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Why Is China's Embassy In D.C. Hardening Security Perimeter With Barbed Wire

Why Is China's Embassy In D.C. Hardening Security Perimeter With Barbed Wire

Washington, D.C.-focused local outlet Popville, short for Prince of Petworth, posted several images showing barbed wire being installed around the security perimeter of the Chinese Embassy.

The photos appear to show at least four workers installing the barbed wire atop an already hardened perimeter wall of block and iron fencing. 

Embassies in Washington face security risks, but the sudden decision to further harden the Chinese compound raises obvious questions: whether Beijing is responding to a specific threat, anticipating protests or unrest nearby, or preparing for the arrival of a senior official or foreign delegation.

We should also note that activist networks aligned with pro-China and Marxist groups have called for May 1 general strike actions aimed at disrupting the U.S. economy. It remains unclear whether the embassy's sudden security hardening is connected to those planned demonstrations or to some other threat stream.

Tyler Durden Sat, 04/11/2026 - 13:25

Orban Warns "We Could Now Lose Everything": Sunday's Hungarian Elections Have Profound Implications For Europe

Orban Warns "We Could Now Lose Everything": Sunday's Hungarian Elections Have Profound Implications For Europe

As Hungarians head to the polls on Sunday, April 12, 2026, the country stands at a historic inflection point. For the first time since Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party swept back into power in 2010, a credible challenger - Péter Magyar and his Tisza party - has a genuine shot at ending 16 years of what Orbán proudly calls his "illiberal laboratory." In a final campaign rally, Orbán warned supporters they are choosing "not just a government, but the fate of the country" and could "now lose everything we have built together."

Bluntly put the election is a referendum on the durability of nationalist populism in Europe, the future of EU integration, energy security amid the Ukraine war, transatlantic conservative alliances under Trump 2.0, and even the fate of billions in Chinese investment that have reshaped Hungarian industry.

Right now, it looks like Magyar has it in the bag, so read on for the implications:

//--> //--> //--> Will the next Prime Minister of Hungary be Péter Magyar?
Yes 72% · No 28%
View full market & trade on Polymarket

As Goldman notes, independent polls, seat projections, and prediction markets all point to a likely Tisza victory - potentially with the two-thirds supermajority needed to rewrite the constitution. Markets have been pricing it in for over a year, yet the stakes could hardly be higher, and the outcome remains fluid until the ballots are counted. A Fidesz upset or narrow hold would reverberate from Brussels to Beijing, from Kyiv to Washington. This is the "Battle for Hungary" - and its ripples could redefine the continent’s political fault lines, as noted by Andrew Korybko. 

The Two-Man Race: Orbán’s Empire vs. Magyar’s Surge

Orbán, 62, has dominated Hungarian politics since 2010, crafting a model of "illiberal democracy" that mixes nationalist rhetoric, state-orchestrated economic control, and defiance of EU norms.

He positioned Hungary as a bulwark against mass migration, gender ideology, and Brussels overreach - exporting the playbook to allies like Donald Trump. Under his watch, Fidesz built an electoral machine that delivered supermajorities in 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022, despite never exceeding roughly 54% of the vote, thanks to gerrymandering, diaspora voting, and first-past-the-post districts.

Enter Péter Magyar, 43, a former Fidesz insider turned insurgent.

A lawyer and ex-husband of a former justice minister, Magyar burst onto the scene in 2024 after a dramatic break with the party, railing against corruption, cronyism, and economic mismanagement. His Tisza party has consolidated the fragmented opposition into a genuine two-party contest. Magyar campaigns on restoring rule of law, unlocking frozen EU funds, and delivering economic relief without sacrificing sovereignty. He is explicitly targeting the two-thirds supermajority (133 of 199 seats) to repeal Fidesz’s "Cardinal Acts" and constitutional changes.

The numbers tell the story. Long-term polling charts show Fidesz’s support eroding from peaks near 48% in 2024 to the low 30s–low 40s today, while Tisza has rocketed from the mid-20s to 50–58% among decided voters.

Taking a 'Naive' Average of All Polls Suggests Tisza Will Receive Most Votes, But Fall Short of 50%

Independent pollsters like Medián consistently show Tisza at 55–58% and Fidesz at 35–38%, with "Other" parties collapsing into single digits. 

On Polymarket, Péter Magyar is trading at 72% to become the next Prime Minister (versus 28% for Viktor Orbán), with over $62 million in trading volume. The "Hungary Parliamentary Election Winner" market gives Tisza a 75% probability of winning the most seats and forming the next government (Fidesz at 26%), with roughly $60 million traded.

//--> //--> //--> Will TISZA – Respect and Freedom Party (TISZA) win the most seats in the next Hungarian parliamentary election?
Yes 75% · No 26%
View full market & trade on Polymarket

Even accounting for the system’s built-in advantages for incumbents - 106 single-member FPTP districts, strong rural and Romanian-diaspora support for Fidesz - the market consensus strongly favors a decisive shift in power.

The Domestic Reckoning: Economy, Corruption, and Voter Fatigue

Hungary’s voters are not marching to the polls in a vacuum. Beneath the ideological battle lies raw economic pain. As Goldman notes further, cumulative price rises of 40% since 2021 have hammered households despite inflation cooling to +1.4%. Growth has stagnated. Corruption perceptions rank Hungary as the EU’s most graft-prone member, per Transparency International. Many Hungarians see Orbán’s system - subsidies, tax breaks, and special deals - as having enriched insiders while ordinary people footed the bill for the cost-of-living crisis.

Orbán has countered by highlighting 16 years of achievements - job creation, pension increases, and border barriers to halt illegal immigration - and warned that losing power would mean Hungarians "lose everything we have built together."

A Tisza victory would likely deliver immediate relief: the unlocking of roughly €20 billion in frozen EU funds, contingent on judicial and anti-corruption reforms. Magyar has pledged a credible path to euro adoption by 2030, which would stabilize the forint and lower borrowing costs long-term. A supermajority would let Tisza dismantle the "Cardinal Acts" that entrenched Fidesz power over media, elections, pensions, and taxation.

As Korybko notes, the emotional undercurrent runs deeper. Orbán’s defenders credit him with shielding Hungary from the worst of the Ukraine war fallout - keeping Russian energy flowing, avoiding direct involvement, and preserving sovereignty. Many Chinese business owners in Hungary quietly echo that view: they grumble about bribes and cronyism but prefer the "devil they know" because "at least things get done," according to SCMP. 

How Hungarian Elections Work

Voters cast two ballots: one for a local candidate (106 seats via first-past-the-post) and one for a national party list (93 seats via proportional representation). A simple majority elects the prime minister and passes ordinary laws; two-thirds is required for constitutional amendments and Cardinal Acts. 

Ballots open at 06:00 CEST and close at 19:00 CEST on Sunday. Counting begins immediately; a clear winner typically emerges election night, with official certification roughly one week later. Recounts are possible if margins are razor-thin. Turnout will be decisive: high participation historically favors challengers riding waves of discontent.

Geopolitical Earthquake: From Brussels to Beijing

Europe and the EU

Orbán has been the bloc’s most stubborn spoiler - vetoing Ukraine aid packages, blocking rule-of-law sanctions, and slowing federalization. A Tisza win would remove that veto leverage overnight. Brussels-friendly governance could accelerate EU integration, restore Hungary’s access to cohesion funds, and align Budapest with mainstream European policy.

Ukraine

Kyiv has clashed repeatedly with Orbán over energy imports from Russia and reluctance to arm Ukraine. Ukrainian pressure tactics - including weaponizing the Druzhba pipeline - have failed to move him. A

Ukraine hates Hungary too, but only because Orban refuses to arm it, continues purchasing energy from Russia, and has occasionally obstructed EU funding for this former Soviet Republic. In response, Ukraine has weaponized the Druzhba oil pipeline from Russia upon which Hungary relies to a large degree to pressure him into reversing his policies, but to no avail. Ukraine also colludes with the Hungarian opposition, which is now Ukraine’s and the EU’s joint proxy, in their Russiagate conspiracy theories. -Korybko

Magyar government would likely soften Hungary’s stance, easing EU-Ukraine funding bottlenecks and reducing pipeline friction.

United States and Trump 2.0

The international right has rallied behind Orbán. Former President Donald Trump endorsed him on social media, calling him "a truly strong and determined leader" with "a proven record of outstanding results" and a "true friend, a fighter, and a winner."  U.S. Vice President JD Vance visited Budapest and sharply criticized Brussels for "unprecedented interference" in the election process. A Fidesz hold would bolster that transatlantic populist axis; a Tisza victory would be a setback, signaling that even the strongest illiberal outpost can fall to domestic economic grievances.

European Populist Allies

Orbán has also received strong backing from key figures on the European right. France’s Marine Le Pen praised his stance on the Ukraine war as "very brave," Italy’s Matteo Salvini framed the vote as a contest over Europe’s future and national sovereignty versus centralized EU control, and Germany’s AfD co-leader Alice Weidel voiced her support.

Russia

Moscow’s stake is modest but real: Orbán’s pragmatic energy deals and occasional obstruction of anti-Russia measures have been valuable. Putin sees Hungary as a potential future bridge for EU-Russia détente once the Ukraine war ends. Russia has avoided overt meddling, but a Tisza shift would narrow that window.

