Aggregator

"She's used to taking crap, but she did not expect the fallout from this ad, at all," said a Paltrow pal.

The 38-year-old attempted to become the first UFC fighter to ever win titles in three different weight classes at Freedom 250.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is in full swing, and the tournament already had an unexpected thrilling tale in its first week. Cape Verde entered Monday’s matchup against Spain as massive 28-1 underdogs. Cape Verde, a town of 70,000, was ranked 64th in the world by FIFA. Spain ranked third overall before the tournament. Cape...

No child left behind.

Silt, Anchovies, And Economic Disaster

Authored by Matt Badiali via DailyReckoning.com,

Silt and anchovy scales.

Sometimes the greatest scientific discoveries start with the simplest things.

Today, meteorologists are worried about a severe global event. It’s part of an atmospheric pattern that wasn’t recognized until the late 1960’s. But it has had major economic impact over the decades. And it will have an impact this year if it’s as bad as predicted.

But the story starts with marine mud and frustrated fishermen.

Geologists saw something odd in sediment cores taken off the West coast of South America. The cores looked like layer cakes. One layer of mud, another of fish scales…repeated through the core.

The layers reflect massive shifts in weather patterns. But it wasn’t understood until the late 1960’s. That’s when Jacob Bjerknes, a Norwegian American meteorologist, linked the marine sediment record with atmospheric observations. He recognized that the ocean and atmosphere acted in a feedback loop that had dramatic impacts on the land.

The formal term is the El Niño, Southern Oscillation, or ENSO. It gets its name from Peruvian fisherman. They called the warm currents that sometimes occurred around Christmas “El Niño”.

What Bjerknes described was the change in surface water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. When warm water hits Peru around Christmas, it rains. A lot. The rivers flood down from the mountains and drop an impressive amount of sediment.

The image below shows the warm Pacific from the 1998 El Niño event, compared to the cool period (called La Niña):

The Peruvian fishermen hated these warm currents, because the fishing was terrible. The warm water and strong rains disrupted the local food chain.

Normally, the cold, nutrient rich Humboldt current wells up against the coast. The nutrients feed massive schools of anchoveta and other bait fish. During these periods, the sediments become silvery layers of fish scales and biological debris.

That’s how geologists learned to track atmospheric events. It was a huge breakthrough for scientists. But it also had economic implications.

Major Impact

In modern times, two massive El Niño’s, in 1972 and again in 1982, devastated fish populations. Before 1972, Peru was the largest fishing nation in the world. In 1970, the country caught 12 million metric tons of anchoveta. Then a massive El Niño hit and crushed the fishing industry. The combination of over-fishing (to make up the catch) and the weather devastated the fishery.  In 1973, they landed 2 million metric tons. This caused a global fish-meal crisis. It drove agricultural feed up 250%.

However, the 1972 version was just a warmup. The real monster El Niño hit in 1982. This was an unprecedented weather disaster. Warm tropical waters pushed further south than ever before. The warmth stayed so long that it either killed off or forced cold water fish to migrate to other locations.

This time, the damage wasn’t limited to South America. Fishermen along the eastern side of the Pacific saw reduced catches of critical species. Tuna, smelt, mahi mahi, barracuda and other species suddenly show up in places they are never seen.

Here’s what the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration says about strong El Niño and fish populations in California:

A major consequence of an El Niño is the loss of commercially important species where they traditionally occur. A notable example is the movement of the market squid to cooler waters to the north, away from established fisheries in California. This phenomenon is also true for many rockfish species that move from nearshore areas to deeper or more northerly and cooler waters. Pacific whiting likewise shift northward from their spawning and feeding areas off California, Oregon, and Washington to the more temperate latitudes centered off Vancouver Island.

And that’s only part of the economic impact of a strong El Niño. As we mentioned earlier, El Niño brings rain to the west coast of Peru. That can disrupt mining, along with fishing. But it does more than that. Here’s a general map of weather patterns associated with El Niño (from NOAA.gov):

The international monetary fund (IMF) tracked the real impact of El Niño on GDP growth around the world. They found that countries like Australia, India, Indonesia, New Zealand, Peru, and South Africa face a short-lived fall in economic activity in response to an El Niño.

The study also noted that El Niño brings strong storms to Chile, which disrupts copper mining. Japan sees more typhoon strikes.

El Niño does have some benefits for North America. California usually gets more rain, which helps the farmers. The Northeast sees warmer winters, so it uses less energy. And the east coast sees fewer hurricanes. In fact, there are zero recorded major hurricane strikes on the East Coast of the U.S. during El Niño…except Florida.

