October 1, 2026

06 Market

AI Creates One Million Jobs

pgnewser September 21, 2026 0

The Economist has estimated AI has created five jobs for every one job lost. Their study claims AI has caused 200,000 job cuts since mid-2023 while creating one million new jobs.

It’s Not All Doom and Gloom: AI Added 1 Million US Jobs, 5 for Every 1 Cut– www.westernjournal.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

A wave of doomsday warnings about artificial intelligence (AI) is overshadowing a short-term bright spot: the technology appears to be creating American jobs even as it eliminates others.

U.S. employers cited AI in 116,175 announced job cuts through August, roughly 22% of all cuts announced in 2026, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

Yet amid mounting warnings about AI’s threat to workers and even humanity, The Economist estimated in September that AI has created roughly 1 million American jobs compared with roughly 200,000 AI-attributed layoffs since mid-2023 — a ratio of about five jobs created for every one lost.

The figures are not directly comparable. Challenger tracked announced layoffs in which AI was cited as a reason, while The Economist estimated job creation using employment trends, AI-specific occupations and infrastructure hiring. Challenger has recorded roughly 188,000 announced cuts attributed to AI since it began tracking AI separately in 2023.

The broader labor market has so far avoided mass displacement. Employers added 162,000 jobs in August and the unemployment rate remained at 4.1%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported Sept. 4.

AI-related job creation is also extending beyond the workers constructing the data centers needed to power the technology.

Sam Altman Holds Secret Meetings with U.S Power Giants as OpenAI Pushes AI Grid ‘Security’– slaynews.com

pgnewser September 21, 2026 0

Sam Altman Holds Secret Meetings with U.S Power Giants as OpenAI Pushes AI Grid ‘Security’– slaynews.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has been quietly meeting with executives from some of America’s largest electric utility companies while warning that increasingly powerful artificial intelligence systems could pose a threat to the nation’s power grid.

Altman has spent years sounding the alarm about potentially dangerous AI systems while simultaneously pushing for government regulations that would place companies such as OpenAI at the center of the emerging AI oversight regime.

Now, the ChatGPT maker appears to be taking that same warning directly to America’s power industry, while pitching OpenAI’s own cybersecurity services as part of the solution.

According to Politico, Altman has held a series of private meetings with executives from major utilities including Duke Energy, Exelon, Southern Co., and NextEra Energy beginning in July.

One of the latest meetings took place Wednesday in Colorado during the annual gathering of the Edison Electric Institute.

The security of America’s electrical grid was reportedly a major topic.

Traffic In Strait Of Hormuz Passes Key Milestone, CENTCOM Says– trendingpoliticsnews.com

pgnewser September 21, 2026 0

Traffic In Strait Of Hormuz Passes Key Milestone, CENTCOM Says– trendingpoliticsnews.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Saturday that American forces have supported the movement of more than one billion barrels of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz in recent months while enforcing a total naval blockade on Iranian ports.

“CENTCOM forces have supported more than one billion barrels of crude oil leaving the Gulf. That’s one billion barrels of crude oil out through the Strait of Hormuz in the last couple of months,” CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper announced in a video statement.

Cooper said U.S. forces reached the figure while assisting more than 2,000 commercial ship transits. “We’ve reached this significant milestone while assisting over 2,000 commercial ship transits through the Strait by providing coordinated protection. Clearly, momentum is building. Primary transit lanes in the Strait are clear of mines,” he added.

Cooper continued, “Thousands of ships have passed through the Strait. Over one billion barrels of crude have been shipped from Gulf partners through the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran has exported zero barrels thanks to our ironclad blockade.”

The commander went on to state that volumes have increased in recent weeks and days. “The effort is paying off. The volume of crude oil, cargo, and liquid natural gas these past two weeks is higher than at any point in the past six months.” He further noted that CENTCOM was working with U.S. government agencies, the six Gulf Cooperation Council states, insurers, and shipping companies to raise traffic through the waterway.

Politicians Forgot Backup Power When They Pushed Clean Power in 13 States: Now Electric Bills Are Skyrocketing– www.westernjournal.com

pgnewser September 21, 2026 0

Politicians Forgot Backup Power When They Pushed Clean Power in 13 States: Now Electric Bills Are Skyrocketing– www.westernjournal.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

Thirteen states from Vermont to Hawaii have written a hard deadline into law: 100 percent carbon-free (CO2-free) or “clean” electricity, most by 2040 or 2045. Lawmakers sold these mandates as a bargain: cheaper power alongside cleaner air. Voters in those states are struggling with ever-increasing electricity bills increasing faster than non-mandate states.

The metric politicians lean on to make that case is the “levelized cost of energy” (LCOE), which ranks wind and solar as the cheapest sources of generation on the grid.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration itself cautions that the ranking is misleading because LCOE reflects the cost to build and run a single generator.

It says nothing about whether that generator can deliver power at 6 p.m. on a windless February evening, exactly when a grid needs it most.

Energy analysts, Isaac Orr and Mitch Rolling, answer the question EIA’s own number dodges. Their “Always On Levelized Cost of Energy” (AOLOC) model adds back everything a bare LCOE figure leaves out: backup generation, transmission, overbuilt capacity and the power curtailed to keep intermittent resources reliable.

Bellwether Report – Week Ending September 18., 2026

pgnewser September 18, 2026 0

By STAFF

This week’s report covers political, world, cultural, market, and sci-tech news from September 11-18

This report contains the Global Outlook, Headlines Missed, and People Advance Reports.

TOP NEWS TAGS

  1. 2026 Elections
  2. Progressive State
  3. Iran War
  4. Progressive Media
  5. Abortion Watch
  6. Lindsay Clancy
  7. Trump Deportations
  8. Canada-US Conflict
  9. Judgefare
  10. Mass Mailer Election

A. GLOBAL OUTLOOK

  1. SCOTUS ENABLES MASS MAILER VOTER FRAUD – The Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that a lower court ruling suspending President Trump’s XO attempting make Mass mailer voting more accountable will stand, at least until AFTER the 2026 election. The ruling effectively enables Democrats to slow-walk close races in their favor using reserve “ballots” “registered” to the dead and non-citizens still on their uncleansed voter rolls.

