Ukraine started the week with near record-setting drone attacks on Moscow, with over 600 UAVs sent against the Russian capital Monday night into Tuesday.

The expected major Russian retaliation has come overnight, with a huge missile and drone barrage on the Ukrainian capital. Many dozens were sent, killing over 16 people and injuring more than 40, local authorities report.

The casualty rate was high despite that Ukraine says it managed to intercept nearly 90% of inbound projectiles, which it did not give a total figure for.

Local media reports indicate the capital city’s Solomianskyi district district was the worst hit:

In the Sviatoshynskyi district, a Russian attack damaged buildings on non-residential property. In addition, a fire broke out in the warehouse facilities there.

In the Solomianskyi district, debris damaged the upper floors of a 9-story residential building, after which a fire broke out there. Rescue workers have already extinguished it. Windows were also shattered in four nearby residential buildings.

At another location, debris caused a fire on the upper floors of a 4-story building.

In addition, a school and a children’s hospital were damaged in the Solomianskyi district. Windows were shattered at the hospital, and cars caught fire on its grounds. The fire has been extinguished. Garages were also damaged.

President Zelensky used the devastation to once again call on the West to urgently provide more Patriot systems, amid dwindling anti-air supplies.

“The interceptors for Patriot systems have not yet been replaced, and they are needed every day,” Zelensky wrote in a Telegram post on Thursday. “Each additional missile saves the lives of our people.”

The Russian defense ministry said in familiar messaging that it was targeting military-industrial sites connected to the Ukrainian armed forces.

A Russian ballistic missile attack struck Ukrainian capital Kyiv overnight on Wednesday, killing at least nine people and wounding 60 others, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko. #WorldNow pic.twitter.com/W1LFPApSO1

— CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) August 20, 2026

Summary

• US shifts toward economic warfare, away from military strikes: Bessent says maximum sanctions likely mean no major new military campaign for now.
• Regime change rhetoric persists: Bessent says Washington intends to “collapse” Iran’s regime.
• USS George Washington arrives: A new US carrier is now operating in the Middle East, relieving the over-extended USS Lincoln.
• Iran rejects US threats as a Trump “diversion”: Tehran calls the campaign “economic terrorism” and says Washington is seeking an exit.
• Axios claim of ‘stealth corridor’ where oil is moving steadily through Hormuz results in skepticism & some pushback.

*  *  *

Bessent: Going to ‘Collapse this Regime’

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a CNBC appearance seemed to give additional confirmation that further Pentagon operations targeting Iran are unlikely to happen down the line. He also furthered Trump’s ‘Economic D-Day’ plan and threat.

“If we are doing the maximum economic pressure, then that means that likely there will not be a large-scale kinetic restart,” Bessent said in a “Squawk on the Street” interview. 

He previewed a press conference which the administration plans to give Monday to “talk about exactly what we’re going to do.” Apparently the White House is keen on resurrecting Bush-Cheney era talking points in the effort to push global countries to comply with a full economic siege and strangulation of the Islamic Republic. According to CNBC:

In a preview of the plan, he said that the U.S. will be telling all of its allies, “You are either with us or against us.”

“If you insist on doing business with [Iran], either transferring money, buying their oil or doing seaborne ship transfers, then the U.S. Treasury and the U.S. government … will put its full might and force toward enforcing against you,” Bessent said.

“This is going to be the greatest coordinated economic isolation in the history of the world,” he said.

He also said in the interview at one point that “we are going to collapse this regime.” Of course, none of this is necessarily new in terms of talking points’…

Bessent: “I’m not sure why oil has popped up on this, because for now — and it’s at the president’s discretion — if we’re doing the maximum economic pressure, then that means that likely there will not be a large scale kinetic restart. But I would emphasize that is for now …… pic.twitter.com/IYsWhsomgN

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 20, 2026

USS Washington Carrier now in Region

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has on Thursday confirmed the USS George Washington is now deployed in the Middle East, following the lengthy, over-extended deployment of personnel onboard the USS Lincoln, which has sparked crisis and media frenzy over poor conditions, lack of supplies, and worsening morale.

“The George Washington Carrier Strike Group is operating in Middle East during a scheduled deployment after arriving in the CENTCOM theater yesterday,” the command said in a statement posted on X.

The USS Washington will now be the military’s frontline carrier leading the mission in regional waters, which has featured an ongoing blockade of Iranian ports.

Iran Responds to Trump’s ‘Economic D-Day’

President Trump had the evening prior issued a Truth Social post describing a new “ECONOMIC D-DAY” against Iran, declaring that his total economic war against Tehran will be the “MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY.”

Trump said that with Tehran’s military and military-industrial base reduced to “now rubble” and its “currency worthless,” he will unleash severe economic consequences against “ANY country that allows its financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government entities to provide any type of lifeline to Iran.”

On Thursday Iranian leaders responded to the D-Day threat, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stating on X that Trump’s announcement is designed to distract from Washington’s “unprecedented debt & surging interest costs”. He said the new economic measures will “bring further defeat” to the US. He added that “US economic terrorism threatens [the] global economy and sovereignty worldwide.

US Desperately Seeks Exit, Says Iranian Official

Another top Iranian official elsewhere asserted the US seeks exit from the region:

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf visited Iraq on Wednesday and said that the US was seeking to exit the region, comments that come following a report from The Washington Post that said the Pentagon is considering pulling back from the Persian Gulf after many of its bases in the area were heavily damaged by Iranian strikes.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi also weighed in with another message, saying Washington is headed towards its next defeat. “They claim Iran is on the verge of defeat, hanging by a thread, yet they are begging all their allies to help them,” he posted on X.

Meanwhile Qatar is still seeking mediation and de-escalation, with Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani having said Thursday that traffic in the Strait of Hormuz must go back to what it was before. He urged that no party go back to “blackmailing” the other.

“The consequences of this war were grave, not only on the Gulf region but elsewhere in the world,” Sheikh Mohammed told reporters at a press briefing following high-level discussions in El Alamein, Egypt.