Out of the four foreign parties with stakes in the “Battle for Hungary”, Russia’s are the least. It supports Orban’s pragmatic approach to the Ukrainian Conflict and views Hungary as a valuable partner in Europe. More than that, however, Putin believes that Orban can help repair Russian-EU relations sometime after their proxy war in Ukraine ends. While certainly game-changing if it occurs, this scenario is admittedly unlikely, ergo why Russia isn’t meddling in his support despite conspiracy theories to the contrary. -Korybko

China

Billions in Chinese FDI - most visibly CATL’s massive battery plant in Debrecen - have become politically radioactive. Banners reading "No battery, no deal," "Debrecen belongs to Hungarians," and "Chinese, go home" dot the city. Chinese firms face local backlash over imported labor, environmental risks, and meager local economic spillovers. Tisza has been measured - calling for "pragmatic, mutually beneficial" ties while demanding stricter EU-compliant rules on labor, environment, and taxes. Projects already under construction are unlikely to be seized, but a new government would pivot from "seduction" (subsidies and visas) to enforcement. 

Market Verdict: The Forint Has Already Spoken

Investors have been positioned for a Tisza outcome since early 2025. The forint has strengthened in anticipation. Goldman's EM desk outlines clear scenarios:

  • Tisza win (base case): EUR/HUF –2%, swaps –20 to –30 bps, credit spreads –15 to –25 tighter.
  • Tisza + supermajority: EUR/HUF –4%, swaps –30 to –40 bps, spreads –25 to –40 tighter (+ €20bn EU funds unlock). 
  • Fidesz hold / upset: EUR/HUF +4%, swaps +40 to +50 bps, spreads +25 to +40 wider.

FX volatility desks price roughly 3% gap risk around the event, with positioning long HUF but some profit-taking near 375. 

Aftermath Scenarios: Victory, Narrow Hold, or Chaos

A decisive Tisza victory would mark the end of the Orbán era and a constitutional reset. A narrow Fidesz government or blocking minority could trigger exactly the Color Revolution fears some analysts warn of - EU- and Ukraine-backed protests framed around "Russian meddling," exactly the kind of destabilization Orbán has accused opponents of preparing. Hungarians themselves hold the greatest stake. They will live with the consequences - economic relief or continued stagnation, EU integration or defiant sovereignty, pragmatic Chinese investment or stricter oversight. 

Why Europe - and the World - Should Watch Closely

This is more than a Hungarian election. It is a stress test for the durability of the populist wave that Orbán helped pioneer. A Tisza supermajority would deliver the clearest repudiation yet of illiberal governance in Europe, emboldening Brussels and weakening nationalist holdouts elsewhere. It would signal that economic pain and corruption fatigue can trump sovereignty rhetoric even in the EU’s most defiant member.

Conversely, an Orbán hold - against the polling tide - would validate the model’s resilience and give fresh oxygen to conservative-nationalist forces from Warsaw to Washington.

Sunday’s result will not just decide Hungary’s next prime minister. It could redraw the map of European populism, recalibrate great-power alignments, and determine whether the "illiberal laboratory" survives or becomes a historical footnote. Polls close at 19:00 CEST. By nightfall, we may know whether the Battle for Hungary ends in revolution - or resilience. The continent is watching.

Tyler Durden Sat, 04/11/2026 - 12:15

Watch: Axe-Wielding Man Attacks U.S. C-130 Cargo Plane At Irish Airport

Watch: Axe-Wielding Man Attacks U.S. C-130 Cargo Plane At Irish Airport

Footage posted on X appears to show a deranged man hammering away on top of a U.S. Air Force C-130H Hercules parked at Shannon Airport on Ireland's west coast on Friday.

"A man breached security at Shannon Airport in Ireland, climbed onto a parked C-130 Hercules, and damaged it with a tool," the Clash Report wrote on X.

Local media outlet Clare FM described the incident as a "security breach," with airport operations briefly suspended while police arrested "the person, understood to be a male," who was "seen in the vicinity of a United States Air Force C-130 Hercules transport aircraft that had been parked on a remote taxiway at the airport."

"A man breached security at Shannon Airport in Ireland. It's understood that the person climbed onto the wing of the aircraft and caused damage to the fuselage with an implement, possibly an axe, while it was parked," the outlet said.

In recent months, at least one far-left group has attacked a critical supply chain node supporting the F-35 stealth fighter jet program in the UK. There are no indications yet from authorities as to whether the C-130 attacker was part of a left-wing threat network

Tyler Durden Sat, 04/11/2026 - 11:05

Swalwell Denies Rape Allegations - Refuses to Drop Out Of Governor's Race Despite Democrat Exodus

Swalwell Denies Rape Allegations - Refuses to Drop Out Of Governor's Race Despite Democrat Exodus

The latest:

• Eric Swalwell’s California governor campaign collapsed after sexual assault allegations.

• Former staffer alleged harassment plus two assaults while she was intoxicated.

• Four women total have accused Swalwell of sexual misconduct.

• Swalwell denies all claims as false and politically motivated.

• Major Democratic allies withdrew support and called for him to exit the race.

- Update (as of Saturday morning): Since the San Francisco Chronicle story and initial fallout (including Hakeem Jeffries’ call for Swalwell to step down), Swalwell released a video across social media strongly denying the allegations as “flat false” and confirming he is not dropping out of the governor’s race. In the video Swalwell specifically referred to the accusations as coming from “anonymous” people, even though at least one woman (the primary accuser) has come forward publicly and given an on-camera interview to CNN.

CNN’s follow-up confirmed four women total have now alleged misconduct - including the named Chronicle/CNN accuser (former staffer) plus three others citing unwanted touching, intoxicated encounters, and unsolicited explicit messages or nude photos. Additional prominent Democrats (Sen. Adam Schiff, campaign co-chairs Reps. Jimmy Gomez and Adam Gray) withdrew endorsements and joined calls for Swalwell to exit the race and resign from Congress. More unions and rival candidates echoed those demands.

The campaign saw continued staff departures, quietly removed its endorsements page (now a 404 error), and faces legal threats against accusers. Prediction markets price his win odds at roughly 4-5% and show ~86%+ odds he drops out before the June primary. Republicans (including Rep. Anna Paulina Luna) have filed motions to expel him from the House. No formal investigations or lawsuits have been publicly filed yet, but the political damage appears severe and possibly irreversible.

Eric Swalwell's chances of becoming California's next corrupt governor cratered on Friday after detailed sexual assault allegations from a former district-office staffer were published in the San Francisco Chronicle. 

Polymarket odds of becoming California's next governor are at 4% as of this writing...

Will Eric Swalwell win the California Governor Election in 2026?
Yes 5% · No 96%
View full market & trade on Polymarket

* * *

The stunning drop - visible in real time on platforms such as Polymarket, where “Yes” contracts on Swalwell's victory traded as high as $1,100 earlier in the day before cratering to pennies - reflects a campaign that appears to be in free fall just weeks before ballots drop in the June primary. Traders piled into the “No” side at 96 cents, effectively pricing in the congressman’s political demise in the nation’s largest state.

The Allegations

A woman who worked in Swalwell's Castro Valley district office for nearly two years, beginning around 2019 when she was 21, alleged that Swalwell sexually harassed her as soon as she started, that they had some consensual encounters while she was on staff, and that he twice sexually assaulted her when she was too intoxicated to consent - once in a 2019 hotel room and again in 2024 after she had left his office. The woman, who is not named in the story, told the Chronicle she felt pressured by his position of power and has lived in fear of coming forward.

"She said Swalwell, who is married and 17 years her senior, tried to kiss her in her car when she drove him home from a donor meeting one night. Driving him to another event weeks later, she said Swalwell pulled out his penis in the car and asked her to perform oral sex on him. She said she did so in a parking lot.

In September 2019, the woman said, Swalwell invited her out for drinks and she became so severely intoxicated that she does not remember the rest of the night. She said she woke up naked in Swalwell’s hotel bed and could feel the effect of vaginal intercourse. She said Swalwell distanced himself from her afterward and the relationship faded." -The Chronicle

Swalwell immediately rejected the claims as “false” ...hang on... 

...and politically motivated, calling them a last-ditch effort to kneecap the Democratic primary leader. “For nearly 20 years, I have served the public — as a prosecutor and a congressman - and have always protected women,” he said in a statement. “I will defend myself with the facts and where necessary bring legal action.” His attorney sent a cease-and-desist letter to the accuser’s counsel threatening defamation litigation.

The allegations landed as the campaign was already reeling from weeks of unverified social-media rumors about inappropriate conduct with female staffers. By Friday, the fallout was swift and brutal.

At least four senior aides had resigned in anticipation of the story, according to multiple Democratic sources familiar with the situation. Unions that had endorsed Swalwell, including the powerful UFCW Western States Council, withdrew their support and called on him to suspend his campaign. “The allegations … are extremely detailed, troubling, and gut-wrenching,” the union said in a statement.

Even longtime ally Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) publicly withdrew his endorsement. House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who had been neutral in the race, issued a carefully worded statement Friday night: “This extremely sensitive matter must be appropriately investigated with full transparency and accountability. As I discussed with Congressman Swalwell, it is clear that is best done outside of a gubernatorial campaign.”

* * * Update: House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries has called for Swalwell to step down, as well as for an investigation.

Swalwell’s campaign manager, Yardena Wolf - his longtime chief of staff who moved over to run the gubernatorial operation - had personally briefed a small group of online influencers earlier in the week on the initial rumors, sticking to the campaign’s line that the claims were “false, outrageous” and that no NDAs or ethics complaints existed. Wolf has not issued a new public statement since the Chronicle story dropped, and a campaign spokesperson was unreachable Friday night amid the staff exodus.

The political math in California has shifted overnight. Just weeks ago, Emerson College polling showed Swalwell leading a fragmented Democratic field with 17 percent support and 25 percent undecided. Prediction markets briefly pegged his chances above 60 percent. He had positioned himself as the Democrat best equipped to counter the Trump administration from Sacramento, leveraging his national profile and prosecutorial background.

