"We Have All The Cards": Trump Cancels Witkoff-Kushner Trip To Pakistan For Iran Talks Summary

• Araghchi has responded - saying that he has conveyed Iran's position, waiting to see if The US "is truly serious about diplomacy"

• In a sharp reversal, Trump has personally canceled the Witkoff-Kushner trip to Pakistan

• Iran denies that FM Abbas Araghchi's trip to Pakistan will include new talks with US, rejecting reports that Trump is sent his negotiating team to restart negotiations.

• 24/7 shuttle diplomacy (via Al Jazeera): There’' been shuttle diplomacy, and as one diplomat said, it's been relentless diplomacy that has been put forward by Pakistan from all sides.

• Iran's military says finger on the trigger: "greater power & readiness than before."

• Pakistani mediators are "cautiously optimistic" despite it being clear negotiations have been at a stalemate.

//--> //--> //--> US x Iran permanent peace deal by June 30, 2026?
Yes 53% · No 48%
View full market & trade on Polymarket Trump Cancels Witkoff-Kushner Trip to Pakistan for Iran Talks

In a sharp reversal first reported by Fox News, President Trump has personally canceled the planned trip of Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan.

Trump told the outlet that he halted the delegation just as they were preparing to leave:

“I’ve told my people a little while ago they were getting ready to leave, and I said, ‘Nope, you’re not making an 18 hour flight to go there. We have all the cards. They can call us anytime they want, but you’re not going to be making any more 18 hour flights to sit around talking about nothing.’”

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has reportedly already left Islamabad, Pakistan, following Saturday talks with the country's prime minister.

Update: Araghchi has responded, saying on X that he had a "Very fruitful visit to Pakistan, whose good offices and brotherly efforts to bring back peace to our region we very much value," but adding "Shared Iran's position concerning workable framework to permanently end the war on Iran. Have yet to see if the U.S. is truly serious about diplomacy."

Very fruitful visit to Pakistan, whose good offices and brotherly efforts to bring back peace to our region we very much value.

Shared Iran's position concerning workable framework to permanently end the war on Iran. Have yet to see if the U.S. is truly serious about diplomacy.

— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) April 25, 2026

So much for that “cautious optimism” that Pakistani officials were citing as a sign of progress. The Pakistan-mediated channel is now in clear stalemate, with the Trump administration signaling it sees no value in further shuttle diplomacy on Iran’s current terms.

*  *  *

Iran Foreign Ministry Insists 'No Meeting is Planned' Even With US Delegation En Route

Not too much that's new or bombshell happened overnight, with a second round of US-Iran negotiations still in limbo, but with the US delegation led by Witkoff-Kushner said to be departing Saturday or else en route. A small Iranian team has already been there since Friday, engaging the Pakistanis, also amid reports that they will submit a written presentation of their conditions for ceasefire and where things stand from Tehran's point of view.

Iran has denied that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi's trip to Pakistan will include new talks with Washington, rejecting reports that President Trump is sending envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to actually restart negotiations. So once the US side arrives, it would be interesting to see what happens next. Potentially they could start in separate rooms with messages delivered, and thus the interaction would be indirect.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said in a post on X early Saturday that "no meeting is planned to take place between Iran and the US" during the visit and that Tehran’s positions will instead be conveyed to Pakistan. Araghchi said earlier he is undertaking a "timely tour" of Islamabad, Muscat, and Moscow to "closely coordinate" with partners on bilateral issues and consult on regional developments. Iranian state media said the three-leg trip forms part of Tehran's ongoing diplomatic push to secure an end to US-Israeli aggression.

Iran FM's arrival earlier, via Pakistan PM office/AFP, Getty Images Reports of 'Optimism' amid 'Stalemate' in Talks

At the moment there's no direct contact between Tehran in Washington on the diplomatic front. The Pakistanis have been back at the center of shuttling messages back and forth between US and Iranian officials. Al Jazeera has presented commentary Saturday citing "optimism" but also an ongoing stalemated situation:

So we are still in that stalemate, but Pakistani officials are telling us that their presence here and the Americans coming is an indication that behind-the-scenes diplomacy is working.

There’s been shuttle diplomacy, and as one diplomat said, it’s been relentless diplomacy that has been put forward by Pakistan from all sides.

There’s been, in the last 24 hours, conversations that have been held not just between the Pakistanis and Iranians, but also between the Pakistanis and the Russians – Russia is going to be one more stop when the Iranian foreign minister leaves.

An important overnight headline: Sources close to Pakistan-Iran talks say negotiations are progressing through "Iranian concessions" in exchange for "American flexibility regarding the issue of frozen funds," according to Al Hadath.

And also this: Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Islamabad said Pakistani mediators are "cautiously optimistic" regarding Iran-US talks.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian:

The enemy is attacking our infrastructure and putting us under siege so that people become dissatisfied.

We currently do not need the people's sacrifice, but we request that people reduce electricity and energy consumption.

For example, at… pic.twitter.com/Nq2A8WMqPC

— Ariel Oseran أريئل أوسيران (@ariel_oseran) April 25, 2026

Iran Military: Ready & Waiting To Fight

Iran's military warned the United States it will face the "reaction of Iran’s powerful armed forces" if the blockade of Iranian ports continues, according to Tasnim News Agency.

The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said the armed forces possess "greater power and readiness than before to defend sovereignty, territory, and national interests, which the country’s army experienced part of this power and offensive capability during the Third Imposed War." 

This is actually consistent with what even Trump predicted - that the ceasefire has been used by Iran to regroup, rearm, and reposition its forces.

Currently the only regional fighting remains in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, despite there technically being a Trump-backed three week Lebanon ceasefire:

Israel is exporting its Gaza model to Lebanon.
Demolition by demolition, the Israeli military is changing the face of southern Lebanon, razing towns and villages to create a buffer zone. Israeli officials say it’s necessary to protect its residents from Hezbollah threats. pic.twitter.com/64qAebvKOl

— Jeremy Diamond (@JDiamond1) April 24, 2026

"We are ready and determined, while monitoring the behavior and movements of enemies in the region and continuing to manage and control the strategic Strait of Hormuz, to inflict even heavier damage on the American Zionist enemies in case of another aggression," the Iranian military statement added.

US Law Set 60-day Limit on Unauthorized Wars, So What Next?

CNN reports that "A post-Vietnam law puts a 60-day clock on the use of military force without congressional authorization." Congress has indeed been missing in action, with several efforts of a handful of members on the House and Senate sides having put forth War Powers resolutions, which keep getting defeated. But the 60-day mark comes up on May 1, but it's anyone's guess what happens next. 

According to the CNN report, the law lays out a timeline for undeclared wars:

First, 48 hours. The president must notify Congress within 48 hours of introducing the armed forces “into hostilities” and explain the scope, justification and likely duration of the effort.

In his notification to Congress about Iran, Trump, like other presidents, said he committed troops under a president’s inherent authority in the Constitution to “conduct United States foreign relations.”

Second, 60 days. Congress must authorize the use of force within 60 days of receiving that notification or, the law says, the military action must be terminated by the president.

Third, a possible extra 30 days. Trump can extend the 60-day clock for another 30 days if he argues that continued military action is needed to keep service members safe while withdrawing from the war. Trump has said he won’t be rushed into making a bad deal to end the war.

It goes without saying that the longer this drags on, and with an open-ended timeline, the more politically costly it will likely be for Republicans headed into next Fall's midterms.

Tyler Durden Sat, 04/25/2026 - 12:06

White House Confirms Trump To Address Memecoin Gala Tonight

Authored by Jesse Coghlan via Cointelegraph,

The White House has reportedly confirmed that US President Donald Trump will attend the exclusive event for top TRUMP memecoin holders at his Florida residence on Saturday, after questions were raised earlier this month over whether he would attend.

Reuters reported on Friday that the White House confirmed Trump would deliver a keynote address at the gala luncheon organized by the company behind his Official Trump (TRUMP) memecoin.

The gala is set to take place at Mar-a-Lago. It will be open to the top 297 holders of the TRUMP token, and the top 29 holders will also qualify for a private reception with the president.

When the event was announced in March, a White House official told Politico that it was not locked into Trump’s schedule and that it was taking place the same day Trump said he would attend the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington, DC, the first time he would do so as president.

Trump, pictured at a Turning Point USA event on April 17, is confirmed to be addressing an event for holders of his memecoin on April 25. Source: The White House

The event’s terms also state that Trump may not be able to attend the event, and it “may be canceled for any reason.”

Trump’s potential attendance at the event has been a sticking point for some lawmakers, who have criticized the event as a conflict of interest for the president.

Earlier this month, Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren, Richard Blumenthal and Adam Schiff reportedly sent a letter to Bill Zanker, the individual behind the TRUMP memecoin, questioning whether Trump intends to “dangle access” to himself at the upcoming event.

