﻿<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>Silicon Investor - Big Dog's Boom Boom Room</title><copyright>Copyright © 2026 Knight Sac Media.  All rights reserved.</copyright><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/subject.aspx?subjectid=50987</link><description>THIS IS A MODERATED BOARD. PERSONAL ATTACKS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.  THE DOG HAS THE WMD BUTTON AND WILL USE IT.  Welcome to Big Dog's Boom Boom Room!  Established March 19, 2001.  This is a forum provided to discuss and share ideas related to the land and offshore oil industry and oil service industry.  The Boom Boom Room's motto is:  It's the price of oil stupid!  All posters are welcome and are encouraged to share, educate, learn -- and have some fun.  Never ever forget that without oil/gas the world as we know it grinds to a halt in very short order.  It is for that reason that the drilling rig may be the single most important tool of the first part of this new century.  Roll 'em.  big</description><image><url>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/images/Logo380x132.png</url><title>SI - Big Dog's Boom Boom Room</title><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/subject.aspx?subjectid=50987</link><width>380</width><height>132</height></image><ttl>10</ttl><item><title>[kidl] European coalition drafts postwar plan to free up the Strait of Hormuz without t...</title><author>kidl</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;&lt;b&gt;European coalition drafts postwar plan to free up the Strait of Hormuz without the U.S.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0);'&gt;Apr 14, 2026, 3:23 PM &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0);'&gt;European countries are drafting a plan to form a broad international coalition to secure the Strait of Hormuz after the current conflict ends—but without U.S. command, the Wall Street Journal reported.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0);'&gt;French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday the mission would exclude “belligerent parties,” meaning the U.S., Israel, and Iran, with European diplomats confirming their ships would not operate under American command.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0);'&gt;The plan has gained unexpected momentum with Germany’s likely participation, which could be announced as early as Thursday. Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer will host an online meeting Friday with several dozen countries to discuss policing the strait, though the U.S. will not attend.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0);'&gt;French Foreign Minister Jean-No&amp;#235;l Barrot emphasized that “the mission we are referring to could only be deployed once calm has been restored and hostilities have ceased,” adding that the coalition would coordinate with Iran and Oman.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0);'&gt;The operation involves three phases: establishing logistics to free hundreds of trapped ships, conducting a massive demining effort using Europe’s fleet of over 150 minesweeping vessels, and deploying frigates and destroyers for military escorts modeled on Operation Aspides in the Red Sea.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0);'&gt;Europe’s minesweeping capabilities far exceed those of the U.S., which has largely decommissioned its fleet.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0);'&gt;The plan reflects deepening trans-Atlantic tensions after U.S. President Donald Trump urged Europeans to join U.S. military efforts, including a blockade of Iranian ports. Macron dismissed reopening the strait by force as “unrealistic,” saying it would take “an infinite amount of time” and expose vessels to coastal threats.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0);'&gt;European leaders have instead focused on freeing maritime traffic rather than restricting it further, rejecting Trump’s pressure amid widespread unpopularity of the conflict among European voters.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35489575</link><pubDate>4/15/2026 10:11:07 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[Elroy Jetson] The incoming affect on real fuel prices, as opposed to "paper oil contract price...</title><author>Elroy Jetson</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;The incoming affect on real fuel prices, as opposed to "paper oil contract prices"&lt;br&gt;&lt;img src='https://img.youtube.com/vi/IH4saTyKhy0/0.jpg' class='embedpreview' previewtype='yt'&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;John Bolton talks frankly about the current situation.&lt;br&gt;&lt;img src='https://img.youtube.com/vi/6QEM8lAAsNc/0.jpg' class='embedpreview' previewtype='yt'&gt;&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35489511</link><pubDate>4/15/2026 9:08:23 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[Elroy Jetson] The asset swap, by increasing Chevron's share of the heavy oil projects from 35....</title><author>Elroy Jetson</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;The asset swap, by increasing Chevron&amp;#39;s share of the heavy oil projects from 35.79% to 49%, &lt;b&gt;increases Chevron share of Venezuelan heavy oil exports by 36.9%&lt;/b&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;This increased share of Chevron&amp;#39;s heavy oil exports will be 300,000 to 400,000 barrels per day - but &lt;b&gt;this is &lt;u&gt;NOT&lt;/u&gt; an increase in global oil supply&lt;/b&gt;, merely a transfer of existing oil production to Chevron that Venezuela would have previously sold on the global markets &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Chevron will apply less than 100% of the value of these exports to upgrading new equipment in Venzuela&amp;#39;s heavy oil fields to achieve their stated oil production target. But this will come &lt;b&gt;after subtracting the profit share Chevron would have earned their share of Shell&amp;#39;s  gas field for Tobago&lt;/b&gt;. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Chevron hopes to increase their Venezuelan oil exports by 50% over the next two years. 36.9% of this comes immediately from their increased ownership share.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Over the next two years &lt;b&gt;Chevron will increase total Venezuelan heavy oil production by 13.1%&lt;/b&gt;, equal to 2.3 to 3.0 million barrels per day or &lt;b&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;u&gt;2.9% of Global Oil Consumption&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/b&gt; of 102.8 million.&lt;br&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;Compare this &lt;u&gt;2.9% increase over 2 years&lt;/u&gt; this to the &lt;u&gt;total loss of 20%&lt;/u&gt; of global oil supply from the Persian Gulf which will hit global retail prices in full &lt;u&gt;5 weeks from now&lt;/u&gt;.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;I can&amp;#39;t predict how this will affect the price of "paper oil" in Cushing Oklahoma, but there will be a short-fall in diesel and jet fuel availability globally and in the US, and of course prices will rise very significantly.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;The more important effect will be the cancellation of many flights globally because there simply won&amp;#39;t be enough Jet-A to fly full schedules. For instance the UK is planning full closure of some regional airports&lt;/b&gt; and a reduced flight schedule at those airports which remain open. Flights which continue to fly will have fuel surcharges added to the ticket price.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;China holds the world&amp;#39;s largest strategic oil reserve, following a three year crash building program. These reserves will provide China with a 100 day supply beyond June 12 - about the end of September 25. But China will first ration fuel to consumers and businesses in order to assure a fuel supply for their military for far longer.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;In other nations, including the US, rationing of Diesel, Jet-A and fuel oil will occur sooner than this, with generally continued supply of gasoline at higher prices.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;Chevron&amp;#39;&amp;#39;s retired head of Latin America Ali Moshiri continues to hope of raising $2 billion in an independent new oil production from hedge funds or other investors without success&lt;/b&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Donald Trump could easily provide this new investment out of the far larger sums he has embezzled from the US government and his son-in-law Jared Kushner has extorted from Middle Eastern governments, but Trump himself does not seem interested in investing in Venezuela.&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35489490</link><pubDate>4/15/2026 8:36:06 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[Sam] lol...  re:  Their failed raid to recover the enriched uranium  by building a te...</title><author>Sam</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;lol...&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;re:&lt;br&gt;&lt;i&gt; Their failed raid to recover the enriched uranium  by building a temporary air strip while under missile fire was a  classic, along with Hegseth announcing the secret raid a week before  they carried it out, endangering all of the troops. Asked to comment on  the plan on French television, France&amp;#39;s top general suggested that Pete  Hegseth stop taking cocaine during breaks in his Pentagon meetings - an  actual fact.  &lt;/i&gt;&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35489489</link><pubDate>4/15/2026 8:34:43 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[Selectric II] Apr 13, 2026                                 The Free Press   Iran Needs the Str...</title><author>Selectric II</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;Apr 13, 2026 &lt;br&gt;          &lt;br&gt;                              The Free Press&lt;br&gt;          &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;               &lt;b&gt;Iran Needs the Strait of Hormuz More Than Anyone    &lt;br&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;Trump’s announcement that the US would blockade the strait could take the last card out of Tehran’s hand.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;          &lt;img src='https://www.hudson.org/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2022-10/zineb_riboua.png?h=2522427b&amp;amp;itok=0nAKEtBN'&gt;     &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; &lt;a href='https://www.hudson.org/experts/1467-zineb-riboua' target='_blank'&gt;Zineb Riboua&lt;/a&gt;                                &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;         &lt;br&gt;                 &lt;br&gt;            &lt;img src='https://www.hudson.org/sites/default/files/styles/16_9_sm/public/2026-04/GettyImages-2270782754.jpg?h=aa6c0f32&amp;amp;itok=U8L62Jq8'&gt;       &lt;br&gt;     &lt;br&gt;Caption&lt;br&gt; President Donald Trump, before boarding Air Force One on April 10, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. (Getty Images)&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;                  &lt;a href='http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Iran%20Needs%20the%20Strait%20of%20Hormuz%20More%20Than%20Anyone+https://www.hudson.org/foreign-policy/iran-needs-strait-hormuz-more-anyone-zineb-riboua' target='_blank'&gt;                     Share to Twitter                                      &lt;/a&gt;                 &lt;br&gt;                     Twitter                     &lt;br&gt;                 &lt;br&gt;              &lt;a href='https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.hudson.org/foreign-policy/iran-needs-strait-hormuz-more-anyone-zineb-riboua&amp;amp;title=Iran%20Needs%20the%20Strait%20of%20Hormuz%20More%20Than%20Anyone' target='_blank'&gt;Share to Facebook                                      &lt;/a&gt;                 &lt;br&gt;                     Facebook                     &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;S &lt;a href='https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https://www.hudson.org/foreign-policy/iran-needs-strait-hormuz-more-anyone-zineb-riboua' target='_blank'&gt;hare to LinkedIn                                      &lt;/a&gt;                 &lt;br&gt;                     &lt;br&gt;                         LinkedIn                     &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;               &lt;br&gt;On  Sunday, President Donald Trump announced a full U.S. naval blockade of  the Strait of Hormuz and threatened to destroy “the little that is left  of Iran.” In a pair of Truth Social posts, Trump declared that the U.S.  military would begin blocking ships from entering or leaving the strait,  intercept any vessel that had paid tolls to Iran to transit it safely,  and warned that any Iranian who fires on U.S. or peaceful vessels would  be “BLOWN TO HELL” while the Navy works to demine the strait. The  announcement came as ceasefire negotiations in Islamabad, Pakistan,  broke down and the U.S. delegation led by Vice President J.D. Vance  returned home. In effect, Washington has moved to strip Tehran of the  one coercive instrument it believed it held in reserve.