Read more on the portents of the 2026 election in our Deep Dive on page 2.

  1. IRAN’S ENDURING DEFIANCE LEAVES TRUMP QUESTIONING WHAT TO DO NEXT – President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social a problem he is considering, “Do I Want to Go In and Annihilate Them or Do I Not?”

Internally, there are increasing reports of uprisings, and government “officials” abandoning their positions, but so far, no massive uprising has taken place. With congress recently passing a resolution aimed at stopping the Iran war, the President might have a limited window to operate in, one that needs to end with a pro-American government.

  1. HOUTHIS OPEN RED SEA FRONT, TRUMP NEGOTIATES – The Houthis have been taking islands, ports, and Red Sea coast territory in a bid to rescue Iran from U.S. onslaught. The new territory enables them to attack vessels traversing the Red Sea (which they’ve already done). The Saudis have responded by forming an army to remove them. President Trump is in talks with the Houthis, and the Saudis have called for a two-week ceasefire.
  2. ANTHROPIC WANTS PROGRESSIVE EXTREMISTS TO DEFINE THE FUTURE OF AI – Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has picked a panel of far-left, “woke” extremists to “protect” us from the evil AI apocalypse the progressive state media has been pushing. The “board” consists of children of wealthy progressives.

The guiding principle of the group is “Effective Altruism,” which requires a finite definition of value anti-progressives are sure to be existentially threatened by. For instance, this will place abortion in this hierarchy of value as a highly desired altruistic outcome and opposition to abortion will be placed in its hierarchy of value as being anathema to altruism, and thus a criminal activity.

  1. FED RAISES RATES – The Federal Reserve rose interest rates for the first time in six years, citing concerns over the inflation rate continuing to exceed 2%. The board voted unanimously to raise rates and signaled more rate increases were coming. President Trump pushed back against the decision, but stopped short of criticizing the Federal Reserve Chair, Kevin Warsh. President Trump nominated Warsh for the position he now holds.
  2. CANADA COURTS THE EU – After the European Union floated the idea of Canada becoming an “associate” member of their Union, Canada’s PM Mark Carney enthusiastically embraced the idea. This followed Carney’s exposed secret collusion with the Chinese military, making Canada a potential base of operation for her current enemy, China, and her fast-becoming future enemy, Europe. Canada is becoming a security risk for the United States.
  3. ISLAMIST FOREIGNERS TAKE BACK SWEDEN – Thanks overwhelmingly to the “migrant” vote, largely dominated by Islamists from the Middle East, Sweden’s pro-Sweden government was defeated by 3 parliament seats. This means the anti-Sweden left has taken power by the slimmest of margins thanks almost entirely to the foreigner Islamist vote. Sweden has fallen, for now.
  4. DEFIANT CLANCY JUROR NOW IN HIDING – The now-doxed Lindsay Clancy juror who prevented the defendant from escaping criminal justice is now in hiding, along with his family. The juror, Michael Desronvil, has remained defiant, claiming he voted on the merits of the case, which showed Clancy was guilty of first-degree murder, of strangling her three children to death.

His family has received numerous death threats. He has acquired a lawyer as he prepares to sue the press and the jurors responsible for both doxing him and committing slander against him.

  1. DID NETANYAHU KNOW? – Ahead of the Israeli national elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is being accused of knowing about October 7 in advance. The accusation comes from former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief of staff Dan Halutz. He accused the Prime Minister of ignoring and concealing warning signs that led to the “successful” assault by Hamas terrorists.

Netanyahu accused Halutz of lying. Halutz doubled down, claiming he was involved with numerous conversations that validate this claim, and that from those conversations he was convinced Netanyahu knew more than he said he did.

  1. MASSACHUSETTS KIDNAPS CHILD TO TRANSITION HER – A Roman Catholic couple lost their child to the state when they refused to transition her to a boy. Algonquin Regional High School in Southborough socially transitioned her to a “boy” without her parents’ consent. When the parents rightly contested this illegal activity, Massachusetts state authorities chose to kidnap the child instead of prosecuting school officials.

Child grooming and violating parents’ rights is protected criminal action by the state of Massachusetts. The girl is now 17 and being unconstitutionally confined in a boys’ dormitory. The state is giving her birth control pills and psychiatric drugs while it prepares to mutilate her body.

B. HEADLINES MISSED

  1. VIOLENCE TO STOP FREE SPEECH IS BECOMING A COLLEGE VALUE – Foundation For Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) released a poll that revealed 30% of surveyed college students approve of violence to stop free speech rarely, which is down from last year’s high of 34%. However, of that group, half (or 15% total) said yes to violence to stop fee speech “sometimes,” not just rarely; 3% chose “always.”
  2. CHINESE BILLIONAIRE MAKING FUTURE CCP AMERICANS THANKS TO SCOTUS – Thanks to the Supreme Court’s refusal to defend American sovereignty from foreign invaders, a recluse Chinese billionaire has hundreds of “American” children. Xu Bo is alleged to have been using surrogates to bring to term his embryos on American soil so that his children will be born as American citizens.

Our enemies have children birthed on American soil. These children are then taken to their home country, trained in their home country’s ways, and sent back as “legal” invaders, scouts, saboteurs of the country they have no business being citizens of. After the SCOTUS’ ruling that upheld birthright citizenship covers anyone born in America, our enemies have increased their efforts to create future “legal” invaders of America.

  1. NEW YORK SELLS SUICIDES – On the day Progressive New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced plans to pass euthanasia legislation, a company named Quietus began selling suicide. The company offered this $12,00 deal to New Yorkers through the progressive state press: “Imagine that instead of taking medication to fend off death from a terminal illness, a person could pay to take a concoction that will end their life in minutes — giving them full control of when and where they die.

