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The interesting thing this week is that despite all the noise globally around the Strait of Hormuz situation, tanker schedules into New Zealand are still holding up fairly well. Looking through the current shipping picture, there is nothing immediately standing out that suggests supply stress is building. The ships are still arriving, distribution is still moving, and for now at least, the system appears to be functioning normally. · Marsden…

The government’s proposed social media ban for under-16s appears increasingly uncertain, with coalition tensions, legislative confusion and broader debates over online regulation now complicating National’s flagship child safety proposal. Education Minister Erica Stanford says the government is still aiming to introduce legislation this year, but a promised update has now been delayed until June as wider policy work moves through Cabinet. · The…

A heated clash inside Parliament between Resources Minister Shane Jones and Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer has escalated into a wider political dispute involving Treaty relationships, seabed mining, ministerial conduct, and the future direction of New Zealand resource policy. The controversy erupted after Jones made remarks targeting Ngāti Ruanui during a parliamentary debate over mining and fast-track legislation. · The comments…

So long as the US is willing to accept Iran spinning this as an unprecedented strategic defeat of the “Great Satan”, it’ll arguably be able to advance its actual interests much more robustly as was explained, all while giving Iran the “face-saving” pretext for significant concessions to end the war. By Andrew Korybko | May 15, 2026 · Speculation is swirling about the future of the US’ regional military presence after the Third Gulf War. While…

By Clandestine · I think we are witnessing the dawn of a new world. · Xi speaks highly of Trump and his vision to Make America Great Again, and says that the modernization and rejuvenation of China can be done “hand in hand” with the US, and we can work together to make the world a better place. · What if Trump and Xi agreed it was time to end the hostilities and treat each other as partners instead of adversaries on a collision course for war?…

The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence data centers across the United States is triggering growing public backlash, environmental concerns, and wider geopolitical speculation about the future direction of the global economy. By INR · According to independent journalist Greg Reese, the issue extends far beyond artificial intelligence itself. Reese argues that the infrastructure boom may represent the foundation of an entirely new…

Japanese auto giant Honda has posted its first operating loss since 1957, citing weakening electric vehicle (EV) demand, US trade measures, and mounting competition from China. On Thursday, the automaker reported a net loss of 424 billion yen ($2.7 billion) for the fiscal year that ended on March 31, largely due to a massive write-down linked to its EV business. · Honda said the downturn was exacerbated by changes in US policy under President…

Kuwait exported zero barrels of crude oil last month, according to data from a shipping monitor, marking the first such halt since the 1991 Gulf War. A major US ally hosting around 13,500 American troops and serving as a key regional logistics hub, Kuwait previously produced about 2.7 million barrels per day (bpd) and exported roughly 1.85 million bpd, with most shipments going to Asian markets including China, India, and South Korea. · On…

Ukraine is stripping some doctors of their draft exemptions and requiring medical students to undergo compulsory military training, Health Minister Viktor Lyashko has announced. · Lyashko made the remarks during question hour at the Ukrainian parliament on Friday, saying the Health Ministry would be authorized to cancel draft deferrals of certain medical workers at the request of the Defense Ministry and the Armed Forces’ Medical Forces…

US President Donald Trump’s meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, was heavy on pomp, praise, and promises. But what did both leaders walk away with after the superpower summit in Beijing? Trump left Beijing on Friday, two days after becoming the first US president to visit the Chinese capital in almost a decade. The trip took place amid two paused conflicts — Trump’s trade war with Beijing and his real war against Iran — which…