Now the race is wide open. Rivals who once struggled for attention are suddenly the story, while progressive voices that once gave Swalwell the benefit of the doubt are demanding full investigations - or his immediate exit from the race and even Congress.

The timing has fueled intense partisan finger-pointing. Swalwell allies describe the allegations as a coordinated hit job engineered by flailing opponents and amplified by conservative voices. Supporters of the accuser counter that the details are credible, long-suppressed and too serious to ignore for a candidate seeking the state’s highest office.

Whatever the ultimate legal or electoral verdict, the market verdict is already in. The blue line on the betting charts has turned into a cliff - and Eric Swalwell’s path to the governor’s mansion has all but vanished.

Needless to say, not even Chinese spies will be interested in Eric after this.

Tyler Durden Sat, 04/11/2026 - 10:56

IMF Warns Iran War Will Slow Global Growth, Raise Inflation, And Worsen Food Insecurity

IMF Warns Iran War Will Slow Global Growth, Raise Inflation, And Worsen Food Insecurity

Submitted by OilPrice.com

Severe fuel shortages, hunger, and spiralling inflation will be some of the consequences of the Iran war as the head of the International Monetary Fund said that it would leave “scarring effects” on the global economy.  

In a speech by Kristalina Georgieva, the IMF’s managing director, global policymakers were warned that trade disruption across the Middle East over the last month would lead to lower growth and higher inflation.

The impact of the war was also predicted to be uneven between different countries depending on levels of energy imports and their proximity to the war, according to the world’s foremost economic organisation.

Georgieva’s address on Thursday morning underlined the consequences of what one month of the US and Israel’s war with Iran, and the subsequent hold-up in trading flows across the Strait of Hormuz, would mean for the world economy. 

She warned that the most severe fuel disruptions will come for islands in the Pacific Ocean, with the ripple effects then spreading around the world. 

She also said that 45 million more people would suffer from food insecurity, while there were “warning lights flashing red” for fuel shortages in several countries. 

Inflation expectations could also “break anchor and ignite a costly inflation process”, though Georgieva said long-run confidence in price growth among households and businesses presented “very good and very important” readings. 

IMF: Fuel shortages to lead to ‘ripple effects’

The IMF chief added that infrastructure damage, particularly at Qatar’s Ras Laffan gas complex that is critical for energy supplies in Asia, would lead to “no neat and clean return to the status quo”. 

The IMF will update its economic forecasts next week, which will feature specific changes on the outlook for the UK economy. 

Georgieva asserted that the world economy would suffer from lower growth and warned decision-makers “not to make things worse”. 

“I appeal to all countries to reject go-it-alone actions—export controls, price controls, and so on—that can further upset global conditions,” she said. 

“Don’t pour gasoline on the fire.”

The IMF’s forecast revisions next week will be the second major update on the global economic outlook after the OECD, a Paris-based think tank, said the UK economy would be harder hit than any other G7 country by the war. 

It suggested the UK would suffer the second-lowest level of growth this year and the second-highest level of inflation after the US. 

There are renewed hopes that the Strait of Hormuz could reopen and allow trade and production to resume, but economists and policymakers have warned that the full reopening will take weeks, given the risk of further escalation and the wobbly terms of the current ceasefire agreement.

President Trump and Iranian leadership officials have floated the prospect of imposing a toll on ships passing through the critical trading route. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has urged the US administration to resist slapping a tax on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz. 

The UK economy is also predicted to suffer the worst impacts of the war later in the year after the energy price shock from higher oil and gas prices passes through into household bills from July.

Tyler Durden Sat, 04/11/2026 - 10:30

Mamdani's First 100 Days Aren't Getting High Marks From Voters

Mamdani's First 100 Days Aren't Getting High Marks From Voters

Zohran Mamdani rode a wave of progressive enthusiasm and sweeping promises to become the Mayor of New York City.

Now, as he closes in on his first hundred days in office, he’s learning that governing is a lot harder than campaigning, and a new poll suggests New Yorkers are starting to be skeptical about what they voted for.

Some of Mamdani’s campaign promises won’t be fulfilled because Gov. Kathy Hochul is refusing to subsidize them. Earlier this year, snow and trash removal problems became major issues, as residents were forced to endure eight-foot-high piles of garbage on the street and rat infestations, all while the area around Gracie Mansion was kept perfectly clean. The brutal winter also resulted in a cold-related death toll of 29. These kinds of crises test political leaders quickly, and he failed.

Then came Monday, when Mamdani held a public event to congratulate himself for New York City filing its 100,000th pothole since he took office in January.

The reaction was swift and unkind. 

"Taking credit for filling potholes is like taking credit for changing a lightbulb. It's what you're supposed to do," scoffed Councilman Frank Morano (R-Staten Island) told The New York Post. 

A Marist College survey released Wednesday puts Madani’s approval rating at 48% — a number that tells an incomplete story, but not a flattering one. 

Mamdani won his election in November with just over 50% of the vote, with Andrew Cuomo coming in second at 41.6% and Curtis Sliwa at 7%.

Clearly, Mamdani is struggling to convince even progressive voters who didn’t vote for him that he’s doing a good job.

But the numbers are even more devastating when you add more context.

Former New York City Mayor Eric Adams had a 61% approval rating at the same point in his term, proving that Mamdani is having a harder time convincing New Yorkers he’s doing a good job than his predecessor did.

The Marist poll, conducted March 26-31 among 1,454 New York City adults with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points, reveals a city that remains skeptical but is still forming its verdict. While 30% disapprove of Mamdani's performance. 23% remain undecided — a number that Marist polling director Lee Miringoff flagged as a meaningful vulnerability. "There are a lot of people still on the fence. The jury is out," Miringoff told The New York Post.

The sharpest drag on Mamdani's numbers comes from a specific and politically significant corner of the electorate: Jewish voters. Only 38% of Jewish residents view Mamdani favorably, while 55% view him unfavorably, putting him underwater with Jewish New Yorkers by 17 points. They are the only religious group in the poll giving him a net-negative rating. 

Miringoff noted Mamdani's continued unpopularity in this community directly.

"Mamdani is going to have to pass the test of time with the Jewish community," he said.

"Jews are the voters least likely religious group to give Mamdani the benefit of the doubt."

It’s easy to understand why.

Mamdani has accused Israelis of genocide in Gaza, publicly backed the BDS movement, and aligned himself with left-wing activists — including Hasan Piker — whom many Jewish voters view as antisemitic. Mamdani’s wife has also come under fire for liking posts on social media celebrating the October 7 attacks in Israel.

Still, the broader portrait from the Marist poll is complicated.

Despite having an approval rating below 50%, the poll found 55% of registered voters hold a favorable view of the mayor, and 60% believe he's fulfilling his campaign promises. Fifty-six percent say the city is moving in the right direction, and 52% think he's changing New York for the better. Nearly 75% say he works hard. These are not the numbers of a mayor in collapse. They are, however, the numbers of a mayor who hasn't yet closed the sale.

When asked about the poll at a Brooklyn press conference, Mamdani deflected with characteristic self-assurance.

"You know, I will always leave the grades to New Yorkers themselves," he said.

"What I will say is that we are coming to the end of a hundred days in office, and we have sought to make this period one where we provide New Yorkers with a glimpse as to what these next four years will look like."

 

Tyler Durden Sat, 04/11/2026 - 09:55

Novorossiysk Restarts Oil Loadings At Reduced Capacity After Drone Strike

Novorossiysk Restarts Oil Loadings At Reduced Capacity After Drone Strike

By Julianne Geiger of OilPrice

Russia has restarted limited oil loadings at its Black Sea port of Novorossiysk after a drone attack earlier this week forced a full suspension.

Operations at the Sheskharis terminal resumed late Thursday, but only one berth is currently active. A single cargo of roughly 80,000 tons is expected to depart, well below the terminal's normal capacity of about 700,000 barrels per day.

The restart comes after the Monday strike that caused fires at a fuel terminal and damaged loading infrastructure. Shipments were halted entirely. The loading schedule had since been cut, and there is no timeline for a full return to operations.

Fuel flows are also only partially back. Fuel oil loadings resumed Thursday, and at least one diesel cargo has been shipped since the attack, according to Reuters sources familiar with port activity. Novorossiysk is one of Russia's main export outlets on the Black Sea and a critical node for both Russian and Kazakh crude. The port handles shipments tied to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium system, which moves crude from major Kazakhstan fields including Tengiz and Kashagan.

Damage to infrastructure earlier this week included impacts to storage tanks and loading equipment linked to CPC operations. Kazakhstan has said its export flows remain stable, but it's now operating with reduced flexibility.

Russian export infrastructure, including Baltic ports like Primorsk and Ust-Luga and several inland refineries, have repeatedly found themselves the target of Ukrainian drone attacks.

Each hit has tightened operational capacity rather than shutting it down completely. Cargoes are still moving, but at reduced rates and with fewer loading options available.

Novorossiysk's partial restart restores some export flow, but capacity remains constrained.

Tyler Durden Sat, 04/11/2026 - 09:20

Metal Shock: Gulf's Largest Aluminum Producer Declares Force Majeure

Metal Shock: Gulf's Largest Aluminum Producer Declares Force Majeure

A little more than a week after Emirates Global Aluminum (EGA), the Gulf's largest aluminum producer, halted operations at its Al Taweelah smelter following Iranian missile and drone strikes, EGA has now declared force majeure on parts of its contract book, signaling that supply chain disruptions are spreading beyond energy markets and into industrial metals.

Bloomberg obtained new documents showing that EGA invoked force majeure clauses to suspend at least some deliveries after Iranian drone and missile strikes damaged the Taweelah smelter and forced it to shut down operations.