“… Before their scheduled death, patients get two medical evaluations and a mental health screening, as well as a prescription for the drugs needed, including lethal doses of cardiac medication, that will end their life. The $12,000 cost for the patient covers all of this and help for the grieving family after their passing.”

  1. POPE PROMOTES PRO-LGBTQ PRIEST TO BISHOP – In another sign of the erosion of the Catholic church’s leadership, Pope Leo XIV has promoted a pro-LGBTQ, anti-church priest to Bishop. Father Mario Leon Dorado has been outspoken in his support to “bless” “irregular” couples (meaning homosexuals), as well as calling on the church to fade away the way John the Baptist did when Christ was baptized.

He declared in 2022, “There is the ecclesiological challenge: the Church as a sacrament at the service of the Kingdom of God. The Church is called to disappear so that the Kingdom may grow, in analogy with the experience of John the Baptist…. The experience of John the Baptist is the experience of the Church.”

  1. UK MIGHT BE OVER? – Leaders of Scotland, Wales, and Ireland are calling for a breakup of the UK. The leaders of these three nations are hoping to jettison London in favor of the EU. Scottish First Minister John Swinney, Welsh First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth and Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill all signed a declaration that claimed, “Westminster is coming to an end.”

C. PEOPLE ADVANCE

  1. JUDGE KILLS DELAWARE’S “GHOST GUN” BAN – U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika struck down Delaware’s ghost-gun ban, which effectively bans the constitutional rights of Americans to make their own guns.

The judge ruled, “… An untraceable firearm is an Arm under the Second Amendment.  It is, after all, a firearm, and even under the narrowest reading of ‘Arms,’ ‘all firearms constitute [] ‘arms,’ whether serialized or not. Moreover, the evidence here shows that untraceable firearms are customarily used for offensive or defensive purposes such as self-defense…”

  1. FEDERAL COURT UPHOLDS INDIANA’S LAW OUTLAWING TRANSGENDER SURGERY FOR KIDS – U.S. District Judge James Patrick Hanlon upheld Indiana’s law prohibiting transgender surgeries on children. Indiana’s Attorney General declared, “We have won this critical fight against radicals who would otherwise impose this horrific practice on our kids for ideological and financial reasons. My office will keep standing between our children and those who would sacrifice their health, innocence, and well-being on the altar of woke gender ideology.”
  2. JUDGE KILLS UNIVERSITY’S “DEAD NAMING” RULE – U.S. District Court Judge Fred Slaughter has halted a University of California policy that would penalize students for calling transgendered students by their born names. This is called “dead naming,” calling them by the name of their “dead selves.” The policy equated “dead naming” to “sexual harassment.”

He also halted their policy of punishing students for not using other students’ preferred pronouns. The school called this action “harassment,” which effectively punishes dissenting belief from the gender fluid ideology. The judge ruled that “there is no categorical ‘harassment exception’ to the First Amendment.” He stated the students “have demonstrated a credible threat to enforcement.”

  1. CHRISTIAN WINS BACK RIGHT TO ADOPT – The Oregon Department of Human Services had to change its standards for adoption after a Christian widow sued them. Jessica Bates sued the state after she was denied the right to adopt a child in their system for refusing to affirm the rainbow ideology. The state settled with Bates, removing the conditions of adoption that demand LGBTQ affirmation. They also had to pay Bates’ court costs.
  2. PIDDINGTON SECEDES FROM BRITIAN – The village of Piddington voted to secede from the United Kingdom as a response to the government’s plan to overwhelm the tiny village with a flood of subsidized invaders. The vote passed with a 92% supermajority. The referendum was held on September 15, the date Britian celebrates its victory over the German Luftwaffe in 1940.

MIA Weekly – Ease Amerika

pgnewser September 18, 2026 0

Week Ending September 18, 2026

In this issue:

Easing Elections –

In Issue 2026.32, Ease Amerika, we start with a Deep Dive on the prevailing issues of ease narratives in an election that is ACTUALLY about whether America will continue as an individual rights constitutional republic or become a progressive state.

Our Bellwether Report covers Mailing Votes, College Speech, and Ghost Gun Liberty.

In our Final Thought, Bill Collier analyzes the state of America 25 years after 9/11. Did we learn lessons or not?

  1. Deep Dive: The Election Fight for Ease, not the Republic
  2. Bellwether Report – Global Outlook, Headlines Missed, People Advance

III.  Final Thought: 9/11 – 25 Years Without Learning a Thing

MIA Weekly 26 09 18 FINAL DRAFT promo version

Anthropic Wants Progressive Extremists to Define the Future of AI

pgnewser September 17, 2026 0

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has picked a panel of far-left, “woke” extremists to “protect” us from the evil AI apocalypse the progressive state media has been pushing. The “board” consists of children of wealthy progressives.

The guiding principle of the group is “Effective Altruism,” which requires a finite definition of value anti-progressives are sure to be existentially threatened by. For instance, this will place abortion in this hierarchy of value as a highly desired altruistic outcome and opposition to abortion in its hierarchy of value as being anathema to altruism, and thus a criminal activity.

AI’s New Watchdogs: Far-Left Globalists Bankrolled by the Same Billionaires They’re Supposed to Police– gellerreport.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

Now that the Democrats’ climate-change hoax has been thoroughly exposed, they need a new Trojan horse for dismantling the West. Enter AI doomerism.

The same Anthropic that denied its use to the US military now wants government “regulation”, spearheaded with Bernie Sanders. It about control, power, and censorship.

AI Doomerism and Who Is Behind It

Meet Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s handpicked super-woke globalists he thinks will save us from an AI apocalypse

That’s the pitch from Anthropic’s CEO Dario Amodei, who says he has found an outside team that can regulate AI and make sure it doesn’t destroy the world.

It’s a group of globalists who believe in open borders, genderless pronoun and promote “Effective Altruism,” that believe all the world’s problems can be solved with technology.