“We need the situation to go back to what it used to be before” he said. “We condemn any threats in this regard in any obstacles.”

Axios Report on ‘Stealth’ Hormuz Corridor

On the question of global shipping flows through the strait, much remains to be seen following a controversial Axios report issued Wednesday which said the Pentagon has successfully established a stealth corridor in and out of the strait. Here are the key untested claims, which await verification:

• Under the operation, which has been underway for the last several weeks, 15–20 tankers have entered and exited the strait each night through a southern channel along the coast of Oman.
• About 10 million barrels of oil a day — roughly half the pre-war volume — are being transported out of the strait and injected into the global energy market, the officials said.

If this is the case, then it’s likely to lead to further rounds of war, given Iran is unlikely to sit back and allow the corridor to run smoothly…

I fully agree: “Iran is unlikely to accept a situation in which it cannot export oil while other Gulf producers continue to do so. Paradoxically, therefore, America’s relative operational success could become a driver of further Iranian escalation.” https://t.co/I2IuU0deyU

— Hamidreza Azizi (@HamidRezaAz) August 20, 2026

‘Stealth’ Corridor Story True?

Of course, many analysts have pointed out that Axios has not been reliable on oil and Iran related reports, which tend to come out at sensitive moments timeline-wise, perhaps for maximum impact on markets.

Regional watcher and Atlantic Council author Danny Citrinowicz writes, “There is a fundamental paradox at the heart of the current U.S. approach to Iran: Washington wants to avoid another major military campaign, yet the very strategy it is pursuing to achieve that goal may make renewed military escalation increasingly difficult to avoid.”

“The administration appears to believe that it can dramatically intensify economic pressure, including through aggressive enforcement of secondary sanctions, while keeping the confrontation largely within the economic domain,” he continues. “But that assumption misunderstands both Iran’s position and the incentives facing its current leadership.” Indeed Washington has seemed to miscalculate and underestimate Tehran at every turn of this nearly 6-month long conflict.

European natural gas prices surged to levels last seen during the energy crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, when severe supply disruptions sent global markets into turmoil.

The catalyst was an overnight Truth Social post from President Trump declaring “ECONOMIC D-DAY” against Iran. The announcement raises the probability of prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime transit corridor for Gulf energy exports.

For Europe, continued disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz would constrain access to Gulf LNG, intensify competition for seaborne cargoes, and deepen the continent’s reliance on US supplies. With European storage inventories already well below seasonal norms and the winter replenishment window narrowing, traders are slapping a premium on natural gas prices on Thursday.

Dutch front-month futures, Europe’s gas benchmark, rose as much as 2.5% today and soared above 65 euros per megawatt-hour, a level last seen in 1Q23.

Trump stated in an overnight Truth Social post that, with Tehran’s military and military-industrial base reduced to “now rubble” and its “currency worthless,” he will unleash severe economic consequences against “ANY country that allows its financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government entities to provide any type of lifeline to Iran.”

Earlier this week, Simon Penn, a London-based UBS macro strategist, focused on Germany’s NatGas storage, which is only 50% full, compared with 57% a year ago and well below the 2009-25 average of 77%.

Europe, more broadly, is well below the 2009-25 average of 74%, with storage currently at around 61%.

It’s not just low NatGas storage levels that Europeans have to worry about at this time of year, but also a diesel shortage. Combining these two problems, Samantha Dart, co-head of global commodities research at Goldman Sachs, recently warned that this energy crunch is “what keeps her up at night.”

Must-Reads:

• “Really Only One Thing Worries Us A Lot”: Here’s What Keeps Goldman’s Commodities Guru Up At Night
• Winter Is Coming: Europe Faces Twin Diesel And NatGas Crunch
• “Generates A Number Of Risks”: UBS Warns German NatGas Storage Levels Alarmingly Below Seasonal Norms

Morgan Stanley analyst Martijn Rats wrote earlier that “the window to normalize before winter is rapidly closing.” Translation: Lower NatGas stockpiles will put a bid under prices and fuel inflation across the EU.

At this point, Europeans had better hope that a strong El Niño would produce relatively mild weather. Otherwise, the continent could face a cold and extremely expensive winter.

The FBI executed a search warrant against former congressman Eric Swalwell on Saturday after he landed at San Francisco Airport – seizing his electronic devices, including his cell phone, as part of a federal investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, the Daily Mail reports.

According to the report:

The agents, armed with additional court-approved search warrants, then entered his house in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, seizing additional undisclosed potential evidence,  well-placed sources tell the Daily Mail.

Sources say Swalwell started his day Saturday in Washington, where he still maintains a residence with his wife and three children.

He headed to the airport later in the day and flew to his home state of California. The feds were waiting for him when he stepped off the plane.

According to sources, Swalwell was cooperative.

The following day, neither he nor his wife Brittany Watts were home when the feds rolled up to their property in Northeast DC.

The DOJ launched a criminal investigation into multiple sexual assault and misconduct allegations lodged against the California democrat. Meanwhile, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office is investigating an alleged 2024 sexual assault in a New York City hotel room involving a former staffer, while the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and District Attorney’s Office have opened inquiries into a separate 2018 claim. Prosecutors have been assigned to review evidence in the LA case.

Swalwell stepped down from congress in April amid bipartisan pressure and a House Ethics Committee probe into the claims, after the San Francisco Chronicle and CNN reported claims from a former staffer and three other women. The former aide accused Swalwell of sexually assaulting her on two occasions: once in 2019 while she was employed by him, and again in April 2024 after a gala event in New York, where she said she was too intoxicated to consent and attempted to refuse. Three additional women described unwanted explicit messages, unsolicited nude photos, and harassment, some occurring during his gubernatorial campaign.

Then a fifth woman, Lonna Drewes – a Beverly Hills-based former model and fashion software entrepreneur – held a news conference to detail her accusations. Drewes alleged that in July 2018, after meeting Swalwell socially and believing they were developing a friendship, he invited her to his West Hollywood hotel room under the pretense of picking up papers. She claimed he drugged her drink, raped her, and choked her until she lost consciousness. Drewes said she had only one glass of wine that evening and provided authorities with journal entries, texts, and photos as evidence. She has since reported the incident to law enforcement and stands with the other accusers.