“[O]rganizers are promoting a conference by dangling access to President Trump to potential attendees (and in doing so, are encouraging purchases of his meme coin that will generate transaction fees for the President and his family) on a day he may not actually be able to attend,” the letter said.

It is the second event for holders of the TRUMP token. The first took place at a Trump golf club in May 2025 and drew criticism from those who said Trump was using his position as president for personal financial gain.

Tyler Durden Sat, 04/25/2026 - 11:40

Trump's SWIFT Hint And The Decline Of The Euro

Submitted by Thomas Kolbe

In a post on Truth Social, US President Donald Trump indicates the imminent return of Russia to the SWIFT payment system. It would mark the end of sanctions against Russia. But the Prussians are not shooting that fast anymore.

Currency policy is geopolitics. This is especially true as soon as the US dollar is involved. And that is almost everywhere and at any time on the globe, no matter how often European and Chinese media sound the death knell over King Dollar. It may specifically be an annoyance to European politics and Beijing, but for the time being the US dollar remains the world’s leading and reserve currency, giving the United States the leeway to defend their market dominance while rolling their debt burden relatively smoothly into the future. 

Washington is working under high pressure not to let this monetary configuration change, at least for the moment.

In this context, one must interpret the Truth‑Social post by US President Donald Trump from the weekend: Trump indicated in a video that Russia is ready to return to the US‑regulated global financial system SWIFT.

In essence, Trump is saying that Russia has understood that SWIFT and the dollar represent the future – not the dream of a BRICS currency. Indeed, one has heard little from the BRICS project in recent years; it seems the two main actors, China and Russia, are failing to anchor a currency system that ultimately depends on the monetary credibility of Beijing and Moscow. Who would really be willing to hold large portfolio shares and cash reserves in a Chinese CBDC that is exposed to Beijing’s political whims?

Back to Truth Social: it is well known that the US president often behaves erratically in his media work. Yet this posting still offers an important clue as to the strategic line of American currency policy.

It is quite possible that the meeting of the two presidents, Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, last year in Alaska marked the visible beginning of a gradual coordination of currency and energy policy between the United States, Russia and China. It fits this narrative that the US is again and again permitting Russia the sanction‑free sale of its oil in recent weeks and thereby signaling above all to Europe: ARC is real – America, Russia and China are coordinating their activities, not least on the energy markets.

And the strategy is lying quite openly on the table: in the context of the Iran conflict and precisely at a moment of scarcity on the energy markets, Washington granted Russia the sanction‑free sale of its oil through the sales channel of its shadow fleet. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent extended this special arrangement last week for another month in order to relieve pressure from the oil and gas price cauldron. That turns the spotlight on the question of how energy is factored globally, and which currency dominates. At this point, the full power of the dollar empire unfolds.

The lion’s share of invoicing is, of course, carried out in US dollars; somewhat more than eighty percent of global energy trade runs in US dollars.

The creditworthiness of the United States is still beyond doubt. And demand for US government bonds is currently higher than ever. The largest purchases of US government debt come from Great Britain, the EU and Japan. All three seek to ward off possible dollar shortages in a crisis. If flight to the greenback takes hold, these flows drive currency costs through the roof.

In addition, the attempt by European politics to use its own Euro currency to push into a potential vacuum left by the US dollar has failed. The ill‑considered power‑political escapism of Brussels and London prevented them from using the global bond markets via the euro lever as a kind of dumping ground for the enormous state debts of European countries.

In Europe, one has shot oneself in the knee 20‑times in a row with a torrent of sanctions packages against Russia, possibly once even in the head. Moscow was the dominant international customer whose energy transactions were willingly settled in euros, thus stabilizing demand for the common currency. Russia settled its entire gas trade with Europe in euros. But this is history.

The idea of the euro as a leading currency is now history; after European policymakers decided to put their economies on renewable “flutter power,” there is no turning back. Ideology has consequences, and this is particularly true for the currency market, which prices in national risks faster than others. For about three years now, the role of the euro in the international currency system has been eroding – slowly but steadily. Looking at a bloodless, over‑regulated and no longer internationally competitive European industry, this trend is unlikely to reverse in the foreseeable future.

At this point I want to restate my thesis from last year: the US dollar as the world’s reserve and leading currency will survive even during the transformation phase towards a multipolar order. At the same time, a new trade and negotiating balance will emerge between the United States and China. The fact that the United States will not be used as a pawn by Beijing in the future will be secured by the reordering of the Middle East, including control of the world’s most important maritime choke point, the Strait of Hormuz. The coming weeks and months will show who will dominate the geopolitical chessboard in this multipolar world.

For Europe there is one certainty: energy prices will, in the long run, settle on a higher plateau, ushering in an extended phase of inflation and industrial contraction.

About the author: Thomas Kolbe, a German graduate economist, has worked as a journalist and media producer for clients from various industries and business associations. As a publicist, he focuses on economic processes and observes geopolitical events from the perspective of the capital markets. His publications follow a philosophy that focuses on the individual and their right to self-determination

Tyler Durden Sat, 04/25/2026 - 10:30

Germany's Debt Spiral Warning Ignored As Berlin Doubles Down On Spending

Submitted by Thomas Kolbe

Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil is a sensitive character. Such personalities tend to react irrationally and extremely defensively to criticism. They are prone to resentment and quick retaliatory reflexes.

So it was only a matter of time before the Federal Court of Auditors, too, felt the cold anger of the thin-skinned Social Democrat. Late last year, criticism from the auditors was promptly followed by a budget cut imposed by the Finance Ministry. The move was meant as a public warning shot across the bow of the recalcitrant watchdog, which traditionally plays the role of post-mortem critic. This comes with the unpleasant habit of describing the state of public finances as they actually are — not as Berlin prefers to imagine them.

The Court’s budget was subsequently reduced from €52 million to €47 million, officially on efficiency grounds. What Klingbeil failed to achieve, however, was to silence the auditors entirely.

It has become a bad tradition: as in every year, the Court again warned of an ever-accelerating debt spiral and a fiscal policy that appears to have lost all restraint. The state is living beyond its means, said President Kay Scheller. On the contrary, one might reply: this state is living beyond our means.

The current draft budget foresees total spending of €630 billion, with nearly every third euro financed through borrowing. By 2029, another €850 billion in new debt is planned — pushing visible public debt to €2.7 trillion, or roughly 67% of GDP.

Unfortunately, the Court’s analysis of debt dynamics remains superficial. In its assessment, however, it aligns with recent criticism from the Ifo Institute.

Both institutions criticize how the state handles new debt. We know from Ifo analysis that roughly 95% of the funds from special off-budget vehicles have been diverted to cover deficits across various layers of the welfare state. Germany is not investing — and the private sector is now running on negative net investment, effectively consuming its capital base.

Dig deeper into Germany’s debt swamp and it becomes clear why Berlin consistently avoids the issue.

A recent Ifo paper calculated non-contributory benefits in the statutory pension system. Economists concluded that these hidden costs could amount to as much as 50% of GDP in the long run. This explains why the overstretched state apparatus now acts merely as a firefighter, no longer capable of maintaining infrastructure. Even Scheller’s call to raise the public investment ratio from 8% to 10% is unlikely to materialize.

One can almost be grateful that the Court of Auditors is among the few institutions still attempting to describe the fiscal reality. Yet even it avoids addressing the root causes — deindustrialization, overstretched public finances, and structurally broken budgets at all levels of government. Unsurprisingly, Scheller and his team also steer clear of politically sensitive issues such as open-border policies, which are pushing the welfare state toward implosion.

There is no mention of the costs of the self-destructive Ukraine war, nor any call to halt funding for the sprawling NGO complex or dismantle the green subsidy machine.

The debate misses the core issue. The state is operating an unlimited welfare machine while committing itself to building eco-socialist economic structures. Under such conditions, a return to a lean state is impossible.

Those calling for a return to sound fiscal policy without naming the underlying causes only make it harder to reverse the ideological crash course. Their superficial criticism suggests that the current trajectory can be maintained with cosmetic reforms. The design of the state itself is not to be questioned.

Pressure for change will only arise when rising public debt — largely financed through new bond issuance — drives up refinancing costs. If bond markets eventually turn against Germany’s debt binge, the European Central Bank will likely step in as lender of last resort, pushing inflation sharply higher.

Already, around 8% of federal spending goes toward servicing interest on the growing debt pile.

Meanwhile, the government has outlined how it intends to deal with the incoming debt crisis — by targeting households. Family co-insurance in public health care will be scrapped, as will income splitting for married couples. Inheritance taxes will be broadly increased, and expect debate over a wealth tax alongside significantly higher social security contributions.