In a bombshell essay titled “We Must Pace the Frontier,” Amodei argued that leading AI firms should commit to allowing “embedded third-party evaluators” from a nonprofit called Model Evaluation and Threat Research, or METR, that would maintain “employee-like access” to oversee safety efforts and ensure advanced AI models don’t turn Terminator and wipe out humanity.

The would-be John Connors at METR purport to be fully independent, but the group traces its roots directly back to key figures in Effective Altruism, whose Silicon Valley-based devotees once included disgraced crypto boss Sam Bankman-Fried, one of Anthropic’s biggest early investors.

Inside Goldman’s bootcamp for ultra-rich Gen Z heirs: How to read the news, buy luxury watches and invest in sports teams
Effective Altruism, a philosophy that’s become popular with Silicon Valley masters of the universe, advocates for using reason — and fortunes amassed by tech’s best and brightest — to do the most good for humanity over the long term.

Fed Raises Rates

pgnewser September 17, 2026 0

The Federal Reserve rose interest rates for the first time in six years, citing concerns over the inflation rate continuing to exceed 2%. The board voted unanimously to raise rates and signaled more rate increases were coming. President Trump pushed back against the decision, but stopped short of criticizing the Federal Reserve Chair, Kevin Warsh. President Trump nominated Warsh for the position he now holds.

‘Stay in our lane’: Warsh vows Fed independence after hiking rates– www.washingtonexaminer.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

Chairman Kevin Warsh drew a bright line between the Federal Reserve and the White House after the central bank raised interest rates in defiance of President Donald Trump.

Warsh, speaking at a press conference in Washington on Wednesday after the rate decision, was asked by the Washington Examiner about whether the decision to proceed with raising rates despite Trump’s lobbying for a rate cut could be seen as a test of the Fed’s independence. Warsh didn’t provide any details about conversations he had with the president.

House Unanimously Votes to Stop Penny Production– www.breitbart.com

pgnewser September 17, 2026 0

House Unanimously Votes to Stop Penny Production– www.breitbart.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

The House of Representatives has unanimously voted to pass the Common Cents Act, which would send the United States penny into extinction.

Democrats and Republicans voted together on Monday to block the U.S. Treasury from minting any more one-cent coins, and to require any person or business selling goods or services for cash to round “to the nearest amount divisible by five for the payment or transfer of cash.”

If passed by the Senate as expected, the bill will take effect one year after. Pennies already in circulation will remain legal tender, lawmakers clarified. 

The bill was led in the House by Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain (R-MI) and Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA), the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee.

The unanimous vote came after the U.S. Mint stopped making new pennies in November 2025, but the legislation would prevent it from restarting the production of pennies in the future. 

Costs associated with producing each penny have risen to 3.69 cents, far outweighing the value they carry. The Treasury stated in a press release that they could annually save $56 million. 

Man Loses Job and Is Diagnosed With Diabetes, Then HOA Forecloses on His Home Over Less Than $1,000 in Dues — Property Ultimately Sold Back to HOA for $8,172– www.louderwithcrowder.com

pgnewser September 17, 2026 0

Man Loses Job and Is Diagnosed With Diabetes, Then HOA Forecloses on His Home Over Less Than $1,000 in Dues — Property Ultimately Sold Back to HOA for $8,172– www.louderwithcrowder.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

A man purchased a home for around $475,000. Unfortunately, he lost his job and was diagnosed with diabetes around the same time. This resulted in him falling behind on his HOA payments. Rather than the association helping him come up with a payment plan for the initial $900 he owed, they ultimately forced a foreclosure, then rebought his property for $8,172.

There are so many protections in place for renters. Yet, when homeowners fall on hard times, there seem to be zero resources for them to rely on. Call me crazy, but one might assume that the government loathes property owners, while only representing renters. Why do you think that is?

According to the New York Post:

Toby Newton purchased the four-bedroom Mesa home for $475,000 in 2022, but ran into financial trouble two years later after losing his job and being diagnosed with diabetes, according to the Mesa Tribune.

Newton fell behind on his quarterly HOA assessments, which were around $170, eventually owing $977 in fees and interest.

It is undoubtedly absurd, the kind of mess an incompetent bureaucracy can create.

He initially offered to pay $50 per month toward his debt while keeping up with his regular assessments. After that was rejected, he increased his proposed payments — eventually offering $200 a month — but said the HOA rejected those offers as well.

Saudi pipeline shutdown threatens oil exports to Europe and Asia as kingdom relies on stored supplies– www.euronews.com

pgnewser September 17, 2026 0

Saudi pipeline shutdown threatens oil exports to Europe and Asia as kingdom relies on stored supplies– www.euronews.com
News Source

EXCERPT:

Published on •Updated

Saudi Arabia is relying on stored oil to maintain exports after drone attacks shut its East-West pipeline, threatening deliveries to buyers in Europe and Asia.

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Saudi Arabia’s energy ministry announced the shutdown on Friday as a precaution, after the pipeline was attacked in the Riyadh and Medina regions last Thursday.

It said emergency and technical teams were securing the pipeline and checking its safety.

Saudi and Iraqi authorities said the drone attack originated in Iraq. The ministry’s announcement did not say when pumping would resume or give a full account of the damage.

Saudi oil buyers and traders quoted in reports published on Sunday estimated that a prolonged shutdown could put at risk around 4 million barrels a day, or about 4% of global oil supply.

They estimated that oil stored at the Red Sea port of Yanbu could keep exports going for five to seven days. Saudi authorities have not confirmed either estimate.

The effect on deliveries will depend on how quickly pumping resumes and how much stored oil is available.

Brent crude futures rose around 3% in early trading on Monday following further attacks on energy facilities and shipping in the Middle East.

A route around Hormuz

The roughly 1,200km pipeline carries oil from eastern Saudi Arabia to Yanbu on the west coast. It allows exports to leave through the Red Sea without tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Aramco said in May that it had increased pumping through the pipeline to its maximum capacity of 7 million barrels a day during the first quarter, helping maintain exports while shipping through Hormuz was disrupted.