Swalwell has denied all allegations. 

The incident comes on the heels of new evidence that Swalwell admitted to having sex with a suspected Chinese spy, who the FBI assessed was likely operating on behalf of China’s Ministry of State Security.

Memos describe Christine Fang, known as Fang Fang (FBI codename ‘Rusty Thumbs’) cultivating Swalwell through sexual encounters, intern referrals into his congressional offices, and campaign contributions routed through American conduits to conceal her status as a prohibited foreign national. Investigators cleared Swalwell of criminal wrongdoing in 2017. Fang was never charged. 

During FBI interviews in 2015 and 2016, Swalwell acknowledged meeting Fang during his initial 2012 congressional campaign and admitted to multiple sexual encounters with her. He confirmed that Fang referred several interns to his campaign and congressional offices, explaining that he treated her referrals as coming from the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs (APAPA) organization.

The South Korean government has observed an alarming new launch of a missile barrage by North Korea on Thursday, announcing that an unidentified projectile was fired off the peninsula’s east coast on Thursday.

“The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the launches of about 10 short-range ballistic missiles happened from North Korea’s capital region around 5 p.m. (0800 GMT) on Thursday,” the Associated Press details. “The military said the missiles flew about 300 kilometers (185 miles) each toward North Korea’s eastern waters.”

“The military said South Korea has bolstered its surveillance posture and was closely coordinating information on the launches with the U.S. and Japan,” AP adds based on the statement. “South Korea’s presidential national security council issued a statement urging North Korea to halt ballistic missile launches.”

The new test is obviously meant to send a strong message, given it follows Pyongyang’s dismissal of President Trump’s decision to scale back US military exercises with South Korea this week.

Without doubt, Kim Jong-Un is welcoming the sudden attention from Trump, but if there’s hope of rekindling the ‘bromance’ – this is basically Kim playing hard to get.

North Korea’s stance is that simply scaling back the exercises doesn’t make them any less provocative and less of a threat to its national security.

The North Korean strongman’s influential sister has weighed in: “We think it’s not worth making comments on that and we have no interest in it at all,” she said, as cited in state media. “The provocative, aggressive nature of the drills won’t change even though their duration and size were reduced,” she added.

President Trump has been questioned by reporters on if there is currently an exchange of letters or any level of dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington. 

Kim Yo Jong as part of her statement denied that there’s any communication: “If the U.S. calculates that it can propagate its recent measure as the one of so-called good faith, they will not get the desired answer,” she also said.

However, there was this key caveat and positive remark in passing:

Kim Yo Jong’s statement did not contain North Korea’s typically harsh rhetoric. She briefly said relations between her brother and Trump are “still excellent,” mentioning her brother’s past comments that he still has “good memories” of Trump.

So there it is… Kim is playing hard to get while recalling all the fond memories. 

As for the White House, it probably needs a new distraction on the foreign policy front, given how much the Iran war has turned against Washington’s favor. If another face-to-face Trump-Kim meeting actually materialized down the line, it would certainly take over the headlines, at least temporarily.

Q: You said North Korea has 57 nuclear weapons, is your goal denuclearization?

Trump: I don’t want to talk about that but I have a good relationship with Kim Jong Un. I like him. I didn’t like doing these exercises against North Korea pic.twitter.com/9q74leMwpZ

— Headquarters (@HQNewsNow) August 19, 2026

On Kim, Trump said this week: “The fact that I get along with him, that’s a good thing.” He explained: “You can’t let Iran have a nuclear weapon. And I know Kim Jong Un very well, and he’s going to be fine as long as we have a smart president.“

Suddenly everyone gains immediate respect when they achieve nukes – even the ‘rogue’ actors – which is something Tehran has no doubt long observed.

Walmart is tumbling after posting disappointing guidance while quarterly sales fell short of expectations, a rare miss for the world’s largest bricks and mortar retailer, that is stoking concerns about the leading big-box retailer decelerating alongside a slow-growing US economy.

Comp store sales at US stores open at least a year, excluding fuel, rose 2.6% in the second quarter, far below the lowest analyst estimate compiled by Bloomberg.

That growth rate, which reflected “125 bps headwind from pharmacy deflation and brand-to-generic transfers related to maximum fair price regulation”, was the slowest in more than six years. Another interesting observation: WMT is seeing less of a hit from the lack of fatties, saying that “FY27 comps reflect ~50 bps tailwind from GLP-1, vs. ~100 bps in FY25 & FY26, as script  growth was more than offset by price-mix headwinds.”

Here are some other highlights from the fiscal second quarter:

• Adjusted EPS 81c, beating estimates 74c, excludes the impact, net of tax, from a net loss of $0.12 on equity and other investments, and net benefit of $0.11 from a certain tax matter
• Revenue $187.94 billion, +5.9% y/y, beating estimates of $186.87 billion
• Walmart-only US stores comparable sales ex-gas +2.6%, missing estimates of +3.67%
• Sam’s Club US comparable sales ex-gas +4.4%, beating estimates of +4.04%
• Operating cash flow $19.7 billion 
• Global eCommerce sales grew 23% 
• Membership fee revenue grew 17% globally 
• Gross profit rate up 96 bps, led by Walmart U.S., primarily impacted by tariff refund impacts 
• Free cash flow decreased $1.4 billion due an increase of $2.8 billion in capital expenditures to support our omnichannel growth strategy, partially offset by the increase in operating cash flow 
• Share repurchases during the quarter totaled $3.0 billion representing 25.7 million shares, at an average price of $117.61 per share

The company’s guidance was also messy for both Q3 and full year, both missing consensus estimates. 

