20 June 2026

Oil Panic Fades as Trump-Iran Deal Pushes Crude Below $80 
On June 16, Brent crude oil fell below $80 per barrel for the first time since early March, reaching as low as $79.61 before recovering slightly. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude also dropped sharply, touching $76.88 per barrel. The decline marked a dramatic reversal from the fears that dominated energy markets just weeks ago. The drop came after Trump announced that a memorandum of understanding had been signed to end the conflict and begin reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply normally passes

UFC Spits on the American Flag: Sharia Hijab Sewn into “Americana” Promo for Freedom 250
In their big “Americana: The Flag” promo for Freedom 250 – the one with Reagan’s words about freedom earned through sacrifice playing — they chose THIS image at the 1:16 mark: A woman in a full SHARIA… that hijab functions exactly like a military uniform — a visible badge of allegiance and commitment to spreading Sharia. It’s not neutral fashion. It’s the outward declaration of loyalty to Islamic supremacism and the gradual replacement of Western law and culture with Sharia.

Trump’s Ingenious Strategy That’s Reducing Crime 
According to preliminary FBI data, violent crime fell nearly 10 percent in 2025 compared to 2024 – one of the most dramatic declines on record. While domestic law enforcement officers undoubtedly deserve immense credit for their heroic efforts to make America safer, credit also goes to President Donald Trump’s strategic decision to target the foreign sources of drug trafficking. … at least one quarter of all arrests in the United States are related to drug offenses.

Tulsi Gabbard releases docs showing Fauci funded lab research that sparked COVID
A trove of communications and documents released by outgoing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard show that Dr. Anthony Fauci “provided millions in U.S. taxpayer dollars to fund dangerous gain-of-function research” on bat coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) and that Fauci “lied to Congress.” In a viral overnight social media video already seen by millions, Gabbard announced:

Pressure to Pass the SAVE America Act Intensifies 
After the Senate failed to advance legislation backed by President Donald Trump, congressional Republicans are moving to attach voter ID provisions to must-pass bills such as the National Defense Authorization Act and a reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The SAVE America Act, authored by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, would require voters to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote and to show ID when casting ballots. The bill has passed the House twice this year but has stalled in the Senate.

HOW TO DEFEAT A SOLAR STORM:
Is it bonkers? Or brilliant? You decide: A new paper published in the June issue of Space Weather describes how a small fleet of spacecraft could be used to partially neutralize approaching CMEs–even Carrington-class monsters–by releasing clouds of gas in the CME’s path. The editors of Science magazine called it an “orbital airbag” for solar storms. … the environmental effects are unknown. Injecting hundreds of tons of ionized gas into Earth’s magnetosphere could alter the radiation belts, interfere with satellites, and create an artificial plasma environment unlike anything near Earth today.

Ukraine: Russia attacks civilian ships in the Black Sea
One person has been killed in Russian drone strikes on two civilian ships in the Black Sea. Several others have been injured, according to Ukrainian reports. “As a result of the Russian drone attack on civilian ships in the Black Sea, one crew member of a Panamanian-flagged vessel was killed and two other sailors were injured, one of them seriously,” Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba wrote on Telegram.

Why Zelensky asked Russian oligarch Abramovich to test Putin’s appetite for talks
Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed reports that he asked Roman Abramovich to pass on an offer of direct talks to Vladimir Putin. A Russian oligarch loyal to the Kremlin may be a surprise choice of messenger for Kyiv, but the former Chelsea owner has a history of acting as go-between since the start of Russia’s invasion. For a man with few “cards”, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky has played a surprising joker in the shape of Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.

Cop Accused of Using AI to Fake Evidence
Law enforcement agencies across the world have rushed to integrate AI into their investigations, promising faster arrests and higher case closure rates. The rising number of wrongful arrests attributed to AI facial recognition systems, however, tells another story: that speed and accuracy are two entirely different things. But while false arrests due to facial recognition software can easily be blamed on glitchy tech, an even more disturbing pattern is starting to emerge, as AI-wielding officers don’t just misidentify suspects, but use the technology to fabricate evidence.

