Brief'd

The U.S. military operation escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz lasted barely a day before President Trump announced a pause, though over 1,500 commercial vessels remain stranded and shots continue to be exchanged with Iranian forces. A legal battle in Colorado over AI regulation has drawn the first-ever federal intervention to challenge a state AI law, signaling how Washington may preempt state-level tech rules nationwide. Plus Kevin Warsh advances toward the Fed chair on a historic p…

Iran launched ballistic missiles and drones at UAE targets including a major oil facility, marking the first strike since the ceasefire began and pushing the region closer to open conflict. Oil prices surged and Treasury yields hit their highest level since July, with major banks now betting the Fed could raise rates instead of cutting them. Plus: Trump pushes sweeping election changes as courts block key provisions, the FDA fast-tracks three psychedelic medicines, and Amazon opens its logistic…

The U.S. military is launching "Project Freedom" to open shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz, but Iran's military says it will fire on any American forces that enter those waters. The Federal Reserve reported four dissents—the most in decades—with officials warning of stagflation as energy costs surge from the escalating Middle East crisis. Plus GameStop's audacious $56 billion unsolicited bid for eBay, a new Alzheimer's treatment, and the Met Gala's return with Beyoncé and Bezos contro…

Iran's 14-point peace proposal was rejected by Trump, with no agreement on whether to address nuclear issues or sanctions first—and oil prices and food costs keep rising across Asia. The Pentagon announced 5,000 troops leaving Germany, but Trump signaled cuts will go much deeper, scrapping a missile deployment agreement and alarming Congress. Plus: the Supreme Court's voting rights ruling triggers Florida to redraw districts, and the FDA approves a faster way to track drug trials in real time.

The Trump administration authorized secondary sanctions targeting foreign banks and companies doing business with Cuba, marking the most aggressive economic isolation in decades as the island faces rolling blackouts. The Federal Reserve held rates steady but split 8-4, its widest dissent in 30 years, and shifted language on inflation. The EU approved a 90 billion euro loan for Ukraine after Hungary's new government lifted its veto, plus a new crypto ban on Russian providers.

Gasoline prices jumped to nearly $4.40 a gallon as the Strait of Hormuz remains blockaded, marking the largest oil supply disruption in history. The economy grew 2 percent in Q1 but the gains mask a split picture: AI investment surged while consumers faced rising inflation. Meanwhile, China's DeepSeek released a massive AI model optimized for homegrown chips, signaling a push toward independence from American semiconductors.

President Trump doubled down on a naval blockade of Iran, rejecting a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and demanding permanent nuclear restrictions first. Oil prices surged to four-year highs as ship traffic collapsed, pushing California gas above $5.90 a gallon. The Senate Banking Committee voted along strict party lines to advance Kevin Warsh as Federal Reserve chair—the first fully partisan Fed chair vote in history.

Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft report earnings this evening with investors focused on whether their $600 billion AI spending bet is paying off. Inflation hit 3.3 percent in March driven by surging oil costs, freezing the Fed in place as the Iran conflict ripples through markets. The UAE is leaving OPEC after nearly 60 years, reshaping the oil cartel's power just as global energy disruption accelerates.

Diplomatic efforts to end the Strait of Hormuz blockade have broken down after Trump pulled envoys from talks, leaving about 2,000 ships stranded and oil prices soaring. The Federal Reserve held rates steady for a third straight meeting, boxed in by inflation driven partly by the energy crisis. Plus: former FBI Director James Comey faces federal charges over an Instagram post showing seashells arranged as numbers.

Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft report quarterly results tonight, revealing whether their record $600 billion AI infrastructure spending is actually driving revenue growth. The Senate advanced Kevin Warsh's nomination for Fed chair as the Fed held rates steady with inflation climbing from the Iran conflict. Plus Iran's currency crashes to record lows, King Charles makes a pointed case for NATO to Congress, and a new enzyme could make drugs like Ozempic more effective.

The United Arab Emirates is leaving OPEC and OPEC+ effective May 1, removing a major oil producer from the cartel as the Hormuz strait remains choked and oil prices surge past $113 a barrel. The Justice Department authorized seeking death sentences against 44 defendants and approved firing squad as a federal execution method for the first time. Plus: James Comey faces a second indictment over a seashell Instagram photo, Kevin Warsh advances toward Fed chair confirmation, and Russia launches ove…

The U.S.–Iran standoff over the Strait of Hormuz is deepening with talks stalled and a dual blockade cutting commercial shipping by over 90 percent, sending Brent crude to $111 a barrel. The Justice Department formally reclassified medical marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, a historic first that allows tax deductions for cannabis businesses but leaves recreational use untouched. Mali experienced its worst coordinated attack in over a decade, with the defense minister assassinated and Ru…

Secretary of State Rubio rejected Iran's proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a power grab. Brent crude surged past $111 a barrel as commercial traffic collapsed. The EU formally approved a €90 billion loan to Ukraine after Hungary's election removed its veto, with two-thirds earmarked for defense and repayment contingent on Russian war reparations.

Iran proposed reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending the war while deferring nuclear talks, but the Trump administration rejected the deal, saying it won't separate the two issues. Oil prices are climbing toward $108 a barrel as shipping traffic remains blocked. Also: new details on the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting suspect's manifesto, a federal court ruling that weakens DACA protections, and OpenAI closes a record $120 billion funding round.

