federal mandates were put in place to make this level of surveillance mandatory on every new vehicle by 2027.
Darline Graham Nordone, sister of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., walks to the stage before his announcement for presidency on Monday, June 1, 2015, in Central, S.C. (AP Photo/Rainier Ehrhardt) Does Nordone have political experience? No, she does not. Nordone worked in a vocational rehabilitation role that specifically helped people with disabilities find jobs in the state of South Carolina.
Gov. Henry McMaster (R-S.C.) appointed Darline Graham Nordone, the late senator’s younger sister, to take his place in the Senate until the election in November.
Security analysts poring over satellite photos of China have shared a surreal image: There's a detailed, full-scale replica of a US Navy destroyer in the middle of a remote stretch of Chinese desert. It's a vivid indication of the seriousness with which the Chinese government takes preparations for a potential war with the United States, perhaps over Taiwan.
The country's Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko has confirmed Sunday her shock resignation, which has come as a major surprise to many lawmakers and unleashed speculation about what's behind it. She has held the office since July 2025, and helped spearhead major reconstruction funding deals with the United States and Europe.
A collective bargaining agreement means that the team will have to share its $16 million prize pot (minus a 20% cut for the U.S. Men’s Soccer organization) with the U.S. women’s team.
Iran reiterated its rejection of negotiations with the US unless Washington meets conditions including resolving transit issues through the Strait of Hormuz and normalizing the Islamic Republic's oil exports.
China successfully landed the first-stage booster of a Long March 10B rocket on a floating barge during an orbital launch test earlier Friday, marking the first major step in reusable launch technology, albeit roughly a decade behind Elon Musk's SpaceX.
China has abruptly banned helium exports, a key component in semiconductors, which adds yet another serious constraint to a global market already reeling from the loss of production in Qatar.
What's already abundantly clear but verboten to say as it would pop the bubble of AI valuations and triumphalism is that AI is unaffordable once the direct and indirect subsidies are withdrawn. Nothing that consumes this much electricity and requires such an immense scale of costly processing and memory capacity can be low-cost, never mind free.
The Pentagon released its fourth new batch of UFO files on July 10, including a transcript from a conference that included scientists who worked on the Manhattan Project.
critics arguing that names like Muhammad's dominance reflect communities that have not fully integrated and, in some cases, parallel issues seen in grooming gang scandals where perpetrators often shared similar names and backgrounds.
Cuba suffered its second nationwide blackout in a matter of days late Friday, another sign that the communist-controlled island is sliding deeper into economic collapse amid tightening US sanctions and renewed pressure from the Trump administration. Havana blames US "gunboat diplomacy" and the financial sanctions for its economic demise, but the roots of the crisis are decades of communist rule, chronic underinvestment, widespread economic mismanagement and a crumbling power grid.
"We didn't ask for anyone's approval to enter Lebanon, and we don't need approval to stay in Lebanon," Katz said in a statement, according to The Washington Examiner. "It is our right and duty to defend the residents of the Galilee and Israeli citizens from the threats of the jihadist terror group Hezbollah, which aims to destroy the State of Israel."
In a video interview today with The Defender, a former police detective involved in the investigations of roughly 250 sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS, cases said coroners didn’t include vaccination history in their reports, even when police reports included the information. “Jennifer” and her husband were detectives in the police department of a major U.S. city with a population of over 300,000 from roughly 2003 to 2010.
a federal appeals court refused to block a ruling ordering the removal of his name from the Kennedy Center. In its second rejection of the administration’s request, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit said Trump’s lawyers had failed to prove that removing his name would damage fundraising efforts at the iconic performing arts venue, which has faced declining ticket sales and widespread artist cancellations since Trump initiated a MAGA takeover last year
The Patriot air defense system has been in high demand throughout the Russia–Ukraine war, and other recent global conflicts.
U.S. Central Command said its airstrikes hit over 80 Iranian targets in response to attacks on three commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump said Iran wants to make a deal but expressed skepticism that the country would honor it.
Several commercial ships were attacked in or near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday.
The court allowed the leader of right-wing party National Rally to run in next year’s presidential race, but with an ankle tag.
Oil rises as Treasury revokes June 21 Iran oil waiver Hormuz Threat Level Raised To "Severe" Three maritime incidents reported on Hormuz in last 24 hours Another unidentified vessel hit by a Drone IRGC forces hit a Saudi Tanker IRGC forces hit a Qatari LNG tanker