Tit-For-Tat Assaults On Shipping Widen: US Intercepts 3 More 'Illicit' Tankers In Asian Waters, Iran Seizes Additional 2 In Hormuz

US Warns Ally Oman That It Better Pick The 'Right' Side In Hormuz Standoff The saga of rare Washington pressure on its longtime regional ally Oman continues, with on Tuesday The Wall Street Journal reporting that US officials are growing "increasingly frustrated" with Muscat's neutral stance, which they now view as hostile to US interests. Oman has stood accused of cooperating with Iran on a proposed toll collection scheme which would benefit Tehran and circumvent America's aims for the region. Via container-news "In recent days, the Trump administration has threatened to sanction and even bomb Oman,...

Trump EPA Targets Biden-Era Refrigerant Rules In Affordability Push The Trump administration plans to delay compliance with Biden-era EPA regulations targeting hydrofluorocarbons later today. These regulations apply to refrigerants used in air conditioners, refrigerators, supermarket cooling systems, refrigerated trucks, cold storage, and some industrial applications. Bloomberg reports that the EPA's 2023 Technology Transitions Rule, enacted under the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act, will be rolled back, with an estimated cost savings of more than $2.4 billion. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the Biden-era rules imposed costly and unrealistic requirements that exceeded the...

DoJ Opens Criminal Probe Into Meatpacking Cartel As Food Stocks Slide Shares of Tyson Foods and Smithfield Foods fell in late-morning trading in New York after The Wall Street Journal reported that the Justice Department's antitrust division has opened a criminal probe into major meatpackers. The report follows President Trump's push for an investigation into meatpackers as supermarket beef prices remain near record highs. Criminal antitrust cases are typically brought for alleged price-fixing, collusion, or bid-rigging. While the DoJ previously disclosed an investigation into beef companies after Trump called for action, it...