US, Israel Reject Hamas Proposal to Disarm in Exchange for Palestinian Statehood

Cracking Up And Joining Up By Michael Every of Rabobank Geopolitics is front and center, even in Argentina–England at the World Cup, where the contested Falklands/Malvinas, which could have oil reserves, saw jingoist 1980’s language. Yet it’s Hormuz, where 1980’s-style tanker wars are underway, that’s the penalty spot. The US is striking Iran again night and day, as Tehran warns of an “existential war”. Reports have Trump leaning towards expanding US military operations; others say what he’s been hitting widen his options for escalation; and Trump has stated Iran “will be defeated...

NorCal Couple Scammed Of $18,000 From Fake Checks And Online Payments A retired Northern California couple is speaking out after scammers allegedly drained nearly $18,000 from their checking account through a combination of counterfeit checks and unauthorized online payments, setting off a weeks-long battle to recover their money, according to ABC 7. The couple first realized something was wrong after stopping at an ATM and noticing that their account balance was far lower than expected. A review of their bank records uncovered three checks they say they never wrote, along with...

IMF Downgrades Global Growth Forecast Second Time In A Row The IMF downgraded global growth prospects for the second time this year, saying it expects the global economy to grow by just 3 percent in 2026. As Statista's Katharina Buchholz reports, in January, this projection had still stood at 3.3 percent. While the downgrade is slight, it still conveys the multiple risks to the global economy currently present. As shocks from the Iran war persist, driving up the price of energy and other traded goods, disinflation has stalled and financial markets continue to be at risk of...