Extraction via the CO₂ mechanism will intensify, and wealthy individuals and capable businesses will leave the country. This is not a theoretical scenario but the result of a political relapse into socialist ideology. The spiral of impoverishment is accelerating.

About the author: Thomas Kolbe, a German graduate economist, has worked as a journalist and media producer for clients from various industries and business associations. As a publicist, he focuses on economic processes and observes geopolitical events from the perspective of the capital markets. His publications follow a philosophy that focuses on the individual and their right to self-determination

Tyler Durden Sat, 04/25/2026 - 09:20

Global Inflation Scare: Chinese Exporters Hike Prices As Iran War Triggers Ethane Shortage, Plastics Crunch

Chinese exporters are finally passing on the pain - right as they're experiencing a major shortage of a key industrial material. After years of cutting prices amid overcapacity and cutthroat competition, manufacturers are now raising prices on everything from swimsuits and ski suits to medical syringes and air conditioners. The culprit: the Iran war’s energy shock, which has sent oil-linked input costs skyrocketing and is now rippling straight through to global store shelves.

Customs data compiled by Trade Data Monitor and analyzed by Bloomberg reveal sharp year-on-year price jumps in March across more than a dozen categories of household goods - the first sustained reversal in a disinflationary trend that had helped keep a lid on inflation from the U.S. to Europe for nearly three years.

"I held off raising prices for as long as I could in March, but in the end I had no choice," said Pang Ling, sales manager at a Shanghai-based medical catheter maker. "I panicked watching plastic costs climb almost every single day."

Products reliant on rubber, plastic, and oil-derived chemicals were hit hardest. Syringes saw prices surge as much as 20%. Synthetic-fiber goods - including swimsuits, women’s trousers, and ski suits - rose in the low- to mid-single digits as polyester and fiber suppliers hiked prices daily. Home appliances faced a double squeeze from higher metals and semiconductor costs. Even as some sectors like toys cut prices under weak demand, the broader picture is clear: the era of ultra-cheap Chinese goods is ending.

The numbers tell the story. China’s export prices had been falling steadily since May 2023, shaving an estimated 0.3–0.5 percentage points off headline inflation in advanced economies, according to Capital Economics. That buffer is now vanishing. Bloomberg Economics says above-3% inflation in 2026 is "back in play" across the euro area, U.S., and U.K. - a dramatic reversal from pre-war forecasts of cooling prices. Goldman Sachs expects overall Chinese export prices to turn positive as soon as March data, due out around April 25.

A 10% rise in oil costs typically lifts Chinese export prices by about 50 basis points over the following year, with the peak impact hitting four to five months later, Goldman estimates. The full effect hasn’t hit consumers yet - many March shipments were ordered weeks or months earlier - but the pipeline is filling with higher costs.

The Ethane Shock: Why Plastic Prices Are Set to Soar

Nowhere is the pressure more acute - or more politically explosive - than in plastics.

As we noted earlier this week, China is facing a severe ethane shortage that is about to supercharge costs across the entire plastics supply chain. Ethane, a natural gas liquid, is the primary feedstock for producing ethylene, the essential building block for plastics used in everything from medical catheters and syringes to clothing fibers, packaging, and consumer goods.

For years, China relied heavily on naphtha and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from the Middle East. In February, just before the war, more than 50% of China’s naphtha imports and over 40% of its LPG purchases came from Persian Gulf nations. That supply line has now been severed for as long as the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked. China holds massive strategic petroleum reserves - 1.5 billion barrels of crude - but it has virtually no stockpiles of naphtha or ethane. Its petrochemical industry is suddenly, dangerously exposed.

The International Energy Agency warned last week that “petrochemical feedstocks display the most immediate effects of the war by far,” with Asian supply chains thrown into “disarray.” Naphtha-fed crackers still account for 57% of China’s ethylene capacity, compared with just 16% for ethane-based units.

Desperate for alternatives, Chinese petrochemical producers are turning to the United States in record volumes. Shipments of U.S. ethane are expected to hit an all-time high of 800,000 tons in April - roughly 60% above the monthly average - according to Chinese consultant JLC. Some crackers can switch to ethane, helping offset the naphtha and LPG shortfall.

But this lifeline comes at a steep and rising price. Ethane has become the preferred feedstock because it is cheaper and more stable than crude-linked naphtha right now - profits from ethane-based ethylene were tenfold those of naphtha as of April 15, JLC data show. New capacity, including Wanhua Chemical Group’s ethane unit and Sinopec Ineos’s multi-feed cracker, has also boosted demand.

A tanker docked at liquid petroleum gas-ethane storage tanks. Photographer: Nathan Laine/Bloomberg

The result? Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) - Pang’s key input - surged as much as 80% in March from pre-war levels and remains about 50% higher even after a partial pullback. With naphtha alternatives cut off and ethane imports surging, plastic resin and downstream product prices are poised to climb sharply in the coming months. Competition and weak domestic demand may limit how much Chinese firms can pass on, but the input-cost pressure is now structural, not temporary.

The timing adds a geopolitical layer. China’s buying spree comes just weeks before President Donald Trump’s planned mid-May visit to Beijing. U.S. energy exports are expected to feature prominently in talks — especially if the Iran conflict drags on. One year ago, during the height of U.S.-China tariff tensions, analysts openly debated the mutual dependencies: America’s need for Chinese rare earths versus China’s near-total reliance on U.S. ethane for its plastics industry. 

Tyler Durden Sat, 04/25/2026 - 08:45

EU Ministers Fail To Suspend EU-Israeli Cooperation Agreement; Germany Calls 'Inappropriate'

Via Remix News,

A move to end the EU-Israel Association Agreement has been struck down, led by objections from Germany, Austria, and Italy. The accord, in existence since 2000, has served as the framework for EU-Israeli relations pertaining to both trade and foreign policy, with a key pillar being Israel’s access to the markets of EU member states.

13 October 2025, Berlin: The flags of Israel, the EU and Germany fly in front of the Berlin House of Representatives. Following the release of the hostages held in Gaza, the House of Representatives also raised the flag of Israel as a sign of solidarity with the state of Israel and its people. Photo: Jens Kalaene/dpa (Photo by Jens Kalaene/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Last week, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia wrote a letter to the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas, citing Israel’s decisions by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as laws passed by its parliament and actions taken by its military.

It cited, most recently, the death penalty approved by the Israeli parliament as evidence of “systematic persecution, oppression, violence and discrimination exerted against the Palestinian population.”

“In such a grave situation, we call on the European Union to uphold its moral and political responsibility, and to defend the very core values that have underpinned the European project since its foundation,” they wrote.

Going even further, the letter highlighted that Israel has essentially broken its agreement with the European Union. “Not only a grave violation of fundamental human rights, but also a step backwards in Israel’s commitment to democratic principles, as underlined by your March 31 statement, and therefore a violation of Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.”

Spain has cited Article 2 for more than two years to take action against Israel and attempt to invalidate the agreement.

“Bold and immediate action is required, and all actions must remain on the table. The European Union can no longer remain on the sidelines,” the letter concluded.

However, the ministers gathered at the  Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg ultimately rejected the proposal.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called any move to suspend the agreement “inappropriate,” reports Politico, joined by his Austrian counterpart in a push for “critical, constructive dialogue.” 

Before the meeting, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told reporters that “There are neither the numerical nor the political conditions” for such a measure to be taken.  

A partial suspension requiring majority approval would also not have passed, given Italy and Germany’s objections. According to Politico, Kallas did raise the possibility of targeted measures that do not dismantle the wider trade agreement and do not require unanimity, with Tajani reportedly supporting her on this. “I believe it is better to sanction individually those responsible, I am thinking of violent settlers,” he stated.

Tyler Durden Sat, 04/25/2026 - 08:10

The EU 'Democracy Shield' Is The End Of Freedom In Europe

Via Remix News,

The year 2026 will go down in the history of European integration as a special moment. The European Union, under the banner of protecting democracy, has begun systematically restricting freedom of speech and real political pluralism. Thus, it embarks on the well-trodden historical paths of every authoritarian regime, resorting to violence and censorship as public support wanes.

A report recently published by the Ordo Iuris Institute leaves no doubt: we are dealing with a project for a profound overhaul of the public sphere that will primarily target conservative communities, including Catholics.

Jerzy Kwasniewski, the head of the conservative institute Ordo Iuris. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

The new EU mechanisms, ironically referred to as the “Democracy Shield,” are not a single piece of legislation. This is a coordinated regulatory system—from the Digital Services Act (DSA), through codes of conduct on “hate speech” and “disinformation,” to the regulation on political advertising. Their common denominator is the now-official departure from the European cult of free speech and its replacement with a system of preventive restrictions, in the name of… true freedom and democracy.

