Israel has carried out precision strikes that killed Ali Larijani, the powerful secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council and a close advisor to the supreme leader, along with senior Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani, further intensifying the ongoing military confrontation with Tehran. European Union leaders have explicitly rejected any military role in securing the Strait of Hormuz, stating there is no appetite to expand the mandate of the existing EU naval mission, while Japan and Australia have both confirmed they have no current plans to deploy naval vessels despite repeated requests from the United States for international assistance amid disruptions to the vital oil shipping route. As no one is interested in securing the strait, it's hard to imagine oil prices don't skyrocket if Iran continues to have the ability to attack the vessels it doesn't want in those waters. This seems like it will eventually draw more actors into the conflict making WWIII even more volatile than it already is.

The Reserve Bank of Australia lifted its cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.1 percent in a narrow 5-4 board decision, bringing borrowing costs to their highest level in nearly a year as policymakers battle stubborn inflation. Officials pointed to inflation remaining well above the 2-3 percent target, a still-tight labor market, strong economic growth, and external uncertainties from the Middle East conflict as the key factors driving the unexpected rate hike. Central banks use limited data to make best guesses as to what would keep an economy stable and here Australia's central bank is thinking it's best to make money more expensive.

Pakistani military airstrikes hit multiple targets inside Afghanistan, including a major hospital in Kabul, resulting in approximately 400 deaths with Afghan authorities reporting that children made up a significant portion of the casualties. Pakistan defended the cross-border operation as a necessary response to militant groups using Afghan soil to stage attacks, while Kabul strongly condemned the strikes as a serious violation of its sovereignty that has sharply escalated longstanding border tensions. It truly does feel astounding that amongst all of the warfare going on in the Middle East, Pakistan and Afghanistan choose right now to start bombing each other. This conflict doesn't appear to be de-escalating either so the scale of war between the two nations is likely to grow dramatically in the coming weeks.

A federal judge has issued an injunction blocking Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s proposed overhaul of the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule, advisory committee structure, and related recommendations, ruling that the changes were arbitrary and lacked proper scientific and procedural basis. The ruling came after a lawsuit filed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and other health groups and prevents immediate implementation of any alterations to the existing immunization framework. I haven't read the lawsuit but intuitively this feels like judicial overreach but perhaps there's some technical reason this initiative can't move forward. It seems like the judge is ideologically driven and doesn't like what RFK Jr. intends to do regarding vaccines so they're attempting to slow the process down, but it will be interesting to see what comes about here.

Attorneys general from 15 Democratic-led states have filed suit against the Department of Housing and Urban Development to challenge new guidance that weakens federal rules prohibiting discrimination in housing based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The legal action seeks to preserve stronger anti-discrimination standards under the Fair Housing Act and prevent the removal of explicit protections in federally funded housing and lending programs. This will be especially consequential for AGs in states where most people rent and there are high concentrations of LGBTQIA residents. I wonder what protections they need to specifically see in place in order to ensure that people are not being discriminated against.

President Trump has signed an executive order creating a new inter-agency task force focused on combating fraud and waste in federal benefits programs, naming Vice President JD Vance as its leader to coordinate investigations across multiple agencies. The initiative places particular emphasis on high-risk states and aims to strengthen oversight of entitlement programs including unemployment insurance, disability benefits, and other government assistance payments. At least this moves us towards a more systematic approach to dealing with the concerns of fraud that are plaguing the country. Just recently, an official argued that fraud is the main reason the deficit is ballooning so rapidly and I only hope that along with fraud in social services they are equally adamant about ending fraud in industrial complexes such as the military and prison systems.

Virginia lawmakers have passed sweeping legislation establishing a legal recreational cannabis market with licensed dispensary sales scheduled to begin on January 1, 2027, along with a new 6 percent state tax and increased possession limits to two and a half ounces. Tax revenue generated from the program will fund early childhood education initiatives and equity programs supporting communities previously impacted by marijuana prohibition. Seems like a good use of the taxes they'll collect from the industry but perhaps more importantly the fact that Virginia is on board for recreational marijuana says other strongholds in the South will probably give way soon.

Hundreds of teenagers converged on Washington DC’s upscale Navy Yard district over the weekend, leading to widespread violence that included gunfire, armed robberies, assaults, and chaos at restaurants and entertainment venues. Mayor Muriel Bowser has called for greater police accountability and swift action to address the surge in youth crime while frustrated residents and business owners demand stronger measures to restore safety in the waterfront area. While this doesn't feel explicitly political, it's becoming a political issue because eventually someone is going to have to do something. These types of events are occurring all over the country and I think that tells us something about the society we live in. Perhaps the kids lack guidance, perhaps they're responding to life in a declining empire, perhaps our family structures are completely inept. I don't know what the cause is, but I know it's dangerous and has to stop.

Chronic absenteeism in Oklahoma City Public Schools has reached nearly 39 percent, with data showing that frequent family evictions and housing instability are major drivers keeping students out of the classroom for extended periods. State lawmakers are advancing proposals that connect eviction prevention programs with education initiatives in an effort to reduce absenteeism and improve long-term academic performance. Anybody have ideas as to how to deal with this problem?

Recent federal changes to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program eligibility requirements and administrative processes are projected to significantly increase costs and workload for county governments across North Carolina. Local officials are concerned that tighter food assistance rules will raise operational expenses and potentially reduce support for low-income families at a time when many county budgets are already under pressure. I'm not sure I share their concerns here, perhaps efficiency is the question and I think that may be possible without putting much additional pressure on local governments.