EGA is jointly owned by Mubadala Investment Company of Abu Dhabi and the Investment Corporation of Dubai, and it reported 2.83 million tons of cast metal sales in 2025, indicating on its website that it accounted for 4% of the world's aluminum production. The broader Middle East accounts for about 9% of global aluminum supply.

The EGA outage adds to mounting pressure on the global aluminum market, which was already strained by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz for six weeks, and still, as of this weekend, muted traffic flows through the critical waterway. Producers across the region now risk broader production cuts unless the maritime chokepoint fully reopens with no tolls. 

Aluminum futures on the London Metal Exchange have surged since the strikes, with LME Aluminum trading up 50% from a year ago. The force majeure from EGA, as well as continued Hormuz chokepoint disruptions, signals tighter global supplies that may send prices even higher.

Earlier this month, Goldman commodity specialist James McGeoch told clients, "Hard to think of a bigger metal supply shock: High degree of expectation this was where it was heading, but the initial reaction was to fade the uncertainty yesterday, that should be replaced by fresh length if history is a guide."

Tyler Durden Sat, 04/11/2026 - 08:45

Visualizing America's Slide In 'Happiness Rankings' Since 2011

Visualizing America's Slide In 'Happiness Rankings' Since 2011

The United States has steadily slipped in the global happiness rankings over the past decade.

While it still ranks among the top 25 in the latest World Happiness Report, the U.S. is no longer close to the leading group of Nordic countries that consistently dominate the top spots.

This visualization, via Visual Capitalist's Niccolo Conte, tracks the U.S. happiness ranking from 2011 to 2025, based on data from the World Happiness Report 2026.

Each annual ranking is based on a three-year average of life evaluation survey responses rather than a single year. For example, the 2025 ranking reflects responses from 2023–2025.

The U.S. Has Fallen Outside the Top 20 Happiest Countries

The United States has not always ranked outside the top 20 happiest countries.

It placed 11th in 2011, then generally ranked between 13th and 17th through 2016.

From there, its position weakened, landing at 18th or 19th in four consecutive years from 2017 to 2020.

The decline accelerated more recently.

The U.S. dropped eight spots to 23rd in 2023, reached a low of 24th in 2024, and edged back to 23rd in 2025.

Overall, the country now ranks more than a dozen places lower than it did in 2011.

Reasons Behind the Decline in America’s Happiness

The sharp drop in 2023 reflects more than a single-year change.

Because rankings are based on three-year averages, the 2023 result captures responses from 2021 to 2023—a period shaped by the post-pandemic aftermath, rising inflation, and growing cost of living pressures.

Recent editions of the report point to several contributing factors. The World Happiness Report 2024 found that declining wellbeing among Americans under 30 played a major role. The 2025 report highlighted weakening social connection, noting that just over a quarter of U.S. adults reported eating all of their meals alone in 2023—up more than 50% since 2003. Separate analysis also links lower happiness to declining social trust.

The 2026 report adds another possible factor, suggesting that heavy smartphone-based social media use may be contributing to weaker adolescent wellbeing across English-speaking countries and Western Europe.

Taken together, the U.S. decline appears tied to weaker social ties, lower trust, and a sharper deterioration in wellbeing among younger Americans.

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Ranked: The World’s Happiest Countries Over Time (2019–2024) on Voronoi.

Tyler Durden Sat, 04/11/2026 - 07:35

Who's Afraid Of Emmanuel Macron?

Who's Afraid Of Emmanuel Macron?

Authored by J.B.Shurk via AmericanThinker.com,

French President Emmanuel Macron is doing that peculiar French thing again…acting tough while looking weak.  

He gave a speech last Friday at Yonsei University in Seoul during which he demanded that nations not become “vassals” of China or the United States.  Macron wants South Korea to join Canada, Australia, and the European Union in forming what he calls a “coalition of independence” (because “coalition of the willing” was taken) united by shared love for “international order,” “democracy,” and wasting money on “climate change.”

What a tool.  I understand that “the powers that be” have so successfully co-opted the West’s political systems that they regularly install absolute nincompoops as nominal leaders (Biden, Starmer, Carney, Merz, and European Queen Ursula, just to name a few) and call it “democracy,” but Macron is such a doofus that his “leadership” is laughable.  

Remember when the little Rothschild banker came to power a few months after President Trump had taken office and he couldn’t stop talking about standing up to “bullies”?  After putting on some high-heeled loafers and taking some lessons on masculinity from his former-schoolteacher-turned-much-older-wife, Macron insisted on turning a handshake with Trump into a death grip meant to showcase French power.  In that effete style of speech that Gaulish-Roman aristocrats enjoy — in which words sound as if they’re dropping from lips suckling grapes and licking honey — le petit fromage told the world that his fierce handshake and determined stare were the perfect weapons for countering President Trump.  Trump just laughed and patted the little French boy on the shoulder as one does to help the weak feel strong.

Fast-forward a decade, and Macron hasn’t learned a thing about being tough.  He still prances around the world like a eunuch looking for long-lost cojones.  He says he wants countries to resist the “hegemonic powers” of China and the United States by clinging to the rules-based “international order.”  Okay.  Good luck, tiny dancer.  

What’s left of the international order without the two most powerful nations on the planet?  The United States has assumed the responsibilities of the globe’s police chief since WWII.  Through its naval fleet, it ensures the security of maritime trade.  Through its economic clout, it ensures the stability of the international financial system.  Through its military might, it decides which dictators get black-bagged in the middle of the night.  As China continues its geopolitical ascent, its tentacles have stretched further into international organizations such as the United Nations’ World Health Organization and across continents with its Belt and Road Initiative.  Mark Carney has spent his time as Canada’s prime minister practically groveling at the feet of China’s Xi Jinping and begging the communist dictator to save his wintry vassal state from the bad orange man down south.

France, on the other hand, continues to be ejected from former African colonies whose peoples have grown tired of French meddling.  The French military excels only at surrendering.  And France remains distinct from Germany only because of the United States.  When little Macron insists on restoring a French-led “international order,” he sounds a lot like little Napoleon, who insisted on being called “emperor” while imprisoned on Saint Helena.

As for urging all who hear his grating voice to unite in defense of “democracy,” that’s a lark!  Europe is where “democracy” goes to die.  Every time non-Establishment political parties win the most votes in former nations (now just multicultural zones of Islamic conquest within the federation of European nothingness) such as France, Germany, and the Netherlands, “the powers that be” proudly block the winners from exercising any power.  

Europe’s political class shamelessly calls this the “firewall” against “far-right” political parties.  Of course, if you believe that nations should have borders and that government powers should be limited, you are designated “far-right.”  Just as Democrats bastardize language in the United States by calling everyone who cares about the Bill of Rights a “fascist,” the European Establishment labels anyone who believes in self-determination and personal liberty a “Nazi sympathizer.”  Then they prosecute the members of those fake “far-right” parties for expressing opinions out loud.  

That’s right!  Europe’s little gang of dimwitted yet dangerous dictators — Macron, Starmer, Merz, and the ruling queen — insist on locking up the “fascists” for their speech in the name of “democracy”!  When the “firewall” fails — as it did in Romania a little over a year ago — the European oligarchy simply cancels the election and insists on a rigged do-over (or outright overthrows the government as it did, with the help of the U.S. State Department and CIA, in Ukraine in 2014).  

When little European tyrants such as Macron stand on footstools, puff out their chests, and shriek about “democracy,” they have no intention of supporting the decisions of the people.  What they mean is, let’s form a European Commission of aristocrats, have them choose a ruling monarch, and call that a “democratic” election.  That’s how the nations of Europe lost their sovereignty and why the people of Europe must now bow down to unelected Queen Ursula von der Leyen.  

Even if mini-mouse Macron’s calls for “international order” and “democracy” fail to rally a sufficient posse of vassal states willing to take on the United States and China, he’ll surely find ready volunteers who want to keep shooting their economies in the gonads over “climate change,” right?  Who doesn’t want to continue wasting taxpayer dollars on fighting the weather?  While Russia, China, and the United States continue spending more on their militaries than ever before, the soft-headed “leaders” of Europe have been pretending to wage war against nature.  “Tilting at windmills” was one of Cervantes’s best jokes in Don Quixote.  The Europeans — having jettisoned their civilization for that of their Islamic invaders — no longer understand why pretending to fight imaginary monsters is funny!

For decades, Europe’s quixotic “leaders” have spent their military budgets on wind and solar energy.  In the name of “fighting climate change,” Europe’s brilliant tacticians severely limited hydrocarbon exploration, extraction, and processing.  Germany ignored scientific reason after the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan and rid itself almost entirely of nuclear energy.  First, Europe’s braintrust made the sub-continent dependent upon the Russian Federation for energy.  Then, that same gaggle of Mensa geniuses sanctioned Russian energy in the name of Ukrainian “democracy.”  Now Europe is largely dependent on the United States, Russia, and the Middle East for energy.  Europe’s producers must spend more to make things.  Europe’s consumers must pay more to buy things.  Europe’s middle class keeps getting poorer.  How many times can Europe’s moronic “leaders” cripple their economies before Europe’s peoples raid the museums for functioning guillotines? 

If little-bitty Macron doesn’t want France to be a “vassal” of China or the United States, he should strive to deregulate his nation, protect private property, incentivize innovation, grow the economy, and encourage self-sufficiency.  Instead, France and the rest of Europe embrace bureaucratic rule-making, collective ownership, expansive welfare, centralized economic planning, and dependency upon U.S. military muscle.  If you spend your country’s wealth on fighting bad weather and providing Islamic invaders “free” food and housing, don’t complain when China and the United States refuse to take you seriously.  

To be fair to Europe’s retarded governing class, we’re fighting similar idiotic policies being promoted by the fifth-column Democrat Party in America, too.  