The pipeline also supplies refineries on Saudi Arabia’s west coast, so its capacity is not the same as the amount exported.

The shutdown does not mean global oil supplies immediately fall by 7 million barrels a day. Tankers can still load oil stored near export terminals, but those supplies will run down unless more oil arrives.

Deliveries to Europe and Asia

From Yanbu, tankers heading to Europe can sail north through the Red Sea towards the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean. Egypt’s SUMED pipeline offers another route, carrying oil between the Red Sea and Mediterranean coasts.

The direct sea route to Asia runs south through Bab el-Mandeb, the narrow passage between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and then towards the Indian Ocean.

That route faces a separate threat from Yemen’s Houthis, who have seized Perim Island in the passage and the country’s Red Sea coast, effectively taking control of the strait.

Tankers heading to Asia could instead sail north through Suez and then around Africa, but the journey would be much longer. Changing a tanker’s route does not solve the problem of getting oil to Yanbu.

The International Energy Agency said in its September oil market report that stored oil supplies worldwide had fallen by 507 million barrels since February, including 95 million barrels in August alone.

The agency estimated Gulf oil exports at around 13 million barrels a day in August, nearly half their pre-war level. It also reported sharply higher diesel prices in Europe and Asia as disruptions reduced fuel supplies.


Federal Reserve Raises Interest Rates in First Hike in More Than Three Years– slaynews.com

pgnewser September 17, 2026 0

Federal Reserve Raises Interest Rates in First Hike in More Than Three Years– slaynews.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates Wednesday for the first time in more than three years, reversing one of last year’s cuts as officials moved to contain stubborn inflation.

In a unanimous 12-0 decision, the Federal Open Market Committee increased its benchmark federal funds rate by a quarter percentage point, bringing the target range to 3.75% to 4%.

The decision marks the first major interest rate move under newly installed Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh.

It immediately puts President Donald Trump’s handpicked central bank chief at odds with the president’s repeated calls for lower borrowing costs.

Fed Reverses Course as Inflation Remains Elevated

The quarter-point increase effectively erases one of the three interest rate cuts approved last year.

Federal Reserve officials pointed directly to persistent inflation in explaining the reversal.

“Inflation remains elevated,” the Federal Open Market Committee said in its statement.

Trump rips ‘hostile’ Fed board after interest rate hike but defends Warsh– www.washingtonexaminer.com

pgnewser September 17, 2026 0

Trump rips ‘hostile’ Fed board after interest rate hike but defends Warsh– www.washingtonexaminer.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

President Donald Trump tore into the “hostile” Federal Reserve after the board voted on Wednesday to raise interest rates but held back criticism of Chairman Kevin Warsh, whom he tapped to lead the central bank earlier this year.

Speaking with reporters in North Carolina, Trump was asked about the interest rate decision. The president said Warsh’s hands were tied due to the current state of the Fed.

Gas prices are about to take a big jump, analysts say, with the worst still to come– www.washingtonpost.com

pgnewser September 17, 2026 0

Gas prices are about to take a big jump, analysts say, with the worst still to come– www.washingtonpost.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

The effects of the U.S.-led war on Iran are about to intensify in the form of huge jumps the prices of gasoline and diesel, analysts predict. And despite the Trump administration’s assurances, a new and potentially even more economically damaging phase of the war may be about to begin.

 

Trump To Repay Americans For Biden’s Obamacare Overcharges– thefederalist.com

pgnewser September 17, 2026 0

Trump To Repay Americans For Biden’s Obamacare Overcharges– thefederalist.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

The Trump administration recently announced a proposal to issue payments to individuals that makes a good deal of policy sense. No, I don’t mean the proposal for $5,000 rebate checks, which has myriad policy and political flaws.

But refunding excess user fees for people enrolled in Obamacare Exchange plans would help offset rising premium costs. And lowering user fees in the future would also mitigate against future premium increases. Depending on the details, this policy may also provide targeted relief to those affected by last year’s expiration of enhanced exchange subsidies.

Trump Announces End to 10 Percent Tariff on Irish Whiskey › American Greatness– amgreatness.com

pgnewser September 14, 2026 0

Trump Announces End to 10 Percent Tariff on Irish Whiskey › American Greatness– amgreatness.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

President Donald Trump announced Sunday that the United States will eliminate its 10 percent tariff on Irish whiskey, offering a significant trade concession to Ireland following repeated appeals from Irish officials and the country’s spirits industry.

Trump made the surprise announcement during the trophy ceremony at the Irish Open, held at Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg.

“Everybody’s been bugging me” about the tariff, Trump told the crowd, adding that some professional golfers had raised the issue with him.

“And I said, ‘On behalf of the United States of America, I am going to take the tariffs off’” Irish whiskey, Trump said.

The announcement drew cheers and whistles from spectators. Trump did not provide a date for when the tariff exemption would take effect.

Irish whiskey has been subject to the 10 percent U.S. import tariff applied to many European Union products. Trump previously exempted certain British spirits, including Scotch whisky and whiskey produced in Northern Ireland, from U.S. tariffs.

As the Social Security insolvency nears, more lawmakers are open to tax hikes—even Republicans– fortune.com

pgnewser September 14, 2026 0

As the Social Security insolvency nears, more lawmakers are open to tax hikes—even Republicans– fortune.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

Congress has put off making tough choices on Social Security for years, but the bill is coming due soon, and it’s looking like taxpayers will pick up the tab.

That’s because a small but growing group of lawmakers has signaled openness to shoring up Social Security’s finances by raising more revenue via taxes. The group includes some Republicans, who have traditionally viewed tax hikes as anathema.

For decades, Social Security was viewed as the “third rail” in American politics, with any suggestion of tax hikes or benefit cuts producing swift blowback.

But as retirees face the prospect of much smaller checks, the political calculation may be changing.  Projections earlier this year showed that the Social Security trust fund will run out of money sooner than previously thought, meaning benefits would face a 22% cut by 2032 unless adjustments are enacted.

