Meanwhile, Brent crude has shot up to $119. That's a 38% surge in just 9 days.
Commercial oil reserves in the U.S. dropped by 17 million barrels, plus another 7.1 million barrels were cut from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). The total decline in oil reserves (commercial + SPR) amounted to 13.3 million barrels, with gasoline down by 6.1 million barrels and diesel fuel down by 4.5 million barrels.
The level of social inequality among US citizens has hit extreme levels. In Q4 of last year, the top 10% of wealthiest Americans owned $119 trillion, or about 70% of the country's total wealth, according to Fed data. Approximately 136,000 households (the top 0.1%) held around $25 trillion, averaging about $183 million per household.
At the same time, the bottom 50% of Americans (around 66 million households) collectively owned only about $5 trillion. The total wealth of American households has increased by more than $7 trillion since 2020, but this wealth has predominantly gone to the richest.
The sovereignty of our hemisphere is non-negotiable, declared Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding the China conflict in Panama.
For 96 years, the U.S. managed the Panama Canal like it was their own turf. But Panama reclaimed it in 1999. For the next 27 years, Hong Kong's CK Hutchison ran two ports on either end of the canal under contract.
Then Trump labeled it a Chinese takeover. The Supreme Court of Panama suddenly deemed the contract "unconstitutional." Panama forcefully seized both ports in February 2026. The U.S. insisted on handing them over to their Western company.
Now Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay, and Trinidad and Tobago have signed a joint statement, calling China's legal response "economic pressure." They've seized Chinese assets and branded the country as the aggressor.
The proposal to cap Switzerland's population at 10 million has garnered support from 52% of respondents in the first poll of its kind, indicating a majority backing for this idea — BBG
Swiss Population Cap Gets First Majority Backing in Voter Poll
Switzerland is expected to vote this summer on limiting the population to 10 million
The initiative will require the government and parliament to take action if the permanent population of 9.1 million exceeds 9.5 million, banning entry for newcomers, including asylum seekers and families of foreign residents. Should the population hit 10 million, additional restrictions will kick in, and if there isn't a reduction, the government will be mandated to exit the free movement agreement with the EU
The White House dubbed Trump the "King" and that's that.
"Two Kings," reads the caption to the pic posted on the official White House account on social media X in honor of King Charles III's visit to the US. ———————————- In the US, there are occasional protests called "No Kings" against the policies of the Trump admin. $PUMPBTC $FUN $BIO
The US and Israel have wiped out nearly half of the jobs in Iran and a fifth of its economy. US strikes have damaged about 20,000 factories. Over the course of five weeks of attacks by the US and Israel, industrial production in several key sectors has nearly ground to a halt. According to the Iranian Deputy Minister of Labor, the war has already directly cost the country at least 1 million jobs. In total, up to 12 million jobs are at risk — about half of Iran's entire workforce.
The most sensitive blow has hit the steel and petrochemical industries. The two largest steel producers — Mobarakeh Steel and Khuzestan Steel — have halted production, and over 50 petrochemical complexes have been shut down.
Inflationary pressure has quickly reached consumers: in the last month, chicken prices have surged by 75%, beef and lamb by 68%, and many dairy products by about 50%. In Kashan, the heart of Iran's carpet industry, around 80% of carpet producers have stopped working, and prices for synthetic fibers have increased by 30–50%.
Iran, according to Reuters, has used the ceasefire to reposition and restore missiles, drones, and munitions that were previously struck by the US and Israel.
US intelligence agencies, as noted, are assessing Tehran's potential response if Trump declares victory and pulls the US out of the conflict. Preliminary estimates suggest that the withdrawal of American troops might be seen by Iran as their own victory.
The UAE's exit from OPEC is a win for Trump, who has slammed the organization for "ripping off the rest of the world" by jacking up oil prices — RTRS ———————————— On April 20, 2021, Trump stated that he has been against OPEC his whole life and considers it an illegal cartel. During his presidency, the NOPEC anti-monopoly bill against OPEC was actively developed. $PRL $ZKJ $GUN
Trump: Iran just informed us that they are in a "state of collapse." They want us to "open the Hormuz Strait" as soon as possible, as they try to sort out their leadership situation (which, I believe, they will be able to do!). Thank you for your attention to this issue! $TRUMP $HYPE $HYPER
All the techies in Silicon Valley are hooked on snus — reports say that nicotine pouches have become part of office culture and even a line item in corporate expenses. They're used for 'focus and calm', marketed as a productivity booster.
Vance is skeptical about Pentagon reports on Iran — The Atlantic
The U.S. Vice President doesn't trust the Pentagon's claims regarding the success in the war with Iran, writes The Atlantic.
According to the publication, JD Vance questions the official assessments of the conflict during closed meetings, particularly the figures on American missile stocks. He's not convinced about the honesty of the military leadership in describing the real situation and worries about how this will affect the U.S. readiness for other potential conflicts.
Meanwhile, tensions are rising between Vance and Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth. Hegseth, for his part, actively supports Trump's stance on the "success" of the campaign.
Germany's Chancellor Merz has taken a shot at Trump, saying Iran is putting the US in a tough spot.
"The Americans clearly don’t have a strategy. Right now, I don’t see what strategic path the Americans will choose to exit, especially since the Iranians are obviously negotiating very skillfully — or are very skillfully not negotiating," noted Merz.
Corporate espionage is hitting new highs: employees are flipping internal communications and data to AI firms. Archives can go for anywhere between €5,000 to €100,000, while chats, voice, and video are being paid for by the minute.
AI companies are on the hunt for 'live' corporate data to train their models, and the market for these trades is rapidly expanding. $MOVR $BARD $FET
Reuters: NATO might ditch annual summits due to tensions with Trump
NATO is weighing the option to skip its high-level annual meetups. The reason? Strained relations with Trump's administration. The summits for 2026-2027 are still on the calendar, but their format might change, reports Reuters.
In China, folks are starting to keep chickens as pets — they roll them around in strollers, dress them up, and treat them like kids.
Videos featuring these 'house chicks' have racked up over 3.1 billion views on local social media, and owners can't stop sharing the perks of having these pets.
Among the benefits are minimal odor, no molting, compact size, and low maintenance. Plus, the monthly feed costs average around 4 bucks, which definitely factors in.
Some people even claim that chickens are pretty smart, can understand speech, and show personality:
After some solid training, a bird can communicate with humans, making eye contact and displaying temperament and emotions.
The level of care for these chickens goes so far that they’re wheeled around in strollers and dressed in scarves and hats to keep them warm. Many people note that after getting such a pet, their views on farm animals have shifted:
I never imagined I could feel such a strong attachment to a chicken. To me, she's no longer food, but part of the family.