The difference is that Americans are actively trying to right the ship, and, as President Trump continues to demonstrate, our military can still blow things up.  

Reality is not kind to those who prefer handouts and fantasy to handwork and preparation.  Because Europe’s “leaders” have hollowed out their economies and militaries for decades, they are in no position to influence the future.  They will take what they get and be grateful…as all desperate vassals must.

Tyler Durden Sat, 04/11/2026 - 07:00

The US Separation From Europe And NATO Is Long Overdue

The US Separation From Europe And NATO Is Long Overdue

Authored by Brandon Smith via Alt-Market.us

As much as many centrists and libertarians are opposed to Donald Trump’s ongoing strikes against Iran, I have to say, the downstream result might end up becoming one of the most libertarian results I have ever seen. For decades, small government activists like those in the Ron Paul movement have been calling for a comprehensive US divorce from NATO and the shutdown of America’s military bases overseas. Trump has, either deliberately or inadvertently, set this very process in motion.

The refusal of most of Europe (and Australia) to provide support in the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz might seem like geopolitical orbiting – In other words, getting involved could hurt them more than it would help them. Of course, these nations are far more exposed to the Hormuz closure and the slowdown in energy exports than the US. You would think their interests would demand a securing of the strait.

Europe is already struggling for energy resources due to the Ukraine war (a war they are deeply involved in), and this is where we stumble upon the ideological disconnect.

Europe’s Goal Is WWIII And They Expect America To Maintain The Status Quo

Europeans are perfectly willing to engage in war tensions with Russia while risking energy inflation and WWIII, all over a country that had minimal strategic or economic importance to them before the conflict. They have consistently called on the US to provide weapons and funding and intel to the Ukrainians, which we have obliged. And, they have called for American troops to stand at the forefront should a wider war erupt.

NATO and European governments love America…but only as a shield that benefits them. To be clear, it’s true that years ago NATO allies invested troops and equipment into the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, but one could also argue that, at that time, the establishment was in sync on both sides of the Atlantic.

There was no large scale movement to cut foreign aid scams (like Trump shutting down USAID). There was no movement to secure borders and prevent mass immigration. There was no movement against globalism beyond a handful of us in the alternative media working diligently to expose the truth. In the era of the early 2000s, the status quo was in full effect and Europe was happy to help in the Middle East.

Today? Not so much. The status quo has been disrupted.

Once The Cash Stopped Flowing Our “Friends” Became Scarce

It’s not surprising that once the cash stopped flowing so easily from American pockets, suddenly all of our “allies” went sour. Cuts to USAID and various foreign subsidy programs have created a shockwave in the global order. Even I have been stunned by the level of dependency of foreign nations on US monetary injections.

Once these programs started shutting down, the panic was palpable. And, once Trump demanded NATO countries start paying their fair share (5% of GDP), the breakdown in relations began. Many European social welfare programs exist exactly because they don’t have to pay for their own military defense.

The tariffs are another point of hypocrisy. Nearly ALL major European countries and economies have enforced tariffs and duties on US products for the past 60 years. When those same countries face tariffs imposed by the US, suddenly tariffs are an “act of aggression” and a line in the sand.

Trump is called an economic “bull in a china shop”, but he’s only doing to them what they’ve been doing to us for generations. Once again, the moment the status quo changes even a little and other nations are held to a similar standard, our friends no longer want to be our friends.

Europe’s Top Priority Is The Multicultural Agenda

And what about mass immigration? Ah, there’s the real divisive issue. Europe has become ground zero for a multicultural plague and EU governments are absolutely willing to sacrifice their own indigenous and largely white population to high crime, terrorism and cultural erasure in the name of a woke Utopia. The moment the US defied this ideological suicide and cracked down on open borders, the European elites turned hostile.

Europe is so enraged by any opposition to multiculturalism that they have implemented a series of Orwellian censorship laws. Tens-of-thousands of people are arrested and charged each year for “hate crimes”, which usually involve basic criticisms of open immigration. These are not governments we can break bread with.

I would point out that there are millions of people in the EU and the UK who are fighting against globalism on the political stage. Their movements are growing rapidly, from the “Restore” party in Britain to the National Rally in France and the AfD in Germany. They don’t necessarily agree with American conservatives an everything, but they are the only political groups worth aligning with in Europe today. All of them are gaining ground, but not fast enough.

Perhaps a separation from the US will actually help expedite the process? Because there is no possible way that Americans can remain in alliance with liberal European elites that want to see western culture and national borders destroyed. We’re not just at an impasse in principle, we are quickly becoming mortal enemies.

Trump’s recent call for NATO support in the Hormuz has exposed a level of hypocrisy within the organization that many libertarians and conservatives have been criticizing for years. NATO is only NATO so long as America is the rube making the bulk of the sacrifices.

Keep in mind that nothing liberal governments do is based on principle. War with Russia in Ukraine? Europe applauds and demands extensive US involvement. Send some ships to reopen a vital shipping lane in the Middle East? Suddenly they have moral qualms.

Why? There’s a lot of reasons, but I would argue that a great change is happening; an organized shift of the old world order into the “new world order”. There is a “multicultural alliance” (a globalist system) being built behind the scenes that is more important to the European elites than their relationship with the US. And, conservative movements are the enemy of this new multicultural system.

The Muslim population in Europe is currently 62 million – the stats have doubled in the past 20 years. There are 47 million third world migrants living in the region. Mass immigration has changed Europe irrevocably. At bottom, this social engineering experiment is designed to eradicate western civilization and it is THE HILL that leftists and globalists are willing to die on. Their entire vision for the future depends on it.

NATO governments are avoiding engagement in Iran, not because of some profound and principled moral stand, but because most European nations are saturated with third world immigrants who will turn on them if they enter the war in any way.

In my article “Britain Is Proof: Globalists Plan To Use Migrants As A Mercenary Army Against The West”, published in 2024, I outlined in detail the theory that European governments (and the Biden Administration in the US) were packing their borders with third world military age males to act as a covertly deployed, foreign mercenary army to subdue western populations should they rise up in revolt against the globalists.

European governments, and by extension most of NATO, are onboard with this plan. This is why war with Russia is fine, but war with Iran is not. This is also why I don’t buy into the conspiracy that the Israelis are at the top of the pyramid “controlling everything” from behind the scenes. If they were, then the European and NATO elites would have immediately joined the war effort against Iran.

There is an agenda afoot that is FAR bigger than the tiny nation of Israel or the marginal ideology of “Zionism”.

The Breakup Is Inevitable

The latest conflict is quickly leading to a breakup of NATO, with the Trump Administration broaching the topic on several occasions. After being denied use of airspace by a number of EU countries, it is possible that the US will seriously consider shutting down military bases in the region, remove nuclear weapons and leave Europe high and dry.

But, this international divorce is not about Iran, Israel, the Strait of Hormuz or even oil. It’s the result of a long running ideological clash that’s about to hit a crescendo.

One could argue that this will isolate the US from it’s allies and weaken our position in the world. I would argue that it’s our so-called “allies” that have been weakening us, and this separation is long overdue. The billions upon billions of dollars that the US spends annually to secure Europe could be used to reduce our debts here at home. Libertarians should rejoice if Trump carries out this policy.

Meanwhile, with US aid to NATO and the EU cut off, it will be much more difficult for progressive authoritarian leaders to maintain control of their respective populations (no more easy welfare programs). Their reliance on a third world invasion to subjugate western citizens might just be their undoing. It all depends on whether or not the nationalists fight back (I believe they will).

There is a potential end game here, in which European conservatives and American conservatives eventually join forces, but we’re not there yet. The geopolitical interdependency of the cold war model is going to have to die. NATO was supposedly established as a counterbalance to the hostile global ambitions of communism, but today, European and NATO governments ARE the hostile communists.

There is no reason for our alliance to continue any longer.

Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ZeroHedge.

Tyler Durden Fri, 04/10/2026 - 23:25

Court Documents Reveal Confession Note Hand Written By Alleged Kirk Assassin

Court Documents Reveal Confession Note Hand Written By Alleged Kirk Assassin

In September of 2025, prosecutors in the Charlie Kirk murder case alleged that they had access to a hand-written note left by prime suspect Tyler Robinson for his trans boyfriend which contained a confession to the crime.  Tyler Robinson, 22, left a note under a keyboard for his roommate/romantic partner to discover, said Utah County Attorney Jeffrey Gray.  

According to Mr Gray, the note said: "I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I'm going to take it." 

Newly unsealed court documents now reveal that this letter does indeed exist. 

An affidavit for a search warrant outlined a letter that Tyler Robinson allegedly wrote before Charlie Kirk's assassination.  Robinson is accused of shooting and killing the conservative political activist on September 10, 2025, at Utah Valley University.

Detectives seized ammunition, computers, a DNA sample, and a copy of a note that Robinson allegedly left for his roommate, with whom he had a romantic relationship.  The affidavit states that an FBI agent met with Robinson's partner, Lance Twiggs, whom Robinson sometimes referred to as "Luna." 

Twiggs showed the agent text messages between the two, which investigators photographed.  In one of the messages, Robinson instructed Twiggs to "drop what you are doing" and "look under my keyboard."  Twiggs told investigators he found the following handwritten letter:

"Luna,  If you are reading this per my text, then I am so sorry. I left the house this morning on a mission, and set an auto text. I am likely dead, or facing a lengthy prison sentence. I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I took it. I don’t know if I will/have succeeded, but I had hoped to make it home to you. I wish we could have lived in a world where this did not feel necessary. I wish I could have stayed for you and lived our lives together. I lack the words to express how much I love you, and how very much you mean to me. Please try and find joy in this life. I love you, always, -Tyler."