Third quarter forecast: 

• Sees adjusted EPS 62c to 64c, missing estimates of 68c
• Sees net sales in constant currency +3% to +3.75%
• Sees operating income in constant currency up 2%-4%

2027 full-year forecast 

• Sees adjusted EPS $2.80 to $2.87, saw $2.75 to $2.85, missing estimates of $2.90 
• Sees net sales in constant currency +4% to +5%
• Sees adj. operating income in constant currency up 6%-8%

According to Bloomberg, the results signal it’s getting more challenging for the world’s largest retailer to maintain a faster growth rate as expectations from investors have risen. The earnings report also may spark anxiety about uneven economic signals and deteriorating consumer sentiment.

Federal drug price negotiations affected Walmart’s health and wellness (H&W) business more than expected, CFO John David Rainey said in an interview. While “transitory,” the issue is expected to persist into the next year, he said.

WalMart was quick to point out that wxcluding health and wellness, the company’s US comparable sales rose 3.4%, and noted that FY27 YTD total comp reflected a “net ~200 bps swing on average vs. the trailing two year pace due to Health and Wellness impacts noted above”…

… but the market didn’t seem to care much and punished the company the most in almost 5 years.

Additionally, Walmart gained market share, including in grocery as it continued to lower prices of goods. As consumers face more pressure, Walmart has been “very intentional” with where it’s investing in price, Rainey said, pointing to beef as an example. Still, the retail environment remains competitive.

Shoppers have maintained spending at consistent levels in recent months despite ongoing concerns about inflation and geopolitical tensions. While many consumers are increasingly selective about their expenditures, they’re still on the lookout for good deals or unique products. At the same time, lower-income households have pulled back amid elevated gasoline prices. Consumer sentiment also dropped for the first time in three months in August, while the labor market is showing signs of weakness.

Consumer spending has been consistent as households remain resilient, according to Rainey.

“We certainly see that choices are made,” he said. “That’s indicative of some of the trade-offs that consumers are needing to make, and they’re looking for value and convenience.” Back-to-college season was “exceedingly strong,” and the return to school season is in its early days as some schools start later this year.

Additionally, recent foodborne illnesses have weighed on demand for some items like packaged lettuce and strawberries, though the company expects that to improve in the coming months, Rainey said.

Walmart, a longtime favorite of bargain-searching shoppers, has expanded its online offerings in recent years and succeeded in attracting wealthier shoppers prioritizing convenience. The company’s non-retail businesses, which span from advertising to its third-place marketplace, also have boosted profit growth. In the years after a pandemic-fueled boom in business, the retailer has invested across operations to spruce up its stores, assortment of products and digital services.

Under Chief Executive Officer John Furner, the Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer has sought to maintain its focus on value while making online deliveries faster and using artificial intelligence more effectively across operations.

Walmart shares had retreated in recent months, partly on concerns that the company’s US growth could decelerate. Comparable sales growth has now slowed for two straight quarters, and the retailer cautioned earlier this year that high fuel costs could squeeze earnings. Rivals including Target Corp. have seen sales pick up as its turnaround efforts gain traction. Kroger Co. and Costco Wholesale Corp. meanwhile are lowering food prices to grab more share.

Following the latest earnings, shares of Walmart, which until recently were idiotically trading at a 40x forward PE, crashed as much as 9% after the huge comp store sales miss, its biggest drop since July 2022 The stock had risen 2.6% this year through Wednesday’s close. 

Walmart’s full Q2 presentation is below (pdf link)

Earnings Presentation (FY27 Q2) by Zerohedge

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has on Thursday confirmed the USS George Washington is now deployed in the Middle East, following the lengthy, over-extended deployment of personnel onboard the USS Lincoln, which has sparked crisis and media frenzy over poor conditions, lack of supplies, and worsening morale.

“The George Washington Carrier Strike Group is operating in Middle East during a scheduled deployment after arriving in the CENTCOM theater yesterday,” the command said in a statement posted on X.

The USS Washington will now be the military’s frontline carrier leading the mission in regional waters, which has featured an ongoing blockade of Iranian ports.

President Trump had the evening prior issued a Truth Social post describing a new “ECONOMIC D-DAY” against Iran, declaring that his total economic war against Tehran will be the “MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY.”

Trump said that with Tehran’s military and military-industrial base reduced to “now rubble” and its “currency worthless,” he will unleash severe economic consequences against “ANY country that allows its financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government entities to provide any type of lifeline to Iran.”

On Thursday Iranian leaders responded to the D-Day threat, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stating on X that Trump’s announcement is designed to distract from Washington’s “unprecedented debt & surging interest costs”. He said the new economic measures will “bring further defeat” to the US. He added that “US economic terrorism threatens [the] global economy and sovereignty worldwide.

Another top Iranian official elsewhere asserted the US seeks exit from the region:

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf visited Iraq on Wednesday and said that the US was seeking to exit the region, comments that come following a report from The Washington Post that said the Pentagon is considering pulling back from the Persian Gulf after many of its bases in the area were heavily damaged by Iranian strikes.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi also weighed in with another message, saying Washington is headed towards its next defeat. “They claim Iran is on the verge of defeat, hanging by a thread, yet they are begging all their allies to help them,” he posted on X.

Meanwhile Qatar is still seeking mediation and de-escalation, with Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani having said Thursday that traffic in the Strait of Hormuz must go back to what it was before. He urged that no party go back to “blackmailing” the other.

“The consequences of this war were grave, not only on the Gulf region but elsewhere in the world,” Sheikh Mohammed told reporters at a press briefing following high-level discussions in El Alamein, Egypt.

“We need the situation to go back to what it used to be before” he said. “We condemn any threats in this regard in any obstacles.”

On the question of global shipping flows through the strait, much remains to be seen following a controversial Axios report issued Wednesday which said the Pentagon has successfully established a stealth corridor in and out of the strait. Here are the key untested claims, which await verification:

• Under the operation, which has been underway for the last several weeks, 15–20 tankers have entered and exited the strait each night through a southern channel along the coast of Oman.
• About 10 million barrels of oil a day — roughly half the pre-war volume — are being transported out of the strait and injected into the global energy market, the officials said.

