The Scoop President Donald Trump aired his displeasure with the Senate rules referee during a Monday call with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, criticizing her decision to block a filibuster-proof vote on security money for his East Wing renovation and ballroom, according to multiple people familiar with the conversation. The ...
US’ record energy exports drive up fuel prices at homeUS’ record energy exports drive up fuel prices at home
US energy exports have hit record highs, at the cost of higher fuel prices at home. The country shipped 14.2 million barrels of crude and products daily in April, equivalent to typically one out of seven barrels consumed globally, The Wall Street Journal reported: “No other nation in the world’s ...
Trump suspends planned Iran strikesTrump suspends planned Iran strikes
US President Donald Trump said Monday he is suspending planned strikes on Iran at the behest of Middle East allies who cited ongoing “serious negotiations” for a deal. Oil prices dropped, capping a day of wild swings: Prices dipped earlier after reports that Washington had offered to temporarily lift sanctions ...
Ryanair chief downplays Europe’s jet fuel supply concernsRyanair chief downplays Europe’s jet fuel supply concerns
A European airline chief said Monday he had “almost zero concerns” about a jet fuel shortage this summer, echoing oil companies that have downplayed dire warnings about supplies running out. Concerns of fuel shortages stemming from the Iran conflict had threatened to upend summer travel across the continent — the ...
NextEra deal with Dominion sets up largest global utilityNextEra deal with Dominion sets up largest global utility
US power company NextEra Energy said Monday it was acquiring Dominion Energy in a deal that would create the world’s largest utility amid soaring AI-driven energy demand. In addition to providing scale — Dominion powers the world’s largest data center market, and the combined entity would be the world leader ...
The FBI Wants to Buy Nationwide Access to License Plate ReadersThe FBI Wants to Buy Nationwide Access to License Plate Readers
The FBI wants to buy access to automated license plate readers (ALPRs) nationwide, which would likely allow the agency to track the movements of vehicles—and by extension people—across the country without a warrant, according to FBI procurement records reviewed by 404 Media. The documents show that ALPRs continue to be ...
Trump says he called off new Iran attack at request of Gulf statesTrump says he called off new Iran attack at request of Gulf states
The US president says he is holding off on a US attack planned for Tuesday as “serious negotiations are now taking place”. ...
The battle to ensure Africa’s digital sovereigntyThe battle to ensure Africa’s digital sovereignty
Yinka’s view The debate about who controls Africa’s resources has expanded considerably in recent years, from critical minerals to domestic capital to the terms on which foreign investors operate. But one frontier remains underweighted in that conversation, despite being among the most consequential: digital public infrastructure. Control of digital infrastructure ...
Intra-Africa commerce could reach 53% if AfCFTA were fully implemented, report findsIntra-Africa commerce could reach 53% if AfCFTA were fully implemented, report finds
Intra-African commerce could reach 53% if the African Continental Free Trade Area was fully implemented, up from 18% currently. The AfCFTA, which aims to create the world’s largest single market by progressively eliminating tariffs on most goods, came into force in May 2019. But major mobility and connectivity hurdles remain, ...
Germany overtakes US as South Africa’s second-largest bilateral trade partnerGermany overtakes US as South Africa’s second-largest bilateral trade partner
Germany overtook the US as the second-largest buyer of South African goods after US President Donald Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs took effect, new data showed. The South African Reserve Bank said the tariffs hit South Africa’s value-added goods the hardest, with the country’s vehicle and transport equipment sector absorbing the ...