Revenue from payroll taxes has been insufficient to fund current benefits, and the trust fund covers the gap. But once it runs out, Social Security will only be able to distribute what comes in.

Oil Jumps Above $107, Bond Yields Surge Higher, Stocks Fall– www.breitbart.com

pgnewser September 10, 2026 0

Oil Jumps Above $107, Bond Yields Surge Higher, Stocks Fall– www.breitbart.com
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EXCERPT:

Oil prices jumped to their highest levels since May amid renewed fighting in the Persian Gulf and investor concerns that the war in Iran will persist longer than previously thought.

Brent crude futures crossed above $107 a barrel and WTI futures neared $102. The possibility of a near-term contraction in oil supplies and a protracted war has been pushing up energy prices for several weeks, with the climb accelerating this week.

Yields on bonds issued by the U.S. government climbed to new multiyear highs. The yield on 10-year U.S. Treasuries climbed 0.082 percent to 4.922 percent. That matched the post-pandemic highs hit amid raging inflation and Federal Reserve interest rate increases aimed at restoring price stability.

Shorter-term Treasury yields also rose, reflecting increased expectations for rate increases from the Fed. The yield on the 2-year Treasury rose sharply, climbing 0.114 percent to 4.541 percent.

Yields on government bonds around the world climbed. Yields on government bonds issued by Germany, the U.K., France, and Japan were higher.

Bond yield rise when bond prices fall. A rising yield reflects investors requiring higher returns for holding government securities. This can be due to rising inflation expectations, rising competition from other securities when investors expect faster growth and higher returns on stocks or corporate bonds, or a more aggressive monetary policy.

The major stock indexes in the U.S. were all down by around six-tenths of a percentage point on Thursday morning. Nine of the eleven sectors of the S&P 500 declined, with consumer staples the only one to rise. The tech heavy communications services sector was flat.

Trump Announces $500 Obamacare Rebate Checks Will Be Sent to Nearly 1 Million Americans ‘In Just a Few Weeks’– www.westernjournal.com

pgnewser September 10, 2026 0

Trump Announces $500 Obamacare Rebate Checks Will Be Sent to Nearly 1 Million Americans ‘In Just a Few Weeks’– www.westernjournal.com
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EXCERPT:

President Donald Trump said Thursday that one million Americans will receive $500 rebate checks to make them whole again, after being overcharged for Obamacare.

“President Donald J. Trump announces $500 rebate checks to nearly 1 million hardworking Americans who were wrongly overcharged through Obamacare,” The White House announced on X.

“Our Administration is doing the right thing and giving the money back to the people who were wrongly ripped off.”

Canada tariffs up to 50% come into effect on $27.6 billion U.S. goods– www.cnbc.com

pgnewser September 10, 2026 0

Canada tariffs up to 50% come into effect on $27.6 billion U.S. goods– www.cnbc.com
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EXCERPT:

Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on a swathe of U.S. goods took effect on Tuesday after trade talks collapsed last month, as relations between Washington and Ottawa continue to sour.

The duties range from 15% to 50% across $27.6 billion worth of U.S. products, including dairy, agricultural equipment, paper, household appliances and electronics. Canadian tariffs on U.S. steel, aluminum and iron products doubled to 50%, while furniture and clothing were also hit with the highest rate.

Canada called the move a “dollar for dollar” response to U.S. levies on its own goods, which have been targeted by Section 338 tariffs. Its Department of Finance said it would protect Canadian workers, producers and manufacturers by allowing them to better compete with U.S. products sold in the domestic market.

What new tariff walls in U.S.-Canada trade war mean for the economy’s critical metals

Existing Canadian counter-tariffs against the U.S., including 25% on the politically sensitive autos sector, remain in place.

Trade talks between the longstanding allies fell apart at the end of August, with officials on each side blaming one another for the failure to reach a deal and publicly disagreeing over which areas they could not find compromise.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday called for a boycott of Canadian airplane manufacturer Bombardier, posting on Truth Social: “NO MORE SELLING BOMBARDIER IN THE UNITED STATES!”

The U.S. exported $333.6 billion worth of goods to Canada, and imported $381.9 billion from its northern neighbor. The pair share trade in many of the same sectors, including energy, vehicles, heavy machinery, aircraft, pharmaceuticals, gems and jewelry, furniture, clothing and a host of foods and drinks.

 

Anthropic Saves the World Again and Again

pgnewser September 10, 2026 0

Anthropic is claiming it has prevented multiple attempts by bad actors to use Claude AI to execute terrorist actions. The attempts included kamikazie drone swarms and biological weapons.

They posted on their X account, “We’re publishing our most detailed threat intelligence report to date. It covers how people tried to misuse Claude—for cyberattacks, influence operations, surveillance, biology, and building weapons—and how we found and stopped them. We disrupted every operation in the report…”

Anthropic Reveals How It Stopped ‘Kamikaze Drone’ Swarms, Biological Weapons And More– dailycaller.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

Anthropic unveiled its latest report detailing how it stopped bad actors from using its Claude artificial intelligence (AI) models for malicious activity.

Cases ranged from fake dating apps designed for fraud to surveillance systems meant to track dissidents, according to Anthropic’s Threat Intelligence Report. The report states that bad actors include “suspected state-sponsored groups, financially motivated criminals, commercial spyware vendors, state propaganda institutions, and politically motivated individuals.”

Anthropic emphasized that bad actors used Claude Haiku, Sonnet and Opus for malicious purposes and that its frontier models, Fable and Mythos, were not involved, save for one instance of trying to steal AI model data through a process known as “distillation.” (RELATED: China’s Hottest AI Company Accused Of Stealing Anthropic Data In ‘Covert’ Plot)

U.S. Job Creation Heats Back Up

pgnewser September 9, 2026 0

The U.S. economy has seen job growth stagnate the past couple of months, leading experts to predict an anemic August jobs report. However, the jobs report delivered far better than expected, with 162,000 new jobs being created in July, Unemployment held steady at 4.1%. In addition to this news, another report revealed unemployment among the college-less is at an all-time low.