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; Wars usually shut doors for American foreign policy. But this episode  has revealed that Operation Epic Fury has opened them with uncommon  force. To understand why requires an honest reckoning with Iran’s  biggest mistake in this war. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’  (IRGC) decision to weaponize the Strait of Hormuz ranks among the most  consequential miscalculations in the regime’s history.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; Following the American and Israeli strikes, the Revolutionary Guard pursued two anticipated outcomes from its Hormuz strategy.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; The first was a global economic shock severe enough to force  Washington to back down. Iran hoped it could cause a disruption so  costly to oil markets and allied supply chains that the United States  would be compelled to return to the negotiating table on Iranian terms.  The strait carries roughly 20 percent of global oil trade and a similar  amount of the world’s liquefied natural gas. A genuine closure would  send energy prices soaring across Europe, Asia, and the gulf alike.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; The second objective was political. Iran sought to use disruption in  the Strait to fracture the alignment between Washington and its Gulf  partners, demonstrating that American military operations imposed an  unbearable cost on regional stability, pressuring Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, and  Doha to demand a stand-down.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; What the IRGC failed to account for was the weight of the political  debt it had accumulated across the Arab world. For decades, Tehran  positioned the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as the sacred center of Arab  political life, consecrating every Iranian intervention and branding  every Arab government that resisted as a traitor to Islam. The goal was  to hijack Arab grievances and convert them into cover for the Islamic  Republic’s conquest.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; The Revolutionary Guard was the instrument of that conquest, deployed  across the region to construct parallel states, capture financial  systems, and install political figures whose survival depended entirely  on Iranian patronage.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; In Iraq,  &lt;a href='https://greydynamics.com/popular-mobilization-forces-exploring-iraqs-armed-entities/' target='_blank'&gt;67 armed factions&lt;/a&gt; tied to the Popular Mobilization Forces, collectively claiming &lt;a href='https://www.fpri.org/article/2026/03/militias-and-iraqs-role-in-regional-conflict/' target='_blank'&gt; some 230,000 personnel&lt;/a&gt;, consumed  &lt;a href='https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2026/03/08/action-on-another-front-strikes-on-pro-tehran-militias-in-iraq/' target='_blank'&gt;roughly $3.5 billion&lt;/a&gt;  annually from the national treasury while Iraqi prime ministers  governed with Tehran’s permission rather than a popular mandate.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; In Syria, Iran poured billions into the Bashar al-Assad regime and  transformed a once-sovereign Arab state into a forward operating base  for revolutionary power projection. In 2013, Mehdi Taeb, the head of the  Iranian regime’s Ammar Base think tank,  &lt;a href='https://www.newamerica.org/insights/soleimanis-shadow/iv-the-arab-spring-a-new-phase-of-iranian-proxy-warfare-strategy/' target='_blank'&gt;called Syria&lt;/a&gt; “Iran’s 35th province.”&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; Farther south, Houthi commanders answering directly to the IRGC held the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, through which 10 percent of  &lt;a href='https://www.coface.ch/news-publications-insights/bab-el-mandeb-strait-tension-at-a-global-trade-route' target='_blank'&gt;global seaborne trade passes&lt;/a&gt;, perpetually hostage.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; Every theater followed the same logic: subordinate Arab sovereignty  to the Islamic Republic’s revolutionary ambition, then present the  occupation as resistance.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; Arab populations ground down under this revolutionary machinery had long recognized the enterprise for what it was.  &lt;a href='https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-42108986' target='_blank'&gt;As far back&lt;/a&gt;  as 2017, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman described Iran’s  supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, as “the new Hitler of the Middle East.”  During Operation Epic Fury, Faiq al-Sheikh Ali, a former member of the  Iraqi parliament, stated that “I am Arab. I see humiliation from the  Iranians. I do not see any humiliation from any Israeli.” The Arab world  had been keeping score for years, and the IRGC had given it no shortage  of reasons to reach that judgment.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; This is why the second objective, fracturing Gulf alignment, failed.  To make matters worse for Tehran, the regime had spent the weeks before  the talks in Islamabad striking the very states on whose neutrality the  strategy required, hitting desalination plants and oil facilities across  the Gulf and curdling any residual sympathy in those countries into  open hostility. Sultan Al Jaber, the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE)  minister of industry and advanced technology,  &lt;a href='https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/adnoc-ceo-says-strait-hormuz-not-irans-control-2026-04-12/' target='_blank'&gt;stated that&lt;/a&gt;  the strait has never been under Iranian control in any manner that  would permit Tehran to legally close or restrict international shipping.  The Gulf States reinforced the American posture directly, and the  political dividend Tehran had assumed would follow from economic  disruption never materialized.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; In other words, the IRGC shot itself in the foot. Iran’s available alternatives outside the strait  &lt;a href='https://x.com/miadmaleki/status/2043456550929375596' target='_blank'&gt;can replace less than&lt;/a&gt; 10 percent of Gulf throughput. Before the war, inflation was  &lt;a href='https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260409-iran-s-economy-was-weak-before-the-war-now-it-s-worse' target='_blank'&gt;running above&lt;/a&gt; 40 percent, the currency had  &lt;a href='https://www.instagram.com/p/CqV_SkoyOYZ/?img_index=1' target='_blank'&gt;lost more than&lt;/a&gt;  80 percent of its value over the preceding decade, and the shadow fleet  Tehran had assembled to smuggle oil and fund IRGC operations was  already straining under accumulated sanctions enforcement. Recruitment  had collapsed so severely under the weight of unpaid salaries and  economic asphyxiation that the IRGC was  &lt;a href='https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9wqgjn7x89o' target='_blank'&gt;reportedly pulling&lt;/a&gt; 12-year-olds into its ranks. A sustained U.S. naval blockade renders continued resistance economically impossible.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; By blockading the strait that Iran is trying to toll, America has  called Tehran’s bluff, revealing that the Islamic Republic needs Hormuz  commerce at least as much as the rest of the world.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; The lesson for all has been that Iran cannot be worked with or relied  upon. And Gulf States have since moved to make the lesson permanent.  After Trump’s declarations, Saudi Arabia  &lt;a href='https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-12/saudi-arabia-says-east-west-pipeline-restored-to-full-capacity' target='_blank'&gt;announced the full restoration&lt;/a&gt;  of oil pumping capacity through its East-West pipeline to approximately  seven million barrels per day, days after providing an assessment of  damage to its energy sector from attacks during the conflict. By doing  so, Riyadh has demonstrated that the region can route energy flows  entirely around the strait. In trying to turn Hormuz into leverage, Iran  accelerated the very investment the strategy was designed to prevent.  The choke point Tehran sought to weaponize is being engineered out of  strategic relevance by the states whose alignment Tehran had hoped to  shatter.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; But in the IRGC’s misery there is Washington’s opportunity, and  opportunities of this magnitude do not repeat themselves. Properly  leveraged, Trump’s blockade could unlock a broader regional  consolidation.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; The first opportunity lies in expanding the Abraham Accords into a  robust regional architecture. The Accords signed in 2020 between Israel,  the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco have already delivered measurable  cooperation in trade, technology, and security. During Operation Epic  Fury, Gulf States coordinated with U.S. Central Command at a level of  intimacy unimaginable a decade ago, sharing intelligence, opening  airspace, and integrating into a defense posture that functioned as a  coherent whole. Bringing additional Gulf partners into a structured  framework would convert that wartime alignment into a durable order,  with the India-Middle East-Europe corridor providing the economic spine  around which the broader architecture could take shape.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; The second opportunity is more consequential over time. For two  decades, the United States attempted to suppress Iranian-backed networks  through direct military engagement in states too weak or too captured  to act as genuine partners, a model that proved strategically exhausting  and produced no durable result.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; The degradation of Iran’s proxy architecture changes the underlying  condition entirely. An Iraq reclaiming sovereignty over its own security  sector, a Syria freed from Iranian entrenchment, and Gulf States that  absorbed sustained attack without political fracture are better  positioned to police their own territory. Strong sovereign states are  the only counterterrorism infrastructure capable of producing lasting  outcomes, and Washington now has a genuine opportunity to help build  them through security cooperation and diplomatic engagement, freeing up  American strategic bandwidth for the Indo-Pacific.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; The Middle East is already reordering itself around Iran’s  diminishment. Washington’s opportunity is to consolidate what the region  has begun.