A gunman armed with a shotgun and knives charged a Secret Service checkpoint outside the White House Correspondents' Dinner last night but was stopped immediately with no civilian injuries. Ukraine conducted its deepest drone strike into Russia's interior, hitting industrial targets 1,800 kilometers from the border. Plus the Justice Department intervened to block Colorado's AI regulation law, and Tim Cook is stepping down as Apple's CEO.

Iran requested a second round of direct talks with the U.S., sending both sides back to Pakistan after negotiations collapsed earlier this week. A federal appeals court ruled President Trump exceeded his authority trying to strip asylum protections at the border. Plus the Justice Department has shed over 4,000 law enforcement employees since 2024, with prosecutions dropping to historic lows.

U.S.-Iran peace negotiations failed after Tehran refused nuclear commitments, and Iran seized ships in the Strait of Hormuz as the Pentagon burns through half its Patriot missiles in seven weeks. Poland and France plan joint nuclear exercises outside NATO's framework, while Germany unveils its first military strategy since World War Two. Plus OpenAI begins buying Google AI chips, breaking Nvidia's dominance.

President Trump issued a shoot-to-kill order for Iranian vessels laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, escalating tensions as shipping traffic collapses and oil surges past $100. The Justice Department moved medical marijuana from Schedule One to Schedule Three, the biggest federal policy shift since 1970. The Senate also passed a $70 billion budget resolution for ICE and Border Patrol funding after an overnight marathon.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard seized two commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz as ship traffic through the waterway collapsed by 95 percent, triggering the largest energy supply disruption in decades. The EU approved a 90 billion euro interest-free loan to Ukraine after Hungary lifted its veto in exchange for reopening a Russian oil pipeline. Plus the Trump administration's new tariff strategy faces court challenges, and the Supreme Court hears arguments on green card holders' rights.

Diplomatic talks between the U.S. and Iran have broken down after American forces seized the Iranian cargo vessel Touska, prompting Iran to withdraw its negotiating delegation. The confrontation has nearly shut down the Strait of Hormuz, reducing daily traffic from 140 vessels to about three and disrupting roughly a fifth of global seaborne oil trade. Also: record heat and drought across the U.S., Ukraine strikes Russian oil infrastructure, and a pro-Moscow leader wins Bulgaria's parliament.

The U.S.-Iran ceasefire has been extended indefinitely, but diplomatic talks have collapsed and oil prices are surging as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. A federal grand jury indicted the Southern Poverty Law Center on fraud and money laundering charges, alleging it paid millions to individuals connected to extremist groups—the SPLC says they were confidential informants. Global venture capital reached $330 billion in the first quarter, with four companies capturing nearly two-thirds of al…

The U.S.-Iran ceasefire ends Wednesday with Trump signaling no extension, and gasoline prices just posted their largest monthly jump since 1967 as the Strait of Hormuz blockade roils the global economy. Apple announced John Ternus as its first new CEO in 15 years, tasked with pushing the company deeper into AI. Plus: the Trump Justice Department claims the Presidential Records Act is unconstitutional, and researchers found evidence of an ancient ocean on Mars.

The US-Iran ceasefire over the Strait of Hormuz has fallen apart after just three days, with Iran closing the waterway again and the US Navy seizing an Iranian cargo vessel. American consumer sentiment plummeted to its lowest level in 74 years as inflation expectations surged, driven partly by energy market chaos. Also: ICE custody deaths hit a record, Kevin Warsh faces a GOP blockade at his Fed confirmation hearing, and astronomers measure the staggering power of a black hole's jets.

Iran reopened and then abruptly closed the Strait of Hormuz within 24 hours as a ceasefire expires in days and nuclear talks remain deadlocked. The IMF downgraded global growth projections due to Middle East disruptions and energy market shocks. A major new climate study warns the Atlantic's critical ocean current is weakening far faster than previously thought, raising the risk of a tipping point by mid-century.

Iran opened the Strait of Hormuz to shipping on Thursday, then shut it down again by Friday, citing a continued U.S. blockade as a ceasefire violation. The economic fallout is mounting: U.S. inflation spiked in March driven by gas prices, and consumer sentiment just hit its worst level in 74 years. Plus, two lawmakers resign before expulsion votes, RFK Jr. concedes the measles vaccine saves lives, and electrons in graphene behave like a frictionless liquid.

A federal jury in Manhattan ruled that Live Nation and Ticketmaster unlawfully monopolized the ticketing market, controlling nearly 90 percent of major U.S. venues. Netflix beat earnings but signaled slowing growth and Reed Hastings won't seek board re-election. Meanwhile, peace talks with Iran collapsed as the blockade costs $400 million daily, and Israel and Lebanon entered a fragile ten-day ceasefire.

Pakistan's Army Chief is in Tehran pushing for a second round of talks before the U.S.-Iran ceasefire expires on April 22, though three major sticking points remain unresolved. Snap is laying off about a thousand employees, explicitly crediting AI efficiency as the reason—a milestone moment as Wall Street signals corporate America should follow. Plus the Justice Department blocks the contempt inquiry into Venezuelan deportations, and Amazon makes a $12 billion bid to compete with SpaceX's Starl…