If this is the case, then it’s likely to lead to further rounds of war, given Iran is unlikely to sit back and allow the corridor to run smoothly…

I fully agree: “Iran is unlikely to accept a situation in which it cannot export oil while other Gulf producers continue to do so. Paradoxically, therefore, America’s relative operational success could become a driver of further Iranian escalation.” https://t.co/I2IuU0deyU

— Hamidreza Azizi (@HamidRezaAz) August 20, 2026

Of course, many analysts have pointed out that Axios has not been reliable on oil and Iran related reports, which tend to come out at sensitive moments timeline-wise, perhaps for maximum impact on markets.

Regional watcher and Atlantic Council author Danny Citrinowicz writes, “There is a fundamental paradox at the heart of the current U.S. approach to Iran: Washington wants to avoid another major military campaign, yet the very strategy it is pursuing to achieve that goal may make renewed military escalation increasingly difficult to avoid.”

“The administration appears to believe that it can dramatically intensify economic pressure, including through aggressive enforcement of secondary sanctions, while keeping the confrontation largely within the economic domain,” he continues. “But that assumption misunderstands both Iran’s position and the incentives facing its current leadership.” Indeed Washington has seemed to miscalculate and underestimate Tehran at every turn of this nearly 6-month long conflict.

Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity News,

The Home Office in the United Kingdom is now handing asylum seekers a nine-page booklet and posters spelling out that rape is illegal, sex with children is a crime, women are equal to men, and you cannot mutilate girls’ genitals.

Yes, really. This is how bad it’s gotten.

Britain’s borders have become so porous that the state feels obliged to tutor new arrivals in the most basic rules of civilised society.

If you have to publish these and send them out to ‘Asylum seekers’ perhaps they shouldn’t even be considered for asylum. pic.twitter.com/GbnVlJE7w0

— m o d e r n i t y (@ModernityNews) August 19, 2026

Officials openly acknowledge that “laws and customs here may be different from your home country.” The document, published this week, is the clearest admission yet that large numbers of those arriving do not share the fundamental values that keep women and children safe.

It’s like reverse colonisation, bring the third world here and pretend you can modernise them in a few days.

It took decades and most of the developing world is exactly that, still developing.

The Home Office seems to believe a pdf file will change that.

Absolutely insane. https://t.co/VeIkFeqxyC

— Nick, 30 (@an0n_Nic) August 19, 2026

GB News presenter Martin Daubney reacted with visible shock: “It’s very rare a story comes in that completely takes my breath away, but this is it.”

‘It’s very rare a story comes in that completely takes my breath away, but this is it!’@MartinDaubney shares his outrage as migrants are issued a guide by the Home Office on how to avoid committing rape in Britain, and other guidance on harassment and paedophilia. pic.twitter.com/hhTRpmir1k

— GB News (@GBNEWS) August 19, 2026

The guide, titled Understanding Behaviours and Expectations in the UK: A Guide for Asylum Seekers, is available on the government website and is being distributed to new arrivals.

A section on sex and consent states: “In the UK, the law is clear and strict: both people must agree to sex or sexual contact of any kind.”

It continues: “Never try to have sex with someone who is asleep, drunk, or unable to consent clearly.”

Rape is described as a serious crime that can lead to prison, loss of support and accommodation, and damage to an asylum claim.

The booklet also states “The legal age of consent in the UK is 16. This means that anyone under the age of 16 is considered a child and cannot legally agree to have sex. Sex with someone under the age of 16 is a serious crime in the UK. There are no exceptions to this rule. Even if they say yes, it is still illegal.”

There have been a few articles over the years about asylum seekers who loiter outside schools and photograph children.

The Home Office “Consequences of Behaviour” document given to asylum seekers advises them not to take photos or videos of people without consent. pic.twitter.com/M15WRraNai

— Charlie (@charliecolecc) August 19, 2026

Gender equality is explained in similarly elementary terms. Women “do not need permission from a husband, father, brother or any other man” to work, study, travel or make decisions. Domestic abuse is illegal. Public behaviour rules ban whistling, kissing noises, sexual comments “even if you think it is a compliment,” following people or blocking their path.

?Breaking News….
Home Office are handing out leaflets to new arrivals explaining that its not ok to have sex with kids and in the uk men & women are equal. How are they going to know if theyve read the leaflets & actually understand. If these men are decent people then why… pic.twitter.com/JV6uUYCGS8

— ???? (@jomickane) August 19, 2026

‘Perpetrators have tried to use ignorance as a way of getting off. This could be useful in subsequent legal cases…’

Political Consultant Kevin Craig reacts as the Home Office faces criticism for issuing migrants a guide on how to avoid committing sexual assault in Britain. pic.twitter.com/oKxUfgxNzM

— GB News (@GBNEWS) August 19, 2026

The UK Government is literally having to tell these savages you can’t rape women when they’re unconscious

WHY ARE WE LETTING THEM INTO OUR COUNTRY? pic.twitter.com/fzqhsjDDVz

— Basil the Great (@BasilTheGreat) August 19, 2026

Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf called the publication a disgrace, saying the government had produced “a handy guide for illegal migrants on how not to be a rapist, not to be a paedophile, how not to beat women and how to leave babies alone.”

The government is handing out guides to illegal migrants training them not to rape women, not to beat women, have sex with children or leave babies alone.

The political class are knowingly enabling the assault of our women and girls at your expense. pic.twitter.com/uwmjjhHDmT

— Zia Yusuf (@ZiaYusufUK) August 19, 2026

?BREAKING?

An excerpt from a guide being issued to illegal migrants in an attempt to tackle rampant sexual assaults and rapes on women and children in the UK.

The government are attempting to mitigate the rape epidemic with a brochure. pic.twitter.com/INEyrGqDSV

— Robbie (@Robbie_Reasons) August 19, 2026

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said the priority should be deportation rather than “trying to train these mainly young, male illegal immigrants [to] behave in a civilised way towards women.”