Twiggs took a photo of the note, which he gave to investigators.  The original had been partially burned according to reports, but was recovered and pieced together by forensics.  With the existence of this hand-written letter now confirmed, and with Tyler Robinson's family and romantic partner scheduled to take the stand as witnesses for the prosecution in a preliminary hearing, the case against the suspect is becoming substantial.  

This outcome should not be surprising given that Robinson's arrest report indicates he admitted to his parents that he committed the shooting of Charlie Kirk after they recognized him in surveillance photos. 

After being confronted by his father, he reportedly confessed, and his parents arranged for Tyler to turn himself in.

Conspiracy theories have been swirling ever since the assassination of Charlie Kirk, with narratives ranging from Israeli ninjas trained by Mossad to Kirk's own security team being involved. 

All of them seem to ignore the basic facts of the case including Robinson's own admissions to his family.  

A recent article by The Daily Mail also added confusion when they reported that the bullet recovered from the crime scene "did not match" the rifle allegedly used by Tyler Robinson. 

In reality, the bullet was fragmented and the tool marks damaged, making it impossible to match to any rifle, let alone Tyler Robinson's rifle. 

This kind of bullet damage and "inconclusive matches" occur in up to 50% of shooting cases. 

It is extremely common; in no way does the bullet data represent evidence that gun is not a match.  

As the trial moves forward it is likely that more evidence will accumulate that the public was not aware of, which means people jumping to extraordinary conclusions might be made to look foolish when the trial is over. 

Better to wait until all the facts are available. 

Tyler Durden Fri, 04/10/2026 - 23:00

US Draft Registration Becomes 'Automatic' By Year-End: A Detailed Breakdown

US Draft Registration Becomes 'Automatic' By Year-End: A Detailed Breakdown

Authored by Edward Hasbrouck via AntiWar.com,

On March 30th, the Selective Service System (SSS) sent the White House its proposed regulations for "automatic" [sic] draft registration for review and approval before they are made public. This is the first visible step in the transition from trying to get young men to sign themselves up for a military draft, to trying to sign them up “automatically” by aggregating data requisitioned from other Federal agencies.

This year-long process began with the enactment of the SSS proposal for “automatic” registration in December 2025. The new scheme is supposed to go into operation in December 2026.

The SSS has been keeping a low profile to avoid calling attention to its attempt to lay new groundwork for a draft in the middle of a major military escalation. The SSS hasn’t issued a press release in the four months since the enactment of the “automatic” registration law, has no details of its plans for “automatic” registration on its website, and has delayed responding to my FOIA request for those plans. This has led to hasty and credulous reports in the last few days by journalists who saw the notice of the proposed rules but hadn’t followed the legislation, didn’t know to expect this next step in the process, and weren’t aware of the widespread and increasingly organized opposition to this plan.

US Army file image

This isn’t a Trump 2.0 initiative. Documents released in response to one of my FOIA requests show that the legislative proposal for “automatic” draft registration was drafted during the Biden Administration by the former Trump 2016 Oregon state campaign director, Jacob Daniels. Still at the SSS today, Daniels is one of the Trump loyalists who got jobs at the SSS during Trump’s first administration. But both support and opposition to Selective Service has been and remains bipartisan.

Most of the latest news articles have said that all male U.S. citizens and residents “will be registered automatically” by the SS. What they should say is that the SSS will try to identify and locate all potential draftees. Whether that is possible, much less whether the SSS will succeed, is questionable.

In addition to the practical problems of determining who is subject to the draft (which is many cases depends on factors absent from existing Federal records) and their current postal mailing addresses (ditto), the switch to a new registration system requires jumping through many regulatory hoops. The eight months remaining before the new law takes effect aren’t much time to complete this process.

The law directing the SSS to try to register potential draftees “automatically” leaves most of the details to the SSS to establish through regulations. The SSS has completed the first step in this process by drafting proposed regulations and submitting them to the White House “Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs” (OIRA). OIRA has up to 90 days to review the proposed rules, approve them, or send them back to the agency for revision, but most OIRA reviews take significantly less time than this.

Once a proposed rule is approved by OIRA, the Administrative Procedure Act generally requires publication of the proposed regulations as a “Notice of Proposed Rulemaking” (NPRM) in the Federal Register, a window usually of at least 30 or 60 days for the public to submit comments on the proposal, and consideration of those comments by the agency before it publishes a final rule.

The NPRM for “automatic” draft registration could be published in a few weeks, or not for months.

The SSS is a tiny agency being given unprecedented authority to demand access to data from all other Federal agencies. The attempt to register potential draftees “automatically” will be a large, complex exercise in data collection, data sharing, and data matching between the SSS and other agencies.

Multiple elements of this process will require notice and comment and/or other approvals pursuant to the Privacy Act, Paperwork Reduction Act, and Computer Matching Act.

The SSS has a history of disregard for these requirements for notice, comment, and approval of its data collection, use, and sharing. If the SSS fails to promulgate the required notices or obtain the required approvals for “automatic” registration, those failings may provide a basis for lawsuits against the SSS.

The Privacy Act of 1974 requires each Federal agency to publish a notice in the Federal Register (with an opportunity for public comment) including specific information about each of system of records about U.S. citizens or residents. The notice must include the sources, recipients, and uses of the data. Maintaining such a system of records without first publishing a complete notice is a crime on the part of the responsible agency officials or employees. “Automatic” registration will require new sources of registration data from other agencies and therefore a revised Privacy Act notice.

Even before the start of “automatic” registration, the SSS gave DOGE access to the registration database in early 2025, and in late 2025 proposed sharing its registration data with more other agencies for immigration enforcement and other purposes.

Objections to that proposal were submitted by anti-militarist, civil liberties, and privacy organizations. It’s not clear whether those objections have been considered yet by the SSS.

The Paperwork Reduction Act requires an agency to publish first a 60-day notice and then a 30-day notice in the Federal Register and then get approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) before collecting information from members of the public. The OMB approval number must be included on any form, Web site, or app through which information is collected.

The SSS has been collecting information for decades through its “Request for Status Information Letter” form, but has never requested or received approval from OMB for this form. The form does not display an OMB control number, making it flagrantly illegal.

The “automatic” registration law allows the SSS to demand information from a registrant if it is needed to complete their “automatic” registration. The new forms and/or Web pages to be used for this purpose will need to be published for comment and will then need OMB approval. Because of the two required notice-and-comment periods, this process takes at least three months.

The Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988 requires advance notice in the Federal Register, a Privacy Impact Assessment, due-process procedures for individuals who are denied benefits on the basis of data matching, and an annual cost-benefit review and report to Congress for each data matching program by a Federal agency that is used to determine eligibility for, or compliance with, any Federal benefit program.

The SSS has argued that this law didn’t apply to any of its activities, at least prior to the attempt at “automatic” registration. None of the Computer Matching Act notices required annually for each daat matching program have been published by the SSS in the Federal Register since 2017.

New and expanded computer matching programs will be central to the attempt to register potential draftees “automatically”. These programs will be subject to the Computer Matching Act. It remains to be seen whether the SSS will continue to ignore this law even as it dramatically expands its computer matching programs.

Excerpt from Selective Service System FY 2026-2027 Annual Performance Plan

Meanwhile, there’s still a chance for Congress to recognize its mistake and avert this impending fiasco by repealing the Military Selective Service Act (MSSA) before the attempt at “automatic” registration begins. The Selective Service Repeal Act could be reintroduced as a standalone bill, and/or proposed as an amendment to the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2027. The NDAA will probably be enacted by the “lame-duck” Congress in late 2026, after the elections but before new members of Congress are seated.

“Automatic” registration was enacted with no public awareness, hearings, debate, or budget review. It’s a bad idea, and it won’t work. The chances for repeal of the MSSA may depend on how soon and how widely “automatic” draft registration is recognized as not only bound to fail but a data grab for DOGE and an enabler of more aggressive war planning and policies.

The task of anti-draft awareness-building, mobilization, and action is increasingly urgent and important in the face of new military escalations. Repeal of the MSSA should be on the agenda of all anti-war organizations and a demand raised at all anti-war actions.

Tyler Durden Fri, 04/10/2026 - 22:35

Zelensky's Interceptor Drones Deployed Across Eurasia, Now Shooting Down Iranian Shaheds

Zelensky's Interceptor Drones Deployed Across Eurasia, Now Shooting Down Iranian Shaheds

Three weeks after President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukrainian drone specialists were helping five Gulf states counter Iranian Shahed drones and build low-cost interceptor-based air defenses, he revealed Friday that Ukrainian military personnel had just recently shot down Shaheds in the Gulf theater.

"Our teams are already working with five countries on countering (Iran's) 'Shahed' drones — we have provided expert assessments and are helping build a defense system," Zelensky stated on X in mid-March. 

By Friday, AP News quoted Zelensky as saying Ukrainian personnel helped partners build effective air defenses using interceptor drones to combat Iranian Shaheds.

"This was not about a training mission or exercises, but about support in building a modern air defense system that can actually work," Zelensky said.

Low-cost interceptor drones deployed by Ukraine are among the most effective ways to combat the inexpensive $20,000 Shaheds, as a war of attrition makes little economic sense when interceptor missiles cost hundreds of thousands of dollars or more.

Ukraine has had four years to develop low-cost one-way attack drones and interceptors during its war with Russia. Now, this technology is clearly being exported across multiple theaters in Eurasia.

Zelensky did not identify the countries or the exact interceptor drones used, but it is possible that Octopus-100 autonomous interceptor drones were deployed.

He said Ukraine had deployed hundreds of experts to the Gulf area, and, in return, has received weapons to protect its energy assets as well as financial support.

We recently published a fascinating piece titled "Ukraine Becomes World's AI Weapons Laboratory" that delves into Ukraine's drone industry and offers more insight into the interceptor technology.