The European Commission claims that its aim is to create a “safe” information space in which “reliable” messages are meant to dominate, that is, in practice, narratives aligned with the liberal consensus . The problem is that the criteria for the EU’s “credibility,” for what is considered prohibited “disinformation,” and—what is particularly harmful—”divisive speech” are extremely vague and prone to ideological interpretation. As a result, it will not even be independent courts, but online platforms cooperating with non-governmental organizations selected by Brussels that will decide what content may reach citizens of the European Union. Including Polish citizens.

This system is multi-stage. First—mechanisms for reporting and removing content that, in practice, incentivize rapid takedowns, even at the expense of freedom of expression. Secondly—a labeling system under which statements labeled as “unverified,” “misleading,” or “political” are subject to mandatory restrictions on platforms such as Facebook or X. Thirdly—there is to be algorithmic intervention that limits the reach of content deemed problematic.

It is worth emphasizing the role of so-called trusted flaggers and fact-checker networks. It is precisely these entities, often financed with public funds from the European Union or the Member States and ideologically uniform, that gain a privileged position in the content moderation process. In practice, this means cleverly delegating censorship to entities that are not subject to any democratic oversight.

Even more troubling are the regulations concerning political advertising. The definition of “political speech” has been framed so broadly that it encompasses not only the activities of political parties but also public awareness campaigns concerning the protection of life, the family, or national identity. This means that Catholic pro-life organizations or movements defending marriage as the union between a woman and a man may be subjected to restrictive requirements and even sanctions. Even now, our own Ordo Iuris Institute and Center for Life and Family, as well as our friends from Polonia Christiana’s PCH24 news portal and their editorial team should start preparing to implement a “replacement language.” The censorship game, well known here in Poland from the communist era, is making a comeback.

At the same time, restrictions on the targeting and funding of political messages make it much more difficult to reach voters. In practice, the largest platforms, such as Facebook, have already stopped running “political” ads to avoid legal risk. It is no longer possible to freely promote petitions opposing abortion or same-sex unions there.

The Polish political context cannot be ignored. The introduction of these instruments specifically in 2026, just before the crucial parliamentary campaign in Poland, is no coincidence. Restricting the reach of conservative speech, making it harder to organize public-interest campaigns, and selectively labeling content as “problematic” will have a real impact on election results.

From the perspective of socially engaged Catholics, this is particularly dangerous. Unequivocal assessments concerning the protection of life from conception, the indissolubility of marriage, the condemnation of the aberrations of gender ideology, and even clear support for national sovereignty within the European Union will increasingly be classified as “controversial” or “divisive.” In the new regulatory model, such content may be restricted not directly—through a ban—but through invisible mechanisms of reach reduction and stigmatization.

This does not, of course, mean that the state has no right to combat crimes online or to protect citizens from real threats. The problem is that the European Union has crossed the line between protection and control, between security and social engineering.

Therefore today, more than ever, courage is needed to defend freedom and the right to publicly proclaim one’s faith. Not as a privilege for the select few, but as the foundation of a healthy society. If we allow, under the pretext of combating “disinformation,” the voices of those who defend life, the family, and sovereignty to be curtailed, democracy will quickly become a grim dictatorship hidden behind a facade of apparent diversity and tolerance.

Tyler Durden Sat, 04/25/2026 - 07:00

Where Homosexuality Is Still Punishable By Death

The latest data from ILGA - the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, a global federation that monitors laws and rights affecting LGBT people - show that consensual same‑sex relations remain criminalized in a significant number of countries, with a small but deadly minority still prescribing the death penalty.

You will find more infographics at Statista">As Statista's Tristan Gaudiat shows in the chart below, according to ILGA’s database, over 60 countries around the world still criminalize consensual same‑sex activity, mostly through prison sentences of varying lengths (from fines and short terms to long jail terms). A smaller group of roughly a dozen countries even retains the death penalty for such acts.

This includes national laws in countries such as Afghanistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as regional sharia provisions applied in parts of Nigeria and Somalia.

You will find more infographics at Statista

Enforcement varies widely: in some places, the statutes are rarely applied but create a pervasive climate of legal insecurity and social stigma, while in others, capital punishment is actively enforced.

Recent spikes in prosecutions have sharpened human‑rights concerns in certain regions.

Uganda significantly stepped up enforcement after a controversial law was introduced in 2023, and renewed legislative pressure in 2025 led to several high‑profile prosecutions.

In Southeast Asia, Brunei’s expanded sharia penalties - first announced in 2019 and subsequently rolled out in stages, including provisions allowing death by stoning - continue to provoke international condemnation.

Tyler Durden Fri, 04/24/2026 - 23:30

UAE To Move 50% Of Government Services To AI By 2028

Finally a practical use of AI.

In a world swimming in debt and overrun by government bloat and corruption, Dubai is taking a big step into the future. On Thursday, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced that in two years, 50% of UAE's government sectors, services, and operations will run on Agentic AI, arguably the best use of the new technology yet. 

The new "government model" was launched under the directive of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. It will make the UAE the first government globally to operate at this scale through autonomous systems. 

"AI is no longer a tool. It analyses, decides, executes, and improves in real time. It will become our executive partner to enhance services, accelerate decisions, and raise efficiency," the Dubai Ruler said in a post on X.

"This transformation has a clear timeline. Two years. Performance across government will be measured by speed of adoption, quality of implementation, and mastery of AI in redesigning government work," he continued.

"We are investing in our people. Every federal employee will be trained to master AI, building one of the world’s strongest capabilities in AI-driven government. Implementation will be overseen by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, with a dedicated taskforce chaired by Mohammad Al Gergawi driving execution.

"The world is changing. Technology is accelerating. Our principle remains constant. People come first. Our goal is a government that is faster, more responsive, and more impactful," Sheikh Mohammed added.

Under the directives of the President of the UAE, we launch a new government model. Within two years, 50% of government sectors, services, and operations will run on Agentic AI, making the UAE the first government globally to operate at this scale through autonomous systems.

AI… pic.twitter.com/53OQLe7RXl

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) April 23, 2026

The project includes a phased implementation across ministries and federal entities, based on continuous performance and impact assessment. This will pave the way for wider rollout, ensuring optimal results across the federal government.

Special attention is placed on developing national capabilities by training and empowering government employees to master generative artificial intelligence technologies and their applications. Which of course is reflexive, so in effect government employees are supposed to train their own replacements. 

Accroding to Khaleej Times, the move to adopt Agentic AI across government operations builds on 20 years of digital transformation in the UAE's government, from the early adoption of eGovernment and service digitalization to mobile government and integrated systems such as the UAE Pass identity verification system to full-service redesign and integration, supported by programs such as Government Services 2.0, which introduced proactive, data driven service delivery.

In 2017, the UAE became the first country in the world to appoint a Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence and launched the UAE Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031 under the UAE Centennial 2071 vision. The establishment of the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications in 2020 further strengthened this direction.

The UAE is especially well suited for agentic implementation: the Gulf state has spent more than a decade building digital infrastructure that connects government entities, making it one of the most advanced public service ecosystems globally. Platforms developed under entities such as UAE Government and Digital Dubai already allow residents to access hundreds of services online, from paying fines to registering businesses.

The latest plan shifts the focus from digitizing services to redesigning them, allowing AI systems to manage entire workflows rather than just assisting at specific stages. For residents, this changes the experience from navigating systems to simply requesting outcomes, with the complexity handled behind the scenes.

While the progression reflects a broader pattern seen across advanced economies, the UAE is moving faster than most.

The first phase involved putting services online, which reduced paperwork and eliminated many in-person visits.

The second phase introduced mobile apps, automation, and AI tools, improving speed and accessibility while still requiring users to manage processes themselves.

The next phase moves beyond interfaces, with systems designed to complete tasks independently, meaning the user defines the objective and the system handles execution.

Back in the US, a recent attempt through Elon Musk's DOGE to cut back on government inefficiency and corruption came to an abrupt halt last summer when it became obvious that the deep state would fight to the death (or at least hire assassins to effect the death of others) to prevent any change in the well-paid status quo. Perhaps AI will succeed where everyone else has failed. 

Tyler Durden Fri, 04/24/2026 - 23:00

Muted Demand During India's Second-Biggest Gold-Buying Festival, After Prices Surge

Gold demand during one of India's key buying festivals stayed muted on Sunday as record prices curbed jewellery purchases, ​offsetting a modest uptick in investment demand, according to Reuters. 

Indians celebrated Akshaya Tritiya, the ‌second-biggest gold-buying festival after Dhanteras, when purchasing precious metals is considered auspicious. Only this time near record gold prices - the precious metal closed just over $4800 - kept buyer enthusiasm rather subdued. 