If the Home Office believes it is necessary to tell grown adults arriving in Britain that they must not sexually abuse children, rape women or mutilate girls, then I want to know why they believe those warnings are necessary in the first place https://t.co/xvyN5CTtEt

— Jess Caine (@jessalinecaine) August 19, 2026

Patrick Christys noted the obvious contradiction: the Home Office knows the risk is high enough to require explicit warnings about rape, child sex and genital mutilation, yet continues to place large numbers of these arrivals in communities across the country.

The Home Office knows illegal immigrants are so dangerous they have the tell them not to rape kids, beat up women of mutilate genitals. And yet they’re about to plonk a load of them in rural villages. pic.twitter.com/jPHcZATxfw

— Patrick Christys (@PatrickChristys) August 19, 2026

Meanwhile, the welfare bill for foreign nationals keeps climbing. Almost 1.3 million migrants were claiming Universal Credit in May 2026, up around 20,000 on the previous year.

‘It is shocking!’@DawnNeesom reacts to figures that confirm a record 1.6 million migrants are claiming Universal Credit. pic.twitter.com/IWQ9kdfezq

— GB News (@GBNEWS) August 19, 2026

Centre for Migration Control analysis shows the number of refugees on Universal Credit jumped 44 per cent in twelve months, from 90,709 to 130,618.

April 2022: 402,000 foreigners claiming Universal Credit who were not in any form of work.

April 2026: the figure has increased to 652,000.

1/4 of a million additional welfare dependants in just four years. And this is BEFORE the Boriswave settles.

— Centre for Migration Control (@migrationCtrl) August 18, 2026

ONS data suggests a further 623,000 are claiming other benefit combinations, bringing the total close to two million migrants on benefits.

1.3 million migrants on Universal Credit.

ONS data suggests a further 623,000 are claiming a non-UC benefit combination – although this is likely an undercount.

We have close to 2 million migrants claiming benefits in Britain. https://t.co/GcQ3fe6OKg

— Centre for Migration Control (@migrationCtrl) August 19, 2026

Rob Bates of the Centre for Migration Control pointed to the Channel crisis and the drive to clear the asylum backlog as key drivers of the refugee rise.

‘The striking data point is the increase we’re seeing in individuals classed as refugees, in large part because of the Channel crisis.’

Rob Bates of the Centre for Migration Control reacts as it is revealed almost 1.3 million migrants were claiming Universal Credit in May 2026. pic.twitter.com/7WFNdR9wH1

— GB News (@GBNEWS) August 19, 2026

Out-of-work foreign claimants have also increased sharply. Taxpayers are funding this at a time when the overall Universal Credit caseload has hit a record 8.4 million.

Separately, the Home Office is accelerating plans to reopen and expand Haslar Immigration Detention Centre on the Gosport seafront in Hampshire.

The site, closed a decade ago, is set to become one of Europe’s largest, with capacity for 600 foreign criminals and illegal migrants.

Ministers have designated the project of “national importance” under the Crown Development process, taking decisions out of local hands.

Home Office ‘scared of scrutiny’ as it rushes through plan to build one of Europe’s biggest immigration detention centres on seafront site https://t.co/ovfn5eH210

— Daily Mail (@DailyMail) August 18, 2026

Gosport Borough Council leader Zoe Huggins accused the government of fearing scrutiny and demanded an open process and a community liaison panel.

Local MP Dame Caroline Dinenage said the approach removes decision-making from residents and hands it to Whitehall.

The Home Office insists the expansion is necessary to remove more than 45,000 additional foreign offenders over the next decade and makes “no apology” for increasing detention capacity.

The pattern is consistent. Officials acknowledge cultural incompatibility serious enough to require explicit instructions against rape and child abuse.

They record hundreds of thousands more foreign claimants on benefits.

They expand detention capacity while still allowing large-scale arrivals.

Leaflets will not change the fundamental problem of who is being allowed in and allowed to stay.

Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews.

Lower US long-end yields, a softer dollar, and SK Hynix’s share buyback announcement stabilized sentiment across Asian markets. However, shares of Chinese humanoid robot maker Unitree erased some of those massive 460% gains following Wednesday’s blockbuster debut. 

Risk appetite was also tempered after President Trump declared “Economic D-Day” against Iran and threatened severe consequences for any country providing support to Tehran. Against that backdrop, investors may continue rotating toward safer (see here), higher-quality companies with limited exposure to geopolitical and macroeconomic shocks.

Turning to the world’s top humanoid robot maker by global deliveries, founder Wang Xingxing told the World Robot Conference in Beijing that mass-market adoption of these robots will be achieved within the next decade. That timeline is broadly in line with the forecasts we have provided readers from multiple institutional desks.

Wang said demand is likely to accelerate once robots can complete 80% of tasks assigned through voice commands in unfamiliar surroundings. He expects that threshold to be reached within two to 10 years.

The founder said humanoids already perform well under controlled conditions, but their performance deteriorates when objects or surroundings shift even slightly. He noted that this lack of versatility leaves current models trailing human workers.

According to Unitree’s IPO prospectus, one of the company’s major priorities is advancing the “humanoid brain,” or embodied AI. About half of the IPO proceeds will be invested in improving the intelligence of its models.

Unitree shares in Shanghai closed down nearly 19% on Thursday after surging 460% on Wednesday. The IPO was 5,550 times oversubscribed as retail demand went through the roof.

Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Ian Ma said, “Unitree’s debut surge signals strong appetite for China’s embodied AI sector,” adding that the IPO proceeds should accelerate product development and commercialization.

Unitree’s IPO sucked liquidity out of other robotics stocks tracked by the Solactive China Humanoid Robotics Index (Bloomberg ticker: SOLCHRBP Index). The index fell 2.5% on Thursday and is down more than 27% on the year.

Related:

• China Dominates The Humanoid Robot Race. Can Trump Close The Gap?

Smart Analytics Global said global humanoid shipments tripled to 19,100 units in the first half from 5,100 a year earlier. The research firm expects deliveries to reach roughly 60,000 this year and climb to 500,000 by 2030.

The estimates are similar to those from major institutional research desks, including UBS, whose most bullish forecast projects nearly 400,000 global deliveries by the end of the decade.