Hurricane Andrew struck Miami as a massive category five storm in August 1992. It’s unusual to have the first named storm that late in hurricane season.

If the forecast severe El Niño comes to pass, we can expect food inflation on things grown internationally. If history is correct, coffee, palm oil, and wheat will go up in price. And we can expect some local problems from flooding and severe weather.

It’s not enough to speculate on just yet, but there could be some short-term trades from this oddball weather phenomenon. We’ll keep an eye out.

Tyler Durden Wed, 06/17/2026 - 17:40

The former NBA player and ESPN analyst eviscerated Wembanyama for his play in the Spurs' NBA Finals loss to the Knicks.

“He’s lucky to be alive. A lot worse could have happened to him."

"Chinese Empire Is Next": Townsend Warns Beijing's Energy Dominance Is Rewriting The Global Order

Veteran energy economist Dr. Anas Alhajji said during last night’s ZeroHedge debate that Iranian crude trading activity reflects a serious peace deal sticking. Alhajji joined Jeff Currie, co-chair of Abaxx Exchange, and Erik Townsend of Macro Voices to weigh in on the Iran deal’s implications for oil prices, which he believes are poised for a significant decline. Townsend, meanwhile, thinks China will come out on top. 

Currie, unlike Alhajji, remains bullish crude due to supply constraints and, assuming Hormuz does open Friday, there is still a 6-week lag before ships begin reaching their destination. That… and there’s no telling what the Israelis will do given that hardliners are already voicing their plans to continue attacking Lebanon, violating a core component of the ceasefire.

Here were some highlights though we recommend the full discussion included at the end:

Alhajji: Iran Deal Is Serious

Alhajji argued the current ceasefire, even if tested, is likely serious.

"The question is, if this deal does not work, what is the default?" Alhajji asked. "It seems that if we have a default, basically, we are going to end up with a status quo where there is no war, no peace," he said. "I don't think we are going to revert to a war. It will be a default somehow of a status quo with attacks from time to time."

Tehran seems to credibly want a lasting peace, Alhajji said, judging by their ceasing of shadow discount sales to China.

"I'm going to tell you something that tells me that this is really serious," he said. "If we go back and study the Iranian behavior, now the market is telling us that Iranians are not able to export most of their oil because of the blockade. Well, that is not the case because if you go back to the era before the negotiations, the Iranians were able to smuggle.”

“When they are certain that there will be a solution, they look at it this way: ‘So, okay, either I sell my own oil to China at 40% discount… Or I wait just for a month or a few weeks, I'm going to get world price.’”

The fact that the Iranians are waiting for worldwide sales indicates a genuine anticipation that a peace deal is tangible.

pic.twitter.com/1Yjv1kYBe0

— ZeroHedge Debates (@zerohedgeDebate) June 17, 2026 The Chinese Century?

Host Erik Townsend argued that the current Hormuz crisis may highlight a strategic advantage China has spent decades building:

"I'm sorry, I know a lot of Americans don't want to hear this, but sometimes the truth hurts. China has by far, by far, the most advanced nuclear energy program in the world. They've done more to diversify their energy resources. They've been smarter than anyone else, including us, about planning."

Referencing Currie's recent Carlyle Group research paper called the "New Joule Order," Townsend suggested that energy strategy ultimately shapes geopolitical power.

"Who's in charge of the world really derives from military power," he said. "Military power derives from energy dominance. Energy dominance derives from energy strategy and energy policy. And China's is a hell of a lot better than anybody else's, including ours."

“We went from the British Empire to the American Empire… I think the Chinese Empire is next and I think energy policy is what takes them there."

Currie agreed that the existing global framework is reaching an inflection point, though he argued the next era will be defined by a different form of energy competition.

"I definitely think that we ran the course of Bretton Woods, which was defined by the U.S. Navy, the U.S. dollar, and the global oil trade," Currie said. "I think it's come to a head right now and we need to replace it."

pic.twitter.com/xgSNhQPV6M

— ZeroHedge Debates (@zerohedgeDebate) June 17, 2026

Watch the full debate below, on YouTube, or listen on Spotify.

https://t.co/z5iLukR1a7

— zerohedge (@zerohedge) June 16, 2026 Tyler Durden Wed, 06/17/2026 - 17:20

The couple got engaged in December 2025 after five years of dating.

The couple got engaged in December 2025 after five years of dating.

