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“You grow up fast as hell whenever you grow up in a beach trash town.”

New York Jets football is back.

Bessent: US Readies Economic Isolation Of Iran "Like The World Has Never Seen Before"

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Newsmax Thursday night that the Trump administration will announce unprecedented economic measures against Iran next week, signaling that a sharp escalation in economic warfare is just ahead as negotiations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz remain stalled. The warning comes as Tehran-linked Houthi rebel forces resume attacks on Saudi Aramco energy infrastructure, raising concerns that the conflict is spreading geographically and pushing Brent crude futures higher.

Bessent told Rob Schmitt of Newsmax:

And, you know, at the president's orders, we have raised the level even again, and watch this space for more announcements coming next week because we are going to apply measures like have never been seen in the history of economic isolation on a country. And I think the reason we are succeeding is because it is a one-two punch.

People say, well, you know, Cuba lasted a long time. Venezuela lasted a long time. Venezuela immediately crumbled when we put the blockade on. So, it will be a combination of economic isolation like the world has never seen before and the continued blockade in the Strait of Hormuz that will keep anything from going in or out of the Iranian ports.

Watch Bessent

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced upcoming unprecedented economic measures against Iran amid ongoing blockades of its ports pic.twitter.com/OV3etgd2k0

— Chay Bowes (@BowesChay) August 14, 2026

By the midpoint of this week, we explained that, with US-Iran talks stalled, President Trump was more than likely to "opt for economic siege warfare, as the US military campaign is on hold."

Trump recently told Axios that he is "low-keying it" with Iran. "We are just watching Iran with its huge inflation and the fact they have no money," he said.

Washington has imposed roughly 2,200 sanctions-related designations on Tehran since 2018, according to Jeremy Paner, a partner at Hughes Hubbard & Reed who tracks Iran's energy industry. The scale of the existing sanctions architecture underscores the challenge facing the Trump administration as it seeks to exert additional leverage on Tehran.

"If 47 years of sanctions haven't broken Tehran's will, more of the same is unlikely to produce any changes," according to a Bloomberg Economics report led by Jennifer Welch. She noted that the most likely scenario is that Trump stays on the same path as before, maintaining sanctions and the blockade.

The Trump administration's accelerated pivot toward economic warfare, rather than renewed strikes on Iran's missile and drone capabilities along the Hormuz chokepoint or an operation against Kharg Island, likely reflects growing concern over the "perfect storm" developing in refined-products markets. With the global diesel crisis intensifying and crack spreads approaching $100 level, further strikes risk triggering a severe supply shock to the fuel that powers global industries. It would also be a political disaster if gasoline and diesel prices at US pumps soared even higher with just 81 days left until the midterm elections (read diesel crisis report). 

Tyler Durden Fri, 08/14/2026 - 16:00

A slice of really cool New York history is up for grabs.  Glen Sanders Mansion, the riverfront estate in Scotia, NY, believed to be the third-oldest surviving dwelling in New York State, has hit the market for $8 million, The Post has learned.  The 75,000-square-foot property traces to 1658, when Scottish merchant Alexander Lindsay Glen...

Before she became a key voice in her husband's ear, Cami Clark reportedly pitched Epstein on a "free luxury porn" company.

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Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner have some big decisions to make.  They’re now the proud owners of one of the most heralded teams in sports, the 17-time champion Los Angeles Lakers, whom they bought from Mark Walter for $12.5 billion on Wednesday morning.  It’s unclear what their plan is yet, but here’s some advice for...

No Illegal Immigrants Released At Southern Border In 15 Months: CBP

Authored by Naveen Athrappully via The Epoch Times,

U.S. Border Patrol in July released zero illegal immigrants from the southern border into the United States for the 15th straight month, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said in an Aug. 13 statement.

Illegal crossings last month remained “historically low,” CBP said. Apprehensions of illegal immigrants by Border Patrol along the southwest border in July were 94 percent lower than the monthly average under the prior administration.

The number of illegal immigrants apprehended in the current fiscal year through July is lower than the average of just a single month between fiscal years 1992 and 2024.

“Again this month, the results are clear: President Trump’s border security agenda is restoring order and putting the safety of the American people first,” Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in the statement.

“DHS remains focused on enforcing our immigration laws, securing the border, and ensuring those who enter our country illegally are removed swiftly.”

According to the CBP, the continued decline in border crossings and apprehensions reflects the impact of “robust enforcement policies.”

CBP Commissioner Rodney S. Scott credited clear policies, strong enforcement, and the work of frontline personnel for delivering positive results at America’s borders.

CBP data show there were 103,028 enforcement encounters at the southwest land border between October 2025 and June this year.

In the entirety of fiscal year 2025, there were a total of 443,671 encounters, less than the more than 2 million encounters registered in each of the previous two fiscal years under the prior administration.

According to Border Patrol’s 2025–2029 Strategy report, the agency’s plan to tackle illegal immigrants includes expanding physical infrastructure, such as checkpoints, barriers, and permanent towers, across all regions of the United States.

The strategy details plans to deploy advanced autonomous surveillance systems in order to detect and identify illegal immigrants.

Illegal immigrants from Mexico and Guatemala are apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol officers after crossing a section of border wall into Ruby, Arizona, on Jan. 4, 2025. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

While Border Patrol works to counter the inflow of illegal immigrants in the country, the agency’s workforce has seen strong growth.

In June, the CBP said that 21,471 Border Patrol agents were serving on America’s front lines, the highest number in the agency’s 102-year history. CBP credited the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump last year, for fueling “increased applicant interest” as well as enabling the agency to attract top talent.