&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35489478</link><pubDate>4/15/2026 8:14:22 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[Selectric II] Blockade 101: American sea power on display as Trump corners Iran and warns off ...</title><author>Selectric II</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;&lt;b&gt;Blockade 101: American sea power on display as Trump corners Iran and warns off China &lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;China imports about 11M barrels of oil per day, with 90% moving by sea routes the US Navy now controls&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;img src='https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2022/03/340/340/Rebecca-Grant.jpg?ve=1&amp;amp;tl=1'&gt;        By        &lt;a href='https://www.foxnews.com/person/g/dr-rebecca-grant' target='_blank'&gt;Rebecca Grant&lt;/a&gt;   &lt;a href='https://www.foxnews.com/' target='_blank'&gt;Fox News&lt;/a&gt; &lt;br&gt;       Published                April 15, 2026 5:00am EDT        |       Updated        &lt;a href='https://www.foxnews.com/html-sitemap/2026/april/15' target='_blank'&gt;April 15, 2026 5:40am EDT&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; &lt;a href='https://www.foxnews.com/video/6393082084112' target='_blank'&gt;US blockade on Strait of Hormuz in effect as Trump warns Iranian ships will be eliminated&lt;/a&gt; Jonathan  Schanzer, executive director of the Foundation for Defense of  Democracies, discusses the effectiveness of the U.S. blockade on the  Strait of Hormuz while highlighting sanction power and coordinated  efforts against the Iranian regime.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;NEW  You can now listen to Fox News articles!   &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Listen to this article&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;5 min&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;At this moment in time, President  &lt;a href='https://www.foxnews.com/category/person/donald-trump' target='_blank'&gt;Donald Trump&lt;/a&gt;  has control of the Strait of Hormuz. His short-term goal, of course, is  to pressure Iran’s leaders to give up their nuclear ambitions. Yet  Trump’s blockade is also a major geopolitical hammer on China. For now,  oil and petrochemical shipments will flow out of that waterway only  under the rules of the U.S. Navy. All China can do is watch.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;"If  any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be  immediately ELIMINATED, using the same system of kill that we use  against the drug dealers on boats at Sea," Trump wrote. "It is quick and  brutal."&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Admiral Brad Cooper, Commander, United States Central  Command, has come up with a brilliant plan to pin down Iran while  leaving Gulf states free to resume shipping. "The blockade will be  enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or  departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports  on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman,"  &lt;a href='https://www.foxnews.com/category/us/military/navy' target='_blank'&gt;U.S. Central Command&lt;/a&gt; said.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt; &lt;a href='https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-calls-world-build-delayed-courage-seize-key-oil-route-from-iran' target='_blank'&gt;&lt;b&gt;TRUMP CALLS ON WORLD TO BUILD ‘DELAYED COURAGE,’ SEIZE KEY OIL ROUTE FROM IRAN&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; &lt;a href='https://www.foxnews.com/video/6393034431112' target='_blank'&gt;&lt;img src='https://a57.foxnews.com/cf-images.us-east-1.prod.boltdns.net/v1/static/694940094001/963240ad-36bc-45bb-a01f-c837d9b4751c/7a6e1a3c-407c-4a19-96d4-84e18dc1dd1f/1280x720/match/720/405/image.jpg?ve=1&amp;amp;tl=1'&gt; Video&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Here’s  how it works. Are you a legit VLCC (Very Large Crude Carrier)  supertanker coming out of port in the UAE or Saudi Arabia, for example?  U.S. Central Command says you are good to go. Remember to contact and  monitor naval forces on VHF Channel 16 for bridge-to-bridge  communications.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;On the other hand, if you are a ship that picked  up a cargo in Iran, you are in big trouble. Aircraft and ships of U.S.  Central Command have vessels under constant surveillance. Yes, it’s the  same clear view seen with the drug boat strikes in the Caribbean.  Military maritime moving target indicator systems even have the ability  to "rewind" and track ships from where they left port. Don’t forget  ships violating the rules can be intercepted in deep water, too. There’s  a lot of U.S. Navy in the North Arabian Gulf.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Lloyd’s estimated  500 to 700 vessels are still stuck in the Strait, more if smaller ships  under 10,000 deadweight tonnage are included. CENTCOM is taking action  to help. On Saturday, the U.S. Navy guided missile destroyers USS Frank  E. Petersen (DDG-121) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112) sailed north  through the Strait and back to the south again, marking a path free of  mines. CENTCOM "will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry  soon to encourage the free flow of commerce," Cooper said on Monday.  Look for a gradual but steady increase in traffic. Shippers have to  reconfigure destinations and that takes time.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; &lt;a href='https://www.foxnews.com/video/6393087426112' target='_blank'&gt;&lt;img src='https://a57.foxnews.com/cf-images.us-east-1.prod.boltdns.net/v1/static/694940094001/d99a5667-5c3b-4d66-8e39-b160665cd1ab/dbfff454-7d0f-4961-9943-9a7edf6d4288/1280x720/match/720/405/image.jpg?ve=1&amp;amp;tl=1'&gt; Video&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Meanwhile,  no vessel will get near an Iranian port without being seen. Here are  some of the systems at work under Central Command’s new rules.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; &lt;a href='https://www.foxnews.com/politics/why-strait-hormuz-matters-trump-issues-fresh-ultimatum-iran' target='_blank'&gt;&lt;b&gt;WHY THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ MATTERS AS TRUMP ISSUES FRESH ULTIMATUM TO IRAN&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;Land-based naval aircraft&lt;/b&gt;. High above the Strait, the land-based P-8 Poseidon, and the  &lt;a href='https://www.foxnews.com/category/tech/technologies/drones' target='_blank'&gt;MQ-4 Triton&lt;/a&gt;,  a Navy high-altitude drone with a 130-foot wingspan, are forming a  continuous maritime picture for Admiral Cooper. Their radars are  specially tuned for tracking maritime targets.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;E-2D Hawkeye&lt;/b&gt;.  The large radar dish atop these planes from the USS Abraham Lincoln can  track 3,000 air, ground and sea targets at once in a 360-degree field  of view. Real-time surveillance is the foundation&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; &lt;a href='https://www.foxnews.com/opinion' target='_blank'&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;u&gt;CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;USS Tripoli (LHA-7)&lt;/b&gt;. The amphibious ship has  &lt;a href='https://www.foxnews.com/category/us/military/marines' target='_blank'&gt;2,200 Marines aboard&lt;/a&gt;  — and its own air wing. You can bet their F-35B fighters, MV-22 Osprey  tiltrotors, and MH-60 Sierra helicopters are active. The MH-60s can  locate and disable mines, and chase after any IRGC small boats behaving  foolishly. Of course, Tripoli can also board and seize vessels as  needed.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;Aegis destroyers&lt;/b&gt;. In addition to the two  that have already run the Strait, the U.S. Navy has about a dozen  Aegis-class destroyers in the region. Together they form the world’s  best missile defense shield — and pack formidable firepower.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; &lt;a href='https://www.foxnews.com/video/6393094658112' target='_blank'&gt;&lt;img src='https://a57.foxnews.com/cf-images.us-east-1.prod.boltdns.net/v1/static/694940094001/3e8033b6-c612-4797-974d-8c4432edbd60/f0aea1c1-3514-40ed-b49e-66393cc1cf1b/1280x720/match/720/405/image.jpg?ve=1&amp;amp;tl=1'&gt; Video&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; &lt;a href='https://foxnews.onelink.me/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&amp;amp;af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&amp;amp;af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products' target='_blank'&gt;&lt;b&gt;CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;At  this point, there is little Iran can do to overturn Trump’s blockade.  Airstrikes have cratered underground anti-ship cruise missile bunkers.  The IRGC fast boats will be on a suicide mission if they attempt  hit-and-run attacks. Drone defenses are in place.  &lt;a href='https://www.foxnews.com/category/us/military/air-force' target='_blank'&gt;U.S. aircraft&lt;/a&gt; are active during the ceasefire and can respond fast if Iran strikes out.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; &lt;a href='https://www.foxnews.com/media/trump-details-sweeping-all-nothing-us-blockade-strait-hormuz-after-failed-iran-talks' target='_blank'&gt;Trump’s blockade of Iranian ports&lt;/a&gt; is a testament to American air and maritime dominance. It’s also a vivid reminder to  &lt;a href='https://www.foxnews.com/category/person/xi-jinping' target='_blank'&gt;Xi Jinping&lt;/a&gt;  of China’s vulnerability. China imports about 11 million barrels of oil  per day, and 90% of it moves by sea. Trump’s desired end-state is  freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, but meanwhile, Trump is  showing China that the U.S. Navy can control its single most important  oil route at will. That’s a real blow against the China-Russia cabal.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt; &lt;a href='https://www.foxnews.com/person/g/dr-rebecca-grant' target='_blank'&gt;&lt;b&gt;CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM REBECCA GRANT&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;   &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;i&gt;Dr. Rebecca Grant is vice president of the Lexington Institute.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;  &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;a class='ExternURL' href='https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/blockade-101-american-sea-power-display-trump-corners-iran-warns-china' target='_blank' &gt;foxnews.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35489444</link><pubDate>4/15/2026 7:36:02 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[elmatador] Final deal already leaked:  Brent down to 11 March. Family and friends are "on t...</title><author>elmatador</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(15, 20, 25);'&gt;Final deal already leaked: &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(15, 20, 25);'&gt;Brent down to 11 March.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(15, 20, 25);'&gt;Family and friends are "on the know"&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(15, 20, 25);'&gt;It&amp;#39;s over.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;img src='/public/7238431_718405b87e11c8cd73f923e87dcbb0cf.png'&gt;&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35489374</link><pubDate>4/15/2026 3:39:04 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[Selectric II] Chevron agrees to asset swap in Venezuela to focus on heavy oil projects  By  Vi...