Via UBS.

Our latest notes dissecting the humanoid robot value chain and examining how to profit from the key companies that manufacture critical components, such as motors and actuators, show that many of these companies are based in Asia, more specifically in China.

Read: 

• Physical AI Faces One Critical Chokepoint, And Here’s How To Profit
• Digging Deeper Inside Physical AI’s Hardware Stack Powering Humanoids

The short answer to whether Trump can close the gap with China in the humanoid race is difficult, given that the US lacks robust supply chains for motors, actuators, and other critical components, and building those supply chains could take years.

Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity News,

A viral game on Google Maps has laid bare one of the most glaring cultural realities of the modern world.

Drop a Street View pin anywhere in India and try to find a spot free of garbage, rubble, plastic waste or worse. The “Pindia Challenge” has taken off precisely because it is almost impossible to win. Mountains of trash, rivers of sludge, and streets buried under filth appear with depressing consistency.

But what was once dismissed as a problem isolated to ‘over there’ is now increasingly visible on Western doorsteps through mass migration, turning once-tidy, well maintained neighbourhoods into open-air dumps.

The ‘Pindia challenge’ is a game on Google Maps where you drop a street view anywhere in India. The goal is to find an area completely free of trash or rubble.

It’s almost impossible to win on the first try. pic.twitter.com/UFvRt7kfs7

— Memes (@Basedgoymemes) August 14, 2026

The challenge itself is simple and brutal. Players zoom into random Indian locations on Google Maps Street View and screenshot the result. Trash piles, discarded packaging, construction rubble and human waste dominate the frames.

Participants report failure after failure, even in mountainous areas where refuse somehow still appears.

pic.twitter.com/lDWCfvYA74

— Google Maps Fuera De Contexto (@OOCMaps) August 17, 2026

Die “Pindia-Challenge” ist ein Spiel auf Google Maps, bei dem man die Straßenansicht irgendwo in Indien abwirft. Das Ziel ist es, ein Gebiet zu finden, das völlig frei von Müll oder Schutt ist.

Es ist fast unmöglich, beim ersten Versuch zu gewinnen.

Das ist mein Versuch. Da… pic.twitter.com/Ae8wRMvr7M

— realDonHulio (@DonHulio__) August 14, 2026

Anyone want to play a game of Pindia?
Just drop a street view pin anywhere in India, then screenshot the garbage and feces.
Third photo is up in the mountains, they even figured out how to throw trash there. pic.twitter.com/VkOFoYwYcx

— Great Bawls O’ Microplastics (@HumamAnamoly) August 12, 2026

Decided to play a game of Pindia.

Been months since my last try.

Using google maps, go to India and zoom in to a completely random spot until you find a street. Drop the pin and open the street view. If you see trash, you lost the game.

I lost. Didnt even need to pan the cam pic.twitter.com/EUEJh5iQso

— badgers_ghost (@Badgers_ghost) August 18, 2026

If you go to Google Maps, select Street View, and drop it literally anywhere in India, you will find piles of trash everywhere.

I have done this dozens of times with friends. It has not once failed me.

I just did it again a few seconds ago and it came up with this. https://t.co/LGOdjtVwdN pic.twitter.com/vtPDeLzFuw

— Christian Heiens ? (@ChristianHeiens) November 18, 2025

We’ve all seen the endless videos of India’s urban waterways choked with plastic bottles, flip-flops and debris.

India. The dense mix of plastic bottles, flip-flops and other debris in an urban waterway, along with the scavenger’s appearance and footwear, matches common scenes from Indian canals and nullahs.

— Grok (@grok) August 15, 2026

The scale is staggering. A 20-storey trash mountain near New Delhi features its own black sludge rivers formed from the liquid seeping out of the waste.

This is the 20 story high trash mountain near New Delhi, India.
It even has black sludge rivers of its own from the trash liquid.
India is the dirtiest country on earth.
The entire country of India still doesn’t have waste management in 2026. pic.twitter.com/DOQWl3JJ0R

— Manju Asura (@mandate2049) July 31, 2026

The country still lacks comprehensive waste management systems in 2026. Videos show entire landscapes transformed into dumping grounds, including remote Himalayan areas where refuse has somehow been deposited.

India is the ultimate trash country.
Indians trash everywhere.
They even trash the Himalayas. pic.twitter.com/zVOxXgdnFq

— Manju Asura (@mandate2049) June 1, 2026

India ranks among the world’s top plastic polluters. Around 35 percent of its waste is properly treated; the rest is dumped in open landfills and streets.

This is India, soon to be Texas

India is one of the worst places on earth for cleanliness and trash

– India is the world’s top plastic polluter
– Around 35% of India’s waste is properly treated, the rest dumped in open landfills and streets
– India is among the highest sources… pic.twitter.com/7qRQhM0OxO

— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) May 28, 2026

The Ganges alone carries hundreds of tons of plastic daily. Overflowing dumpsites, including Delhi’s Ghazipur landfill rising more than 200 feet, have become landmarks of failure.

The rivers of trash in India really put into perspective how pointless it is to do things like banning plastic straws in Western Nations

If Western Countries are forced to follow all these insane environmentalist policies, other nations should also be forced to follow them or… pic.twitter.com/DPNqoHPKLr

— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) June 28, 2026

Western nations ban plastic straws and impose elaborate environmental rules while these rivers of refuse continue unchecked. The contrast is stark and reveals the futility of one-sided restrictions.

Indians are big mad at me for that poop mudslide post yesterday but I’d just like to make sure everyone knows India isn’t all about poop.

It’s about trash too.

It’s that real Mumbai spirit! ?? pic.twitter.com/VFmnV96GD1

— Klara (@klara_sjo) July 14, 2026

However, this is not an abstract overseas problem. The same habits travel with the people. Videos from Canada, Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom reveal Indian migrants dumping couches, bags of rubbish, and household waste along roadsides, into ditches, rivers and parks.

Every day, I see videos on social media of Indians dumping trash all over Canada & USA.