"The sharp rally in prices curbed jewellery demand. In volume terms, buying was lower as consumers ​held back, though in value terms spending was higher due to ​elevated prices," said Amit Modak, chief executive of PN Gadgil ⁠and Sons, a Pune-based jeweller.

Since consumers are, like everyone else, subject to the laws of supply and demand, it is natural that a higher price will lead to lower demand. Gold prices hit a record high of $5,594.82 ​per ounce on January 29 and are now trading just over $4,800.

Gold futures in ​India, the world's second-biggest gold consumer, closed at 154,609 rupees ($1,670) per 10 grams on Friday, nearly 63% higher than at the last Akshaya Tritiya festival. Except in a few ​southern Indian states, demand was lower than normal across the rest ​of the country, said Surendra Mehta, national secretary at the India Bullion and Jewellers Association. Meanwhile retail ‌buyers ⁠have been stacking shifting toward gold coins, which are easier to liquidate, even as jewellers offered discounts on fees for crafting jewellery to attract buyers, said a Mumbai-based jeweller.

The latest decline in demand is an extension of recent trends: India's jewellery demand in 2025 fell 24% from a year ​earlier, partially offset by a 17% rise in investment , the highest since 2013, according World Gold Council data.

Gold-buying patterns in India are ​changing, with purchases no longer concentrated only during festivals ​as price-sensitive ⁠buyers make purchases throughout the year whenever prices dip, said a Mumbai-based bullion dealer with a private bank.

India issued an order on Friday listing banks ⁠authorized to ​import gold and silver, providing relief for ​banks that were forced to halt imports because the list's publication was delayed.

Tyler Durden Fri, 04/24/2026 - 22:30

Google Deepens Anthropic Bet With Up To $40 Billion Investment

The AI funding frenzy continues, with Google planning to invest $10 billion in Anthropic at a $350 billion valuation, deepening its relationship with the San Francisco-based AI company best known for building Claude.

Bloomberg reports that Google's deal with Anthropic includes an initial $10 billion investment at a $350 billion valuation, with the potential for another $30 billion if certain performance milestones are achieved. That would bring the potential deal size to as much as $40 billion.

Part of the deal includes Google Cloud providing 5 gigawatts of computing capacity to the AI startup, founded in 2021 by former OpenAI employees, including Dario Amodei and Daniela Amodei, over the next five years. Additional capacity could follow.

Earlier this week, Amazon committed another $5 billion to Anthropic at the same valuation, with the option to invest an additional $20 billion over time.

Amazon's scramble for compute was detailed earlier in a deal with Meta:

• Scramble For AI Compute: Meta Inks Multibillion-Dollar Deal With Amazon For CPU Chips

Bloomberg pointed out that the Google-Anthropic deal is an "expansion of an agreement announced earlier this month between Anthropic, Google, and Broadcom."

For Google, the agreement with Anthropic strengthens demand for its cloud services and in-house TPU chips, which have become viable alternatives to Nvidia's AI chip stack.

Earlier this week, Google unveiled two new chips for the agentic era, including the TPU 8t, designed for training AI models, and the TPU 8i, designed for inference, or running AI services once they are developed and deployed. Again, this is all positioned to take on Nvidia.

There has been increased scrutiny around "circular" AI financing since we broke down the math and called it an epic "circle jerk" last fall.

Tyler Durden Fri, 04/24/2026 - 22:00

Pentagon Email Seeks Ways To Suspend Spain From NATO, Brussels Says Not Possible

Washington is eyeing how to pressure Spain out of the NATO alliance, after the Spanish government has taken firm anti-Israel positions, as well as come out strongly against Trump's Iran war, even disallowing some base and logistics access to the US armed forces.

An internal Pentagon email lays out options for the United States to punish NATO allies it says failed to support US operations in the war with Iran, including suspending Spain from the alliance and reviewing the US stance on United Kingdom sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, a US official told has told Reuters in a report published Friday.

via NATO/The Dispatch

In the Trump administration's eyes, Spain has also been a non-contributing thorn in the side both both US and NATO policy. To a large degree it's also easier for the US to single out and punish a country like Spain, compared more powerful and economically stronger nations like Turkey or France.

The policy options appear in a note expressing frustration over allies' reluctance or refusal to grant access, basing, and overflight rights - known as ABO - for the Iran war, the US official explained.

The email specifies that ABO is "just the absolute baseline for NATO," according to the official, who indicated this is being considered in senior policy circles.

However, it remains a big unknown whether the alliance can actually suspend a longtime permanent member, and the reality is that many other European countries are sympathetic to Spain's stance.

A NATO official told Reuters, "NATO's Founding Treaty does not foresee any provision for suspension of NATO membership."

And the reality is that any kind of suspension process would probably take so long that it would outlast the current US administration. 

But Washington could take other steps, such as drawdown in large-scale fashion its long-running force presence in Europe. This is already on the table, to the point that some European allies are already anticipating it and making preparations. 

The Pentagon and Trump administration have said of Spain, "they are not there for us." But perhaps from Spain's point of view, (and its population), it is putting Spain's national interest first. - and doesn't want to get bogged down in yet more US-led adventurism in the Middle East.

Tyler Durden Fri, 04/24/2026 - 21:30

Trump Administration Seeks Pause Of Lawsuit Challenging Vaccine Recommendations

Authored by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Trump administration lawyers on April 23 said they are still considering whether to appeal a ruling that blocked the rollback of guidance on some vaccines.

Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. on Capitol Hill in Washington on April 22, 2026. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

The lawyers said in a filing that pausing the litigation over the guidance pending the resolution of any appeal that is filed would “promote judicial economy and avoid burdens on government agencies that may be rendered unnecessary by a decision on any appeal.”

For instance, if an appeal is filed, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit may dismiss some or all of the claims by plaintiffs in the case, which would eliminate the need for the government to produce records sought by plaintiffs, the lawyers told U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy in a motion to stay proceedings pending resolution of any appeal.

“At a minimum, a First Circuit decision on any appeal could narrow the issues in dispute and provide guidance on how to resolve any remaining issues,” the motion stated. “If Defendants continue producing administrative records and the parties start briefing cross-motions for summary judgment before Defendants’ time to appeal has run and before the First Circuit has an opportunity to weigh in on any appeal, there is a significant potential for wasted time and resources.”

Murphy in March stayed the updates made to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccine guidance under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., resulting in the guidance reverting to what had been in place in mid-2025.

Murphy concluded that Kennedy and other officials did not follow proper procedure in updating the guidance and appointing new members to the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee.

That stay would remain in effect even if Murphy approves the requested motion, administration lawyers said.

The lawyers did not say why no appeal has been lodged against Murphy’s decision. They asked him to stay proceedings in the case until whichever comes later: May 15 or the resolution of any appeal the defendants may file.

The deadline to appeal Murphy’s preliminary injunction is May 15.

Shortly after the injunction was issued, the Department of Health and Human Services said it would prevail in an appeal. The department has declined to answer questions about why an appeal has not yet been lodged.

“Unless officially announced by us, any assertions about what we are doing next is baseless speculation,” a department spokesperson told The Epoch Times in March.

The litigation was brought by multiple health care groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Government lawyers conferred with plaintiffs, who opposed the motion to stay the proceedings.

Tyler Durden Fri, 04/24/2026 - 21:00

FDA Grants Quick Review Psychedelic Drugs, First Approvals Could Come As Soon As Summer

The FDA announced new steps to speed up research on psychedelic treatments for serious mental health conditions, following an executive order from President Donald Trump directing agencies to expand access to emerging therapies, CNBC and NBC reported this morning:

In a press release Friday, FDA commissioner Marty Makary said the medications “have the potential to address the nation’s mental health crisis, including conditions like treatment resistant depression, alcoholism and other serious mental health and substance abuse conditions.” On Monday, Makary told NBC News that with the accelerated application process, the FDA could potentially approve the first psychedelic drug by the end of summer.

The agency said this effort could support new treatments for conditions like treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, and substance use disorders. Measures include prioritizing drugs with early promising results and offering incentives to companies studying compounds such as psilocybin and methylone. It also approved an early clinical trial for noribogaine, marking the first time a drug of its kind will be studied in the U.S.

Officials emphasized that these actions do not mean the treatments are approved or proven safe. All research will be closely monitored to ensure it meets strict scientific and safety standards.

Popular psychedelic names like Compass Pathways and AtaiBeckley have turned positive YTD on on the news out the last few days.

"The executive order I'm signing, we're actually signing the executive order today, is really a moment," Trump said at the signing event days ago. "These treatments are currently in the advanced stages of clinical trials to ensure that they're both safe and effective for the American patients."