Jobs report live updates: US adds 162,000 jobs in August, blowing past estimates – msn.com

News Source

EXCERPT:

The August jobs report showed that hiring surged last month.

The US added 162,000 jobs last month, the Labor Department reported on Friday. Economists expected the US to have added 55,000 jobs last month, rebounding from an unexpected decline in jobs in July. The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.1%.

While inflation remains the central question of the day, Friday’s jobs report informs the Federal Reserve’s decision whether to hike interest rates or hold them steady later this month.

The August jobs report follows a string of indicators on US employment trends this week. Here’s a recap of what we learned in recent days about the “low hire, low fire” economy:

  • Hiring remained steady, according to the Labor Department’s monthly Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). The US added 7.3 million new job openings in July, which was little changed from the previous month.

  • Private employers added 38,000 jobs in August, below economists’ expectations for 47,000 new roles, according to payroll processor ADP. The healthcare sector accounted for the bulk of new jobs added, while manufacturing and professional services saw declines.

  • US companies announced fewer layoff plans in August, according to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. The firm recorded 53,000 layoff plans last month, making it the slowest August for layoffs since 2022.

  • Initial jobless claims ticked up slightly to 206,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, coming in above economists’ expectations of 205,000.

Report: Unemployment Rate Among Non-College Grads Reaches One of Lowest Points in Past 23 Years– www.breitbart.com
News Source
EXCERPT:

Younger workers who are not college graduates are seeing one of their lowest unemployment rates in recent history, according to a Burning Glass Institute analysis reported by the Wall Street Journal.

The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday night that the analysis shows an extremely strong job market for those between 22 and 34 years of age without diplomas from a higher education institution.

The historically low unemployment rate among this demographic, which rivals lows since 2003, breaks with the rates of unemployment among college-educated peers in the same age window, per the analysis:

Now, though, just as job hunters without degrees are having one of their best runs, those with college educations are having one of their worst. And those with advanced degrees or in fields such as science and technology are having an even harder time

Iran War Updates: Oil hits $100 per barrel as Tehran fires missiles in retaliation for U.S. blowing up tankers– www.cbsnews.com

pgnewser September 9, 2026 0

Iran War Updates: Oil hits $100 per barrel as Tehran fires missiles in retaliation for U.S. blowing up tankers– www.cbsnews.com
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EXCERPT:

 

Iran says “prohibited zone” near Hormuz to cover parts of Gulf of Oman and beyond

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Wednesday that a new “prohibited zone” outside the Strait of Hormuz would cover parts of the Gulf of Oman and beyond, adding they would announce the exact coordinates later.

“It approximately starts from the direction of Chabahar, covering part of the Sea of Oman and another part of the Arabian Sea,” IRGC Spokesman Hossein Mohebi told state television. “If a vessel enters that area without coordination, it will be subject to our sanctions.”

On Monday, the head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said Tehran was planning to announce a maritime “exclusion zone” outside the strait where it intends to stop vessels attempting to transit the waterway without Iranian permission. 

CBS/AFP

 

Houthis accuse Saudi Arabia of striking Yemeni prison, killing inmates and visitors

The Houthis accused Saudi Arabia on Wednesday of carrying out an airstrike on a Yemeni prison, killing inmates as well as women and children who were visiting.

In a statement on X, Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the alleged strike on the prison in Al-Hazm, the capital of Yemen’s Al-Jawf province, took place on Monday and killed “a large number of prison inmates, along with a number of visitors including children and women.”

“The attempts by the Saudi enemy to evade responsibility for its crimes and aggression against our country will not exempt it from the consequences and repercussions of this aggression and criminality, no matter how much it tries to cover it up,” he added.

The Saudis have not responded to the Houthi claims.

The Houthis on Wednesday also accused Saudi Arabia of launching more than 30 strikes on several regions of Yemen, a day after Saudi authorities reported Houthi attacks had injured 73 people early on Tuesday, and temporarily shut several oil facilities.

Fighting in Yemen reignited last week, when the Houthis launched a major campaign to seize territory near the strategic Bab al-Mandab strait.

 

Iran condemns U.S. strike on oil tankers

Iran’s foreign ministry on Wednesday strongly condemned U.S. strikes on its oil tankers, describing the attacks the previous day as a threat to regional security.

“The aggressive actions by the United States against Iranian commercial vessels not only increase the dangers of tensions in the region but are also considered an overt threat to regional and international peace and security,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that Iranian forces had targeted U.S. military facilities in the region in “self-defense”.

U.S. Central Command said it disabled five Iranian tankers on Tuesday with strikes launched in response to unsuccessful Iranian missile attacks targeting a U.S. warship in recent days.

 

Several vessels in Gulf damaged, British maritime agency reports

Several vessels in the Persian Gulf region were on fire Wednesday, a U.K. Navy agency reported, after Iran said it had attacked more than a dozen ships trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz without its permission.

The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations center (UKMTO) said “several merchant vessels in the Northern Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman” were hit by “disabling fire as part of ongoing military activity in the region.”

The center did not name the ships in question, but the U.S. said Tuesday night it had destroyed 5 Iranian oil tankers in the gulf.

It also said a vessel 24 nautical miles northwest of Port Rashid, in the UAE, was listing, potentially due to an attack.

“The Master of a tanker has reported sighting a vessel listing while at anchor, possibly indicating water ingress following an attack from an unknown projectile,” it said.

On Wednesday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said it had attacked two U.S. warships, eight oil tankers and 10 “non-compliant vessels” trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz. 

The U.S. military’s Central Command quickly denied that any American ships had been struck.

 

U.S. military denies Iran’s claim to have damaged U.S. warships with missile attack

The U.S. military’s Central Command denied on Wednesday Iran’s claim to have inflicted “heavy damage” on U.S. warships.