One lady compiled a video of multiple Indian offenders dumping couches & bags of rubbish right on the side of the road, throwing trash in rivers, & ditches.

This is a cultural problem &… pic.twitter.com/LnaLSjrYiN

— Mrs B (@attackdogX) August 18, 2026

Endless clips show offenders tossing furniture and refuse in Western settings, treating pristine environments the same way many treat their home country.

Indians turn everywhere they go into a trash heap

Truly the most disgusting people on earth pic.twitter.com/8xHeNsff0d

— Clayton Walker (@Channel6ixNEWS) June 6, 2026

An Aussie woman catches an Indian man illegally dumping boxes of rubbish in her Melbourne neighbourhood in Melbourne & she chases him down the street.

This is a regular thing in Melbourne now.

There is dumped trash everywhere. Our communities used to be clean & well looked… pic.twitter.com/V9I1NpVF3f

— Lozzy B ??? (@TruthFairy131) June 12, 2026

Welcome to Canada…

It’s wild how so many Indians export their street-trash culture to every Western country they move to. pic.twitter.com/lG0usAaXi4

— I Meme Therefore I Am ?? (@ImMeme0) August 16, 2026

A Canadian local forced a group to retrieve a dumped couch and take it to the proper landfill, calling it a lesson in basic standards.

Local man forces a group of Indians to pick up a couch they dumped off the side of a road in Canada and take it to the garbage dump.

“Call it a lesson in being Canadian”

Follow: @NoticerNews pic.twitter.com/0Q5iK0HsNK

— N News (@NoticerNews) June 27, 2026

A recent report from Juno News examined Canada’s exploding illegal dumping crisis. In every case where dumpers could be identified on camera, the individuals were of Indian descent.

Brampton, Ontario, a city with one of the country’s largest Indian populations, saw illegal dumping reports rise 163 percent between 2020 and 2024, from 2,117 incidents to 5,568. Surrey, British Columbia, another area with high concentrations of Indian immigrants, recorded thousands of clean-up sites in a single year.

Residents have begun confronting dumpers themselves and tracking identifying documents left in the trash. The pattern is consistent and undeniable.

The same story plays out across Britain.

The cultural refusal is clearest in the treatment of those who try to enforce basic standards. A litter enforcement officer in Dudley was racially abused and smashed over the head with a wooden pole hard enough to shatter it. Bodycam captured one offender screaming “Get the f*** off my property you white mother f*****” and threatening to take the officer’s head off.

Once-clean British streets now resemble third-world dumping grounds, with black bags, discarded sofas, mattresses and commercial waste appearing regularly in areas of rapid demographic change.

This is north London, but it could be a Third World country in Africa or Asia. How bad can it get for us…? pic.twitter.com/nbZFOVO9PA

— Clean Up Britain (@cleanupbritain) July 11, 2026

Just look how brazen this bloke is…
He just doesn’t care that he’s polluting the country and committing a criminal offence. This sort of shameless and selfish attitude is what we’re up against. pic.twitter.com/XHFRlVRkKw

— Clean Up Britain (@cleanupbritain) July 23, 2026

Once-clean British streets now look like a landfill that never got collected.
Fly-tipping, sofas in the road, black bags piled like mountains, tyres and mattresses dumped wherever they land.
This isn’t “poverty”.
It’s imported standards meeting zero enforcement.
You can feel the… pic.twitter.com/GoRxuId8To

— Retard Radar (@FullRetardRadar) August 15, 2026

Exactly… This is happening all over Britain, every day.
It’s beyond a national disgrace. @CamillaTominey pic.twitter.com/1c0QM2qP8I

— Clean Up Britain (@cleanupbritain) August 4, 2026

How dare they invade our beautiful country & treat it like some 3rd world shanty town

It’s actually infuriating pic.twitter.com/gD5KF0XbGM

— Restore Liverpool ????????? (@RestoreLVP) August 4, 2026

The state of the Lozells ward in Birmingham is absolutely shameful but newly elected Councillor, Taj Uddin, thinks a few CCTV cameras are going to fix the problem.

The problem is in their own community, we already have laws.

They choose to ignore them and live in filth. pic.twitter.com/76v4hXShnV

— Kiera Diss (@KieraDiss) August 4, 2026

This is occupied Leicester.

Noticing a trend yet? https://t.co/c8V48k4NkT pic.twitter.com/XvvoHp9Gip

— Kiera Diss (@KieraDiss) August 4, 2026

It’s not just people being dumped on the streets in Sparkhill, the rubbish is all over the place.

This is not just a packet or crisps or can, it’s household waste and furniture.

A rotten way to live. https://t.co/MRwEpms8Ln pic.twitter.com/ID8HmYydoQ

— Kiera Diss (@KieraDiss) August 4, 2026

This video was shot this weekend in a field off a leafy lane in Herts. We’ll be erecting a camera here, but too late to catch these criminals. This is commercial waste and we’re lobbying for a minimum and automatic £20,000 fine for this crime. The risks must outweigh the… pic.twitter.com/n8XGbBY7tt

— Clean Up Britain (@cleanupbritain) August 1, 2026

Urban decay, mountains of rubbish, is now commonplace in zones that once maintained basic standards.

Or in zones 3-5 in London. Fly tipping pic.twitter.com/tDpZAAh2qw

— TotalSteveO (@TotalSteveO) July 23, 2026

pic.twitter.com/F3bzusWz1J

— TotalSteveO (@TotalSteveO) July 23, 2026

Western countries maintain weekly bin collections, legal tips and public bins. The services exist. The choice not to use them is deliberate. People do not magically abandon the habits of their origin countries upon crossing a border. They bring the culture with them. The result is the progressive transformation of tidy Western towns, parks and waterways into the same wastelands visible in the Pindia Challenge.

Mass immigration without assimilation does not produce enrichment. It produces eroded civic standards, selective enforcement and neighbourhoods that look as if no one is in charge.

The Pindia Challenge is more than an internet game. It is a mirror held up to a reality that open-borders policies have chosen to ignore. Import the people, import the trash. The streets of the West are already paying the price.

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