</title><author>Selectric II</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;&lt;b&gt;Chevron agrees to asset swap in Venezuela to focus on heavy oil projects&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;By  &lt;a href='https://www.reuters.com/authors/vivian-sequera/' target='_blank'&gt;Vivian Sequera&lt;/a&gt;,   &lt;a href='https://www.reuters.com/authors/marianna-parraga/' target='_blank'&gt;Marianna Parraga&lt;/a&gt; and  &lt;a href='https://www.reuters.com/authors/sheila-dang/' target='_blank'&gt;Sheila Dang&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;April 13, 202612:05 PM EDTUpdated April 13, 2026&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;img src='https://www.reuters.com/resizer/v2/UXI2ONWFPNMGFPV5MSANHPKH6U.jpg?auth=968b938b16b89664c3bfcbfddd7a411fa01c6f1c438036e0ef7061b0ce7b9f46&amp;amp;width=1080&amp;amp;quality=80'&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Item 1 of 3 Venezuela&amp;#39;s interim President Delcy Rodriguez looks on as Mariano Vela, President of Chevron in Venezuela signs an oil agreement between Chevron and Venezuela&amp;#39;s state oil company PDVSA, in Caracas, Venezuela April 13, 2026. &lt;br&gt;REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;[1/3]&lt;/b&gt;Venezuela&amp;#39;s interim President Delcy Rodriguez looks on as Mariano Vela, President of Chevron in Venezuela signs an oil agreement between Chevron and Venezuela&amp;#39;s state oil company PDVSA, in Caracas,...  &lt;a href='https://www.reutersconnect.com/item/mariano-vela-president-of-chevron-in-venezuela-signs-an-oil-agreement-between-chevron-and-venezuelas-state-oil-company-pdvsa-in-caracas/dGFnOnJldXRlcnMuY29tLDIwMjY6bmV3c21sX1JDMktPS0FGVkxJNw%3D%3D/?utm_medium=rcom-article-media&amp;amp;utm_campaign=rcom-rcp-lead' target='_blank'&gt;Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab&lt;/a&gt;Read more&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Summary&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Companies&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Chevron relinquishes Loran gas field, stake in small oil project in western Venezuela&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Pacts will allow expansion in the Orinoco Belt&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;New areas, reorganization come after law reform approval&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;CARACAS/HOUSTON, April 13 (Reuters) - Chevron  &lt;a href='https://www.reuters.com/markets/companies/CVX.N' target='_blank'&gt;(CVX.N), opens new tab&lt;/a&gt; signed two key agreements on Monday to expand ?operations at Venezuela&amp;#39;s vast Orinoco Belt, including an asset swap adding an extra heavy crude area to its main project while returning an offshore gas field and a small crude area, executives and officials said at an event.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;The agreements are among the first  &lt;a href='https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/chevron-shell-closing-first-big-oil-production-deals-venezuela-since-us-captured-2026-03-10/' target='_blank'&gt;big expansion deals&lt;/a&gt; since the U.S. launched ?a $100 billion reconstruction plan for Venezuela&amp;#39;s energy sector after capturing  &lt;a href='https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/newsmaker-nicolas-maduros-heavy-handed-rule-venezuela-is-finally-ended-by-trump-2026-01-03/' target='_blank'&gt;President Nicolas Maduro&lt;/a&gt;, and a sweeping reform of ?the country&amp;#39;s main oil law was approved in January, encouraging foreign investment.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The Reuters Power Up newsletter provides everything you need to know about the global energy industry. Sign up  &lt;a href='https://www.reuters.com/newsletters/reuters-power-up/?location=article-paragraph&amp;amp;redirectUrl=%2Fbusiness%2Fenergy%2Fchevron-shell-sign-agreements-oil-gas-areas-venezuela-sources-say-2026-04-13%2F' target='_blank'&gt;here.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;The pacts, expected to allow ?the U.S. major to boost crude output and participation at the OPEC country&amp;#39;s main oil region, were signed ?by company executives led by Javier La Rosa, head of Chevron&amp;#39;s Base Assets and Emerging Countries, and officials from state-owned ?company PDVSA in the presence of acting President Delcy Rodriguez.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;The deals include the increase of Chevron&amp;#39;s stake at one of its joint ventures with PDVSA in the Orinoco, Petroindependencia, to 49% from a previous 35.8%.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Advertisement &amp;#183; Scroll to continue&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The company also agreed to relinquish two gas blocks that include the ?coveted Loran offshore field and its stake at a small oil project in western Venezuela, while receiving a new ?oil area, Ayacucho 8, as part of its existing Petropiar project also in the Orinoco, the company&amp;#39;s largest.&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;The deals give Chevron, PDVSA&amp;#39;s main ?joint ?venture partner, a strong foot to expand heavy oil projects in the country amid expected increased competition with foreign companies.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Advertisement &amp;#183; Scroll to continue&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;Chevron&amp;#39;s asset swap with PDVSA and its subsidiaries is "a mutually beneficial agreement, which will consolidate all parties&amp;#39; focus on strategic assets in the country," the company said in a release after the event.&lt;br&gt;Chevron executives said in January the firm could increase ?output in Venezuela by about ?50% in the next ?two years within its existing footprint.&lt;/b&gt; The company&amp;#39;s joint ventures with PDVSA are producing 260,000 barrels per day of crude, about a fourth of the country&amp;#39;s total output.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Advertisement &amp;#183; Scroll to continue&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;The agreements will ?allow Venezuela and Chevron "to progress to increase output and secure revenue for the benefit ?of the people," ?Rodriguez said during the broadcast event.&lt;br&gt;Another energy major progressing to rapidly expand in Venezuela, Shell  &lt;a href='https://www.reuters.com/markets/companies/SHEL.L' target='_blank'&gt;(SHEL.L), opens new tab&lt;/a&gt;, is expected to sign a separate deal later this week to develop the Loran gas field, which extends into Trinidad and Tobago, as a single project ?with its ?Manatee field, sources said.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;The possible reassignment of the area would provide ?the fastest alternative to start gas output at the 7.3 trillion-cubic-foot field, whose gas Trinidad needs to produce and export liquefied natural gas.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Reporting by Sheila ?Dang, Marianna Parraga, Deisy Buitrago and Curtis Williams; Editing by Julia Symmes Cobb, Paul Simao, Rod Nickel and Nick Zieminski&lt;br&gt;&lt;a class='ExternURL' href='https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/chevron-shell-sign-agreements-oil-gas-areas-venezuela-sources-say-2026-04-13/' target='_blank' &gt;reuters.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35489361</link><pubDate>4/15/2026 2:35:27 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[nicewatch] If the past few years of engineering malfeasance wasn't bad enough then what doe...</title><author>nicewatch</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;If the past few years of engineering malfeasance wasn&amp;#39;t bad enough then what does 20 years of their mal-investment tell you about their immediate ramping up scale down there in the zoo? :-)&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Somehow I already know your answer but the peanut gallery can take notes? :-)&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35489355</link><pubDate>4/15/2026 2:19:07 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[Elroy Jetson] It's worse than Unpossible - it's not even factual.  In fact it's "Bigly fake ne...</title><author>Elroy Jetson</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;It&amp;#39;s worse than Unpossible - it&amp;#39;s not even factual.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;In fact it&amp;#39;s "Bigly fake news", as trumpo might say.&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35489349</link><pubDate>4/15/2026 2:01:07 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[Elroy Jetson] I'm beginning to suspect that most posting on Twitter have no idea what they're ...</title><author>Elroy Jetson</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;I&amp;#39;m beginning to suspect that most posting on Twitter have no idea what they&amp;#39;re talking about, certainly including this moronic David Blackmon.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;There is NO NEW CHEVRON INVESTMENT in Venzuela&lt;/b&gt;. This is merely &lt;b&gt;an equal-value asset-swap&lt;/b&gt;.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Chevron is swapping their offshore natural gas properties in Venzuela, some going to Shell. In return Chevron&amp;#39;s roughly 35% investment in the  Petroindependencia joint venture with state-owned Petr&amp;#243;leos de Venezuela, S.A.rises to 49%.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Chevron is merely trading one Venezuelan asset for another of equal value so they can focus solely on exporting extremely heavy "oil", letting Shell focus on offshore gas production.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Chevron gets free oil out of this joint-venture to pay for Chevron projects previously "nationalized". &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;u&gt;Chevron has ONE SIMPLE RULE with Venezuela&lt;/u&gt; there &lt;b&gt;always&lt;/b&gt; has to be &lt;b&gt;a net value outflow from Venezuela&lt;/b&gt;. Chevron will never be contributing any new capital to Venezuelan projects, only investing a portion of the value of the "free oil" they export from the country to repay lost properties.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Trump and his associates live in a fact-free alternate reality, which is why they&amp;#39;ve acted so stupidly in Iran, starting with canceling the treaty that kept international nuclear experts in Iran making random inspections to assure no uranium enrichment was occurring. Now they&amp;#39;ve managed to create a massive cluster-fuck.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Their failed raid to recover the enriched uranium by building a temporary air strip while under missile fire was a classic, along with Hegseth announcing the secret raid a week before they carried it out, endangering all of the troops. Asked to comment on the plan on French television, France&amp;#39;s top general suggested that Pete Hegseth stop taking cocaine during breaks in his Pentagon meetings - an actual fact.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;San anyone imagine Japan&amp;#39;s imperial defense minister excitedly telling the press about their coming attack on Pearl Harbor one week before they carried it out. These people are not even qualified to be clowns.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;img src='/public/4188495_65bc5e5758ec8f8685204237dffb4bb1.jpg'&gt;&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35489346</link><pubDate>4/15/2026 1:41:12 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[Selectric II] Unpossible!  lol.</title><author>Selectric II</author><description /><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35489166</link><pubDate>4/14/2026 7:13:46 PM</pubDate></item><item><title>[DinoNavarre] [X]
🚨Big Moves in Venezuela: Chevron &amp; Shell Ink Major Oil &amp; Gas Deals as the ...</title><author>DinoNavarre</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;[X]&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;🚨Big Moves in Venezuela: Chevron &amp;amp; Shell Ink Major Oil &amp;amp; Gas Deals as the Country Rebuilds Post-Maduro &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Say, remember all those Trump critics claiming Big Oil would never want to invest in the post-Maduro Venezuela? I know it&amp;#39;s shocking, but, well, those critics were wrong.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;In… &lt;a href="https://t.co/pRDQ59gccj"&gt;pic.twitter.com/pRDQ59gccj&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; ⚡️David Blackmon⚡️ (@EnergyAbsurdity) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/EnergyAbsurdity/status/2044023767467245578?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 14, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;
&lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

[/X]&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35489146</link><pubDate>4/14/2026 6:35:18 PM</pubDate></item><item><title>[Elroy Jetson] BBC reports four Chinese tankers load oil at Iran and leave Strait of Hormuz.  O...</title><author>Elroy Jetson</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;&lt;b&gt;BBC reports four Chinese tankers load oil at Iran and leave Strait of Hormuz.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Others report the &lt;b&gt;US Navy has stopped two Chinese tankers attempting to &lt;u&gt;enter&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/b&gt; the Strait of Hormuz&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;img src='https://img.youtube.com/vi/2xwXLWhLYx0/0.jpg' class='embedpreview' previewtype='yt'&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; Chinese tanker "Rich Starry" exits Strait of Hormuz with cargo&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;img src='https://img.youtube.com/vi/aym_qxsl2HU/0.jpg' class='embedpreview' previewtype='yt'&gt;&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35488756</link><pubDate>4/14/2026 1:18:21 PM</pubDate></item><item><title>[kidl] Iran can withstand Hormuz blockade for weeks or even months: report  Snip: Estim...</title><author>kidl</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt; &lt;a href='https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/iran-can-withstand-hormuz-blockade-for-weeks-or-even-months-report/ar-AA20Nxkg' target='_blank'&gt;Iran can withstand Hormuz blockade for weeks or even months: report&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Snip:&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(36, 36, 36);'&gt;Estimates suggest that Iran currently has around 160 million barrels of oil floating at sea. While some of this crude has already been sold, the stock could allow Tehran to continue supplying its main customer for an extended period even if shipments through Hormuz are disrupted.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35488545</link><pubDate>4/14/2026 10:37:47 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[elmatador] Kenyan Boy explains: The final deal will be closed by President Trump himself.  ...</title><author>elmatador</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9);'&gt;Kenyan Boy explains: The final deal will be closed by President Trump himself. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9);'&gt;He wants to get all the credit for the final agreement. It is just a matter of time. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9);'&gt;Some 10 days or so. For all practical purposes the war is over already.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;President Trump will arrive in China in a month with the war behind him.&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35488492</link><pubDate>4/14/2026 9:45:51 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[DinoNavarre] Gemini:  Who is Jackson Hinkle ?  ==============================================...</title><author>DinoNavarre</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;Gemini:&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Who is Jackson Hinkle ?&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;==================================================&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; &lt;a href='https://www.google.com/search?q=jackson+hinkle&amp;amp;kgmid=/g/11ryf64trs&amp;amp;sa=X&amp;amp;ved=2ahUKEwjv987QtO2TAxWg5ckDHa-FFOUQ3egRegQIAhAC' target='_blank'&gt;Jackson Hinkle&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt; is an American political commentator, social media influencer, and activist known for his unconventional and often controversial political views. He is a prominent figure in the &lt;b&gt;"MAGA Communism"&lt;/b&gt; movement, which seeks to merge traditional Marxist-Leninist ideas with the populist energy of the "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) movement. &lt;br&gt;Wikipedia +2&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Key Political Views and Activities&lt;br&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;MAGA Communism:&lt;/b&gt; Hinkle describes himself as an "American Conservative Marxist-Leninist". This ideology promotes a syncretic mix of cultural conservatism and communist ideas, calling for working-class Americans to align with the MAGA movement against what he describes as "globalist" threats.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Foreign Policy &amp;amp; Geopolitics:&lt;/b&gt; He is a vocal supporter of authoritarian leaders and movements, including &lt;b&gt;Vladimir Putin&lt;/b&gt; (Russia), &lt;b&gt;Bashar al-Assad&lt;/b&gt; (Syria), &lt;b&gt;Hamas&lt;/b&gt;, &lt;b&gt;Hezbollah&lt;/b&gt;, and the &lt;b&gt;Houthis&lt;/b&gt;. He frequently criticizes NATO and Western involvement in conflicts like the Russo-Ukrainian War.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;American Communist Party (ACP):&lt;/b&gt; In July 2024, Hinkle co-founded the &lt;b&gt;American Communist Party&lt;/b&gt;, which positions itself as a patriotic alternative to the Communist Party USA (CPUSA).&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Media Presence:&lt;/b&gt; He hosts the shows &lt;i&gt;Legitimate Targets with Jackson Hinkle&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;The Dive with Jackson Hinkle&lt;/i&gt;. While he has been banned from platforms like &lt;b&gt;YouTube, Twitch, and Instagram&lt;/b&gt; for spreading what they classified as "harmful misinformation," he maintains a massive following on &lt;b&gt;X&lt;/b&gt; (formerly Twitter). &lt;br&gt;Wikipedia +8&lt;br&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Background and Evolution&lt;br&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Early Activism:&lt;/b&gt; Surprisingly, Hinkle began his public life as a teenage environmentalist in San Clemente, California. He founded the Team Zissou Environmental Organization and was once featured in &lt;i&gt;Teen Vogue&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;Reader&amp;#39;s Digest&lt;/i&gt; as an inspirational young leader for his work against plastic pollution.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Political Shift:&lt;/b&gt; Over time, his views shifted drastically from progressive "Bernie Bro" environmentalism to pro-fossil fuel, pro-Trump, and anti-"woke" stances.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Controversies:&lt;/b&gt; Journalists and fact-checkers have frequently accused Hinkle of disseminating misinformation and propaganda, particularly concerning the war in Gaza and the invasion of Ukraine. &lt;br&gt;Wikipedia +5&lt;br&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br&gt;He currently resides in &lt;b&gt;Moscow, Russia&lt;/b&gt;, stating in early 2025 that he moved there due to fears of U.S. government retribution for his political stances. &lt;br&gt;Wikipedia +1&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35488458</link><pubDate>4/14/2026 9:10:45 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[Elroy Jetson] The scale of the continued oil flow from Iran the US military interdiction has t...</title><author>Elroy Jetson</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;The scale of the continued oil flow from Iran the US military interdiction has to stop.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;[X]&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;Shipping data shows that approximately 15–20 ships have crossed the Strait of Hormuz in the past 36 hours.  &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Most of these vessels were Chinese, Pakistani, Russian, and Iranian. &lt;a href="https://t.co/caNG8o8igP"&gt;pic.twitter.com/caNG8o8igP&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; Jackson Hinkle 🇺🇸 (@jacksonhinklle) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/jacksonhinklle/status/2043769750136803673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 13, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;
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[/X]&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35488448</link><pubDate>4/14/2026 9:01:51 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[Elroy Jetson] The EU's main partners for oil imports have changed significantly  in the last f...</title><author>Elroy Jetson</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;The EU&amp;#39;s main &lt;b&gt;partners for oil imports have changed significantly&lt;/b&gt;  in the last few years. Since Russia&amp;#39;s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on  24 February 2022, the EU has imposed sanctions on Russia in order to  diminish its ability to wage its illegal war of aggression.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; &lt;b&gt;Russia&amp;#39;s share&lt;/b&gt; of the EU&amp;#39;s oil imports &lt;b&gt;dropped from 25.8% in 2021 to 2.2% in 2025&lt;/b&gt;. This was mainly compensated for by growing imports from the US, Norway and Kazakhstan (Chevron).&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The hold-outs still importing oil from Russia have been Hungary and Slovakia, but the departure of deeply-corrupt Putin-ally Viktor Orb&amp;#225;n will bring that virtually to zero. - &lt;a class='ExternURL' href='https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/infographics/where-does-the-eu-get-its-oil-from/' target='_blank' &gt;consilium.europa.eu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;img src='public/4188495_1264233793605bf885ab7a33a825c5f7.jpg'&gt;&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35488442</link><pubDate>4/14/2026 8:55:23 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[elmatador] Where does the EU gets its from?     [graphic]</title><author>elmatador</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;Where does the EU gets its from?   &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;img src='/public/7238431_217aecfbd4a0697e367858e9c70270f1.png'&gt;&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35488421</link><pubDate>4/14/2026 8:30:05 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[kidl] March has been very good to Russia's war chest thanks to Trump's Iran war and th...</title><author>kidl</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;March has been very good to Russia&amp;#39;s war chest thanks to Trump&amp;#39;s Iran war and the resulting lifting of sanctions.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;    Russia&amp;#39;s oil export revenues nearly doubled in March, boosted by Iran war, IEA says&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The war with Iran has resulted in a sharp increase in Russia’s revenues from oil exports, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said today.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Moscow’s exports of crude and oil products rose by 320,000 barrels a day in March to 7.1 million barrels a day, helped by a scramble for alternative sources of oil as Middle Eastern supplies are choked off. But its revenues from those exports increased more strongly as global oil prices surged: Russia raked in $19 billion last month, almost double the $9.7 billion earned in February, the IEA wrote in a monthly report.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;But it also warned that Russia might struggle in the near term to increase oil production above the levels seen early in the first quarter of this year, given  &lt;a href='https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/28/europe/ukraine-attacks-russia-oil-intl' target='_blank'&gt;damage&lt;/a&gt; to its port and energy infrastructure. Russian Baltic and Black Sea ports and refineries have been repeatedly damaged in Ukrainian drone strikes, the agency noted.