“No U.S. Navy warship has been struck; all IRGC attempted attacks failed,” CENTCOM said in a post on social media. 

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed earlier that its naval forces had targeted two U.S. warships, along with eight other vessels, and “inflicted heavy damage on them.”

CENTCOM dismissed the claim as “completely FALSE” and said U.S. forces had destroyed 10 Iranian tankers “just in the last week.”

 

Oil prices could hit $120, analysis finds, as Americans absorb $100 billion fuel hit

An analysis by Goldman Sachs has forecast that heightened attacks in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea could push global oil prices above $120 a barrel, which would add to the surging fuel costs Americans have faced during the Iran war.

The investment bank’s forecast implies a roughly 20% increase in the cost of Brent crude, the international benchmark, which is trading at nearly $100 a barrel. Oil prices have spiked in recent weeks as the Middle East conflict drags on, with U.S. military forces striking three Iranian oil tankers on Saturday and the Houthi rebels attacking Saudi oil facilities.

Read more here

 

Iranian forces say they targeted American warships again

Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Wednesday that it had targeted two U.S. warships and eight other vessels in retaliation for U.S. strikes on five Iranian oil tankers the previous day.

The IRGC said its naval forces had targeted the vessels in the Persian Gulf region, claiming to have “inflicted heavy damage on them.” 

There was no immediate response from the U.S. military, which said Tuesday that it had warned the crews of the five Iranian tankers to abandon ship “before the vessels were struck and rendered inoperable.”

The new attacks claimed by the IRGC are the latest in a series of flare-ups in fighting between the U.S. and Iran since a ceasefire agreed to by both sides in June fell apart over disagreements regarding control over ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. 

 

Oil hits $100 per barrel for first time since July amid fighting flare-up

The price of Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil, hit $100 per barrel Wednesday morning, the highest it’s been since late July.

The increase is a continuation of an upward trend seen since August and follows a flare-up in fighting between the U.S. and Iran.

The U.S. announced late Tuesday it had struck 5 Iranian oil tankers in response to an attempted attack on its warships in the region. Iran retaliated by targeting a military base in Jordan that hosts U.S. forces. The Jordanian military said it intercepted 18 Iranian missiles and reported no casualties.

 

Protesters urge South Korea to not join U.S. war with Iran

Dozens of South Koreans urged their government on Wednesday not to deploy troops to the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

The protesters across from the U.S. embassy compound in Seoul waved signs saying “Do not join a war of aggression” as the country’s leaders weigh a “contribution” to the waterway’s security.

“We cannot send our young people into a sea of death!” chanted the protesters on the steps outside Seoul’s Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.

The protest came a day after South Korean defence authorities said they had sent a fact-finding mission to assess the situation in Hormuz, while stressing that no decision had been made on any deployment.  

South Korea said Friday it was considering “contributions” to U.S. security efforts along the strait  provided that its own military readiness was not compromised.

Iran has warned that any South Korean deployment would be “regarded as direct support for the party responsible for that aggression and will have serious consequences.”

 

Iran-backed Houthi group reports over 30 strikes across Yemen

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis reported more than 30 Saudi strikes on several regions on Wednesday, a day after the rebels launched major attacks on their neighbor, injuring dozens of people.

There has been no official comment from Saudi Arabia about the Houthi report.

Saudi authorities previously said that Houthi attacks caused temporary shutdowns at oil sites and injured 73 people early Tuesday. The rebels reported Saudi airstrikes following the attacks.

Deadly fighting reignited in Yemen last week, when the Houthis launched a major campaign to seize territory near the Bab al-Mandab strait.

The strait has become an increasingly important route for Saudi oil since Iran  effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, choking Gulf exports.

CBS/AFP

 

Price of oil trades at $99 per barrel again as open hostilities resume

The price of Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil, was trading at over $99 early Wednesday, in a continuation of the upward trend seen since August.

Meanwhile, the benchmark U.S. crude rose 1.2% to $94.17 a barrel.

Before the war began in February, a fifth of the world’s oil flowed through the Strait of Hormuz but since then, traffic has plummeted, with only small periods of temporary and limited recovery.

 

Iran launches missiles at U.S. targets in Jordan, state media says

Iran has launched missiles toward U.S. targets in Jordan, Iranian state-run media said, following the latest American strikes.

It’s the latest tit-for-tat retaliation after the U.S. military said it destroyed five Iranian crude oil tankers following two attacks on a U.S. warship by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard over the past two days.

U.S. Central Command, when asked about the strikes on the Jordanian air base, said it had no information to offer.

Jordan’s military said its air defense systems intercepted 18 ballistic missiles launched toward its territory and two others fell in places where people do not live. It says it had no reports of casualties.

Jordan is a staunch U.S. ally that hosts American forces, making the kingdom’s military bases a target of repeated Iranian strikes.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy also warned crews of oil tankers near ports in Kuwait and Bahrain to immediately leave their vessels, saying the ships could be targeted in retaliation for the U.S. attacks on Iranian tankers.

 

CENTCOM confirms it struck five Iranian oil tankers

The U.S. military’s Central Command confirmed Tuesday it “destroyed” five oil tankers associated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

In a statement accompanied by video footage of the operation, CENTCOM said the strikes were in response to a set of unsuccessful Iranian missile attacks against a U.S. warship in recent days.

Four of the tankers were struck in the Gulf of Oman, according to CENTCOM, and a fifth was hit near Kharg Island, an island in the Persian Gulf that serves as Iran’s primary terminal for crude oil exports. It alleged the ships were part of Iran’s shadow fleet, a network of tankers used by Iran to export oil and generate revenue for the regime.

“American forces directed the crews to abandon ship before the vessels were struck and rendered inoperable,” CENTCOM said.

CBS News had reported on a U.S. attack against Iranian tankers earlier Tuesday.

CENTCOM also struck three Iranian oil tankers last weekend in retaliation for an earlier attempted Iranian attack against U.S. Navy ships.