Israel-Hezbollah Agree To Ceasefire After Clashes Stall Opening Round Of US-Iran Nuclear Talks
Talks between Iran and the US were postponed on Friday in Switzerland, delaying what was supposed to be the opening round of negotiations towards a permanent peace and nuclear deal. The delay appears to center on a new escalation between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon, a troubling development that threatens the fresh interim deal signed by President Trump and Iran just days ago. Tehran has insisted that a ceasefire in Lebanon is part of the interim deal, meaning the Israel-Hezbollah front could derail the US-Iran diplomatic path to a sustained reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

FundStrat’s Newton: Why Not Replace The FOMC With AI?
Short of abolishing the Fed (much preferred), would automating the Fed make more sense than the current system? Should we trust Kevin Warsh, Jerome Powell, and Lisa Cook to read the tea leaves each month and decree rate changes for us commoners?

“No Greater Threat To America’s Way Of Life”: Senate Unanimously Passes Resolution To Condemn CCP Leader Xi Jinping
The U.S. Senate unanimously approved on June 16 by voice vote a resolution (Senate Resolution 444) condemning Xi for “deceit, undermining prospects for peace and security, and orchestrating crimes against humanity.” The resolution also encourages the U.S. government and its agencies to use all available tools—including the authorities under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which allow sanctions against individuals responsible for serious human rights violations or corruption—to hold Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials accountable.

The Iran deal and the Islamic theology of deception: What JD Vance told me 
Many Evangelical Christians and pro-Israel advocates argue that understanding Iran isn’t just about understanding geopolitics. It’s also about understanding the religious worldview that drives the regime. That’s why I put the question directly to U.S. Vice President JD Vance during my exclusive interview with him this week. “So it kind of goes to the theological issues within Islam, specifically the way the regime sees it. Taqiyya, which basically allows you to lie, in righteousness, if you will.

‘We Are a Superpower’: Iran Declares Victory Over America After MOU Signed 
At the Palace of Versailles on June 17, as French President Emmanuel Macron looked on, President Donald Trump signed his name to a 14-point memorandum of understanding with the Islamic Republic of Iran—a regime whose state-controlled media, within hours, was broadcasting banners declaring that “the US was forced to sign an agreement to end the war.” In Tehran, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian held up his signed copy for cameras, completing what Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei called proof that his country had “defeated two nuclear powers… We truly are a superpower.”

‘All of Lebanon must burn, Ben-Gvir says after Hezbollah kills 4 IDF soldiers
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for a harsher Israeli response in Lebanon on Friday after the Israel Defense Forces announced that four soldiers, including a battalion commander, were killed in a Hezbollah attack in southern Lebanon. “With all due respect to the Americans, Israel must make it clear to the entire world that the blood of our sons and the security of our citizens are not up for bargaining. All of Lebanon must burn,” Ben-Gvir said in a statement.

Conservative lawmakers, analysts suggest controversial US-Iran deal might be nixed by Congress
Conservative thought leaders and lawmakers have suggested that the controversial US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) could be derailed by Congress, citing intense internal turmoil over the deal within the Republican Party. The White House has transmitted the agreement to Capitol Hill, beginning what is expected to be weeks of scrutiny over its substance and legality.

Rubio urges Hezbollah disarmament in phone call with Lebanese President
A diplomatic phone call on Friday between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun underscored Washington’s ongoing commitment to Beirut amid shifting regional dynamics, according to official statements from the Lebanese Presidency. The executive office in Beirut noted that the conversation centered on reviewing the volatile status of Lebanon and the surrounding Middle East.

Suspected Ebola case isolated in Israel following return from DR Congo
The Ministry of Health announced Friday evening that an individual suspected of being infected with Ebola arrived in Israel after returning from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and is currently being treated in isolation. The individual, who returned to Israel three days ago, sought medical attention after developing a fever and a headache. At this stage, the case remains the only suspected case of Ebola in Israel. Concurrently, an epidemiological investigation is underway to track potential contacts.

Paris Grants Honorary Citizenship to Palestinians in Gaza and West Bank, Drawing Backlash From Jewish Community
The new Socialist mayor of Paris, Emmanuel Grégoire, has awarded honorary citizenship to Palestinian civilians and journalists, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from local Jewish leaders and renewed scrutiny of the French far-left’s stance on Israel.