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The high oil prices have  &lt;a href='https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/27/business/iran-war-russia-ukraine-impact-intl' target='_blank'&gt;boosted the Kremlin’s coffers&lt;/a&gt;, helping Russia plug a hole in its federal budget and sustain the war effort in Ukraine.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Last month, Russia also benefited from a rise in Indian imports of its crude after the United States  &lt;a href='https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/iran-war-us-israel-trump-03-05-26#cmme7iejh00003b6qmi9uhy6z' target='_blank'&gt;waived restrictions&lt;/a&gt; on purchases for Russian cargoes loaded before March 5, the IEA said.&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35488384</link><pubDate>4/14/2026 7:26:21 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[elmatador] How oil shocks can breed de­mand de­struc­tion  When it comes to oil, the price ...</title><author>elmatador</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;How oil shocks can breed de&amp;#173;mand de&amp;#173;struc&amp;#173;tion&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;When it comes to oil, the price spikes grab attention. Their more lasting effect may be demand that disappears - and does not fully return.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;10/04/2026&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;When it comes to oil, the price spikes grab attention. Their more lasting effect may be demand that disappears - and does not fully return.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;img src='https://www.dws.com/globalassets/_-shared/equities/chart-inflation-expectations.png?v=565277543&amp;amp;width=1160&amp;amp;height=580'&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Back in March 1918, a few months after the October Revolution, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin put it bluntly: in days, months and weeks, Russia had gone through historical stages that took other countries decades. &lt;a href='https://www.dws.com/insights/cio-view/charts-of-the-week/2026/how-oil-shocks-can-breed-demand-destruction/#footnote-ref-1-318289' target='_blank'&gt;[1]&lt;/a&gt;? Oil markets can feel much the same, as our Chart of the Week shows. The line shows the inflation-adjusted (i.e. real) Brent price over calendar time. By that measure, the latest move is serious, but not extraordinary. Even after the recent Middle East shock, real oil prices still look less dramatic than some earlier peaks.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The bars tell the more interesting story. They represent each quarter’s share of total “trading time,” using a practical proxy based on realized variance. &lt;a href='https://www.dws.com/insights/cio-view/charts-of-the-week/2026/how-oil-shocks-can-breed-demand-destruction/#footnote-ref-2-318289' target='_blank'&gt;[2]&lt;/a&gt;? In other words, periods with large daily moves absorb a disproportionate share of market stress. That matters because oil shocks do more than raise the price at the pump. They can change behavior. When volatility clusters, households, carmakers and regulators stop treating oil as a steady input and start treating it as a risk. The 1970s oil shocks helped drive efficiency gains and substitution. A prolonged shock now would likely favor electric vehicles (EVs), heat pumps and other forms of electrification. In that sense, demand destruction and electrification are not alternatives. They are part of the same demand side adjustment.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Oil is unusual for another reason. Supply does not always respond as it does in purely profit driven, competitive commodity markets. The Organization of the Petroleum-Exporting Countries (OPEC) still accounts for roughly a third of world crude production, about half of internationally traded oil and almost all spare capacity, while national oil companies remain dominant in many producer states. That means fiscal and strategic incentives can matter alongside profit — and can keep stress alive after the initial shock. &lt;a href='https://www.dws.com/insights/cio-view/charts-of-the-week/2026/how-oil-shocks-can-breed-demand-destruction/#footnote-ref-3-318289' target='_blank'&gt;[3]&lt;/a&gt;?&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;“All this shows that it makes sense to look beyond the headlines,” argues Darwei Kung, Head of Investment Strategy Liquid Real Assets at DWS. “Trading time shows that while overall stress remains below past extremes, it is highly concentrated in short bursts. In oil, even moderate turbulence—when compressed into a few weeks—can have an outsized impact on behavior and demand.” A few turbulent weeks can do the work of years. And when they do, the lasting result is not necessarily a permanently higher price, but less appetite for oil itself. Or as Lenin might have put it, oil shocks are demand destruction plus electrification.&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;span style='color: #cc0000;'&gt;&lt;br&gt;Real oil prices and market stress &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; interactive chart. in the article&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;Sources: Bloomberg Finance L.P., DWS Investment GmbH as of 3/31/26&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;* The share of total trading time is computed as each quarter’s share of total realized variance.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;This information is subject to change at any time, based upon economic, market and other considerations and should not be construed as a recommendation. Past performance is not indicative of future returns. Forecasts are based on assumptions, estimates, opinions and hypothetical models that may prove to be incorrect. Alternative investments may be speculative and involve significant risks including illiquidity, heightened potential for loss and lack of transparency. Alternatives are not suitable for all clients.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;In Australia, this document is issued by DWS Investments Australia Limited (ABN: 52 074 599 401) (AFSL 499640). The content of this document has not been reviewed by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.&lt;br&gt;&amp;#169; 2026 DWS Investments Australia Limited&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35488310</link><pubDate>4/14/2026 3:31:32 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[rsroberto] strange, weeks ago a poster post a link where they say that production would ret...</title><author>rsroberto</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;strange, weeks ago a poster post a link where they say that production would return only in five years. Was that over  estimated?&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35488254</link><pubDate>4/14/2026 12:36:04 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[Elroy Jetson] Trump posted this picture of himself on Truth Social . . . . .  Trump is the onl...</title><author>Elroy Jetson</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;Trump posted this picture of himself on Truth Social . . . . .  Trump is the only one who can do something this wonderful.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Trump claims this picture shows him "as a Doctor healing a man whose Medicare coverage was terminated", probably to pay for his war with Iran.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;img src='public/4188495_9ecd0c79a8c516cd50cb90ee9e2de310.jpg'&gt;&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35487802</link><pubDate>4/13/2026 3:33:37 PM</pubDate></item><item><title>[DinoNavarre] [graphic]</title><author>DinoNavarre</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;&lt;img src='https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HFzDEnWaQAAgSlf?format=png&amp;amp;name=medium'&gt;&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35487624</link><pubDate>4/13/2026 1:32:10 PM</pubDate></item><item><title>[Elroy Jetson] Maple MAGA enjoying higher gas prices a little too much  [youtube video]</title><author>Elroy Jetson</author><description /><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35487578</link><pubDate>4/13/2026 12:57:37 PM</pubDate></item><item><title>[kidl] Middle East crude oil output tumbles in March  The Middle East’s oil output plun...</title><author>kidl</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;&lt;b&gt;Middle East crude oil output tumbles in March&lt;br&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;The Middle East’s oil output plunged in March, as a near shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz choked off exports and forced some of the world’s biggest producers to make less crude.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Crude oil production among the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) fell by almost 7.9 million barrels to 20.79 million barrels a day, a 27% decline, OPEC said in its monthly oil market report today.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The report highlights how disruption to the Strait of Hormuz has upended oil production in the Middle East.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Among OPEC members, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates slashed output by the most last month. Iran also posted a small decline in production, according to the report, as did some other OPEC members, including Algeria, Congo, Libya and Gabon. Nigeria, by contrast, posted a small increase in oil output.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;“Disruptions to shipping operations in the region raised persistent concerns about regional supply flows,” OPEC said in its report.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The group kept its outlook for global oil demand unchanged from last month, forecasting growth of 1.4 million barrels a day this year. Demand weakness in the second quarter as a result of the Middle East conflict would be “transitory” and offset by growth later in the year, OPEC said.&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35487428</link><pubDate>4/13/2026 11:03:04 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[DinoNavarre] [X]
Russia 🇷🇺 is evacuating nearly all of its remaining personnel from the Bu...</title><author>DinoNavarre</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;[X]&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;Russia 🇷🇺 is evacuating nearly all of its remaining personnel from the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran 🇮🇷&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Approximately 600 personnel have already been evacuated over the last six weeks. 108 of the remaining 128 workers are now being pulled from the site.&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; Aleph א (@no_itsmyturn) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/no_itsmyturn/status/2043688980504305956?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 13, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;
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[/X]&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35487396</link><pubDate>4/13/2026 10:20:58 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[teevee] when will the USA interdict Chinese transport aircraft flying into Iran and dive...</title><author>teevee</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;when will the USA interdict Chinese transport aircraft flying into Iran and divert them to a US airfield for inspection?&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35487385</link><pubDate>4/13/2026 10:13:26 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[DinoNavarre] [X]