Trump's order, signed on Saturday, directs the FDA to prioritize review of certain breakthrough-designated psychedelic therapies, expands potential access under the Right to Try Act, commits at least $50 million in federal funding for state partnerships, and encourages closer coordination among HHS, the FDA, the VA, and private-sector researchers.

"In many cases, these experimental treatments have shown life-changing potential for those suffering from severe mental illness and depression, including our cherished veterans," Trump said, citing the veteran suicide rate.

The order also instructs the Justice Department to move quickly on rescheduling any psychedelic-based product that successfully completes Phase 3 trials and receives FDA approval.

Trump continued, "And the nice part is we're actually doing this early, but it has been going on. Research has been going on for quite some time. But, you know, usually with things like this, nothing ever happens, no matter how the research ends up, but we're changing that. This order will clear away unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles, improve data sharing among the FDA and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and facilitate fast rescheduling of any psychedelic drugs that become FDA-approved." 

As we wrote days ago, these stocks are starting to go 'mainstream' after being ignored and out of the limelight for years. Zero Hedge contributor Quoth the Raven has named the sector his “best idea” sector for 2026.

Tyler Durden Fri, 04/24/2026 - 20:30

A Bottle Of Water Is $4.25: Walt Disney World Might Be The 'Most Expensive On Earth'

Authored by Stephen Silver via 19fortyfive.com,

“Water is $4.50 for a basic Desani. Smartwater is $6.25. Food is almost unaffordable, and people bring their own food now. Soon, we might as well call Walt Disney World here in Florida the Most Expensive Place on Earth.” 

That’s what the Editor-In-Chief, Harry J. Kazianis, an avid Disney fan, told me just recently when it came to the Most Magical Place on Earth.

Mickey Mouse Walt Disney World 19FortyFive.com Image

Clearly, he isn’t wrong: Disney has announced its ticket price calendar for 2027, and it is raising prices on some tickets, including peak days, according to the new ticket pricing calendar.

Pricing has been announced through October 2027, with pricing for November and December next year yet to be revealed. 

Disney World Prices Keep Going Up In Florida 

The ticket pricing scheme at Walt Disney World is dynamic and complex, but, as The Street reported, tickets on some dates will cost more than they did previously. 

“While base-level ticket prices remain unchanged, peak-day pricing has quietly climbed, with the most popular dates now reaching up to $219 per day,” The Street reported. “That represents a roughly 10% increase from the previous $199 peak seen in 2025, reinforcing Disney’s continued shift toward demand-based pricing.”

Each of the parks at Walt Disney World in Florida has a price range. Per The Street, The Animal Kingdom has a range of $119 – $189, while EPCOT’s range is $144 – $204. Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ cost ranges from $149 to $209, while the Magic Kingdom Park ranges from $159 to  $219. 

According to an analysis by MickeyVisit, “we are seeing large increases for single-day tickets, including new peak prices for three theme parks at Walt Disney World.” Disney World, the site says, “uses a dynamic pricing structure, which means single-day ticket costs vary depending on the date, taking into account guest demand, holidays, and other variable factors.”

Epcot in Florida. Image from 19FortyFive.com staff.

As that site said, it’s part of an upward trend in Disney pricing. 

“Walt Disney World’s prices are continuing to trend upward each time a new set of prices is released,” the MickeyVisit site said. “But if we look at the graph above, we can see that the largest shift is happening at the higher end of pricing. While the lowest 1-day ticket price has only moderately increased over the past decade, the highest-priced tickets have seen a dramatic surge, with prices more than doubling since 2015.”

“Even Disney is Worried” 

The high cost of the Disney park experience has been a topic of discussion for a long time. Indeed, the Wall Street Journal reported in February of 2025 that rising costs at the parks are a concern that the company itself is aware of. “Even Disney Is Worried About the High Cost of a Disney Vacation” was the Journal’s headline. 

It grew out of the pandemic, the Journal reported, when Disney’s parks were closed to the public for over a year, finally returning in April of 2021. 

“The Happiest Place on Earth has long felt like one of the most expensive spots on the planet for many Americans—but the allure of a magical family vacation kept visitors streaming in,” the Journal reported.

Walt Disney World Boardwalk Hotel. Image by 19FortyFive.com

“Then, as post-pandemic demand soared, Disney put price hikes into overdrive, putting vacations at its theme parks out of reach for many American families. Attendance growth has slowed over the past few years, and even some families that were once regulars are canceling their pilgrimages.”

One-day adult passes to Disneyland, in California, broke the $200 mark for the first time in 2024, the Journal story said. 

That story also noted that the rising cost has been questioned inside the company, with surveys of park-goers finding that some were concerned about pricing and considering not returning. 

“Some inside Disney worry that the company has become addicted to price hikes and has reached the limits of what middle-class Americans can afford, according to people who have worked on park pricing,” the Journal said. “Internal discussions over whether Disney parks may be losing their grip on the hearts and wallets of families with young kids have become more frequent, some of those people said.” 

Disney Annual Passholder August 10, 2023. 19FortyFive.com Image.

The Journal also estimated the average cost of a visit. 

“For a two-parent family with two young kids, a typical four-day visit to Walt Disney World, including a stay at a value-priced, Disney-owned hotel, costs $4,266 in 2024, according to Touring Plans, a data provider that helps vacationers plan theme park visits. That cost, before food and transportation costs, is up from $3,230 five years earlier, adjusted for inflation,” the newspaper reported. 

This happens as the Disney parks business has become a more important part of the Walt Disney Co.’s overall financial picture, which also owns everything from animation studios to Marvel to “Star Wars” to ABC and ESPN. And indeed, Josh D’Amaro, who formerly headed the parks business, earlier this year was named the company’s new CEO, replacing Robert Iger. 

What the New Boss Thinks 

D’Amaro has addressed the issue of rising costs at the Disney parks, including during a March shareholder call, his first as CEO. 

The new CEO was asked how the company, under his leadership, will balance shareholder growth with other metrics, such as audience satisfaction, as seen in park prices. 

“This is an important question,” the CEO said. 

“Our goal is for every single guest to feel that their experience is worth it,” D’Amaro said on that March earnings call. “Basically, we want this experience to be the best day of a guest’s life. And we’re always measuring our success here.”

He also said that guest satisfaction and other metrics are high across Disney’s parks. 

Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Image Credit: 19FortyFive.com

“When it comes to how we think about pricing,” the new CEO said. “We focus on offering a wide range of options at different price points so that families can visit in ways that work for them, whether that’s during a value season or taking advantage of multi-day ticket savings or even special offers.”

The previous head of the parks division, who is now taking over as CEO, suggests there’s no major change in pricing strategy for the parks. 

“We try to provide a fair amount of choice and flexibility for guests while at the same time making sure that we’re managing daily attendance and the overall guest experience,” D’Amaro said. 

Tyler Durden Fri, 04/24/2026 - 20:00

Oklo, NVIDIA, And Los Alamos Working On Plutonium-Powered AI 

Oklo announced an agreement with NVIDIA and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to advance critical nuclear infrastructure, AI-enabled research, and nuclear fuel R&D at Los Alamos. 

The partnership aligns Oklo’s advanced reactor platform, NVIDIA’s AI infrastructure, and LANL’s deep expertise in materials science and nuclear fuels. Together, the trio aims to accelerate deployment of resilient, high-assurance energy while supporting the federal government’s Genesis Mission.

Initial projects focus on physics- and chemistry-based AI models for fuel validation, materials science and fabrication R&D on plutonium-bearing fuels, and grid reliability studies for nuclear-powered AI factories at LANL. 

“This agreement brings together reactor deployment, high-performance compute, and world-class fuel and materials science expertise” said Oklo co-founder and CEO Jacob DeWitte. “We believe this will advance our plutonium-bearing fuel work on Oklo’s Pluto reactor, which was selected under DOE’s Reactor Pilot Program, and help bring resilient power in support of the Genesis Mission.”

Oklo has been finding themselves at the center of attention for multiple different private and government ventures. Meta provided Oklo a prepayment for securing fuel at a 1.2 GW nuclear campus in Ohio, and Oklo’s subsidiary Atomic Alchemy recently completed the majority of the construction at the Groves site in Texas. 

Today Jake and I signed the Certificate of Substantial Completion for the Groves Test Facility building structure. In 229 days, we turned a green field into a beautiful building with all of the infrastructure needed to support long-term operations. Our operators and research…

— Thomas Eiden (@AtomicEiden) April 21, 2026

NVIDIA’s own CEO Jensen Huang has repeatedly stressed that AI factories need round-the-clock firm power, a point we highlighted when nuclear stocks surged on his comments. 

With roughly $2.5 billion in cash, no debt, and customer prepayments offsetting first-of-a-kind costs, Oklo is positioning itself as a leader in the sector. HSBC initiated coverage the same day with a Buy rating and $96 price target, citing Oklo’s owner-operator model, DOE pilot momentum, and path to first revenue later this year from its Idaho radiochemistry lab. 