Justice Department Launches Investigation Into MLB For Flagrant Discrimination Against Christians
Major League Baseball Commissioner is now facing a Justice Department investigation after Commissioner Rob Manfred scolded three San Francisco Giants pitchers who wrote Bible references on their rainbow-designed caps during “Pride Night” against the Chicago Cubs. U.S. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon announced the Justice Department investigation into whether the players’ civil rights were violated on Friday (June 19) by being singled out for religious expression. MLB says writing on uniforms is forbidden, though it has allowed certain messages in past seasons.

UNUSUAL WARNING: Ron Dermer Urges Israeli Officials Not To Open Front Against Trump
Former minister Ron Dermer has delivered a blunt message to Israel’s political and security leadership: do not attack the Trump administration and do not turn policy disagreements into a public confrontation, according to a report in Israel Hayom. According to Israel Hayom’s Danny Zaken, two sources said Dermer warned senior Israeli officials against a public clash with the U.S. administration, out of concern that such a move would further damage relations between Jerusalem and Washington. The warning comes as Israel seeks to preserve its freedom of action in Lebanon and Iran while facing increasing American pressure on the diplomatic front.

The ‘earthquake gate’ stopping a San Andreas disaster is under its highest stress in 1,000 years
Stress has accumulated for over a century along the southern San Andreas & San Jacinto fault systems. Both make up the boundary of the Pacific & North American tectonic plates, which have slid past each other a few centimeters each year while other zones are locked. As a result, some segments have built up tension like a coiled spring with nowhere to move.

AI Doomsday Warnings Distract from More Imminent AI Concerns
AI is getting incorporated into everything. That’s progress, we’re told; therefore, we need to embrace it. Yet a lot of people are very afraid because of AI. And sometimes we’re told we should be afraid too. However, there often can be a lack of detail regarding what specifically we’re supposed to be afraid of.

UK police officer uses AI to create evidence in multiple criminal cases
A Derbyshire Police officer was put under investigation for allegedly using artificial intelligence to fabricate evidence in multiple criminal cases. He’s been suspended from frontline duties pending the investigation outcome, which centers on perverting the course of justice. Ironically, PoliceAI, a national center for AI in policing, had been launched in the UK the week before.

California Utilities Required to Buy From LGBT-owned Companies
The California Public Utilities Commission claims its mission is “ensuring consumers have safe, reliable utility service at reasonable rates.” However, CPUC’s real purpose appears to be ensuring politically favored groups, including LGBTs, get their share of utility companies’ contracting fees — even as the state’s electricity rates are among the highest in the nation.

Why is Pope Leo Celebrating Commies & Revolutionaries? Hichborn Explains
He works closely with a broad range of radical leftist orgs, including promoters of communist revolution, abortion, & LGBT, warned Michael Hichborn in this interview. Hichborn, a Catholic scholar, warned that the Vatican has been infiltrated by sinister forces. [FYI: That happened long ago, like at the start.] Also, Leo has continued Francis’ shenanigans.

Why is America so unaffordable today?
There are a lot of reports on affordability as the media campaigns for Demos to take control of the House and Senate this November. Many of the reports talk about how much things cost today versus 2020, while intentionally neglecting to report how much of the unaffordability occurred during the four years of Biden and the Demos imposing unaffordable policies.

Education Scorecard Ignores Common Core disaster
American students are in a deep learning recession. Fourth and eighth graders are scoring worse in reading and math than a decade ago. Yet a major new report from the Center for Education Policy Research (CEPR) barely mentions Common Core, one of the most disruptive education experiments in a generation.

Israel and Hezbollah renew ceasefire after flare-up, but IDF to stay in southern Lebanon
Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire on Friday after another flare-up in southern Lebanon that saw four Israeli soldiers and dozens of Lebanese casualties. The renewed truce appeared as fragile as ever, as it didn’t see Israel pull out of the large buffer zone it established in southern Lebanon — one Hezbollah has used to justify continued attacks.

The Iran MOU is leverage, not retreat
We may have missed a historic chance to end a fanatical regime that endangers the world. But panic over the MOU is misplaced. It’s not the product of weakness; it’s the product of a president who has never blinked on Israel’s security. The real negotiation begins now, on a 60-day clock…. Judge the deal when there is a deal. Till then, his pro-Israel record speaks for itself.