Periodic reminder that, no matter how much China and Iran may talk about "s...</title><author>DinoNavarre</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;[X]&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;Periodic reminder that, no matter how much China and Iran may talk about "strategic partnership", Beijing ultimately has far, far more invested in the countries on the other side of the Gulf, and it&amp;#39;s not going to blow that up for a couple million bpd of discounted oil &lt;a href="https://t.co/2PPqQwoYhB"&gt;https://t.co/2PPqQwoYhB&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; Gregg Carlstrom (@glcarlstrom) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/glcarlstrom/status/2043657397781049855?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 13, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;
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[/X]&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35487376</link><pubDate>4/13/2026 10:08:44 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[Selectric II] [graphic]    Trump Blockades the Blockaders in Iran The regime made its nuclear ...</title><author>Selectric II</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;&lt;img src='/public/7644799_b9e8e8dbffc089a88aaaf9944cbd4a31.jpg'&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;Trump Blockades the Blockaders in Iran&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;The regime made its nuclear intentions clear in 21-hour negotiations.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; By &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; &lt;a href='https://www.wsj.com/news/author/editorial-board' target='_blank'&gt;The Editorial Board&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Updated April 12, 2026 5:56 pm ET&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt; &lt;a href='https://www.wsj.com/opinion/trump-blockades-the-blockaders-in-iran-93c8c8bd?mod=hp_opin_pos_1#comments_sector' target='_blank'&gt;1122&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;img src='https://opinion-images.wsj.net/im-29821216/?size=1.5'&gt;President Donald Trump  Bonnie Cash - Pool Via Cnp/&amp;#194; Bonnie Cash/Pool/Cnp/ZUMA Press&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;We’re  a long way from Tuesday night’s declaration of victory over Iran, and  the good news is President Trump seems to know it. On Saturday the U.S.  team left foundering negotiations in Pakistan, and on Sunday Mr. Trump  announced a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz for ships  using  Iranian ports. Iran has denied passage to most oil and gas tankers, and  now the regime will get the same treatment.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Iran’s  failure to come to terms was predictable. Tehran took Mr. Trump’s  eagerness for a cease-fire as a sign of desperation and confirmation  that its energy strategy is a winner. The regime won’t even open the  Strait amid the cease-fire, so there was little reason to think its  leaders would abandon their decadeslong nuclear objectives and  ideological core.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;As Vice President JD Vance  explained after marathon talks failed, “We need to see an affirmative  commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon and they will not  seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear  weapon.” The latter half is the key. No matter what Iran’s regime says,  the only reason it needs domestic uranium enrichment capability is to  pursue a bomb.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;  Mr. Trump summed up the talks on Sunday. “There is only one thing that  matters,” he wrote on Truth Social. “IRAN IS UNWILLING TO GIVE UP ITS  NUCLEAR AMBITIONS!”&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The  regime says the U.S. is asking too much, but Mr. Trump is right to  stick to his terms on dismantling Iran’s nuclear program. During  negotiations for Barack Obama’s 2015 nuclear deal, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif walked out and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry  ran after him. This dynamic was one reason the deal allowed enrichment,  sunset its restrictions, and let Iran keep the infrastructure to reach  weapons-grade when the regime wanted.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;By  walking away, Mr. Trump tells the regime not to expect a repeat. By  having the more dovish Mr. Vance execute the walkout, the President also  signals that Iran won’t be able to exploit divisions in his  Administration. The regime complained about previous U.S. envoys and  asked for Mr. Vance, but its real problem is Mr. Trump, the U.S.  President who called Iran’s bluff.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;We  raised the blockade option in Saturday’s paper, and it makes sense as  long as Mr. Trump is willing to accept the energy-market pain. “Iran  will not be allowed to profit off this Illegal Act of EXTORTION,” the  President wrote Sunday. Why should Iran alone be exempt from the costs  of its illegal actions in Hormuz, raking in revenue while it starves the  rest of the world? Even as the U.S. sought to pressure the regime, it  was undercutting itself by encouraging Iranian oil exports.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Iran  now has an incentive to restore traffic in the Strait. As does China,  whose tankers had been given priority. Rather than smuggle new air  defenses to Iran, as U.S. intelligence suspects it is doing, let Beijing  pressure the regime to resume oil shipments.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Mr.  Trump says the Navy will even seize tankers that have paid a toll to  make it out of the Gulf, another blow to China if the U.S. can execute  it. With the help of allies, the President added, the Navy will also  de-mine the Strait—important preparation for the ultimate goal of  reopening Hormuz to all. Iran’s regime will have to take that threat  more seriously.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The  regime will also have to consider anew the possibility of U.S. air  strikes to destroy its oil-export infrastructure at Kharg Island. This  was unlikely while U.S. policy was to keep Iran’s oil flowing. Now it  seems possible, especially if Mr. Trump finds the blockade too  slow-moving a policy tool. Over weeks and months a blockade would  strangle the regime’s revenue, but the President may want results at the  negotiating table sooner.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;***Any  reduction in energy flows, even from the trickle Iran was allowing,  will be felt by markets and U.S. allies, especially in Asia. Oil prices  will spike if the blockade is enforced at any length. The President  presumably knows this. He’s telling Iran’s leaders they nonetheless  won’t win by playing the clock.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;“Iran  promised to open the Strait of Hormuz, and they knowingly failed to do  so,” Mr. Trump wrote Sunday. He was played to get the cease-fire, and if  oil won’t flow there’s no reason to ease pressure on the regime. Oil  exports are a better target than Mr. Trump’s misguided threats last week  to destroy Iranian “civilization” or all of its power plants.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;As  the President said in his first term, the U.S. shouldn’t start a war it  doesn’t intend to win. His challenge now is to prove to Iran’s regime  he meant what he said.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;a class='ExternURL' href='https://www.wsj.com/opinion/trump-blockades-the-blockaders-in-iran-93c8c8bd?mod=hp_opin_pos_1' target='_blank' &gt;wsj.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35487266</link><pubDate>4/13/2026 7:42:36 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[kidl] And then there is this ...  China imports the vast majority of Iran's oil export...</title><author>kidl</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;And then there is this ...&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;China imports the vast majority of Iran&amp;#39;s oil exports, typically around 90% of Iran&amp;#39;s crude shipments.&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Recent Volumes&lt;br&gt;In 2025, China purchased an average of 1.38 to 1.4 million barrels per day (bpd) from Iran, accounting for about 12-14% of its total crude imports. This equates to roughly 520 million barrels for the full year, often at discounts of $8-10 per barrel below Brent prices.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Strategic Context&lt;br&gt;China remains the primary destination for Iranian oil despite US sanctions, with over 150 million barrels en route as of March 2026 and limited redirection to other markets. Iranian oil provides Tehran with tens of billions in annual revenue—around $31.2 billion in 2025—funding about 45% of its government budget.&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35487207</link><pubDate>4/13/2026 3:38:44 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[elmatador] The stage of the war that interests China is about to start. Why would China be ...</title><author>elmatador</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;The stage of the war that interests China is about to start. Why would China be interested in the Hormuz Strait? Taiwan Strait is a 180-kilometer-wide (110 mi; 97 nmi) strait separating the island of Taiwan and the Asian continent.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;China depends heavily on the Taiwan Strait, with approximately $1.3 trillion to $1.4 trillion of its trade passing through the waterway, representing nearly one-third of its imports (including oil, gas, and raw materials&lt;/b&gt;) and a significant portion of its exports. The strait is a crucial artery for domestic shipping and access to the Pacific Ocean&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;It is very interesting for China to see how a strait is blocked, reopened, defended, mined and, most important, kept open. The Chinese might be working very closely with the IRGC...&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35487200</link><pubDate>4/13/2026 3:09:41 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[longz] AYA-TOLD-YAH!!!    ... il Donaldo Trumpo on X: "AYA-TOLD-YAH!!!???????????? t.co...</title><author>longz</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(15, 20, 25);'&gt;AYA-TOLD-YAH!!!&lt;/span&gt;    ... &lt;a href='https://x.com/PapiTrumpo/status/2043428467337765053?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2043428467337765053%7Ctwgr%5E39e7605e1d19a848fa0d6605955e662208c9c7a3%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.siliconinvestor.com%2Freadmsg.aspx%3Fmsgid%3D35486902' target='_blank'&gt;il Donaldo Trumpo on X: "AYA-TOLD-YAH!!!???????????? &lt;a class='ExternURL' href='https://t.co/RmG3BSCjtq&amp;quot' target='_blank' &gt;t.co&lt;/a&gt;; / X&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;[X]&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet"&gt;&lt;p lang="in" dir="ltr"&gt;AYA-TOLD-YAH!!!😎🇺🇸😂😂😂 &lt;a href="https://t.co/RmG3BSCjtq"&gt;pic.twitter.com/RmG3BSCjtq&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; il Donaldo Trumpo (@PapiTrumpo) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/PapiTrumpo/status/2043428467337765053?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 12, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;
