Strain

• Chinese military announced a temporary halt to provocative exercises around Taiwan following private diplomatic discussions between US and Chinese officials in Singapore this week. • Beijing stated the suspension aims to create space for constructive dialogue, though military analysts note China maintains its military posture in the Taiwan Strait. • The development provides cautious optimism for regional stability, with US officials emphasizing the importance of maintaining open communication channels to prevent miscalculation.

Inspection reveals use of force after protest by detainees being deported under ‘one in, one out’ schemeAsylum seekers who protested against being forcibly removed to France under the Home Office’s controversial “one in, one out” scheme, were transported out of the UK in waist and leg restraints, an inspection report has revealed.The report by HM chief inspector of prisons, Charlie Taylor, inspected a flight to France that took place on 20-21 January this year and on which it found no force was used. Continue reading...

• Crude oil futures surged above $85 per barrel Thursday, driven by ongoing supply constraints from geopolitical tensions and maintenance shutdowns at major U.S. refineries affecting production capacity. • Energy stocks in the S&P 500 gained 2.1% on the session, with exploration and production companies outperforming as rising commodity prices improve profit margins and cash flow forecasts. • Analysts noted that refinery capacity utilization fell to 87% this week, the lowest level since January, suggesting tighter margins ahead for integrated energy companies dependent on downstream operations.

President has affixed his name to institutions and edifices, and his visage now glowers from several federal buildingsThe US has a history of naming things after its presidents.Washington DC has the Ronald Reagan airport, while John F Kennedy international airport is New York’s main air transport thoroughfare. The Hoover Dam straddles Nevada and Arizona; Theodore Roosevelt is one of several former presidents to have a Washington DC building named after them; Franklin Delano Roosevelt has an island; Abraham Lincoln has the Lincoln Memorial; and George Washington has the nation’s capital and an entire state. Continue reading...

• Bluestem Health in Lincoln, Nebraska, serving 21,000 low-income and uninsured patients, has operated at a loss for two years and anticipates worsening conditions due to new Medicaid work rules under President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act. • Nebraska becomes the first state to enforce work requirements for certain Medicaid enrollees, risking coverage loss and threatening clinic viability, as stated by CEO Brad Meyer. • The policy darkens the outlook for government-backed clinics nationwide by reducing patient access to care amid rising operational costs.

The factories, which buy cheap crude and turn it into fuel, are struggling as higher oil prices threaten their razor-sharp margins The towns that are the bulwark of China’s energy security can, at a moment of global crisis, appear deceptively quiet. Trucks carrying oil trundle along wide-open highways that have little traffic, while a few boarded-up shops in crumbling low-rise buildings hint at a long-forgotten local buzz.A ramshackle noodle shop serving hand-pulled ribbons of dough was empty at lunchtime, save for a few construction workers and a teacher watching videos on Douyin, the social media platform, with his meal. Continue reading...

Following the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, gas prices, grocery bills and mortgage rates have all climbed The US-Israel war against Iran has sent shockwaves through global markets, leaving many Americans grappling with a growing financial squeeze on everyday living costs.Following the US-Israeli strikes on Iran – prompting retaliatory attacks on US allies in the region and Iran’s decision to close the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime passage – costs have surged across the US. Gas prices, in particular, have spiked sharply, with the national average rising by roughly 30% over the past month. Grocery bills, mortgage rates and fertilizer costs have also climbed. Continue reading...