Members of U.S. Border Patrol at the U.S.-Mexico border in Eagle Pass, Texas, on March 5, 2025. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Illegal Immigrant Crackdown

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is cracking down on criminal illegal immigrants across the country.

In an Aug. 7 statement, ICE said it arrested more than 1,200 illegal immigrants across Georgia under Operation Safe Community—Atlanta, which targeted people with criminal histories, including charges of aggravated assault, sex crimes, assault and battery, and crimes against children.

“Removing these criminal alien offenders from Georgia neighborhoods makes for much safer communities,” ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations acting Assistant Director Patricia Hyde said in the statement.

ICE said on July 14 that its Harlingen division arrested 238 illegal immigrants in a single day, setting a record for Texas’ Rio Grande Valley. Among the arrested were alleged criminals with convictions for sexual battery, attempted kidnapping, and drug possession.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, on March 23, 2026. Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images

The Trump administration is also imposing heavy fines on illegal immigrants. In a July 23 statement, DHS said that more than $84 billion in civil fines have been imposed on such individuals. This includes a $998-per-day charge levied on any illegal immigrant who does not leave the country despite a final order for removal.

A group of Democratic lawmakers criticized the fines, accusing the Trump administration of improperly using immigration penalties to “intimidate law-abiding immigrants,” according to a July 20 statement from the office of Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.).

In a July 17 letter to DHS and DOJ officials, the lawmakers said that in assessing fines against illegal immigrants, the departments “appear to have abandoned critical safeguards that have long prevented law-abiding immigrants from being improperly targeted with unreasonable penalties.”

In June 2025, when DHS announced streamlining the process for fining illegal immigrants, then-DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin justified the need for such fines.

“The law doesn’t enforce itself; there must be consequences for breaking it,” McLaughlin said in a statement at the time.

Tyler Durden Fri, 08/14/2026 - 15:40

Homepage links on xavierbecerra2026.com bring users to outdated pages.

A Northern California man whose prized muscle car was swiped more than three decades ago has finally been reunited with his beloved wheels, cops revealed this week.

The ex-Cambridge professor was coming under increasing scrutiny over plagiarism and other alleged lies.

British cyclist Finlay Tarling died after being hit by a car during the eighth leg of the Volta a Portugal.

The Skinnygirl founder recently opened her Supermodel Café pop-up in the Hamptons.

The Skinnygirl founder recently opened her Supermodel Café pop-up in the Hamptons.

That's one ludicrously capacious piece of luggage.

That's one ludicrously capacious carryall.

“I can’t believe that there are people out there that could be so evil."

Energy Drinks Overtake Coffee As Gen Z's Primary Caffeine Source

Filippo Falorni, Citi’s lead US equity-research analyst covering beverages and household and personal-care companies, published his latest survey of 2,400 US energy-drink consumers, revealing a significant generational shift in caffeine consumption.

Energy drinks, led by category giants Red Bull, Monster, and others, have overtaken coffee as the primary caffeine source among Gen Z consumers. In other words, younger Americans are increasingly abandoning the morning cup of coffee, even as Millennials, Gen Xers, and Baby Boomers continue to rely on it for their daily boost.

Among respondents aged 16 to 24, 30.6% now identify energy drinks as their primary caffeine source, up from 20.6% last year. Coffee fell to 27.3% from 40.4%, meaning energy drinks have overtaken coffee among the youngest cohort surveyed. Across all older age groups, coffee is the primary source of morning caffeine.

Falorni added more color: 

Based off our survey results, younger consumers are increasingly comfortable with using energy beverages as their primary caffeine source, with 30.6% and 24.3% of 16-24 and 25-34 year-olds, respectively, reporting energy drinks are their primary source of caffeine, up markedly from 20.6% and 19% in our 2025 survey and above the 23.6% for total respondents (vs. 16.6% in 2025) and only 12% for the 55+ age group (vs. 7.7% in 2025). We also highlight that coffee consumption is lowest for the youngest demographic we surveyed, with only 27.3% of 16–24-year-olds stating coffee was their primary caffeine source (down significantly from 40.4% in 2025) vs. 40.8% for total respondents (also down from 47.4% in 2025) and 60.4% for the 55+ age group

Looking specifically at energy drink consuming respondents, we can see the coffee category has been the largest share donor to energy beverages across all age groups, with 45% of all respondents reporting coffee was their primary source of caffeine before switching to energy beverages vs. 30% for soft drinks and 10% for tea. 

Other compelling findings in the survey:

• Women accounted for 58% of consumers who entered the category during the past year, compared with only 29% of consumers who have been drinking energy beverages for six years or longer.
• Zero-sugar products now represent about 49% of US energy-drink sales, up from 37% in 2021.
• Energy-drink prices have risen only 4.9% since late 2021, compared with 42% for soda and 47% for coffee, giving Monster and Red Bull considerable room to raise prices.
• About 40% of respondents increased their energy drink consumption over the past year, while just 20% reduced it.
• Brand loyalty is soft: 51% switched their primary brand during the past year, making flavor innovation and shelf space critical.
• Monster and Red Bull control about 70% of the market despite a surge of challenger brands.

In markets, Monster is outperforming Celsius year-to-date: 

Our latest coverage in the space includes the report that Rockstar founder Russell Weiner has accumulated a roughly $300 million stake in Celsius Holdings and is preparing an activist campaign aimed at accelerating the company's turnaround. Read the full report here.

Tyler Durden Fri, 08/14/2026 - 15:20

A California lawmaker is making it his mission to ensure parents are informed about what diapers are really made of.

Luigi Mangione pled guilty to murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, detailing in court how he used a 3D-printed gun to kill him.