Here's an excerpt from the note:

General Cherry is one of two Ukrainian companies selected to compete in the Pentagon’s Drone Dominance Program, a $1.1 billion initiative to field large numbers of cheap, effective one-way attack drones for American forces. Both General Cherry and Ukrainian Defense Drones Tech Corp. have demonstrated they can mass-produce drones on short notice. General Cherry is now in talks with several Persian Gulf states about supplying interceptor drones to the Iran war.

The conflict areas across Eurasia, from Russia-Ukraine to the U.S.-Iran war, have only reinforced that the warfare technology of the 2030s has been pulled forward. After four years of hyper-development in the Eastern European theater, low-cost drones are already transforming modern battlefields worldwide. The most alarming development is that this low-cost war tech is spreading across Eurasia as more countries work to design, develop, and manufacture at scale, with future stockpiles likely to be measured in the millions.

Tyler Durden Fri, 04/10/2026 - 22:10

US Nuclear Fusion Startup To Build Radioactive Batteries For Use In Space

US Nuclear Fusion Startup To Build Radioactive Batteries For Use In Space

Authored by Ameya Paleja via Interesting Engineering,

Avalanche Energy, a fusion energy startup, has won a $5.2 million contract to build radioactive batteries that can power a laptop-class system for months. The contract is part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Rads to Watts Program, which aims to build next-generation, compact, resilient nuclear batteries with higher densities. 

An early prototype of Avalanche Energy’s radiovoltaic converter for the DARPA Rads to Watts program is exposed to high-energy ion-beam irradiation.Avalanche Fusion

Radioactive batteries aren’t an entirely new concept. They have been around for years and have made their way even to Mars on NASA’s Perseverance and Curiosity rovers. Another type of radioactive battery is used in medical implant devices and sensors, but all these devices face the same issue: low energy density. 

Lithium-ion batteries, which are used everywhere from wearables to grid-level storage facilities, have high energy densities, storing up to 300 watt-hours (Wh) per kilogram. In comparison, radioactive batteries generate only about 2 watt-hours per kilogram, which the Rads to Watts Program aims to address. 

What will Avalanche do? 

The contract awarded to Avalance aims to build a radioactive battery that can power a laptop-class system for months. However, the battery will weigh only a few kilograms and deliver more than 10 watts per kilogram of energy. This is a major jump in power output for radioactive batteries. 

However, given that DARPA projects typically have defense and space applications in mind, these batteries will also need to be resilient in challenging environments, such as extreme temperatures and radiation exposure in space, where conventional electronics degrade rapidly. 

Avalanche will work to build solid-state microfabricated cells that convert alpha particles emitted by radioactive isotopes into electricity (alphavoltaic cells). This is quite similar to how photovoltaic cells convert sunlight into electricity. These cells will convert the kinetic energy of alpha particles into usable electricity, powering a laptop-class device. 

Avalanche will test the battery’s operational resilience using particle accelerators and active radioisotopes.  It will also lead a team of researchers from the universities of Utah, Caltech, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), and McQuaide Microsystems. 

How will it advance fusion energy tech? 

Since Avalanche is a fusion energy startup, taking up a project that uses nuclear fission technology might seem counterintuitive to Avalanche’s core mission. Yet the underlying physics is relevant to Avalanche’s long-term plan of building a portable fusion energy device. 

During the project, Avalanche will build degradation-resistant microchips that will be used in alpha-voltaic cells and eventually in fusion devices. 

“The DARPA contract represents a critical milestone in our path to practical fusion power,” said Robin Langtry, co-founder and CEO of Avalanche Energy, in a press release. 

“The direct energy conversion technologies we’re developing under Rads to Watts will be essential for extracting power from fusion reactions efficiently. We’re building the capabilities today that will enable tomorrow’s fusion systems to deliver reliable, portable energy for defense, space, and commercial applications.”

“The very same fusion machines that produce high-energy alpha particles will also produce high-energy neutrons. The neutrons produced are also efficient at creating the same radioisotopes needed for the Rads to Watts program, creating a reinforcing supply-and-technology flywheel around Avalanche’s core fusion platform,” the company said in the press release. 

Avalanche has already built its technology demonstrators but has not yet achieved a net-positive energy gain. So, a compact fusion energy device that is portable is a little way in the future. We will keep you posted if there are updates in that direction.

Tyler Durden Fri, 04/10/2026 - 21:45

Immigration Board Denies Mahmoud Khalil's Appeal

Immigration Board Denies Mahmoud Khalil's Appeal

Authored by Jill McLaughlin via The Epoch Times,

An immigration appeals board on April 9 denied Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil’s final appeal seeking to keep him from being deported from the United States.

The former Columbia University student and leader of pro-Palestinian protests is now subject to an administrative final removal order, authorizing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to remove Khalil from the country.

Khalil, 31, said the board’s decision was based on politics.

“I am not surprised by this decision from the biased and politically motivated Board of Immigration Appeals,” Khalil said in a statement provided to The Epoch Times.

“I have committed no crime. I have broken no law. The only thing I am guilty of is speaking out against the genocide in Palestine—and this administration has weaponized the immigration system to punish me for it.”

A Department of Justice (DOJ) spokesperson told The Epoch Times the decision “speaks for itself.”

The DOJ oversees the Board of Immigration Appeals

Khalil was born in a Palestinian refugee camp in Syria and is a citizen of Algeria. He entered the United States on a student visa in 2022 and married an American citizen a year later, becoming a legal permanent resident following the marriage. He was arrested in March 2025 and spent 104 days in an immigration jail, missing the birth of his first child.

Khalil’s detention has been criticized by progressive officials and organizations and politicians from the Democratic Party.

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) have all expressed support for Khalil.

In March 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio invoked a section of the Immigration and Nationality Act that charged Khalil’s presence in the country as having “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.”

Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in January 2026 during an appearance on the NewsNation show “Katie Pavlich Tonight” that Khalil may be removed to Algeria.

“It looks like he’ll go to Algeria. That’s what the thought is right now,” McLaughlin said.

“It’s a reminder for those who are in this country on a visa or on a green card. You are a guest in this country—act like it.”

Khalil’s attorney, Marc Van Der Hout, a San Francisco immigration attorney, claims his client was targeted for his speech.

“Federal courts have already agreed that Mahmoud was targeted for his speech, and there is likely much more evidence of the government’s unlawful retaliation that has yet to come to light,” Van Der Hout said in a statement.

“This is a clear continuation of the administration’s retaliation against Mahmoud for exercising his First Amendment rights.”

Khalil’s remaining federal court case is also on uncertain ground after suffering a setback earlier this year when a U.S. appeals panel ruled 2–1 that a New Jersey judge overstepped his authority by releasing him on bail and barring the government from detaining or deporting him.

Khalil’s legal team has asked the full Third Circuit Court of Appeals to consider a full rehearing of his case. His attorneys said they believe Khalil can’t be removed until his appeal is resolved. The board’s decisions are not public.

The government has asked for 14 days to file a response to the request.

Tyler Durden Fri, 04/10/2026 - 20:55

"Move To California": Nvidia CEO Becomes Unofficial Pitchman For Struggling Left-Wing State

"Move To California": Nvidia CEO Becomes Unofficial Pitchman For Struggling Left-Wing State

The California exodus is a very simple byproduct of one-party Democratic rule, with unhinged progressive politicians abusing their tax base through high taxes, overregulation, and experiments with extreme progressive policies that have transformed parts of some metro areas into crime-ridden hellholes. Average people, billionaires, and businesses have all been voting with their feet, fleeing to red states in search of lower taxes, law and order, more affordable living conditions, fewer regulations, and an economic environment where they can actually thrive.

This brings us to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who may be a genius when it comes to AI and chipstacks, but on Thursday at Stanford, he delivered one of his most absurd remarks.

"I say to everybody, 'Move to California. Don't leave. It's the highest taxes in the world, but it's OK,'" Huang told the audience at an event hosted by the Stanford Graduate School of Business that also featured Congressman Ro Khanna (D-Calif.).

Huang continued trying to sell folks moving back: "The weather is great." He might not be wrong about that.

NVIDIA founder Jensen Huang (center) speaks with Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) (right) and General H.R. McMaster. (EVA WANEK/The Stanford Daily)

The event brought together Huang and Khanna, with former National Security Advisor and Hoover Institution Senior Fellow Gen. H.R. McMaster moderating the discussion alongside host Sarah Soule, dean of Stanford's Graduate School of Business.

Khanna has faced criticism for introducing the "Make Billionaires Pay Their Fair Share Act," which would impose a 5% annual wealth tax on America's 938 billionaires. California Democrats have floated similar ideas in recent months, which sparked an exodus among some of the state's wealthiest residents. The latest to leave was Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick, who packed his bags for Texas.

And it is not just billionaires leaving. Alongside an alarming outbound migration of working- and middle-class residents, one recent study found that California lost 789 corporate headquarters on a net basis between 2011 and 2021, equal to about 1.9% of the state's more than 47,000 headquarters.

Jonathan Turley recently described the exodus as a "giant sucking sound" that can be heard in the Golden State, "which is virtually chasing taxpayers and companies out of the state with a massive state deficit, rising taxes, crippling regulations, and wasteful programs."

And while San Francisco and Los Angeles compete for the cesspool crown, Los Angeles County just won that title for population loss.

According to the latest US Census data, LA County lost over 53,000 residents, marking the largest decline in any US city between July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025, while the overall population loss from 2020 to today is roughly 300,000 people.

Why Huang chose to go against the grain and urge people to "move to California," even as smart money has already left or is still trying to leave, raises serious questions about his political judgment calls.

* * * Gonna pull the trigger?