Tyler Durden Fri, 04/24/2026 - 19:30

US Sanctions Cambodian Senator Linked To Crypto Romance Scam Centers

Authored by Chris Summers via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

The United States on April 23 imposed sanctions on a wealthy Cambodian senator, Kok An, who allegedly ran crypto-romance scam centers that stole millions of dollars from U.S. citizens.

Thai soldiers stand outside an abandoned scam center in O'Smach town on the border between Thailand and Cambodia on March 12, 2026. Lillian Suwanrumpha/AFP via Getty Images

Kok, 71, is a political ally of Hun Sen, who served as Cambodian prime minister for 25 years before stepping down in 2023 and handing power to his son, Hun Manet. The 73-year-old is now president of the Cambodian Senate.

The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) also sanctioned 28 individuals and entities linked to the suspected scam centers.

“Eliminating fraud is a top priority for the Trump administration,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. “Treasury will continue to target fraudsters and scam centers that steal billions of dollars from hardworking Americans, no matter where they operate or how well-connected they are.”

Industrial-scale cyberscamming, based in scam centers in Burma (also known as Myanmar) and Cambodia, has become a major money-maker for organized crime groups.

The Treasury said in a statement that operators within this network have “stolen millions of dollars from U.S. victims while operating under the protection of Kok An and his political connections.”

Tricked Using ‘Romantic Relationships’

The Treasury said fraudsters use “the lure of friendship or romantic relationships” to coax vulnerable Americans into transferring their savings in the form of digital assets by promising investment opportunities and high returns.

Matthew Hogan, a detective with the Connecticut State Police and an officer on the Secret Service’s Financial Crimes Task Forces, told The Epoch Times last year that the biggest growth has been in long-term scams known as “pig butchering,” which involves luring people into fake cryptocurrency investments. The phrase comes from the Chinese term “sha zhu pan.”

The Treasury said Kok owns numerous companies, including Crown Resorts, and has retrofitted casinos and office parks as scam centers where workers—who are often trafficked from China and other countries—target U.S. citizens and trick people out of cryptocurrency, which is then laundered by Kok’s associates.

“Nearly all major scam compounds in Cambodia are connected to casinos, which serve to launder the proceeds of scams,” the Treasury said.

Kok is a senator from the ruling Cambodian People’s Party. It was founded during the Cold War, and was close to the Soviet Union and later communist Vietnam. It dropped its Marxist-Leninist ideology in the early 1990s.

Andy Jenkinson, a fellow of the Cyber Theory Institute and author of the book “Stuxnet to Sunburst: 20 Years of Digital Exploitation and Cyber Warfare,” told The Epoch Times in April 2025 that the annual losses to cybercrime globally are “over $10 trillion, or put it another way, $32 billion a day.”

Tether Freezes $344 Million USDT

The move was announced hours after stablecoin issuer Tether froze $344 million in its USDT stablecoin, allegedly linked to “sanctions evasion, criminal networks, or other illicit activity.”

“When wallets are identified as connected to sanctions evasion, criminal networks, or other illicit activity, Tether can move to restrict those assets,” Tether said.

The company also said it maintained a zero-tolerance policy toward the criminal use of USDT, and has long followed OFAC guidelines on sanctioned individuals and entities.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Tyler Durden Fri, 04/24/2026 - 19:00

The Pope's True Loyalty Is To Globalism, Not Christianity

Authored by Brandon Smith via Alt-Market.us

They used to call it the “new world order” – A partially public and partially covert agenda to dismantle western civilization. Its purpose is to upend the global financial system, destroy liberty minded movements and eventually erase nations and borders to produce a single communist-like central government ruled by the elitist class.

Today, there are many names for this “beast system”. Some call it the “multipolar world order” even though it would not actually be multipolar. Others call it the “Great Reset”. But the NWO concept that has been promoted most in our post-pandemic discourse is the idea of “Multiculturalism”.

Multiculturalism has always been in the background, at least since the Obama years. It was right under the surface, waiting to be used as a vehicle to move the globalist vision forward. The American people have been prepped for it for generations. The Europeans are currently suffocating in it and it might be too late for them.

The strategy seems rather simple but it is actually a complex effort relying on numerous moving parts synchronized to maximum effect. The most important mechanism is narrative and social influence; the public has to be taught to accept multiculturalism as an inevitability. This brings us to the modern church and its abandonment of western values.

The Vatican’s Shift Into Multiculturalism

In recent news, Pope Leo XIV triggered widespread debate among conservatives when he offered up a thinly veiled attack on the Trump Administration, calling US strikes on Iran’s infrastructure akin to “war crimes”. Interestingly, Leo refused to condemn the wholesale slaughter of protesters by the Iranian regime until this week, likely due to pressure from conservative critics calling out the hypocrisy.

The Pope has been an avid critic not just of Trump, but conservative anti-immigration movements in general. In December of 2025 he argued:

“I know that in Europe there are, many times, fears that are present, but oftentimes generated by people who are against immigration and trying to keep out people who may be from another country, another religion, another race. And in that sense, I would say we all need to work together…”

This runs parallel to Leo’s statements in July of 2025, when he asserted that:

“The Church, like a mother, accompanies those who are walking. Where the world sees threats, she sees children; where walls are built, she builds bridges… She knows that in every rejected migrant, it is Christ himself who knocks at the door of the community.”

The treatment of immigrants as almost “divine” is a bizarre byproduct of the multicultural religion. This idea has been presented by several popes in recent decades, comparing refugees and illegal immigrants to the Holy Family traveling to Egypt to escape King Herod. In reality, Mary and Joseph were Roman subjects and merely traveled from one part of the Roman Empire to another. They were not “immigrants”, illegal or otherwise.

Keep in mind, the Pope lives within a secure compound protected by two miles of walls standing 40 feet high. The Vatican is one of the most restricted pieces of ground on the planet. Like most globalist elites, he never has to deal with the consequences of the mass immigration policies he supports.

For instance, the Vatican has refused to comment on the rising tide of crime and violence (including rape gangs) caused by mass immigration, specifically from Muslim countries. Nor has he commented on Islamic communities enforcing Sharia Law in Europe in defiance of integration.

In fact, Pope Leo pretends as if these problems simply don’t exist and that the millions of people opposed to third world migration are acting out of bigotry rather than a rational concern for the safety of their families and their culture.

And make no mistake, the Catholic Church has played an integral role in the spread of mass immigration. Under Joe Biden, the Catholic Church enjoyed over $200 million in direct grants for helping bring hundreds of thousands of migrants to the US. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) was responsible for settling around 18% of all “refugees” and asylum seekers entering the US from 2021 to 2024.

The EU’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) has budgeted over $10 billion from 2021 to 2027 for organizations helping to settle millions of migrants in Europe, and a large portion of that budget goes to Catholic-based NGOs.

To many Christians the Pope still represents a central figure of influence despite the Vatican’s clear shift to the political left over the past several decades and its increasing abandonment of traditionalism. To non-Catholics (and wise Catholics), the office of the Pope is viewed as a Trojan Horse designed to destroy Christianity and the west from within.

The Vatican has grown into a purveyor of the progressive movement since the Vatican II reforms in the 1960s. These reforms including a focus on “interfaith relations” (universal religion) and a policy of detaching the church from its role as a pillar of western civilization. Today, 47% of Catholics vote Democrat despite the fact that woke ideology directly violates many of the most sacred Christian principles.

The Church’s interest in Muslim immigration spiked in 2010 under Pope Benedict XVI and they have been deeply involved with mass migration programs ever since, often in coordination with leftist politicians.

The Alliance Between The Vatican And The Luciferian Elites

Nothing woke up the masses more, in my opinion, than the nightmare of the Covid pandemic. During this crisis the globalists proudly proclaimed their intentions to lock down the world, enforce perpetual vaccine mandates, establish a medical tyranny and fast-track every NWO program imaginable.

One such program was the “Council For Inclusive Capitalism”, which I believe was the intended foundation for a global government; the top of the pyramid. The project was announced as a partnership between globalist controlled corporations, leftist NGOs, climate organizations, the Rothschild Family and, of course, the Vatican.

The Vatican’s mission within the council seemed to revolve around promoting socialism as “Christian adjacent” (This is a lie – Christianity encourages independent and voluntary charity, not forced charity through government taxation or atheistic collectivism). They were also tasked with forming a platform for a “universal religion”, or a union of religions.

The CIC took advantage of the hysteria surrounding the pandemic to advance the multicultural agenda as well as ESG (a program meant to use corporations to enforce woke ideology through social and financial influence). The project ultimately failed when the covid narrative fell apart.

