MoU Stacked in Holding Pattern as US Pivots to Plan ‘B’

Defiant Iran Reasserts Toll System, Paid Through Iranian Banks After US Vows Hormuz Blockade Stays "As Long As It Takes" Summary Iran seeks to boost rial through toll payment scheme; vessels pay Hormuz passage through Iranian banks. US Navy: vessels seeking entry into Hormuz Strait now fair game for boarding, search, and outright seizure - including for suspicion of 'contraband'. Hegseth: US forces are ready to restart combat if Iran doesn’t agree to a deal & strait blockade to continue for as long as it takes. Already 14 ships have been turned around. Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad...

Board Votes To Shut Down Kennedy Center Authored by Matthew Vadum via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), The board of the Kennedy Center voted Sept. 15 to close the arts facility “immediately” for safety reasons so rehabilitation work may be performed on the building, President Donald Trump said. Workers outside The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts in Washingotn after they updated the signage in honor of President Donald Trump on Dec. 19, 2025. Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images Trump made the announcement on Truth Social hours after a federal...

Independence Week By Bas van Geffen, Senior Macro Strategist at Rabobank It was a reassuring week for those who are concerned about central bank independence. At the ECB’s annual conference in Sintra, moderator Sarah Eisen channeled a bit of her inner Beyoncé, asking a panel of central bank heads “To all you [bankers], who are independent, throw your hands up at me.” All four policymakers, including Fed Chairman Warsh, confirmed the importance of central bank independence: “The Fed acted independently before the Supreme Court ruling, and the Fed will continue to...