Tyler Durden Fri, 04/10/2026 - 18:50

Mainstream Media Claims Roger Stone Persuaded Trump Not To Fire Tulsi Gabbard

Mainstream Media Claims Roger Stone Persuaded Trump Not To Fire Tulsi Gabbard

Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,

President Trump was reportedly on the verge of firing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard — until longtime adviser Roger Stone stepped in at the last minute.

According to an Axios report citing ‘advisors’, Trump had grown frustrated with Gabbard’s congressional testimony on threats to the U.S., in which she stopped short of a full-throated endorsement of the ongoing Iran conflict. The sources described the president polling other advisers on her performance and whether she should be replaced.

The drama unfolded after the high-profile resignation of Gabbard’s former adviser and counterterrorism director, Joe Kent, who publicly accused Israel of misleading the administration into war with Iran. Gabbard’s decision not to forcefully condemn Kent during her testimony only added fuel to the fire.

In a private meeting, Trump “scolded” Gabbard and questioned her loyalty, according to two sources. Others described the exchange as sarcastic but ultimately friendly.

Yet it was Roger Stone — Trump’s friend and political confidant since 1979 — who ultimately changed the president’s mind, according to the report.

“Roger sealed the deal. He saved Tulsi,” a source familiar with Trump’s thinking told Axios.

Stone laid out four key arguments for keeping her, according to people who spoke with him. Gabbard had remained loyal, delivered her testimony in a professional manner, and never publicly disputed the president. Unlike Kent, she showed no signs of resigning and did not deserve to be fired preemptively. Dismissing her would trigger a damaging news cycle and turn her into a martyr among segments of the base uneasy about the war. And firing her could give her credibility with MAGA skeptics, potentially positioning her as a future GOP presidential contender — one who might challenge Vice President JD Vance in key early primary states like New Hampshire and South Carolina.

Stone himself confirmed his intervention on X, writing: “Fortunately, I acted in time.”

Stone’s comments come against a backdrop of a verbal feud with Laura Loomer.

Loomer took to X to declare: “Tulsi is done. The White House wants zero drama so they gave her the option to resign, but … she will do a lot of damage if she is given the choice to resign because she will launch her 2028 presidential campaign.”

A Gabbard ally fired back, calling Loomer’s claim “absolutely false” and noting that Trump has repeatedly stood by his DNI.

The White House pushed back hard on any notion of discord. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated: “President Trump believes Tulsi Gabbard is doing an excellent job on behalf of the administration. She is a key member of his national security team.”

An ODNI spokesperson added that Gabbard “remains committed to fulfilling the responsibilities the President placed in her to protect the safety, security and freedom of the American people. She will continue to work tirelessly on behalf of President Trump’s agenda.”

The episode highlights the intense behind-the-scenes maneuvering inside the Trump administration as it navigates foreign policy challenges and internal loyalty tests. Gabbard, a combat veteran and longtime skeptic of endless Middle East entanglements, was brought on board for her outsider perspective and America First instincts. Yet her independent streak has created friction with hardliners who demand unwavering alignment on every national security issue.

Stone’s apparent intervention appears to have preserved stability — at least for now. In an administration that prizes loyalty above almost everything else, the veteran political operative reminded the president why keeping experienced voices who deliver results without grandstanding serves the country better than another round of public bloodletting.

This isn’t the first time Gabbard has faced scrutiny. Tensions surfaced last year over her decision to pull certain security clearances without full consultation and her public warnings about nuclear risks. She was also notably sidelined from some key pre-war discussions.

Still, the president’s ultimate decision to retain her — guided by Stone’s counsel — sends a clear signal: personnel moves will be deliberate, not reactive. In a high-stakes environment where every leak and resignation threatens to become a headline, avoiding unnecessary drama may prove the smarter long-term play.

The media’s breathless coverage of the near-firing only underscores how quickly internal deliberations become public fodder. Yet the outcome reinforces a core truth in this administration: seasoned advisers who understand Trump’s instincts can still shape decisions behind closed doors, protecting both the president’s agenda and the team executing it.

Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews.

* * *

Tyler Durden Fri, 04/10/2026 - 17:40

Xi Hosts Taiwan Opposition Leader In Rare Meeting: 'We Will Not Become A Chessboard For External Intervention'

Xi Hosts Taiwan Opposition Leader In Rare Meeting: 'We Will Not Become A Chessboard For External Intervention'

All eyes remain fixated on the impending US-Iran talks in Islamabad, but big things are also happening Friday in Beijing, and they have direct impact on another potential global flashpoint: Taiwan.

While Washington potentially gets bogged down in another Middle East quagmire (if talks don't go well and there's no offramp), Chinese leader Xi Jinping has welcomed the leader of Taiwan’s main opposition party for a rare direct meeting in the Chinese capital.

The symbolism of the timing can't be missed, as Xi invited Nationalist Party Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun to China ahead of the planned big mid-May summit with President Trump in which the Chinese leader could continue a push to dilute Washington's support for Taiwan.

This is all about steering self-ruled Taiwan into China's orbit, and Beijing asserting political power to do so in the face of the Trump administration, after China has long stated its official policy of reunification to the mainland through political means.

By hosting Cheng, Xi is also presenting himself as a force for stability who can be entrusted with ensuring peace - the WSJ has commented - and we might add with the image of 'Taiwan's willing participation' - at a moment the Middle East is on fire largely as a result of American policy and quickness to result to force and surprise attacks.

Xi and Cheng expressed a desire for a "peaceful" resolution to the many decades-long Taiwan crisis, and posed for photos at the Great Hall of the People. They engaged in public remarks but also held a private, closed-door meeting.

Cheng emphasized in words to reporters that Chinese and Taiwanese officials should work to "transcend political confrontation and mutual hostility." She stated, "Instead, it should become a strait that connects family ties, civilization and hope – a symbol of peace jointly safeguarded by Chinese people on both sides."

Her rhetoric was tinged with familiar Chinese Communist Party talking points as she heralded China's supposed eradicating of absolute poverty while seeking to achieve the "great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation".

Among the more notable points were related to 'external intervention' - a not so stealthy reference to American power projection in southeast Asia:

"It is hoped that through the tireless efforts of our two parties, the Taiwan Strait will no longer be a focus of potential conflict, nor will it become a chessboard for external intervention," she said.

Xi and Cheng both agreed that her Kuomintang party is ready to work with Beijing to achieve peace across the Taiwan Strait.

According to a backgrounder:

Cheng is the highest-ranking Taiwanese leader to meet Xi since President Ma Ying-jeou talked with the Chinese leader in Singapore in 2015. They met again in China two years ago when Ma was a private citizen.

Both Cheng and Ma are members of the Kuomintang, the conservative-leaning Taiwanese political party that advocates for greater engagement with China by Taiwan’s self-ruled democratic government.

As for Xi, he held up Taiwan and China's shared history and culture, stating that "people of all ethnic groups, including Taiwanese compatriots," had "jointly written the glorious history of China."

Xi stressed, "All sons and daughters of China share the same Chinese roots and the same Chinese spirit. This originates from blood ties and is deeply embedded in our history – it cannot be forgotten and cannot be erased."

Taiwan's ruling government and officials have meanwhile complained of the Friday meeting, "It basically gives China a chance to bully Taiwan behind closed doors."

And Taiwan Deputy Foreign Minister Chen Ming-chi said Friday that China can send a clear message of peace but only if it "stops sending warplanes and ships around Taiwan now."

Tyler Durden Fri, 04/10/2026 - 17:20

White House Warns Staff As Iran Bets Add To Growing Insider-Trading Concerns

White House Warns Staff As Iran Bets Add To Growing Insider-Trading Concerns

Authored by Zoltan Vardai via CoinTelegraph.com,

The White House warned staff against improperly using confidential information to place bets in futures markets after suspicious oil trades ahead of President Donald Trump’s March 23 Iran announcement drew scrutiny, according to Reuters.

Reuters reported on Thursday that the White House sent the internal email on March 24, a day after Trump ordered a five-day delay in attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure.

The warning followed a roughly $500 million bet on Brent and West Texas Intermediate crude futures placed in a one-minute burst shortly before Trump’s March 23 announcement, according to Reuters calculations based on exchange data. Oil prices fell about 15% after the policy shift.

The episode has intensified scrutiny of whether officials or politically connected traders could profit from nonpublic information tied to military or policy decisions. It has also added momentum to a broader push in Washington to tighten rules around prediction-market trading.

The STOCK Act amendment in the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) prohibits federal officials, congress members, executive staff and judicial officers from using non-public information derived from their positions to trade commodity, futures or options markets. The amendment was signed into law on April 4, 2012.

Cointelegraph has approached the White House for a copy of the internal email.

Lawmakers respond to prediction market insider trading concerns

Lawmakers have also stepped up scrutiny of prediction markets, where well-timed bets tied to military and political events have raised similar concerns about the misuse of privileged information.

Polymarket traders netted around $1 million by accurately betting when the US would strike Iran.

In response to the concerns, Congressman Adrian Smith and Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski introduced the Preventing Real-time Exploitation and Deceptive Insider Congressional Trading Act (PREDICT Act) on March 25, a bipartisan bill seeking to ban members of Congress and federal officials from prediction market trading.

On March 26, US lawmakers Todd Young, Elissa Slotkin, John Curtis and Adam Schiff unveiled the bipartisan Public Integrity in Financial Prediction Markets Act of 2026, a bill aimed at curbing prediction market insider trading by government officials.

End Prediction Market Corruption Act. Source: Merkley.senate.gov

The same day, Senator Jeff Merkley introduced the End Prediction Market Corruption Act, seeking to ban event contract trading by government officials with “material non-public information,” including the president, vice president and members of Congress.

Tyler Durden Fri, 04/10/2026 - 17:00

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