Disturbing footage shows former "Lilo & Stitch" actress Daveigh Chase living a tortured existence months before her death at age 35.

A New York City designer to stars – including the likes of Julia Roberts and Cynthia Erivo – has been charged with running a “sweatshop” and bilking her employees out of thousands in unpaid wages.

What culture do the LCCAs celebrate? All culture.

What culture do the LCCAs celebrate? All culture.

Trucking Group Asks Federal Court To Strip New York, California Of CDL Authority

Authored by Noi Mahoney via FreightWaves,

The Small Business in Transportation Coalition (SBTC) has filed a court petition seeking to force federal regulators to decertify the commercial driver’s license programs of New York and California.

The Small Business in Transportation Coalition said the U.S. Department of Transportation has failed to enforce federal law after finding states out of compliance. (Photo: Jim Alen/Freightwaves)

The petition, filed June 10, asks the court to review actions by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation and order the agencies to revoke the authority of New York and California to issue CDLs, escalating a dispute over immigration-related licensing policies and English-language proficiency requirements for commercial drivers.

SBTC argues that FMCSA has already determined both states were in “substantial noncompliance” with federal CDL regulations and therefore must be decertified under federal law. The organization contends that federal statutes require the transportation secretary to prohibit a state from issuing CDLs once such a determination is made.

The filing, made in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, specifically challenges FMCSA’s April 16 final determination regarding New York and also seeks relief related to a Jan. 7 determination involving California.

SBTC alleges the agency improperly failed to act on a petition it submitted in May 2025 requesting decertification orders against several states, including New York and California.

Virginia crash cited in petition

The lawsuit comes less than two weeks after a fatal bus crash on Interstate 95 in Virginia that killed five people and injured dozens more.

According to the court filing, SBTC points to the May 29 crash as evidence that stronger enforcement of federal licensing standards is needed. The organization alleges the bus driver involved held a New York-issued CDL despite concerns about English-language proficiency.

The crash involved a bus operated by E&P Travel Inc. Federal investigators are examining the company’s connections to a broader network of bus operators in the Northeast, according to CBS News. The driver, identified by CBS News as Jing S. Dong of Staten Island, New York, faces five felony involuntary manslaughter charges.

Compliance findings at center of dispute

SBTC’s petition centers on FMCSA’s nationwide review of state CDL programs following changes to federal rules governing non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses.

The coalition says FMCSA’s audits initially identified 24 states and the District of Columbia as being in substantial noncompliance with federal CDL requirements. According to the filing, New York and California ultimately received final notices of substantial noncompliance after federal reviews of their handling of non-domiciled CDL and permit applications.

The petition alleges New York’s noncompliance rate exceeded 55%, while California’s was about 25% during federal audits. SBTC argues those findings legally trigger mandatory decertification orders.

FMCSA previously warned multiple states that they could face funding consequences or additional enforcement actions if they failed to comply with federal CDL standards for non-domiciled drivers.

Latest chapter in broader legal battle

The lawsuit follows a separate high-profile challenge brought by Florida against California and Washington.

In May, the U.S. Supreme Court declined Florida’s request to file an original-action lawsuit alleging California and Washington violated federal law by issuing CDLs to undocumented immigrants.

The case stemmed from a fatal crash on Florida’s Turnpike involving a truck driver who reportedly held a California-issued CDL and had previously been licensed in Washington.

Tyler Durden Wed, 06/17/2026 - 17:00

The Alone-ers are back! Season 13 pits ten new contestants against a tough stretch of Arctic wilderness.

Page Six Senior Reporter Bernie Zilio breaks down her exclusive report on “Hacks” star Hannah Einbinder’s relationship with journalist Jasper Nathaniel. Sources tell Page Six the pair were seen showing PDA at a recent Los Angeles party, while another insider claims Einbinder referred to Nathaniel as her boyfriend during a fan interaction at the Provincetown...

Page Six Senior Reporter Bernie Zilio breaks down her exclusive report on “Hacks” star Hannah Einbinder’s relationship with journalist Jasper Nathaniel. Sources tell Page Six the pair were seen showing PDA at a recent Los Angeles party, while another insider claims Einbinder referred to Nathaniel as her boyfriend during a fan interaction at the Provincetown...

A source exclusively told Page Six the estranged couple's divorce was caused by "a combination of issues that had been building for years.”

A source exclusively told Page Six the estranged couple's divorce was caused by "a combination of issues that had been building for years.”