The Council has since gone underground.  However, in 2026 the Vatican Bank approved the appointment of François Pauly, a former Rothschild director, to lead its Board of Superintendence.  The CIC is undeniable proof that the Vatican and associated leaders are intertwined with the luciferian elites. It is no longer a conspiracy “theory”, but a confirmed fact.

The Crusaders Were Right, The Globalist Pope Is Wrong

In 1095 AD at the Council of Clermont in France, Pope Urban II gave a speech on the relentless invasion of the Ottoman Turks which was threatening to destroy Europe and the last vestiges of western civilization. He appealed to Christian men to stand and fight, to stop the erasure of Christendom. For 300 years the Muslims had cut into the heart of the Holy Roman Empire, migrating and conquering as they went.

By the time of Urban’s call to arms, the Islamic caliphates had taken over 60% of all Christian lands and were on the doorstep of Western Europe.

Before this speech it was widely believed that Christians would not organize or fight. The success of Urban’s plea for action shocked the Pope himself. Thus began the First Crusade to save the west. In the end, the Muslims were pushed out of Europe, back to the Arab lands. Without the crusades we would still be living in the dark ages of a Muslim theocracy.

Nothing has changed since then in terms of the conflict. The western world is still completely incompatible with Islam. What has changed, rather, is the circumstances and the players. Today, the Vatican is a multicultural monstrosity working with people who, more than anything, want open borders, the dismantling of the west and the elimination of Christianity.

They clearly see Islamic immigration (and third world immigration from socialist nations) as a valuable weapon for cleaving the US and Europe. As I noted in my recent article “The US Separation From And NATO Is Long Overdue”, European globalists have used mass immigration to implant a foreign army to subdue and control the native population. It is a tactic as old as time – Political leadership using subsidized foreign hordes as a way to control their own rebellious citizens.

This is why they have ignored every reasonable call by the populace for reforms and deportations. This is why they ignore the rape gangs, the murders, the terrorism. They WANT these things to happen. That’s why they let the barbarians inside the gates in the first place. The Vatican and the Pope are a part of this agenda. As an institution, the Papacy was tasked with protecting the western world. If the Vatican is casting aside this sacred duty, then it no longer represents Christianity.

Tyler Durden Fri, 04/24/2026 - 17:15

Why Did China Reserve A Vast Offshore Airspace For 40 Days Without Explanation?

Authored by via The Epoch Times,

China has imposed a 40-day offshore airspace restriction larger than Taiwan without explanation, signaling a potential shift toward sustained military readiness near Japan and U.S. allies.

China filed Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs) reserving offshore airspace in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea from March 27 to May 6, a 40-day window, without announcing any military exercises or offering a public explanation. The reserved zones cover an area larger than Taiwan’s main island, spanning from the Yellow Sea facing South Korea to the East China Sea facing Japan, including airspace north and south of Shanghai.

The restrictions carry no vertical ceiling, designated SFC-UNL, meaning surface to unlimited altitude. Civil aviation remains unaffected. Commercial flights are still permitted to pass through these areas, but must coordinate carefully with Chinese air traffic control authorities.

NOTAMs of this type have previously been used to signal Chinese military exercises, which typically last a few days. China has issued comparable restrictions along the same coastline at least four times in the past 18 months, but those lasted only three days and were openly linked to announced exercises, missile launches, or live-fire training events.

This time, Beijing provided no warning, no declared exercise, and no explanation. China’s Ministry of Defense and civil aviation authorities issued no statements and did not respond to requests for comment.

The November and December 2024 precedent is directly relevant. In November 2024, Shanghai air traffic control issued a NOTAM restricting seven large sections of airspace off China’s coast for periods spanning three days. Those zones overlapped with airspace subsequently used during large-scale military exercises in December 2024.

China provided no reason for the November restrictions, and they passed relatively unnoticed by the international media. Analysts assessed that they may have served as a rehearsal for the more significant airspace reservations that accompanied the December exercises.

Ray Powell, director of Stanford University’s SeaLight project, which tracks Chinese maritime activity, told The Wall Street Journal that the combination of SFC-UNL designation and a 40-day duration with no announced exercise suggests “a sustained operational readiness posture—and one that China apparently doesn’t feel the need to explain.”

Christopher Sharman, director of the U.S. Naval War College’s China Maritime Studies Institute, said the zones could provide China an opportunity to practice air combat maneuvers relevant to a Taiwan contingency.

Ben Lewis of PLATracker, an organization that analyzes the Chinese military and regional security development, assessed that the longer window likely gives China’s military scheduling flexibility for spring training and said he does not anticipate major exercises given the Kuomintang chair’s visit to Beijing and the planned Trump–Xi summit in mid-May.

The restricted zones lie hundreds of miles north of Taiwan but sit directly along approaches facing Japan and South Korea. A senior Taiwanese security official told the Journal the reservation is “clearly aimed at Japan,” reflecting Chinese efforts to deter U.S. allies and erode American military influence in the Indo-Pacific while U.S. attention remains on the Middle East conflict.

Past Chinese drills have focused on controlling air routes the U.S. military would use in a Taiwan contingency, and the pause in daily PLA flights near Taiwan that preceded these NOTAMs also remains unexplained.

The restrictions carry implications for the United States, Japan, and Taiwan. The United States recently moved long-range missile assets from the Pacific to the Middle East, and the restricted zones cover approaches directly relevant to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command force projection. Japan faces the most direct exposure, as the East China Sea portion of the restricted airspace faces Japan’s southwestern island chain, where Japan has deployed long-range missiles capable of reaching parts of mainland China.

By using a routine aviation mechanism without stating a military purpose, China imposes costs, heightened readiness, intelligence resources, and diplomatic caution on all three parties simultaneously, without triggering the international backlash that an announced large-scale exercise would generate.

No public U.S. government response to the restrictions has been reported. The U.S. military nonetheless continues operations in the region. USS John Finn conducted a Taiwan Strait transit on March 10, with the U.S. 7th Fleet stating the mission “demonstrates the U.S. commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific” and that American forces “will continue to fly, sail, and operate anywhere international law allows.”

On March 28, one day after China’s airspace restrictions took effect, Japanese fighter jets scrambled to intercept a new variant of China’s Y-9FQ anti-submarine warfare aircraft over the East China Sea, approximately 160 miles northeast of Okinawa. Japan’s Ministry of Defense, in releasing details of the intercept, stated that it “will continue to collect information and conduct surveillance on military movements around Japan 24 hours a day and will take all necessary measures against airspace violations.”

Japan has also increased defense spending to 2 percent of GDP ahead of schedule and is working with the United States to expand the joint military presence in Japan’s southwestern region.

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

Tyler Durden Fri, 04/24/2026 - 16:25

Fusion Energy: Why America Needs To Own Its Technology

Authored by Lawrence Kadish via The Gatestone Institute,

For decades, fusion energy has been the great scientific pursuit - clean, limitless power drawn from the same physics that powers the sun. Enormous progress has been made in the technology required to harness nuclear fusion and significant investment is now being made by private companies and President Donald J. Trump's White House.

As we advance on fusion success, however, there is a danger of progress being halted by an enormous challenge: the supply chain. Without an American-based industrial infrastructure to source, manufacture, and deliver the materials fusion energy requires, our nation's dominance in this crucial field is at risk.

Consider the "shopping list" needed to create a viable fusion reactor.

Start with its fuel, tritium, a rare hydrogen isotope. There are not a lot of tritium supplies anywhere in the world.

Accordingly, you need to manufacture them – an enormous challenge before you even get to sustaining the actual fusion reaction.

The same issue applies to magnets needed to keep the fusion reaction contained and running.

The list goes on.

It is not a secret for those advancing our nation's energy independence through fusion.

David Kirtley, CEO of Helion Energy, a major leader in the field, has stated that supply chain challenges could put fusion's future here in America at risk.

As a result, they have moved some key technology manufacturing in-house.

In testimony before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Jackie Siebens, Helion Energy's Director of Public Affairs, stated that building the supply chain and infrastructure necessary to scale fusion is "chief among" the company's challenges.

She warned that fusion power plants will rely on key components including semiconductors, capacitors, high-quality metals, and magnets —and that the manufacturing of those key items is currently concentrated in a few countries, chiefly China. Why are we not surprised?

The geopolitical stakes could not be higher. Helion Energy correctly argues that without a strong domestic supply chain, the U.S. risks losing its strategic energy dominance even as it advances on fusion energy success

Our nation's leaders must treat protecting the supply chain with the same urgency as research funding to achieve fusion energy breakthroughs.

Washington needs to recognize the challenge and encourage the creation of an "American made" network of fusion technology suppliers that will protect our future.

It is a race where second best will leave a nation in the dark.

Tyler Durden Fri, 04/24/2026 - 15:15