Two-tier Britain in action: “Muslims preferred” ads proliferate while any hint of criticism of Islam triggers state crackdowns...

"Somalia closes Bab al-Mandab Strait to Israeli shipping", IRNA reports; "The move comes as a direct response to Israel’s recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland, Yemen Press Agency reported on Wednesday".

“For the month of May, our transit through the Atyrau-Samara link and further on via the Druzhba pipeline toward the Schwedt refinery is zero”

...in totally unrelated news, black balaclavas are relatively inexpensive and can be purchased from most major clothing retailers.

Brussels tries to issue rapid clarification...

Europe’s defense sector is backed by powerful structural tailwinds, but recent price weakness suggests investors may be reassessing how much of that future is already priced in.

“The sessions will advance military plans to reopen the Strait, as soon as conditions permit, following a sustainable ceasefire agreement,”

US President Trump expects Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi to remain part of Iran talks and said the 3-5 day ceasefire is not true, according to Fox.

...and just like that...

"I don’t need to spell it out over the phone."

Destocking isn’t sustainable as stocks have a natural lower bound, after which the main rebalancing mechanism in the absence of a supply recovery is demand reduction.

...after decades marketing the dollar as the natural language of world trade... it became the armed currency of an imperial system...

"That shortfall is now even more acute & building stockpiles to levels adequate for a war with China will take additional time."

After 8 months of closed-door meetings, the DOE will present plans to fix the nuclear fuel chain... 

This could significantly expand how long drones remain in the air, supporting continuous surveillance, strike missions...

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told a Senate panel Wednesday that passing comprehensive crypto legislation is vital to maintaining U.S. financial leadership...

"There have been longstanding gaps in U.S. air and missile..." 

"We’re asking the states to own that problem...red and blue, all of them," he says...