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[/X]&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35487145</link><pubDate>4/12/2026 11:26:52 PM</pubDate></item><item><title>[longz] [graphic]</title><author>longz</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;&lt;img src='https://cdn-ceo-ca.s3.amazonaws.com/1ktdd1e-image.png'&gt;&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35487143</link><pubDate>4/12/2026 11:24:30 PM</pubDate></item><item><title>[longz] [graphic]</title><author>longz</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;&lt;img src='https://cdn-ceo-ca.s3.amazonaws.com/1ktl4t8-image.png'&gt;&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35487141</link><pubDate>4/12/2026 11:23:30 PM</pubDate></item><item><title>[longz] [graphic]</title><author>longz</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;&lt;img src='https://cdn-ceo-ca.s3.amazonaws.com/1ktm8m3-image.png'&gt;&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35487140</link><pubDate>4/12/2026 11:22:34 PM</pubDate></item><item><title>[Elroy Jetson] Can the Trump administration negotiate their way back up to zero damage in the o...</title><author>Elroy Jetson</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;Can the Trump administration negotiate their way back up to zero damage in the oil markets ?&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Trump has certainly managed to place Iran into a more powerful negotiating position.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;img src='public/4188495_c84b3225e30469d6943d1008ef11af5f.jpg'&gt;&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35487028</link><pubDate>4/12/2026 7:47:28 PM</pubDate></item><item><title>[golfer72] Maybe he can put Little Marco in charge of the Strait. Oh wait he's in charge of...</title><author>golfer72</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;Maybe he can put Little Marco in charge of the Strait. Oh wait he&amp;#39;s in charge of Venezuela!&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35487018</link><pubDate>4/12/2026 7:30:13 PM</pubDate></item><item><title>[kidl] Well done Mr. Trump ...  Crude at $105 (up $8) and DOW Futures down 500 pts.</title><author>kidl</author><description /><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35486968</link><pubDate>4/12/2026 6:37:23 PM</pubDate></item><item><title>[kidl] I can hardly wait to see how this "brilliant" move will work out.  US to begin n...</title><author>kidl</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0);'&gt;I can hardly wait to see how this "brilliant" move will work out.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;US to begin naval blockade in Strait of Hormuz at 10 a.m. ET Monday&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0);'&gt;By Riane Lumer&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0);'&gt;US Central Command said it will begin enforcing a maritime blockade on all traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports starting at 10 a.m. ET Monday, in accordance with &lt;/span&gt; &lt;a href='https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/12/world/live-news/iran-us-war-talks-trump?post-id=cmnvrymbc00003b6rkqvauizt' target='_blank'&gt;President Donald Trump’s demand&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0);'&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0);'&gt;“The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman,” CENTCOM said in a &lt;/span&gt; &lt;a href='https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2043432050921718194?s=20' target='_blank'&gt;post&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0);'&gt; on X.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0);'&gt;Ships not traveling to or from Iranian ports will be able to pass freely through the Strait of Hormuz, according to CENTCOM, which said the blockade will “not impede freedom of navigation” for those vessels.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0);'&gt;The statement from CENTCOM comes after Trump announced a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz earlier today, a step that could drive up &lt;/span&gt; &lt;a href='https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/12/world/live-news/iran-us-war-talks-trump?post-id=cmnw21u9r000k3b6r6s33lgd6' target='_blank'&gt;the cost of oil&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0);'&gt; as Washington seeks to intensify its &lt;/span&gt; &lt;a href='https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/12/business/strait-of-hormuz-blockade' target='_blank'&gt;leverage over Tehran&lt;/a&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0);'&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgb(0, 0, 0);'&gt;Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of the Iranian Parliament, responded to the threat of a US naval blockade by posting a map of gas prices at stations near the White House, writing on X, “Enjoy the current price of gasoline. With what is being called a ‘blockade,’ you will soon miss $4 to $5 gasoline.”&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35486941</link><pubDate>4/12/2026 6:09:22 PM</pubDate></item><item><title>[DinoNavarre] [graphic]</title><author>DinoNavarre</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;&lt;img src='https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HFsKuTMbQAA_TJC?format=jpg&amp;amp;name=large'&gt;&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35486674</link><pubDate>4/12/2026 1:36:04 PM</pubDate></item><item><title>[elmatador] It goes beyond closing. Now the president threatened to stop the traffic of of t...</title><author>elmatador</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;It goes beyond closing. Now the president threatened to stop the traffic of of the ships that are paying the gate pass fees. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;img src='/public/7238431_07a5cfba8fdef4ebea4c958c69ef6549.jpg'&gt;&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35486648</link><pubDate>4/12/2026 1:05:36 PM</pubDate></item><item><title>[kidl] We are in for a VERY confused not just oil market.   Trump can't make up his min...</title><author>kidl</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;We are in for a VERY confused not just oil market. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Trump can&amp;#39;t make up his mind. "We are opening the Strait with or without help" followed just hours later by "We are blockading the Strait on both sides".&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;There is clearly a very well thought out strategy in place.&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35486550</link><pubDate>4/12/2026 11:56:41 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[DinoNavarre] [X]
Meanwhile, over on Reddit... pic.twitter.com/pDUHkHCJq9— Michael Girdley (@...</title><author>DinoNavarre</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;[X]&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;Meanwhile, over on Reddit... &lt;a href="https://t.co/pDUHkHCJq9"&gt;pic.twitter.com/pDUHkHCJq9&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; Michael Girdley (@girdley) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/girdley/status/2043043246331334738?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;April 11, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;
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[/X]&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35486017</link><pubDate>4/11/2026 5:24:12 PM</pubDate></item><item><title>[Elroy Jetson] Trump is already showering Iran with money . . . US taxpayers helping Make Iran ...</title><author>Elroy Jetson</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;Trump is already showering Iran with money . . . US taxpayers helping &lt;b&gt;Make Iran Great Again&lt;/b&gt; baby &lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;!&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt;  MIGA - MIGA  &lt;i&gt;&lt;b&gt;!&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;img src='public/4188495_c390ebfe408abd9e4f6c0b2f9a4a9d4d.jpg'&gt;&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35485653</link><pubDate>4/11/2026 10:27:21 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[elmatador] Hi Bob! The US missed the opportunity of the deal I proposed one month ago.   St...</title><author>elmatador</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;Hi Bob! The US missed the opportunity of the deal I proposed one month ago.&lt;br&gt;&lt;table width="100%" border="0" class="std" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 16px; background-color: rgb(240, 240, 215);"&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td colspan="2"&gt;&lt;br&gt;Stick did not work? Offer carrot ! "It should be a “deal” — the kind of thing Trump appreciates. In exchange for Iran’s acquiescence, the world should offer something transformative and generous.&lt;br&gt;&lt;a class='SIURL' href='readmsg.aspx?msgid=35453574'&gt;Message 35453574&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Today VP Vance is on his way to Islamabad to discuss a peace plan. &lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;It would have been easier than today the Iranians will not provide an easy way out.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;   &lt;b&gt; What demands are in Iran’s 10-point plan?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br&gt;According to state media, Iran will only accept the war’s conclusion once details are finalised in line with a 10-point peace plan reportedly submitted to the White House via Pakistani intermediaries.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;The list of 10 points, published by Iranianstate media, include a number of conditions the US has rejected in the past. The plan requires:&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;The lifting of all primary and secondary sanctions on Iran.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Continued Iranian control over the strait of Hormuz.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;US military withdrawal from the Middle East.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;An end to attacks on Iran and its allies.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The release of frozen Iranian assets.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;A UN security council resolution making any deal binding.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35485518</link><pubDate>4/11/2026 3:00:31 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[Elroy Jetson] Trump's Iran War: "No Strategy, Just Panic"  Iran specifically requested the US ...</title><author>Elroy Jetson</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;Trump&amp;#39;s Iran War: "No Strategy, Just Panic"&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Iran specifically requested the US send JD Vance as the negotiator - Can you imagine letting your opponent choose your negotiating team?&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;img src='https://img.youtube.com/vi/VVZ86pVVS90/0.jpg' class='embedpreview' previewtype='yt'&gt;&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35485514</link><pubDate>4/11/2026 2:36:41 AM</pubDate></item><item><title>[kidl] I see little chance of successful Russia / Ukraine peace  talks any time soon. U...</title><author>kidl</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;I see little chance of successful Russia / Ukraine peace  talks any time soon. Ukraine’s strategy of destroying Russi’s energy export  facilities (40% so far)  is working which  makes it less likely that they will cave to Putin’s ridiculous demands.&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35485073</link><pubDate>4/10/2026 2:32:16 PM</pubDate></item><item><title>[elmatador] Russia's Putin announces Orthodox Easter ceasefire, Ukraine's Zelenskiy agrees U...</title><author>elmatador</author><description>&lt;span id="intelliTXT"&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9);'&gt;Russia&amp;#39;s Putin announces Orthodox Easter ceasefire, Ukraine&amp;#39;s Zelenskiy agrees&lt;/span&gt; &lt;br&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9);'&gt;Ukraine, Russia move towards potential peace deal, Bloomberg reports&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9);'&gt;Zelenskiy has said that, given a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran in the Middle East, a new trilateral meeting ?of ?negotiating teams could take place soon.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;span style='color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9);'&gt;He said that the ?spring and summer months would be difficult for Ukraine as it would face pressure on the battlefield ?and also diplomatically to end the war.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;</description><link>https://www.siliconinvestor.com/readmsg.aspx?msgid=35485005</link><pubDate>4/10/2026 1:50:32 PM</pubDate></item></channel></rss>