Trump Says US Will Allow Ukraine to Produce Patriot Missiles
The Patriot air defense system has been in high demand throughout the Russia–Ukraine war, and other recent global conflicts.
This Week in the World Affairs Brief
US AND IRAN BACK TO WAR
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
Also:
- Russia’s Attacks on Ukraine Intensify
- Finland and Poland Prepare to Repel Potential Russian Offense
- Preparedness Tip: Barriers to Sickness
Daily News
US, Iran Exchange Fire After Iran Attacks Commercial Vessels in Strait of Hormuz
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.
US Launches Another Round of Strikes on Iran
Trump said Iran wants to make a deal but expressed skepticism that the country would honor it.
US Revokes Authorization for Iran to Sell Oil After Tanker Attacks
Several commercial ships were attacked in or near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday.
French Court Clears Way for Le Pen to Run in 2027 Presidential Race
The court allowed the leader of right-wing party National Rally to run in next year’s presidential race, but with an ankle tag.
Crude Spikes As US Scraps Iran Oil Waiver Ahead Of Expected Retaliation
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
Ukrainian Drone Swarm Attack Hits Eight Russian 'Shadow Fleet' Tankers
The drone swarm attack came a day after Ukraine's special forces hit two other shadow-fleet tankers in the same area. Ukraine said it was targeting Russia's naval supply chain to induce fuel shortages and a broader push to isolate Crimea. The peninsula was annexed by Russia in 2014 and serves as a staging ground for Moscow’s war effort.
Zelensky Touts "Battle In The Sky" As Key To Winning Asymmetric Fight With Russia
Zelensky described that "it matters far less whose territory is larger" and that "we have moved into the air domain. And in the air, we are already competitive." Russia is in the meantime close to achieving its goal of pacifying the four eastern annexed territories. The remarks are clearly timed to appeal to Ukraine's 'successes' against Russia during the same week the major annual NATO summit kicks off in Turkey, with President Trump and other world leaders expected.
Russia's Buffer Zone On Ukrainian Border 'Expanding' As Result Of Worsening Drone Attacks: Kremlin
"A security buffer zone on the Russian-Ukrainian border is conditioned by the aggressive nature of the Kiev regime and the Russian military is engaged in this process systematically reaching the appropriate progress," presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday.
Burning Down the House
“We are Westerners fighting for the total eradication of Western civilization,” one of their spoxes declared on Instagram in 2024.
Paul Pelosi Faces Charges In Napa County Hit-And-Run
Paul Pelosi, the 86-year-old husband of Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), faces misdemeanor charges for a hit-and-run after allegedly striking a parked car in Napa, California on Friday.
What Happened to the 56 Signatories of the Declaration of Independence
Before the war was over, five would be captured, 12 would lose their homes, and 17 would lose their fortunes. None renounced the cause of their own free will.
“You Cannot Kill the Beast Until You Name it”: Democratic Politician Denounces the Declaration of Independence
He denounced the country as based on “stolen land and stolen labor.” He lashed out at the Declaration of Independence:
Russia & Ukraine Trade Some Of Biggest Strikes Of War On Eve Of NATO Summit
Over a dozen people were killed, with heavy damage against residential structures observed. The death toll could rise, but "In total, 14 people have died and 117 have been injured in Kyiv," the office of the attorney general said on Monday morning. Rescue crews have been retrieving bodies from under rubble throughout Monday.
"Should Never Have Happened": Illegal Alien Truck Driver Kills Pennsylvania Trooper
As with all of these truck crashes, there is no reporting mechanism either on the crash reports or CMV inspections that document the immigration status or even the type of CDL that was in the driver's possession at the time of the crash. So when this crash first occurred, there was no discussion of the truck driver's immigration status. Several experienced industry professionals began asking the same question that's been asked recently in light of all the crashes being caused by the surge of illegal aliens who were able to be fast-tracked into the trucking industry. Only then did his immigration status come into question and later confirmed.
The Unfinished Revolution: When Rights Become Privileges
Freedom has become conditional. Equal justice under law has become selective. Constitutional rights have become political bargaining chips. Government now claims the authority to decide which religious beliefs deserve accommodation and which may be excluded—a clear violation of the First Amendment’s warning against both establishing a religion and favoring or disfavoring one religion over another.
First $1 Billion, Now $50 Million: Khanna Says Wealth Tax "Must Not Stop At Billionaires"
khanna's 'billionaire wealth tax,' which is not a tax but an asset seizure in which he tallies everything you own, then demands a percentage *on top* of what you're taxed — every single year — is already targeting anyone worth $50 million or more. this ends with your 401k.
Iran To Grant China, 'Friendly' Countries 'Special Consideration' On Hormuz Fees
Iran's ambassador to China stated on Saturday that the Islamic Republic would impose service fees on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, but that China and other "friendly" countries would be granted "special considerations."
Secret Service Missed 102 Warnings Before Trump Assassination Attempt in Butler: Report
Among the report’s most significant findings was that Secret Service members did not receive 102 radio transmissions “that local law enforcement officers in a separate communications room received concerning an increasingly intense search for a suspicious person. Instead, we found that the Secret Service received only five phone calls and three text messages about Crooks. As a result, Secret Service members did not alert President Trump’s protective detail about concerns of a suspicious person.”
Hormuz After the War: Iran’s New Price for Safe Passage
Iran enters the post-war negotiations with the United States convinced that the balance has shifted. Tehran does not see itself as a defeated state seeking relief, but as a power that endured a US-Israeli assault, preserved its strategic depth, and now intends to convert survival into political gains. Nowhere is this more visible than in the Strait of Hormuz.
Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says
Hamadeh said the framework “is a first step on the road to restoring Lebanese sovereignty and territorial integrity, securing a permanent and final cessation of hostilities, enabling our people to go back to their land and allowing all Lebanese to live in peace, security, and prosperity.”
Southern Poverty Law Center's leaders allegedly used major bank to fund pay-to-hate operation
US officials: Ex-CFO Teenie Hutchison, ex-research chief Heidi Beirich and ex-CEO Margaret Huang allegedly kept scheme secret
Judiciary Committee Threatens to Hold the SPLC in Contempt for Withholding Documents
The House Judiciary Committee is threatening to hold the Southern Poverty Law Center in contempt of Congress for failing to hand over documents related to the SPLC’s use of “field sources” inside extremist groups and its work with the Justice Department under President Joe Biden.
Elon Musk agrees with Tim Cook: The memory shortage is unprecedented
The heart of the issue is the AI boom, which has strained memory chip production as deep-pocketed hyperscalers and data center buildouts increase demand. That's led to skyrocketing memory costs and lower supply for many consumer electronics companies, which have begun passing those added costs onto shoppers with price hikes.
US Not Renewing US–Mexico–Canada Trade Pact
As all three countries engage in annual reviews moving forward, provisions inside the USMCA will remain in effect until 2036, the White House told reporters on a conference call.
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.
"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.